Batman #361

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SPECIES! Jason Todd has been kidnapped by Man-Bat, who expects to transform the kid into a bat like him, in revenge against Batman for "taking away his daughter". After the abduction, Batman starts looking in the caverns nearby the Batcave, knowing that Man-Bat is already long gone.   In fact, Man-Bat has taken Jason to a small town near Gotham, where the townsfolk become aware of Man-Bat's presence in the church's belltower. When the Gotham City Police Department arrive to investigate the "monster", Mat-Bat flies away with Jason and one of the officers fire his weapon, creating a big explosion in the nearby gas station. The fire attracts Batman, who picks up Man-Bat's trail.   Moments later, Batman visits Francine Langstrom and asks her assistance to help her husband. After explaining the situation, Bruce contacts Vicki Vale and asks a favor, which would help him against Man-Bat.   Meanwhile, the monster has taken Jason to the basement of the Gotham Natural History Museum, where he starts preparing a new strain of Man-Bat Serum to turn Jason into one like him. Batman eventually finds Man-Bat at the museum and after a brief confrontation in the upper floors, he descends to the basement laboratory, where Batman uses cardboard cutouts of Francine and Rebecca Langstrom with a recorded tape of her voices. The shock of the images and sound combined, make Man-Bat unstable and Batman takes the chance to attack. A struggle starts once again and knowing that Batman might need assistance, Jason breaks free from his bonds and attacks Man-Bat from behind, giving Batman the chance to inject the antidote on Langstrom and returning him to human once more.   After these events, things seem to be going normal for almost everyone, except Commissioner Gordon, who learns that Mayor Hill has assigned him a new assistant and it is none other than Harvey Bullock.