Batman: The Dark Knight #4

Issue Details

Synopsis

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Batman investigates Poison Ivy's lab, finding that it has apparently been turned into shambles fairly recently. Ivy is nowhere to be found, and biometric readings seem odd. Within moments, vines shoot up from the ground and wrap around Batman, dragging him toward the open maw of a grotesque carnivorous plant. Using Batarangs, he cuts the vines and kills the plant.  Not long after, Alfred patches a communiqué from Wonder Woman through. Despite his request for help from the Justice League, each of them is busy with one thing or another. Flash is still running at top speed in order to prevent a toxin from metabolizing in his body, and Diana herself is stuck dealing with nearly three dozen escaped Arkham Asylum inmates on Batman's watch. He is on his own for this case.   Batman deduces that the White Rabbit he has been encountering is merely a pawn of someone else; a fear-monger who needs Ivy to perfect his toxin's formula. However, Batman is banking on the fact that this man doesn't know Ivy. Picking up a discarded magazine which seems out-of-character for Ivy, Batman discovers an encrypted note from Ivy, and with it in hand, he returns to the Batcave.   Meanwhile, Commissioner Gordon places a call to Bruce Wayne, hoping that he can get through to his friend, despite the playboy attitude his answering machine suggests. In addition to problems at home, Gordon has Officer Forbes from Internal Affairs breathing down his neck about his relationship with Batman. Knowing Bruce's relationship as benefactor to the Batman, Gordon chastises him for allowing the vigilante to attack Forbes, because it only makes their position weaker against him. As a result, Gordon's job may be on thin ice.   In the cave, Alfred has brought some ice cream cones down in order to hone his and his charge's powers of concentration. Bruce, preoccupied with his case, comments that the note is some kind of access code to a bio-electronic relay system, based on an ancient cipher attributed to the followers of Demeter - Greek goddess of plants. Using his GPS systems, Batman tabulates Ivy's chloro-pheromone signal to pinpoint her location. She is on Harmon Island, seven miles off the coast - government swamp land.   Batman prepares the Batplane, despite Alfred's warnings that it may be a trap. He responds that while it may be a trap, too many people are relying on him to solve the case to let it go. He advises Alfred to get some rest for himself. Half-jokingly, Alfred suggests that he could go out in the Batmobile in the hopes of encountering the White Rabbit, who he hopes may take a liking to a crime fighter of his advanced age. Batman takes off, leaving Alfred to his fantasies. As the Batplane flies out of the cave's exit and over a wooded area, it catches the eye of the White Rabbit.   Meanwhile, Batman is concerned that his recklessness of late will put the people he cares about in danger. Someone could get hurt. He worries that the Flash may not be able to prevent the toxin from metabolizing, that Jaina Hudson - an intriguing beauty - might discover that he can't be trusted and nor does he trust her, that Alfred's age may catch up with him after being pushed so hard, that Gordon - his only public supporter - might be lost to him. All of these; Batman's fault.   High above Gotham City, Batman suddenly notices a small wrapped gift box on the dashboard of the Batplane. Inside it is a small vial of a green fluid. He asks his system to analyze the contents and cross-reference all of his collected samples over the last few days. Additionally, he runs a security scan for anomalous activity near the Batplane. Unfortunately, the results never come through, as a giant sword pierces through the wall.   Master assassin Deathstroke has been affected by the same drug that the other criminals he encountered recently were exposed to. A drug which eliminates fear of death. Deathstroke yanks Batman out through the windshield and throws him from the Batplane down toward the ground below. Speeding toward the trees of Harmon Island, Batman launches a grapple to grab onto a nearby branch, and break his fall.   As he nears a cabin up ahead, Batman wonders if maybe the person that he is worried might get hurt is actually himself. Entering the cabin, he wanders darkened hallways until he finds Scarecrow waiting for him with a handful of fear dust.