Batman Issue 610

Hush (Part III of XII): The Beast
Killer Croc has been taken to Arkham Asylum. Batman visits his electro-cell and tries to figure out who put Croc up to kidnapping the Lamont boy. Further, he needs to determine what happened to the ransom money. Croc is more beastly than ever and he refuses to say anything. He breaks free of the electro-cell and attacks Batman. He easily mangles Batman and the guards and makes his escape.

Amanda Waller of the Office of Meta-Human Affairs arrives and tells Batman that he has until midnight to find and stop Croc or else her people are moving in. Batman and Waller do not have a good working relationship with each other.

That evening, Dr. Thomas Elliot visits Wayne Manor. Bruce is down in the Batcave and instructs Alfred to tell Thomas that he isn't home. Alfred hasn't seen Thomas since he was a child, and recalls the night that Thomas' father died in an auto accident when he was very young.

That evening, Batman scours the streets of Gotham in the Batmobile looking for signs of Croc. A shot is fired, and the Batmobile blows a wheel sending the car into a crash. The Batmobile tires are specially treated and should not blow out under any circumstances.

Killer Croc meanwhile traces the money trail back to Catwoman who has been spending time in Poison Ivy's greenhouse apartment. He breaks through the greenhouse windows and attacks her. Batman arrives and tries to convince Croc that he is being manipulated. Croc reveals that he wanted the ransom money to fix his current physical condition. But before Batman can get even further with him, Waller's people arrive in helicopters and spring electrical nets on top of Killer Croc. They swoop him up and take off with him. From across the street, the mysterious Hush watches everything that is transpiring.

Catwoman thanks Batman for saving her and tells him that she was manipulated by Poison Ivy. She plans on tracking Ivy down to her safe-house in Metropolis. Batman and Catwoman share a passionate kiss.

Individuals

 * Batman
 * Amanda Waller
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Oracle (Behind the scenes)
 * Thomas Elliot
 * Catwoman
 * Killer Croc
 * Clarence
 * Martha Wayne
 * McQuaid
 * Thomas Wayne

Locations

 * Gotham City
 * Arkham Asylum
 * Batcave
 * Gotham Towers
 * Wayne Manor