BATMAN #358

"DON'T MESS WITH KILLER CROC!"
Writer Gerry Conway | Artists: Curt Swan & Rodin Rodriguez
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: Killer Croc busts into the Gotham Tobbaconists' Club and demands to be recognized as the new gang leader of Gotham City. Meanwhile, Batman and Commissioner Gordon observe the Squid's autopsy and Batman traces the bullet used in the mobster's assassination to a unique experimental rifle, only two of which still exist, both in Gotham. Batman visits an underworld gunsmith named Specs, who uses one of the rifles in an attempt to kill the Caped Crusader -- but Batman evades him and captures Specs, taking him to the Batcave. There, Batman and Robin interrogate Specs and get the name of the other rifle's owner: Croc.

Later, the men of the Tobbacconists' Club order Croc to steal an experimental Air Force computer from S.T.A.R. Labs in order to test his skill. Meanwhile, Batman scours the city in search of Croc. At S.T.A.R., Croc infiltrates the facility, takes out several scientists and Air Force soldiers, and absconds with the computer. Elsewhere, Batman beats up a street gang and learns that Croc lives in a section of Gotham called Hell's Point.

Croc delivers the computer to the Tobbacconists, who give their blessing for him to operate in Gotham on a "provisional basis." Later, Croc returns home to find Batman lurking in his apartment. Infuriated that Batman would invade his home, Croc blows the place up and makes his escape into a nearby river.

DETECTIVE COMICS #524

"DEATHGRIP"
Writer Gerry Conway | Artists: Don Newton & Dick Giordano
Letters: Todd Klein | Colors: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: Batman is dumped in the Squid's squid tank, but manages to escape by kicking the squid and sending it into a frenzy that distracts the Squid and his assembled mobsters. Upon realizing Batman has escaped, Squid sends his men to find the Caped Crusader. But one man refuses -- Killer Croc, who leaves instead, but not before the Squid sees his face and threatens him. Outside, Croc notices the wounded Batman lurking by a chimney up above, but walks away rather than raise the alarm.

Later that night, the Squid gives a speech to his assembled men, while Croc walks up to a nearyby rooftop and assembles a sniper rifle. As the Squid talks, Croc aims and fires. The bullet pierces the squid tank and wings the Squid, then Batman bursts into the room. The Squid challenges the Dark Knight one-on-one and beats him, then draws a revolver and kills him. Then, suddenly, the Squid realizes his fight with Batman was a hallucination, and that he is actually lying on the floor, dying from Croc's bullet. Croc packs up his rifle and departs. The next morning, Batman and Commissioner Gordon watch as the Squid's corpse is taken away, and Batman presents Gordon with the bullet that killed the criminal, telling the commissioner that when they find the high-powered rifle that fired it, they will find the Squid's killer.

BATMAN #357

"SQUID"
Writer Gerry Conway | Artists: Don Newton & Alfredo Alcala
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: Batman takes down a gang of drug dealers and asks them who is taking over Gotham's mobs. The leader of the delears says that it's the Squid. Later, a mobster named Joey Taylor is cornered by a motorcycle gang looking to take over the mobs as well, but the Squid and his henchmen appear and save Taylor, sending the bikers into retreat. Meanwhile, Batman and Commissioner Gordon discuss the Squid's incursion.

At the Squid's aquarium hideout, he demonstrates to Gotham's assembled mob brass the price for failure to serve him by executing a gangster named Eddie Colson in a squid tank. Late that night, Batman meets with reporter Olivia Ortega to hatch a plan to save Gotham's former top gangster, Tony Falco, from assassination at the Squid's hands. The next day, Ortega interviews Falco, who is subsequently sentenced to eighteen years in prison. But as soon as Falco is placed in a paddy wagon, the Squid breaks him out and takes him via speedboat to his hideout. But there, the Squid reveals he has deduced "Falco" is actually Batman in disguise. Squid's men gang up on Batman and knock him out, and when the Caped Crusader comes around, he is thrown into the squid tank.

Continuity Notes: Commissioner Gordon undergoes a physical exam at City Hall following his first thirty days back on the police force. The doctor orders Gordon to quit smoking and puts him on a diet, reminding him that he's not a young man anymore -- indeed, she lets us know that the commissioner is sixty years old.