Detective Comics #801

Issue Details

Synopsis

CITY OF THE CRIME PART 1 Remembering the death of his parents, Batman starts patrolling the streets of Gotham City at night. During his patrol, he stops a domestic fight and puts the aggressors to sleep. Later, he spots a big man intimidating a small man and Batman uses the Batrope to attach the big man to a moving truck and snatch him away from the small man. However, these are only two of several other crimes that are taking place around the city and Batman has other concerns that have to be addressed.  In the meantime, a man causes a traffic accident and is seemingly out of control. After the mention of the police, the man runs away from the place and enters a pub, asking for "The Dealer".   Batman starts remembering the events that unfolded two weeks ago during a Gala Ball to which Bruce Wayne attended. Bruce was desperately looking for an excuse to get out of the building, but nothing happened. A young girl named Haddie McNeil, 13 years-old, daughter of a rich man and a spoiled kid in every sense of the word, approached him and tried to get Bruce's attention. Out of pity, Bruce smiled and gave the girl the wrong impression. After listening to her talking about frivolous and superfluous things, Bruce scolded the girl for her unnecessary attitude. However, shortly after the gala, Haddie was found dead under a bridge. She was yet another victim of drug overdose.   Batman learned that Haddie had been with another attendee after the Gala Ball, a man named Mickey Gravesly, 28 years-old, son of the owner of the building where the Gala took place and known for his relation with drug dealers. Batman located the father and after asking him about his son, he learned that the old man wasn't going to help him. Batman kept looking around the streets and located a traffic accident caused by a car owned by Gravesly. Following the trail, Batman entered the pub and turned the lights off. Everybody leaves except for the barman, and Batman questions him about Gravesly and his whereabouts.   Gravesly is already on his way to find The Dealer and when he does, he informs the man that the girl died from overdose and that he needed to be hidden from the law. The Dealer allowed Gravesly in his apartment and killed the man for the troubles he's caused him. The Dealer calls his gang and tells them to take the body of Gravesly to the river, as far away as possible. As they are taking the body on a bag, Batman arrives at the place and starts beating all of them. The Dealer tries to escape, but Batman takes him down, paralyzing him with fear. At that moment, Batman notices that there is a fire happening at Park Row and he leaves the gang for the police to take care of them.   On his way to the scene, Batman uses the Utility Belt to call Tim Drake as he was alone at home, playing videogames. Batman and Robin join at Crime Alley and they witness how the firefighters do their best to get the situation under control, but they are ready to act in case things take a turn for the worse. WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE PART 1 Kitt Calahan is having a hard time after the death of his friend and colleague Mitchel Tomjohn. They worked together at the Colonel Brand's Traditional Family Carnival and they just arrived at to the outskirts of Gotham City to perform for a few days along with all the other members of the carnival.   That morning, as they arrived, they started setting up the place and one of the members of the carnival warned Tomjohn to do a cloverleaf knot on the pulley for the tent. At evening, the show started and the carnival was full of people. Calahan and Tomjohn were talking and Colonel Brand introduced them to Mister Rowley, a rich man that had paid for most of the orphans kids tickets. Rowley called Tomjohn a freak, due to his obvious face disfigurement.   Afterwards, Tomjohn was feeling down and Calahan tried to cheer him up before closing the show. When the show was over, they found the dead body of Tomjohn outside the tent as one of the pulleys had fallen on his head.   The police arrived at the scene and took the body away. Calahan was intrigued to know how did the blood of Tomjohn spread so far as to the entrance of the tent, when the body was found in the back. The officer told Calahan that he should better call a vet to learn what happened with his friend and Calahan was infuriated.   That night, Calahan gathered the rest of the carnival crew and told them that they must discover the truth of what happened to their friend, as the police won't provide any help. They performed a ceremony that consisted on passing a stogie among them and taking a drag if they wanted to join Calahn. Everyone did and soon, Calahan informed them what they were going to do.