- Scarface lives again - an' gy the time I'm done, the streets of Gotham will ge swimmin' in glood!
- — Scarface
Batman #475 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1992. It was published on January 23, 1992.
Synopsis for "The Return of Scarface (Part I of III): Mustache Pete is Dead!"
The Ventriloquist gets out of prison and plans to retire from the life of a criminal. His puppet, Scarface, has other plans however. They return to the Ventriloquist's nightclub only to discover that the Street Demonz have taken over. Scarface's right-hand man, Brute, betrays them and joins in with the Street Demonz. A firefight breaks out and the Street Demonz blast Scarface several times with their shotguns. The Ventriloquist and his loyal henchman, Rhino, take Scarface's body back to their apartment. The Ventriloquist wants to forget all about him, but Rhino insists on giving him a proper burial. He builds a small coffin for the dummy.
Meanwhile, the Batman stops a Fever junkie from pitching himself off from the roof of a tall building. Afterwards, he swings over to Police Headquarters to get an update on the recent Street Demonz activity.
At the Gothamite News building, Vicki Vale meets her new partner – photojournalist Horten Spence. Their editor gives them an assignment to conduct an expose on the recent Fever phenomenon. The two reporters begin scouting the schoolyards and encounter some Street Demonz drug dealers. One of them attacks Vicki, but Horten protects her. The two share a kiss as Batman swings overhead.
Later, the Ventriloquist hears a voice coming from Scarface's little wooden coffin. He decides to return to his old ways and repairs the wooden dummy. Scarface returns to "life" and pledges to avenge himself against those who wronged him.
Appearing in "The Return of Scarface (Part I of III): Mustache Pete is Dead!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Harvey Bullock
- James Gordon
- Renée Montoya (First appearance)
- Vicki Vale
Antagonists:
- Rhino
- Scarface
- Ventriloquist
- Street Demonz
- Andy
- Bad Sam
- Dallas
- Kendo
- Pete
- Stonk
Other Characters:
- Horten Spence (First appearance)
- Joey (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Gotham City Police Headquarters
- Gothamite News
- Paisano's Restaurant
- Ventriloquist's Club
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Storyline continues in Detective Comics #642.
- Batman appeared last in Superman (Volume 2) #66.
- First appearance of Renée Montoya. Renée will become a recurring character throughout the remainder of the series.
- This story is reprinted in Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 6.
Trivia
- The tagline for this issue reads, "He's Gack! Gigger - Golder - Gadder Than Ever Gefore!" The dialogue is intended to reflect the Ventriloquist's speech impediment when speaking through Scarface.
- The phrase, Mustache Pete is a slang term used to describe Sicilian mafia families that took control of the New York City underworld in the early 1900's. One of the thugs in this issue refers to Scarface as a "Mustache Pete".
- Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle's names appear on wanted posters on the cover to this issue.