Batman Legends of the Dark Knight # 48 Heat Part 3

 By Mark Rodriguez

There is a cat-themed murderer running around and the city is trying to place the blame on either Batman or Catwoman. Catwoman tracks down Catman at a women's dorm at a college and fights with him to give the girls time to escape. Batman arrives too late and while the girls are safe and Catman is gone, Catwoman is severely injured. Batman sees no choice but to patch her up at the Batcave. What will happen next?

Heat part 3 opens with Batman continuing to patch up Catwoman. It's been five days since she's been in the Batcave and there have been three more murders. Batman tells her that during the last murder, the killer struck on the West Side while he was patrolling the East Side. They agree that the city is too big for one person to cover so they became partners. Batman says the whole time she's been there, she's never removed her mask. They're both still strangers to each other. 

Batman finishes patching her up and Catwoman asks what made him decide to partner up with her if it wasn't Gordon. Batman says he never should have left her to fight Catman alone. Catwoman says if it's because of guilt then he can't handle a partner. She says he's too protective to trust anyone else. Batman says he trusts Gordon, but she tells him he's not at his side when he's fighting. She says with a real partner, if something goes wrong, he'll probably blame himself. Batman says she's right but their partnership isn't permanent. Catwoman flirts a bit and goes in for a kiss, but Batman turns away. He says the killer must be stopped and gets ready to head out.

Catwoman says she's ready since her fever broke and she even exercised in his absence. Batman insists she needs another full day of rest. Catwoman says even if she takes the extra day, Batman will be heading out alone. Batman drives off and says he'll manage. Catwoman asks 'what about her?'

Gordon heads back to the police station with some ice cream, but it's melting too quickly due to the heat wave still hitting the city. He tosses it away as he hears that seven white youths were indicted with the assault of a racially-mixed couple in Gotham's hub district.

Catwoman explores the Bat Cave and thinks to herself that Batman isn't stupid and knows she's not stupid, so leaving her behind can't be carelessness. She thinks maybe he actually does trust her with the cave. 

Gordon and Byron are at the scene of the latest murder at the West Side of Gotham park not far from another gang causing trouble. Gordon tells Byron that he put 50 more cops on the street and can't do much more than that. Byron says even that might not be enough. As they head off, the news reporters ask for a comment. Jim says they still don't have anything new but they will hold a press conference when there is. 

Catwoman sees just how huge and endless the Batcave seems to be and says maybe Batman doesn't have to trust her.

The news comments that Jim Gordon said 'no comment' towards the latest murder. The news ends and the following movie will be 'Some Like It Hot' starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. As the TV plays this, Catman crawls out the window to continue with his murder spree. 

Batman is out on the rooftops pondering on how the killings have been turning much more violent and vicious. He also wonders if Catwoman will be much help and if he can really trust her. The Catman is lurking around and people stand in vigil of the recent murder in the park.

Elsewhere, a thug tries to rob a woman with a knife up to her throat. A Batarang knocks the blade from the guy's hand, moments before Batman swoops in to knock him out. Batman stopped him from killing the woman, but this guy wasn't the Catman he's looking for.

Elsewhere a police woman is reporting that the East side park is quiet. She hears someone in the bushes, someone has been attacked and is bleeding. The policewoman heads in to help, drawing her gun. This was the Catman who tricked her and slices the woman's fingers off, making her drop the gun. The Catman hacks her to death. 

Batman hears the report about the policewoman being killed in the park with claw marks over the Batmobile radio. Batman is angry that he missed another chance to stop this murderer because he was on the other side of town, He drops off the thug he did stop over at the police station. 

Gordon tells Byron that Mayor Klass denied the request for extra cops. Byron is furious considering that there have been eight murders so far and one of them was a fellow cop. Gordon says the Mayor sees it as the police's problem. If the police fail and it becomes the Mayor's problem, then their heads will roll. Gordon asks Byron if he seen the movie 'To Catch a Thief' and buys the concept of 'to catch a thief, you need a thief'. Byron says he can buy it as much as he can buy the concept of birds flipping out and attacking humans. Gordon mentions Hitchcock and also the movie Psycho which is based on a true story. Byron asks if he's not suggesting they bring in a squad of serial killers. Gordon says no, but they need some kind of help. Byron agrees that this is one time where they need something beyond Batman.

Batman returns to the Bat Cave and tells Catwoman about the policewoman that was murdered. Catwoman asks if he thinks the murderer will go for a third. Batman says it's possible, the only lead he has is that he seems to like attacking in the park. Catwoman asks if he abandoned the thieving angle. Batman tells her the killer already amassed a small fortune from his early crimes and he still takes whatever money and valuables he can. He says it's his second motive, his main motive is going after women and blood. 

Batman asks Catwoman if she's fully recovered. She says she's ready for anything. Batman says he'll be back before dark. Catwoman asks if they're going for a walk in the park and if there will be a moon. Batman says there will be a full moon. Catwoman calls it romantic and dangerous. Batman drives off and Catwoman asks if it's still hot out there.

On the news, the weatherwoman Sharlene Gamble is back on TV. She reports that not much has changed in her absence in regards to the heat. Catman is watching the TV and says she deserved what she got. 

Batman returns for Catwoman and opens up the trunk of the Batmobile for her. She asks if he doesn't trust her. Batman says it's not about trust, his secret must be kept from everyone. Catwoman is annoyed and gets into the trunk. She says a blindfold would have worked. 

Catman starts putting on his costume as he has memories of his mother locking him in the closet and saying 'she deserves it'. 

Once they're far enough from Wayne Manor, Batman lets Catwoman out and tells her that she can ride in front now. Catwoman is leaving instead, still rather annoyed from being put in the trunk. She will go feed her cats and clean up, but she will be in the park somewhere. 

Batman wonders if the killer uses the park as a starting point. He'll attack any woman that happens to walk by, and if there aren't any he goes deeper into the city. 

A woman walks by the park carrying a gym bag and Catman goes after her telling her it's dark. He attacks her saying she deserves it, but she uses her legs to throw him off of her. Catman goes after the woman and Batman jumps in to tackle him down. He socks him across the face and Catman swings his blades around. As Batman dodges this, Catman kicks him in the face and makes a run for it. Batman turns towards the woman but she's gone.

As Batman chases Catman deeper into the park, the woman gets her costume out of her gym bag, revealing herself to be Catwoman. Batman tackles Catman into the nearby lake. Both men fight underwater and Catman lands a punch and swims back to shore. 

As Batman gives chase, Catwoman jumps in. Batman recognized her as the woman in the park and asks if she's ok. He didn't see her face but he recognized the way she moved. Both of them continue on with the chase after the killer. They go into the Gotham Park Zoo and figure he'd be hiding by the Big Cat Habitat. As they enter the exhibit, they hear Catman begging his mom to let him out. Just then a panther crawls out as his cage is opened and he's headed towards Batman and Catwoman!

My thoughts- 

Things seem to be wrapping up for the final confrontation with Batman, Catwoman and Catman. It had to suck for Catwoman, being alone and stuck in a seemingly never-ending cave for a week, all while stuck in her outfit without a change of clothes. It seems wherever Batman took her, it was still far away enough for her not to see the Batcomputer or where he parks the Batmobile.

The partnership is rocky between the two. Catwoman isn't fond of Batman rejecting her advances, and she definitely didn't like being kept in the trunk. Obviously the gig is up if she were to see the Batmobile driving out from underneath of Wayne Manor, but maybe a blindfold or mask would have been a better idea. 

We didn't learn much more about Catman. We know he's traumatized by his mother locking him in the closet and beating him as a child. Now he is actually calling the women he attacks 'mama', so he's getting more and more mentally unstable. I wonder why he doesn't just go after his mother, so far the story doesn't explain if she's still alive or left Gotham or something. I'm also surprised he didn't go after Sharlene again now that she's back on TV and instead returned to the park.

We'll see how all of this will wrap ups next issue between Batman, Catwoman, and Catman. We also have Gordon trying his best to keep Gotham from going nuts with the tensions rising from all this heat.