Gotham Underground # 5 - Book Five: Puzzle of the Pieces

Overview

A special flashback tale featuring the secret origin of Johnny Stitches — the mysterious member of Intergang who's recently made his presence felt in Gotham. Additionally, secrets surrounding Penguin's underground railroadand the construction of his "gang army" are revealed!

Plot synopsis - spoilers ahead

The issue recounts the events that have happened in Gotham Underground so far.

Four months ago, it tells the origin of Johnny Stitches and how he came to Gotham. He betrayed Whale by stealing drugs from him, and blaming it on Superman. Whale then orders his goons to torture him by skinning him alive. He is then thrown out of the window, where Bruno Mannheim finds him and chooses to take him under his wing. He takes Johnny Stitches to Apokalips where Dessaad grafts new skin on his body from various other dead bodies.

Three months ago, Penguin is sitting in his bar and is greeted by Mr. Jessup who works with the Suicide Squad. Penguin's conversation with Mr. Jessup is distracted, thanks to Amygdala forcing himself upon one of the waitresses. He gets the gas treatment from Penguin's umbrella and gets thrown out. Mr. Jessup disappears.

Two months ago, Joker appears at Penguin's private club, where there's a couple sitting at his private table. He kills the couple and ends up killing his two dates from his own poison. Mr. Jessup mentions to Penguin that as long as criminals like Mr. Freeze, Two-Face and Joker are here, he will never have the power he really deserves. Penguin then agrees to work with the Suicide Squad in order to get rid of the other criminals, only leaving him in power.

Five weeks ago, he gathers all the low-level criminals and hires them into being his goons. Penguin however gives special attention to a girl whose face is covered and we see the origin of Spoiler. We then see Whale being advised by his men to move to Gotham as an opportunity in power. Meanwhile, Johnny Stitches has been taking out Whale's men and Mannheim and Stitches also decide to move to Gotham.

Five days ago, we see Matches Malone walking off the prison bus and standing in a line. One of the prison guards is standing with a figure. The guard says that Matches is to be killed by Mr. Zsasz. The figure turns out to be Bane, and is the person who ordered Mr. Zsasz to kill Matches, and is also the one who is manipulating the Suicide Squad in order to come out on top.