Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Red Rain #1 is an issue of the series Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 2008.
Synopsis for "Red Robin"
The Challengers from Beyond arrives in Gotham City of Earth-43. The group then decides to split up in looking for a lead of Ray Palmer. In the foreground, a newspaper seller sells newspapers of a vampire hunter in the city.
Meanwhile, Barbara Gordon is having a date with Dick Grayson, who is curious about the Vampire Batman. Dick has been questioning Barbara about Batman, but yet she speaks little about him even though she had encountered and survived with the vampire. Barbara insists Dick in taking her home. As the couple walk, Barbara takes Dick through an alley and then attacks him, revealing herself as a vampire. However, Dick knew along that she was a vampire, fights back and demands her of Batman's whereabouts. Barbara only speaks of Batman living under "below" and is then impale by Dick. Donna Troy, who is flying over the city, sees Dick impaling Barbara and investigate the scene. Dick quickly escape before Donna arrive and is shock in seeing Barbara, who is still alive. Donna comforts Barbara as Barbara speaks of finding him (Dick) and enigmatically stating "it'll get him too". Donna then see a Palmer print on Barbara's right wrist, and ask of Ray Palmer, but only for Barbara to quickly pass away. Donna then contacts the Challengers.
Moments later, the rest of the Challengers arrived on the scene and are then explained by Donna of what happened. On inspecting Barbara, Bob reveals to the Challengers that she was a vampire. The group decides on finding the killer in hopes of having a lead to Ray. Kyle Rayner and Jason Todd are to investigate the homeless quarters, a hotbed for vampires in the chance of catching the vampire hunter, while Donna and Bob track the manufacturer of the stake that was driven into Barbara.
In the homeless quarters, after having a brief argument, Kyle and Jason decides to split up to cover grounds while they are beset by vampire ghouls. Bob and Donna finds the company manufacturer and look over its invoice for Barbara's killer.
Meanwhile, it is personally reveal from Dick Grayson that the reason he is obsessed in killing the Vampire Batman is because he is responsible for the deaths of Dick's parents, and discovers the location of Batman.
In the homeless quarters, Jason and Kyle fends off a group of ghouls and escape. The Batman has been watching them and confront one of the ghouls and forcefully demands why they (the Challengers) want. The ghoul confirms to Batman that they are looking for the vampire hunter and is then impaled by Batman. As he kills the ghoul, Dick watches over.
Donna and Bob arrives in their suspect's house, none other than Dick Grayson's, and acknowledge in his obsession and the location of Batman's lair. It is then realized by Donna that Barbara's words meant that Dick is putting himself in danger.
Dick discovers Batman's lair and finds the vampire resting in his coffin. Dick is about to impale Batman but is interrupted by the Challengers, who awakens Batman. Jason tries to convince Dick into not killing Batman, but the vengeful Dick ignores his warnings and confronts Batman. However, Dick finds himself that he can't bring himself to kill him, and is then bitten by Batman. Batman then flies off with Dick and away from the Challengers.
Having without any leads to Ray, the Challengers leave Earth-43. In the last panel of the issue, Dick has become a vampire "side-kick" to the Vampire Batman.
Appearing in "Red Robin"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Barbara Gordon (Earth-43) (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- The events from this one-shot coincide with the events from Countdown to Final Crisis #25.
- This issue is reprinted in the Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer collection.
Trivia
Given the Batman - Vampire trilogy had Batman paring with Tarla and later Selina it is reasonable to assume that Earth-43 is a close parallel to Earth-1191
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer series
- Images from Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Red Rain Vol 1 1
Recommended Reading
Links and References
The events from this issue or series involve a Multiversal Crossover between Post-Infinite Crisis worlds and characters. This template will categorize articles that include it into Post-Crisis Multiverse Crossover.
See also Pre-Crisis Multiverse Crossovers.