By Mark Rodriguez
Dr. Hugo Strange is one of Batman's oldest foes and one of his first recurring enemies during the Dark Knight's early days. Recently, his persona as an insane psychiatrist is more known to the general public for his role in the Arkham City game, but in his first appearances Strange was more like the average mad scientist villain. The following 5-part story takes place in Batman's early career and re-introduces Strange as the psychiatrist that we know nowadays. These 5 comics were part of the goodies I managed to snatch up at LVL Up Expo 2019.
Prey part 1 opens with cops watching one of their own posing as a customer so they can catch the drug dealer in the act. Once he officially buys the drugs, the police make their move. Batman swoops in to catch the drug dealer first and takes him to a rooftop to find out where the drugs are coming from. Batman interrogates the dealer while the police run up the stairs to arrest both of them. The dealer is afraid the cops are going to shoot them both down and tells Batman he's getting the drugs from The Fish. Batman drops the thug to the floor.
The police get their guns on Batman. The dealer pulls out a knife and figures the cops will love him if he kills Batman. The Dark Knight easily avoids the knife strike and defeats the dealer. He tells the police he's done with him and it's their turn to interrogate him now. Batman tosses the thug onto the police and uses this moment to vanish into the night.
Captain Gordon is being chewed out about Batman's antics later that night. Gordon says Batman seems to be good for morale, and it's nice for the cops to know they're not alone out there. Sgt. Cort is not happy with this and says Batman must be taken down. Gordon excuses himself to spend the rest of the evening with his family.
Bruce tends to his wounds as he relaxes to watch TV for the evening with Alfred. On TV we have a night time talk show as the host discusses whether or not Batman is a savior or a scourge. His guests are Capt. Gordon, the Mayor Wilson Class and renown psychiatrist Dr. Hugo Strange. The Mayor says Batman has to be stopped because no one is above the law. Strange says Batman has a very obsessive personality.
Strange says Batman seems obsessed with darkness and possibly vengeance, which could mean he might have lost a loved one to crime. Alfred feels this is hitting to close to home but Bruce insists on watching. Strange says Batman wants individual power, which explains why he didn't simply join the police force to fight crime. He says he wants some sort of fame as the Batman. Strange goes deeper into Batman's choice of outfit and Gordon says he's only using it to scare criminals. The Mayor announces that there will be a new Vigilante Task Force which Gordon will head as commander, which surprises him.
The Mayor tells Gordon he can pick his men tomorrow, and enlists Strange as the team's consultant. Gordon is conflicted, especially since Batman had saved the life of himself and his son. He doesn't feel it's right for him to help stop Batman.
Bruce works on the Batmobile, trying to get Strange's words out of his head. He wonders if he really is obsessed and if he really has to do things alone. He wonders who he can trust.
Gordon ponders who to enlist and decides he wants someone he can trust but not very competent. He enlists Sgt. Cort for this very reason. The Mayor discusses Strange's fee, but he is much more interested in studying Batman and the potential for a book deal. Strange accepts being the team's consultant and wants all police records on Batman.
Gordon tells Cort to gather 10 plainclothes officers for this task force. Another officer tells Gordon that Strange wants everything related to Batman including crime victims from the last five years.
Elsewhere the Fish and his men are talking about how one of the street dealers was caught. One of the men is worried the guy talked to the Batman or the police about them. The Fish isn't too concerned and says he got the police in their pockets. One of the men says the new guy, Gordon can't be bought and Cort is also trouble.
Batman's car isn't ready yet so he takes a bat-themed glider out. Meanwhile Catwoman is out on the prowl. Meanwhile Gordon asks for Max Cort and he is told he is out checking on the men he picked for the task force. Cort leads his men in unmarked cars.
Strange ponders about Batman, wondering if he lost someone in a murder instead of simple mugging. Based on his age, he thinks maybe Batman lost a wife, which makes him risk his life every night. Strange reveals he has his own crudely made Batman costume that he uses to study.
The cops worry that Cort is getting too close to The Fish. Seeing that they've been bought out by The Fish, they can't risk him being taken down, so they sound the siren to give him a warning. Fish and his men hear the siren and prepare to leave as Batman busts into the place. Batman was afraid the dealer would have talked to the cops too, but didn't expect a raid so quickly.
Cort sees the siren blew their cover and wants to know which cop car pulled it. Batman fights the thugs and hopes to wrap this up before Gordon can arrive and get potentially hurt by gunfire. Just then The Fish pulls out his gun on Batman.
Cort takes down the men that used the siren, as he now knows that they were crooked cops. He leads the remaining men into the building to take down The Fish.
Batman dodges the gunshot, but lets the bullet go through his cape, so that The Fish will think he was hit. Just then Cort busts in with his men. They are surprised to see Batman there and start to open fire. Batman evades the gunfire and says that The Fish is going to get away. He tosses a smoke bomb to get the police off his tail. Elsewhere, Catwoman robbed someone as they still sleep in their bed.
Hugo Strange wears his own version of the Batman costume and he says he understands the rush that the original must feel.
Batman knocks out the cops and is disappointed that The Fish got away. As he tries to leave, Cort confronts him with a rifle. Batman wrestles the gun out of his hands and says they let Fish get away. Another cop tries to shoot him and Batman tosses a Batarang in his hand as he gets away. The cop says Batman was right about the Fish getting away but Cort is more concerned with Batman assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Batman escapes but can't use his glider anymore and considers getting away on foot to be a waste of time. He needs his car.
Hugo Strange, still dressed as Batman, remarks on how the Caped Crusader is free to roam the night as he pleases. He says he envies him and hates him.
My opinions-
This is an interesting story so far. Batman is still new to his crimefighting gig, and there are references to him saving Gordon and his kid from Batman Year One. Gotham City still doesn't know what to think of the Caped Crusader, and many people consider him a threat. Gordon gets drafted into leading a team devoted to capturing Batman and he really doesn't want to do it. And then there's Hugo Strange... who didn't take too long to let his obsession with Batman drive him crazy. So I guess he envies how Batman seems to be able to just go out and do what he wants? Is this crazy old man gonna be running around in a Batman costume?
It's a pretty good story so far as the police are starting to go after Batman while Batman is trying to take down a drug dealer. The Catwoman scenes seem to be pretty random and pointless but I'm assuming she's gonna have a big role further into this story.
The art is pretty good, but Catwoman looks a bit weird. Other than that, the comic is cool and I'll be reading the second part soon.
Dr. Hugo Strange is one of Batman's oldest foes and one of his first recurring enemies during the Dark Knight's early days. Recently, his persona as an insane psychiatrist is more known to the general public for his role in the Arkham City game, but in his first appearances Strange was more like the average mad scientist villain. The following 5-part story takes place in Batman's early career and re-introduces Strange as the psychiatrist that we know nowadays. These 5 comics were part of the goodies I managed to snatch up at LVL Up Expo 2019.
The police get their guns on Batman. The dealer pulls out a knife and figures the cops will love him if he kills Batman. The Dark Knight easily avoids the knife strike and defeats the dealer. He tells the police he's done with him and it's their turn to interrogate him now. Batman tosses the thug onto the police and uses this moment to vanish into the night.
Captain Gordon is being chewed out about Batman's antics later that night. Gordon says Batman seems to be good for morale, and it's nice for the cops to know they're not alone out there. Sgt. Cort is not happy with this and says Batman must be taken down. Gordon excuses himself to spend the rest of the evening with his family.
Bruce tends to his wounds as he relaxes to watch TV for the evening with Alfred. On TV we have a night time talk show as the host discusses whether or not Batman is a savior or a scourge. His guests are Capt. Gordon, the Mayor Wilson Class and renown psychiatrist Dr. Hugo Strange. The Mayor says Batman has to be stopped because no one is above the law. Strange says Batman has a very obsessive personality.
Strange says Batman seems obsessed with darkness and possibly vengeance, which could mean he might have lost a loved one to crime. Alfred feels this is hitting to close to home but Bruce insists on watching. Strange says Batman wants individual power, which explains why he didn't simply join the police force to fight crime. He says he wants some sort of fame as the Batman. Strange goes deeper into Batman's choice of outfit and Gordon says he's only using it to scare criminals. The Mayor announces that there will be a new Vigilante Task Force which Gordon will head as commander, which surprises him.
The Mayor tells Gordon he can pick his men tomorrow, and enlists Strange as the team's consultant. Gordon is conflicted, especially since Batman had saved the life of himself and his son. He doesn't feel it's right for him to help stop Batman.
Bruce works on the Batmobile, trying to get Strange's words out of his head. He wonders if he really is obsessed and if he really has to do things alone. He wonders who he can trust.
Gordon ponders who to enlist and decides he wants someone he can trust but not very competent. He enlists Sgt. Cort for this very reason. The Mayor discusses Strange's fee, but he is much more interested in studying Batman and the potential for a book deal. Strange accepts being the team's consultant and wants all police records on Batman.
Gordon tells Cort to gather 10 plainclothes officers for this task force. Another officer tells Gordon that Strange wants everything related to Batman including crime victims from the last five years.
Elsewhere the Fish and his men are talking about how one of the street dealers was caught. One of the men is worried the guy talked to the Batman or the police about them. The Fish isn't too concerned and says he got the police in their pockets. One of the men says the new guy, Gordon can't be bought and Cort is also trouble.
Batman's car isn't ready yet so he takes a bat-themed glider out. Meanwhile Catwoman is out on the prowl. Meanwhile Gordon asks for Max Cort and he is told he is out checking on the men he picked for the task force. Cort leads his men in unmarked cars.
Strange ponders about Batman, wondering if he lost someone in a murder instead of simple mugging. Based on his age, he thinks maybe Batman lost a wife, which makes him risk his life every night. Strange reveals he has his own crudely made Batman costume that he uses to study.
The cops worry that Cort is getting too close to The Fish. Seeing that they've been bought out by The Fish, they can't risk him being taken down, so they sound the siren to give him a warning. Fish and his men hear the siren and prepare to leave as Batman busts into the place. Batman was afraid the dealer would have talked to the cops too, but didn't expect a raid so quickly.
Cort sees the siren blew their cover and wants to know which cop car pulled it. Batman fights the thugs and hopes to wrap this up before Gordon can arrive and get potentially hurt by gunfire. Just then The Fish pulls out his gun on Batman.
Cort takes down the men that used the siren, as he now knows that they were crooked cops. He leads the remaining men into the building to take down The Fish.
Batman dodges the gunshot, but lets the bullet go through his cape, so that The Fish will think he was hit. Just then Cort busts in with his men. They are surprised to see Batman there and start to open fire. Batman evades the gunfire and says that The Fish is going to get away. He tosses a smoke bomb to get the police off his tail. Elsewhere, Catwoman robbed someone as they still sleep in their bed.
Hugo Strange wears his own version of the Batman costume and he says he understands the rush that the original must feel.
Batman knocks out the cops and is disappointed that The Fish got away. As he tries to leave, Cort confronts him with a rifle. Batman wrestles the gun out of his hands and says they let Fish get away. Another cop tries to shoot him and Batman tosses a Batarang in his hand as he gets away. The cop says Batman was right about the Fish getting away but Cort is more concerned with Batman assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Batman escapes but can't use his glider anymore and considers getting away on foot to be a waste of time. He needs his car.
Hugo Strange, still dressed as Batman, remarks on how the Caped Crusader is free to roam the night as he pleases. He says he envies him and hates him.
My opinions-
This is an interesting story so far. Batman is still new to his crimefighting gig, and there are references to him saving Gordon and his kid from Batman Year One. Gotham City still doesn't know what to think of the Caped Crusader, and many people consider him a threat. Gordon gets drafted into leading a team devoted to capturing Batman and he really doesn't want to do it. And then there's Hugo Strange... who didn't take too long to let his obsession with Batman drive him crazy. So I guess he envies how Batman seems to be able to just go out and do what he wants? Is this crazy old man gonna be running around in a Batman costume?
It's a pretty good story so far as the police are starting to go after Batman while Batman is trying to take down a drug dealer. The Catwoman scenes seem to be pretty random and pointless but I'm assuming she's gonna have a big role further into this story.
The art is pretty good, but Catwoman looks a bit weird. Other than that, the comic is cool and I'll be reading the second part soon.
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