Batman: Shadow of the Bat #82

Issue Details

Synopsis

ROAD TO NO MAN'S LAND: WAXMAN AND THE CLOWN PART 3 Jeremiah Arkham is still in his office but is suspicious as to why his office door is unlocked. He starts to write in his diary and turns on the TV to hear the news about the events in Washington, D.C. when he decides to check on the inmates.  All the inmates are down in the corridors and have surrounded Batman, who in turn threatens them to go back to their cells immediately. The inmates laugh at him and under Joker's command, they attack Batman. Jeremiah arrives in time to stop them from maiming him but when the inmates drop Batman to the floor, the mask slips off and reveals that it wasn't the real Batman but instead David Thurman; Jeremiah's right hand doctor. Thurman was sorry for having failed Arkham and then he dies. Jeremiah knows that it would be extremely dangerous to remain there with the inmates so he runs away and locks himself in his office once more.   Two days pass and Jeremiah isn't able to step out of his office for fear of what he might find outside. The food supplies are about to end, and the inmates decide to throw a party to deplete the food. Riddler cuts the telephone lines to prevent Jeremiah from calling outside help. Jeremiah starts to remember some past tragic events of his life and he knows that the time for him and his asylum is about to end.   After Joker kills one of the inmates, some of them decide to set free the most dangerous criminals and more victims are claimed by Poison Ivy, Victor Zsasz, Cornelius Stirk and Solly Bean.   On day 3, Dr. Arkham knows that the food must have run out and the inmates are getting ready to break into Arkham's office and force him to open the asylum doors but before they can reach him, Jeremiah offers them a deal: if they turn away he will open the doors and let them out with the condition that they never go to Gotham City; but if the break into his office, he will destroy the door controls and they will all be trapped inside the asylum forever. The inmates agree and Arkham opens the doors to freedom. All of them step outside and head straight towards Gotham.   Jeremiah knows that they wouldn't do as they promised but he had planned to set them free into a forgotten wasteland, as he learned by the news that Gotham City will be abandoned by the United States Government. At night, he is still afraid of going out of his office because he suspects that some of the inmates didn't leave the building. He remembers that Joker said something about having a cigar at the asylum's library when suddenly he smells smoke and he recoils to his office's corner listening to the insane laughter coming from the halls below.