If there were a thousand Batmen, sir, it still wouldn't be enough to save Gotham City 
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #80 is an issue of the series Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1998.
Synopsis for "Road to No Man's Land: Wax Man and the Clown"
Jeremiah Arkham wakes up from a nightmare in which he was almost caught by the most dangerous of the asylum inmates. Jeremiah is having troubles with the administration of Arkham Asylum as most of the orderlies haven't showed up for duty and the supplies are running out fast; all because of the earthquake. Arkham learns that the only man in the United States Government interested in saving Gotham was recently killed and he knows that Gotham City was destined to fall, but despite all that he tries to run the Asylum as good as he can.
During breakfast at the dining hall, Joker and Wax Man start to discuss about the spot Wax Man is sitting on. Wax Man calls Pinhead and tells him to show the Joker who is in charge around and the big Pinhead places a bowl of breakfast on the Joker's head and after that, the clown walks away laughing in a good mood.
Later, Jeremiah Arkham and Davis, his most faithful orderly, deliver the medication to the inmates, some of whom are actually recovering and some of them just stay the same and others are crazier with each passing day.
When nighttime arrives, the inmates go back to their cells and the lights turned off. Across some of the asylum corridors a dark figure walks through. The inmates go crazy at the sight of the figure because it resembles Batman and all of them start to scream, disturbing Jeremiah Arkham's mind.
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is struggling to keep his city alive but he is feeling physically tired and Alfred suggests to him that maybe this time, Bruce Wayne can actually help more than Batman by going to the congressional hearings and try to convince them to help Gotham.
The next day, most of the Arkham Asylum staff don't show up and Jeremiah is really worried. He tells David to let the inmates go outside to the gardens after breakfast. Once outside, Joker tells Waylon Jones that Pinhead was mocking him and the two brutes start a fight. The opportunity is seized by Joker to break into the staff's office and switch Killer Croc's medication so that they give him amphetamines instead of sedatives. When the guards finally control Croc and Pinhead, they take all the inmates back to their cells. Jeremiah is struggling with the responsiblity and is trying to control his thoughts when someone breaks into his office. It is the Joker and tells Jeremiah that he has planned some sort of gladiatorial combat in the Asylum.
Appearing in "Road to No Man's Land: Wax Man and the Clown"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- David Thurman (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Cornelius Stirk
- Killer Croc
- The Joker
- Mister Zsasz
- The Riddler
- Scarecrow
- Voz (Incorrectly named Vox)
- Wax Man (First appearance)
- Pinhead (First appearance)
- Solly Bean (First appearance)
- Two-Face
- Ventriloquist
Other Characters:
- Batman
- Alfred Pennyworth
- Esterbrook Halivan (On a TV or computer screen)
- Nicholas Scratch (On a TV or computer screen)
- Greg Roark (a.k.a. Jigsaw Man)
- Vernon Jamson (First appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "...a Man of Wealth and Taste..."
Main Article: Azrael: Agent of the Bat #47
Azrael is in Gotham City and helps Batman to put down some street thugs who are stealing from a hospital. After they finish them, Batman asks a favor of Azrael; to check on Senator Halivan in Washington, D.C.
Azrael calls Oracle to find where senator Halivan would be. Oracle informs him that the senator will be at a famous rockstar concert. Oracle fill Azrael with details of this rockstar named Nicholas Scratch and the time and place where his show was scheduled.
Upon arriving at D.C., Jean-Paul finds out that the ticket concerts were sold out a long time ago, so he dresses up as Azrael and tells one of the security guards that he is with the band. The guard wasn't completely sure but he let Azrael in anyway.
Scratch was getting ready for the concert and also he was setting up a death trap to senator Halivan. Before entering the stage, Halivan approached Scratch to greet him and Scratch convinced Halivan to meet some people interested in an arms dealing business at the upper catwalk of the stage. The rock show begins and Scratch starts to play while Halivan climbs up to the catwalk just to find himself ambushed by two men with what seem to be devil masks. Azrael arrives in time to prevent the dressed killers from harming Halivan, just like Batman told him. Halivan descends from the catwalk while Azrael is fighting with them. Halivan is angry at Scratch and demands some answers from Scratch who in turn tells the senator to calm down and to walk with him to his dressing room. When Scratch makes sure that they are alone, he attacks the senator, strangling him to death.
Appearing in "...a Man of Wealth and Taste..."
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Nicholas Scratch (First appearance) (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
Other Characters:
- Esterbrook Halivan (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- One of the patients is identified as Vox in both name and symptoms, though her appearance is that of the Witch.
- This issue is a 2-in-1 flip book and features a second story printed upside-down. The story ...a Man of Wealth and Taste... is the main story in Azrael: Agent of the Bat #47. This title and Azrael #47 share the cover art with certain modifications each one.
- Both stories continue in their respective titles.
- This issue is reprinted in Batman: Road to No Man's Land Vol. 2.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Batman: Shadow of the Bat series
- Images from Batman: Shadow of the Bat Vol 1 80
Recommended Reading
