Guards now are being dead. You first KGBeast will be killing... dead by "idiot"... and guards will be killing after! All guards in prison -- plus all to be wanting guards hostage! All being dead -- all being killed by KGBeast! 
- — KGBeast
Batman: Blackgate - Isle of Men #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of April, 1998.
Synopsis for "Cataclysm, Part Eight: Isle of Men"
A man named Jared Manx is convicted in Blackgate Penitentiary and sentenced to death for the murders of two children and their mother; and he was going to be executed at midnight. He gets a visit from his lawyer and a nun to comfort him during his last moments alive and he keeps telling them that he is innocent. As they are speaking, the earthquake strikes Blackgate damaging one of the prison's walls and most of the inner structure. A tidal wave also hits Blackgate drowning most of the prison's lower cells. Jared's cell opens and he is freed and instead of trying to escape he helps his lawyer and the nun. The water keeps rising so Jared decides to open the remaining cells of the drowned floor. Jared, the lawyer, the nun and the prisoners start to climb up towards the upper floor; and when they make it, the prisoners go berserk and attack the Blackgate guards in order to free all the inmates.
One of the guards takes a radio and sends a message to Gotham's mainland about their situation but before he is able to describe the events, KGBeast finds him and kills him. However, the signal is received by Barbara Gordon at Gotham City Police Headquarters. She radios for help to be sent immediately to Blackgate. Batman's cowl receives the message and he decides to go and help the people in Blackgate.
Jared Manx does his best to protect the lawyer and the nun and he takes them to the infirmary to take care of their wounds but KGBeast finds him and both men start to fight each other. With a little help from Catman, Jared manages to escape from KGBeast and finds a shelter for him and the two ladies.
Batman swims to Blackgate and some of the inmates try to escape using a rock path to Gotham. When the aftershock strikes, most of them fall to the sea. Batman arrives at Blackgate and contacts the helicopters that are surrounding the isle and informs them of the situation down in the prison. Batman knocks every inmate that crosses him and he makes his way to the rooftop where most of the inmates are attacking the choppers. Batman uses a smoke pellet to distract most of the inmates and to give the helicopters enough time to safely land on the rooftop and take the prisoners.
KGBeast finds Manx and he moves part of a column to him. Manx holds the column with his hands to prevent it from killing the lawyer and the nun. Manx tells them both to run but they refuse to leave him alone. Manx then tells them both that he actually killed the children and their mother and that they were also his kids. Batman arrives in time to put KGBeast out of action and he manages to save the two ladies. Unfortunately, at midnight. Jared Manx is crushed and killed by the column at the moment he was supposed to die.
Batman takes the women outside to safety and the ladies are sure about Manx's lie, but they are not sure when and about what he lied.
Once the problems are solved at Blackgate, Batman heads to Gotham City to the biggest chaos.
Appearing in "Cataclysm, Part Eight: Isle of Men"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Barbara Gordon
- Jared Manx (Single appearance; dies)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Mason (Single appearance)
- Blackgate Prison Guards
- Jeffers (Single appearance)
- Peterson (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This Batman: Cataclysm crossover takes place between Robin #52 and Shadow of the Bat #74.
- This issue is reprinted in the Batman: Cataclysm collection, as well as the 2015 edition.
- Batman appeared last in Detective Comics #720.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
  This issue is a part of the Cataclysm crossover that swept through all Batman Family Titles during 1998. Gotham City was almost completely destroyed by a massive earthquake. This story led into the events that would eventually create No Man's Land. Cataclysm
Detective Comics #719 • Shadow of the Bat #73 • Nightwing #19 • Batman #553 • Azrael #40 • Detective Comics #720 • Catwoman #56 • Robin #52 • Blackgate: Isle of Men #1 • Shadow of the Bat #74 • Batman Chronicles #12 • Nightwing #20 • Batman #554 • Huntress/Spoiler #1 • Detective Comics #721 • Catwoman #57 • Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness #1 • Robin #53 Aftershock
Shadow of the Bat #75 • Batman #555 • Detective Comics #722 • Shadow of the Bat #76 • Robin #54 • Batman #556 • Shadow of the Bat #77 • Batman #557 • Detective Comics #724 • Shadow of the Bat #78 • Shadow of the Bat #79 • Batman Chronicles #14 • Batman #558 • Batman #559 • Detective Comics #725 • Detective Comics #726 |