Detective 666 – the new Batman faces Bane

Knightfall has its penultimate chapter in Detective 666 (Sept. 93), by Dixon, Nolan and Hanna.

Commissioner Gordon has his suspicions confirmed, that someone new is in the Batman costume, in a nicely done scene.  Gordon’s proof is simply that Batman did not vanish in the  middle of the conversation, waiting to see if Gordon had anything more to say.

Bird, Trogg and Zombie gets busted out of prison, and head for Bane, who they think was behind the breakout.  In fact, it was one of Jean-Paul’s more intelligent moves, as he expected the henchmen to act exactly as they did.

So it’s rematch between Batman and Bane, but with a new Batman.  Jean-Paul has added some ridiculous hi-tech gloves to the outfit, but still fails to take down Bane.

The story concludes in the following issue of Batman.

Detective 663 – Batman comes face to face with Bane

Things continue to fall apart in Detective 663 (Early July 1993), the 10th chapter of Knightfall, by Dixon, Nolan and Hanna.

Batman saves Mayor Krol from drowning in the sewer, leaving the mayor much more impressed with Batman than he had been.

The Ventriloquist finally gets Scarface back, but is reluctant to give up his other new puppets, leading to conflict between them.

With many of the villains now captured, Batman has to face Bane’s men, and spends much of this issue fighting, and defeating, Trogg, Zombie and Bird.

Batman returns home, finding Alfred unconsious, and Bane ready for their big fight.

The story continues in the next issue of Batman.

 

Detective 660 – Robin gets captured

Knightfall has its third chapter in Detective 660 (Late May 1993), in a story by Chuck Dixon, Jim Balent and Scott Hanna.

Bird returns to Bane with news of Batman, and the many villains still terrorizing the city.  Robin has been following, at Batman’s orders.

Throughout the Knightfall series, we occasionally see scenes with Dr. Simpson Flanders, a feel good psychiatrist, appearing on various tv shows to promote his book, and explain that the inmates rampaging through the city are really the victims of society.  While his name clearly derives from the tv show, the character, and the tv spots, are inspired by Dr. Benjamin Wolper from Frank Miller’s Batman – The Dark Knight Returns.

Against Batman’s orders, Robin decides to follow Bane after his meeting breaks up.  He doesn’t realize that Bane knows he is there, and gets taken by surprise.

Bane binds Robin, and challenges him to a fight on a precarious beam in the sewer system. It would have been bye bye Robin, had not Croc intervened.  Croc is much more interested in taking down Bane than in Robin, but the resulting fight sends all three of them plunging into the sewer system, and carried away.

The story continues in the next issue of Batman.

Detective 659 – Batman vs Amygdala

Chuck Dixon and Norm Breyfogle helm Detective 659 (Early May 1993), the second part of Knightfall.  Much of this years run would be devoted to this storyline, which sees Bane push Batman to his breaking point.

The issue begins as felons flee from Arkham Asylum, after Bane breaks it open.  Maxie Zeus makes it no further than the nearest tree, but in the background one can see the Ventriloquist making a sock puppet, to replace his missing Scarface.

The other villains are simply cannon fodder for Bane, and Lieutenant Kitch discovers the corpse of Film Freak, murdered by Bane.

Amygdala, recently introduced in Shadow of the Bat, partners up the the Ventriloquist.  His sock puppet is not an adequate subtsitutue for Scarface, and he decides to find his lost friend.

Robin keeps spotting a circling falcon, and takes off from Batman to follow it, correctly assuming it to be connected to Bane.

Batman has been tracking the Ventriloquist, and manages to defeat Amygdala, but Arnold Wesker gets away during the battle.

While Batman deals with Amygdala, Robin faces Bird.

The story continues in the next issue of Batman.

Detective 656 – Batman vs the General

Chuck Dixon and Scott Hanna are joined by Tom Mandrake on pencils for the concluding chapter of the General story, in Detective 656 (Feb. 93).

With their stolen military gear, the General leads his gang on an assault on Gotham’s police headquarters.

The gang are tough enough to burn the Batmobile, but once Batman wades into the fray, many cut and run, and the others are easily outmatched.  The story neatly details how effective Batman’s persona is, a weapon unto itself.

Even the General, when confronted one on one with Batman, reverts to the child he is.

The story has an unexpected coda.  Bird has been watching the assault on the police, and reports back to Bane about Batman’s actions and state of being.  Part of the set-up for Knightfall.  Bane, Bird and his crew were all recently introduced in the Batman – Vengeance of Bane special, but this marks their first appearances in Detective.