Batman Family #20

Issue Details

Synopsis

ENTER THE RAGMAN! When a gang of blockbusting crooked realtors threaten to dispossess everyone in Rory Regan's neighborhood and they attack Bette Berg, they unleash the wrath of Ragman.  After a quick investigation, Ragman learned that the main employer of the realtors is Bruce Wayne and he tries a sneak attack on Wayne at his Penthouse Apartment. Before Ragman could enter the place, Ragman is confronted by Batman. After explaining the situation to the Dark Knight, Ragman attempts to break into Wayne's apartment, but Batman blocks his way, telling him that Wayne is out of town. Ragman decides to unleash part of his wrath on Batman before leaving to deal with the realtors.   Ragman eventually arrives at the place and terrorizes the criminals, but he finds himself outnumbered. Fortunately for him, Batman showed up in time to help him and together, they round up the criminals without much effort and only using their fear striking presence.   In the aftermath, Batman explains to Ragman that the criminals had no connection to Wayne and that he would see that they are punished by the law. The next day, Rory and Bette are visited by Bruce Wayne, who promises to pay the damages caused by the criminals. PERIL OF THE POWER SOWER Robin is transported to the Justice League Satellite by Elongated Man, who tells Robin about the current emergency in Washington, D.C.. A new villain by the name of Power Sower wants to make the country energy-conscious and has sapped the city's electrical power. Red Tornado and Batgirl have tried to stop the villain, but they were utterly defeated and with all the Justice League away on a mission, it is up to Robin to help the heroes against the enemy.   Robin is sent to Washington, where he frees Batgirl from an energy trap and he asks Elongated Man to transport Red Tornado back to the JL Satellite. Working together, Batgirl and Robin confront Power Sower and using various of their gadgets they manage to defeat the villain while a recovered Red Tornado returns to help them save possible victims.   Having defeated Power Sower, the heroes learn that the villain was actually a robot, controlled by a lady with the convictions of a fanatic. With the crisis solved, each one of the heroes return to their regular activities. PRIVATE EYE MAN-BAT Arriving at Gotham City, Man-Bat seeks out Batman and helps him take out a group of armed thugs before asking him the location of Jason Bard.   Man-Bat travels to Bard's house and changing back to his human form, he introduces to him and requests that Bard takes him in as his partner. Bard refuses, thinking that a man with no former background or experience as a detective or a law enforcer could be of any use to him.   Determined to prove his worth, Man-Bat follows Bard as soon as the man leaves the house. Bard drives his vehicle towards the highway that connects Gotham with New York, but he takes a detour in the middle of the road. Once he reaches the place he is looking for, Bard is attacked by a number of terrorist, who are the ones responsible for providing weapons to criminals in Gotham. Langstrom appears and distracts the criminals long enough for Bard to take some of them. Langstrom also takes a couple of thugs, but one of the criminals manages to escape on a helicopter, forcing Langstrom to transform into Man-Bat in order to stop the thug.   Man-Bat gets the criminal back to the ground and after learning the truth, Bard is willing to make Man-Bat his partner. TRIAL BY FIRE Huntress recovers her consciousness and she finds herself inside a burning room and tied to a chair. After struggling for a few minutes, Huntress manages to escape, although her cape caught fire. Finally, she makes use of her crossbow to break out of the warehouse and save herself from the burning fire.   Going home, Helena reflects that Franklin Gresham might have learned her identity while she was unconscious and she decides that it would be better to keep a low profile until she can confront Gresham in person. A few days later, Gresham continues his campaign to renew the south of Gotham and he goes to some of the condemned buildings.   Gresham falls to the basement of one of the buildings, where Huntress finally confronts him about the arsonist attacks. Gresham claims to know nothing about it, but Huntress has physical evidence of his crimes. In the ensuing confrontation, Gresham activated one of his detonators by accident and the basement caught on fire. Huntress tries to save Gresham, but the fire is too thick and it consumes the crooked politician.   In the aftermath, the death of Gresham is seen as a local tragedy and the government sets in motion his plan to rebuild Gotham. Helena is finally able to return to her office, where she reflects on the positive side of her actions as Huntress.