Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #116

Issue Details

Synopsis

NO MAN'S LAND PART 7: FEAR OF FAITH PART 1 - FANNING THE FLAMES Batman continues to add to his territory of protection by tagging Crime Alley, the very place where he became what he is today. Outside of his area, people have begun to burn the books out of the Gotham Public Library to keep warm. Scarecrow watches this happening and knows that the people of Gotham have become insane and terrified. He notices, however, that one book is saved from the fire, and when he investigates he finds it is the Bible, giving him an idea.  Nearby, a pair of priests, Father Chris and Father Papaleo, have created the Ark Project Refugee Center in a partially collapsed church. A young boy, Jonah, is painting a sign above the door to welcome people, but claims that they need a tag so people will know that the area is protected. While Father Chris explains to him that they have refused police protection since they want to welcome people, not chase them away, Father Papaleo brings a family of Somalian refugees to the church. As Father Chris welcomes them in Somali, amazing Papaleo, Jonah paints a white dove as the project's tag.   In an alley tagged with Huntress' symbol, a pair of thugs is attacking an old woman, who tries to get rid of them by telling them the area is protected. Before they can hurt her, though, Huntress shows up and fights them away. The old woman tells Huntress that she is bringing blankets to some young ladies in her building that are sick, while Huntress explains that the ladies are crack-addicted prostitutes. The old woman says everyone still needs help and the girls depend on her.   Elsewhere, a splinter group of the False Face Society break into an abandoned police station looking for bullets. Although the place has been looted, their leader, Leo, leads them into the morgue. Most of the people in the morgue had been shot, so he digs through their bodies looking for bullets, claiming that now all they need to find is gun powder. One of the members, Mikey, doesn't like desecrating the bodies, and after a quick fight with Leo, leaves the gang. Upstairs as he is leaving the police station, he is confronted by Batman, who forces Mikey to tell him what is happening. When Mikey wonders if there is anything he can do to make things right, Batman brings him to the Ark Refugee Center. Although Huntress recognizes him as a former Black Masker, Batman tells her that he has something he needs to know about him and to leave him alone.   In the Gotham City Police Headquarters, the Blue Boys are discussing when the next attack against them will come. Although some of the officers want to begin training as soldiers, Commissioner Gordon says they are cops and that's how they will stay. Later, when talking with his wife, Sarah, he wonders if only stubbornness will sustain them. She asks him who is being stubborn besides him, and he explains to her Father Chris' story. When Chris was ordered out of Gotham during the No Man's Land declaration, he argued with his archdiocese that he and others should stay to aid the people that couldn't leave. Although they would not listen to him, Chris stayed, along with Father Papaleo, and refused protection from the police. Gordon tells his wife that Chris is afraid of Gotham becoming a police state, but Gordon is afraid that his fear may kill more people than it saves.   At the refugee center, Huntress is visiting to check on the people. As soon as she is welcomed, she sees Scarecrow sitting alone reading. She attacks him suddenly, despite Father Chris trying to hold her back, saying he won't allow violence in the center. Father Papaleo, who knows Huntress, yells for her to stop also, but she doesn't stop until Mikey holds her back. Father Papaleo reminds her that she is in no position to judge anyone, but she says that she knows the good guys from the bad. Throughout her attack, Scarecrow is studying her fear of him and knows that she is condemned to be overtaken by her fear.