Issue Batman: The Best of the Brave and the Bold 1 of 6 Subtitle The Senator's Been Shot Date October 1988 Writer(s) Bob Haney Artist(s) Neal Adams storyline Originally published as The Brave and the Bold #85 Newly elected Senator Paul Cathcart was shot during his acceptance speech. Batman tracked the van with the shooter, but was thrown off. The governor asked Bruce Wayne to take over the senator's term - they'd worked together on a new crime bill. Wayne agreed to think about it. Oliver Queen mulled over his proposal for a new city to be built over a landfill. Donning his Green Arrow costume for the first time in ages, Queen stopped a bombing attempt on himself. A man named Miklos Minotaur was going up against both Queen's proposal and the Wayne / Cathcart anti-crime bill. Edmond Cathcart told Wayne he must succeed his father, and Bruce came clean with him - he was Batman. Knowing Edmond was a psychiatrists, his secret was safe. Oliver Queen similarly told Edmond his secret identity. When Edmond was kidnapped by Minotaur's goons that night, Green Arrow and Batman took the case. Bruce Wayne decided to take the Senator appointment. Batman and Green Arrow saved Edmond from his kidnappers, but Minotaur got away. Queen, in his civilian identity, captured Minotaur. Wayne's vote broke the deadlock and passed the anti-crime bill. With Cathcart recovering, Wayne resigned his temporary seat. Edmond Cathcart erased his memories of the two heroes' identities through self-hypnosis.

Issue Batman: The Best of the Brave and the Bold 2 of 6 Subtitle But Bork can Hurt You Date November 1988 Writer(s) Bob Haney Artist(s) Neal Adams storyline Originally published as The Brave and the Bold #81 While police scientist Barry Allen visited GCPD, a man named Carl Bork developed invulnerability. Batman went to investigate. He attempted to apprehend the man, but realized he truly was unstoppable. Bork had taken control of the waterfront rackets. Flash set out to follow Bork's recent footsteps in order to find out how he'd gained his power. He soon learned that a statue of him had been carved on Desolation Island. Flash saved the statue from an erupting volcano. Batman was able to get Bork into jail, but he bashed his way free. As time ran out on Bork's ultimatum (he was attempting to hold the city hostage), Flash found out that noting on earth could destroy the statue. He threw it into the sun, and Bork lost his power. Batman defeated him and the riots stopped.

Issue Batman: The Best of the Brave and the Bold 3 of 6 Subtitle The Sleepwalker from the Sea Date December 1988 Writer(s) Bob Haney Artist(s) Neal Adams storyline Originally published as The Brave and the Bold #82 In the waterfront district, Batman witnessed a man in SCUBA gear shoot and kill another man. He latched onto a car which appeared to be working with the shooter. Batman was attacked from behind, knocked unconscious, and tossed into the water. When he awakened in Gordon's care, he said he'd been attacked by Aquaman. He raced off to a date Bruce Wayne had with a model named Alisa (after forgetting he also had a date with a girl named Honor). Bruce soon learned he and his date were on opposite sides of the law. After giving her a check for a business venture, she tossed him off the ledge of a building. He followed her and realized she was somehow connected to the shooting earlier. After more watching, he realized she was a willing participant to a millionaire's plot. He attempted a citizen's arrest on them, but he was taken down again by Aquaman, who was in plain clothes and apparently under mind control. Orm Marius (the millionaire) watched Wayne and Aquaman fight and fall into the sea. Believing they were both dead, he congratulated himself and left. Aquaman came clean to Batman - Orm was his amnesiac half-brother and greatest enemy - the Ocean Master. He'd joined his brother after accidentally killing a marine biologist who he thought was a poacher. Batman had Aquaman drugged and hypnotized into believing the man he thought he'd killed had not died, and that his wife was not missing. After awakening, he suited up and went with Batman to take down Orm. Alisa was shot attempting to escape with Orm, but Batman got her to safety as Aquaman followed his brother into the depths.

Issue Batman: The Best of the Brave and the Bold 4 of 6 Subtitle And Hellgrammite is his Name Date Winter 1988 Writer(s) Bob Haney Artist(s) Neal Adams, Dick Giordano storyline Originally published as The Brave and the Bold #80 Sensationalist reporter Jack Ryder almost cost Batman his life. After the perpetrator he was after was captured, Batman spoke with Ryder. The reporter told him to watch his show that night. On it, he did a story on Hellgrammite - "the most dangerous criminal alive." Later, Batman encountered the Creeper (secretly Jack Ryder), who was also after Hellgrammite. They found the creature on it's way back to it's nest to revitalize itself. Hellgrammite escaped. Commissioner Gordon asked Batman to watch (and possibly save) a mob boss. Batman, en route to aiding Dalko, once again encountered Hellgrammite and the Creeper (also a wanted man). With help from police interference, Hellgrammite again escaped. Creeper was captured. Batman freed him as Hellgrammite abducted his third gang lord. Batman and Creeper found and freed the bosses, who were in cocoons - Hellgrammite was planning to turn them into creatures like himself. With the use of electricity and fire retardant, they took down Hellgrammite. Creeper escaped.

Issue Batman: The Best of the Brave and the Bold 5 of 6 Subtitle Red Water, Crimson Death Date Holiday 1988 Writer(s) Denny O'Neil Artist(s) Neal Adams storyline Originally published as The Brave and the Bold #93 Batman stumbled taking down a gunman. Gordon ordered him to take a vacation - he'd had no rest in a week since the prison break. Batman agreed and took a cruise. While at sea, a storm struck. A young boy was thrown overboard, and Bruce went in after him. He rescued the kid and they were both brought back on board. Having nothing better to do, Bruce stayed with Sean until he reached his destination. The kid's family insisted he stay with them. That night, Bruce saw Sean sleepwalking outside. He realized he was dressed as Batman even though he'd intentionally thrown the outfit into the sea. He went after Sean. Villagers attacked him, but he finally convinced them he was a friend. They assumed he was one of the evils from the nearby castle. Batman followed the kid into the castle and soon stumbled upon the secret - men were inside attempting to scare the locals off so they could get the area's fishing market all to themselves. Batman took the men out and went after their boss, who had Sean. He stopped the kid from being poisoned, but accidentally ingested some of it through an open wound. After a few twists of fate, he was cured and the boss was dead. Batman took Sean back home to safety.

Issue Batman: The Best of the Brave and the Bold 6 of 6 Subtitle Punish not my Evil Son Date January 1989 Writer(s) Bob Haney Artist(s) Neal Adams storyline Originally published as The Brave and the Bold #83 When one of Bruce Wayne's companies began to lose millions of gallons of oil, Batman and Robin investigated. Batman was following a suspicious looking character when he whisked up in a current of oil and loaded into a tanker. Robin fished him out of the river once he escaped. When they returned home, Alfred introduced them to Lance Bruner, Bruce's new ward. His father was good friends with Thomas Wayne, and he'd promised to take in Lance should anything happen to his parents. Bruce honored the deal. Dick, trying to be his friend, ended up taking the blame for some of the boy's screw-ups. When Bruce went to a board meeting, Robin went to the Teen Titans. The Titans, in their civilian identities, attempted hanging out with Lance, but he was not into it. Instead, he faked his own kidnapping and scored $50,000 from Bruce. When he was returned safely, Bruce found out he was an escapee from reform school. Bruce agreed to give the boy one more chance. While he was out checking on Zenith Oil stuff (with the Teen Titans), Lance found the cave. He sold Batman and Robin out to one of Zenith's board members (who was embezzling the oil). The Titans came in to help. When Robin was struck down, Lance swapped clothes with him and attempted to save Batman. He was shot dead in the process. The oil case closed, Bruce held a funeral service for Lance.