Batman #403

Issue Details

Synopsis

ONE BATMAN TOO MANY The deranged Tommy Carma is now in Arkham Asylum and still believes he is Batman. He hallucinates that two orderlies are the Joker and Two-Face, then kills them and escapes through a window. Eventually he stumbles onto the estate of Wayne Manor, where he slips into the cave system while running from the police. Tommy Carma finds the Batcave, which he believes is his own headquarters. He steals a fresh Batsuit and the Batmobile, then leaves to go on patrol.   Bruce Wayne goes on a date with Vicki Vale, who is now criticizing Batman. He asks why her feelings towards Batman have changed, and she says that she's grown up. Vicki tells Bruce that Batman isn't a "real man" like him. She asks to interview Bruce about Tommy Carma, because Bruce was responsible for ensuring Tommy had a top-notch legal team and psychiatric evaluation. Bruce is surprised to learn that Vicki is sympathetic to Tommy. Vicki says it makes sense that someone would lash out that way after losing their family, and Bruce replies that this could be true of Batman also. Vicki invites Bruce into her apartment but he declines.  Alfred Pennyworth tells Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd that Tommy escaped from Arkham. They enter the Batcave and realize Tommy has stolen the Batmobile when they find the rags he left behind. Bruce tells Jason to stay behind in case Tommy comes back, while he goes out on the Batcycle to find Tommy.  Batman tells Jim Gordon what happened. Gordon blames the situation on Bruce Wayne for having Tommy sent to Arkham, where proximity to villains like Joker and Two-Face probably made him snap. Batman asks Tommy's old GCPD partner Peter Lewis for information on where he should look. Lewis tells him that the gangster who ordered the death of Tommy's family was Lou Spindle.  Tommy Carma arrives at Lou Spindle's nightclub dressed as Batman. He confronts Spindle and uses him as a human shield against the other gangsters. They shoot at Tommy, killing Spindle in the process. Batman arrives too late to save Spindle, but he helps Tommy take down the other gangsters non-lethally. Tommy is confused when he sees Batman, and tries to fight him again. This time Batman easily takes Tommy down, and walks out of the building with him saying "let's get you some help."   Batman thinks to himself that Vicki was wrong when she said the Batman and Bruce Wayne were two very different people. "The avenger within the Batman co-exists with the compassionate man. Batman is indeed two men... and both are Bruce Wayne."