We now return to Batman `89 after these commercial interruptions, the last issue was released on December 7th of last year!, the series was coming out with Superman `78 which finished on December 28th! Sam Hamm, the writer of Batman (1989), has realized the Billy Dee Williams’ Two Face, Barbara Gordon, and Drake Winston, who is the Robin of this movie continuity. Harvey Dent was campaigning for mayor, Selina Kyle, was checking on police files from Barbara Gordon. Tensions are high with the protest by the neighborhood of Burnside. Drake confronts Bruce Wayne. Harvey Bullock was investigating the subway tunnels and has the found the hideout of Two Face!
The cover by interior artist Joe Quinones has the Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman poised with her claws as she is almost out of an apartment lit purple with a “Hell Here” sign dropping the unlit O in the first word and the “T” at the beginning of the second word. Cats are on the window sill as the shadow the Batman falls over them! “Shadows Chapter Five” is by Hamm with art by Quinones. A captive, Mr. Karp, is beaten and tied up while questioned by Two Face who holds a gun. Harvey explains that Karp was used as bait for police and shows him the files. Karp was involved in the attempted bank heist at the beginning of the series for a million dollars. Two Face gives him the offer of Double or Nothing, which should be the sub-title of this issue, with a gun to Karp’s head in closeup.
Harvey has flipped a coin and allows Karp to live, but he wants his crew including the Joker gang. Karp admits that the Joker’s former flunkies are jailed, but there are copycats. They move through the subway tunnels until hearing Two Face’s plan and agree to work with him. Barbara Gordon is frustrated as an officer brings in one of Joker gang. The punk mugs for the camera as he is booked. We see Barbara at a newsstand as citizens gossip about the headlines on District Attorney Dent. She gives a pass phrase to two officers trying to be undercover at a bench. Barbara enters her apartment building and sees her father, Commisoner Gordon. At her apartment, the commissoner asks about Harvey Dent, her boyfriend, and also about the missing file. Barbara starts to argue with her father and he admits that he turned in his resignation for his failure in dealing with Harvey. She sees Harvey’s note from the newspaper about a meeting at a park.
Police officers track a speeding car, it’s the Batmobile! Robin is driving and Batman tells him to take a ramp while the holograms are generated. The pursuing police see three Batmobiles, new tech! The Dynamic Duo pick up from the police radio a recall of all units. The chase scene is all in diagonal panels like a camera at a Dutch angle in a film. A very cinematic touch by Quinones’ art. We see the AA subway line passengers as the train comes to a sudden stop! The conductor helps passenger exit as the tunnel has collapsed. At the Batcave, Alfred notes that the subway tunnels around the police headquarters were blown up. Reporter Summer Gleeson is interviewing Captain Ramirez about a gas leak that evacuated police headquarters when he is shot! Summer takes cover as the police return fire. Two Face announces to his gang in half-masks to take the police station while he heads to the evidence room. Gordon is on the phone when he sees the gang in the building and heads off to deal with them.
Police officers track a speeding car, it’s the Batmobile! Robin is driving and Batman tells him to take a ramp while the holograms are generated. The pursuing police see three Batmobiles, new tech! The Dynamic Duo pick up from the police radio a recall of all units. The chase scene is all in diagonal panels like a camera at a Dutch angle in a film. A very cinematic touch by Quinones’ art. We see the AA subway line passengers as the train comes to a sudden stop! The conductor helps passenger exit as the tunnel has collapsed. At the Batcave, Alfred notes that the subway tunnels around the police headquarters were blown up. Reporter Summer Gleeson is interviewing Captain Ramirez about a gas leak that evacuated police headquarters when he is shot! Summer takes cover as the police return fire. Two Face announces to his gang in half-masks to take the police station while he heads to the evidence room. Gordon is on the phone when he sees the gang in the building and heads off with Harvey Bullock to deal with them.
Outside of Gotham City, Batman and Robin see the Batsignal. Robin wants the Batcycle and calls Alfred to ready it. Alfred gives him the location and Robin takes off in the Batcycle, armored front with the bat tail and rocket engine, like a torpedo. Two of the gang memebers have reached the rooftop seeing the Batsignal and close in on Gordon. One is neeted against a wall and the other is knocked out by Batman! Gordon updates Batman on the situation including the $31 million from the bank job in the evidence room and the snipers. Batman makes certain that Robin has heard the update. Batman leaps off the roof with his glider wing cape and Gordon clings to him. The image divides the other panels, another brilliant art touch. Robin activates his grapnel and smashes through a window kicking the sniper. He knocks him out with his rifle butt. Two Face has his gang about to empty the vault of the money. Bullock is wounded and Gordon ends up captured. While Burnside gets the money to revitalize the neighborhood, the consequences of Two Face’s action comes down to Barbara, her father, and of course Batman! Batman `89 #5 takes the dual road of Two Face and Batman to a last battle!
Four Batarangs out of Five!
#Batman89, #ShadowsChapterFive, #SamHamm, #JoeQuinones, #MrKarp
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