Batman Family #2

Issue Details

Synopsis

BATGIRL BREAKS UP THE DYNAMIC DUO! This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #369. While out on patrol, Batgirl learns of a robbery at the Gotham Gothic Arts Museum and chases after the crooks. During the fight, Batman and Robin arrive to help out. Batman lands in swampy waters during the fight with a criminal. As he emerges from the swamp he suddenly experiences a chill. Batgirl also notices Batman’s symptoms including a Mustard complexion on his face. The next day, librarian Barbara Gordon does some medical research at the Gotham library. She confirms that Batman has a case of swamp fever. The fever has an incubation period of 1-7 days. After Batman gets a full fever he would collapse from the sickness. Barbara vows to act as Batman's guardian angel until the Swamp Fever runs it's course through Batman's system. In order to keep a better watch and limit Batman's activies, Batgirl tells Robin what's going on and the two team-up, making Batman believe that Robin is leaving their partnership to fight crime with Batgirl. The two remain vigilant in handling crooks and thieves to make sure that Batman does not exert himself. After a full seven days, Batman succumbs to the illness and collapses while apprehending a group of criminals. Luckily Robin and Batgirl arrive just in time to assist Batman as he grows weaker. Batman is then bed ridden for the next two days while he recovers. He gets an unexpected visit from commissioner Gordon and Barbara who have heard that Bruce Wayne is ill. The commissioner presents Bruce with a bag of Chinese oranges. Bruce thinks to himself that Chinese oranges are particularly helpful in helping one recover from swamp fever and he wonders if the commissioner suspects that he is secretly Batman. THE DYNAMIC TRIO This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #245. Batman and Robin join with a new costumed partner, Mysteryman, to take down a ring of smugglers in Gotham City, and Vicki Vale vows to discover their new partner's identity.   Wanted criminals are being smuggled out of Gotham city to foreign ports. The mayor demands action and instructs commissioner Gordon turn over the case to Batman and Robin. The dynamic duo then announces that they will need help capturing the responsible criminals, someone with better experience. This captures the attention of news reporter Vicki Vale. Who could possibly be a better lawmen than Batman and Robin? The duo is soon spotted in the company of a masked figure known as Mystery Man. As the Dynamic Trio capture the criminals across Gotham, Vicki follows closely and starts making guesses as to who Mysteryman could be. At first she thinks he is a robot and later she deduces that Mysteryman is Superman. After a long investigation, Vicki finally learns that Mysteryman is Commissioner Gordon, who was forced to act in disguise following orders from the Mayor to turn over the case to Batman and Robin. When the truth is revealed, the Mayor apologizes for not letting Gordon act freely and Vicki is very grateful to Batman for allowing her to get the scoop. THE CLUEMASTER'S TOPSY-TURVY CRIMES! This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #351. Batman and Robin have to protect their secret identities on two fronts when Aunt Harriet and the criminal Cluemaster attempt to discover them. While foiling all of Aunt Harriet's attempts to learn the truth after finding the secret passage to the Batcave, they double stop Cluemaster's attempts to trace the Batmobile back to the Batcave.   After an extensive investigation, Batman and Robin manage to foil the Cluemaster, and as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, they doctor film that Harriet made of them entering the Batcave to convince her that Batman, Robin, Bruce Wayne, and Dick Grayson are different people. ALFRED'S MYSTERY MENU! This story is reprinted from Batman #191. While out on patrol, Batman and Robin come across a strange robbery: a gang of crooks that are attempting to steal high quality ingredients from the grocery store. After busting up the crooks, the two return home and soon become worried as Alfred had left earlier that day and has yet to return.   Alfred has been kidnapped by Duke Kelsey leader of the Millionaire Mobster Club, who has kidnapped the fame butler because he wants him to prepare a millionaires meal for his gang. Alfred agrees to do the work, and gives Duke a list of ingredients he needs. Duke is completely oblivious to the fact that Alfred has made choice selections that will act as clues in order to tip Batman and Robin off to his fate and location.   Realizing that the disappearance of Alfred and the strange theft must have a connection, Batman and Robin take Alfred's list of ingredients and go back to the grocery store to figure out specifically what the crooks had stolen in order to decipher Alfred's clues. Unfortunately they find that shop keeper had cleaned up since the robbery, the only remaining evidence left is a pile of sawdust sweepings of the mess left behind. With it however, Batman and Robin manage to figure out the location of Alfred.   They arrive just as the Millionaire Mobster Club is about to sit down for Alfred's prepared meal. With the help of their faithful butler, Batman and Robin manage to smash up Duke and his men and turn them over to the authorities. Afterward, back in their civilian guises, Bruce and Dick along with Aunt Harriet enjoy a nice meal prepared for them by Alfred.