Detective Comics #445

Issue Details

Synopsis

BREAK-IN AT TE BIG HOUSE One day later, the news about the murder committed by Batman spread across Gotham City and Commissioner Gordon asks his friend Bruce Wayne to convince Batman to turn himself to the authorities. Bruce decides to play along, just to keep a close eye on Gordon's investigation.  However, the evidence is solid enough to make Alfred doubt about the events. Bruce explains that he did held the gun that murdered Talia, but that he didn't pull the trigger. Instead, the weapon aimed itself at Talia and fired automatically. Bruce then talks to Dick Grayson, who is just as worried as Alfred, but when he learns the truth, he supports his mentor.   When night comes, Bruce leaves his penthouse as Batman and goes directly to the new Gotham maximum security prison in order to interrogate the most possible suspect of the whole frame-up. Batman breaks into the place avoiding every security measure and he disguises himself as a guard in order to reach the cell where Ra's al Ghul in locked. Ra's has been waiting for Batman and when the Dark Knight asks him about his involvement in the death of Talia, Ra's confesses that he planned everything in order to frame Batman for two murders. At that moment, Ra's pulls out a gun and shoots himself in the chest, tossing the weapon towards Batman as his lifeless body falls to the floor.   The prison guards become aware of Batman's presence and when they behold the crime scene, they attempt to capture him. Batman uses a couple of smoke pellets from his Utility Belt as distraction to fight some of the guards and then he escapes using one of the secret exits to the prison, which he learned from The Spook. Once outside, Batman realizes that he has nothing to work with except the gun that Ra's used to kill himself and he starts thinking that he might not be able to solve this case. THE CASE OF THE ROBOT-SPY! To help private eye Star Hawkins solve a mysterious jewel robbery, Ilda (Hawkins robot-secretary) decides to disguise herself as one of the suspected gang of thieves. THE HUMAN BOMB THE SWISS BORDER PATROL! THE CASE OF THE CROOKED GAMBLER! THE MAN WHO SLEPT 200 YEARS! TEN MILES TO NOWHERE! Ralph and Sue are informed at the US/Canadian border that some jewel thieves have stolen diamonds in Montreal worth two million dollars but Ralph is more concerned that the guard has never heard of him. His frustration increases when they check into the Star-Bright Motel and the owner likewise has never heard of him. The next morning Ralph checks the odometer on his car (as he always does) and realizes it's 10 miles over what it was when they parked. They drive about a mile away, in case they're being watched, and Ralph changes to his Elongated Man costume and returns to the Motel while Sue drives on to go shopping. Ralph finds and follows tire tracks which take him to an isolated farmhouse and eavesdrops on the occupants who are discussing their diamond theft. Overhearing the Dibnys discuss their travel plans in a restaurant as well as the fact that their car was currently being serviced at a garage, the thieves spot-welded a box containing the diamonds to the bottom of the Dibny car and allowed them to transport the jewels across the border. Following them, they waited for the Dibnys to go to sleep, then drove the car to the farmhouse to retrieve the jewels and, after returning the car, decided to wait in the farmhouse. Elongated Man takes the criminals down and drives them (in the villains' car) to the closest police station where Ralph, again, is frustrated that nobody knows him. He finds Sue as people around him seem to recognize him only for Ralph to show that he's pinned a paper announcing his identity to the back of his jacket. 24 HOURS FROM DEATH! CASE OF THE TALKING SHADOWS! THE TOUCHDOWN TRAP At Hudson University, Robin helps thwart a 1924 alumnus's revenge against an old classmate through a bomb planted in a football.