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""Burning Questions"": The Riddler's goons decide they've had enough of waiting for him to concoct riddles relating to their next big score. They decide to take on the job themselves without him, and chase him out onto the streets in a rain of bullets. Dejected and

Quote1 Denied the opportunity to confront a psychotic arsonist. I can only imagine your disappointment. Quote2
Alfred Pennyworth

Detective Comics #662 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1993. It was published on May 6, 1993.

Synopsis for "Burning Questions"

The Riddler's goons decide they've had enough of waiting for him to concoct riddles relating to their next big score. They decide to take on the job themselves without him, and chase him out onto the streets in a rain of bullets. Dejected and disappointed, the Riddler wonders why his riddles haven't received any response from the GCPD. After passing an electronics store, he comes up with a new way to give his riddles to a much wider audience.

In the Batcave, Robin works off some of his frustrations regarding the fact that Batman allowed him to do all of the footwork for the Firefly case, but has made him sit out on the bust. The last place on Robin's list of potential targets for Firefly is Gotham City Zoo.

Bored, Robin begins channel surfing on the Batcomputer's TV monitor, much to Alfred's disgust. He happens upon the Cassie Josie Rudolpho show, where a former Arkham Asylum employee, Dr. Simpson Flander, is hawking his new pop-psychology book. When Cassie takes questions from the audience, one audience member steps up, and begins asking riddles. It is the Riddler in disguise, and he has rigged himself with dynamite. Robin heads for the studio where the show is filmed as fast as he can.

At the Zoo, Batman seeks out Firefly, following the arsonist's peals of mad laughter. Fortunately, Batman has outfitted himself with a flame resistant Batsuit and a re-breather, to withstand Firefly's attacks. Still the heat drains him of his energy, and the weight of the suit drags him down. As a result of his exhaustion, Batman clumsily falls into a cage with some leopards, who angrily attack. Firefly takes the opportunity to make his escape while Batman is forced to use flame-retardant Halon on the cats to daze them, and give chase. He manages to catch up with Firefly enough to wrap his Batrope around the villain, and leave him dangling over an alligator pit.

While the police struggle to come up with a way to handle the Riddler's commandeering of a live talk-show, Robin sneaks in through through a vent, and leaps down onto the stage, spraying Riddler's hand with a fast-acting epoxy to keep him from being able to activate the detonator to the dynamite around his chest. Harvey Bullock and the bomb squad rush in, and arrest the Riddler, and Bullock warns Robin that he could have killed everyone by being so brash, and acting alone.

Meanwhile, the Riddler's former gang has broken into the post office, and stolen a fortune in blank money orders, stamps, and cash. As they make their getaway, however, they come face to face with Huntress, who apprehends them all without much effort.

With Firefly captured, Batman keeps count of the eight minor Arkham escapees that he's recaptured, but worries that he won't have the stamina to face Riddler, Scarecrow and Joker - not to mention Bane.

Appearing in "Burning Questions"

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Notes

Trivia

  • All the riddles by Riddler are related to letters, mailing and the post office.
  • TV host Cassie Josie Rudolpho Rambeau is an analogue to Sally Jessy Raphael.


See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References

Batman 492
Knightfall Saga Crossover
DC Bullet 2024

This comic issue is a part of the massive Knightfall crossover event. Knightfall consisted of three parts, Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd. The trilogy involved Batman's back being broken by Bane, the debut and subsequent descent into madness of Bruce Wayne's successor Batman Jean-Paul Valley, and Bruce Wayne's recovery and reclamation of his former title, combatting Valley himself. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Knightfall Crossover" category.

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