DETECTIVE COMICS #521

"CAT TALE"
Writer Gerry Conway | Artists: Irv Novick & Sal Trapani
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: Vicki Vale leaves the Gotham Picture News office and is attacked and mauled by Catwoman -- but then Selina Kyle awakens, realizing this is the latest iteration of a recurring dream. Selina calls Wayne Manor and asks to speak with Bruce Wayne, but Alfred tells her Bruce is asleep. Believing Alfred is lying and Bruce is actually with Vicki, Selina angrily hangs up. But in truth, Bruce is out as the Batman, rescuing a young woman from a gang called the Lords, who kidnapped the girl and requested Batman's presence as revenge for the Darknight Detective encroaching on their territory a while back.

Meanwhile, Catwoman sneaks into Vicki's apartment while she sleeps. When Vicki awakens, Catwoman tells her to stay away from Bruce, then leaves. The next morning, Vicki and Bruce meet for breakfast, and Vicki tells Bruce about Catwoman's visit. She believes it to be a cry for help, but Bruce tells her that he loves Vicki, and Selina can take care of herself. But Catwoman watches from a nearby rooftop and vows to fight Vicki over Bruce's love.

Continuity Notes: So here's a weird one: the opening pages depicting Catwoman's dream feature an omniscient narrator telling us that Vicki's mom used to warn her about Gotham City, and mentioning that Vicki was recently promoted to editor-in-chief of the Picture News. But since it's Catwoman's dream, is this true?! It feels like a sloppy way to script the scene.

BATMAN #354

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

The Plot: At Gotham City Hall, Mayor Hill confronts Commissioner Pauling over the latter's having revoked Batman's status as a special deputy. Batman bursts in on the two, intimidating them with the possibility that Deadshot could testify against them. But after the Masked Manhunter leaves, Pauling trips an alarm to alert the Gotham Police, standing guard outside City Hall. Officer McClosky opens fire and hits Batman, sending him falling into an alleyway. But when the police, Pauling, and Hill move into the alley, they find Batman gone.

Meanwhile, Rupert Thorne meets with Doctor Thirteen at Hugo Strange's one-time clinic, Greytowers. Thirteen reveals that the Strange apparition Thorne has been seeing is a hologram, and asks Thorne if anyone would want to drive him mad and have him committed again. Thorne immediately thinks of Pauling and Hill, believing they want to get him out of the way now that he's helped them into office.

At the Batcave, Alfred is feeding Deadshot when the injured Batman gets home. Later, Thorne is at his townhouse when Batman appears. Batman says nothing, but a frazzled Thorne begins babbling about Pauling, Hill, Arthur Reeves, and Deadshot. Then embers from Thorne's fire ignite brandy he spilled when Batman arrived, and the townhouse goes up in flames. Thorne runs away, eluding Batman. Later, at City Hall, Thorne bursts in on Pauling, Hill, and McClosky, brandishing a gun. Thorne shoots Pauling as McClosky shoots Thorne at hte same time. Pauling is killed and Thorne injured. Batman appears and knocks out McClosky, and Hill proclaims his innocence, promising to reinstate Batman as a special deputy.

Outside, "Batman" unmasks as Robin, speaking with Alfred and the real Batman, recuperating from his injuries, over a communicator. Batman thanks his partner for a job well done.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS #26 & #27

"RUNAWAYS" | "RUNAWAYS PART 2"
Co-Creators: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal
Letterers: Ben Oda (#26) & Todd Klein (#27) | Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: (issue 26) The Titans return to Earth, and Robin admits to Starfire that he loves her. Weeks pass as the group members resume their lives. Meanwhile, around the country, several teenagers run away from home under varying circumstances. Then, one night while out for a date, Dick Grayson and "Cory Anders" (Starfire) witness a young junkie accost District Attorney Adrian Chase for money before retreating and getting run down by a truck.

Elsewhere, Changeling is on monitor duty when he picks up an incident at the Statue of Liberty and moves to investigate. There he fights a girl named Terra, babbling about an assignment from "them" to destroy the statue. Before Changeling can capture her, Terra escapes.

Later, Raven -- back in college -- befriends a young street walker and takes her to Cyborg for help. The duo then brings the girl to a runaway shelter where they bump into D.A. Chase. He recruits the Titans to investigate the local end of an international drug ring which plans to use runaways to transport their narcotics through the city. The Titans agree to help and return to Cyborg's apartment, where they find a young man bleeding on the carpet.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS #25 & ANNUAL #1

"WAR!" | "FINAL CONFLICT!"
Co-Creators: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Carl Gafford | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: On Okaara, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Raven, and the Omega Men defend the imprisoned goddess X'hal from the Citadel forces. Meanwhile, aboard a Citadel ship overhead, Cyborg saves Changeling from the slavers holding a gun on him. Cyborg, Robin, and Changeling hijack the ship, using one slaver as a guide, and head for the Citadel's homeworld to find Starfire.

Meanwhile, during the fight on Okaara, Raven is nearly overcome by the darkness in her soul, but manages to pull herself together. Subsequently, X'hal orders the battle to an end and departs to turn herself over to the Citadel.

Robin, Cyborg, and Changeling reach the Citadel planet and infiltrate the slavers' temple. But one of the Omega Men, Demonia, has stowed away on their ship and reveals herself to the Citadel's leader, Damyn, pledging to serve him and informing him of the Titans' presence.

Robin and the others locate Starfire, along with Damyn, Blackfire, and X'hal, now imprisoned. Believing Starfire dead, Robin flies into a rage and attacks. Cyborg takes Damyn hostage in an attempt to end the fight, but Blackfire kills her leader to claim his title as her own. She then orders Robin, Changeling, and Cyborg taken into custody alongside Starfire.