(Detective Comics I #471) - Boss Thorne called a meeting of his political allies, telling them he was fortunate that Dr. Phosphorus had apparently died, so there was nothing to prove that Thorne was giving aid and comfort to the madman. Thorne said they were facing a financial crisis and would have to be creative about conserving government money, so he’d feel safer having Batman off the streets. Several of his allies objected, saying that no one had been able to take down Batman before, and he gave Gotham the semblance of safety. Thorne said his mind was already made up. Batman was eavesdropping from the chimney, but his grib weakened, sending a stone falling down the fireplace. Thorne’s security went to investigate, and Batman was forced to make a hasty exit. He had to admit to himself that he wasn’t operating at full strength because he was still suffering from the radiation burn Dr. Phosphorus gave him. Returning to the Batcave he told Alfred about Thorne’s schemes against him, and said his ability to act as his own doctor had its’ limits, so he needed to seek out a trustworthy doctor. His friend Jerry Robinson had told him about Graytowers, a clinic that catered to the rich and famous and didn’t ask many questions. Graytowers was actually run by Professor Hugo Strange under the alias of Dr. Todhunter. He turned his clients into Monster Men, forcing them to obey his whims in exchange for receiving a temporary antidote. Each of his patients was ordered to bring one new wealthy Gothamite to his clinic. Bruce confronted him as Batman, but a green mamba hidden in Strange’s office bit him, rendering him comatose. When Strange revived him Batman was horrified to realize Strange had removed his mask and knew he was Bruce Wayne.

(Detective Comics I #472) - Strange and his Monster Men abducted Alfred from the Wayne Foundation, and kept him in the same cell as Bruce. Strange’s nurse Magda kept Bruce sedated while Strange took up the identities of both Bruce Wayne and Batman, excited at the thrill of occupying his life. He planned on raiding Wayne Industries and selling Batman’s secret identity. “Bruce” sold off millions in stocks, causing a stock market panic, but no one dared question him, especially since Strange had a number of Bruce’s financier’s under his sway after their time in Graytowers. Silver St. Cloud visited “Bruce” saying his recent business moves made him look erratic, and asking why he hadn’t called her lately. “Bruce” said he was breaking up with her, so she slapped him and stormed out of his office. She had a suspicion something happened to Bruce in Graytowers, and visited the clinic, but Magda slammed the door on her and alerted Strange that she was raising suspicions and needed to be taken care of. Silver heard Bruce talk extensively about his ward Dick Grayson, and called him up at Hudson University, telling him her suspicions that something was wrong with Bruce. Dick knew she was right, but had to blow her off to safeguard his secret identity as Robin. He changed into Robin and rode his motorcycle to Gotham to investigate Graytowers, while Magda sicced Hugo Strange’s Monster Men on Silver. Strange arranged an auction for Batman’s secret identity, with a $10,000 buy-in. Joker, Penguin and Boss Thorne responded, and Strange planned to hold the auction the next night. Strange intended to kill Bruce Wayne before the auction, knowing that keeping him alive was too dangerous to his plans. Boss Thorne’s men shot the Monster Men that were escorting Strange with tranquilizer darts, and brought him to city hall, demanding to know Batman’s identity and saying he didn’t intend on paying for it. Robin broke into Graytowers and fought off the Monster Men. Magda tried to inject Bruce with Monster Man serum and Alfred protected his master. During the struggle Magda injected herself, transforming into a Monster Man. Robin incapacitated her and swore revenge on Strange for what he’d done to Bruce. Thorne’s men savagely beat Strange, but he’d made up his mind not to reveal Batman’s secret. He said he’d earned that knowledge and would never give it away because Batman was the one man he saw as a worthy foe. Strange said Thorne would have to defeat Batman himself, as he had, to learn his identity. Thorne did not understand Strange’s loyalty to his nemesis, and his men beat strange until he was seemingly dead.

(Detective Comics I #473) - Thorne’s men stuffed Hugo Strange’s body into a barrel and tossed it off a pier. Batman and Robin spotted them on their night patrol and confronted them, but were forced to flee when the police arrived. Batman explained to Robin that the city council had subpoenaed him, and he’d missed his meeting with a grand jury while Strange held him captive, so the city council had declared him an outlaw and had orders to arrest him on sight. Dr. Reed complained to Thorne about Strange’s murder, saying he’d never agreed to get involved in such business when he joined the city council, and Thorne had his goons drag him away. Hugo Strange’s “ghost” appeared to Thorne warning him that he’d have his revenge.

(Detective Comics I #474) - Batman confronted Boss Thorne in his office, demanding to know why he’d slapped a cease-and-desist order on him, and Thotne said the people of Gotham needed a return to normalcy in their lives. Batman slapped the cigar out of his mouth, saying he’d tried to resolve things with Thorne peacefully, but said he’d handle the cease-and-desist on his own terms. Thorne was shaken, and Hugo Strange’s ghost appeared to him again, saying his evil life had run its’ course, and the next time Thorne saw him his life would be over.

(Detective Comics I #475, 476) - The city council pressured Thorne, wanting to know what plans he had for Batman, since Gordon and the GCPD were openly defying their orders not to work with the vigilante. Joker dropped in on Boss Thorne in the city council bathroom, saying he knew he was at the auction for Batman’s identity. Joker said he suspected Hugo Strange was dead, and Thorne didn’t know who Batman was so Joker wouldn’t have to kill him. Thorne was astonished that Joker, like Strange, wanted Batman all to himself. Joker said he, and he alone would find out who Batman was and be the one to destroy him. Thorne ran from the bathroom screaming. After the pressure he was under being haunted by Strange, Joker’s visit was the last straw, and Thorne hopped in his car and headed to the west coast. Silver St. Cloud was also fleeing Gotham, conflicted about telling her boyfriend Bruce Wayne she knew he was Batman. Her car broke down, and Thorne saw her on the side of the road. Silver asked him for a ride and jumped in. A news report about Batman came on the radio, and Thorne bashed the Caped Crusader, saying he was responsible for all Gotham’s problems. Silver shot back that Batman kept the city safe from corrupt people like Thorne, who’d been grafting off the city for years. Thorne said he demanded respect, and when Silver refused to back down he ordered her out of his car. Thorne spotted Hugo Strange on the side of the road, and the apparition jumped out at him, saying his time was through. Thorne wasn’t physically harmed, but he suffered a nervous breakdown. The state patrol picked him up and he confessed to every crime he’d ever committed, and admitted he’d been the one responsible for turning the city council against Batman.

(Batman I #311) - The rebuilt Gotham Nuclear Plant went critical for ten minutes, and Batman investigated, finding glowing footprints. He realized Dr. Phosphorus was still alive and went to Arkham to speak to Boss Thorne and see if he had any information about Dr. Phosphorus’ whereabouts. Batman’s presence triggered a psychotic episode in Thorne, who’d just been visited by Phosphorus, who burned through his cell wall to tell him his upcoming plan. Phosphorus planned to poison Gotham’s rainclouds, but Thorne was in no condition to tell Batman what he knew.

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