Batman: Dark Victory #3

Issue Details

Synopsis

TOYS  It is Christmas in Gotham, and Arnold Flass has become the Hangman's third victim. His body is found in an alley outside the Cheetah Room, where he had been working as a bouncer, with "Knows if you've been bad or good" pinned to his tie. Batman recalls that the Cheetah Room is run by the Maroni family, so he pays a visit to their racket boss, Tony Zucco. Batman notes that Zucco didn't pick up the kickbacks from the club, and given the current circumstances, this is highly suspicious. Zucco reveals that Scarecrow wanted to rent one of his docks, and they were supposed to meet at the Cheetah Room's back alley to finalize the deal. However, when Flass was killed, the area was swarming with cops, prompting Zucco to flee without collecting the kickbacks or finalizing the transportation arrangement.  Scarecrow has holed up in an abandoned toy factory in the Gotham Harbor, where he has commandeered a shipment of pull-string dolls and is filling them with his fear toxin. Batman asks him if he saw anything in the alley, but Scarecrow gasses him and flees to one of the delivery trucks. Batman jumps onto the truck's cab, and a struggle ensues. Scarecrow loses control of the vehicle, causing it to plummet into the water. Batman suspects that the villain has escaped again, but he takes solace in the fact that he foiled his plot with the tainted dolls.   Sofia summons Zucco and the Maroni brothers to account for their failures. Flass's death has attracted unwanted police attention toward the Cheetah Room. Moreover, Zucco has disobeyed her orders to not do business with any of the Arkham inmates, and an example needs to be made. Her solution to both problems is to destroy the Cheetah Room. When Pino and Umberto protest the severity of this action, Sofia shoots Pino in the shoulder, implying that if it wasn't Christmas she would have killed him. She tells the brothers to find Two-Face and her father's body, or there will be no peace between their families.   At Wayne Manor, Selina is waiting for Bruce, but it becomes evident that he is not coming. She tells Alfred that she does not appreciate being stood up, and asks if she is wasting her time. He assures her that she is not, but is at a loss to explain Bruce's recent behavior.   Batman, temporarily crazed from Scarecrow's fear gas, sneaks into the Falcone estate and proceeds to assault Alberto, accusing him of being the Hangman. A frightened Alberto insists he has not left the mansion since his release. Gordon and Porter are doing some last minute Christmas shopping when they are alerted of the disturbance at the Falcone mansion. Mario warns them that if Sofia finds out about the incident, she will be out for blood.   Alberto hears the ghostly, disembodied voice of his father tell him that he used to be powerful, but now he is pathetic. The voice asks what Alberto is going to do now. Alberto cowers in his bed, begging the voices to stop.