The Batman Chronicles #8

THE PRISON

Talia al Ghul holds Batman's dead body in her arms as she thinks back to how she killed him.  Several days ago, Talia killed the last of the men who tried to leave her father's service, and Ra's al Ghul praised her for her loyalty and devotion. Talia shed a tear because all the man had wanted was to be free, and she knows she can never be free either because her father is too isolated and lonely to ever let her go.  Ra's al Ghul sent Talia to Gotham City to kill Bruce Wayne, the only other man she loved, to prove her devotion to him. She forged a letter from her father to Batman, asking him to save his kidnapped daughter. Bruce knew the letter was fake, but he came anyway.  Talia trapped Batman in the delousing chamber at the old Arkham Asylum and pumped the room full of poison gas while three of her father's assassins fought him to prevent him from reaching his gas mask. Talia checked inside the room to find Batman unconscious on the ground, and after finding him alive, Talia cannot manage to finish the job. As long as Bruce is alive, she can still hope for love and freedom.  Ra's al Ghul knows that Batman is still alive, but he is unwilling to let Talia go and be alone.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Commissioner Gordon asks Two-Face to help him find Boss Moroni, a murderer who is also the man who scarred Harvey Dent's face and made him Two-Face. Moroni was released from prison two weeks ago, and the chief witness in his trial has turned up dead while Moroni has disappeared. Harvey Dent had spent months investigating Moroni, learning all his habits, so if anyone can find him, it's Two-Face.  Gordon and Two-Face search Moroni's abandoned hideouts as Two-Face babbles about the old days, frustrating Gordon. They are on their way to the last site when Two-Face asks Gordon about his daughter, and Gordon grabs at him. He tells Two-Face that they're not friends, Harvey Dent was his friend.  They are two hours outside city limits when one of the police officers accompanying them lets his guard down, and Two-Face grabs his gun. He shoots the police officer and hits Gordon in the head with the butt of the gun.  Alone, Two-Face confronts Moroni in his safe house. He thanks Moroni for helping him to see the truth: All men are monsters hiding behind pretty faces. He'd like to return the favor with a hot poker, but before he can, Gordon bursts into the safe house with his gun drawn. Two-Face immediately surrenders, and Gordon wonders whether the coin landed on the good side or if there's still something left of Harvey Dent.

DINOSAUR ISLAND

When Murry Hart, the owner of Dinosaur Island, dies, Batman refuses to believe it was a suicide as the coroner determined. He discovers that Hart's partner Stephan Chase planned to turn Dinosaur Island into a big terror ride instead of keeping it fun and educational, and he killed Hart to get his way.  Batman fights off the animatronics at Dinosaur Island to reach Chase, but when he returns to the Batcave, he doubts that he is making a difference. Alfred suggests that he needs something to remind him of his victories, and as "Thaddeus Middleton, Esquire, eccentric collector of stuff," he buys the animatronic T-Rex from Dinosaur Island to place in the Batcave to remind Bruce of the difference he's made.