Detective Comics #328

Issue Details

Synopsis

GOTHAM GANG LINE-UP One day while cleaning the Batcave, Alfred overhears a recorded message on the Batphone by Commissioner Gordon that the Tri-State Gang is in Gotham City. Knowing that Paul Pardee is the possible leader of the gang, Alfred decides to go out and do some investigation for Batman so that they have more leads upon the caped crusaders' return. However, Alfred gets himself captured by the Tri-State Gang, and when Batman and Robin return to the Batcave, they find Alfred's notes and go looking for him. Finding the gang's hide out, they manage to get inside only to be gassed by a chemical that paralyzes. They're then put on a mock police line up where the crooks "finger" Batman and Robin for stopping them on previous criminal ventures, and they are "sentenced" to be executed. Batman, Robin, and Alfred manage to escape from their cells, although when they go to save each other, each thinks the other to already have been executed, and goes after the Tri-State Gang to get revenge. Batman and Robin drive to Colonial City to stop the gang from retrieving hidden loot from a site to be excavated for construction. As Batman and Robin try to stop them, a boulder is dropped from a construction vehicle. However, Alfred arrives on a motorcycle and pushes them out of the way, causing the Boulder to fall on him instead. Batman and Robin then round up the crooks, and later when they return home and resume their civilian guises. Bruce makes a promise to honor Alfred's sacrifice by starting the Alfred Foundation and soon they are visited by Dick's Aunt Harriet who has arrived to look after Bruce and Dick after hearing that Alfred was killed in a tragic accident. The caped crusaders now begin to wonder how they'll be able to maintain their secret identities with Aunt Harriet hanging around. CURIOUS CASE OF THE BARN-DOOR BANDIT Sue and Ralph are driving towards Florida Beach in the early morning when they come across a man fixing a flat tire. Ralph pulls over and the man, recognizing Ralph, tells him about how someone stole his barndoor early this morning. Ralph goes to the man's farm and investigates the scene of the crime discovering enough clues to have a general description of the criminal. He and Sue then drive to Florida Beach but, to Sue's consternation, they forgo the luxury spots to stay and dine in the less-ritzy parts of town which is due to Ralph trying to find the mystery criminal. Once they find him, Ralph changes to Elongated Man and follows him to a marina boathouse. Elongated Man secretly watches while the barn-door bandit (Joe Peters) is paid by Barney Baxter for stealing and delivering the barn door. Once Joe leaves, Barney reveals that he had previously robbed a bank and stored the money inside this barn door. Elongated Man confronts and defeats him but Joe had been secretly watching and knocks Elongated Man out from behind. He steals the money and rides off in a motorboat but Elongated Man spots him, catches up to him and takes him down. When he takes the criminals to the police, he learns there's a $5,000 reward for the recovery of the money and Elongated Man asks them to give the money to the farmer. Later, at the Fountain Blue Hotel, Ralph and Sue see the grateful farmer and his wife who are using the reward money for a vacation.