By Mark Rodriguez
Batman is out to stop a drug dealer named The Fish, but the police don't trust him. The Mayor appointed a new Vigilante Task Force and put Gordon in charge. Meanwhile, Dr. Hugo Strange was brought aboard as their consultant as he starts to become more and more obsessed with Batman.
"Prey Part 2- Dark Sides" begins with Batman actually walking all the way home, saying his hang glider was useless and he really needs his new car.
Hugo Strange is still dressed as Batman and on the ledge of his building, saying he understands how powerful the Dark Knight must feel. A gust of wind almost knocks him off the ledge and he scrambles back inside. He laments that he can share Batman's mind but not his body. He has a mannequin there with him and he yells at it, saying she is taunting him. He smacks its head off and wonders how Batman feels when he pummels his enemies.
Bruce finally arrives at his home, and Alfred helps him inside. Bruce isn't injured but exhausted. Bruce says he needs a way to make this game less draining, he can't keep this up with both criminals and police after him. Alfred tells him of the list of invites which Bruce says to ignore. Alfred says he was also invited to the Mayor's dinner party that has also invited Dr. Hugo Strange.
At the dinner party, Wayne is asked on his opinion of Batman and he says he doesn't know much about him and Strange is the Bat-expert. Strange says Batman is obsessed with the night over violence. Wayne says Batman sounds twisted. The Mayor's daughter, Catherine says Batman is more of a man than anyone at the party since he spends his nights fighting crime rather than attending dinner parties. Strange is intrigued with Catherine's stance on this and wants to discuss this further with her. She says it's too late for words.
The next day the police interrogate a witness of Batman. The man seems to be high and claims Batman really is a Bat-Man that came to this dimension somehow. He gets escorted away. One of the cops found Batman's glider, all torn up, on a rooftop a block away from the warehouse from the previous night. Cort says they will examine the glider's materials and find out all they need to know about Batman. Gordon regrets signing Cort up. He's turned this into a fanatical crusade against Batman and with Hugo Strange involved, this will get even more dangerous.
Catwoman is home and reads the newspapers about Batman, one of the articles claiming that she might be his partner. She angrily rips the newspaper to shreds and says 'never'.
The TV news says that Strange is close to finding out who Batman is. He started out from a crime against one of his loved ones one night and if he can pinpoint the crime, he can pinpoint the man that was inspired by it. Bruce says he won't let the news bother him since he has to deal with The Fish, but he feels Hugo Strange is the real shark to worry about.
Cort and cops pack a lot of firepower as they go find the Fish, but it's obvious they're also ready for Batman. Gordon says Batman has committed no capital crime and tells them not to shoot him if they see him. As they leave, Batman enters the room, as he's been hiding there all along. Batman says they won't find him or The Fish, since the drug dealer hasn't been home since the attempted bust. The Caped Crusader says if the police didn't interfere, The Fish would be in jail by now.
Gordon asks how Batman would know the Fish has been gone and he says he had a recorder set up at his house and there hasn't been a sound. Gordon says his job is on the line with this task force and he won't lose it over this. He knows Batman is breaking the law but he does get results. Batman says he needs to help to have the Mayor and the police on his side. Gordon says Strange is getting close and he needs a way to contact Batman wherever he might be, like a signal.
Cort leads his men into The Fish's house but find it empty. They decide to set up camp around it as they expect Batman to show up.
Meanwhile Batman questions a local gangster on the whereabouts of The Fish. He says he's hiding in an apartment above the Skyline Bar on Comstock. Batman throws him into a dumpster and runs off, leaving him tied up.
Later that night, The Fish is chillin' with a babe in his hot tub when he hears something. He goes for his gun and checks out the downstairs. Suddenly a Batarang flies into his hand. The Fish starts shooting up the place and Batman appears behind him puts him in a choke hold.
Fish moved backwards and slams Batman against some glass behind the bar counter, but the Dark Knight rolls with it and throws him against a bar stool. Fish grabs his leg and tries to trip Batman up. Batman throws him onto a counter and Fish grabs a broken bottle. Batman delivers some punches and kicks but Fish manages to land a kick to the face.
Batman socks the guy out and goes to tell his female companion that The Fish is gonna need his pants. Elsewhere Catwoman robs someone else and scratches alongside her victim's back. She tells the woman she just robbed to tell everyone that Catwoman is nobody's partner.
Cort and the rest are disappointed that The Fish and Batman were not at their location. One of the cops says Batman might have gotten to him first because he doesn't have to wait for a warrant like they do. Cort wonders if someone tipped off Batman first so he wouldn't show up.
The headlines say Batman was at a robbery at the tavern. The cops head back to their HQ where Batman drops The Fish off to them as a peace offering. Cort wants to shoot Batman but his men remind him that Gordon said no shooting. Regardless, Cort opens fire and Batman barely manages to get away. The cops head for the roof but The Dark Knight is gone, though they find a huge spotlight.
Dr. Hugo Strange wants to arrange for a meeting with the Mayor immediately. He feels he is close to a solution but he insists on having all of the police records he has on Batman.
Later that night Gordon puts a bat symbol over the spotlight and flashes the Bat Signal for the very first time for a few seconds. Cort and his men see it but can't make out what it is until they see Batman arriving.
Gordon tells Batman that getting Cort involved was a mistake. Batman tells him his peace offering didn't work. Gordon warns him about how it's all falling apart and Cort, the Mayor and Strange are getting closer to the finish line. Batman heads out.
Cort sneaks into Gordon's office and finds hidden police records on Batman that Strange has requested. He also finds the Bat Signal and sees that Gordon is protecting him.
Strange is now talking to his mannequin who is wearing a Batman mask. Cort knocks on his door and he is quick to hide his doll. Cort asks if he has company since the doctor has 2 glasses of liquor out instead of one (he had one for the mannequin) and Strange says both glasses are for himself.
Cort gives him the documents on Batman that Gordon has been hiding. He wants Strange's help in taking both Batman and Gordon down. Strange comments that Cort would most likely end up taking Gordon's spot as Captain of the force. Strange says Cort is a big man that doesn't seem to be afraid of the dark and asks if he's as strong and athletic as he looks.
My opinions
These are the sorts of stories I like and miss from Batman. Before he teamed up with the Justice League and fought all sorts of non-Gotham super villains and aliens and whatnot. Just Batman on the mean streets kicking ass and taking names. Him fighting it out with a drug lord like The Fish and having the guy actually put up a fight. I mean the dude got a lot at stake and he isn't gonna let a guy in a bat costume take him down, so damn right he's gonna put up a fight.
Cort and Strange are both obsessed with Batman in their own way, Cort being more of a man of action while Strange wanting to mess with his mind and find out what makes him tick. Both of Batman's most dangerous enemies in this story are people that are supposed to be the good guys.
Dr. Hugo Strange is a weird one. The last issue showed him talking to his mannequin a bit, but now he's having full on conversations and 'drinks' with her... while she wears a Batman mask. Dude, you are all sorts of messed up. I also like how the comics, even back in the 90's, didn't talk down to kids and kept some rather adult elements like Strange's unsettling relationship with his mannequin and subtlety implying that Bruce Wayne is known for sleeping around.
Catwoman is still around and while she hates being called Batman's partner, she is not even on Batman's radar just yet. We'll see what happens next issue.
Batman is out to stop a drug dealer named The Fish, but the police don't trust him. The Mayor appointed a new Vigilante Task Force and put Gordon in charge. Meanwhile, Dr. Hugo Strange was brought aboard as their consultant as he starts to become more and more obsessed with Batman.
"Prey Part 2- Dark Sides" begins with Batman actually walking all the way home, saying his hang glider was useless and he really needs his new car.
Hugo Strange is still dressed as Batman and on the ledge of his building, saying he understands how powerful the Dark Knight must feel. A gust of wind almost knocks him off the ledge and he scrambles back inside. He laments that he can share Batman's mind but not his body. He has a mannequin there with him and he yells at it, saying she is taunting him. He smacks its head off and wonders how Batman feels when he pummels his enemies.
Bruce finally arrives at his home, and Alfred helps him inside. Bruce isn't injured but exhausted. Bruce says he needs a way to make this game less draining, he can't keep this up with both criminals and police after him. Alfred tells him of the list of invites which Bruce says to ignore. Alfred says he was also invited to the Mayor's dinner party that has also invited Dr. Hugo Strange.
At the dinner party, Wayne is asked on his opinion of Batman and he says he doesn't know much about him and Strange is the Bat-expert. Strange says Batman is obsessed with the night over violence. Wayne says Batman sounds twisted. The Mayor's daughter, Catherine says Batman is more of a man than anyone at the party since he spends his nights fighting crime rather than attending dinner parties. Strange is intrigued with Catherine's stance on this and wants to discuss this further with her. She says it's too late for words.
The next day the police interrogate a witness of Batman. The man seems to be high and claims Batman really is a Bat-Man that came to this dimension somehow. He gets escorted away. One of the cops found Batman's glider, all torn up, on a rooftop a block away from the warehouse from the previous night. Cort says they will examine the glider's materials and find out all they need to know about Batman. Gordon regrets signing Cort up. He's turned this into a fanatical crusade against Batman and with Hugo Strange involved, this will get even more dangerous.
Catwoman is home and reads the newspapers about Batman, one of the articles claiming that she might be his partner. She angrily rips the newspaper to shreds and says 'never'.
The TV news says that Strange is close to finding out who Batman is. He started out from a crime against one of his loved ones one night and if he can pinpoint the crime, he can pinpoint the man that was inspired by it. Bruce says he won't let the news bother him since he has to deal with The Fish, but he feels Hugo Strange is the real shark to worry about.
Cort and cops pack a lot of firepower as they go find the Fish, but it's obvious they're also ready for Batman. Gordon says Batman has committed no capital crime and tells them not to shoot him if they see him. As they leave, Batman enters the room, as he's been hiding there all along. Batman says they won't find him or The Fish, since the drug dealer hasn't been home since the attempted bust. The Caped Crusader says if the police didn't interfere, The Fish would be in jail by now.
Gordon asks how Batman would know the Fish has been gone and he says he had a recorder set up at his house and there hasn't been a sound. Gordon says his job is on the line with this task force and he won't lose it over this. He knows Batman is breaking the law but he does get results. Batman says he needs to help to have the Mayor and the police on his side. Gordon says Strange is getting close and he needs a way to contact Batman wherever he might be, like a signal.
Cort leads his men into The Fish's house but find it empty. They decide to set up camp around it as they expect Batman to show up.
Meanwhile Batman questions a local gangster on the whereabouts of The Fish. He says he's hiding in an apartment above the Skyline Bar on Comstock. Batman throws him into a dumpster and runs off, leaving him tied up.
Later that night, The Fish is chillin' with a babe in his hot tub when he hears something. He goes for his gun and checks out the downstairs. Suddenly a Batarang flies into his hand. The Fish starts shooting up the place and Batman appears behind him puts him in a choke hold.
Fish moved backwards and slams Batman against some glass behind the bar counter, but the Dark Knight rolls with it and throws him against a bar stool. Fish grabs his leg and tries to trip Batman up. Batman throws him onto a counter and Fish grabs a broken bottle. Batman delivers some punches and kicks but Fish manages to land a kick to the face.
Batman socks the guy out and goes to tell his female companion that The Fish is gonna need his pants. Elsewhere Catwoman robs someone else and scratches alongside her victim's back. She tells the woman she just robbed to tell everyone that Catwoman is nobody's partner.
Cort and the rest are disappointed that The Fish and Batman were not at their location. One of the cops says Batman might have gotten to him first because he doesn't have to wait for a warrant like they do. Cort wonders if someone tipped off Batman first so he wouldn't show up.
The headlines say Batman was at a robbery at the tavern. The cops head back to their HQ where Batman drops The Fish off to them as a peace offering. Cort wants to shoot Batman but his men remind him that Gordon said no shooting. Regardless, Cort opens fire and Batman barely manages to get away. The cops head for the roof but The Dark Knight is gone, though they find a huge spotlight.
Dr. Hugo Strange wants to arrange for a meeting with the Mayor immediately. He feels he is close to a solution but he insists on having all of the police records he has on Batman.
Later that night Gordon puts a bat symbol over the spotlight and flashes the Bat Signal for the very first time for a few seconds. Cort and his men see it but can't make out what it is until they see Batman arriving.
Gordon tells Batman that getting Cort involved was a mistake. Batman tells him his peace offering didn't work. Gordon warns him about how it's all falling apart and Cort, the Mayor and Strange are getting closer to the finish line. Batman heads out.
Cort sneaks into Gordon's office and finds hidden police records on Batman that Strange has requested. He also finds the Bat Signal and sees that Gordon is protecting him.
Strange is now talking to his mannequin who is wearing a Batman mask. Cort knocks on his door and he is quick to hide his doll. Cort asks if he has company since the doctor has 2 glasses of liquor out instead of one (he had one for the mannequin) and Strange says both glasses are for himself.
Cort gives him the documents on Batman that Gordon has been hiding. He wants Strange's help in taking both Batman and Gordon down. Strange comments that Cort would most likely end up taking Gordon's spot as Captain of the force. Strange says Cort is a big man that doesn't seem to be afraid of the dark and asks if he's as strong and athletic as he looks.
My opinions
These are the sorts of stories I like and miss from Batman. Before he teamed up with the Justice League and fought all sorts of non-Gotham super villains and aliens and whatnot. Just Batman on the mean streets kicking ass and taking names. Him fighting it out with a drug lord like The Fish and having the guy actually put up a fight. I mean the dude got a lot at stake and he isn't gonna let a guy in a bat costume take him down, so damn right he's gonna put up a fight.
Cort and Strange are both obsessed with Batman in their own way, Cort being more of a man of action while Strange wanting to mess with his mind and find out what makes him tick. Both of Batman's most dangerous enemies in this story are people that are supposed to be the good guys.
Dr. Hugo Strange is a weird one. The last issue showed him talking to his mannequin a bit, but now he's having full on conversations and 'drinks' with her... while she wears a Batman mask. Dude, you are all sorts of messed up. I also like how the comics, even back in the 90's, didn't talk down to kids and kept some rather adult elements like Strange's unsettling relationship with his mannequin and subtlety implying that Bruce Wayne is known for sleeping around.
Catwoman is still around and while she hates being called Batman's partner, she is not even on Batman's radar just yet. We'll see what happens next issue.
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