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.
Synopsis for "Faceless - Part One: Murdicide"
Batman has recovered his edge and found his balance again. As he stops an armed robbery and knocks three thugs for the police to find; he knows that he is back at his prime again. His only concern now is not being able to do be as equally effective in his role as Bruce Wayne. As dawn breaks, he drives the Batmobile towards home.
At the Gotham Post Office, a mailman named Joseph Zedno is given his two-weeks notice. He continues working reluctantly and holding a grudge against the people on his delivery route that calls him a nobody.
In the meantime, Bruce goes out on a date with Vesper Fairchild at the Gotham Zoo. They chat about their lifes and arrange a night date in the next days.
At night, Zedno makes preparations for his master plan. He is convinced that he will stop being a nobody when he starts posing as somebody else and his first new identity is that of the first man on his delivery route. At the same time, Batman leaves the Batcave, telling Alfred about the night date with Vesper in upcoming days, who continues to worry about that relationship.
Zedno arrives at the place of the first victim and murders the man with a knife. 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 murdering her, the victim's husband appears and he is killed as well. The modus operandi is the same for the third victim of the night.
A surprised Batman patrols the city in an unusally calm night. He wonders whether Batman isn't needed that night when the Bat-Signal shows up in the sky. Commissioner Gordon summons Batman to tell him about the killing spree of that night. The killer himself called the police to the crime scenes after he had left the place. The murderer took all of his victims faces and left cryptic messages written in blood as well as pictures of him disguised as his victims. Batman tells Gordon that he would continue his investigations during the day and he would contact him if he discovered something.
The next day, Zedno goes to work as usual. He has to deliver the mail to a florist, but he arrived stumbles with Vesper, who was coming out of the place after arranging a flower order for Bruce. Zedno felt the urge to kill her too, but he decided not to because she is not in the delivery route. Instead he focuses his anger towards the florist. Zedno has acquired a new victim.
That night Batman summons Robin to help him with the case. Meanwhile, the florist gets ready to close the store when he hears a strange noise. He goes to investigate when Zedno appears out of nowhere disguised as the florist. Zedno holds a knife in his hand and he identifies himself as Faceless as he approaches the florist with a crazed expression.
Appearing in "Faceless - Part One: Murdicide"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Faceless (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Edna (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Batcave
- Gotham Zoo
- GCPD Headquarters
- West Gotham Post Office
- West Gotham Florist
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This is the first part of the storyline labeled as Faceless; featuring Faceless in his first appearance.
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