Detective Comics #493

Issue Details

Synopsis

RIDDLES IN THE DARK Batman comes across Riddler's latest scheme when the master of puzzles escapes from prison and gives Batman a truly complex riddle. Stumped, the Batman's frustration overcomes him until Alfred, provides the answer to the unsolved riddle. Realizing that Riddler's clue was not in the answer of the riddle, but on the riddle itself, Batman follows the criminal to an airport, where he fails to capture him, but manages to pin a tracer on the plane.  Following the signal, Batman tracks down the Riddler to Houston, Texas. As the Riddler attempts a daring escape, he is confronted by the local hero called Swashbuckler, but using old tricks, Riddler escapes.   Batman and Swashbuckler work together to stop the Riddler's ultimage goal, but they find that his latest riddle clue has two possible outcomes. Riddler has planned it that way as decoy clues, but despite his ingenious plan, Batman and Swashbuckler find the Riddler's true target and they stop the crime spree of the question man. THE FACE OF HUMANITY! The Red Tornado helps save a woman in the ghetto of Gotham from muggers, and becomes involved in a battle to keep a local drug pusher from taking over a storefront church. THE MAN IN BLACK WEARS GREEN Tired of being followed by the mysterious Man in Black, Robin decides to put an end to the case and he reverse the roles as he starts following the man. Robin eventually learns that the mystery man is contacting someone at the Wayne Foundation and he decides to pay Bruce a visit to clear all the mystery.   When Dick arrives in Gotham City, he is unable to find Bruce at the Penthouse and he goes to the place he considers home the most: Wayne Manor. Once in the recently reopened place, Dick goes to the Batcave and decides to go on a joy ride in the Batmobile. As soon as he drives the vehicle outside of the place, Robin spots the man in black and finally interrogates him for his true purposes. The man identifies himself as Myers, a private detective who was hired to keep an eye on Dick Grayson.   Dick eventually talks with Lucius Fox and learns that Bruce Wayne's lawyer has hired Myers as he was concerned for Dick's safety at Hudson University, considering he is the only heir to Bruce's fortune. Dick demands that Myers to stop and Fox agrees with him, ending the case of the man in black. Free once again, Robin finishes his joy ride in the Batmobile. THE 18-WHEEL WAR CONTRACT! FLAMES OF FEAR! After recovering from the injuries caused by Cormorant, Batgirl returns to action as well as Barbara Gordon resumes her work at the Humanitarian Research and Development Center. The group is discussing the fate of an old, yet important theater in Gotham, with some members voting to demolish the building while other argue that it should be kept intact.   Barbara, being one of the members in favor of keeping the building, goes to see the place when suddenly a nearby building catches on fire. Barbara switches to Batgirl and learns that a little girl is still trapped in the burning building. The girl was the same kid that Cormorant kidnapped when he shot Batgirl and the trauma of the event had caused the girl to become paralyzed from waist down. Without hesitation, Batgirl goes into the burning building and saves the girl, although it was not an easy rescue.