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"Hush, Part Seven: The Joke": Batman flies into a rage and begins pummeling the Joker. The Joker keeps muttering the word, "Stop", but Batman isn't listening to him. Harley Quinn tries to sneak up

Quote1 I made a promise on the grave of my parents that I would rid this city of the evil that took their lives. Tonight... I nearly became a part of that evil... Quote2
Batman

Batman #614 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 2003. It was published on April 30, 2003.

Synopsis for "Hush, Part Seven: The Joke"

Batman flies into a rage and begins pummeling the Joker. The Joker keeps muttering the word, "Stop", but Batman isn't listening to him. Harley Quinn tries to sneak up behind him with her signature mallet, but Batman sidesteps the blow, and Harley accidentally smashes the Joker's arm with the hammer. Batman gives Harley a kick to the gut to get her out of the way, then continues to beat on the Joker. Images of Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd and Sarah Essen flash through his mind – all victims of the Joker.

Catwoman, slowed by the bullet lodged in her shoulder, attempts to restrain Batman with her whip. She recognizes the look in the Dark Knight's eyes, and realizes that he plans on killing the Joker. Batman swings about punching Catwoman in her wounded shoulder. The shock from the pain causes her to slump over, but Batman can't stop from killing the Joker because he thinks about the idea of Catwoman being Joker's next victim and he can't stand the thought of it.

As Batman continues to wail on the Joker, former police commissioner James Gordon shows up behind him. He draws his weapon and fires two warning shots, telling Batman to calm down and think it through. Gordon is horrified as he realizes Batman already has thought it through. He coaxes Batman away from the Joker, reminding him that he is about to cross a line that can never be forgiven, and that if Batman becomes a killer, Gordon will lead the hunt for Batman himself. Shocked that the only other man who could want the Joker dead more than Batman himself wants him to live, Batman calms down, and the Joker keeps repeating that he is innocent.

From a rooftop high above, the man whose face is covered in bandages witnesses the event while flipping a scarred silver dollar in his hand. Talking to himself, he admits that the Joker was actually innocent in the death of Tommy Elliot.

Appearing in "Hush, Part Seven: The Joke"

Featured Characters:

  • Batman (Flashback and main story)

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Notes

Trivia

  • The tagline for this issue is "Punch Line". Contextually the phrase has a double meaning, as a "punchline" is the end of a joke, and also because Batman punches the Joker during the course of this issue.


See Also

Recommended Reading

Hush
Part I: Batman #608 Part II: Batman #609 Part III: Batman #610 Part IV: Batman #611
Part V: Batman #612 Part VI: Batman #613 Part VII: Batman #614 Part VIII: Batman #615
Part IX: Batman #616 Part X: Batman #617 Part XI: Batman #618 Part XII: Batman #619

Links and References

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