Batman: Shadow of the Bat #74

CATACLYSM PART 9 - THE NAKED CITY

Batman finally reaches Gotham City after the fight at Blackgate Prison.[1] The destruction of his city in the earthquake wears down on him like nothing else ever has before. He's spent his entire life protecting Gotham only to see it wrecked beyond repair in an act of god... he's used to hunting thieves and fighting villains in his crusade for justice, but this is an enemy that he can't fight. It's like the cosmos are mocking him. For a moment, he stops to wonder what a single man can do in the face of such tragedy... but immediately springs into action, because if he had ever spent very much time wondering that, then he wouldn't be Batman. Batman runs around helping with the rescue efforts, dragging endangered survivors out of the rubble and saving as many lives as he possibly can. Realizing that he can't do all of this himself, he visits the greatest man around for organizing manpower... the Penguin. Instead of looting, the Penguin is going to use the considerable resources at his disposal to help in the relief efforts. There's nothing in it for him, but if he doesn't Batman is going to make the rest of his life a living hell. And given martial law, his men will probably be shot dead in the streets for looting anyway. The sooner things get back to normal, the better it will be for everybody. For once in their lives these criminals will help their fellow man.  Tim Drake has recently arrived in Bludhaven by plane, having come back from Europe. He needs to get back to the city so he can help out, but all roads in are blocked because of the crisis. He steals someone's motorcycle, and leaves behind a note saying that he'll repay them as soon as he can.  Seismologist Jolene Relazzo, the woman who predicted the quake, is trapped in her apartment. Two henchmen stop by and bust her door down, then they point a gun at her and kidnap her. Their boss believes that they will make a massive profit off of the cataclysm, and she is part of their plan.  Barbara Gordon and Commissioner Gordon are still coordinating rescue efforts from Gotham City Police Headquarters. More survivors come in, and they mention that there are plenty of people from their area who didn't make it... but the body count would've been a lot higher if it wasn't for Barbara organizing everything.  There is a news broadcast once the televisions are back online... put out to everyone in the city still capable of receiving it. A new villain named Quakemaster is taking credit for the earthquake, revealing that he created it... and he will unleash another one much worse than the first if his demands are not met. One hundred million dollars, or he will burn Gotham City to the ground.