Holiday Knights (part 2)

December 22 In Mayfields Department Store, Barbara is just purchasing a new tie for her father when all of a sudden an ear-piercing wail cuts through the air. The shop attendant comments on how they've been crying all day, at which point we see why: Harvey Bullock is playing Santa. With his partner, Montoya, he's on a stakeout. Bullock, showing rare sensitivity, comforts a young girl who's father he put in prison, and winds up giving her cash to soothe her Christmastime woes.
Barbara, walking through the store, happens to spot a child shoplifting, but when she tries to apprehend him, his clothes and hand seem to dissolve into nothing. Then, Montoya gets a call through her earpiece that detectives are in pursuit of four child bandits in the store. Just when the children seem to be trapped, they meld! Moments later the truth is revealed: Clayface! He begins tearing up the place and no one can stop him, that is, until Barbara gets changed into her Batgirl outfit and delivers a blow to the head the sends him crashing out the window and into the skating rink below. Montoya and Bullock arrive on the scene and with a little guidance from Barbara, succeed in halting the giant shapeshifter by way of electrocution.

Holiday Knights (part 1)

December 17.Harley Quinn bemoans her fate to her friend, Poison Ivy, as they stay holed up in the skuzzy Gotham Hotel. With a raised eyebrow of devious foreboding, Ivy assures the rambunctious 'Harl' that she has a plan that will make it "the happiest holiday ever." Later on, at the Vreeland estate, we catch up with Bruce having a pleasant conversation with heartthrob Veronica about forthcoming vacation plans. Much to "Brucy's" chagrin, his quiet moment is interrupted by a gaggle of suitors all intent on snagging a moment with Gotham's most eligible bachelor under the mistletoe. Backing away in order to make an escape, he finds himself in the arms of a shadowy female figure who – seizing him by his necktie – plants a big one right on his kisser. Finding himself completely discombobulated as to what exactly just transpired, he makes his way outside with the intent to head home. On his way to his car, however, he's intercepted by Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, with a look on his face like he cannot resist their every command no matter how hard he tries. While in the car, Harley kindly reveals exactly what happened: Poison Ivy used a special lipstick laced with a chemical in order to infect Bruce, via the aforementioned kiss. They also boldly pronounce that they intend to have a night on the town at Mr. Wayne's expense. The girls shop endlessly buying clothes and jewels, all the while Bruce begrudgingly (yet uncontrollably) puts it all on his credit cards. Finally, Bruce begins building up a will as the chemical's potency begins to wane. Vocalizing his discontent, the girls decide it's time for another dose; backing away from Harley's approach, however, Bruce falls down a conveniently placed 'out of order' open elevator shaft. Believing the slip to be his last, Harley and Ivy leave Bruce for dead, yet as they turn their backs and walk away, a portentous hand reaches out of the abyss and grips the edge of the floor. As the duo burn rubber away from Bergduffs Department Store, the silhouette of the Bat-Man can be seen swooping after them. When Harley spots him through the back window, Ivy wastes no time in making an escape: she grabs the wheel of the car and ram raids the Wacko Toys shop. Probing through the pitch black with his flashlight, Batman soon needn't wonder where they've gone to as a huge toy soldier comes crashing down nearly upon him. Looking up, he can see them taunting him atop a citadel of toys. Not one to decline a challenge, Batman eagerly ascends the tower only to find a boxing glove by Poison Ivy and a wooden sledge hammer from Harley Quinn. Plummeting to the bottom, the girls cannot resist a gloat as they make – what they believe will be – their exit. But the quick minded Batman has other plans: he uses his grappling hook to snag the base of a massive Christmas tree, which he then yanks hard, causing it to topple over directly on the would-be escapees.

lady-x

A mysterious woman covers the headlines: the mysterious criminal Lady-X, who has systematically earned the ire of Harley Quinn (using a pie as a gimmick while taking the mayor's wife hostage), Catwoman (stealing the Cat's Paw Opal) and Poison Ivy (setting fire to the Cloyster Woods as a distraction). All concerned agree that she has to be stopped. Catwoman tracks her to the Tower Top Gym, Poison Ivy uses a set of seeds to grow a vine and bring them to the top floor, and Batgirl follows all three of them.

All five meet in a steam bath, where Lady-X briefly gives them a slip. They engage in a confused chase through the upper levels of the gym, until they finally corner their target in a weight room. A brief battle ensues, but working together, the four Gotham Girls manage defeat her, and the story of her capture appears on the front page of the Gotham Times.

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.