Detective Comics #367

Issue Details

Synopsis

WHERE THERE’S A WILL – THERE’S A SLAY! In the middle of the night, Dick Grayson and Alfred are roused out of bed when someone throws the Rajah Ruby, a gem left to Bruce Wayne by his father, through the downstairs window of Wayne Manor. Dick wonders if this is not part of the mystery of the round-robin murders that he and Bruce were investigating earlier that evening. After recounting the strange turn of events wherein Batman and Robin had prevented the murders of Commissioner Gordon, John Kobler, and Fred Tinney, they decide to investigate to see if Bruce Wayne was also on the death list. Opening up Bruce's wall-safe from a safe distance, Dick's hunch proves to be correct when the safe explodes. Rushing down to the Batcave to check on Bruce, they find the place empty, and the will that Batman had drafted up leaving Dick only $10.66 and revealing both his and Dick's secret identities as Batman and Robin in the case that Bruce should die. Realizing that Bruce was leaving them a clue, because like the other intended victims of the would be murderer, he may not have been able to outwardly expose the plot, they deduce that the numbers 10.66 might refer to a year. They realize that it is a historically significant year, as it was when the Battle of Hastings took place. Checking Batman's records for any criminals by the name of Hastings, Dick and Alfred find the file on a Doc Hastings, a man who vowed to get revenge against Wayne, Gordon, Kobler and Tinney for preventing him from robbing the Gotham Chemical Lab some seven years ago. Checking with Alfred to see what Bruce's schedule was for that day, they learn that Bruce was intended to speak on television on behalf of the Wayne Foundation. Rushing to the Wayne Foundation in the Bat-Copter, Robin cannot find a place to land in the parking lot, and when trying to land on the roof spots Doc Hastings through one of the windows. Smashing in after him, he attempts to stop Hastings from activating the deathtrap he has set for Bruce: a lethal electrical jolt from the microphone stand he is to speak from. Robin manages to stop Hastings from succeeding but is knocked unconscious with a stun blast. Hastings then interrupts the interview by cutting in and ordering Bruce to come up to the control room if he wishes to save Robin's life. Finding Robin unconscious on the floor, Bruce administers first aid instead of lifting him up right away. When Robin revives, he tells Bruce that there is something stuck under him, and they carefully pull it out to reveal that it is a hand grenade that was primed to explode if Bruce had quickly picked Robin off the ground. Changing into Batman, Bruce deduces that wherever Doc Hastings is working, he would require a massive amount of electricity to carry out his experiments. He then goes to the electrical offices and checks the records of recent subscribers. Hastings' narcissism works against him when Batman picks out his alias: "Charles Steinmetz" was a reference to a brilliant electrical engineer. Going to the address on the registry, Batman crashes in on a very surprised Doc Hastings. Although Hastings has various technological devices that he attempts to use against Batman, the Caped Crusader easily defeats him in battle and turns him over to the police. Later, back in his guise of Bruce Wayne, Batman invites Gordon, Kobler, and Tinney over to celebrate and thank Batman and Robin for saving their lives, although none of the men gathered can actually talk about it. ENIGMA OF THE ELONGATED EVILDOER!