Batman #632
War Games: Act Two Part 8
Writer: Bill Willingham
Pencils: Kinsun
Inker: Aaron Sowd
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.25

This review contains spoilers.

Batman is racing toward The Hill to meet with Orpheus and is franticly trying to get him on the comm with little success. Oracle also contacts him to state that she cannot contact him either. Batman re-emphasizes that he must find Orpheus as he?s the key to ending the gang war with minimal bloodshed. Oracle tries to assure Batman by saying that nothing?s wrong as she had heard form him about 30 minutes ago but since everyone has been moving around, she wouldn?t be surprised if he?s too busy to pick up the phone.

At the same time, Orpheus? apparent killer is trying to take his identity. Black Mask is applying a copious amount of face putty in an effort to look just like the fallen hero. As he?s molding his face, Black Mask is making small talk with the lifeless corpse about how adept he is on taking this new disguise. After the putty is in place, Black Mask puts on the rest of the costume and begins to practice Orpheus? voice and hides the carcass in preparation of Batman?s arrival.

Meanwhile, Henry Aquista is at Filice?s Funeral Home trying to come to grips with his daughter?s untimely demise. Zeiss is present and asks Aquista that since he?s speaking for Galante Family if there is a job that needs to be done. After setting down his dead offspring, Aquista stares at Zeiss with a hateful look and tells him that he wants all of the bosses dead, starting with Orpheus as Aquista has heard that he might be the head gang leader once all is said and done. Zeiss verifies that amount to be given for this hit and Aquista not only agrees but adds a bonus if Orpheus suffers. Zeiss leaves as Aquista mourns some more.

At Orpheus?s HQ, Onyx notices the main window has been shattered and climbs in from the rooftop to check up on her boss. Once inside, she sees the fake Orpheus and asks him what happened. He covers up for the mess and redirects her to another task that could possibly end the gang war and save the city in the process. Onyx tries to protest but the doppelganger tells her that they best way for her to help him is to take out the major threat to him and the rest of the team.

Downstairs, Batman is at Orpheus? HQ street entrance and is still calling for him. Black Mask opens the door expecting to see Batman but is attacked by Zeiss. With the element of surprise on his side, Zeiss continues to put the boots to the fake Orpheus and has him down on the floor gasping for breath. Zeiss goes for the kill but is distracted by Batman coming through an adjacent window. Zeiss says that he?s looking forward to this confrontation and prepares for the upcoming battle.

On the other side of Gotham, Onyx has made her way to the destination point that Orpheus previously told her. As she enters the warehouse, she tells one of the workers that she?s there to secure some sort of machine. He replies that Orpheus had already called ahead and that they?re prepared for her. He directs her to this mountainous machine which takes her aback. As she analyzes the machine, she suddenly realizes that she was not totally filled in by her boss.

Batman and Zeiss are locked in battle with Batman dodging a couple of Zeiss? machete attacks until Zeiss cuts Batman across his chest. As Batman reels, Zeiss leaps towards him in an effort to gain the upper hand. Batman counters by throwing a chair and lunges at the assassin. Zeiss parries with a knife swipe towards Batman?s arm, which lodges in his left tricep. Unfazed, Batman continues his attack but Zeiss has a backup blade which he sticks in Batman?s back. With both blades in his body, Batman summons enough strength to grab Zeiss and pummels the hired gun almost to the point of unconsciousness.

Absent for all of the battle, the counterfeit Orpheus informs Batman that he?s bleeding. Batman tells him that he?ll live then starts interrogating Zeiss about who ordered the hit. But Zeiss informs his inquisitor that there?s not time to talk as he has a very explosive back-up plan. Batman figures out his cryptic message and tells Orpheus to watch the incapacitated thug. As Batman goes to search for the bomb, he radios Alfred to have him pull up some anti-demolition schematics and also ask him to prep a mobile Batman with full medical supplies.

Batman switches his eye lenses from normal visual to thermal and locates the bomb hidden under a raised platform on the stairs. Black Mask follows Batman and asks what he can do to help out. Batman directs the faux Orpheus to watch Zeiss. As Batman starts to disassemble the bomb?s ignition system, the disguised Black Mask wakes Zeiss from his slumber and tells him that if he is able, he will be allowed to escape.

Zeiss is still trying to gain his senses back so he questions Black Mask/Orpheus? motives. He responds, ?Surprisingly merciful of me, eh? Especially when you nearly wrecked my plan to sucker Batman into a trap.? Zeiss is still trying to grasp the situation and asks why is he?s allowed to live. Orpheus informs Zeiss that he has a plan for the deposed hitman which is to bring a message to his boss and all of the other gang bosses. Meanwhile, Batman has disabled the bomb and come back to find the fake Orpheus on the ground. The Dark Knight asks what happened to Zeiss. Black Mask states that he escaped and tries to assure Batman that he didn?t knock the thug hard enough due to his injuries. Batman becomes angry as he wanted to get more information from Zeiss about Spoiler. Batman begins looking through the room and recognizes Spoiler?s handprints though his infra-red lenses. Black Mask tries to cover up his handiwork by saying that she must?ve fought Zeiss before he got there and stashed her body somewhere. Batman snaps back saying that they should not jump to conclusions as there is not enough blood to assume anything.

Just then, the power is turned back on to the city. Just as Batman thinks that things are going his way, Onyx radios to check in with Orpheus. Orpheus conferences the call with Batman who then confronts her about her absence from her boss’ side. Onyx tries to reason with Batman who counters by saying that no one supersedes his orders and tells her that she needs to make her way back to the Hill to attend to Orpheus. Black Mask asks what?s next. Batman states that he wants all of the gangs together in one area. Black Mask suggests Robinson Park since it has a big Greco-Roman Amphitheater. Batman agrees and gives out follow to the letter instructions to Orpheus.

As Batman leaves the Hill HQ, he contacts Oracle and tells her to prepare to override the Gotham Police communication band. Oracle sarcastically asks if he?s sure that he wants her to do it or should he just leave her out of the loop. Batman scolds her then informs her that there is a war to win and she should decide if she still wants to do her part. Oracle confirms that she?s still in the fight.

Since the power has come on unexpectedly, WBGK-TV is preparing for a hurried newscast and can?t find an anchorman. After a few minutes of searching, Arturo Rodriguez finally makes his way to the set desk and the broadcast commences. Rodriguez drops partially the blame for the power outage on Batman and his team. He goes on to say, ?Answerable to no one, least of all the citizens they claim to protect, many authorities now openly question whether we wouldn?t be better off without Batman and his gang. This reporter, for one, now joins that chorus of voices asking when Batman will submit himself to the lawful oversight of our civil authorities.”

Well, gang; it appears that End Game is upon us. Come back here later this week to check out the first part in Detective Comics #799.

Spread the word!

Catwoman #35
War Games: Act Two Part 7
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Pencils: Paul Gullacy
Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.50

This review contains spoilers.

Gotham?s The Hill area is full of abandoned buildings. One of them contains a very battered and semi-conscious Spoiler. As she drifts in and out, her left hand slips out of the handcuff that hangs over her head and slaps her in the face which awakens her from her pain-induced black out. She looks around and realized what has happened to her. Even in her weakened state, Spoiler tries valiantly to remove her other hand from the handcuff chain but to no avail.

She then recognizes that her tormentor, Black Mask, is no longer in the building with her. She tries to look out an adjacent window but can?t see anything due to the blackout. As Spoiler tries to assess her situation, she starts to blame herself for the whole War Games predicament and the death of Orpheus. She continues to struggle to free herself in order to warn Batman about Black Mask but black outs from her injuries.

Over on the East End, Catwoman is mentally chiding Batman for the current state of Gotham and her streets. Suddenly, she spots a trio of looters taking some trinkets from a pawn shop and leaps to stop them. As they make their way out of the shop, Catwoman greets the kids by using her whip to make one of them drop a TV. She informs the boys that the shop is run by a local and informs them that ?we don?t steal from our own around here anymore.? She then tells the boys that they will have to come back to the store after the madness is over and repay the owner for the broken set. They meekly agree. On her way back to the rooftop, she warns the opportunists that they should put the rest of the stolen gear back and go home as the streets are no place for children on this night.

With that minor disturbance behind her, Catwoman goes back to her search for Spoiler. As she leaps from rooftop to rooftop, she begins her mental condemnation of Batman for messing a kid up so badly that she started the whole War Games scenario. In the middle of her mental tirade, she receives a cell phone call which she hopes that it?s her friend, Holly with a lead on Spoiler?s location. To her surprise, the call is from Oracle, who is calling without Batman?s knowledge. Oracle states that she?s heard that the Cheshire?s old gang, the Ravens, are freelancing and they look to take a piece of the East End for themselves. Catwoman angrily asks Oracle why Batman didn?t want her to know this piece of intel. Oracle replies, ?He said that you?ve got more important things to take care of right now.? This reply only makes Catwoman more annoyed with Batman and she says, ?More important than my own neighborhood? I don?t think so.? Oracle asks her if she would like a location for the Ravens. Catwoman comes back with, ?I know that we don?t know each other very well, Oracle, but do you really have to ask??

In the skies above, Batman is observing the chaos below when he receives a call from Oracle who informs him that Catwoman is going to take care of the Ravens. After Batman responds positively to the news, Oracle tells him that she could?ve just told Catwoman that Batman knew of the request. Batman states, ?She fights better when she?s angry at me instead of the people she?s fighting.? Oracle doesn?t try to understand the logic and asks Batman what?s the next thing on his agenda. He asks for confirmation that the majority of the street rioting has been centralized in the areas they discussed previously. Oracle verifies the areas and states that the G.C.P.D. have been able to hold the line so far. Batman then replies, ?Good. That should make this easier.? And he presses a button on his handheld communicator.

The next thing that happens is all of Oracle?s monitors go to a Bat insignia as well as the Gotham Police monitors. Batman speaks into his handheld, ?Attention Gotham City Police. This is the Batman, and I?ve just taken over your airwaves.? The police are in shock over this takeover.

Batman continues, ?Some of you have seen me, some of you have even worked with me before. All of you know I?m good to my word. Now I?m asking you to take me at that word, and follow my orders.? Commissioner Atkins openly wonders if the Batman is breaching their security using a back-door, which is met with a stupefied affirmative.

Batman resumes, ?If we work together, if you listen to me, we can end this war tonight. We can save our city.? Somewhere in Gotham, retired Commissioner Gordon says audibly, ?You damned fool.?

As Batman is delivering his message to the cops, Oracle is becoming enraged with his actions and is yelling, ?Damn you, Bruce. Give me back my system!? as she slams the keys on her keyboard. An officer named Blake, who?s in the middle of a battle in Old Gotham, radios Batman and asks him what he needs them to do. Batman instructs every officer on the streets to do whatever they can ?to herd this scum toward Robinson Park. Use whatever you?ve got left, run them down if you have to, but push and don?t stop.?

The officer who made the call to Batman is beginning to order his men according to Batman?s instructions when another officer asks him that those orders aren?t from the commissioner. Blake answers, ?When they figure a way to stop this mess, then I?ll follow their orders. Right now, I?m just happy someone has some kind of plan.? And the police start charging into the fight with these new instructions.

On the East End, as the words of Batman?s radio message are still being delivered, Catwoman is caught up in the middle of a gun battle with the Ravens but without a gun. She sneaks up to the deadly duo and attacks them with her whip. After taking down one of the women, Catwoman sees a black and white and notices that both officers in the cab of the vehicle are hunkered down. She walks up to them and says, ?Tell you what.. Why don?t you cops follow the fearless leader?s little plan there.. And leave these two to me??

The cops don?t question and head out. Catwoman turns her attention back to the Ravens and says that she knows that they?re here to try to take a piece of the East End and that the territory is not up for grabs. One of the women responds, ?According to who? Some leather-draped dominatrix who thinks she?s the female Batman?? Enraged by this last comment, Catwoman replies as she attacks, ?And I?m always telling people blondes aren?t stupid. But you just pushed the wrong button, girl. And just so you know, it wasn?t dominatrix that I took offense to.?

Back in The Hill, Spoiler has freed her from her bonds but is lying on the ground passed out. She slows wakes up from her pain-induced stupor and tries to gather herself so she can get to Batman. After realizing that her wounds are too severe to get to Batman, she decides it would be better to get to Leslie Thompkins? clinic so she can get word back to him. Spoiler makes it to the window and tries to continue onward.

Catwoman is still battling the Ravens to a standstill. As she dodges one of the slashes of one of the women?s knife, Catwoman runs towards the side of a building. The other Raven begins to fire at the running jewel thief. As Catwoman dodges the hail of bullets and gets to the building wall, she runs up the wall and launches herself in a somersault towards to the two Ravens. The ladies, caught by surprise by the beauty of her acrobatic move, stare at the boots of Catwoman until it?s too late and they are knocked to the ground by the soles of those same boots. As Catwoman start to tell the women that she was thinking about letting them go until they made her work up a sweat, a Raven picks up her gun and fires towards a abandoned gas rig which explodes upon impact.

Catwoman becomes conscious of the tanker and its location near the row houses. She forgets the Ravens and hurries towards the houses. On her way, she radios Oracle and informs her that she needs emergency vehicles and the fire department as soon as possible. The Ravens watch as Catwoman attempts to quell the out-of-control blaze and comment that they can?t shoot her in the back because they like her moves. So they decide to just get out of the area. Catwoman soon realizes that her first transmission to Oracle was not heard and she is frantically calling Oracle for help.

Oracle finally responds to Catwoman and tells her she had a problem but she has routed fire engines to her location. Oracle then contacts Batman and starts asking why she was kept out of the loop concerning his broadcast. Batman tersely responds that he?s busy and that the outage was temporary. Oracle replies that the length was not at issue but that the fact that she has vital information working in her system. And she tries to explain herself further, Batman coldly states, ?You?re wasting my time, Barbara. Batman out.? As Batman disconnects, Oracle is exasperated and moans ?I cannot believe you, Bruce? Nothing ever changes, does it??

Batman gets to his Batmobile and tries to radio Orpheus. After several attempts with no response, Batman assumes that Orpheus still can hear his words but just can?t respond. So, Batman states that the next stage has been set in motion and that he?ll be at The Hill in ten minutes. As the last few words of Batman?s messages are ringing out in Orpheus? hideout, Black Mask, in Orpheus? robe, is recreating a scene from Shakespeare?s Hamlet using Orpheus?s helmet as Yorik. Black Mask reflects by saying, ?Alas, poor Orpheus? I knew him, Horatio? Knew him to be a two-faced spy secretly working for the Batman? But, I have to say ? I love the mask.?

It seems that Batman will be in for a long evening. He?s running towards a major confrontation with the Black Mask without anyone knowing his plan. And with Batman napalming all of his relationships on the way, it doesn?t appear that he?ll have a big support system if Gotham gets out of this nightmare. Next week, there?s only the final part of Act Two with Batman #632. See you then.

Spread the word!

Batgirl #56
War Games: Act Two Part 6
Writer: Dylan Horrocks
Pencils: Mike Huddleston
Inks: Jesse Delperdang
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.50

This review contains spoilers.

As Gotham continues to burn, crumble, and bleed like the war zone it is, Batgirl is out on patrol. She swings through the sky and spots a young woman, alone, walking through the devastated streets. Batgirl scoops the young woman off the ground just in time to break her appointment with a bullet, aimed by an unseen assailant at the woman?s skull. Batgirl deposits the woman on a rooftop and tells her that she shouldn?t be out ? there?s a curfew on - and that she should stay inside until morning.

Batgirl tracks the trajectory of the bullet back to the sniper and bursts through the window next to him. He fires, but she?s too quick for him. She knocks him to the ground and asks him which gang he?s working for. He tells her that he?s freelance ? working for the Moxon?s to black access from the Hill Gang. Batgirl tells him that Moxon is dead, but he says he doesn?t care who?s in charge as long as he gets paid.

Batgirl shows the sniper a picture of Spoiler and asks if he?s seen her. He says that he hasn?t and if she?d been that way he would know. She points to the windowsill, which has several deep gouges, claw marks, on it and asks ?What?s that?? ?Uh, well?? he says before she knocks him unconscious.

Black Mask has returned to the location where he left Orpheus? body. He inspects Orpheus? helmet until he finds what he?s looking for. A small bat shaped object. ?A bat phone?? He says.

At the Thompkins clinic, the bodies of the wounded, dying, and dead continue to stream through the door, the flotsam of the never ebbing river of violence flowing through Gotham?s streets. ?What have we done?? Leslie asks herself. Batgirl, perched on a nearby roof, asks her if she has seen Spoiler. Leslie tells her that she hasn?t and that she doesn?t have time to talk when she needs to save lives. She lashes out at Batgirl telling her that this was all because of the Bat team. Batgirl tells her that Batman didn?t start the war. Leslie agrees that may be true, but she says that what he?s doing isn?t helping, either.

Just as Batgirl swings away, two cars pulls up to the clinic. It?s Lynx, and her Ghost Dragons. Lynx tells Leslie that they are commandeering the clinic for their own field hospital and tells her men to sweep the clinic for enemies. Leslie denies Lynx, saying that they will help those in need, but they cannot harm any of the patients. Batgirl swings back into the scene and takes down Lynx with one well placed kick. Lynx tells Leslie that she is not the only doctor in Gotham. ?Kill her. Kill them both,? she says.

As Black Mask examines the bat communication device he found in Orpheus? helmet, a voice from behind him says ?So, I was right, it was you.? Black Mask turns to find Hush standing behind him. Black Mask tells Hush he?d already given him the chance to join him since he?d make a good ally, but he?ll kill him anyway. Black Mask lunges at Hush with a large knife, but Hush easily swats it away before Black Mask can get too close. Hush tells Black Mask he doesn?t want to fight and he doesn?t care about the power struggle. All he wants is Batman. As a gesture he?s willing to offer Black Mask something incredibly valuable. ?I?ll tell you were to find?The Batcave.?

Back at the clinic, there are perhaps a dozen Ghost Dragons against Batgirl. That makes the fight about even. Batgirl flips, flies and flails through the air leaving another Dragon down with virtually every move. Lynx and her personal guards watch in near disbelief. ?She?s good. Better than her master the Batman,? Lynx says. One of her men tells Lynx that Batgirl has fought Lady Shiva twice ? that she knows what her opponent is doing before they do. ?Can she read the moves of a serpent?? Lynx wonders, and then tells the men to keep Batgirl distracted while she enters the trance of the Ghost Dragon.

When Lynx is ready, she rushes at Batgirl, her face twisted and enraged, she lunges into Batgirl and sends her crashing through the front door glass and into the clinic. The two combatants pursue each other room to room, leaving a path of destruction and terrified patients and medics in their wake. Batgirl finally brings Lynx down, pinning her arms to the floor. One of the Ghost Dragons draws his sword and begins to bring it down on Batgirl. Unfortunately for Lynx, she breaks Batgirls grasp and reverses the pin just as the blade hits home. Batgirl and the Ghost Dragon with the sword both look on in shock when they realize what has occurred.

With Lynx defeated, Batgirl makes short work of the other Dragons, but the damage is done. The clinic is a wreck. Leslie tells Batgirl ?I want you to pass on a message for me. To Batman. Tell him he?s finally?turned my clinic into a morgue.?

It looks like Batman is in for some trouble. Both his friends and his enemies are none too pleased with him. Leslie, who has always had severely conflicted feelings about Bruce Wayne/Batman and his war on crime seems to be near the end of her rope. And with Hush apparently willing to give Black Mask the location of the Batcave, it sounds like this war will soon be striking pretty close to home.

Spread the word!

Robin #130
War Games: Act Two Part 5
Writer: Bill Willingham
Pencils: Jon Procter
Inks: Robert Campanella & Rodney Ramos
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.25

This review contains spoilers.

In a room rendered near black by the Gotham power outage, Spoiler struggles with a walking nightmare. A death?s head in a business suit struggling to pull her knapsack from her grasp. ?So now Batman?s sending little girls after me? ME?! Black Mask?? the now revealed ?secret? villain says. Black Mask tries to get Spoiler to tell him what her plan is, but she refuses. ?Maybe there?s something in your cute little bag that will shed some light on our darkness,? he says.

Black Mask wrests the bag from Spoiler?s grasp and begins to pull her P.D.A., ?Just right for storing important documents,? from it. Stephanie isn?t about to let him discover her secrets that easily. She holds up a detonator and presses the red button. The bag explodes in black masks face leaving him disoriented. Spoiler takes advantage of the moment and hurtles toward Black Mask. A flying kick from spoiler sends Black Mask to the floor where she holds him in place with a boot to his skeletal cranium.

She pulls him up and smashes his head through a window. ?Oh how it must suck to be you,? Spoiler says ? figuring she?s taught Black Mask his lesson. But Black Mask has a lesson for Spoiler as well - the lesson that strength is the ability to accept pain. He grabs one of the shards of glass from the window frame and stabs it deep into Spoiler?s shoulder.

Free from Spoiler?s grasp, Black Mask picks up a curtain rod from the floor and strikes her across the head. He then kicks her in the stomach as she lies slumped on the floor. But Spoiler isn?t finished, yet. She leg sweeps him off his feet, but he recovers quickly and grasps her by the throat. She breaks free, but not for long. ?Let?s try that again, okay,? Black Mask says as he throttles her into unconsciousness. Not knowing if she can hear him or not, he tells her ?If you?re still alive, I plan to keep you that way ? for a few hours longer.? There?s still information that he needs from her. And if the torture scenes from previous War Games issues are any indication, the interrogation process isn?t going to be too pleasant for Spoiler.

Elsewhere in Gotham, the larger war continues to rage on. Robin has captured a large group of gang members. He tells them that they?ve broken a variety of laws and are probably facing years in jail, but he?ll let them go provided that he doesn?t see any of them on the streets again. ?Meanwhile, I?ll be dropping your guns and I.D.?s off at the local precinct.? That gang members tell him they thought he was a girl now. ?She was temporary? he says, but they?re lucky it wasn?t her or they?d have the added humiliation of having been beaten u

Robin gets on the Redbird and rides away. He radios to Oracle to find where he?s needed next. She tells him that there?s nothing right at the moment, but to take the break while he can. He asks her to patch him in to his house. He has something that he has to tell his father ? before he sees it on the news. Robin is back on the job. Once the connection is made, he tells his dad that he needs to talk to him in private. ?Can we meet on the roof in ten minutes??

As Spoiler comes to, she finds herself chained to a wall. ?Time to wake up, little girl,? Black Mask says. ?You slept all the way through the move to my safe house.? As If being chained to a wall weren?t bad enough, the myriad torture implements strewn about show that Black Mask means business. Spoiler tells him that he?s going to be in trouble if he doesn?t let her go, but he?s not fazed. He tells her it?s the trouble headed her way that she should be concerned about.

On the roof of Tim?s home, Jack drake walks outside, ?Tim? Are you out her son?? ?I?m here, dad,? Tim says. But when he sees how Tim is dressed, as Robin, his tone changes. ?Bruce Wayne just had to drag you back into this, he says. But Tim explains to him that isn?t the way it is. Robin is needed ? there are only things that he can do ? and he can?t just sit idly by when he knows he can be of help. He tells his father that it breaks his heart that he had to go back on his word to him, but it has nothing to do with Bruce Wayne. ?I didn?t learn my sense of duty and responsibility from Batman,? he says, ?I got that from you long ago.?

Oracle calls to Tim and says he?s needed. Jack tells Tim that he?s convinced that Robin is necessary, but if Robin?s got to go, he?s going along too. Tim tells him it?s too dangerous and that he?s not trained to handle the situation, but he can be of help. He hands Jack a piece of paper and says ?meet me here in an hour, Dana, too.?

When Jack and Dana arrive at the address Tim had given them, they find themselves at the Thompkins Clinic. Tim greets them and introduces them to Leslie. Jack tells her that he has no medical training, but he?ll help however he can and Dana is a physical therapist, so her skills can be utilized. Leslie tells them the first thing they can do is donate blood. Then, they need more supplies.

Back at Black Mask?s safe house, Spoiler hangs on the very edge of consciousness. Her face is bloodied and she?s looking the worse for wear. Black Mask has been working on her for some time. By the time she tells him to stop, she says she?s willing to tell him whatever he wants to know. He tells her that he was beginning to think she didn?t know anything. ?Let?s start with the big one? he says. ?Who is Batman?s man inside the gangs?? Spoiler defiantly tells him that his plan is already obsolete. Black Mask has already killed the man he?s looking for, Orpheus.

With this issue, War Games really shifts into high gear. All the pieces are now in play and it?s time for the Game to begin in earnest. I have to say I was somewhat surprised by the reveal of Black Mask as the villain, but in hindsight, it makes sense. It was the ?death? of Black Mask in Catwoman a year or so back that created the power vacuum that allowed the Gallante mob to take over. And in previous War Games issues we?ve seen that the mystery villain has a propensity for torture ? which Black Mask had previously demonstrated on Catwoman?s unfortunate sister and brother in law. It will be interesting to see what happens when Catwoman finds out Black Mask is still very much alive.

My initial thought as to the identity of the mystery villain was that it was Blockbuster ? that perhaps his wound at the hands of Tarantula actually hadn?t been fatal and he?d followed Nightwing and Tarantula to Gotham to extract his revenge, but instead stumbled upon an opportunity he couldn?t pass up. Guess I was wrong, but in my defense it did at least turn out to be a villain who was also presumed dead.

I really liked the artwork by Procter, Campanella and Ramos in this issue. Black Mask is more menacing than I?ve ever seen him look before and the extended fight scenes between he and spoiler are dynamic and occasionally downright brutal. This presentation of such a vicious and diabolical Black Mask definitely contributes to the feeling that this is a villain capable of the atrocity we now know him to be responsible for. Comicon Pulse currently has an interesting feature with Robin #130 penciller Jon Proctor HERE

Spread the word!

Batman: Gotham Knights #57
War Games: Act Two Part 4
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Pencils: Al Barrionuevo
Inks: Francis Portella
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.50

This review contains spoilers.

With Gotham under a city-wide blackout, Batman contacts Tarantula to see if she ready for his assignment. Batman confirms that the Penguin is the one behind the loss of power. He tells her that he wants Cobblepot out of the city once and for all. Then he reminds her of one last thing. ?No killing.?

Tarantula then ignites her flare and makes her way to the Iceberg Lounge. As she drops down to the street entrance, she muses to herself, ?No killing? Where?s the fun in that?? She lands on one of the thugs standing guard over the entrance and starts taking out them one at a time. She dodges one bullet and goes after the punk that fired the shot. As she gets to him, the gangster?s gun jams. She tells him that she rather see him run away then go for his second gun. The heavy instead goes for his back-up piece and she responds by putting her boot into his chin and knocking him out cold. Tarantula then walks through the front door.

On the rooftops, Spoiler is making her way to Orpheus to warn him. As she hurdles over an external ventilation vent, a hail of bullets surrounds her left and right sides. Spoiler then bounds from the roof and into the chasm that?s between the two buildings. Her leap is not enough as she starts to freefall towards the street below. Luckily, she grabs a metal fire escape and says, ?This week cannot get any worse.? As soon as she tries to pulls herself up, a rocket-propelled grenade plummets towards her from the rooftop above and blasts her from the safety of the fire escape and hurtles her to the hard street.

Spoiler recovers and cushions her fall by landing on top of a parked car. Still stunned by the blast, she tries to think of her next move while above her, something is following her down to the ground ? the blazing fire escape. She?s thrown to the sidewalk as the burning mound of molten metal smashes the unfortunate parked sedan. Spoiler picks herself off of the grounds and says to herself, ?Okay, let?s go. Keep moving, Steph.?

Oracle tells Batman, who is looking over the Gotham skyline, that she cannot get Tarantula via page. Batman tells her that Tarantula is delivering a message for him. Oracle responds that it seems that everything is going according to plan. Batman starts to answer by saying that nothing these last few days has gone to plan. Then, he recognizes that the lights have been restored to the citizens of Gotham. Batman starts to realize that he knew that there was going to be a blackout and he knew that someone would kill the power to the city. Oracle asks him how he knew. Batman responds, ?I knew?because…because I planned it???

Tarantula discovers that the Iceberg is empty and makes her way to its basement. As she walks down the metal steps, she sees the Penguin?s warehouse of stolen booty and says, ?Crime doesn?t pay, my butt.? From the shadows, a familiar scaled figure appears and tries to take a swipe at the perplexed vigilante but misses as Tarantula jumps to the floor. She tries to engage Killer Croc with some repartee but turns around to see Anarky tell her that she came at a really bad time.

Oracle is confused by Batman?s admission and asks for clarification. Batman says that he?s been chasing himself the whole time and he states that he now knows what he has to do. Batman then asks Oracle if the highway is clear. Oracle verifies that it has been clear since the police enacted the night curfew. After Batman acknowledges her response, Oracle asks him, ?Where are you going?? Batman coldly replies, ?Don?t worry about it.?

In the secret lair deep in the bowels of the Iceberg Lounge, the Penguin is watching the fight between his hired super-villains and Tarantula through on his multiple TV console. A voice in the background asks Cobblepot if he wants the shadowy person to take care of her. Penguin replies negatively and says, ?Let?s see how good she is. Who knows, I might be able to use her.? Tarantula is surrounded by Croc, Anakry and Trickster. But she makes quick work of them by using a combo of her martial arts skills and her blow darts. And when Croc is the last to fall, a voice come from the darkness and says, ?Let me ask you —- Why do the good lookin? broads always show up late?? Tarantula looks up to see the forearm of Deadshot with his imbedded rifle barrel pointed at her temple.

Batman is making his way through Gotham and calls Alfred to ask him to access a file on the main computer. Alfred antagonizes Batman by asking if this type of request should be directed to Oracle. Batman tersely responds by telling Alfred to just do it and gives him the folder name to access. Alfred sarcastically asks, ?Very good, sir. Shall I give you a dramatic reading?? Batman ignores the sarcasm and tells Alfred to send the data to his PDA. Alfred then asks if Batman wants the user records. While accessing the data, Batman says that he only wants to know who last accessed the folder in question and when they were accessed. Batman verifies something and contacts Oracle to get everyone online. Oracle complies with Batman?s request and relays it with a confirmation. Alfred then tells Batman that the last person to access the file was Spoiler. Batman states matter-of-factly, ?I wish I could say that I was surprised.?

?Please let him be alive. That?s all I ask.? Spoiler tells herself as she hitches a ride on a police paddy wagon. Spoiler sees a street lamp and throws herself towards it. She grabs the overhanging light pole and somersaults up to the nearby rooftop. As soon as she lands, she is interrupted by some of the Hill?s gang members. Spoiler tries to diffuse the impending conflict by telling them to agree that they?re all super-tough and go their separate ways. The head punk doesn?t bite and approaches Spoiler aggressively. Spoiler responds by laying out the toughie with a series of punches, kicks and flying elbows. After the leader of the small gang is defeated, Spoiler tells them to get to the East End Clinic and that she never wants to see them again. As Spoiler prepares to continue her quest, she says under her breath, ?He was wrong. He shoulda never fired me.?

Using her quick reflexes, Tarantula snaps her head back in time to narrowly avoid Deadshot?s bullet. She then grabs his firing arm, kicks him in the stomach and knock him down with a kick to the chin while simultaneously ripping his right gun mount. Deadshot returns in kind by dropping her with a leg sweep which causes her to drop the arm band. As she falls, she says, ?Let see how good you are without backup, Ese.?

While she?s struggling to get up, Deadshot runs up to her and kick her in the jaw. Tarantula fights back with a kick to the ribs which drops him to his knees. She gets up and finishes up the fight by viciously putting an elbow to the intersection of Deadshot?s head and spine. She picks up the loose arm band, lords over the unconscious villain and laughs, ?Yeah, that?s what I figured.?

The Bat-team has been briefed about Batman?s ?War Game? scenario and are all caught up in disbelief. Batman does not answer their questions and asks Oracle to locate Orpheus. Oracle says that she can?t track him down which worries Batman and tells her that they need to find him before they do anything.

Robin asks Batman why he would even plan for these circumstances. Batman tells him that it was a precaution that was planned to anticipate any number of variables that might disrupt the city and that he never intended to implement it, Nightwing chimes in by asking, ?Well, if you didn?t do it, who did?? Batman avoids blaming Spoiler by saying that the person who did was not important but keeping Orpheus alive is. Batgirl asks why Orpheus and Batman plainly states that Orpheus is the center of the plan.

Penguin sees that his hired men are defeated and that Tarantula is coming after him. He patiently waits for the inevitable. Tarantula blows out the lair?s door with Deaadshot?s gun and tells Penguin that she has a message for him. Penguin tries to bribe her by offering three times what the Batman is paying her. Tarantula scoffs at the offer. Penguin says, ?Or five. See? And everyone says I?m cheap.? She ignores the counter-offer and tells him that Batman wants him gone. Penguin wonders innocently, ?Me? Why??

Tarantula explains to Cobblepot that he?s the only person who didn?t have a direct stake in the crime family meeting and that even though he didn?t set up the meeting; every armed felon thinks that he did. Penguin asks why everyone would think that fallacy and she responds by saying that she put word on the street to that fact. Tarantula goes on to say that if it was his money that she want, she would just take it. But both she and Batman want him out of the picture. Penguin pleads, ?But?this is my home.? Tarantula smiles and responds, ?Not anymore.?

Batman is now racing towards the North End in his motorcycle to get to Orpheus. As he talks to his team, he starts to beat himself up about not detecting his own plan to begin with. One of the team asks why Orpheus is so important. Batman replies that in his plan, Orpheus would lead a unified crime syndicate that the Bat-team could control. Batman closes by saying, ?I didn?t ask for this war. But at least we know how to end it.?

Meanwhile, Spoiler has made her way to the Orpheus? compound in the North End. Once she races inside, she sees Orpheus out of costume and in a trench coat then thanks God that he?s alive. Orpheus is perplexed by her announcement. Spoiler tries to explain her position by asking if Batman has contacted him. He replies that he has heard from him because he had to remove the helmet as it was too stifling. Spoiler interrupts him by telling him that he?s the key and that everything revolves around him. Orpheus says, ?What are you talking?key to what?? Spoiler says that he?s the key to the plan. Just as she begins to tell him the War Games plan, a gloved white hand reaches around and pulls Orpheus? head back and the other hand brings a shiv-like knife to Orpheus? Adam?s Apple. Spoiler stands in shock as blood spurts towards her and a voice says, ?Plan, little girl? What plan??

Looks like the Batman and his team are a little late to preventing the possible execution of Orpheus. But now that they know the plan, can they stop the white gloved psychopath before he takes out Spoiler? We?ll see as next week there?ll be three issues coming out. Don?t miss out on the big reveal. Stay tuned 4CR denizens.

Spread the word!

Nightwing #97
War Games: Act Two Part 3
Writer: Devin Grayson
Pencils: Mike Lilly
Inks: Andy Owens
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.25

This review contains spoilers.

?They say you can never go home again. But here I am.? Nightwing is still struggling with his role in War Games and his relationship with the Bat-team. As he thinks about his situation, he drops in front of a roaring sports car with its headlights blaring at him. As it gets closer, he realizes that it?s the old school Batmobile and a voice coming from it saying, ?Get in.?

As Nightwing gets in, he asks the reason for the pickup. Batman responds by saying, ?P.C.S.? which is military jargon for Permanent Change of Station. Nightwing recognizes that Batman is in no mood to talk but yet he still tries to ease the awkward silence by asking if Batman had any clues to the identity of the War Games instigator. While Batman responds with a ?Negative?, he does comment that he recognizes some familiar patterns and wonders aloud ?Who do we know who?s smart enough to have put it all together??

Meanwhile, somewhere in Gotham?s North End, a member of the Yakuza is battered and bruised to the point of passing out but an unseen figure implores his subject to stay awake as he has some new torture techniques to demonstrate. Just then, a white gloved hand grasping a steaming hot, old fashioned iron comes out from the darkness and heads right for the tied up gangster. Next thing that is overheard is a scream throughout the abandoned building.

Batman and Nightwing meet Tarantula at the top of a burned out building in the Barrio as her men keep watch below. Tarantula is defending her command of the Barrio men while Nightwing asks her why she can?t keep them inside during the police-enforced curfew. After Tarantula starts to explain, Batman accepts her reasons and abruptly leaves. Nightwing half-heartedly congratulates Tarantula who acts happy and says that she can?t wait to meet his ex.

Up on The Hill, the Yakuza and The Hill Gang are squabbling about who?s man enough to face the Odessa Mob when Orpheus steps in and starts to plan a way for someone to get in on the inside when Onyx volunteers. Orpheus hugs her and says that it?s great to see her then in the next sentence tells her that he has something for her to do. Onyx says without hesitation, ?Well, what are we waiting for?? ?Point me at it.?

Oracle is arguing with Batman about the qualifications of a certain Hispanic quasi-hero. Batman asks her to clarify her reasons for disagreeing with him, which she starts to list the murder of Bludhaven?s last Chief of Police and Tarantula?s involvement with Blockbuster?s death. Batman acknowledges her objection but states that Tarantula is serving a valuable function and that she should be on the info feed. Just as Oracle starts to object again, Batman terminates the conversation, leaving her to saying into a dead connection that she?s just a glorified (unabashed plug) Onstar operator.

In the abandoned building up in the North End, another torture subject is being prepared for more punishment. While the man pleads that he?ll tells everything, the sadist explains that he already knows more than the bound mobster has to offer. As he screams for someone to help him, the gloved hands reveal a box of cayenne pepper and what looks like a pizza cutter.

Elsewhere, Nightwing and Robin drop in at a prostitution brothel fronting as a massage parlor which seems to be teeming with goodfellas. As both men start to knock out the goons, Nightwing asks where Robin come from. Robin replies that he was looking for Nightwing. Nightwing asks if everything is alright. Robin states that he wanted Nightwing?s opinion on something.

The words, my opinion, rake over Nightwing?s psyche like lemon juice on a paper cut. As Nightwing starts to mull over what he could offer Robin in the form of advice, it?s just enough of a distraction for him not to notice a lit Molotov cocktail headed in his general vicinity. As soon as the combustible bottle lands, Robin covers two of the ?massage? workers with his cape while the stunned Nightwing gets a face full of gasoline-fueled flames.

As the fire grows into a four-alarm blaze, Nightwing searches for Robin. All of a sudden, Nightwing sees visions of his recent failures in the hypnotic flickers of the flames; most notably a dead Blockbuster and workers of the Haley circus that were killed when the circus was burned to the ground by Firefly.

These hallucinations paralyze Nightwing almost to the point of incapacitation. But a caped figure is moving through the flames towards Nightwing. A respirator is placed in Nightwing?s mouth who looks up to see Robin?s face. Robin then assists Nightwing out of the burning building. Once outside, Robin asks Nightwing what wrong with him since this was out of character for Nightwing.

Nightwing tries to evade the question by asking about the safety of the women who were just rescued. Robin asks again. Nightwing parries again by asking Robin what he wanted to ask him. Robin becomes frustrated with Nightwing?s obvious avoidance of his initial question and starts to ask Nightwing if he thought that Batman was mad at him for leaving or for breaking his promise to his dad by coming back as Robin. Then, in mid-sentence, Robin tells Nightwing not to worry about it and tells him that he has to take off to get back to Burnley. As he leaves, Robin tells Nightwing to take care of himself. AS Robin leaves, Nightwing mumbles under his breath, ?He?s not mad at you. He?s not??

Over at Holly and Karon?s safe house, Spoiler is sulking around while the two roommates are arguing over turning off the TV as the reports of an escalating gang war are abundant. As Holly gets for a couple of sodas and returns to the living room, she forgets to get a bottler opener. From the couch, Holly asks Spoiler if she could get one from the drawer to the left of the kitchen sink.

As Spoiler opens the drawer, she sees the opener but her gaze fixates on a box of kitchen matches which makes her revisit her idea that everything about War Games is her fault. Spoiler leaves with the box and as Holly goes to check up on her, she realizes that Spoiler has left the building and says, ?Oh, my God. Selina is gonna kill me??

At the same time, the Thompkins Clinic is experiencing some high volume of patients. Dr. Leslie Thompkins is typing away at her workstation while her co-worker brings in thirty-three new admission forms with more on their way. Dr. Thompkins barely acknowledges the person, who is named Patty, as she continues to stare at her screen. Patty asks Dr. Thompkins if she?s looking at the new Blood Type Database. But when she sees the screen, Patty asks Leslie why she?s looking at the Gotham City Adoption Database. Dr. Thompkins locks her computer and dismisses her question by asking about a third trauma room.

In the meantime, the Ventriloquist and Scarface are trying to make their name big during the upheaval by trying to make a big move. As Scarface tries to instruct his crew, a white gloved hand grabs his neck at the same time another gloved hand gets the Ventriloquist?s throat while an unidentified voice states, ?That?s enough!? It appears that enough pressure is applied to both of them to render them unconscious. A bespectacled man with a golf club in hand says, ?Believe me. I mean business.?

The gloved man states, ?Good? I?d expect no less.? The man sees something in the gloved person?s face and decides that it would be better to run away. Scarface and the Ventriloquist wake up from their slumber to see the gloved man with a lighter. Scarface recognizes, in disbelief, the identity of the bloodied gloved man as the lighter is lit directly in the wooden puppet?s face. The gloved man says, ?All the decisions, all of the pressure? It will be so much easier for you know that you?re working for me??

Nightwing continues his assault in Chinatown as he talks to Tarantula who?s just testing out her brand new communicator. Nightwing corrects her by saying that it?s her temporary one. He then states that she should check her flashlight as Batman has told him that he knows what?s going on now and that the team should be prepared for the lights to go outn as Nightwing gets lights out of his mouth, the whole Gotham skyline goes pitch black. Nightwing ends his line to Tarantula who is left to stare in amazement at the blackened city.

During the blackout, a white-gloved hand is striking a match to light a few candles. The man is talking about why people are afraid of the dark. The man relates it to a basic loss of control as while the people are disoriented, other creatures are moving though their territory and manipulating the environment to suit their own needs. The man continues to say that there is no need to fear those creatures who use the darkness to their advantage. ??Not as long as you stick with the one who?s controlling the light!? The light comes around to reveal the face of Oswald Cobblepot, otherwise known as The Penguin.

Who could this violent white-gloved brute be? I?ve heard theories that it could be back-from-the-dead Blockbuster, or it could be Hugo Strange. Or I even heard a theory that it?s Two-Face on a serious bender from flipping his coin. Whoever the clandestine person is, it will certainly be interesting how the Bat-group will try to tie it all together as War Games Act 2 will be past midpoint next week. Batman looks to have a grasp of the plan now but does he know who?s driving it behind the scenes? Check back here to find out.

Spread the word!

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #183
War Games: Act Two Part 2
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Pencils: Brad Walker
Inks: Troy Nixey
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.50

This review contains spoilers.

Batman realizes that his role in the War Games must change in order for him to have an effect at the deepest level. He must be ?someone the people I?m hunting trust.? So, naturally, it?s time for Matches Malone to hit the streets and start shaking things down. Matches puts the word out on the street that he wants in on the action.

Spoiler is still reeling with the realization that she is the one who has put the gangs of Gotham City at war with one another. Catwoman tells her why her plan didn?t work ? Batman and Matches Malone are the same person. Spoiler tries to leave, but Catwoman tells her that she should stay and Spoiler is unable to fight her way free from the more skilled Catwoman. ?You?re not going anywhere till you calm down,? Catwoman says.

Former police Commissioner James Gordon, no longer able to sit idly by when he may be of some assistance goes to visit the current Commissioner, Michael Akins, at his office. ?Got a moment for an old timer?? Gordon Asks. ?For you, absolutely,? Akins replies, almost cracking a smile, but the weight on him is too heavy to be genuinely happy. Gordon tells Akins that he?s come to offer whatever assistance he can ? advice, or just a sympathetic ear. Akins tells Gordon about his last meeting with Batman ? where Batman asked for control of the city (Detective Comics #798) and that he?d thought about arresting him right there. Gordon tells him that he?s felt the same way many times ? that even Batman can?t always be right.

Catwoman takes Spoiler to Holly (Catwoman?s confidante) and Karon?s apartment to ask them to keep an eye on her until she returns. Spoiler begs Catwoman to let her go with her, but Catwoman denies her. ?Sit, stay, do not move.? Spoiler reminds Catwoman that she had promised not to tell Batman and Catwoman assures her that she won?t.

Matches Malone continues cutting a swath through Gotham?s underworld trying to get as much information as he can about who might be behind the gang war. Some aren?t willing to talk, but those that are provide conflicting information of questionable accuracy. Nonetheless, he hears enough mentions of the Escabedo Cartel to make it a lead worth investigating.

Leaving the street-level world of Matches Malone behind, Batman stands perched atop a building and radios in to Oracle telling her that he needs to find Escabedo. ?Not that I believe it, but word is he might be the puppet master,? he tells her. He?s concerned about getting help for the other team members and Oracle says ?If that?s what?s bothering you, I?ve got good news. Turn around and see for yourself.? Batman turns to see Robin swinging down toward him on his line. They acknowledge each other, but not with any real enthusiasm. ?You?re back.? Batman says. ?I am. For now.? Robin replies. Oracle tells all of the team, Batman and Robin, Batgirl, Orpheus and Onyx and Nightwing that the police curfew is approaching and that they need to try and hold things until nightfall. She concludes by telling Batman that as of yet there?s no word on Escabedo. Batman tells her if there?s anything on Escabedo he?s to know first. ?I want him before anyone else gets him. Even the police.? Batman tells Robin that whoever has set this up has an extremely good master plan and that when he finds them they will pay. The two then go their separate ways.

Catwoman has arrived at the Tompkins Clinic. She promised that she wouldn?t tell Batman about Stephanie?s involvement, but she didn?t promise that she wouldn?t tell anyone else. She explains everything to Leslie ? that Spoiler stole one of Batman?s War Game plans and implemented it without knowing what she was doing ? leading to the mess that Gotham is in. Leslie realizes this means this never would have happened if the plans had never existed (reminds me a little of JLA ? Tower of Babel ? you?d think Batman would have learned to safeguard these things!). Catwoman tells her it?s too late for regrets. ?Just tell him, OK?? She says.

Batman visits Jim Gordon at Gordon?s rooftop garden where many a conversation between the two took place during Gotham?s last great crisis ?No Man?s Land.? Batman tells Gordon that he needs help bringing Akins around. Gordon tells him that he?s not sure he can do that. When Batman asks why, Gordon tells him ?because I?m not sure I disagree with him.? Batman gets a betrayed, disappointed look on his face. I?m not sure anyone but Jim Gordon could extract this type of emotion from Batman. Gordon tells him that he needs to push Akins. Batman tells him that Akins is ?not you. Not even close.?

?I wasn?t always like me. Especially in the beginning.? Gordon says. ?He?s a good cop. Let him do his job.? Batman says that he?s not sure that?s enough.

In Gotham?s north end, Diego Escabedo is at home. He?s probably wishing at this point that Batman, who?s been looking for him so desperately, had found him first. He?s taped to a chair. His mouth taped, bodies of guards lay strewn throughout his house. An unseen figure tells that when he kills him, it will as painless as possible. ?As soon as you?ve convinced me that you?ve told me everything I need to know,? the figure, now seen to be wearing a welding helmet and gloves, says, lighting the blowtorch.

What will Batman?s reaction be when he realizes that it is, in fact, his plan that is being used? And what punishment will he mete out upon himself? As hard as Batman can be on his allies, he holds himself to an even higher standard and the realization is not going to set well with him.

I can?t help but wonder if the reappearance of Gordon amidst Batman?s fallout with Akins foreshadowing the return of the former Commish? I?m not entirely sure about that one, but even if Gordon returns only as a sounding board and mentor for Akins and Batman - and perhaps the bridge between the two - his presence is welcome. More than anything, Gordon gives Batman someone to talk to ? someone that he has a different relationship with than anyone in the Batman family, or even Alfred. I can?t remember the last time Batman showed as much emotion as he does with in his conversation with Gordon this issue. It reinforces why he?s been an important character since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27. Who else has been there from the very beginning?

Spread the word!

Detective Comics #798
War Games: Act Two Part 1
Writer: Andersen Gabrych
Pencils: Pete Woods
Inks: Cam Smith
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.95

This review contains spoilers.

TV sets across Gotham are aglow with the image of the Dark Knight carrying the body of Darla Aquista out of Louis E. Grieve Memorial High. From the news reports, it becomes clear that Darla is dead, and while the reports do say Darla was a target for the gangs, not just caught in the crossfire, the question continues to be how Batman was involved in the events inside the school.

Elsewhere, Henry Aquista is holding a sit-down to determine his course of action. One of the lieutenants asks Aquista, ?So what?s it going to be, Henry.? Another suggests killing all of the Odessa in retribution. Aquista?s wife asks that he let the bloodshed end.

?Do whatever it takes. Kill them all.? Aquista says.

As the news report continues, the reporter notes that the citizens of Gotham are gathering outside City Hall demanding that the Mayor bring the city under control. Oracle, scanning the crowd from the television feed from her clock tower, spots a familiar face in the crowd. It?s Tim Drake, former Robin. ?God Tim, I respect your decision, but I gotta tell you ? we could really use Robin right now.? Oracle thinks to herself.

At City Hall, Tim is doing some thinking of his own ? wondering what he?s doing. ?I should be out there helping Batman,? he thinks, but he also thinks about how Batman replaced him so quickly and the promise that he made to his father. The promise that he would give up being Robin for good.

Tim overhears as Arturo Rodriguez, the reporter who had formerly been an advocate for Batman, but apparently changed his attitude after seeing him in the flesh, reports ?Once can only hope his continued actions only help and not hinder a speedy resolution??

Oracle reports in to Batman that she?s seen Tim. ?Where the clock tower, is he,? but before Batman can finish Oracle tells him it was on TV ?that he?s at City Hall. Oracle then asks Batman for his location ?Approximately 175 feet above the corner of South Third and Harris,? he says. ?Good, your almost there,? she replies. ?I know? Batman says coldly. ?Save the attitude for your meeting,? Oracle says.

She tells him that they?re still shorthanded on The Hill. Orpheus has to protect his gang not only from rivals but the police, too. Oracle asks if Batman is sure he doesn?t want Spoiler. He tells her that he may not have treated her fairly, but putting her in a situation she can?t handle wouldn?t be fair, either.

Another hotspot pops up on Oracle?s monitor ? this time in Brookline. Oracle tells Batman here hands are tied. There?s no one to send. Batman tells her not to underestimate the GCPD.

But down on the streets, things are looking pretty tough for Gotham?s finest. Things are looking bad at Leslie Thompkins? clinic; too, Casualties are piling up in ambulances outside. Inside, Onyx tells Dr. Thompkins that she needs to get back out on the streets. A police detective walks in, wanting to question patients involved in a gangland shooting. But by the time they arrive at the bed where Onyx had been, she is already gone.

Batman arrives at his destination, the rooftop of police headquarters. He asks Commissioner Akins for the unthinkable. He wants control of the GCPD for 8 hours ? guaranteeing that he will put an end to it. ?Who the hell do you think you are?? Akins asks. Batman explains that he has more experience in Gotham and it?s wrong to not take every step possible to end the violence. Akins tells him that taking the law into your own hands is wrong as well. ?I?ll take that as a ?no? then,? Batman says. ?You?re making a grave error.?

Alexandra Kosov stands in her office, looking out the window. She?s speaking to an unseen figure. ?Why am I listening to you,? she says. The unseen speaker says that everyone?s out to get her, all the gangs, the police, Batman, and they will get her. As the ?camera? pans back two bodies, bleeding from their heads, can be seen on either side of the desk. Alexandra asks what the catch is. The answer? ?For starters you get to walk out of here alive.?

Batman arrives on the scene just a few minutes later. The bodies are gone but the blood is still warm. Alexandra?s perfume is still in the air. ?Just missed her. And she wasn?t alone? Batman thinks. Batman is alerted by the tiniest of sounds just before three mobsters, machine guns firing, burst into the room.

?Nobody?s here,? one of the gunmen says. ?Wrong? Batman says as he drops from the ceiling. He takes down two of the men right away and throws the third out the window ? tethered around the leg by a batarang. Batman gets the man to reveal that he?s working for Aquista. He radios to Oracle ?Akins is a no go, Aquista?s been temporarily defanged, and Ms. Kosov is now M.I.A.? Oracle tells him that the good news is Onyx is hopefully on her way back to Orpheus, but they?re still understaffed.

Tim Drake descends into the Gotham subway telling himself ?I?m doing the right thing? over and over. Tim?s destination is a familiar one. Wayne Manor. He rings the doorbell, but there?s no answer. A car pulls into the drive. Alfred Pennyworth is at the wheel. ?Master Tim. Shall we?? He says.

When we next see Tim, he?s standing atop a rooftop in Gotham looking out over the city. There?s a gym bag by his side. Tim pulls on a black boot. A green glove. A black and yellow cape. ?Sorry Dad?but Gotham needs me,? Robin says.

After a relatively slow build through Act One, War Games seems to be shifting into a higher gear with act two. I have to say that I?m quite surprised to see Tim back in his Robin togs so soon, but it?s certainly a welcome surprise.

Though we now know that Spoiler was inadvertently the ?mastermind? behind War Games (see Catwoman #34), the question remains who is the mystery figure trying to unite selected members of the Gotham underworld? And even with Onyx and Robin back on the streets, does Batman have the manpower to bring the city under control without the direct cooperation of the GCPD? Probably not by brute strength. It looks like Batman will have to formulate a more strategic approach for bringing everything back under control.

Spread the word!