| Storyline |
Captain Gordon investigated
a crime scene where his men had discovered an abandoned
factory with scores of dead bodies - all bleached white
with a deathly smile. The Batman soon arrived. He felt
the killer was 'just practicing' - some of the people
had been dead for weeks.
The next evening, a newscaster transformed into one of
the pale, grinning corpses on the air. A clown appeared
behind her and threatened Gotham City. Gordon headed up
the investigation. After checking out the scene and speaking
briefly with Batman, he headed to a press conference,
then went to protect the man "the Joker" (as
the press called him) threatened by name. Though surrounded
by police, the man died anyway - apparently poisoned.
A few blocks away a disturbance was created when some
criminally insane patience escaped from a hospital. Batman
took them down while Gordon and his men checked things
elsewhere. The Joker used his stolen tv van to broadcast
the next morning, where he named his next victim.
Batman analyzed two blood samples - one with quick acting
poison, one with slow acting. Joker attacked that night,
Batman had him, but was distracted and the madman escaped.
Bruce, in disguise as an investigative reporter, went
to Ace Chemical Plant - where Joker's two named victims
were initial contributors. He interviewed two men, one
who had received bleached spots on his face when chemicals
splashed up. Ace Chemical was also the last known sighting
of the Red Hood.
Joker's next list of targets included Bruce Wayne. He
infected himself while under police protection. Alfred
took him to the hospital and administered the cure on
the way. Batman got a call in to Gordon - he told him
to have the city shut off the water supply from the old
reservoir - Joker planned to poison the city.
Batman stopped the Joker before he could release his poison
into the water, but he was unable to simply kill the madman.
He met with Gordon after Joker was placed in Arkham's
care. Gordon showed him a spotlight with a bat inside.
References
to continuity:
Gordon is captain.
Gordon (internal): "That Red Hood character a few
months back was the first sign."
The signal was displayed for the first time.
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