Detective Comics #330

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE FALLEN IDOL OF GOTHAM CITY! After a series of incidents where people are suddenly be attacked by everyone on the street, Batman and Robin deduce that all involved ate at a restaurant called The Golden Roost on the same day as their attacks. As Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson they go to investigate, but soon have to postpone their investigation after Commissioner Gordon summons them to catch some crooks who escaped from jail. When they find them, everyone present, including Robin, suddenly attacks Batman, wrecking his costume and forces him to flee. Soon everyone goes back to normal with no memory of what happened, when Batman returns to the Batcave, he finds Robin there who claims to have no memory of the events either. Deducing that it has something to do with the Golden Roost, they return there in disguise to continue their investigation. They then stumble upon a spy ring that is using some kind of chemical to make people attack each other. After shutting down the spy ring, Batman and Robin are congratulated by the mayor and sent a letter of thanks from the President. DESERT DOUBLE-CROSS Ralph and Sue are driving through California near the Mojave Desert when their car breaks down. Fortunately they are near an isolated house and hope to use their phone to call a mechanic. To their surprise, a woman (Molly Parker) comes to the door and embraces them as family. She invites them in to meet their house guests but soon a gunman (Bill Hastings) arrives from a back room. He recognizes Ralph (as did Molly) as the Elongated Man and halts her deception - an attempt to get Ralph to help her and her father who are being held hostage while the criminals were planning a robbery at the nearby millionaire Mr. Banley's residence. But Elongated Man's presence simplifies things. Instead of trying to plan around the tightened security they were to encounter, Elongated Man's powers should overcome them easily. Hastings has his men watch over the hostages (now including Sue) while he and Elongated Man go to steal Mr. Banley's famous jewelry collection. In the car, Hastings warns Elongated Man not to try anything as his men have orders to kill the hostages if Hastings fails to reappear in an hour or if he fails to give a prearranged signal that everything is okay. Reluctantly Elongated Man breaks into the house but refuses to steal. He returns with a bag full of rocks and, when the deception is discovered, Elongated Man takes Hastings down and assumes his identity. Once he returns to the Parker residence, Elongated Man tries to distract the other criminals with the loot but they still demand the signal. Elongated Man manages to stretch quickly enough that he can intervene before they can respond. He succeeds in capturing the two criminals and prepares to call the police...and the car mechanic.