"Cataclysm, Part Five: The First and the Last"

Part of the Batman: Cataclysm event

Detective Comics Vol 1 #720
April, 1998

Executive Editor

Mike Carlin

Cover Artists

Graham Nolan

Writers

Chuck Dixon

Pencilers

Graham Nolan

Inkers

Klaus Janson

Colourists

Gloria Vasquez, Android Images

Letterers

John Costanza

Editors

Scott Peterson, Darren Vincenzo

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Detective Comics #719

Detective Comics #721

Appearing in "Cataclysm, Part Five: The First and the Last"

Featured Characters:

•  Batman 

Supporting Characters:

• Alfred Pennyworth
• Harold Allnut
• Huntress
• Renee Montoya

Villains:

• Gotham Organized Crime

Other Characters:

• Jason (Single appearance)

Locations:

• Gotham City

• Davenport Center (Destroyed in this issue)
• Gotham Electric Building
• Gotham Harbor
• Grand Avenue

Items:

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "Cataclysm, Part Five: The First and the Last"

There's a massive earthquake that's hit Gotham City and it's completely destroying everything.^[1] It's hit midtown, and has completely devastated the cultural arts center... sending tall buildings toppling down into each other, killing hundreds of people instantly. There are fires all over the place from exploded gas mains. It's complete chaos.

Huntress is riding the subway when they feel the tremors, and their train is derailed. There's a psychotic criminal on board who believes this is an elaborate attempt to take him down for a robbery he recently committed, and he takes control of the group after shooting Huntress in the arm and one man who stands up to him in the chest. They begin traveling back through the subway tunnels. Huntress escapes, then waits until her time is right and strikes against the man before he can do anymore damage. There's an aftershock, and the killer is trapped underneath rubble. Despite the fact that he had been trying to kill her seconds ago, the man insists that she save him. Ironically he's shot the two people who would be capable of saving his life. Huntress refuses to help him, and leaves him to die alone in the wreckage.

Renee Montoya stops some looters. She is extra pissed because this was her first day off in six months.

Batman is trying to get back to Gotham City after the destruction of the Batcave and Wayne Manor. He is forced to use his scuba gear and swim downstream through subterranean tunnels until he can make it back to the city... it is a long and difficult trip with barely enough air, and he is almost dashed to bits by the current many times. He realizes that with the cave and his manor destroyed, he's going to have no choice but to finally call in construction workers and his identity will be compromised. Reaching the surface in Gotham Harbor he looks up to see his city in rubble and flames... and screams a big no.

Notes

• This issue is included in the Batman: Cataclysm collected edition.
• This Batman: Cataclysm crossover takes place between Azrael #40 and Catwoman #56.

Trivia

• No trivia.

See Also

• Write your own review of this comic!
• Discuss Detective Comics Vol 1 720 on the forums
• Cover gallery for the Detective Comics series

Recommended Reading

• Batman Recommended Reading

• Batman (Volume 1)
• Batman (Volume 2)
• Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
• Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
• Batman Confidential
• Batman: Gotham Knights
• Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight
• Batman: Shadow of the Bat
• Batman: Streets of Gotham
• Batman Incorporated
• Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
• Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 2)
• Detective Comics (Volume 1)
• Detective Comics (Volume 2)
• Superman/Batman
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Volume )

Links and References

• Batman at Wikipedia.org
• Batman at DC Comics
• Batman at DCU Guide
• Batman at IGN Comics
• Batman at Newsarama
• Batman at Dark Knight
• Batman at DC Indexes
• Batman at Comic Book Resources
• Batman Yesterday Today and Beyond
• Batman at TV Tropes

Batman: Cataclysm Crossover This issue is a part of the Cataclysm crossover that swept through all Batman Family Titles during 1998. Gotham City was almost completely destroyed by a massive earthquake. This story led into the events that would eventually create No Man's Land. Cataclysm Detective Comics #719 • Shadow of the Bat #73 • Nightwing #19 • Batman #553 • Azrael #40 • Detective Comics #720 • Catwoman #56 • Robin #52 • Blackgate: Isle of Men #1 • Shadow of the Bat #74 • Batman Chronicles #12 • Nightwing #20 • Batman #554 • Huntress/Spoiler #1 • Detective Comics #721 • Catwoman #57 • Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness #1 • Robin #53 Aftershock Batman #555 • Batman #556 • Batman #557 • Batman #558 • Batman #559 • Detective Comics #722 • Detective Comics #724 • Detective Comics #725 • Detective Comics #726 • Robin #54 • Shadow of the Bat #75 • Shadow of the Bat #76 • Shadow of the Bat #77 • Shadow of the Bat #78 • Shadow of the Bat #79 • Batman Chronicles #14