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"Threat of the Two-Headed Coin!": Two-Face is sprung from Arkham Asylum by a renegade general who plans to hold Washington, D.C. for ransom with an atomic bomb. However, tension grows between Two-Face and the general, leading the latter to reveal some of their

Quote1 Our meetings are like a familiar drama, I've grown used to them over the years, but not so used to them that I don't wish to rewrite the climax! Quote2
Two-Face

Batman #258 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1974.

Synopsis for "Threat of the Two-Headed Coin!"

Two-Face is sprung from Arkham Asylum by a renegade general who plans to hold Washington, D.C. for ransom with an atomic bomb. However, tension grows between Two-Face and the general, leading the latter to reveal some of their plans to the police. The general commits suicide after giving the information and this helps Batman and Robin find Two-Face and his goons. However, they both fall for Two-Face's trap and they are easily captured.

Two-Face removes the heroes' utility belts and he heads towards Washington with the bomb. Two-Face places the bomb on the Capitol Building, where he demands a large amount of money to stop him from activating the bomb until midnight. In the meantime, Batman and Robin break free, but Robin has to return to Hudson University, leaving Batman alone to confront Two-Face. Batman arrives to the Capitol with only a few minutes until midnight and he tells Two-Face to toss his coin in order to decide whether to detonate the bomb or not. When the clean side of the coin comes up, Two-Face is forced to stop his plan, but when he realizes that Batman had tricked him by switching his coin with a normal one, Two-Face tries to detonate the bomb. Batman and Two-Face struggle for a while until Two-Face is stopped for good.

Appearing in "Threat of the Two-Headed Coin!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Two-Face
  • Hotsy Totter (Single appearance)
  • General John Harris (Single appearance; dies)
  • Samuel Smith-Smythe (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • The Joker (Cameo)
  • Harry Higby (Single appearance)

Locations:

Items:


Synopsis for "The Three Racketeers!"

This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #61.

Three thugs are talking about how successful their crimes were before Batman intervened.

The first man tells his story about how he tricked the police by hacking into their radio frequency and sending them to places far away from where he and his gang would commit their crimes. However, Batman and Robin discovered his secret plan and after a quick chase, the mastermind was stopped.

The second man tells his story about how he created a serum that caused people to lose their energy and become lazy. He used this drug to put an important businessman to sleep and demanded great amounts of money for the antidote. What the man didn't knew was that Bruce Wayne was one of the businessman's colleagues. The scientist was located by Batman, but he managed to inject some of the serum in the hero, leaving him exhausted for fighting. However, Batman used his radio on the sole of his boot to contact Robin and tell him about the criminal. Robin tracked down the criminal to his hideout and after giving Batman the antidote, the duo stopped the mad man's racket.

The third man tells his story about how he and his gang stole some tanks from the armory and created chaos in the city until they were located by Batman and Robin, who searched for them in the Batplane. Batman and Robin forced the thugs to leave the tanks by burning the vehicles, but the feat cost them the Batplane. Despite this, Batman and Robin were able to follow he gang to their hideout and using some tear gas, they captured the gang and arrested the leader.

Once they have finished telling their stories, a guard approached the three men and tells them that they have been assigned cells for each one of them at the Gotham State Penitentiary. While the criminals go to their cells, the guard is wondering how smart the Batman has to be in order to capture such smart folks.

Appearing in "The Three Racketeers!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Cal Clate (Single appearance)
  • Professor Post (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Mr. Charters (Single appearance)

Locations:

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "7 Wonder Crimes of Gotham City!"

This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #368.

The ice hockey game between the Gotham City Giants and the Quebec Royals is the scene of a spectacular robbery, when the hockey puck in play suddenly shatters filling the arena with sleeping gas and all the patrons are robbed. When Batman and Robin are called in, they find a giant inflatable balloon in the form of Gotham City symbol Father Knicker-Bocker, they note that the number 7 is painted on the back of the balloon.

The next night Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson attend the architectural fair where there is a special display on called "Gotham City: Yesterday, Today -- and Tomorrow!" featuring the history of homes in Gotham City, and a glimpse at homes of the future. Bruce surprises Dick when they see that the house of the future is modeled after Wayne Manor on the outside, but has a futuristic setup inside. Testing the lighting, Bruce and Dick are suddenly blinded by the lights. Deciding to investigate, they change into Batman and Robin and put on goggles made for snow blindness. Exploring around the exhibit, they find a group of crooks stealing the paintings on display, original Modiglians purchased by Bruce's father and on loan to the exhibit. While Batman and Robin manage to round up the crooks, they learn from the police later that they were but one group of crooks robbing the exhibit. The mastermind behind these spectacular crimes puzzles Batman and the captured crooks refuse to talk.

While driving through Gotham City, Batman and Robin notice that the city has a complete blackout followed by a giant inflatable statue of Batman being erected over the city. When the Dynamic Duo comes across a gang of crooks, they shoot out the headlights on the Batmobile to operate in complete darkness. Putting in infra-red lenses Batman and Robin notice that the giant balloon is emitting infra-red rays so that the crooks can commit their robberies in pitch black and still see tanks to special infra-red goggles. They once more easily round up the crooks and turn them over to the police.

Returning to the Batcave, Batman and Robin go over the clues and realize that the criminals are creating a bizarre series of crimes inspired by the seven wonders of the world. The properly deduce that the next crime is an attempt to steal the Juggernaut diamond on display at the Jewelry Temple of Artemis. There they manage to prevent them from robbing people and stealing the jewel with a device that roots peoples feet to the floor. Batman and Robin smash the operation, and capture the gangs mastermind, a simple crook who vows to continue trying to commit his "Seven Wonder Crimes of the Modern World" once he's out of prison.

Returning to the Batcave, Batman and Robin relate the story to Alfred, he quips that these Seven Crime Wonders will never gain any notoriety so long as Batman and Robin, the greatest crime fighters in the world are around to stop them.

Appearing in "7 Wonder Crimes of Gotham City!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • The Mastermind (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "Twenty-Ton Robbery!"

This story is reprinted from Batman #26.

The Cavalier returns to Gotham City after Batman discovered his identity on their last encounter. However, Drake has decided to use makeup to cover his real identity and he gathers a large gang to commit his crimes. This time he plans to steal a living whale, but he is ultimately defeated by Batman and Robin and finally arrested.

Appearing in "Twenty-Ton Robbery!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

  • Jeff (Single appearance)
  • Mike (Single appearance)

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "The Guardian of 100 Cities!"

This story is reprinted from Batman #95.

Batman and Robin look for some criminals who are hiding in a Hollywood studio lot. The lot's only inhabitant, a washed up actor turned night watchman, tries everything to stop them from capturing the crooks and ruining the setpieces stored on the lot. But after he is saved by Batman, he decides to help the Dynamic Duo capture the criminals.

Appearing in "The Guardian of 100 Cities!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Roger Stanton (Single appearance)

Antagonists:

  • Shag Darnell (Single appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for "The Man with a Thousand Eyes!"

This story is reprinted from World's Finest #43.

An international spy tries to help a mobster break out of jail, but Batman and Robin thwart his plans by breaking up his spy ring.

Appearing in "The Man with a Thousand Eyes!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Count Florian (an international spy)
  • Al Pakone

Other Characters:

  • Harlan Bates
  • Sergeant Laney
  • Cats

Locations:

Items:

Notes

  • This issue marks the introduction of Arkham Asylum, though it is referred to as "Arkham Hospital" in this issue.
  • The table of contents was illustrated by Pat Broderick.



See Also

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