Batman: The Long Halloween #1

Issue Details

Synopsis

CHAPTER ONE- CRIME At the wedding party of Johnny Vitti, Carmine Falcone talks to Bruce Wayne about making business in one of Bruce's banks. Bruce refuses and leaves Falcone's office but stays outside to listen to whatever the man might talk about afterwards. Alberto Falcone notices Bruce's presence and asks Bruce for a reason to be inside the house. Bruce plays dumb and fools Alberto, telling him that he got lost looking for the bathroom. Bruce goes outside to where the party is and is planning on leaving before he notices that Selina Kyle is among the guests. They get together and stay in the party for a little longer.  In his office, Carmine is pondering about the future of his organization and how it all depends on Alberto to keep running his business. Milos, the bodyguard, spots unusual activity in one of the security cameras. There is a man in the building's garage and Carmine recognizes him as District Attorney Harvey Dent. Falcone sends some of his personal guards to deal with the intruder and three men beat Dent to a pulp until he passes out. Moments later, Dent is found unconscious by Bruce and Selina, who are just leaving the party. Dent thanks them but he manages to make his way out by himself. Selina asks Bruce what will they do next but Bruce excuses himself and tells her that it is already too late for him.   Harvey arrives at the GCPD Headquarters and tells Captain James Gordon what happened at Falcone's. Gordon isn't happy with Dent's unnecessary risks. Gordon also tells him that a "friend" of his might be able to help them to catch Falcone.   The party at Falcone's place is going smoothly until Carmine notices a dark figure entering his penthouse. Batman breaks in with the intention of searching Falcone's safe and finds that someone is already inside. Catwoman is stealing from Falcone's safe and Batman's presence startles her. They fight each other and Batman tells her that he has no business with her. Falcone's bodyguards enter the room and shoot at them. Batman uses a smoke bomb to get away along with Catwoman. Carmine isn't happy with his bodygards and for the intrusion, he places a bounty of one million dollars for the heads of Batman or Catwoman.   On their escape, Batman and Catwoman fall down from the penthouse but they land safe. Catwoman turns away from Batman and escapes. As Batman loses track of Catwoman, the Bat-Signal appears in the sky.   Gordon and Dent are at the rooftop of the GCPD HQ, waiting for Batman to show up. When he arrives, they decide to start a campaign against Carmine Falcone without breaking the law. The three of them agree and Batman leaves a ledger he managed to take from Falcone's penthouse. The ledger contains information on Falcone's illegal activities.   The next day, Bruce talks to the Bank board and refuses to let Falcone's money be allowed in the bank. However, Richard Daniel, the controlling shareholder, decides to make business with Falcone. Later that night, Daniel is visited by Batman and forced to resign his position in the bank, allowing Bruce to take control of all the bank's business and thus, cancelling Falcone's deal with the bank.   Johnny Vitti is told by his uncle Carmine to kill Richard Daniel as payback for resigning from the bank. Vitti murders Daniel in the middle of the street by shooting him.   Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, a man is preparing a gun by taping the handle, filing off the serial number and placing a baby bottle nipple as a silencer.   At his home, James Gordon receives a call to notify him that Daniel has been murdered. Gordon calls the Dent's house and Gilda Dent takes the message. She looks for Harvey and finds him in the basement, working with his tools. She tells him what happened and worries about Harvey's own safety. Harvey embraces and comforts her, but his eyes look away in a suspicious way.   Johnny Vitti is taking a bath when someone enters his place, points a gun at him and shoots him twice, killing him. The killer leaves the gun and a Halloween carved pumpkin at the crime scene.   Later in James Gordon's office; Batman, Dent and Gordon analyze the evidence and can't find anything useful that would tell them the identity of the killer. The .22 caliber gun has been modified so that it was untraceable and the pumpkin might just be due to the fact that it was Halloween already. Batman notices something outside and leaves Dent and Gordon alone. Batman finds Catwoman spying on them in a nearby rooftop. She tells Batman that she might be able to help them if in return he would help her when she needed. Batman agrees with no guarantees and Catwoman gives him valuable information on Carmine Falcone.  Batman and Dent follow Catwoman's information and they end up in a warehouse near the harbor. Inside the warehouse, there are large amounts of money stockpiled. It all belongs to Carmine Falcone and as he hasn't been able to deposit it in any bank, he has been forced to stock it. Dent reflects about how easy it would be for them to take some of that money and never be connected with it, but Batman doesn't allow him to think in that way. They pour gasoline on the piles of money and then they set it on fire as a way to harm Falcone.   It is Halloween night and Harvey arrives at his place after being successful in his war against Falcone. Gilda welcomes him home and Harvey notices a strange package delivered to their home. Harvey asks Gilda what is it but she doesn't know. When Harvey opens it, his home is blown to pieces by an automatic bomb inside the package.