Batman: Shadow of the Bat #86

Issue Details

Synopsis

NO MAN'S LAND PART 16 - HOME SWEET HOME In a neighborhood of Gotham City, the Zsasz gang is fighting the Croc gang and Batgirl tries to put an end to the endless violence but she is outnumbered and must flee from the scene to save herself. The gang war is taking place outside one of the few standing houses in all of Gotham and inside the house lives William Riley; also called "Sarge" due to his time in the United States Army. Riley is an old man who didn't move out of Gotham when the city was evacuated because he couldn't leave the place he built years ago and loves dearly, even in the deteriorated state it is now.  When the Zsasz gang beat the Croc gang, one of the Zsasz men tries to tag Riley's house but Sarge comes out and stops the crook. Mr. Zsasz learns of Riley's act of defiance and tells his gang to take Riley out of the house and outside into the street. Mr. Zsasz demands that Riley pay a tribute to him by giving him all his food supplies and without much choice, Riley lets them take everything they find in the kitchen. When it is all done, Riley goes to the hidden shelter built in the basement of his house, where he kept all sort of supplies, happy to know that Zsasz didn't know about it.   As days pass, Riley remembers the good times when he and his wife lived happily in their home and how with time it went from bad to worse. Riley also remembered the times during World War II where he witnessed a lot of death and misery and he compared some of that events with the situation in No Man's Land. He still helps the remaining people of his neighborhood as he can.   Somewhere in Gotham, the Gotham City Police Department fights against Mr. Freeze and his gang and are successful. However the next day they are defeated by the Croc gang.   At Riley's place, a couple of Red Devils break into the house and are stealing from Riley's supplies. Riley threatens them with his shotgun but they are also armed and nobody makes a move for a while. Suddenly two men burst into the house and shoots the Red Devils, killing them. The assassins are Joker's henchmen and as soon as they are done killing the Devils, Joker enters the house. Joker tells Riley that he is the leader of the neighborhood now and that he will spare his life but will take Riley's shotgun as a "souvenir". Joker leaves Sarge's place and tells his henchmen to clean up the mess and take out the bodies from Riley's house.   Riley is left alone and despite the tragedies surrounding him, he is not going to leave his home.