Battle for the Cowl

A city looking to kill itself. A population without its dark avenger, without answers, without hope. A cop looking to save Gotham from its own madness. A reporter looking to reclaim her career by revealing that it's no coincidence the city's top billionaire and its urban legend are missing at the same time. A doctor seeking to regain her soul by stepping back into Hell. One hero who can't quite get it right no matter how hard she tries. Harvey Bullock. Vicki Vale. Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Stephanie Brown. What do all these people have in common?

Without Batman, Gotham City continues to fall apart, and these extraordinary "ordinary" people try to mend the city's wounds, looking into a dark night for answers. This one-shot special explores the effect a missing Batman has on the citizens of Gotham City.

He was a husband and a father. A brother and a friend. A cop and a dark knight. But he had all that taken away. And in return, he was given a suit of sorrows, a quest for redemption and a new name. He is Azrael, avenging angel for the Order of Purity and a new protector for Gotham City's troubled times. But who will protect the citizens from him? Guest-starring Robin, Nightwing, Talia and the League of Assassins, this miniseries runs alongside BATTLE FOR THE COWL and features the dramatic presence of a strangely familiar, troubled hero with two things on his mind: crazed vengeance for the wrongs he has suffered and salvation for the sins he continues to commit!

Gotham City is in a state of emergency. Crime runs rampant, commerce is at a standstill, and gang warfare is on the rise. Through its darkest hours, one man has stood firm against the criminal element in Gotham - Police Commissioner James Gordon. Now, in the aftermath of "Batman: R.I.P.," Gordon and the GCPD will have to reclaim Gotham and take down Mister Freeze without the assistance of Batman. But with evil on the rise, will this be the beginning of the end of law enforcement in Gotham City? The battle has just begun in this all-new one-shot.

"With the destruction of Arkham Asylum and dozens of Gotham City's most lethal villains rioting through the streets, it would seem that Nightwing, Robin, and their allies have their hands full.

But they hadn't counted on the return of Batman himself! But is it really The Dark Knight? If so, why is he acting so strangely? And if not, is this a threat that could mean the destruction of Gotham?

This three-issue series continues to shock and surprise, as the battle shifts to the next level with a face-off and ending that will have everybody talking. Who has earned the right to be Batman? Who thinks they deserve it? Robin? Nightwing? Jason Todd? Who will ultimately win the BATTLE FOR THE COWL? "


This issue opens with Two Face at the Docks thinking that it was the Penguin that took out his arms shipment and planning a retalitory action against him, shift to Penguin who is aware of Two-Face's Predicament and therefore wants to make a move before Face can.

Shift to Damian and Nightwing chasing the "Batman" with Nightwing deducing that Jason is the man under the cowl.  Jason comments on how they both want the same thing yet their methods are different, then proceeding to shoot Damian in the chest, Huntress and Black Canary arrive, but Nightwing tells him that Jason is his.
Nightwing brings Damian back to the cave to stitch him up and Alfred comments on how Dick should be the one wearing the cowl more than any of the other "Children." Dick discovers that Tim has taken a batsuit to go hunt Jason down.

Black Mask is progressing with his plans to cripple Gotham and brings in Jane Doe and Firefly to cause death and destruction. At the GCPD Gordon and the new DA Hampton, discuss the bus hijacking with Gordon believing the Penguin to be respoinsible, Hampton says he needs more evidence than just Gordon's "hunch" Zsasz cuts off a face of a Officer and gives it to Doe who infiltrates GCPD and shoots the new DA in the neck, and shoots Gordon who was wearing a vest, therefore not being wounded. Firefly and Adam Bomb blow up some buildings causing death and destruction. Black Mask watches over the burning city from a rooftop

Tim find's Jasons hideout, an impromptu Batcave that has been wired with traps and explosives, after being saved by Catwoman who followed him both are attacked by Jason, with Catwoman being knocked out at the begining of the brawl. Tim follows Jason around the cave until he lands in a clearing filled with curtains, resembling of a house of mirrors per sa. Using a speaker system Jason taunts Tim to become his Robin as he looks rediculous in the Batsuit, while striking from the shadows slicing him with a Bat-A-Rang, before turning to pumeling him with his fists, Tim gets the upper hand with a crow bar he finds on the ground and beats Jason with it,  Jason laughs in response as the Bat-A-Rang he was attacking him with is now embedded in the center of his chest, Tim collapses blood flowing, and Jason walks away stating there's "just one left now."

The Calculator will go to any lengths to save the life of his daughter Wendy – even if it means using remnants of the Anti-Life Equation to do so! But when Oracle intervenes, she soon finds out that the Calculator has been killing Internet hackers from across the globe to get his hands on the Equation, and the final name on his list is hers!

There is a hole in the Underground of Gotham since the disappearance of Batman. Penguin hires Riddler to find Black Mask, who has seemed to return from the dead, for him, so he can eventually kill him. At the same time, Catwoman is out searching for Two-Face and finds him. Catwoman can't keep up due to the fact she's been non-stop keeping an eye on the city and she's beat. Across town, Firefly, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy have teamed up and interupt a shipment to Penguin. The three go after Penguin as he is on the highway, but Catwoman breaks it up. Jason Todd in his new Batman suit busts in and he and Catwoman battle it out with Catwoman untimately being defeated. It ends with Harley, Riddler, and Poison Ivy standing above Catwoman.

A wave of heroes arrive in Gotham City in this one-shot with hopes of helping stem the tide of chaos threatening to overwhelm everybody! Starring Huntress, Batgirl, Misfit, Ragman, Manhunter and many others. Will these heroes succeed – or will they be victims of Gotham City's madness? And if they do succeed, what does the future hold for them?

The remnants of Anti-Life are within the Calculator's grasp, and he will kill anyone who stands in his way! Will the Calculator be able to save the life of his daughter? Or will Oracle stop him from killing more Internet hackers? Either way, someone dies and someone gains ultimate knowledge…but at what price? Be here for the stunning conclusion that will change Oracle and the Birds of Prey forever!

A city looking to rise up. A new Dark Knight is casting his shadow until dawn's early light. A cop looking to solve a murder whose solution may be worse than the crime.

A reporter who can reclaim her social standing only by rejecting everything she believes in. A doctor who has found new life by compromising her old one. One hero who has determined a course of action no matter whose plans it spoils.

Harvey Bullock. Vicki Vale. Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Stephanie Brown. These four ordinary people living extraordinary lives look to regain their balance in a city that turns lives upside down. Morning comes to Gotham City and the time for mourning has passed. How do the people of Gotham City deal with the sudden arrival of hope? Find out in this new one-shot!