Detective Comics #474 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1977. It was published on September 27, 1977.
Synopsis for "The Deadshot Ricochet"
After apprehending the the Penguin, the Batman and Robin return to the Batcave II for some well-deserved rest. They begin some light-hearted sparring with one another, but the fun ends when Robin receives a distress call from Wonder Girl. He doesn't want to leave Bruce, but Batman urges him to attend his teammates in the Teen Titans.
Meanwhile at Gotham Prison, the warden ushers the Penguin into a cell next to Floyd Lawton, aka, Deadshot. The Penguin brags about his special laser monocle which he intends on using to escape from prison, but Deadshot snatches it from him and uses it to affect his own escape.
That evening, Batman goes to the Tobacconists' Club for an impromptu visit with city councilman Rupert Thorne. He criticizes him for the recent cease and desist against him and warns Thorne that from now on, they will play things "Batman's way". After Batman leaves his office, Rupert Thorne receives a haunting visitation by the ghost of Hugo Strange.
The following day, Bruce Wayne meets Silver St. Cloud at the Gotham Convention Center. Silver's company is hosting the event and while there, they run into Commissioner Gordon. Gordon tells Bruce Wayne about the recent escape of Deadshot. His mind hankers back to the first time that he fought against Deadshot.
The New Deadshot
He then takes Silver to the Fox Gardens restaurant for lunch. Silver asks him a lot of questions and Bruce fears that she may suspect that he is Batman.
That night, Bruce goes on patrol as Batman, but he doesn't have far to go before he runs afoul of Deadshot. The two fight atop the Ellsworth Building and eventually make their way back to the convention center where they trade shots while leaping across a giant typewriter. Batman traps Deadshot behind the over-sized carriage return. Deadshot knows he is beaten and surrenders. As Batman looks up, he sees Silver St. Cloud staring back at him. She recognizes Batman as Bruce Wayne.
Elsewhere, the Joker plans his next nefarious scheme.
Appearing in "The Deadshot Ricochet"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Deadshot (Flashback and main story)
- The Penguin
- The Joker (Cameo)
- Rupert Thorne
- Hugo Strange (Ghost)
Other Characters:
- Gotham Police (Cameo)
- Teen Titans (Cameo)
- Harlequin (Duela Dent) (Cameo)
- Wonder Girl (Cameo)
- Bill (Silver's security guard)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Shadow of the Batman #3, Batman: Strange Apparitions, The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, Legends of the Dark Knight: Marshall Rogers, Tales of the Batman: Steve Englehart, Batman: A Celebration of 75 Years and Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman: The Deluxe Edition.
- Deadshot appeared last in Batman #59. This issue includes flashback to that event. This issue is the first appearance of Deadshot's new costume and weaponry. Deadshot will maintain this costume throughout the duration of his career.
- This is the second time that the ghost of Hugo Strange has appeared before Rupert Thorne. The first encounter took place in Detective Comics #473.
- The details surrounding Wonder Girl's emergency Teen Titans meeting is revealed in Teen Titans #53.
- Bruce Wayne mentions Julie Madison as the first woman who he loved, and an editor's note states that it happened in Detective Comics #31. However, that issue shows the Earth-Two version of the character, where Earth-Two Batman fights the Earth-Two Mad Monk in order to free Julie Madison. Circumstances involving Earth-One Batman against the Earth-One Mad Monk were different, without Julie's participation, not to mention that said encounter between Batman and the Mad Monk hadn't happened yet in the Earth-One timeline.
Trivia
- There are several nods to past DC creators in this issue. The Fox Gardens restaurant is named after writer Gardner Fox. Weisinger Office Suppliers (the ones who created the Giant Typewriter) is named for editor Mort Weisinger and the Ellsworth Building is named for Whitney Ellsworth.