DETECTIVE COMICS #498 & #499

"NIGHT OF THE SAVAGE | ALLIES IN THE SHADOWS"
Writer Gerry Conway | Artists: Don Newton & Dan Adkins
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Paul Levitz

The Plot: (Issue 498) The brute called Blockbuster emerges from Gotham Bay and makes his way ashore. Meanwhile, Batman and the police search the bay for Blockbuster, but find no sign of his body. Blockbuster makes his way to Bleak Rock, a mining town in West Virginia, where he saves a local worker, Willie Macon, from the henchman of a corrupt union boss named Dooley. Macon invites Blockbuster into his home to live with his family.

Months later, Batman suspects Blockbuster is still alive, staging a series of "smash and grab" robberies. The Darknight Detective heads out to stop one such robbery in progress, but finds he is mistaken -- the perpetrator is an ex circus strongman named Ajax. But after defeating Ajax, Batman catches sight of a news report from Bleak Rock, where he sees Blockbuster alive. Batman heads for Bleak Rock and learns Blockbuster has been working with the miners. He enters the mine, but is observed by Dooley. Believing Batman is here to investigate him, Dooley has his men knock Batman out and throw him down into the mine, where he is found by Blockbuster.

(Issue 499) Blockbuster prepares to kill Batman, but is interrupted when Dooley has the mine caved in. While the locals try to dig their friends free, Batman comes to and finds Macon injured and trapped under a beam. Blockbuster helps him lift the beam, but Batman realizes Macon must be taken up to safety immediately. Meanwhile, Dooley and his henchmen discuss the situation at Dooley's office, where Macon's daughter is spying on them. The men find and grab her. Back in the mine, Batman blows a path upward with plastic explosive, then begins climbing, with Blockbuster right behind. They emerge on the surface and get Macon and the remaining miners free.

But Dooley has arrived to observe the whole thing, and Macon's daughter is with him. When she cries out for help, Batman and Blockbuster team up to rescue her and take down Dooley and his men. Batman departs Bleak Rock, leaving Blockbuster behind to live in peace.

Continuity Notes: The entire opening sequence takes place over a span of two weeks, with a footnote telling us it all happened in the immediate aftermath of BATMAN #309, which was published about two years prior to this issue. Subsequent to those opening scenes, as indicated above, we jump ahead several months for the rest of the story.

Alfred and Bruce discuss the fact that Batman has been out of action for a few weeks as he recovered from the gunshot wound he sustained in Baja California last issue.

My Thoughts: I like stories like this. You know, where a misunderstood bad guy finally breaks free of his demons and finds some peace. Of course you know it won't last; in serialized fiction like this, some subsequent writer will find a way to turn Blockbuster back into a rampaging moster with a one-track desire to kill Batman for whatever reason -- but at least in this moment, it's nice to see him "retire" into an inconspicuous simple life.

But with that on the record, I really don't have much more to say about this one! The story is fine, going with the tried-and-true premise of Batman up against a corrupt authority figure with no super-gimmicks. I've said before that I like Batman best when he fights gangsters and such, with the super-criminals used sparingly, so in that way this one is right up my alley. Add to this that the story iteself is a good one, plus the novelty of seeing Batman doing his thing outside of Gotham, and we have a another winner from Gerry Conway.

Note: Conway didn't work on the milestone DETECTIVE COMICS #500, so I won't be looking at it next week.* Instead, we'll move ahead to another 2-parter in DETECTIVE #501 and 502. And then after that, I should be finished with doubled-up posts going forward.

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*Though I do want to look at it someday! The main story, "To Kill a Legend", was one of my favorites in THE GREATEST BATMAN STORIES EVER TOLD when I was a child. It was one of only a handful of Batman stories written by Alan Brennert... and at the recommendation of frequent commentor Blam, I picked up TALES OF THE BATMAN: ALAN BRENNERT several years ago. Someday, I'll sit down and read everything in it!