Detective Comics #608

Issue Details

Synopsis

ANARKY IN GOTHAM CITY PART 1 - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The "Letters to the Editor" section on the Gotham Gazette newspaper features a couple of complaints from concerned citizens. One of them is about a new heavy metal club recently opened in a small neighborhood and the other is about the pollution caused to the Gotham River by a chemical factory.  That night, right outside of the heavy metal club, Batman rounds up a group of small-time drug dealers, who were trying to sell junk to young fans of the bands that would play later in the club. Leaving the drug dealers tied up for the police , Batman sneaks inside the club through the rooftop. Once inside, Batman notices a heavy metal band playing and since the frontman of the band, Johnny Vomit, is the primary suspect, he waits until the band is done playing, but first, he gets some ear-plugs to stand the noise. As he waits, Batman considers the absurdity of choosing drugs to ruin one's own lifestyle, but he stops his train of thoughts when he considers his own lifestyle.   At that moment, a strange person, cloaked in a crimson garment, with a red hat and a golden mask; slowly makes his way to the back door of the club, where he waits patiently for something or someone. When the band is finally done playing, Batman notices that three strange men approach the backstage, where the band is located. The three men make their way inside and they approach Johnny Vomit. The singer takes them away from the band, where they can trade drugs quietly. However, Batman drops on top of them and he starts fighting them, but this time, these drug dealers are tougher than the ones on the street, giving Batman a hard time. While Batman is distracted, Johnny Vomit starts running with the drugs and escapes through the back door, where he is confronted by the mysterious crimson vigilante. Vomit is startled and he drops the drugs, spilling them on the ground. The vigilante introduces himself as a "fan" of Vomit, but upon learning that he was carrying drugs, the man decides to punish the Rockstar for becoming a terrible example to the youth. Using a golden rod, the vigilante electrocutes Vomit and leaves him unconscious in the back alley, leaving only a graffiti and a note.   Moments later, Batman and the Gotham City Police Department examine the crime scene and they realize that Vomit was only unconscious. Batman realizes that the note is a newspaper clipping from the complaint letter about the club, which was printed in the Gotham Gazette. Batman then takes a look at the graffiti and while the cops think the symbol represents black magic, Batman knows that this is the symbol for Anarky. Batman leaves the place and tells the police to take care of the drug dealers inside the club, while he goes to investigate if a certain person overstepped the mark with his complaints.   Meanwhile, Anarky is currently at the Gotham River, taking a sample of the waste waters that come out of the chemical factory and goes directly into the river. Filling an entire bucket, Anarky makes his way to the factory and knocks the security guard unconscious with knockout gas. As this happens, Batman has reached the address of the person that sent the complaint letter about the club, but instead of finding a "Dave Stang", he finds a frail old lady. Batman inquires about the complaint letter and the woman reveals that she used a fake name to prevent any backlash from people who could disagree with her. Batman leaves the place, knowing that there is someone out there, fighting crime alongside him. True enough, Anarky has made his way to the office of the chemical factory's chief executive and knocks the man unconscious before he starts preparing the stage for an important message.   At the break of dawn, Batman returns home knowing perfectly well that he will hear about the mysterious vigilante soon enough. Bruce walks into Wayne Manor, where Alfred is preparing breakfast and in the meantime, they both listen to the news on TV. At that same moment, young Lonnie Machin returns home after delivering the morning newspaper and he also gets ready to have breakfast while listening to the news. Lonnie's father, Mike is running late to work and he remarks that he had a restless night. When the TV news break the story about the vigilante that attacked the chemical factory, Bruce recognizes the same symbol as the one in the back alley. Anarky has struck again and this time, he recorded a video in which he punished the CEO of the chemical company for polluting the river. Anarky states that his main goal is to listen to the "voice of the people", seeking justice and punishing evildoers, not following the rules set by the established system. Although Alfred realizes that Anarky's goal is not far from that of Batman, Bruce states that he doesn't use violence as a method of punishment. Or at least, not lately. Thanks to his deductive skills, Bruce knows that the second attack was also based upon a letter to the editor and like this, he grabs the latest copy of the Gotham Gazette and starts preparing to stop Anarky on his next attack.