Celebrating Artist Des Taylor

Celebrating artist Des Taylor's birthday (April 18, 1971) with a couple of bombshells....the DC Bombshells variants to Catwoman #43 and New Suicide Squad #11 (October, 2015) featuring Catwoman, Cheetah and Poison Ivy.

Remembering Artist Darwyn Cooke

Remembering artist Darwyn Cooke on his birthday (November 16, 1962 - May 14, 2016).  

An incredibly talented artist and writer, with a love of comics...remembered here by the first four issues of Catwoman, which he did the covers for.

Catwoman #1 and #2, (January and February, 2002)

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Catwoman #3 and #4, (March and April, 2002)

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Remembering Artist Russ Heath

Remembering the tremendously talented artist Russ Heath on his birthday (September 29, 1926 - August 23, 2018) with something not a war comic or a western, but instead a throwback to Batman's earliest days, as he and Catwoman fought a Cat-Man killing innocent women in Gotham in the four part Heat series featured in Legends Of The Dark Knight.

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #46 and #47 (June and July, 1993)

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Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #48 and #49 (Early and Late August, 1993)

Happy Halloween 2023

A happy Halloween to all!

May your holiday be filled with more treats than tricks, as Catwoman found on this Joshua Middleton cover for Catwoman #35 (December, 2014).

Remembering Artist Tim Sale

Remembering Eisner award winning artist Tim Sale on his birthday (May 1, 1956 - June 16, 2022) with a little Catwoman crime caper...Catwoman: When In Rome.  

This series was a murder mystery set during the time of Batman: Dark Victory, with Selina Kyle bring Eddie Nygma (Riddler) to Rome to chase down her possible family history involving Carmine Falcone of the Gotham mob.

To capture the foreign feel of the series, Tim echoed art from French/Italian  fashion illustrator, Rene Gruau.

Catwoman: When In Rome #1 and #2 (November and December, 2004)

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Catwoman: When In Rome #3 and #4 (January and March, 2005)

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Catwoman: When In Rome #5 and #6 (April and August, 2005)

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Thankfully, this series has also been captured in a trade paperback, as well as in an Omnibus that includes Batrman: Dark Victory.

A Pair Of Two-Face Catwoman Issues

On this doubly special date, time to take a double look at two issues of Catwoman, featuring Selina Kyle, a Batman foe who became much friendly to Batman, and Harvey Dent, a former friend of Batman who became a deadly foe!

Let's just pull up to the sidewalk and take a look see, shall we?

Two-Face Part One: Two Cats In One

Two-Face escapes Arkham Asylum in Catwoman #46 (June, 1997) written by Doug Moench, penciled by Jim Balent and inked by Ray McCarthy, and has a new plan.  To steal a first edition of Stevenson's "The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde".  

The only problem....the book has already been stolen by a cat burglar.  Not Catwoman, but Alley Cat, some competition for Selina, both of whom were dealing with known fence Zee, as Alley Cat wanted to unload the book.  Zee set up a buy at a warehouse, where, Two-Face double crossed the seller (thinking the thief was Catwoman, but now knowing it was a second feline lady...), setting the warehouse on fire, trapping Catwoman alone with the book surrounded by flames!

Two-Face Part Two: Two Ways To Skin A Cat

Picking up where the last issue left off, Catwoman #47 (July, 1997) by Moench/Balent, but inked by Scott Hanna, Selina escaped the flames with the priceless tome, preventing it and herself from being engulfed by flames. as the rest of the cast had already fled the warehouse.

Selina met with Two-Face's duo, to set up another meet to sell the book.  After having a confrontation with Alley Cat at Zee's house, Selina went to await Harvey coming for the book.  Two-Face planned another double cross, but Catwoman was ready for it and captured Harvey for the Gotham City Police.  Selina even stopped Alley Cat from trying to take the book as well, turning it over to Moreland McShane (a Gotham cop charged to hunting Catwoman, whom she worked for as Selina).  Selina was left, pondering her own duality.

Wanted Prankster Nightshade Catwoman Black Canary Mars

Here it is, the end of the run for E. Nelson Bridwell's Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains, with villains for Superman, Sandman (these two under a Nick Cardy cover), Batman, Johnny Thunder and Wonder Woman in Prankster, Nightshade, Catwoman, Black Canary and Mars.

The series that ended in the 1970s because no one wanted Wanted (a line attributed to publisher Carmine Infantino at the time)  The last issue of #9, and the tenth issue....

...wait, what?

Well, read on!

Crime's Comedy King

First up for the last issue of Wanted, is a Superman reprint from Action Comics #57 (February, 1943) by Jerry Siegel and John Sikela (with original cover by Sikela), featuring the return of the Prankster...

...who had debuted all of 6 issues ago!



The Prankster returns by punking crime boss King Ruggles on his birthday, tormenting him with bad puns and even worse gimmick gags, but getting the King to give him $100,000 for the promise of over a million in a month.  The Prankster goes to withdraw $50,000 and promptly goes to the police station, and gives himself and the money up!  This gets a call in to Clark Kent and Lois Lane, with Clark changing to Superman to confront King Ruggles, then returning to police HQ to see Prankster leaving....where he stops the villain.

But, Prankster had been released, as he was donating the money to the preservation of ostriches, gaining favor with their supporters, who bailed him out (and turned on Clark Kent....and Superman!).  King Ruggles pulled the bailed Prankster in again, planning to rough him up, but gave him another $25,000.  Clark's editor assigned him to cover Prankster's new endeavor, Appreciation, Inc., that would show people gratitude that had made large donations to charity.  Prankster then got to meet and go to the homes of these wealthy individuals.  Oddly, these people then all saw major thefts.

Prankster reported back to King Ruggles with his million (his scheme fulfilled, as he got to be around the rich, he found ways to rob them).  Of course, Prankster only showed Ruggles the money, as he planned on taking it from him as well.  Superman shows up to stop all of them, but, a quick maneuver takes out Superman (!!!).  The King then plans to dispose of Superman and the Prankster, but Superman wakes up, saves himself, and captures Ruggles (but, the Prankster gets away....).

Prankster would return, with many more gimmicks to make fun of the Man of Steel!

The Adventure Of The Magic Forest

The last story reprinted in Wanted is from World's Finest Comics #6 (Summer, 1942) by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, featuring Sandman and Sandy (though the issue has a Fred Ray Superman/Batman/Robin cover), featuring the debut of a new villain, Nightshade!


A married couple called the Tuckers and an unlucky explorer have problems in a forest, all observed by a lonely mobster.  This mobster goes back to the home of the Nightshade, who, now that someone knows his value, readies his plan to make criminals wealthy.  Meanwhile, back at young Toby Tucker's birthday party, the lad misses his parents who were suppose to be coming home, and tells his friend, Sandy Hawkins (ward to Wes Dodds, the Sandman).  Sandman and Sandy go off in search of the Tuckers, finding Nightshade's deadly forest, and are attacked by the plants there.  They also find some natural illusions, that lead people (like the Tuckers) to drive off the road.  Thankfully, the Tuckers survived, and the heroes have the police take them home.

Sandman and Sandy go further into the jungle, facing more menaces, as well as mobsters, who were bringing Nightshade money (as he offered his home as a sanctuary to criminals, as the police wouldn't follow them in).  Sandman and Sandy fight the thugs in Nightshade's home, barely escaping with their lives....then the house blows up!  Nightshade planned to kill the thugs for their cash, and now plans to kill the heroes....until his forest seems to turn on him and kill him!  The heroes return to the Tucker party in their alter egos as the forest burns down.

Oddly, Nightshade survived, and returning during World War II during the Crisis, in a few issues of All-Star Squadron (though he got a name change when he joined the Monster Society of Evil to face Dr. Fate and Hourman and more!  Even worked with a fellow Wanted alumni in Mr. Who!).



Thus ended the original run of Wanted, the World's Most Dangerous Villains....but previous issues had promised stories with Catwoman and Wonder Woman....so, as DC collected the original issues, they included a few "newer" reprints as well, including a mock-up cover as well (sadly, Nick Cardy is no longer with us, as he drew Black Canary, Wonder Woman and Catwoman all too rarely....).

The Sleeping Beauties Of Gotham City

First up is a Catwoman story from Batman #84 (June, 1954) by David V. Reed, Sheldon Moldoff and Stan Kaye (under an original cover by Win Mortimer)...

...as Selina Kyle returns to face the dynamic duo of Gotham City.



In Gotham, it just rains cats....as Catwoman lets Batman and Robin know she has a new crime scheme.  Batman reviews Catwoman's career with the police (thinking that she has abandoned her good life as Selina Kyle).  But, Bruce and Dick find Selina entered into a five woman beauty pageant sponsored by the W. Ross Cosmetic Company.  Finding Selina's address their, Batman and Robin go to confront her, to find Selina ready for them (planning to sue for false arrest, as the duo have no proof she is Catwoman).

Catwoman tries a violin heist that night, and thwarts Batman and Robin's attempt to capture her working through the giant instruments.  Then, the duo discover Selina Kyle is now a "modern sleeping beauty",  having gotten a virus, that leaves her comatose (with the cosmetic company putting her in a glass case to use the suffering woman as a marketing ploy).  Catwoman goes to rob two more contestants (who then also fall to the sleeping sickness), all the while with Selina Kyle on full view (and faces Batman one more time), then only Selina remains for the beauty pageant....as she awakens. 

As Batman smells the perfume she is to get as a prize, he realizes her plan....that she had European agents place valuables in the exotic perfume (which got past customs) so she could get her prize (and her ill-gotten booty).  She created a film duplicate of herself to fool the guards watching her sleeping body (having only dosed herself with a bit of the sleeping sickness)

Catwoman would return to face Batman again and again (and she even faced the next villain a few times as well....)

The Black Canary

Next up, a Johnny Thunder tale from Flash Comics #86 (August, 1947) by Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella (under an original Flash cover by Lee Elias and Joe Kubert) that introduced the villainess (yes, that's right) Black Canary!

Say, you wouldn't think Johnny Thunder would be dumb enough to climb a ladder and rob a thug's apartment for a pretty lady, wouldn't you?  (You'd be wrong).  Johnny does, getting a special mask for the pretty lady (who steals the ladder as Johnny throws her the mask).  Johnny calls his Thunderbolt, but is pulled inside by the thugs whose mask he took.  Black Canary needed the mask to get into a special party thrown by Socks Slade (where special masks are the identification for admission).  There, she takes a jewel Socks stole, as Johnny and the T-Bolt wipe up the gangsters.  Black Canary escapes in the confusion (having also stolen Johnny's heart.....).


Black Canary would return, team up with Johnny, eventually replacing his thunderbolt, then Johnny himself in these comic pages, as well as taking his membership in the JSA!

The Girl Who Saved Paradise Island

Last, but certainly not least, a story featuring Mars, the god of war, from Wonder Woman #36 (July-August, 1949) by Robert Kanigher and H. G. Peter (with original cover by Irwin Hasen and Bernard Sachs), adding to Wonder Woman's mythology.



Wonder Woman starts this tale with her mother and tales from ancient Sparta, where soldiers would leave baby girls to be eaten by wolves...yet Diana's mother, Hippolyte, and her amazons were there to rescue the girls, including Astra (who, even as a baby could defend herself).  The Queen took the babies to Infanta, the child planet, where the girls could grow up (a little, retaining eternal youth, yet also having powers as well, with Astra becoming Infanta's child Queen). 

Mars, tired of the amazons, took the young boys of Sparta as his troops on the planet Duxo, and with the help of Lord Conquest, training them to hate the amazons.  Mars then launched his forces from Duxo, which Steve Trevor detected, seeing an invasion fleet coming to Earth (and notifying Wonder Woman), but that their target was harmless...in the middle of the ocean (but Wonder Woman knew that to be the home of Paradise Island, so she went to defend it).  Mars' boys were able to defeat Hippolyte and her amazons, but Wonder Woman, Queen Astra and her girls were able to turn the tables on the boys of Duxo....freeing them from Mars, and taking them to learn the ways of peace on Infanta.

Astra, Conquest and Mars would return (in fact, all of them did in Sensation Comics #92!).

While the collection did not include the two DC Specials which led to the Wanted series, DC's Wanted the World's Most Dangerous Super-Villains recent collection did include the nine issues of that series (including the Trickster, Solomon Grundy, Dr. Light and Captain Cold (and more).

A wonderful tribute to lasting villainy.....and the love of comics had by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Holy Bill Finger, Batman!

Remembering the late Bill Finger on his birthday (February 8, 1914 - January 18, 1974).

Bill Finger was a writer, who provided many of the inspirational ideas to Bob Kane's outline of Batman that helped make Batman a success....like the cowl, cape, gloves, the blue/grey color scheme, and even the Bruce Wayne name!

Unfortunately, his penchant for research did not make Bill Finger a quick writer, nor did Bob Kane have him included on creator credits for Batman (only noting his contributions after Bill Finger had passed).

Still, Bill Finger did write many important Batman stories, introducing Robin, Joker, Catwoman, Riddler, Penguin and Two-Face, as well as the Batmobile, Batcave...

...and even naming Gotham City!

Much later, Bill Finger introduced readers to Ace the Bat-Hound, Bat-Mite , the first Bat-Girl, Calendar Man, the second Clayface , even Kite-Man and Zebra Man, and gave Batman his two biggest trophies:  the Tyrannosaurus Rex and giant Lincoln penny (a hallmark of Bill Finger stories was battles on oversized items).

Bill Finger also did other work for DC, writing early issues featuring the Golden Age Green Lantern, Wildcat, and creating Lana Lang in Superboy. Some of his last work on Batman was in World's Finest Comics, working with Superman (there he created Moon Man and Atom-Master, among others).

Even better, Bill Finger wrote the two episodes of the second season of the Batman 1966 TV show featuring the Clock King, giving him his first writer's credit on a Batman story....and the TV show Gotham, got his name listed as co-creator of Batman!

Detective Comics Centennial 700 And Legacy

When last we met (other than a brief interlude), Batman, Robin and Nightwing were about to encounter the villain of the piece in the desert....meanwhile, captive below ground, Catwoman herself found out one of the secrets of this dig as well.

No time to wait, Bat-fans, let's just dive right into the action that starts in Detective Comics #700 (August, 1996).

Detective Comics 700

The anniversary issue, by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan and Scott Hanna, had Batman in one normal cover, then a special edition, with Batman in on an envelope...and, when you opened the envelope, you saw the cover which revealed one of the secret villains of the issue.

Have the clues from the last column pointed you to who it is yet?

Well, here is the answer.  The mystery villain is Ra's Al Ghul, with the story of the "Progeny Of The Demon" to kick off Batman: Legacy.

Ra's has a new plan to rid the world of its human population, using the wheel to get the secret to a new contagion, as well as having a new man he deems worthy to marry his daughter and take his legacy.  Batman, Robin and Nightwing plan to stop him, with Batman and Robin getting trapped down the mineshaft as Ra's prepares to destroy the wheel to prevent anyone from getting the cure. 

Nightwing briefly faces Ra's as Batman and Robin struggle to get free from the now flooding mine.  Getting free forces Ra's and Talia to flee (planning on releasing their new plague on the New World), but also revealing the identity of the man Ra's intends to wed his daughter...Bane, the man who broke Batman's back!

Meanwhile, Catwoman, still trapped in her cell, prepares to deal with the water rapidly filling that room...

Catwoman 36

In a story by Chuck Dixon, Jim Balent and Bob Smith, Catwoman faces the unappealing death by drowning in a desert in "The Best Of Enemies".

Freeing herself and Brother Umberto, Selina also realizes she must free her foe, Hellhound, as it will take all three of them to escape the flooding complex.  Alfred brings a jet to pick up Batman, Robin and Nightwing, who get a chance to repair their wounds, then the team gets in touch with Oracle, who spells out where they need to go next to stop Ra's, with Robin and the injured Nightwing headed to Paris, Batman to Edinburgh.

After a battle in the desert with Hellhound, Catwoman gets revenge on the Collector for involving her in this mess.

Robin 32

"Born With Teeth" is part three, by Chuck Dixon, Staz Johnson and Ray McCarthy, with Robin and Nightwing in Paris.

Tim and Dick look for where Ra's men might deploy the newest contagion, with Tim meeting up with Shen Chi (an oriental master Robin trained with when last in Paris) as well as Henri Ducard (who had trained young Bruce Wayne as recounted in Detective Comics #598 to #600).  Nightwing, Robin and Ducard stop Ra's men at the Louvre, with Ducard dispatching them fatally, angering Robin. 

Tim and Dick take a plane back to Gotham, with Tim worrying that everyone, himself included, may be dying from the clench virus.

Batman: Shadow of the Bat 54

Batman's detour to Edinburgh shows him "The Power Of The Picts" in the Legacy chapter by Alan Grant, Dave Taylor and Stan Woch.

Bruce Wayne explores an ancient castle, finding out a little of the history of the area, before having to become Batman.

As Batman, he faces the Taskers, a family that Ra's has inspired to use the virus to destroy the people around the castle, stopping them and Ra's plan here. 

In talking with Robin and Nightwing via radio, as his time was successful, they tell him that Oracle found another destination of Ra's, which he will investigate....Calcutta.

Batman 534

Doug Moench, Jim Aparo and Bill Sienkiewicz bring the next chapter of Legacy, with "A Wound On The Heart Of Heaven".

Batman ends up working with Lady Shiva (the world's master assassin, whom Batman has crossed paths with before).

The pair must stop the agents of Ra's from releasing the virus into the water supply which the town bathes in.

Along the way, they meet one of the starving urchins of the city, which was a good thing for the world, as he ends up preventing the virus canister from releasing, but at the cost of his own life.

Mission completed, Batman leaves Calcutta and Lady Shiva behind, returning to Gotham.

Detective Comics 701

Legacy goes into high gear with "Gotham's Scourge" by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan and Scott Hanna.

With Oracle directing Nightwing, Robin and Huntress against other minions of Ra's in an effort to keep Gotham safe, Batman deals with Bane in his triumphant return to Gotham.

Bane and Batman battle under the docks, with Batman renewing his fortitude for his cause, recalling how he lost his parents, to give him the strength to beat Bane, though the currents sweep Bane away from Batman.

Hearing of Bane's defeat, Ra's cancels his engagement to Talia, with her suggesting "The Detective" (Batman) as a replacement, to which, Ra's disagrees.

Robin 33

The end of Legacy comes with "Riptide" by Chuck Dixon, Staz Johnson and Rob Leigh.

Nightwing, Huntress and Robin don diving gear to sneak aboard Ra's yacht, as directed by Oracle.  The team split up, with Nightwing and Huntress facing Ra's and Talia, while Robin gets a computer model of the Wheel of Plagues to Oracle, so she can find a cure, all while Batman fights the current to stay alive (as Bane eludes his grasp). The proteges of Batman are successful, detonating Ra's yacht as well (though Ra's and Talia must have escaped the explosion), all while a new mystery surfaces as bodies wash up from Bludhaven, to be discovered by Harvey Bullock  and Renee Montoya (which will lead Nightwing to that city....and his own ongoing title by Chuck Dixon).

Detective Comics 702

Legacy gets an epilogue by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan and Scott Hanna, with "Second Chances".

In this case, Bruce Wayne saves Gotham, as Wayne Pharmaceuticals produces the cure to the clench virus, James Gordon reconciles with his estranged wife (and fellow police officer) Sarah Essen.  Bruce also sees the death toll that the virus has taken on a larger scale in the morgue, as does Robin, trying his best to save just one more life, with Alfred reminding the dynamic duo to remember their successes as well as their failures.


This tale also puts a wrap on Batman title crossovers for a time (though it tied together epics like Knightfall and Contagion), even though the next issue of Detective ties in with the DC crossover, the Final Night; all in all, an entertaining and thoughtful look at the career of the Batman for one of his anniversaries....recalling the past, while looking to the future!

Before And After

These tales, except for Detective Comics #700 are all in Batman: The Legacy Part 2, which also includes the four part mini-series that came out later, Batman: Bane Of The Demon, by Dixon, Nolan and Tom Palmer, detailing how Bane came to work for Ra's (and become a temporary beloved of Talia).  All these tales also showcase the true legacy of Batman....Nightwing, Robin, Huntress and Oracle.

Prelude To Detective Comics 700

Unlike other anniversary issues of Detective Comics, Detective Comics #700 (August, 1996) had some set up going into it (and then the issue itself kicked off a run of stories over multiple titles of the Batman family of comic books).

So, to give you a better understanding of the issue (and events after), a little bit of set up is required in this case....

...let's jump in!

Detective Comics 697 to 699

Starting off, Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan and Scott Hanna took a little time to flesh out the recently introduced Lock-Up (Lyle Bolton) in the June, Early and Late July 1996 issues of Detective Comics.  Lock-Up was a criminal hunter, who captured people he deemed criminals and, well, locked them up. 

Currently in his private prison on the outskirts of Gotham were the Allergent (Maxwell Veezey) and Charaxes (the former Killer Moth, Neron-enhanced).   

Lock-Up then took Two-Face (Harvey Dent) out of police custody into his prison.  Batman, his current Robin (Tim Drake) and former Robin (Nightwing, a.k.a Dick Grayson) were on the case, but it was Harvey Bullock and the GCPD who captured Lock-Up....but, they had to free him (with Batman, Nightwing and Robin taking on criminal identities so they could be caught by Lock-Up, find his prisoners, then bring Lock-Up and the other criminals to justice, as no one else knew where the criminals were except for Bolton). 

Robin got captured, using the identity of Alvin Draper, and due to a short in the communication system, it took Batman and Nightwing a little time to find him, capture the criminals, including Lock-Up.

Meanwhile, former Gotham Mayor, Armand Krol was found dead of a plague, and Commissioner James Gordon was notified.

Robin 31

Tim Drake took a little break from heroics, and took his girlfriend, Ariana, to a car show, where he saw old time boxing champ Ted Grant in this Chuck Dixon, Mike Wieringo and Stan Woch July, 1996 issue of Robin.  Problem is, car thieves, the Speedboyz, were there as well, so Tim had to suit up as Robin to try to stop them.  Luckily, Robin got some help, as Ted Grant wasn't just a former boxer, but was also the hero Wildcat of the Justice Society of America (and the man who taught young Bruce Wayne to box).  The two heroes stopped the villains (leaving readers wanting to see Wildcat involved with Batman and his family even more), with Robin returning to the Batcave.

Meanwhile, Batman got the call from Com. Gordon, that former Mayor Krol died of a resurgence of the Clench, a disease that recently infected many Gothamites, including a young Tim Drake.

Catwoman 33 to 35

Selina Kyle had left Gotham to avoid the Contagion known as the Clench, taking on a job in Rheelasia (in the Indonesian Islands) that she really didn't enjoy (starting off these three issues by Chuck Dixon, Jim Balent and Bob Smith, running May to July, 1996). 

Catwoman was then captured by her foe, Hellhound, who was recruiting her for the Collector, who paired her with Brother Umberto, a former member of the Order of San Dumas (the cult Azrael, Jean-Paul Valley, had battled and been trained by).

It took a bit of convincing to get Catwoman to take on this new job (but Selina's attempts to escape almost got her killed, which also made her a little more willing to take the job).

The Collector had a buyer who wanted a treasure in a tomb in the middle of the African desert, and thought of recruiting Catwoman for her exceptional thieving skills, with Umberto there to help because of his knowledge of the Order of San Dumas.  With a bit of work, the two cleared the traps to get to the Great Wheel, but were betrayed by Hellhound, who had Catwoman imprisoned, where she recognized one of the men who employed the Collector.....

Batman: Shadow of the Bat 53

Helena Bertinelli, known as the Huntress, was still active in Gotham (recently running afoul of Batman and working with Robin) in the August, 1996 issue by Alan Grant, Dave Taylor and Stan Woch.

Bruce notified Dick of the fact that his Clench virus might come back to kill him.  Gordon, Penguin and other Gotham residents reacted to the news that the Clench may return.  Oracle (Barbara Gordon) used her information to contact Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley), who gave her a little information about the origins of the Clench, and hints at a possible cure to be found in the African desert from a time when the Order of San Dumas faced "the immortal". 

Batman told Gordon that he and his usual crew were leaving Gotham for a bit, while Robin informed Huntress that Batman had entrusted her with the safety of Gotham while Batman, Nightwing and he were gone (heading to Africa to look for the cure).

 

Batman 533 

The August, 1996 issue of Batman was the last of the prelude issues (by Doug Moench, Jim Aparo and Bill Sienkiewicz, with Batman, Nightwing and Robin winging their way to the Sudanese desert to look for the "Wheel Of Plagues".  Back in Gotham, Penguin tries to figure out how to release information that the Clench is back to cause panic, as Gordon and the Huntress work to prevent a quarantine of the city (and the panic that knowing that plague is returning).  Batman and his two helpers end up in the desert, finding out that this "immortal" had tried to use the Clench as a weapon against mankind before...and, after learning this, met up with armed forces controlled by the mystery men in charge of this menace.....

....whose identities would be revealed in Detective Comics #700.

Now, this gives you plenty of time to find and read all these issues to deduce the identity of the villain (or, just track down Batman: The Legacy Part 1, which reprints all these issues plus Detective Comics #700).  Or, just come back here next week, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel, and read my review of the issues of Batman: Legacy!