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"Batman: "The Perfect Fighting Machine"": Ivan Angst, leader of the hired gang called Mercenaries, Inc. seeks revenge against Batman, who is responsible for capturing most members of the criminal organization. Meanwhile, Batman is forced to take a break from his crime

Detective Comics #480 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1978.

Synopsis for Batman: "The Perfect Fighting Machine"

Ivan Angst, leader of the hired gang called Mercenaries, Inc. seeks revenge against Batman, who is responsible for capturing most members of the criminal organization. Meanwhile, Batman is forced to take a break from his crime-fighting as his health had begun to decline in the past few days.

While Bruce Wayne recovers, Ivan Angst has hired Dr. Moon and is using his scientific knowledge in order to experiment on an innocent mentally challenged young man. Angst chose him as his test subject because of his massive body and Dr. Moon augments his physical capabilities by experimenting on him. After the experimentation is complete, the test subject which is now dubbed Gork, becomes a perfect fighting machine, unable to feel pain and capable of fantastic strength feats.

Angst proceeds to make a public challenge against Batman and Bruce is forced to go into action, in order to prevent Angst from hurting innocent people. The confrontation takes place in an abandoned construction site in Gotham City, where Batman is taken by surprise when he is attacked by Gork. The brutish humanoid is able to resist every blow by Batman and the Caped Crusader starts using deadly hits, to no avail.

At the brink of losing the match and therefore his life, Batman is only saved when Gork's organism starts to process the pain inflicted and his body collapes. Angst and Moon, who were witnessing the fight, approach the scene to learn if Gork would survive. When they give up hope and prepare to leave, Gork grabs Angst and strangles him to death for his treason, while Moon escapes from the place. When Batman recovers some of his strength, he tries to stop Gork from killing Angst, but his efforts are futile and both the criminal and his monstrous creation end up dead.

Appearing in Batman: "The Perfect Fighting Machine"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Doctor Moon
  • Gork (Single appearance; dies)
  • Mercenaries, Inc (Single appearance)
    • Ivan Angst (Single appearance; dies)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:


Synopsis for Hawkman: "The Case of the Off Key Crimes"


Appearing in Hawkman: "The Case of the Off Key Crimes"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Pied Piper
  • Jewel Thieves (Single appearance)
    • Elmer (Single appearance)
    • Hector (Single appearance)
    • Philo (Single appearance)

Other Characters:


Locations:

Items:

  • Pied Piper's Flute

Vehicles:

  • None

Notes

  • "The Perfect Fighting Machine" is reprinted in Tales of the Batman: Don Newton Vol 1.
  • This is the last issue of Detective Comics to be fully edited by Julius Schwartz and his assistant editors E. Nelson Bridwell and Bob Rozakis. Starting with the next issue, Detective Comics was merged with the recently cancelled Batman Family title. For this reason, that issue's editorial credits are split between Schwartz and Al Milgrom, former editor of Batman Family. Schwartz had stocked four other stories for Detective Comics, which were subsequently published in upcoming issues of Detective, but he was no longer the editor of the title, as the role was passed to Paul Levitz. Because of his work with the stories, Schwartz was only credited as "contributing editor" on later issues.



See Also


Links and References

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