- Two years inside, Kadaver -- thinking, figuring... and it all came down to you! You set me up. You tipped the cops off about the hit. It couldn't have been anyone else! Why? Greed? Didn't want to share the payout? Or did you just want to see me die? Rottin' away slowly in the pen -- a living death -- you'd have loved that!
Detective Comics #589 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1988. It was published on May 3, 1988.
Synopsis for "Night People: Part Three - The Burning Pit"
Upon discovering California's murder, the rest of Cardboard City's inhabitants form an angry mob and threaten to kill Webley in revenge. Batman reluctantly protects Webley in exchange for Kadaver's current location, wagering that the Corrosive Man will be headed there. True to his predictions, the Corrosive Man invades and ransacks Webley's apartment, and finds the same address.
Meanwhile, Kadaver calls a meeting with Phil Hobart, the man who had contracted California's death.
After trapping Hobart over a pit of quicklime, Kadaver reveals that he had researched California's background, and discovered the vagrant was actually a fast-food tycoon who'd abandoned his wealth in search of enlightenment. Hobart, the tycoon's closest living relative, stands to reap millions in inheritance from his death - and Kadaver, who had only been paid twenty-five thousand for the murder, demands an equal share.
Faced with a slow, painful death, Hobart agrees to Kadaver's terms, but Kadaver's hideout is quickly invaded by both Batman and the Corrosive Man. The latter inflicts several brutal burns on Kadaver, but is stopped by Batman before he can land a killing blow. Batman then knocks the Corrosive Man into Kadaver's quicklime pit, creating a chemical reaction that completely neutralizes Mitchell's acidic body. With all three criminals helpless, Batman calls the police and leaves for home.
On the way back to Wayne Manor, Batman spots one final twist of fate: the cocaine smuggler Thomas Woolf is dead, struck by a car driven by a cocaine-addicted DJ.
Appearing in "Night People: Part Three - The Burning Pit"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Corrosive Man (Apparent Death)
- Mortimer Kadaver
- Webley (Final appearance)
- Phil Hobart (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Legs
- DJ Dark (Final appearance)
- Dalton "California" Walls (Dies)
- Babette (Final appearance)
- Harlan Woolf (Final appearance; dies)
- Gotham City Police Department
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Cardboard City
- WGCR Radio
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Bonus Book No. 5: For the Love of Ivy"
While on patrol, Batman comes across Dore Warren, a notorious TV personality, who has just crashed his vehicle against a post lamp on the streets and is suffering from some disease. Upon interrogating Warren, Batman learns that Poison Ivy is somehow responsible and when the man dies from the disease, Batman goes looking for Ivy.
Moments later, Batman finds Ivy at the Clinton District along with Simon Buckley, a criminal called "The Grip", as a result of an experiment that gave him mechanical hands. Batman interrogates Ivy and she reveals that Warren had willingly signed a legal form, giving Ivy all his wealth and fortune. However, Ivy didn't expect Warren to die and she explains she's got nothing to do with his death. Batman leaves, but he promises to keep a close eye on Ivy and Buckley's activities.
Ivy and Buckley get ready to attend an art exhibition organized in the name of the recently deceased millionaire, Ellison Ford, a death Ivy is also partially responsible for. Meanwhile, Batman goes to the prison where Ivy was held before her release on parole and learns from the doctor that Ivy is suffering a highly contagious disease, which will end with her death, as her poison immunity has turned against her.
With the information, Batman goes to the art exhibition, hoping to prevent Ivy from spreading her disease and save her as well. As Ivy continues her attempt to lure millionaires into her traps, Batman has to confront Buckley, who has fallen in love with Ivy. Batman explains the situation to Buckley and they agree to stop fighting in order to save Ivy. When the two of them attempt to tell Ivy the truth about her disease, she doesn't listen and attacks Buckley before making her way to the sewers. Batman gives chase and confronts Ivy in the sewers, where she uses a special bomb, which releases several vines that trap Batman. However, the vines die as soon as they touch the water that has also been in contact with Ivy, forcing her to realize the truth of her disease.
Ivy finally accepts Batman's help and she is hospitalized. As she is taken away in an ambulance, Batman inquires the doctor if Ivy would recover and the doctor tells him that the disease can be eradicated and Ivy would very much return to be the same as always; something that Batman doesn't count on.
Appearing in "Bonus Book No. 5: For the Love of Ivy"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Doctor O'Dell (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Poison Ivy
- Simon Buckley aka The Grip (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Dore Warren (Single appearance; dies)
- Doctor Moon (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Gotham Botanical Gardens
- Gotham's Clinton District
Items:
Notes
- "Night People: Part Three - The Burning Pit" is reprinted in Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle Vol. 1.
- Both stories are reprinted in Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 2.
- "Night People: Part Three - The Burning Pit" is continued from the previous issue.
- "For the Love of Ivy" is the fifth insert story part of the Bonus Books series, which ran through a number of titles from April 1988 to February 1989. These stories showcased various young artists and writers without an increase in the price of the comic book. The inserts also included a text page of short paragraphs with brief bios on the new talents.
Trivia
- This issue marks the debut of the new design of the Batmobile; which would soon become the best-known design in the late '80s and early '90s.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Batman Recommended Reading
- Batman (Volume 1)
- Batman (Volume 2)
- Batman (Volume 3)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 3)
- Batman Confidential (Volume 1)
- Batman: Gotham Knights (Volume 1)
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Volume 1)
- Batman: Streets of Gotham (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 2)
- The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 2)
- Superman/Batman (Volume 1)
- World's Finest (Volume 1)