As Joker and Scarecrow torment the Mayor, Gotham burns!

Detective Comics #661

Written by Chuck Dixon
Pencils by Graham Nolan
Inks by Scott Hanna
Colors by Adrienne Roy
Lettering by John Costanza
Edited by Scott Peterson & Denny O’Neil

Joker & Scarecrow have forced Krol to cancel the National Guard deployment, and then had him call the papers to slam Gordon’s response. For their next trick, they’re going to have him provoke a firefighter’s union strike.

And just in time too, as Firefly is on the rampage, having set fire to Elmo’s pier, which includes not-Coney Island. Batman tasks Robin with backup, and goes to fight Firefly on the roller coaster, but Firefly manages to get away easily – Batman by the skin of his teeth.

Robin says that they need to fight smarter, not harder. After consideration, Batman agrees, and puts Robin in charge of tracking him down.

Elsewhere, Detwieler tells Ventriloquist that Scarface is probably in a precinct evidence room. Back at Stately Wayne Manor, Alfred tells Bruce he’s worried about his health.

At home, Tim researches Firefly, and decides to check out his old orphanage, only to find the place abandoned save for a nun. She remembers Garfield (Firefly’s real name), and his sister – Amanda. Robin didn’t know about her, but as he turns to leave, the Nun vanishes. Ninja, or Ghost? Or Ninja Ghost?

Elsewhere, Riddler and his crew go to put a caper together, only to get his challenge letter to GCPD blown off due to all the other issues going on.

Robin makes an anonymous call which leads to Officer Montoya and another beat cop coming to visit Firefly’s sister. Robin listens in, and puts together a series of possible targets – places where prospective adoptive parents promised to take them too., which he provides to Batman, and the two split up.

Batman catches up with Firefly on top of a burning furniture warehouse (which used to be a theater on that list). As the two fight and plummet into the warehouse, the issue ends.

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to help to support the site, please consider backing my Patreon. Patreon backers get to access my reviews and Let’s Plays up to a week in advance.

If you want to support the site, but can’t afford to pledge monthly, please consider tossing a few bucks into my Ko-Fi instead.