Batman #321

The Joker celebrates his birthday by rounding up his enemies from all around town, including Robin, James Gordon, Selina Kyle, and Alfred Pennyworth.

1. Cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez.
2. "Dreadful Birthday, Dear Joker...!" written by Len Wein, penciled by Walter Simonson, inked by Dick Giordano, colored by Glynis Wein and lettered by Ben Oda.

Upon entering Gotham Police headquarters Commissioner Gordon is handed an envelope containing an invitation to the Jokers birthday party. As he tosses away the invitation the whole lobby begins to laugh hysterically as the Joker enters the room. Outside the Batman sees the joker mobile and hears the Joker laughing inside police HQ. The Jokers men keep the Batman busy while the Joker gets away along with kidnapping the commissioner. The Batman soon finds out that Robin too has been abducted. The Joker kidnaps Bruce Wayne’s butler as the next target of his victim go round. The Joker placed an ad in the newspaper " Harlequin Bakery Co. invites you for a free sample of its wares at the spectacular new Seaside Coliseum tomorrow night at 9:00pm". The Batman sees the ad realizes this is a ploy of the Jokers. people attend and are victims to the Jokers nerve gas. Inside ,the Joker has those he kidnapped tied to giant candles on a giant cake. The Batman steps out of the shadows and surrenders himself as the Joker agrees to let his other kidnapped victims go. Batman is strapped to a candle and then blasted thru the roof surprising the Joker.The Batman had rigged his candle earlier with incendiary jets and on the rebound throws several Batarang cutting the fuse to candles with hostages tied to them before they can explode.The Joker realizes his scheme is not working and heads out of the building hopping on a nearby speed boat. With the Batman on his tail virtually water-skiing up and into the boat. On board they tussle as the boat careens out of control heading for shoals .The Batman manages to grab the Jokers hand as he falls out of the speed boat. The Joker yells at the Batman"The old phony hand up the sleeve gag." just as the speed boat crashes into the shoals and explodes leaving no trace of the Joker.Afterwards the commissioner and Robin wonder if he's really gone this time. The Batman replies "I'd like to think so but I doubt it."