Detective Comics #498 Newsstand Edition

NIGHT OF SAVAGE

After his last encounter with Batman, Blockbuster is washed up by the tide near Bleak Rock, West Virginia, where he is taken in by local miners trying to break a tyrannical union president's hold.  At first, Batman tried to locate Blockbuster in the river, but the man was pressumed dead when nothing was found. Months later, Batman becomes aware of a new method of crime used by thugs, where a strong and big person would break into places using violence and they would take the money and valuables. Batman assumes that Blockbuster is back in town, but when he stops the criminals, he realizes that the juggernaut causing the destruction is simply a former circus strongman turned into crime. However, after he stops the criminal, he sees Blockbuster in a news photo and goes to West Virginia, where he is captured by Boss Dooley and tossed at the hands of the apparently harmless Blockbuster, who still holds a grudge against Batman.

THE TIGHTENING WEB

Barbara Gordon is taken to prison after she has been found guilty of the murder of Congressman Scanlon. Barbara's current boyfriend, Jim Dovers finds a way to take Barbara out on parole under the supervision of her father, Police Commissioner James Gordon.  When Barbara finds herself at her father's home, she decides to go out as Batgirl to find the people resposible for framing her in order to avoid going to trial. Batgirl finds that her personal assistant at the R&D Center is partially responsible for the whole scheme, as she had placed the bottle of pills on her desk and also used her signature on some incriminating documents. When Batgirl confronts the woman, she explains that she was being blackmailed by some people who would hurt her brother in prison. At that moment, the thugs arrive to eliminate the woman, but Batgirl intervenes and tries to stop them. Unfortunately, the thugs outnumber Batgirl and she is knocked unconscious. To make matters worse, at that exact moment, the judge in charge of Barbara's case wants to have a meeting with Barbara in a couple of hours.