Batman Vol 1 589

From DC Database

"Close Before Striking: Act Two"

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Batman Vol 1 #589
May, 2001

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Batman #588

Batman #590

Some jerk was accusing me of being a squealer? I don't think so. Malones know when to keep their mouths shut, and I wasn't gonna stand for some chump disgracin' my family name. I'd forgotten who I was for too long. It was time for Matches Malone to come back from the dead.

-- Matches Malone

Appearing in "Close Before Striking: Act Two"

Featured Characters:

Batman (Bruce Wayne)

Supporting Characters:

Matches Malone (Final appearance; Dies)
Nightwing (Dick Grayson)

Villains:

The Ventriloquist (In flashback only)

Other Characters:

Oracle
Carver Malone (In flashback only)
The Joker (In flashback only) (Cameo)

Locations:

Gotham City

Items:

Scarface (In flashback only)

Vehicles:

The Batmobile

Synopsis for "Close Before Striking: Act Two"

Matches Malone is dead, and Batman is none too happy about this. It had generally been assumed that Malone was simply an assumed ID, but as Batman tells Nightwing, there really was a Malone many years ago, one of a pair of arsonist brothers. When his brother Carver died, possibly at his hands, Matches committed suicide and Batman took over his identity. However, Malone had faked his death and took on another life “back home in Hoboken”. When he heard about the possible stool pigeon with his name, he decided it was time to come back to Gotham, only to find himself in serious trouble with Scarface.

Notes

This story arc, "Close Before Striking," contains the following issues:

Batman #588
Batman #589
Batman #590

This issue is reprinted in the Batman: False Faces trade paperback.

Trivia

Although this marks Matches Malone's death Post-Crisis, he is also seen dying in Batman #242 (1972), his first appearance.

Links and References