Batman Vol 1 281

"Murder Comes in Black Boxes!": Three secret agents --Aldo Fondi of Italy, Jorge Zamora of Panama, and Nkuma Senghor of Burundi, all strangers to each other-- meet on a Gotham City street corner and are all killed when a car hits them. The car proves to be stolen and the driver is not found.

"Murder Comes in Black Boxes!"
Cover
Batman Vol 1 #281
November, 1976
Executive Editor	Joe Orlando
Cover Artists	Ernie Chan Tatjana Wood Gaspar Saladino
Murder Comes in Black Boxes!
Writers	David Vern Reed
Pencilers	Ernie Chan
Inkers	Tex Blaisdell
Editors	Julius Schwartz
Previous Issue	Batman # 280
Next Issue	Batman # 282

Batman #281 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1976. It was published on August 9, 1976.

Synopsis for "Murder Comes in Black Boxes!"

Three secret agents --Aldo Fondi of Italy, Jorge Zamora of Panama, and Nkuma Senghor of Burundi, all strangers to each other-- meet on a Gotham City street corner and are all killed when a car hits them. The car proves to be stolen and the driver is not found. But all were known to Batman through Interpol, and he judges it a "murder--by appointment!"

From a recording device on a walkie-talkie, Batman gets the agents' last messages, all of which were attempts to contact Batman. A woman, Pamela Drew, claiming to be a stewardess and the fiance of Fondi, at first accuses Batman to be responsible for her intended husband's death. But Batman saves her from assassins twice, and she confides in him, giving him Fondi's address book. Batman has Gordon place her in protective custody.

Later, Batman travels to Budapest where he expects to find the reason why Aldo was in Gotham to begin with. Using a disguise, he meets the underground resistance cell at that location. Janos, the cell leader, tells Batman that Fondi was in Budapest some months ago, when they were all involved in helping nuclear physicist Dr. Lucas Nagy to attempt to defect. But Nagy, he says, was seized just short of the border, but not by the government. Fondi, a day before his murder, was told who had snatched him.

The meeting is suddenly interrupted by a raid alarm. Batman gets the group to safety, but then finds himself facing the guns of the Hungarian Special Police.

Appearing in "Murder Comes in Black Boxes!"

Featured Characters:

• Batman

Supporting Characters:

• James Gordon
• Pamela Drew (First appearance)

Antagonists:

• Hungarian Special Police

Other Characters:

• Gotham City Police Department
  • Sgt. Brenner
  • Lt. Morehouse
• Aldo Fondi (Only appearance; dies)
• Jorge Zamora (Only appearance; dies)
• Nkuma Serghor (Only appearance; dies)
• Janos (First appearance)
• Minhaly
• Erno
• Fanrec
• Ilona

Locations:

• Gotham City
  • Gotham General Hospital
  • GCPD Headquarters
  • Gotham Airport
  • Decatur Bridge
  • Woodston
    • Blue Harbor Marina
• Hungary
  • Budapest

Items:

• Batrope

Vehicles:

• Batmobile
  

Trivia

• Issue includes an advertisement for Hostess Fruit Pies featuring Green Lantern in "The Fruit Pie Scene".

See Also

• Cover gallery for the Batman series

Recommended Reading

• Batman Recommended Reading
  • Batman (Volume 1)
  • Batman (Volume 2)
  • Batman (Volume 3)
  • Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
  • Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
  • Batman Confidential (Volume 1)
  • Batman: Gotham Knights (Volume 1)
  • Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (Volume 1)
  • Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Volume 1)
  • Batman: Streets of Gotham (Volume 1)
  • Batman Incorporated (Volume 1)
  • Batman Incorporated (Volume 2)
  • Batman/Superman (Volume 1)
  • Batman/Superman (Volume 2)
  • Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
  • Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
  • Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 2)
  • The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1)
  • Detective Comics (Volume 1)
  • Detective Comics (Volume 2)
  • Superman/Batman (Volume 1)
  • World's Finest (Volume 1)