Detective Comics #533

Issue Details

Synopsis

LOOK TO THE MOUNTAINTOP While James Gordon is in a coma at the Gotham General Hospital, a group of criminals organize a plan to murder the Police Commissioner. Meanwhile, Barbara Gordon is looking after her father, remembering how a positive influence in her life the man has been and recalling the best advice she could ever receive: "look to the mountaintop".   Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd have returned to Gotham City after their quest in Guatemala and they discuss the fact that Jason adopted the Robin identity and how uncalled that decision was. Despite the argument, both understand each other and their bond is strengthened.  Short moments later, the criminals have started their hit on the hospital and they start taking over the place, one floor at the time. Barbara realizes the danger and makes a quick call to the Gotham City Police Department to warn them about the threat before the telephone lines are cut off. Barbara then takes her father out of his room into the elevator, where she finally falls unconscious to the knockout gas the crooks have used in the whole building.   Without the Commissioner, the GCPD turn to Harvey Bullock who was pondering the consequences of his actions and when he learns about the threat on Gordon's life, he organizes a SWAT team to rescue the police commissioner, but he also decides to get the best man available. A few minutes later, the Bat-Signal is activated and Batman goes into action.   Bullock and the SWAT team make it to the hospital in little time, but by then, the criminals have already reached Gordon's room. They are shocked to find the place empty and this hesitation allows Batman to attack them by surprise and take most of them down. A couple of crooks manage to escape from Batman and they start looking for Gordon, while the Dark Knight does the same to prevent any harm coming to his friend.   Batman finds Gordon and Barbara in the elevator before the crooks and he takes them to the rooftops, where he summons the members of the SWAT team and Bullock follows Batman's instructions, much to his own men's surprise. As the SWAT team make it to the rooftop, the crooks get there first and Batman has to take them down, with help from Barbara, who has recovered and is determined to save her father. When the crooks have been stopped, Batman and Barbara are ecstatic to learn that James Gordon has come out of his coma and his first words in a still weak voice are "look to the mountaintop". THE BLACK BOX 1 A terrorist known as the The Detonator blows up a plane carrying industrialist Warren Whelmsley, who had failed to pay $2,000,000 in extortion money. Green Arrow and Star City police hope that the "black box", an in-flight voice recorder, will give them clues as to the Detonator's identity. Unfortunately, the Detonator grabs the box, only to be confronted by a motorcycle gang that also wants it.