(Batman II #24) - Red Hood One blackmailed a new group of recruits for the Red Hood Gang, and Batman foiled their robbery, tying them up and forming his bat-symbol on a billboard promoting Mayor Hady. Batman conferred with Alfred and realized that while some Red Hood robberies had no rhyme or reason they’d hit a number of Wayne Enterprise depots stealing chemicals and their plan clicked in his head. Bruce Wayne went to see Phillip Kane, who was delighted he was still alive. Philip wanted to admit to his involvement with the Red Hood Gang, but they’d recently pressed him into service as a new member. He gave Bruce a keycard so he could track which chemicals were stolen from Wayne Enterprises. Bruce held a press conference to reveal to Gotham that he was alive after his town house was bombed. He gave an impassioned speech about how Gotham, although it was currently crime ridden and in shambles, brought out character in people. He believed Gotham City tested your passion for your dreams and ambitions to the limit, and that if you made it in Gotham you could make it anywhere. He announced that the Red Hood Gang had not hit one major chemical supplier, A.C.E. Chemical, where he suspected the Red Hood Gang were using as a base to use what they’d stolen to concoct a chemical cocktail which was both radioactive and flesh eating. Red Hood One was indeed developing such a chemical, and intended to use it to explode dirty bombs all around Gotham. The Red Hood gang were enraged at being found out, launching rockets at Bruce, who dodged and had Alfred, who was providing backup from a nearby van, disable A.C.E. chemical’s security system. Commissioner Loeb had sent Lt. Gordon and the GCPD to cover Bruce’s press conference, and followed him inside A.C.E. Red Hood One and his gang took Bruce at gunpoint, confident the GCPD wouldn’t start a firefight in a chemical factory. Red Hood One said he had a newfound respect for Bruce since he uncovered his plan and told him he’d be setting off his dirty bombs the next day to coincide with the anniversary of Thomas and Martha Wayne’s murder. Bruce told Red Hood One he was full of it, and that despite claiming a dedication to randomness and the meaningless of life plenty of people led full lives amid chaos, but Red Hood was just an abomination of a person. Bruce told Red Hood he was an evil man who only pretended to have a cause. Alfred cut the lights to A.C.E. allowing Bruce to change into Batman and start fighting the Red Hood Gang. Red Hood One had a clear shot at him, but Red Hood 347 shot Red Hood One, denting his helmet and causing his shot to go wild, starting a chemical fire. Red Hood One executed 347 and when Bruce pulled off 347’s mask he was distraught to find it was his uncle Philip Kane. Lt. Gordon tried to apprehend Batman, who stunned him with a bean bag round. Batman and Red Hood One fought amid the flames and Red Hood One ended up falling into a vat of chemicals, seemingly to his death. In the aftermath Batman told Alfred the case left behind a mystery. Several inner circle members of the Red hood Gang identified Red Hood One as Liam Distal, a thug from the narrows, but Gordon and the GCPD had just discovered his body in a barrel of lye. Batman wondered who killed Red Hood One and took his place, and how long ago it’d happened.

Comments: Created by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo.

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