Detective Comics #486

Issue Details

Synopsis

MURDER BY THUNDERBOLT After a former member of Maxie Zeus' gang suffers a gruesome death in a public event, Batman investigates the cause of this unlikely accident.  Maxie Zeus is currently locked in Arkham Asylum, where one of his most loyal servants informs him about the recent death and Zeus is confident that his godly powers allowed him to exterminate the unfaithful criminal.   Meanwhile, Batman has managed to find enough evidence that points towards other members of Zeus' gang as the responsible for the murder and when he infiltrates one of their private parties, Batman learns that they are trying to take over the organization. Confronting the leader, Batman realizes that they are not the real criminals, but they might know who it could be.   The thugs arrange a meeting with Batman, but the Dark Knight suspects foul play and he uses a decoy to distract them. When the criminals in fact use a bomb to blow away the Batmobile, Batman is already on his way to capture the real criminals, who is none other than Zeus' only faithful servant. The desperate crook was only trying to keep Zeus' gang under the control of Maxie Zeus, making it look like their boss had some kind of supernatural powers and was responsible for punishing those who defected.   After the criminal is captured, Batman starts working on a replacement for the destroyed Batmobile. THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA CONTRACT! CRIMES CALLS KILLER MOTH! Barbara Gordon meets a young man from Gotham who has come to Washington, D.C. to ask her to investigate the murder of his father and capture the killer.   Without any other clues, Barbara goes into action as Batgirl to stop a couple of random criminals, but they almost escape thanks to Killer Moth, who has apparently resumed his previous modus operandi of helping criminals in need.   Later on, Barbara learns that the young man's father was a shoemaker who was hired and killed by a man called Van Cleer. Knowing that this was the former alias of Killer Moth, Batgirl deduces that the crook used the shoemaker to install remote signal devices in the shoes of criminals who ask for his services. Using the same method, Batgirl lures Killer Moth to a trap, where she finally captures the criminal and delivers justice to a young man in need. THE HOSPITAL HOSTAGE! When Alfred returns to the Wayne Foundation building, a trio of criminals force their way into the private elevator that connects to Bruce Wayne's penthouse and they force Alfred to help them find the money and valuables.   Alfred gives them the best service a butler could muster to make their business end quickly, so that they leave before Bruce returns and they could learn the truth about his secret identity. Unfortunately, the crooks decide to wait for Wayne and Alfred tries to convince them to leave while he also gets evidence of the crime to make it easier for the police or Batman to find the criminals.   When the crooks finally learn that Wayne is probably visiting Commissioner Gordon, they decide to leave the apartment, but Alfred traps them inside the elevator until Batman arrives and can take care of the situation. FEAR TIMES FOUR Certain night in New Carthage, Robin becomes aware for strange crimes that leave the victims terrified. The first suspect is the master of fear, Scarecrow and true to his suspicions, Robin eventually comes to face Crane, but is unable to capture him.   With help from Chief McDonald, Robin gets enough information about the victims of the Scarecrow and he finds a connection between them and his own psychology professor at the Hudson University. While doing some background research, Robin is confronted by Scarecrow, who once again tries to give Robin the slip, but the Teen Wonder uses Scarecrow's own fear of Batman to stop him and capture the crook.