Such a long routine. So many deliveries. So many faces to take...
- — Faceless
Batman #542 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1997. It was published on March 12, 1997.
Appearing in "Faceless Part 1 Murdicide"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Faceless (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Edna (Only appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Batcave
- Gotham Zoo
- GCPD Headquarters
- West Gotham Post Office
- West Gotham Florist
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Faceless Part 1 Murdicide"
Batman has recovered his edge and found his balance again. As he stops an armed robbery and knocked three thugs for the police to find; he knew that he was back at his prime again. He was just worried about not being able to do the same as Bruce Wayne. As dawn breaks, he drives the Batmobile towards home.
At the Gotham Post Office, a mailman named Joseph Zedno is notified about his firing. He still has to work for two weeks before leaving. He continues working reluctantly and holding a grudge against the people on his delivery route that calls him a nobody.
Bruce goes out on a date with Vesper Fairchild at the Gotham Zoo. They chat about their lifes and arranged a night date in the next days.
At night, Zedno is preparing himself at his home. He is convinced that he will stop being a nobody when he starts posing as somebody else. He disguises himself as a man on his delivery route. On his way out of the Batcave, Batman tells Alfred about the night date with Vesper, who continues to worry about that relation.
Zedno arrives at the place of the first victim and murders him stabbing the man with a knife in the stomach. He later leaves a picture of himself disguised as the victim that reads "faceless" written with the victim's blood as well as a message in the wall. Five minutes later, the killer goes outside and is satisfied after removing his victim's face.
Zedno then disguises as his second victim: an fat lady. Right after he murdered her, the victim's husband appeared and he was killed as well. The modus operandi is the same for the third victim of the night.
Batman patrols the city, which is unusally calm. He was wondering if wether that was a night when Batman wasn't needed when the Bat-Signal beckoned him from afar. Commissioner Gordon called Batman to tell him about the killing spree of that night. The killer himself called the police to the crime scenes after he has left the place. The murderer took all of his victims faces and left cryptic messages written in blood as well as the picture of him disguised as his victims. Batman told Gordon that he would continue his investigations during the day and he would contact him if he discovered something.
The next day, Zedno went to work as usual. He had to deliver the mail to a florist. When he arrived at the place he stumbled with Vesper, who was coming out of the place after buying a flower order for Bruce. Zedno was mad at her but he decided not to act against her because she was not in the delivery route. Instead he focused his anger towards the florist. Zedno had acquired a new victim.
That night Batman called Robin to help him with the case. Meanwhile, the florist was closing the store when he heard a strange noise. He went to see what was happening when Zedno appeared out of nowhere disguised as the florist. Zedno had a knife in his hand and he identified himself as Faceless as he approached the florist with a crazed expression.
Notes
- This is the first part of the storyline labeled as Faceless; featuring Faceless in his first appearance.
- The story continues in Batman #543.
Trivia
- At the Gotham Zoo, some of the animals represent some of the Batman villains. The penguins stand for Oswald Cobblepot; the hyena stand for Joker and the crocodile stands for Killer Croc.
See Also
- Discuss Batman Vol 1 542 on the forums
- Cover gallery for the Batman series
- Images from Batman Vol 1 542
