Catwoman #58

Issue Details

Synopsis

ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT RAINS: MAD MONEY Catwoman is robbing a bank when the security guard's choice of winter-cool shaving gel with summer sun aftershave catches her attention. She recognizes him as a security guard she keeps running into at various heists. She doubts he's following her from job to job, and he admits that he isn't, he's just taking jobs at places she happens to be robbing. And after surviving the the Quake, he doesn't want to die, so she can take whatever she wants.   The guard watches her open the vault and says it might not be such bad luck running into her. He can't see Catwoman's face, but just remembering her mouth tonight will be more than enough to... Catwoman punches him out.  At Arkham Asylum, the guards are going through the inmate's mail when they find a letter addressed to Professor Crane. It's the third this week. They remark on the scent of flowers as one--called Staz--opens it to investigate...   Staz brings the mail to Scarecrow's cell and asks what's inside. Scarecrow tells him that it's his aminobiphenyl as the guard looks down at his purple-coated fingers. Staz panics at the sound of Greek, having developed hellenologophobia (fear of Greek terminology), and he draws his gun to shoot at Scarecrow, breaking open the glass standing between them.   The sounds draw the other guards, but they also fall victim to the panic-inducing compound. They attack each other as Scarecrow escapes to go find his "evening attire."   Catwoman is on a fire escape where she finds a diamond tied to the ladder with a note reading, "To Catwoman, with admiration." She examines the diamond carefully, but she can't find any sign of bugs or tracking devices. She decides to take it rather than allowing someone else to have it, though she hates to give her "secret admirer" the satisfaction.   In the destroyed Gotham University, Scarecrow is experimenting on a bound woman while explaining his new serum, which bonds to the estrogen in the body, to his henchman. He can't tell, however, whether his serum is always deadly or if the fear every Gothamite is already experiencing since the Quake has thrown off his results. He needs a more agile, adventurous mind to experiment with... He needs Catwoman.   Catwoman debates between stealing a WayneTech or Multigon security camera before deciding the WayneTech is better. She dodges the shop's camera--a Multigon--and thinks, "You get what you pay for. Metaphorically speaking."   Scarecrow's henchman holds a gun on a man named Zee, who is on the phone with a "Starkey." He tells Starkey that it's time to send him the kitty.   Catwoman shows up at Starkey's office with the diamond from earlier. She asks Starkey to fence it, but Starkey's office is full of things people want him to fence. He suggests he might have more success with the security camera she brought, but Catwoman needs to watch a security guard who has been causing her problems.   Starkey says that Zee wants to see her, so Catwoman goes over to his place. Zee isn't there, but Scarecrow is. The two fight while Scarecrow's henchman holds a gun on Zee. Catwoman disarms Scarecrow and takes his syringe gun as he tells her that the Quake has made him so much more ambitious. If Mother Nature can scare so badly, imagine what he can do.   Scarecrow's henchman attacks Catwoman, which causes her to drop the syringe gun, and Scarecrow reclaims it, shooting her in the leg with a syringe full of his new fear toxin. She pulls the syringe out and asks what it is, but it's already working on her... the henchman has turned into a monstrous creature and she throws her arms out, whimpering "Mom... Dad..."   She regains enough presence of mind to identify that she is under the fear toxin's influence and attack Scarecrow and his henchman. She jumps for the window as she imagines vines chasing after her. She falls to the ground and curls up on the grass, imaging police cars, dinosaurs, snarling dogs, and a demonic Batman.   She climbs to her feet and returns to her apartment to sleep off the fear toxin before she can return to save Zee. She tosses and turns for half an hour, but she's unable to sleep--Scarecrow has her.