Detective Comics #806

Issue Details

Synopsis

CITY OF CRIME PART 6 - A CITY, NOT MY OWN Norman Steiner, the mayor's assistant has finally learned that the reason his wife has changed so much is because she has been "improved", which means she has been replaced with a doppelganger creature. However, there's nothing he can do as this is all a result of his actions by making business with the wrong people.  Batman has located a boat belonging to the Ventriloquist, but as he approaches with the Bat-Copter, there's no sign of people inside the boat, which is floating adrift in the middle of the river. Batman enters the boat and discovers that someone had massacred Ventriloquist and his crew. The only living thing inside was Scarface, who was still talking as the Ventriloquist was barely alive. Scarface kept rambling about their attackers and Batman tried to get more answers from him, but all he learned was that there was something important near a park. After revealing this, Ventriloquist passes out and Batman assumes that he is dead. Robin descends from the copter and informs Batman that the police have found the dead body of Cassie Welles.   A few moments later, Frank Ivers walks in the GCPD Headquarters and realizes that besides his partner, Elliot Lynch, it seems like more officers have been replaced by doppelgangers as well. He is then approached by his fake partner and he suggests that they better inform the Welles family about the discovery.   In the meantime, Batman goes to the morgue to check the body of the girl. First he finds the body of her boyfriend, who apparently killed himself. Then he goes to see Cassie's body and notices that it is too perfect to be the real girl. Instantly, the body awakes and tries to attack Batman with a gun. Batman disarms her, but she takes a scalpel and stabs Batman in the forearm. Batman then grabs her by the neck and starts hearing a ticking noise inside her body. Batman knows that this is just another body made of soil and he punches her through the stomach and takes out a small explosive device from the body. Batman drops the fake body and deactivates the bomb before it explodes. Batman deduces that those responsible for it all are trying to eliminate loose ends and that if he was the first target, the second target would be the Welles. Batman knows where he must go next, but he realizes that the enemy is coming for him as well.  At that moment, Frank Ivers and the fake Elliot Lynch arrive at the Welles' home to tell them about Cassie's "death". Marlene is devastated but she insists that the dead girl can't be her daughter. Batman is already on his way to the Welles' home, fighting dozens of masked enemies and Lynch is contacted by phone and informed about the situation. Lynch then suggests that the Welles should make things easier for themselves by killing themselves. He takes out a bag of cyanide and tells Ivers to serve them a glass of juice for each one with a dose of the poison. Ivers is terrified of his partner's evil doppelganger might do if he doesn't obey, so he does as he tells. Batman is almost at the Welles' home, but he is attacked by snipers who stop him from reaching the place in time. Ivers gives the family a glass of poisoned juice each, but he points his gun to the evil Lynch doppelganger, who in turn shoots Ivers in the stomach. Knowing that he won't be able to reach the place in time, Batman throws three Batarangs to the Welles' home that land on Lynch's back, causing him to fall down and drop his gun. Marlene picks up the gun and shoots Lynch on the head, killing the man-monster.   Batman has found a place to hide from the snipers' attacks but he is soon surrounded by hundreds of masked attackers, wanting a piece of him. Batman uses the Utility Belt to send a remote signal that would summon the Bat-copter to his location, but in the meantime, he has to fight all the enemies. However, in less time than he would have expected he starts listening the noise of a helicopter and he turns his head to look what has happened. Three helicopters approach his location and start shooting at all the masked monsters. Batman jumps for cover until all the enemies are eliminated and when he reaches out again, he discovers that it is Penguin riding the helicopters and shooting at the monsters. Batman asks Penguin what he knows about this new enemy that goes by the name of "The Body", but Penguin knows as much as he does, although he tells Batman about a park near Crown Point where these creatures seem to come from. Penguin leaves and tells Batman that Gotham is not safe anymore and that he doesn't think even Batman can take this new enemy down.   As Penguin leaves, Batman reflects on the situation and he realizes that the Gotham that once belonged to him is gone and that in order to take it back, he must act, but not as Batman. REGNUM DEFENDE Alfred is being chased down the forests of Poland by a man named Parsifal, but he manages to get away. Parsifal then admits that after all, Alfred saved his life.   Alfred then recalls the events leading to that point.   He was giving stagecraft classes as Alfred Beagle when a man from the British Secret Service contacts him and asks him to join the service for a mission in which he needs to pretend to be a butler for Parsifal, the leading commander of the enemy forces. The objective of the mission is for Alfred to save Parsifal from any attacks from British belligerents that would cause an international conflict. Alfred is given the proper instructions and among the equipment, he is given a cyanide penny, in case he is discovered and the mission goes wrong. Ironically, a penny would be the worth of his life.   Alfred reaches his destination and soon starts his role as a butler for Parsifal, who is throwing a party on his mansion. Among the people at the party is Red Scare, a big super-powered villain; also Vandal Savage and many other evil people. Alfred performs his role as a butler until he notices something amiss in the kitchen. A British man is nervous about serving food to the attendees, but after he finds the courage to do so, Alfred realizes that he is serving poisoned food. Alfred reacts just in time to prevent Persifal from eating the poison. Alfred is then surrounded by Parsifal's men and interrogated about his knowledge of the poison. To keep his identity a secret, Alfred tells them that he is a spy. Unfortunately, someone shoots and kills Red Scare from the outside of the mansion. The big villain comes down and Alfred is captured by Parsifal's men.