Batman #354

Issue Details

Synopsis

SHOWDOWN Batman has been declared a public menace and his special deputy status has been revoked by Mayor Hill and Commissioner Pauling. At Gotham City Hall, Pauling and Hill are concerned about the Batman's possible actions and they have the building surrounded by members of the Gotham City Police Department. Nevertheless, Batman manages to break into the building and into their office, where he warns them about the information that Deadshot has provided him about their corruption. When Batman leaves the building, Pauling activates an alarm that alerts the officers about his presence and the police start shooting at Batman. One of them hits the target, but when they go to seek the body of the Caped Crusader, they find nothing.  Meanwhile, Dr. Thirteen takes Rupert Thorne to Graytowers to show him the source of his haunting images. Inside the building, the two of them enter a secret laboratory, where the ghost of Hugo Strange appears and attacks Thorne. However, when Thirteen turns on the light, the ghost is gone and he has an explanation for the apparent spectral image. Thirteen finds a secret panel, which contains a holographic projector and he shows Thorne the holographic image that has been used to haunt him. With the case solved, Thirteen only wants to distance himself from Thorne and the "Boss" of Gotham City comes to the wrong conclusion that the people responsible for this charade are his own pawns, Pauling and Hill.   Later, Alfred tries to deal with an annoying Deadshot, who is being held prisoner and blindfolded in the Batcave. When Batman arrives seriously injured from the shooting he just survived, Alfred hurries to give him medical attention. At that moment, Vicki Vale receives a phone call from a mysterious cat lady, who warns her to stay away from Bruce Wayne.   The next night, Rupert Thorne is planning his next move to eliminate the inexistent threat of his own henchmen, when suddenly, Batman appears at his door. Panicked at the sight of the Dark Knight, Thorne speaks out loud his deductions that Batman has already found about the fraud he organized in the elections and the murder contract on Bruce Wayne. Batman doesn't reply and in his outburst of madness, Thorne drops a bottle of alcohol near his fireplace, which causes the home to catch on fire. While Batman fights the fire, Rupert Thorne gets away.   Minutes later, Thorne shows up at City Hall, armed with a gun and ready to kill his unsuspecting thugs. Batman arrives just in time to witness Thorne's murder of Peter Pauling and the shooting of Rupert Thorne by one of Pauling's own men. Batman disarms the corrupt police officer and learns from the last man standing, Mayor Hill, that he will reinstate Batman's special deputy status, but he won't be able to prove that he was ever involved with Thorne.   Finally, Batman watches as Thorne is taken to a hospital and he uses his belt radio to contact the Batcave, before removing his cowl and reveal Dick Grayson under the mask. Bruce is still recovering and Dick had to step in to fill as Batman, giving Bruce the time he needs to recover. After a successful mission, Dick returns home, but there is another person looking the scene from a distance. The person is none other than Hugo Strange, who is alive and well and is responsible for the strange apparitions.