DC Database
Register
Advertisement

"Badd Girls": A couple of armed girls have taken over the Gotham Courthouse and are holding against the GCPD. The police have the building surrounded and every possible exit covered. The girls are recognized as Echo and Query; known a

Quote1 I never saw you as a competition, Cluemaster. Strictly bush league. Puzzles were just a cheap gimmick for you. But they're my life. You play at conundrums. To me they're art. But I'm about to make you part of my master crime. Oh yeah. Quote2
The Riddler

Detective Comics #705 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 1997.

Synopsis for "Badd Girls"

A couple of armed girls have taken over the Gotham Courthouse and are holding against the GCPD. The police have the building surrounded and every possible exit covered. The girls are recognized as Echo and Query; known associates of The Riddler. Commissioner Gordon has the Tactical Team ready to strike and Batman discusses the situation with the Commissioner in a nearby building.

Batman learns about the girls' relations with the Riddler and Sarah Gordon tells him about The Riddler's injury and that he is staying at the Mercy General Hospital. Batman knows then that the Courthouse is a distraction and he goes to the Hospital. Robin stays to help the police against the girls.

Query and Echo entered the Courthouse and take Arthur Brown, a.k.a. Cluemaster, with them. They take the man to the roof of the building and start to gear up with a parachute each. Robin approaches them to get a better look at what they are planning. Robin tells Commissioner Gordon by radio that the man that the girls are carrying isn't a hostage but instead is the Cluemaster. In that moment, Gordon tells the Tactical Squad to act immediately. Robin then sees that the girls are leaving something at the base of the radio tower. When the girls start to climb the tower with the Cluemaster, Robin realizes that they were leaving explosives at the base of the tower. He tries to warn Gordon but the Tactical Squad already arrive at the rooftop. Robin launches himself into the Tactical Squad to prevent them from the blast of the explosion. When the bomb goes off, the tower falls into the rooftop of a nearby building. With their chutes on, the girls land softly and Brown lands barely on his feet. Having fooled the police, Query and Echo escape from the area along with Arthur Brown.

At Mercy General Hospital, Nigma is recovering from his wrist injury. A nurse tells the guard that Nigma won't cause any trouble as he is sedated and chained to the bed and the guard leaves the room for a while. Riddler seizes the opportunity to take a lockpick from his plaster splint. He frees himself and when the guard comes back, he knocks him out. Riddler takes the guard's weapon and threatens the nurse and a doctor on his way out. He takes the nurse's car to escape from the hospital. Batman arrives at the last minute and tries to stop The Riddler from escaping but it is impossible. Nigma is once again free.

The next night, the GCPD receive a letter from Riddler with a riddle in it. Batman and Robin solve the riddle and deduce that the Riddler is pointing them to a certain address. They arrive at the place to find Cluemaster wearing a vest full of explosives and a remote detonator. Cluemaster tells them that Riddler has the detonator and then The Riddler uses a speaker in the vest to communicate from his lair. The Riddler threatens to activate the bomb if Batman and the others don't do what he says.

Appearing in "Badd Girls"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

Notes

  • This is the first part of the three part storyline featuring The Riddler and Cluemaster. This story continues in Detective Comics #706.

Trivia

  • The issue's title is a pun as it writes Bad with double D and it refers to Query and Echo, and the way their bodies are drawn.
  • The Riddler had his wrist broken on purpose. This happened in Detective Comics #703.


See Also


Links and References

Advertisement