Batman #551

Issue Details

Synopsis

SUIT OF EVIL SOULS Batman chases a murderer and corners him in an alley. Batman questions the man about the crime and the reasons behind it and the man reveals himself as part of a group called the Aryan Reich that hated Jews. He attacks but Batman knocks out the killer and takes him to the police.  Rory Regan returns to Gotham City to attend the funeral of the murdered man. At the funeral, Regan speaks to Rabbi Isaac Luria and asks him to fill him in with details of the murder. Luria tells Regan that it was a hate crime perpetrated by a gang that has taken the slum where he lives and also where Regan grew up. The rabbi tells Regan that the Aryan Reich are not only misogynists, but that they are xenophobic because of their attacks on all people that are not caucasian. They continue the conversation inside the synagogue and suddenly a window is destroyed by a brick thrown from the outside. Regan follows the vandal through the streets and when they are at a safe distance from the public, Regan summons the power of the Suit of Souls to catch the man and transform into the Ragman. With the powers of the Ragman, Regan knocks down the punk and he is about to leave the man for the police to find him but the rags of the suit start to act by themselves. Regan tries to control the rags but it is futile, the rags are asphyxiating the punk to the point of killing him. Once the man is dead, the rags return to the suit and a new evil soul is attached to the suit. Regan is shocked to realize that the power of the evil souls in the suit are now stronger then his power to control them.   Elsewhere, Vesper Fairchild hosts her radio talk show as usual but she has a guest man to talk about the recent crimes in Gotham. Bruce Wayne listens to the interview outside the radio station where he is waiting for Vesper.   Regan returns to the synagogue to ask for the rabbi's help controlling the powers of the Ragman. Regan tells the rabbi the background story of the Ragman but the rabbi doesn't believe Regan could be telling the truth. Regan decides to show rabbi the powers of the Ragman and so he summons the Suit of Souls again. This time the rabbi believes in Regan's story and is willing to help him to control the evil of the suit but this time the Suit of Souls is in full control of Regan's body and the Ragman's power. Ragman leaves the rabbi alone and flies away.   Bruce and Vesper go out on a breakfast date where they discuss their situation after their first kiss and Vesper's revelation of her feelings for Bruce. Vesper tells Bruce not to worry, as she doesn't expect that the city's most prominent playboy would love her back. She also tells him that she "knows" that the nights he wasn't at home or faked some sudden illness, he is actually seeing other girls. Bruce can't tell her that she came to the wrong conclusion and she leaves Bruce alone in the restaurant.   The Aryan Reich is mad at the loss of two of their members and they decide to declare war on every person they consider not pure and they manage to get a lot of weapons to achieve their goal.   At night, Commissioner Gordon calls Batman to give him an envelope that was addressed to him. Batman opens it and finds a rag inside. He knows that it could only mean trouble.   Elsewhere, Rory Regan is being tortured to death by the rags of the suit of souls.