Pre-Crisis Primer: Batman and his Many Plots

Batman 369

Detective Comics 536

“Facing the Dark, Blindly...”

All Alfred needs is his own cape and cowl.

Batman is where sub-plots come home to roost. I've spoken before about this type of story-telling, with multiple narratives in the fire all waiting for their turn. Teen Titans excelled at this type of storytelling, recently wrapping up two years worth of stories with 'The Judas Contract.' Not to say the Batman titles have been as good as the Titans title, but I'm always going to give a story leeway just because it has Batman.

Continuing the main narratives of Jason Todd taking on the Robin role, Bruce begins involving him more and more into his nightly patrols as Jason gets used to the idea of being a superhero sidekick. I've been critical of even the fact that Bruce has taken on another sidekick, but I do like how the writer attempts to give reasons for Bruce essentially putting another child in harm's way. With Jason, he's an already troubled kid who effectively sees Robin as an outlet for his admitted criminal habits. Instead of breaking the law, he acts above the law, with the assumption that his actions, and those of the Batman, are pointed towards the common good. The writer makes the argument with these stories that Jason is unique, like Dick Grayson's situation was unique, and that, regardless of the danger involved, the transition and mantle of Robin being bestowed to these boys is ultimately an act which saves them from being a danger to themselves and society. Whether it turns out this way or not, at least it's easy to understand Bruce's intentions in his actions and the fact that he thinks he's doing the right thing here. 

As a British patriot, Alfred loves punching Frenchmen.

 With the main thrust of the narrative puttering along, it's time for some previously-mentioned sub-plots to come back to the fore.

Harvey Bullock's theory regarding a new criminal mastermind proves to be true once the menacingly-named Dr. Fang makes an appearance. I hope that use of the word 'menacing' comes across as sarcastic as I mean it to be. Dr Fang is a bald man in a cape with a vampire fetish as he uses removable fangs to kill a man. Sounds like something a 12-year-old would come up with, not a man who's on the brink of amassing a criminal army. I can't see anyone following this guy. Although, apply the rule of comics, and a goofy gimmick becomes a a dangerous tool. Remember, Crazy Quilt has a legitimate threat. Bullock goes undercover, pretending to be a corrupt cop looking to make some extra cash by selling police secrets as a way into Fang's gang. This sub-plot continues....

Spoiler: he's not even a real doctor.

Our second sub-plot, the mystery of who's after Alfred's newly re-surface daughter comes to a close. Deadshot, one of my favorite rogues from Batman's illustrious gallery is the attempted murderer. While the reasons for him being hired to kill Julia Pennyworth or needlessly complicated and drastically unimportant, everything does lead to a tense cat-and-mouse climax between hero and villain as Batman hunts Deadshot in a forest clearing. It's a legitimately tense scene in what's mostly a by-the-books comic. In the end, Julia, with nothing of her previous life left, agrees to live in Wayne Manor and attempt to bond with her father. I'm sure this won't lead to Bruce hitting on Julia and Vicki Vale getting pissed about this mix-up in a cliché, hilarious love-triangle.

The high-point of the issue. Deadshot is so cool!

So far the Batman stories have been outside the scope of some of the other DC titles that have made up the Pre-Crisis Primer. Batman has not had dealings with the Monitor, nor have the stories been of the cosmic nature that will eventually lead directly to the Crisis. The importance of these Batman stories to both the Pre- and Post-Crisis is the evolution of Jason Todd. This character will have a big part to play as the DC Universe evolves and it's important to set up as much of his history as possible.