- Created By mayjayann
Holiday Knights (part 3)
December 31 In Commissioner Gordon's office, Batman and Robin (aka tim Drake)have just reviewed a taped broadcast by the Joker, who reveals some good news and bad news: the good news is that for the next year, he will not kill anyone; the bad news is that he intends to make up for the loss in activity that very night. Gordon tells Batman the only murder that day was a GothCorp scientist who specialized in sonics. This Dr. Erikson had been working on a sonic based weapon powerful enough to kill anyone in 'earshot'. Using some rudimentary deductive skills, Batman concludes that the New Year's Day countdown at Gotham Square is assuredly the place where the Joker will set off the bomb. Indeed, the Joker is setting up, and Batman is close at hand, but – always with a trick up his sleeve – the Joker has prepared a mass of plastic joker masks in order to help him blend in with the crowd. Batman is not amused. Using his 'Batnoculars', he easily spies the real Joker (with a huge clown wearing mufflers on either side of him) playing the piano on stage. So just before swooping in, he makes his presence known with a well-timed 'Baterang' to the head, removing the Joker's mufflers. Then, instead of going after the Joker directly, the two take out the muscle on either side of him. This seemingly simple task, however, proves to be too much for the caped crusaders and they find themselves in the clutches of the Clown Prince of Crime. As the bell is rising to ring in the New Year, the Joker is having himself one final gloat by standing next to Batman with a bottle of champagne. The ever-alert Dark Knight snatches the bottle and sprays it all over the controls, shorting the wires and eventually exploding the bell's pulley, resulting in a falling, massively heavy bell. As luck would have it, the giant object lands right on the Joker (who comically follows it up with a small "ouch"). A few hours after midnight (January 1st), Police Commissioner Gordon enters a small tavern and has a seat, while the barkeep ushers out the remnants of the punters. He speculates that 'he' might not show due to the hectic day 'he's' had, but the Commissioner is sure he will show so not to break tradition. Naturally, it's Batman who they're talking about and who makes an entrance from the kitchen. He sits; they chat for about ten seconds; he slips away like a shadow, leaving money for the bill behind. Gordon, surprised, swears that one day he'll beat him to the check, then heads home with a swinging Bat close behind him.
Terror in the Sky
It's a dark winter night in Gotham and a couple dockworkers are suddenly assaulted by a giant bat creature that is very interested in the fruit that they are loading. After gorging itself on some choice pieces, it takes off into the skies and returns home.
Dr. Kirk Langstrom awakens in a panic disturbed by his nightmares. His wife, Francine asks him what is wrong but he says it's nothing. However, when he heads for the window he finds the remains of some of the fruit the Man-Bat had eaten along with some rather large claw marks on the carpet.
The dockworkers explain the attack to some rather skeptical police but Batman is listening and knows exactly what they are talking about. He gets onto his batcycle and heads out to confront Dr. Langstrom.
That morning, Francine finds the torn up rug in the garbage and realizes what's going on. She goes to ask her father about Kirk but he claims Kirk won't work with him anymore. Francine confronts Kirk who is working on a formula that he claims is a cure. She tells him that she can't go through it again but Kirk tells her that he's not deliberately turning into the Man-Bat. Batman arrives and confronts Kirk as well but Kirk continues to deny that he's taken the formula and blames Batman for failing to properly cure him. Unable to take the stress Francine runs from the room while Batman takes a DNA sample from Kirk to confirm that he's telling the truth. All of this is being watched by Dr. March.
Outside, Batman is attacked by the Man-Bat that is wearing the tattered remains of Francine's clothing. This Man-Bat has a distinctive advantage over Batman and he is forced to flee on the batcycle but even going through the subways isn't enough to evade the creature. Batman eventually manages to snag the Man-Bat with his grapple but it's too strong and the Batcycle is destroyed by a train. Fortunately, he has managed to get a hair sample which is all he needs to runs his tests. Meanwhile, Francine has left Kirk who is desperately making calls to the airport. Batman arrives and tells him that his tests have proven that Kirk was in fact cured and that this is a new Man-Bat. Kirk tries to figure out who it is but Batman tells him not to worry about it and instead focus on getting Francine back.
Batman goes to Dr. March's lab and checks his files. Dr. March catches him and threatens to use a tranquilizer on him. Batman confronts Dr. March who admits that he's the one who made the new bat serum and he still believes that only a bat creature can survive the evolutionary cataclysm. He goes on to explain that he worked through the night to refine the formula to make it even stronger but Francine walked in on him and in his surprise he dropped the formula on the floor. Suddenly, March becomes horrified when he remembers that Francine, blissfully ignorant of his experiments, tried to help him clean up the mess but a shard of glass got caught in her skin and she was injected with the serum. Batman angrily asks Dr. March what it will take for him to end the madness and leaves. Realizing that things have gone too far, Dr. March destroys his files. At the airport, Francine complains to the stewardess that she's not feeling well. Unbeknownst to her, Kirk is on the plane and asks her to come home claiming that it can be proved that he's not the Man-Bat, Francine agrees but she's struck by another attack and runs into the bathroom where she transforms. Unhappy with the confinement, she breaks through the plane door causing the cabin to depressurize. Kirk is sucked out of the cabin and the Woman-Bat dives after him. Batman witnesses this but cannot interfere as a stewardess is also sucked from the plane and he has to save her using the batwing. Once the stewardess is safely aboard the plane, Batman goes after Woman-Bat.
Woman-Bat who is carrying her unconscious husband is unhappy to see batman following her and flies him to the top of the Gotham Bridge Tower where Batman confronts her and shoots her with the antidote but it doesn't work. Woman-Bat attacks him and in the fight Batman is nearly forced from the tower but he manages to climb back on and shoots Woman-Bat with another dosage of the serum. This second injection also seems to be ineffective but at last it takes effect and Francine returns to her normal self. Disoriented she almost falls from the tower but Kirk manages to save her vowing not to let her go.
Read My Lips
After a boxing match, the take is transported through the halls and instantly robbed by a trio of muggers. The muggers make a clean getaway by climbing an air vent then jumping into a getaway truck. They then go to their boss, Scarface, who claims they'll own the town. The gang goes on a crime spree leaving the police baffled.
Later, Batman goes to talk to Commissioner Gordon about the spree. Gordon is concerned because the boss is too smart and all his plans easily evaded the police. He has only a video of the gang escaping. Batman takes it and leaves.
The video shows the men escaping leaving a crime scene with masks and gloves so they cannot be identified. However, one tears his shirt revealing a tattoo. Using this tattoo, Batman identifies him as Charles “Rhino” Daly.
Batman goes to interrogate Rhino but the police arrive before he gives any information. This is no problem, however, as Batman follows him to his hideout. Unaware of the fact that he's being followed, Rhino goes to his hideout and insists to see the boss. One of the thugs goes to get the boss, Scarface, after hearing that Batman is on the case. Upon seeing that Scarface is but a puppet, Batman is shocked, but keeps watching. Learning that Batman is on the case, Scarface decides that there is a squealer in the team. With this information he goes back to bed. The thugs talk amongst themselves letting the newest member know that the Ventriloquist is just hired help and Scarface is the real brain of the outfit. That night, Batman searches the hideout and finds that Scarface is indeed just a puppet. During his search, he runs into the Ventriloquist and interrogates him. The Ventriloquist claims he knows nothing. Batman believes the Ventriloquist is playing dumb but Scarface wakes up and calls him in. Seeing how frightened the Ventriloquist is, Batman decides that he might not be acting and leaves after hiding a bug.
Back at the Batcave, Batman plays back the voices of both the Ventriloquist and Scarface noting that even the computer is fooled into thinking that they're two different people. He deduces that the Ventriloquist suffers from multiple personality disorder and that he and Scarface are essentially two different people in one body. With this figured out, he decides to listen until Scarface reveals his plans.
In his hideout, Scarface explains that there's a shipment of platinum being held on a luxury liner and his men are to take it. However, he feels that there will be a double cross from one of his men. He doesn't know who it is but he vows to kill him when he finds out.
The thugs head out and make their way into the ship finding that Scarface was right. They help themselves to the precious metal bars but Batman arrives and attacks them. The fight is brief, however, as Rhino shoves a whole stack of metal bars onto Batman knocking him out. Batman wakes up tied over a pit of dummies with exceedingly sharp fingernails. Scarface explains that the heist was a trap and he knew of Batman leaving the bug. Batman tells Scarface that he has inside help but he refuses to tell who it is. Scarface orders Batman killed, but Batman gives in and says that the Ventriloquist is the traitor. The Ventriloquist denies it but Batman starts using his own ventriloquism skills to make it sound like the Ventriloquist is insulting Scarface. Angered, Scarface orders the Ventriloquist to be killed but his thugs are worried that if they kill the Ventriloquist, they kill Scarface. Scarface decides he'll kill the Ventriloquist himself but Batman throws a batarang that cuts off his hand. The thugs then attack Batman, who has escaped but none of them are a match for him. Finally, one of the thugs grabs Scarface's gun and shoots at Batman but hits Scarface instead. This thug is knocked out by a batarang while the Ventriloquist cries over Scarface's punctured body.
The Ventriloquist it taken to Arkham where he is given medication that the doctors believe has cured him of Scarface's personality. However, in secret, the Ventriloquist has been crafting a new body for Scarface.
see no evil
In a somewhat run-down suburb of Gotham City, a window of a house opens, seemingly of its own accord, and then a disembodied voice wakes the young girl sleeping in her bedroom, Kimmy. She wakes up and greets her friend, "Mojo." To her delight, invisible hands place a gold locket around her neck, and Mojo promises to bring a pearl necklace when he next visits. Kimmy mentions that she and her mother are planning to move away soon, and there is shock in Mojo's voice. Then Kimmy's mother, Helen, comes in, asking who Kimmy was talking to. Kimmy says, Mojo, and Helen chuckles, thinking her daughter has an imaginary friend.
The next day, a man, Lloyd Ventrix, enters the men's room at a jewelry expo, and covers himself in a sheath of grey material, then touches a button on his watch, and becomes invisible. He then walks outside and proceeds to lift jewels off their displays in plain sight, as people stare, baffled. Bruce Wayne happens to be attending the expo, and after a quick costume change, takes off after the invisible man. He corners the ghost at a construction site, and reveals him by throwing a can of paint. However, the man just touches his watch again, and the paint burns away, making him invisible again. He taunts Batman, who is unable to follow his voice because of the echoes caused by the narrow walls of the site, then gives him a sound beating, before slipping away. Back at his hideout, Ventrix becomes visible again, then empties out his loot. Looking at a photo of Kimmy, he says bitterly that Helen is trying to take her "where [her] dear old Dad can't find [her]." He vows that he won't let her.
Helen drops Kimmy off at school, and then goes to her job as a cashier at a grocery store. On her lunch break, she is confronted by Ventrix, her ex-husband, dressed in a smart suit and offering to pay for her lunch. He swears that he's not only turned over a new leaf, but is doing very well, and can provide Helen and Kimmy with everything they need. Helen refuses to have anything to do with him, and ignores his pleas to at least be allowed to see Kimmy.
Bruce remembers the name of a scientist, Dr. Karos, who approached Wayne Tech with a project, a "Cloak of Invisibility." Lucius Fox remembers that they were interested, but Karos suddenly withdrew his proposal. Karos passed away a year ago, but his assistant, Sam Giddell, is still alive.
Suspecting that Giddell might be the invisible man, Batman enters Karos's old lab and confronts him. Giddell swears that he was working in the lab at the time of the robbery. Seeing a roll of the special plastic Karos invented, Batman asks how it works. Giddell explains that when an electrical current is run through the plastic, it bends light instead of absorbing it – but the electricity also makes the plastic toxic, which is why Karos withdrew his proposal. Giddell has been trying to correct the problem, but without success, and so he is preparing to destroy all of the plastic. But he has noticed that some of it seems to be missing; when asked who else might know about the plastic, Giddell remembers the "errand boy" who worked in the office, an ex-convict: Ventrix.
That night, Batman tracks down Helen outside her house, to tell her about the plastic. Unknown to either of them, inside "Mojo" is giving Kimmy the pearl necklace he promised her, and then leads her by the hand out of her window, to show her a "surprise."
Realizing the truth behind Kimmy's "imaginary friend," Helen rushes back inside and sees her daughter gone. Since she has only been gone a few minutes, Batman takes off after them. In an abandoned drive-in theater, "Mojo" reveals his face, telling Kimmy who he really is. Kimmy recoils, since her mother has always told her her father is a "bad man." Ventrix tries to drag her into the car, when Batman catches up with them. Ventrix lets her go, and Kimmy runs back home.
Ventrix gets into his car, which he has also sheathed in the plastic, and turns it invisible, before driving straight at Batman. Batman manages to jump onto the roof of the car, which crashes after a wild chase. After driving off a set of elevated train tracks, the two men end up on a roof beneath a water tower. Batman takes a beating from Ventrix, who is still invisible, and refuses to listen as Batman tries to warn him about the suit's toxicity. Finally, Batman throws a trio of Bat Stars into the water tower, causing a shower of water that reveals Ventrix, and Batman quickly subdues him.
On a later night, Kimmy is talking to someone outside her window, saying that she and Helen will be moving away to where Ventrix can't find them. Helen rushes in, alarmed, and asks who she is talking to. Kimmy says, Batman. Helen, who has been hearing Kimmy talk to Batman a lot lately, doesn't believe her – not knowing that this time at least, Batman is indeed on the roof of their house.
Mudslide
Clayface has returned to Gotham and is up to his old tricks again, albeit with a small problem: his clay body is finally giving up and falling apart. Fortunately though, an old friend and co-star of his, Dr. Stella Bates, knows a way to keep him together, although to acquire the necessary funding, Clayface is forced to commit robberies, one of which at Tarnower Financial brings him into a conflict with Batman, who offers him help the legal way. Clayface angrily refuses, knowing that Batman will most likely send him to Arkham Asylum, and tries to run away, but his body starts giving in and Batman catches up. Clayface collapses onto a bin when Stella arrives and rescues him in time. Stella takes Clayface to her laboratory and uses a machine to put him in a plastic coating to keep him together, a procedure which knocks him out cold for a while, until he wakes up and lashes out at Stella for watching an old movie of his, claiming "that's not me anymore!" Clayface immediately apologises, and Stella shows him a way to increase his powers allowing him to take the form of Matt Hagen permanently: an isotope called Mp40, the only source of which is found at Wayne Biomedical Labs. Willing to risk his life, Clayface vows to remove the plastic coating and steal the Mp40 from Wayne, unaware that this will arouse Batman's rage.
Batman, meanwhile, takes a sample of Clayface's body back to the Batcave, and learns of Clayface's condition. Also remembering Stella from the Tarnower Heist, Batman tells Alfred to look through Hagen's career records for any sign of a relationship with a female doctor. Alfred searches the records, but finds nothing, and informs Bruce, who is at Wayne Biomedical. However, Bruce's own problems rise when an intruder breaks into the laboratory.
Bruce investigates as Batman, and finds Clayface, disguised as a woman, fleeing the building with a canister of Mp40. Enraged, Batman persues Clayface onto a train, where Clayface's body starts to give up again, and he "melts" back into his own form, scaring the passengers out. Batman and Clayfce then fight alone, until Batman sprays Clayface with a freezing gas to get the canister back, but Clayface jumps out of the train window and lands in a truck's cargo hold, breaking into pieces. Batman watches the truck leave, but Clayface thaws out and eyes the canister in his hand, laughing maniacally.
Batman returns to the Batcave, where he and Alfred finally learn the identity of the female doctor from Hagen's movie Dark Interlude (the movie Stella was watching), and Batman finds her location in the bank's records, tracking her to her laboratory by the ocean. At the lab, Stella starts pumping the Mp40 into Clayface, who is once again inside the plastic coating. Clayface demonstrates the Mp40's success by attempting to transform back into Matt Hagen, which he almost does until Batman arrives and coldly turns the machine off. Batman taunts Stella and Clayface for their carelessness, and an angry Stella lunges at Batman, only to smash headfirst into a pile of test tubes when Batman dodges. Clayface, losing control, breaks out of his coating and proceeds to absorb Batman, hoping to drown his enemy. But Batman uses his grappling gun to blast his way out of Clayface's body.
Batman and Clayface fight again, and take the battle outside. The rain weakens Clayface, giving Batman the upper hand, but Clayface, determined to kill Batman no matter what (ignoring Stella's warnings), pushes him off the cliff, but Batman pulls him off as well. Batman holds on with a Batarang as Clayface holds onto Batman's leg, but the rain weakens Clayface even more, and when Batman tries to hold him, his arm breaks, sending him plunging into the ocean below, where he dissolves. 
