Detective Comics #557

Issue Details

Synopsis

STILL BEATING Gotham City suffers from seemingly endless red rainfall and the sky is still red for reasons still undisclosed. Meanwhile, Batman convinces himself and the ailing Catwoman that he is in love with her, as Night-Slayer finds the rest of the False Face Society on his quest to locate Nocturna to murder her. The False Facers inform the Night-Slayer that Nocturna is trapped at the abandoned Gotham Observatory, as they were previously instructed to reveal the truth by Nocturna. In a fit of anger, Night-Slayer eliminates every one of them before going to kill her.  In the meantime, Robin can't hide his fear from the disaster going on, but he gets reassuring words from Batman that he will be there for him until the end. This words resonate with Robin, who realizes that there is someone else lost and alone at that very moment that need his help. Nocturna, who is still at the observatory, has lost hope as the end is obviously drawing near and the red rain has soaked her pale beauty. While she awaits inside the coming of the Night-Slayer, Robin has reached the observatory and is confronted by the assassin, who has no intention of sparing anyone on his quest to murder Nocturna. THE PURSUIT OF WISDOM Lars captures Onyx and forces Green Arrow to flee. From Onyx he takes the key to the Book of Ages, and leaves her shackled to the monastery's great bell, where she will be killed by the bell's automated hammer when it tolls on the hour. Green Arrow frees Onyx before the hammer can fall. But they cannot stop Lars from opening the box containing the Book of Ages, which disintegrates into dust and vapor...and leaves Lars only a skeleton.