Batman #568 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1999.
Synopsis for "Fruit of the Earth, Part Two"
Batman and Robin entered the secret Batcave built by Bruce under Robinson Park and found Poison Ivy and some kids trapped in solid clay. Robin freed the kids and Batman questioned Ivy about what happened. She explained how she found his cave under the park and how she destroyed most of it, except for a box that she knew must be important for Batman. She told Batman to help her and free her from Clayface's trap and she would return him the box. Batman reluctantly agreed and told Robin to take the kids to the outside where they would be safe while he stayed and tried to free Ivy.
Elsewhere, Helena Bertinelli dropped the Batgirl costume suited up in the old Huntress costume. She was mad at Batman for telling her what to do and instead, she began doing things her way. She went to an old warehouse where Pettit and Foley were discussing their next move. Pettit had gathered a lot of ammunition for firearms and was planning to use it to take over Gotham City. Huntress arrived and tried to stop him but he talked to her and they both seemed to agree that extreme situations require extreme actions and they formed an alliance.
Meanwhile, Batman couldn't set Ivy free and she told him that Clayface was coming closer. Batman asked Ivy what did she needed to recover her strength and Ivy told him the obvious answer. Batman had a plan and he needed Robin and Ivy's help in order to succeed. In the surface, the kids told Robin that they were orphans and that Ivy took care of them since the beginning of No Man's Land. Batman contacted Robin and told him to find some hidden explosives in the park, to place them in the park's lake and to detonate them at his signal.
It was early in the morning when Clayface arrived at the place and asked Ivy where were the kids. Batman tried to attack Clayface by surprise but he was too powerful for Batman. Batman used an electric staff to paralyze Clayface for a moment and then he told Robin to detonate the explosives. The roof above them collapsed and let all the water from the lake inside the cave and through the whole in the cave, sunlight brightened the dark place. Water and Sun was all Ivy needed to recover her strength and after a few minutes, Clayface and Batman emerged from the water and resumed their fight but they were interrupted when Ivy came out of the water with renewed strength and told them that it was time to finish it.
Appearing in "Fruit of the Earth, Part Two"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- Batmobile (Cameo)
Notes
- This is the second part of the storyline titled Fruit of the Earth. The previous part is in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #88. No Man's Land and Fruit of the Earth continues in Detective Comics #735.
- This issue is reprinted in Batman: No Man's Land Vol 3 and Batman: No Man's Land (2011/2012 Edition) Vol 2.
Trivia
- Despite the fact that Ivy's skin color is normal in the cover, she has green skin in the story.