Detective Comics #43

Issue Details

Synopsis

DEALS Despite Harvey Bullock's warnings, Jim Gordon has abandoned his robotic Batsuit to face off against a gang called La Morte. Knowing he will be in danger, Harvey leads his team to seek out Jim's location, despite the fact that they can't track him out of the suit. Following the trail of destruction, they are relieved to find that Jim has successfully taken the gang members down - but one of them got away. The ambush they staged, though, proves that they were after Batman specifically. Whatever they want, it's about the suit, not the man inside it. They stole its core.   After taking the downed thugs into custody, Jim suggests that standard interrogation tactics will fail. In any case, they need to get the core back. Daryl Gutierrez suggests that they'll be able to track the core's heat signature if it's put into use. In the absence of Harvey's girlfriend and teammate Nancy Yip, meanwhile, Renee Montoya delivers what information she could find on the number making calls to Yip's phone. The photos she sent to that number indicate that she is complicit in an attempt on somebody's life. Grimacing, Harvey's suspicions are confirmed that Nancy is a dirty cop.   Meanwhile, on the East End Waterfront, the remaining member of La Morte attempts to deliver the stolen core to none other than Joker's Daughter. Despite passing the core onto her, he begs for her help in saving his brothers.   Back at GCPD Headquarters, Harvey confronts Nancy in private about her corruption. He doesn't need her to explain herself - all he wants to know is who she is helping, and who the target of the attack will be. Grimly, she responds that if she tells him, it's suicide. Seeing as Montoya knows the truth now, too, she may as well be dead already. She storms off, but Harvey grabs her by the wrist. In response, she punches him in the nose, drawing blood.   The next day, as the police prepare for yet another security run-through at Le Cirque de Volant, Bullock is getting antsy. To further his annoyance, he and Montoya are interrupted in conversation by Detectives Alvarez and Keyes. Despite their mutual animosity for each other, Alvarez and Keyes reveal to Harvey that the gang Batman took down are La Morte, who do big jobs for big money. They did the research, while investigating Yip, whom they realized was dirty. They're not sure whether Harvey is too, though. All Alvarez and Keyes know besides that is that the planned hit at the circus was arranged by the Falcones. The power core theft remains unexplained, and the connection between them is unknown.   Later, Harvey visits Jim Gordon as he's suiting up for patrol. He has a favour to ask his old friend - that Jim have his back on what's to come. Jim is disinclined to help, though, as he feels Harvey's plan crosses a line. If Yip is left alone, she could bring the whole department down. He needs Jim to help him kill her.   The remaining member of La Morte meets with Stefano Falcone in the back of a car, trying to win back the contract that is in jeopardy after his brothers fell to the Batman. It is imperative for the Falcones that the hit go through, and La Morte understands that, and promise not to fail.   As Jim Gordon quits work for the day and passes out on his couch, the prisoner transport carrying the two captured members of La Morte is attacked, and its prisoners escape. Soon, Julia Perry calls Jim to inform him that the power core is on the move, and he suits up, only to learn of the escape. His priority, though, is the core. Unfortunately, the core seems to be in use by a monstrous Jokerbot.