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Nocterra 1 Modern
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9.8
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Daredevil 25 Modern
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9.8
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Azza the Barbed Ashcan nn Modern
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9.8
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Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse 2 Modern
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9.8
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Batman 24
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9.8
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Marvel Family 45 Universal
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7.0
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Batman 0 Signature
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9.8
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Marvel Family 4 Universal
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6.0
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The Marvel Family in The Witches Tale! Synopsis:
The Witches try to track down their fourth witch, Elviry, who is living in the city under the name Ellie Hawkins. Featuring: The Marvel Family: Credits: Script: Otto Binder | Pencils: Pete Costanza | Inks: Pete Costanza
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CGC Grader Notes:
1. Eraser mark bottom of front cover
2. Large crease right center of front cover
3. Light, multiple creases back cover
4. Stain left bottom of back cover
5. Stain left top of back cover
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Bought on eBay from: escortjosh
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This is the error version (#3772308002). This comic was “Manufactured with no indicia printed on the 1st page.”
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Captain Marvel Adventures 101 Universal
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8.0
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Bought on eBay from: "littlebuddies"
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The highest (and only) graded “Canadian” Variant. Period. Rarest of the rarest (for the moment).
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Captain Marvel Adventures 18 Qualified
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5.5
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Synopsis for "Capt. Marvel Introduces Mary Marvel:"
Billy is hosting a quiz bowl at WHIZ Radio with three young contestants. During a commercial break, Billy receives an urgent letter from Sarah Primm requesting his presence. He immediately goes to see the dying woman, who tells Billy about his twin sister. When the Batson twins were orphaned after their parents died in a car accident, Primm had substituted Mary for the baby girl of a wealthy family she nursed for, who had suddenly died, and sent Billy to an orphanage. Primm gives a locket broken in half to Billy. Mary, Primm tells Billy before dying, wore the other half of the locket.
After the quiz is over, Billy recalls that one of the contestants, Mary Bromfield, wore a broken locket. Billy and Freddy Freeman trail Mary's limousine in their super-powered forms of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel, Jr. Mary is kidnapped for ransom by thugs, prompting the two Marvels to intervene, save her, and knock out the kidnappers.
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CGC Grader Notes:
1. Multiple coupon cut out back cover
2. Multiple crease full right of back cover breaks color
3. Readers crease full left of front cover breaks color
4. Spine stress lines breaks color
5. Split left top of spine
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Bought on eBay from: "docsandico"
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I have always dreamed of owning this comic, I don’t know why, but I have. I never believed I could ever afford it—until now. Sometimes childhood dreams can come true. It’s not the best or the prettiest, but it’s not the ugliest either. I like it. It’s mine, and I’m happy with it until another copy comes along that I can afford that’s in better shape.
A great buy to start my collection with, I think.
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Scooby Apocalypse 1 Modern
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9.8
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People have gathered at the Blazing Man Festival to change the world to be a better place, but what they don't know is that a secret laboratory underneath them is working to achieve the same goals, only in the most extreme way possible.
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Scooby Apocalypse 1 Modern
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9.8
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People have gathered at the Blazing Man Festival to change the world to be a better place, but what they don't know is that a secret laboratory underneath them is working to achieve the same goals, only in the most extreme way possible.
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Scooby Apocalypse 1 Modern
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9.8
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People have gathered at the Blazing Man Festival to change the world to be a better place, but what they don't know is that a secret laboratory underneath them is working to achieve the same goals, only in the most extreme way possible.
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Scooby Apocalypse 1 Modern
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9.8
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People have gathered at the Blazing Man Festival to change the world to be a better place, but what they don't know is that a secret laboratory underneath them is working to achieve the same goals, only in the most extreme way possible.
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Batman 46 Modern
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9.8
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Batman 0 Modern
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9.8
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Batman 14 Signature
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9.8
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Batman 22 Signature
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9.8
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Silk 7 Modern
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9.8
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Batman 1 Modern
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9.8
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Batman 1 Signature
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9.8
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Yes, I have two copies.
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Batman 1 Signature
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9.8
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Batman 1 Modern
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9.8
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Marvel Chillers 5 Modern
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8.5
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Beggars can’t be choosey in the beginning.
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Silver Surfer 4 C-1
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2.5
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Ghost-Spider 9 Modern
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9.8
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Tigra 1 Modern
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9.8
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Batman 77 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "slabbeheroes" on 12-21-2020
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No Batman fan should be without this issue: "Death of Alfred Pennyworth."
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Batman 95 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "totally-dadical" on 11-29-2020.
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Overview: As Joker seizes control of Gotham, Batman struggles to survive, looking for a cave where he can regroup and reclaim his lost city.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): Years ago, Batman drives the Batmobile to the Gotham City reservoir, where he is to encounter Joker for the first time. On the way, he talks with Alfred, expressing his reservations about this caper. To Batman, the Joker is no ordinary murderer. Batman realizes that the Joker sees everyone but Batman as meat, and he feels that the Joker is already orchestrating more encounters between the two of them. Alfred reassures Batman, telling Bruce that he won’t have to fight any murderous nightmare clowns alone.
In the present, the Batmobile bursts through the Gotham City aqueducts, pursued by a few cars full of Joker’s henchmen. News broadcasts tell us that “someone” (Joker) has taken control of everything belonging to Bruce and that Wayne Enterprises belongs to a new board of directors. Legal counsel for this new board of directors will be provided by Harlan Graves, a man whose reputation precedes him. We also learn that Bruce Wayne is missing and that the Gotham Gazette has been issued a cease and desist for publishing an editorial explaining that the Joker is behind everything.
In the aqueducts, the Joker’s henchmen blow up the Batmobile with a bazooka. As it burns, one of them calls Punchline to inform her that they’ve destroyed yet another Batmobile with no Batman inside.
At Wayne Enterprises, Punchline asks a jokerized Lucius Fox what the name of this secret Batman base was at the TriCorner Yards Campus. It’s called the Hibernaculum, which is where bats breed.
In Park Row, the former owner of the Monarch Theater leads the new owner, Joker, around his recent purchase. The previous owner tells Joker about how Bruce Wayne tried to buy this theater. He turned Wayne down, but he simply couldn’t pass up the Joker’s generous offer. He also mentions hearing voices downstairs while Joker rummages through old films. At first, Joker says that it’s the wind. When Joker finds the movie he’s looking for, The Mark of Zorro, he tells the old owner to join the audience downstairs. The theater is packed with jokerized victims laughing at an empty screen.
Outside of the Tricorner Yards Campus of Wayne Enterprises, a police blockade is set up. A car pulls up, and a man in a red suit walks out to greet Commissioner Harvey Bullock. This man, Harlan Graves, tells Bullock that he’s filed a civil rights injunction to stop the police harassment of Wayne Enterprises’ new owners. Bullock and Graves argue until Graves leaves. As Graves’ car speeds through the barricade, another officer informs Bullock that the police are losing this battle.
Inside Wayne Enterprises, Harlan Graves pulls out a mask and puts it on. He’s the Underbroker, and he’s here to help manage Joker’s investments. He informs members of the board to purchase every movie theater in Gotham City, per The Joker’s demands.
Outside of the Tricorner Yards Campus, Batman is listening in. He scans the building, noting that it’s littered with armed goons before finding a suitable location to break into. Batman enters one of his micro caves in the building, but before he can activate the computer, Punchline assaults him.
Punchline tells Batman that Lucius gave up all of the locations of his six hidden Batcaves in this building. As the two fight, Punchline chides Batman for the prototype Batsuit in this particular, unused mini cave. Batman hadn’t seen the design yet. It was a prototype Lucius was working on, a brighter, more luminous blue Batsuit meant for a more hopeful Batman in years to come.
Before Batman can gain the upper hand, his vision blurs. This mini cave has been dosed with a special blend of toxin that combines venom, fear toxin, and Joker toxin. Batman flees, and as he’s running, he can hear Alfred telling him that he’s running the wrong way.
Outside, a Batplane is headed straight for the building, and it’s opening fire. Batman hears Alfred telling him that he needs to get out. A poisoned Batman stares in disbelief as the Batplane’s weapons fire on the Wayne Enterprises building. “We’re all dead now,” Alfred says....
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Batman 6 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on ebay from "phdel-17" 12-18-2020
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Batman 52 Modern
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9.8
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Infinity Gauntlet 1 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on ebay from "secret-society-comics" on 12-09-2020.
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Infinity Gauntlet 2 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "e-stooge" 12-5-2020.
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The Infinity Gauntlet #2
Writer: Jim Starlin | Pencils: George Perez | Inkers: Josef Rubinstein | Letters: Jack Morelli | Colorists: Max Scheele | Editor: Craig Anderson | Chief: Tom DeFalco
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Marvel’s epic tale of galactic power and struggle began with The Infinity Gauntlet #1. In that issue, the myth was born. Thanos collected the Infinity gems in a desperate attempt to win the affections of Mistress Death. However, nothing he did pleased her. Task after task, tribute after tribute – all were for naught. Nothing was good enough. Then, Mephisto advised the Mad Titan he needed to complete the very task Mistress Death has set him upon. It was then that Thanos had an epiphany, and with a snap of his gauntleted hand, he wiped out half the life in the universe in a “great disappearance.” If The Infinity Gauntlet #1 was the foundation for the epic struggle, then The Infinity Gauntlet #2 is the next act in the play. The heroes, and many of the villains, of the galaxy are gaining awareness of the truly cosmic threat that Thanos presents. The question is, how will they fight him, and who will lead them? The Infinity Gauntlet #2 begins to answer those questions.
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Dr. Strange – The Sleuth, Herald, and Oracle:
While tending to Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange experiences a strange vision. A being reaches out to him from some other plane of existence. This being warns of the danger that Thanos presents, and declares that Earth’s heroes must unite behind him, whoever he is. Naturally, Dr. Strange is suspicious and responds that Earth’s heroes won’t simply rally to this stranger’s banner. However, Dr. Strange and this entity bare their souls to one another, and after the fact, Strange places his trust in this being. Eventually, Strange learns this is Adam Warlock.
In addition to acting as Warlock’s herald, Dr. Strange seems to accept the mantle of sleuth in this issue. He is something of the oracle of the epic myth. The Master of Mystic Arts, intentionally or not, collects the clues necessary to solve the riddle. For instance, the Silver Surfer came to him. Then Strange brought in Hank Pym, and then Hank left to rendezvous with the West Coast Avengers. He is a common thread as subsequent story elements demonstrate.
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The Cocoon:
In The Infinity Gauntlet #1, a number of mysterious beings inhabited the bodies of some petty criminals. By the end of the issue, one had disappeared when Thanos snapped his fingers. Another went into a cocoon. In this issue, Adam Warlock emerged from that cocoon. His companions Pip the Troll was waiting for him. Adam Warlock has a long and complicated history and he was the one-time custodian of the Soul Gem. He also has a longstanding feud with Thanos. On occasion, Warlock will cocoon himself to recreate his body. He had transplanted his soul and that of Pip and a third person into their human hosts in the prior issue. Now, he is working to rally an army against the Mad Titan. Prior to this time, he was believed to be dead, although he was actually dwelling within the Soul Gem.
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Doctor Doom Suffers No Interference:
When Thanos removed half the life of the universe, he wiped out the entire Fantastic Four. From Avenger’s headquarters, Captain America monitors the disappearance of many of Earth’s heroes. On the monitor each member of the Fantastic Four is listed as “disappeared.” However, The Infinity Gauntlet #2 still has a Fantastic Four connection. Several in fact. The first connection is Doctor Doom. As Doom sees it, Earth is his world. It is his to subjugate, and therefore, it is also his to protect. Therefore, he will not suffer an interference from an intergalactic presence.
Doom arrives at the Sanctum Santorum after conducting his own investigation into the disappearance. He has remarkably precise equipment and detects the source of the force responsible coming from the far side of the galaxy, and he also determines a similar source coming from Upstate New York and directed towards Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Santorum. In other words, he becomes aware of Adam Warlock’s communications, but he doesn’t know what they mean.
In addition, Dr. Doom has a personal stake. He blends science and sorcery unlike any character in the Marvel universe. What is happening now is alien to him. His scientific curiosity is piqued, and it presents an opportunity to expand not only his knowledge, but his personal powerbase. Therefore, he invades the Sanctum Santorum looking for answers and begins threatening Silver Surfer and Dr. Strange to get them. Before matters come to blows, Adam Warlock arrives and promises the answers he seeks. The remaining question is whom is fit to lead the galaxy’s champions against Thanos? Can Doom bring himself to work at the direction of one such as Adam Warlock?
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The Other Side of Prejudice:
In the previous issue, the Skrull raged that the Kree must be responsible for the disappearance of so many of their citizens. It was the natural result of a long-held animosity for their interstellar rivals. Now, it is the Kree’s turn to act on suspicion. Neither side has any proof that the other is responsible for their problems. However, that doesn’t stop them from preparing for war. Although it seems like a premature reaction, and it is for certain, it also lends to the “epic myth” story nature of this series. Old rivals rally their banners and prepare for war because of the interference and mysterious actions of a secret god. The galactic stakes are ratcheted up considerably.
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Eros – The Brother of Thanos:
With the power of the universe at his disposal, Thanos takes a moment to torment his little brother. Eros and Thanos have a very long history together. While Eros was beautiful and the favored heir to the Eternals on Titan, Thanos was a castoff. Suffice it to say that there isn’t much love lost between them at this point. For those interested in his history, he has been known as “Starfox” while with the Avengers. Eros knew the great disappearance was Thanos’s doing, although he was unsure how.
He didn’t have long to wait as Thanos used the poser of the Infinity gems to whisk Eros from Titan to his stronghold. There, Thanos tortured Eros and forced him to witness his devilish work. Eros though knows all the players – Mistress Death, Nebula, and Mephisto. He quickly understands what is happening. He also notes that their father, Mentor, is missing. Again, this follows the legendary and mythical quality of the issue. Thanos made sure Mentor was disappeared in order to prevent him from aborting Thanos’s vision of the future.
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Mad Thanos:
Readers will remember from The Infinity Gauntlet #1, this entire saga started because Thanos was attempting to impress death by completing her quest to annihilate half the life in the universe. Having achieved that, in The Infinity Gauntlet #2, Thanos continues working hard to win the affection of his mistress. However, much like mythological deities from prior eras, Mistress Death is not so easily moved. Eros sees that Thanos is drunk on his power and driven mad by his inability to win Death’s heart.
Finally, his frustration boils over and releases a wave of energy throughout the galaxy. A nearby red giant star is no match for the power. The devourer of worlds, Galactus watches as Thanos’s fury devours worlds and reshapes reality and knows that he is outmatched. Despite that, he will not run from Thanos, and instead he will find alliances to defeat him. His calculations suggest Earth is a good place to start.
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Concluding Thoughts on The Infinity Gaunlet #2:
In the prior issue, Thanos accumulated his power in a jealous attempt to win the affection of Mistress Death. He engaged in several mythological feats to win her affection, but it was to no avail. In the end, he suddenly remembered his task and in doing so, wiped out half the life of the galaxy. It was the type of detail that raises eyebrows with modern readers when it appears in an ancient myth but works perfectly in grounding this story in the same sense of epic storytelling.
Infinity Gauntlet #2 adds another dimension to the epic myth. The Mad Titan is struggling now, and the mere mortals and lesser deities are caught in the wake of Thanos’s anger and whims. Much like the gods of Olympus that destroyed the Titans in Greek mythology, the heroes and villains must join forces to defeat this threat to secure their own fates….
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Infinity Gauntlet 3 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "wonder_tunes_comics" on 12-4-2020.
Bought it at an Incredible price that I could not refuse. The 2nd purchase to my collection.
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The Infinity Gauntlet #3
Writer: Jim Starlin | Pencils: George Perez | Inkers: Josef Rubinstein | Letters: Jack Morelli | Colorists: Max Scheele | Editor: Craig Anderson | Chief: Tom DeFalco
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The epic tale of Thanos’s quest to win the heart of Mistress Death continues in The Infinity Gauntlet #3. In the prior issue, Thanos attempted to capitalize on successfully completing his mission to wipe out half of all life in the galaxy. However, Mistress Death remains aloof towards him. In his frustration, Thanos lashed out at the galaxy. The ramifications were wide ranging, and Earth suffered mightily. Now, in The Infinity Gauntlet #3, Adam Warlock rallies champions, big and small, from across the galaxy to challenge the Mad Titan.
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Things Get Worse:
As if things weren’t bad enough for the universe following Thanos’s tirade in the previous issue, the citizens of Earth have a new problem. Thano’s shock wave knocked Earth out of its standard orbit around the sun. Therefore, the planet is beginning to cool as it drifts away from its parent star. Eventually this will cause Earth to enter a “new, never ending ice age.” If humanity didn’t have enough of a reason to stop Thanos before, they have one now.
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Avengers and Allies Assemble:
There never was any doubt that the heroes of Earth would step up to challenge Thanos. However, that doesn’t stop this issue from issue a call to action. Doctor Strange opens a portal and issues a summons for heroes not currently assembled at the Sanctum Santorum. The arrival of the heroes is a product of its times as each steps through Strange’s portal and announces their intention to answer the call. Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Drax, Firelord, Nova, Sub-Mariner, Cloak, Cyclops, and Scarlet Witch all join the assembled heroes by stepping through the portal. Not everyone is so easy to convince though. Hulk initially refused to join the assembled force over a grudge. The Avengers rejected the Hulk for years, but, now that he is reformed, they welcome him back. That’s enough for the Hulk.
This isn’t the final step is assembling the army to challenge Thanos. Adam Warlock and Silver Surfer take a trip, courtesy of Dr. Strange’s cosmic portal, to the far corner of the galaxy. There they unite with Quasar and Epoch to recruit additional allies. For casual comic fans, many of these allies are likely unknowns. Lord Chaos, Master, the Watcher, Order, Stranger, Love and Hate, Eternity, Living Tribunal, Lord Kronos, Galactus, and a pair of Celestials all answer Warlock’s summons. Not everyone agrees to join the campaign and each makes their case for or against their invovlement.
The text of this issue describes Eternity as “the actual embodiment of all there is!” and Thanos seeks to unseat him in that role. The Living Tribunal hears Eternity’s argument and hold that Thanos’s challenge is rightful as the result of natural selection. Therefore, he refuses to join the cause. After hearing its ruling, Eternity also departs. The Watcher too cannot participate because his role is to observe and record. Chaos, Order, Stranger, and the others agree to aid Warlock.
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Thanos Tries Jealousy:
Thanos has gone to incredible and desperate lengths to win Mistress Death’s heart. For example, in issue one he builds a shrine to her. When that fails, he turns Nebula, his granddaughter, into a monument to death by keeping her perpetually on the precipice of death, although she is incapable of dying. He builds on those failures with additional failures that include the torture of his brother, Starfox, in The Infinity Gauntlet #2. Now, Thanos attempts a truly desperate measure.
Out of thin air, Thanos creates Terraxia the Terrible. Terraxia’s complexion is similar to Thanos. Like the Mad Titan, she is purple and powerfully built. Thanos declares that Terraxia is “everything [his] soul longs for,” and “Terraxia is everything [Mistress Death] is not!” After Terraxia embraces Thanos, he boldly proclaims that he no longer has need of Death.
Either Thanos believed that this would soothe him, or it was an attempt at persuading Death through jealousy. Despite his claims that he no longer needed Mistress Death, Thanos casts longing looks at her as she walks away even while Terraxia embraces him. Furthermore, the look in Thanos’s eyes is one of sadness and disappointment. Despite his bold claims, he didn’t get what he was looking for. Indeed, he immediately calls for cosmic warfare.
The Infinity Gauntlet series has always had aspects of an epic myth. This portion of the story resembles various creation myths. Thanos is essentially alone as a supreme being in the universe. He creates Terraxia to cure this problem. The key difference is that Terraxia is closer to an equal. She is almost a spouse instead of a child. As of yet, she has not had an opportunity to rebel against her creator and supplant him.
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Dire Fate for the Heroes:
The issue concludes with an attack by the heroes on Thanos’s palace. Although the attack does not actually commence, it is ill-fated. For one, Vision analyzed the Avengers’ prior engagements with Thanos and determined that although they defeated Thanos in the past, they can’t do it without help. Specifically, they couldn’t defeat Thanos unless Thanos wanted to be defeated on some level. Therefore, their chances of defeating Thanos were almost zero.
In addition, Adam Warlock knows Earth’s assembled heroes stand no chance of defeating Thanos. He says as much when he tells Silver Surfer, “Our allies’ power is less than nothing against Thanos’s might. They stand defeated before the battle has even bgun.” Indeed, he confesses “the true purpose of their attack is merely diversionary,” and “the are sacrificial lambs.” It is exactly as he planned.
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Concluding Thoughts on The Infinity Gauntlet #3:
If Warlock is correct, then The Infinity Gauntlet #3 stands to go poorly for Earth’s heroes. Undoubtedly, Warlock has the best intentions. The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. However, his lack of candor with the heroes rankles the conscience. Villains such as Doctor Doom obviously aren’t to be trusted. Heroes, such as Captain America, would likely lay down their lives to preserve their country and world. In addition, Warlock calls on the heroes to trust him and follow his leadership. Should the heroes of Earth and the cosmic entities assembled under his banner survive this, would they ever be able to trust Warlock again? Perhaps that is a cross Warlock is willing to bear.
Over the prior two issues, this series compared favorably to an epic myth. This issue compounds the comparison. Many of the heroes answer Doctor Strange’s call to action. In ancient mythologies, many of the gods destroy their own creators and supplant them. In this series, Marvel’s heroes occupy a position akin to a demi-god. Although they don’t intend to unseat Thanos and take his place, he clearly represents a level of power above their own. In addition, Thanos ascended to a level of godhood by collecting artifacts that granted him godlike power as he attempted to become the equal of Mistress Death.
Considering that Earth’s heroes are just now preparing an attack on Thanos, it seems likely things will not go well for them. There are, after all, three issues left in this series. In all likelihood, they are ready for a defeat as Warlock predicted. However, that will make their inevitable triumph in the end all the much sweeter….
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Batman 103 Modern
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9.8
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Infinity Gauntlet 1 Signature
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9.8
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Bought this on eBay from “shellshockedcollectables” on12-3-2020.
The price offer for this was too good to pass up, I had to have it. This is my first “George Perez” signed Comic.
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The Infinity Gauntlet #1:
Writer: Jim Starlin | Pencils: George Perez | Inkers: Josef Rubinstein & Tom Christopher | Letters: Jack Morelli | Colorists: Max Scheele and Ian Laughlin | Editor: Craig Anderson | Chief: Tom DeFalco
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In 1991, Marvel produced The Infinity Gauntlet miniseries, a summer crossover event featuring many of the heroes of the Marvel universe. Over the course of the six issue series, the heroes and villains across the galaxy teamed up to fight Thanos, the Mad Titan, who made a play to seize control of the galaxy and reality. In a desperate attempt to court the affections of Death, Thanos collected the Infinity gems and mounted them on a glove, which became the Infinity Gauntlet. With the Infinity Gauntlet at his command, Thanos had the power of a god and the cosmos at his disposal and could control and mold space and time as he saw fit. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) culminate with Avengers: Endgame. Endgame was inspired, at least in part, by The Infinity Gauntlet miniseries.
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The Counsel to the New God:
The Infinity Gauntlet #1 begins with Mephisto counseling Thanos. The Mad Titan has already collected all the Infinity gems (which, by the way, are referred to as Infinity Stones in the MCU). Thanos was deceased, but Mistress Death resurrected him and magnified his already immense power for a purpose: the galaxy was teeming with too much life. In fact, the galaxy now had more living beings than the cumulative total of all beings that had ever died. Death wanted the scales balanced.
Mephisto is an odd choice for a counselor. He is perceived as the devil in the Marvel universe by humanity for good reason. In one of his notable appearances in later comics, Mephisto made a bargain with Spider-Man and his then wife, Mary Jane. When Peter Parker’s aunt was shot and lay dying, Mephisto offered Spider-Man a deal. He would save May from death, and in exchange, he would erase Peter’s marriage to Mary Jane and all memories of it, plus he would erase all public knowledge of Peter’s secret identity (which had been revealed during the Civil War event). Contracting with Mephisto is akin to making a deal with the devil.
Therefore, his counsel shouldn’t be trusted. He doesn’t do anything to discourage that belief. Over the course of the issue, Mephisto serves as a curious choice for narrator for the audience and a counselor for Thanos. The Mad Titan seems incapable of understanding the desires of Death, whose affection he covets above all else. Throughout this issue, Mephisto counsels Thanos on how he might please Death and win her affections. Notably, Mephisto notes that Thanos has a fragile heart where Death is concerned.
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The Herald of Thanos:
While Thanos plots his next course of action, Dr. Strange meditates and studies at the Sanctum Santorum before Silver Surfer falls through the roof. Normally, Silver Surfer serves as the herald of Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. However, this time he arrived on Earth with a warning: Thanos has assembled the power of the Infinity gems. Each gem held power over some aspect of the universe: the soul, the mind, power, time, reality, and space. In the Silver Surfer’s own words, “Thanos now has the unbridled power of a god!” With the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos controls the power of the universe and can alter all of creation as he sees fit. Silver Surfer allied with the Destroyer in an attempt to stop Thanos, but were soundly defeated and imprisoned in the Soul Gem. There, Silver Surfer learned from Adam Warlock the scope of Thanos’s power and was able to escape.
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Thanos’s Offerings to Death:
Thanos goes to great lengths to woo Death. But, he also makes several missteps. Death offered Thanos no direction for completing the directive she gave him. Therefore, after considering the matter, Thanos collected the Infinity gems. However, the power he assembled made him even more powerful than Death, which displeased her. Thanos then pleaded with her for understanding. She offered him none in response despite his protestations that his love is worship for her. In fact, Death never says a thing, and leaves it to her subordinates to communicate her desires.
Next, Thanos builds shrines to Death to appease her. This too fails. He offers her domain over all the universe. Despite this, Death shuns him once again. Mephisto then offers Thanos dubious counsel. He suggests that Thanos prove he has a dark spirit, as ebon in its ways as Death’s. Mephisto’s motivations are not entirely clear, but it seems likely he is manipulating Thanos. Why Thanos allows this or encourages it is also something of a mystery.
The gift Thanos next offers Death is his own granddaughter: Nebula. He transformed her into some horrible thing on the precipice of death, but not capable of dying. Thanos keeps her on a “precarious perch.” She serves as Thanos’s “living tribute to the blasphemy of life and the glorious promise of death.” Still, this too does not please Death.
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Thanos Meets the Challenge:
Mephisto finally gets around to suggesting to Thanos that perhaps the offerings aren’t the issue. Instead, Thanos failed to complete the task assigned to him: exterminate half the life of the universe. The realizaton is a smack to the face of Thanos. He comes to his senses, quits brooding, apologizes to Death, and gets to work. With a snap of his gauntleted hand, Thanos extinguishes the existence of half the beings in the galaxy. Mephisto, playing the role of a Loki like trickster, stands by in awe and mutters, “He’s really going to do it.” Was that his purpose? To goad Thanos into going through with the plan? Did Thanos really need that type of encouragement? It seems unlikely, but one must wonder what Mephisto’s aims truly are.
Once Thanos goes through with it, life begins disappearing in the galaxy. In New York, Spider-Man watches as half the people disappear off a busy street and his spider-sense warns him that Mary Jane Watson, his wife, has disappeared as well. Elsewhere, Captain America conducts Avenger’s business and arrives at the Avenger’s headquarters just in time to witness the erasure of Hawkeye and Sersi. Aboard a helicarrier, Nick Fury advises the President that he has no idea what happened to half the people on Earth. On Earth, a very lucid Hulk begins his own investigation. Across the galaxy, the Skrull suspect the Kree of a insidious plot that eliminated half their citizens and prepare for war.
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The Side Characters:
Infinity Gauntlet #1 doesn’t solely focus on Thanos and the heroes. Three seemingly average people, Jake Miller, Ralph Bunker, and Bambi Long, emerged drunk from a bar after celebrating robbing a liquor store earlier in the day. Their celebration was short lived, and later they drove off a cliff. Although they should have been dead, other beings claimed their bodies. In their new bodies, these beings recover, but Bambi disappears when Thanos begins extinguishing life. Another of these beings ends up in a cocoon as the issue concludes. Their identities remain a mystery, but there is enough foreshadowing that it is obvious they will have a role to play in the unfolding drama.
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The Epic Scale of Infinity Gauntlet:
The Infinity Gauntlet #1 establishes an epic scale for this miniseries. Thanos and Mistress Death are portrayed as godlike characters. With Mephisto in the advisory role, this series takes on qualities of a Greek or Roman epic myth. Thanos, and possibly Death, represent the Titans. The heroes of the galaxy, for the moment, take on the role of Zeus and the other heroes of Olympus. When looked at from this perspective, Thanos’s forgetfulness makes a little more sense. Plus, Death’s silence also echoes her persona from other mythic tales.
Marvel’s events have been hit or miss affairs over the years. Secret War and later events, such as Civil War, were huge successes. However, other events, such as Age of Ultron (the comic series, not the movie), weren’t as highly regarded. The Infinity Gauntlet is usually regarded as an epic series and a success. The Infinity Gauntlet #1 does well in establishing the setting and stakes for an epic story….
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Batman 64 Signature
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9.8
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Bought this on eBay from "goshen-knight_comics" on 11-29-2020
Title: Batman
Issue No: 64
Issue Date: 4/19
Year: 2019
Publisher: D.C. Comics
Country
Key Comments: Sketch cover.
Art Comments: Joshua Williamson story, Guillem March art, Chris Burnham cover
Country/Variant: ComicsPRO Edition
I saw this and decided I just had to have it, buying it on the spot. I come to find later there are only 5 copies certified by CGC at “9.8:” of those, only one is signed as of this date (11-29-2020). I am lucky enough to have that signed copy.
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Overview: As Batman and Flash deal with the fallout from Heroes in Crisis, Gotham Girl begins a mysterious campaign.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): The Price of Justice, part 1 of 4. This storyline takes place between Batman #57 and 58, per Tom King’s confirmation on Twitter.
Batman prepares to perform an autopsy on Wally West, but cannot bring himself to do it.
On Oolong Island, the Justice League battles rogue Amazo robots. Batman is distracted by memories of the horrors of the Sanctuary slaughter, but still takes down at least two of the bots. Superman says that this battle represents the fifth crisis this week, and Batman and Flash both leave abruptly.
At the Flash Museum in Central City, a mysterious caped figure topples statues on the crowd of Flash fans and tourists. Batman saves some of them, but again, memories of Wally assail him. Barry surprises him, then helps reassure the shaken crowd. Flash remembers the old days when Kid Flash and Robin leaped into the Batmobile together and confronts Batman before he can leave. He knows Bruce lied about Central City being on the way – meaning Bruce knew the attack would happen. Batman reveals that Gotham Girl, Claire Clover, has begun using her powers to perform these attacks. He wants to stop her, not only from hurting others, but from the death that further use of her powers will cause, just as it did her brother Hank (Batman #5).
Claire, meanwhile, has Hank’s body hooked up to a machine, promising to save him....
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Batman 93 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "totally_dadical" on 11-29-2020.
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Overview: Batman and the Designer finally meet, and all of the Designer’s grand designs are finally laid bare.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): At Wayne Enterprises’ Tricorner Yards location, Batman confronts the Designer. Batman demands to know the grand design of this new foe’s machinations.
“You want me to confirm what you have already deduced?” the Designer coolly replies. “No. How about you tell me, Batman?”
Batman then relates how five assassins were supposed to enter Gotham City and eliminate key city governmental positions, whereby Penguin would install his own goons in order to gain control of Gotham. The Riddler would then use his puzzle game to block off police districts and assume control of the police. Catwoman would rob Bruce Wayne and install a new bank for their criminal enterprise, and Joker would kill Batman and Robin. This would lead to an unstoppable criminal organization.
The Designer confirms Batman’s deduction and the two duel with swords.
Meanwhile, Catwoman sits at the Underbroker’s computer and begins making transactions from Bruce Wayne’s global accounts. Harley Quinn and Punchline fight in the other room. Punchline reveals that she has a grudge against Harley, that she blames Harley for trying to change Joker, thereby holding Joker back.
Before Harley can defeat Punchline, Joker’s newest hench girl slits Harley’s throat. Punchline and her clown goons then dump Harley’s body into the sewer system.
At Tricorner Yards, the Designer tells Batman that he’s missing a piece of the puzzle. Batman counters with information that proves he knows that this isn’t really the Designer. He lets this fake Designer know that the flaw in the original design was expecting the Joker to kill Batman. Batman pulls off the Designer’s mask to reveal another zombified corpse.
Batman asks Joker what he’s doing. Joker relays that this part of the plan wasn’t about breaking Batman. It was about breaking Catwoman. Suddenly, Deathstroke leaps to action and stabs Batman through the leg with a sword. Batman won’t die, but if he removes the sword, he may risk bleeding to death.
At the Underbroker’s place, Catwoman thinks she’s stolen all the money, but the Underbroker lets her know her account is actually empty. Punchline then shoots Catwoman in the head, thanking her for making her and Joker rich.
The issue ends with a phone call from Punchline to Joker, who is still very much drinking at that rooftop bar from a couple of issues back.
“Joker, you are now worth over one hundred billion dollars,” Punchline says. Joker laughs hysterically....
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Batman 92 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "kope-us" 11-27-2020.
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Overview: Batman and Deathstroke track down the location of the Designer while Catwoman and Harley Quinn head off to the Underbroker’s in order to pull off the greatest bank heist of all time.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): At Gotham Hospital, acting Commissioner Harvey Bullock tells a bed-ridden Oswald Cobblepot that he’s going to charge Cobblepot for the murder of three police officers. Cobblepot says he was kidnapped and his own men were murdered, denying the charge. He counters by saying he’d like to press charges against Deathstroke.
Knowing that he has no proof that Penguin murdered those men, Bullock threatens to find something he can charge Cobblepot with. Before he finishes his thought, a GCPD officer alerts Bullock to something going on outside. Gotham City is lit up in green.
Every screen across Gotham has been hijacked by the Riddler, who is broadcasting his latest game for Batman to play. It’s a massive crossword puzzle, and Gotham City is the board. Major roads and streets across Gotham have been blocked until Batman can answer the appropriate crossword question correctly. If he answers wrong, Riddler detonates a bomb.
Batman, who is bruised and beaten from his bout with Deathstroke last issue, signals Lucius Fox to trace Riddler’s location. Riddler responds by cutting off all communication channels, leaving Batman to fend for himself.
Beneath Gotham City, Harley Quinn and Catwoman make their way through the sewers. As they near the secret entrance Catwoman is looking for, they’re descended upon by more of the Designer’s zombified GCPD officers.
Above ground, Batman and Deathstroke team up to battle more of the Designer’s zombified police force. They head down into the subway system, against Riddler’s protests. Batman answers Riddler’s crossword puzzle questions while they wait for a train to arrive. A Bat-train arrives, and Deathstroke and Batman board it to head off to parts unknown.
Riddler curses Batman, but Batman tells him that this wasn’t prohibited in the rules. He can still play Nygma’s game.
Outside the secret entrance in Gotham City’s sewer system, Catwoman tells a hologram of the Underbroker to let her into his facility amidst an onslaught of Designer goons. She reminds the Underbroker that she’s a member in good standing and that Harley is a guest of hers who should be welcome as well. The Underbroker lets them in. However, he informs them that there may be a conflict of interest.
Inside, the facility has been overtaken by Joker’s goons. A figure emerges from behind the henchman, and this is our first true introduction to Punchline, Joker’s newest “partner.”
It turns out that Punchline is here to rob the same bank that Catwoman and Harley are after. Harley and Punchline banter before a fight breaks out. In the maelstrom, the Underbroker flees. Catwoman pursues him. Catching him with her whip, she leans in close to the Underbroker and threatens him until he agrees to do as she asks.
Back over the airways, Riddler is screaming that Batman is cheating somehow. Batman appears behind him, and when Riddler asks how Batman knew where he was broadcasting from, Bruce only says that he recognizes the room. Batman then puts both Riddler and Deathstroke to sleep, before turning his attention to the other person in Wayne Manor.
“Hello, Bruce,” the Designer says, seated comfortably in a chair. “Please come in. We should talk a little while before I kill you....”
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Batman 84 Modern
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9.8
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Purchased on eBay from "kelt_7332" on 11-28-2020.
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Overview: In the penultimate issue of the City of Bane arc, Thomas Wayne’s roll in the story comes into focus.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): The story opens in the study of Wayne Manor, with Thomas Wayne and Batman facing off, with Thomas getting in the first punch. The story then flashes back to the end of Batman #74 with Thomas Wayne crawling out of the Nain pit, reciting to himself a vow to war against anything that would cause his son harm. The story then flashes back further to Thomas standing before Bane’s thrown of skulls, offering to help. When Bane questions Thomas, he explains to Bane that he knows what is best for his son.
The story then flashes further back to Batman #49, where Thomas stands over the wounded Joker at the church, asking where he had heard that his son was getting married. The story then shows a series of flashbacks as Thomas watches from the shadows as Selina steals her wedding dress, Batman and Catwoman go on a double date with Superman and Lois, and stands in the rain as he watches his son propose to Catwoman.
The story then flashes back earlier, with Thomas waking up on a rooftop to the Reverse-Flash standing over him, telling him that as revenge for killing him in the Flashpoint universe, he has brought him to a world where his son became Batman. The story then flashes further back to the events of “The Button” storyline, where Thomas gives his son advice to be a father to his son and give up being Batman and runs off into the light as his world collapses. The story then flashes back further, to a wounded Thomas laying on the ground at the end of “Flashpoint”, speaking about how he cannot live knowing that his son becomes Batman as the Reverse-Flash lays dead beside him. The world goes white and then Thomas finds that he is still alive and nothing has changed, quietly saying “no” to himself.
The story then flashes back to Thomas drinking in his dead son’s bedroom, addressing Bruce as he talks to himself about how his mother killed herself after learning how in another world Bruce became Batman and goes on to explain that he intends to end the world.
The story then flashes further back to Thomas and Catwoman walking up the stairs to the Batcave, only to open the door to Wayne Manor to find Martha Wayne’s Joker at the top of the stairs, who shoots Selina dead. The story then flashes to a sequence of showing Thomas and Selina as a crime-fighting team, including a splash page of Thomas and Selina arguing over how they met. The story then flashes back to Thomas holding a gun on Catwoman, with her saying to pull the trigger as she is ready to die, to which Thomas puts down his gun and tells Catwoman his real name and that he had a son who would be about her age.
The story then flashes back further to Thomas executing the various rogues of Gotham, including Bane, Kite-Man, and Mr. Freeze. The story then flashes further back to Thomas on the floor, next to Alfred’s dead body, his throat cut by Martha Wayne’s Joker for not helping her find her pearls. The story then flashes back further to Thomas beating Joe Chill to death for the murder of his son. The story flashes back further, with a young Bruce Wayne dying in Crime Alley as Thomas does chest compressions as his wife rambles about losing her pearls. The story then flashes back further to Thomas sitting on a chair in his son’s bedroom as Bruce sleeps, as Thomas utters the same vow to war against anything that would cause his son pain.
Back in the present, after getting in the first punch, which sends Batman to his knees, Thomas tells his son that Alfred is dead and Bane is in a coma and to take off his mask, marry Selina and find some peace, with the issue ending as he tells his son to stay down....
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Batman 92 Modern
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9.8
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Bought this on eBay from "Knotknew2u" on 11-27-2020
I figure why-the-hell-not and went ahead got this at a great price.
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Overview: Batman and Deathstroke track down the location of the Designer while Catwoman and Harley Quinn head off to the Underbroker’s in order to pull off the greatest bank heist of all time.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): At Gotham Hospital, acting Commissioner Harvey Bullock tells a bed-ridden Oswald Cobblepot that he’s going to charge Cobblepot for the murder of three police officers. Cobblepot says he was kidnapped and his own men were murdered, denying the charge. He counters by saying he’d like to press charges against Deathstroke.
Knowing that he has no proof that Penguin murdered those men, Bullock threatens to find something he can charge Cobblepot with. Before he finishes his thought, a GCPD officer alerts Bullock to something going on outside. Gotham City is lit up in green.
Every screen across Gotham has been hijacked by the Riddler, who is broadcasting his latest game for Batman to play. It’s a massive crossword puzzle, and Gotham City is the board. Major roads and streets across Gotham have been blocked until Batman can answer the appropriate crossword question correctly. If he answers wrong, Riddler detonates a bomb.
Batman, who is bruised and beaten from his bout with Deathstroke last issue, signals Lucius Fox to trace Riddler’s location. Riddler responds by cutting off all communication channels, leaving Batman to fend for himself.
Beneath Gotham City, Harley Quinn and Catwoman make their way through the sewers. As they near the secret entrance Catwoman is looking for, they’re descended upon by more of the Designer’s zombified GCPD officers.
Above ground, Batman and Deathstroke team up to battle more of the Designer’s zombified police force. They head down into the subway system, against Riddler’s protests. Batman answers Riddler’s crossword puzzle questions while they wait for a train to arrive. A Bat-train arrives, and Deathstroke and Batman board it to head off to parts unknown.
Riddler curses Batman, but Batman tells him that this wasn’t prohibited in the rules. He can still play Nygma’s game.
Outside the secret entrance in Gotham City’s sewer system, Catwoman tells a hologram of the Underbroker to let her into his facility amidst an onslaught of Designer goons. She reminds the Underbroker that she’s a member in good standing and that Harley is a guest of hers who should be welcome as well. The Underbroker lets them in. However, he informs them that there may be a conflict of interest.
Inside, the facility has been overtaken by Joker’s goons. A figure emerges from behind the henchman, and this is our first true introduction to Punchline, Joker’s newest “partner.”
It turns out that Punchline is here to rob the same bank that Catwoman and Harley are after. Harley and Punchline banter before a fight breaks out. In the maelstrom, the Underbroker flees. Catwoman pursues him. Catching him with her whip, she leans in close to the Underbroker and threatens him until he agrees to do as she asks.
Back over the airways, Riddler is screaming that Batman is cheating somehow. Batman appears behind him, and when Riddler asks how Batman knew where he was broadcasting from, Bruce only says that he recognizes the room. Batman then puts both Riddler and Deathstroke to sleep, before turning his attention to the other person in Wayne Manor.
“Hello, Bruce,” the Designer says, seated comfortably in a chair. “Please come in. We should talk a little while before I kill you....”
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Batman 92 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from "ccas-as-7ymjx9fwx" on 11-27-2020
Saw it up for auction on eBay and thought, “Whatthehell….” I put in a (low) bid and forgot about it, and to my surprise, I found out minutes later, I won (shock). Sometimes, it does pay to gamble and put in a bid and see what happens.
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Overview: Batman and Deathstroke track down the location of the Designer while Catwoman and Harley Quinn head off to the Underbroker’s in order to pull off the greatest bank heist of all time.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): At Gotham Hospital, acting Commissioner Harvey Bullock tells a bed-ridden Oswald Cobblepot that he’s going to charge Cobblepot for the murder of three police officers. Cobblepot says he was kidnapped and his own men were murdered, denying the charge. He counters by saying he’d like to press charges against Deathstroke.
Knowing that he has no proof that Penguin murdered those men, Bullock threatens to find something he can charge Cobblepot with. Before he finishes his thought, a GCPD officer alerts Bullock to something going on outside. Gotham City is lit up in green.
Every screen across Gotham has been hijacked by the Riddler, who is broadcasting his latest game for Batman to play. It’s a massive crossword puzzle, and Gotham City is the board. Major roads and streets across Gotham have been blocked until Batman can answer the appropriate crossword question correctly. If he answers wrong, Riddler detonates a bomb.
Batman, who is bruised and beaten from his bout with Deathstroke last issue, signals Lucius Fox to trace Riddler’s location. Riddler responds by cutting off all communication channels, leaving Batman to fend for himself.
Beneath Gotham City, Harley Quinn and Catwoman make their way through the sewers. As they near the secret entrance Catwoman is looking for, they’re descended upon by more of the Designer’s zombified GCPD officers.
Above ground, Batman and Deathstroke team up to battle more of the Designer’s zombified police force. They head down into the subway system, against Riddler’s protests. Batman answers Riddler’s crossword puzzle questions while they wait for a train to arrive. A Bat-train arrives, and Deathstroke and Batman board it to head off to parts unknown.
Riddler curses Batman, but Batman tells him that this wasn’t prohibited in the rules. He can still play Nygma’s game.
Outside the secret entrance in Gotham City’s sewer system, Catwoman tells a hologram of the Underbroker to let her into his facility amidst an onslaught of Designer goons. She reminds the Underbroker that she’s a member in good standing and that Harley is a guest of hers who should be welcome as well. The Underbroker lets them in. However, he informs them that there may be a conflict of interest.
Inside, the facility has been overtaken by Joker’s goons. A figure emerges from behind the henchman, and this is our first true introduction to Punchline, Joker’s newest “partner.”
It turns out that Punchline is here to rob the same bank that Catwoman and Harley are after. Harley and Punchline banter before a fight breaks out. In the maelstrom, the Underbroker flees. Catwoman pursues him. Catching him with her whip, she leans in close to the Underbroker and threatens him until he agrees to do as she asks.
Back over the airways, Riddler is screaming that Batman is cheating somehow. Batman appears behind him, and when Riddler asks how Batman knew where he was broadcasting from, Bruce only says that he recognizes the room. Batman then puts both Riddler and Deathstroke to sleep, before turning his attention to the other person in Wayne Manor.
“Hello, Bruce,” the Designer says, seated comfortably in a chair. “Please come in. We should talk a little while before I kill you....”
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Batman 97 Modern
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9.8
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My latest purchase is from “accent_sound” on eBay 11-22-2020.
I have 2 other copies that were given to me by friends.
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Synopsis: At Tricorner Yards, Joker’s thugs are loading up a shipment of chemicals. Punchline orders the thugs to deliver the cargo to Ace Chemicals because Joker wants a batch of the new toxin cooking by the end of the day. One of the thugs pushes back, asking for more security. When he finds out that his team of masked goons are the security and that no more are coming, he tells Punchline about the murderous vigilante stalking the Narrows known as Clownhunter. Punchline tells the goon to circumvent the Narrows if need be, but that the henchmen should be more afraid of the Joker than of some vigilante.
At the Monarch Theater, Batman fights Joker’s army of reanimated corpses. While Batman fights for his life, Joker tells Batman that killing the Caped Crusader is too easy. Rather, Joker wants the citizens of Gotham to attend a screening of The Mark of Zorro and relive the childhood trauma that created Batman. As Joker laughs at the thought of recreating that experience, then killing the citizens of Gotham afterward, the toxin Punchline injected Batman with kicks in. The corpses all morph into versions of the Joker, and the tide of the battle shifts. Batman is losing. He uses a well-aimed batarang to create an explosion and pave the way for an escape.
As everything burns, Batman tears off a piece of his cape and blindfolds himself. He can’t trust his eyes, so he needs to trust his other senses and fight his way to the center of the battlefield. Once there, Batman activates a portable EMP, which takes down all of Joker’s reanimated corpses. Exhausted, Batman leaves the destroyed theater. Flashbacks of his parents’ murder come to the forefront of his mind before he passes out. Harley Quinn arrives just in time (again) to save Batman.
At a rooftop pool, Joker enjoys the high life with a glass of champagne. He’s wearing a purple royal mantle commonly worn by monarchs with nothing but gold chains and swim trunks underneath. Joker tells Punchline that prior to this, he was nothing but a “dirty, little street clown.” Now, however, this rich lifestyle is growing on him, so he’s going to savor this moment.
Punchline tells Joker that she’s not sure what there is to savor, relaying to Mr. J what the henchmen told her about Clownhunter. Joker delights at this news, noting that in the past, any new vigilantes would always follow Batman’s rules. This new vigilante kills, and because of this, it’s a cause for celebration as Batman’s rulebook has been tossed out. Joker then orders Punchline to send some heavy hitters to crucify Clownhunter. He also gives Punchline the okay to kill Harley once and for all.
Beneath Gotham, in a cave of bizarre flowers, Harley awakens Batman with a hand puppet. She has taken Batman to Eden, a hideout Poison Ivy made long ago for lying low. Harley hands Batman a cup of tea from one of Ivy’s plants, telling him that it’ll negate the effects of Punchline’s drug.
Batman drinks the tea, and then everything goes haywire. Harley tells him that his visions mean that the tea is working. In time, the toxins will be flushed from his system, but until then, Batman will “trip balls” first. As Batman descends into madness, Alfred appears before him.
“I think it’s time we had a serious talk,” Alfred says....
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Batman 55 Modern
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9.8
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Brought on eBay from "themonstershoppe" on 11-24-2020
The comic has a "double-cover." The outside cover is rated 9.8 by CGC. The interior cover is rated a 9.8 by CGC as well.
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Overview: Batman and Nightwing face the deadly KGBeast atop the roofs of Gotham.
Synopsis (spoilers ahead): A one-armed man calling himself Zimmerman enters Gotham from overseas, claiming to be there on business.
Batman and Nightwing patrol at night, with Nightwing asking Batman if he’s ready for fun – to a decidedly negative response.
Zimmerman checks into a hotel, as the Dynamic Duo fight mummies on the streets. Dick continues to try to get Bruce to make some jokes, to no avail.
At a shady gun shop, Zimmerman purchases a special rifle, while Batman and Nightwing capture the source of the mummies, Phantom Pharaoh.
The next day, Zimmerman leaves a note at a busy hot dog cafe. At night, Nightwing ponders the dual meaning of chum; a friend or smelly fish used as bait. Batman continues to provide little response to Dick’s humor.
At three in the morning, Zimmerman bluffs his way into an apartment building, as Nightwing proposes a contest – perhaps a training exercise, to get the ultra-serious Batman to agree – to jump from the tower, with the last to fire his grappling rope winning. As they fall, Nightwing sings the flying trapeze song.
Zimmerman strangles the occupant of his desired room.
Batman fires his grapple first, in response to the Bat-signal. Nightwing follows.
Calmly, as a dog barks and people fight, Zimmerman sets up his rifle.
Commissioner Gordon greets the Dynamic Duo atop the roof of the GCPD, telling them someone left a note saying “Who’s afraid of the Joker?” Tonight is the anniversary of the end of the War of Jokes and Riddles, Joker and Riddler are both in Arkham. Gordon mentions the one-armed man but has no real leads. As they discuss the case, Zimmerman shoots Dick in the head, then leaves the room, strangled body on the floor....
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Adventure Comics 160 Universal
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8.5
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Batman 50 Modern
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9.8
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Purchase from “tuner 36” on eBay 11-23-2020.
The simplicity of the cover drew me to it. I had to have it. It's beautiful.
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Synopsis (spoilers ahead): At Finger Tower, Batman suggests to Catwoman that they get married tonight, on this roof, with a judge and two witnesses. Catwoman agrees, and even Kite Man offers his trademark “Hell yeah.”
At Porky’s Bar (famous from the Batman/Elmer Fudd special and the Batman Annual #2), Batman picks up a judge, while Selina bribes a guard at Arkham to release Holly Robinson for a night. Bat and Cat find the twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum waiting for them separately, and do battle.
At Wayne Manor, Selina and Bruce get ready for their rooftop elopement, with Holly and Alfred serving as attendants. The bride and groom see each other in the library and embrace. Holly mentions that she’s never seen Batman look happy, and muses that he’s always seemed to need his misery.
Alfred asks Bruce who his witness will be, and Bruce asks if Alfred himself could be the witness. Deeply moved, Alfred sits beside Bruce, then embraces him fiercely.
Driving away from the manor, Selina tells Holly she wrote Bruce a letter, then asks if she is a hero, to which Holly responds, “Don’t you have to be?”
Driving separately, Bruce tells Alfred he wrote Selina a letter, and asks if he can be happy, to which Alfred responds, “Don’t you have to be?”
On the roof at Kane Plaza, Selina sits in her wedding dress, dejected. She stands, throws away her veil, and jumps.
At Finger Tower, Bruce looks at the empty horizon. Alfred asks if they should wait. Bruce says no, then jumps.
In the basement of Arkham Asylum, Holly descends. She tells an unseen person that Catwoman brought her back, locked her up, and that she was devastated. The person responds: “Do not worry. I know. He is what I have made him. The Bat is broken.”
We see Bane, sitting on a throne of skulls, Holly kneeling before him, and surrounded by the Riddler, Joker, Psycho Pirate, Gotham Girl, Skeets, the Ventriloquist, Flashpoint Batman, and Hugo Strange….
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Batman 99 Modern
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9.8
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Purchase from “judaszac” on eBay 11-22-2020.
Surprised how low this went for in the bidding - mind you, I'm not complaining.
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Synopsis: In a parking garage in Gotham Midtown, the Joker carries a bag to his newly upgraded Joker limo. The Joker hops in, orders the driver to take him to Ace Chemical, and the two chat. When Joker finds out that his driver, Abe, has lived in Gotham all of his life, Joker muses that seeing the city like this must be nice. Mr. J then proselytizes about how the city is waking up, how Gotham is freeing itself from the childish fantasy of Batman that has shackled it for years.
When Joker arrives at Ace Chemicals, Punchline calls to inform her boss that both Batman and Harley Quinn are loose. While Joker walks through Ace Chemicals killing every single one of his henchmen, he tells Punchline that this only means that they’re ready for the final act. Mr. J then gives the order to fill up the theaters, as well as put a bounty out decreeing that he’ll pay $1,000 a head for every dead body brought to him.
Meanwhile, Batman meets with Red Hood, Dick Grayson, Signal, Orphan, Batgirl, Spoiler, Red Robin, and Harley Quinn on a rooftop. He apologizes for having pushed the family away for so long, and he asks that they all work together to take back Gotham City from the Joker. The team disperses, with Batgirl heading to the Clock Tower to coordinate efforts from there. Before Dick Grayson leaves, Batman tells Dick that he’s grateful to see him again. Bruce then offers Dick his old Nightwing uniform, as Dick wasn’t wearing it.
Outside the office of Graves, Willock, and Crain, the legitimate front for The Underbroker, Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin prepare to pull a heist that will steal back Joker’s fortune.
Batman arrives at Ace Chemicals. As he’s walking into the chemical plant, Harley grazes him with a bullet. The two exchange words, with Harley telling Batman that she means it when she says she’s going to put down the Joker for good. After their words, Batman leaves a sobbing Harley behind, heading into Ace Chemicals alone.
Inside the plant, Joker surprises Batman with the reanimated corpse of Alfred. Before Batman can react, Joker gets the jump on Batman. Dressed in a Jokerized Batman suit himself, Mr. J taunts his foe.
“See, Bruce. I promised,” Joker says. “You’re not ready for this at all....”
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Batman 94 Modern
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9.8
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Bought from "InfinityFlux" on eBay 11-21-2020.
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Synopsis (spoilers ahead): Years ago, Bruce Wayne sits outside of a cafe sketching Gotham City. Through narration, we learn that while Alfred thinks these sketches are designs for a better Gotham, they’re actually nightmares Bruce has been drawing. With each incarnation, the skyscrapers grow larger and more frightening. These “dark designs” are a reflection of the monster Bruce needs to become in order to fight the evils in Gotham City.
An old man in a coat and hat trudges down the street, and Bruce gives chase. Bruce follows the man into his home, citing that he followed the man’s clues. The old man, Cassander Wycliffe Baker, brushes Mr. Wayne off. Cassander wants nothing to do with Bruce, citing that though he was once the world’s greatest detective, he disappeared because he was humiliated and outmatched by an arch-enemy. That arch-enemy was the Designer.
Bruce pleads with Cassander to train him. Cassander leads Bruce to a room of his own with walls covered in “dark design” drawings of Gotham City. He then informs Bruce that he’ll teach Bruce the most important lesson of all — how to lose.
In the present, Lucius Fox arrives to help a badly injured Batman. Lucius puts a compression band on Batman’s leg and tells him that he must go to a hospital. Batman stands up and says that the Joker stole the Wayne fortune. Lucius then points to a television broadcast, where lawyers have already begun seizing Wayne assets.
Lucius then tells Bruce that in order to protect Bruce’s company, Lucius needs to step down from helping Batman and focus completely on being a CEO. Once again, Lucius presses Batman to go to a hospital, citing that he would be cared for under a pseudonym. Lucius’ daughter would make certain that both Batman and Catwoman would get the treatment that they needed.
Batman demands to speak with Catwoman. At first, Lucius pushes against the idea but ultimately relents. Batman apologizes to a barely conscious Selina Kyle over the phone, telling her that this is all his fault. He tried to be someone he’s not, and in the process, he pushed everyone away. Batman confesses that Joker saw the cracks in this “design” and exploited them. Bruce tells Selina that he understands if she needs to leave, but he wishes she would stay.
Batman ends the call and tells Lucius to contact Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Against Lucius’ pleas, Batman sets off to collect Catwoman.
At a private airfield away from Gotham City, the assassins load up onto their own private jet. Cheshire walks over to Deathstroke. He’s standing a few yards away, watching Gotham in the distance. She asks him what he’s doing, and he tells her that he’s taking one last look. “I don’t think any of us will be seeing this city again,” Deathstroke says.
At the hospital, Batman finds an empty, bloodied bed where Catwoman was moments before. Just then, Joker’s goons enter, noting that it was smart of Batman to get Catwoman away from them before they could collect her. One of the goons video chats Joker, who taunts Batman with everything the Clown Prince of Crime has taken away. Joker reveals that Punchline kidnapped Lucius Fox and that he has even more in store than just taking all of Batman’s stuff.
“I have a design for Gotham City. My own rebuild,” Joker says. “It starts right now. And you get to pay for it.” As Joker’s goons open fire on Batman, he leaps out of the hospital window.
Somewhere secret, Catwoman awakens in a luxurious bed. She’s been stripped down to her undergarments and covered with a silk blanket. Catwoman cries out for Batman, but Penguin informs her that he’s the wrong winged creature.
Oswald Cobblepot tells Selina that she was lifted from the hospital when the Joker’s goons started sweeping the floors. He then asks her about the Designer, and Selina tells Oswald that the Designer is dead and this is all Joker’s doing.
With that bit of information, Oswald grants Selina entry into his private lounge — The Cool Room. It’s a private lounge where villains can hide when things get too heated in Gotham. The Cool Room has its own doctor, so Selina’s wounds will be tended to. For now, The Cool Room is on lockdown, so no one is allowed out.
Somewhere in Gotham, Batman climbs atop a skyscraper. He’s deep in thought, reflecting on the dark designs he often sketched and how Alfred always envisioned him building a better Gotham. As he climbs, he asks Alfred for a signal. A giant red bat symbol lights up behind him as Batman promises to become a better Bat....
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Batman 19 Modern
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9.8
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Bought on eBay from “reptilekingdiesoon” on 11-19-2020.
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Batman #19 is the start of a short 2-part story that features Clayface. Basil Karlo is downright nasty. More importantly, Basil Karlo is more than a mudman!
The book start off with Clayface choosing to rob a bank as Bruce Wayne....
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Batman 98 Modern
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9.8
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Bought from "jmdretail1813" on eBay 11-17-2020.
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Synopsis (spoilers ahead): At Penguin’s exclusive hideout known as “The Cool Room” (remember that from Batman #94?), Scarecrow and Riddler play a game of chess. During the game, Scarecrow keeps telling Riddler that Riddler is afraid and picturing himself in a game against Batman. When Riddler counters, Scarecrow doubles down on his psychological assessment. Riddler responds by tossing the board over and leaping for Scarecrow’s throat.
Oswald Cobblepot watches from afar, musing that he wishes he would have put money on how quickly Riddler would overturn the board. Catwoman joins Cobblepot. Oswald tells her that Riddler helped set up a bingo board where villains can place bets on where Joker’s henchmen will set fires next in Gotham. Catwoman’s mind is elsewhere, and she lets Oswald know that this is all her fault. Oswald agrees.
“You gave him [the Joker] the money to win his war,” Oswald says. Penguin then tells Selina Kyle that Batman appears to have been taken off the board.
In the Batcave, Batman forges a batarang and shows it off to Alfred. Alfred notes that Batman is going to need more compartments in his utility belt.
“Every compartment and canister can save a life. At least one life,” Bruce Wayne says as Alfred holds up a utility belt. “And it’s just the beginning.”
Alfred informs Bruce that part of him is looking for this kind of idealism and optimism again, that Batman wants to be this best version of himself once more. When Bruce says that he doesn’t understand, Alfred reminds Bruce that he has the keenest mind of any man.
That’s when Batman realizes that this is a dream induced by the tea that Harley Quinn gave him last issue.
“Now, if we’re going to have some tea, let’s do it properly,” Alfred says, escorting Bruce up the stairs toward Wayne Manor.
In Poison Ivy’s hidden garden, Harley Quinn stands guard over an unconscious Batman. She calls out for Ivy to show up and help, but another voice answers. It’s Punchline.
In Bruce’s mind, Alfred pours Master Bruce a cup of Darjeeling tea. It’s the kind of tea Alfred used to pour Bruce on the direst and most difficult of cases. Bruce notes that he tried making it after Alfred passed away, but he couldn’t get the taste right. The two talk about how war-torn and horrible Gotham City is under the Joker’s clutches. Alfred reaffirms that to the Joker, there are only two people in the world: Batman and Joker. To Batman, Alfred implies, each life is as important as the next.
Meanwhile, Harley carries Batman on her back as Punchline incinerates the garden behind the two of them. Harley gets Batman to safety and then fights back. As the two clash, Punchline mocks Harley’s origin, calling her a means to an end for Joker to escape Arkham Asylum.
When Harley asks Punchline who she thinks she is, Punchline responds with her own origin about believing in the Joker and proving to him that she sees the world as he does.
“I thought Mr. J had a heart. You think he has a brain,” Harley says. “But he’s not doing this for any of the reasons you think he is. He doesn’t believe in anything. He’s a manipulator. He’s manipulating you.”
Harley pummels Punchline on the ground, telling her that Joker only cares about Batman. Punchline punches herself free and flees from Harley, resolved to prove Harley wrong by killing Batman once and for all.
At Wayne Manor, Alfred sits Batman down and tells him that his original dream of saving every person was a child’s dream and that in the process of Bruce trying to save his parents and Alfred, Bruce has inadvertently pushed away those closest to him. When Batman admits that he’s failed, Alfred slaps him and screams at him to accept the world he lives in and accept what he can control instead of what he can’t. As far as Alfred is concerned, every life Batman can save is a victory against death.
“Find your family. Find your love. Take back your city,” Alfred says. “Let go of the weight. Let go of the guilt. Let go of me, and do what you must do.”
Batman wakes up just in time to confront Punchline. Punchline is taken aback, confused that Batman has awoken and purged himself of her toxin. Batman takes down Punchline, then sends out a call to the rest of the family.
At “The Cool Room,” Selina enlists Penguin and Riddler to join her as she heads back out to Gotham City. They refuse at first until Catwoman promises to make them billionaires....
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