- Fear? Now you're talking, cartoon boy! There's nothing like a little fear to counteract apathy. Once they're afraid, they'll really start to care!
- — Joker
Detective Comics #737 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1999.
Synopsis for "The Code, Part 2"
The Joker plans his election campaign with the help of Harley and Josh, the cartoonist; but Joker notices that Harley is still not caring for him and Josh is strangely close to her.
Elsewhere in Gotham, Billy Pettit and his men are fighting Killer Croc's gang when Huntress arrives at the scene and tells Pettit about Joker's elections and the inclusion of Pettit in them. The former police officer doesn't seemed to care and he tells Huntress to take care of the situation for him.
At his hideout, Joker is brooding because his plans are not going well and because of the fact that Harley is so distant from him. Joker sends Josh to retrieve some explosives to force the people to vote in his elections and then he decides that he is going to marry Harley Quinn.
That night, Huntress goes to check on Harley's place and she ses Josh entering the building. Josh goes to Harley's apartment to check on her. She tells him that she is fine but he won't listen as he approaches her and corners her in the room's balcony. Josh wants Harley, but she doesn't want anything with him. Joker is outside of the building and spots Josh and Harley's shadows in the balcony and it seems as if they were making out. Joker is mad at Josh and plans something to get rid of him and claim Harley for himself. Josh is banished from Harley's place and after he leaves the building, Huntress hears him and other goons saying something about a bomb. Huntress goes to Harley's room and tries to make her reveal Joker's plans about the bomb. Harley has no idea what Huntress is talking about and they start fighting each other. Harley then moves out of the building to see what is happening with Joker. She climbs down from the side of the building and Huntress isn't able to follow her.
Meanwhile, Joker finds Josh and tells him that he will show him how to make explosives with fertilizer. Josh is excited about it but then Joker tells him that he will teach him a trick that will help him survive explosions. Joker places tons of explosives on Josh's body and just then he reveals that there is no trick and Joker kills Josh in a big explosion. Huntress sees the fire from afar and Harley arrives at the place where Joker is laughing his head off. She launches herself into Joker's arms and tells him to forgive her for being so distant in the past days. Joker is glad to see Harley back to normal but then he is pissed at Harley's attitude again.
Some time later, Oracle informs Batman about the events in Joker's turf, but Batman wants facts instead of gossip. Oracle isn't really sure if there are facts in No Man's Land.
Appearing in "The Code, Part 2"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Killer Croc's Gang (Behind the scenes)
- Josh (Dies)
Other Characters:
- Hector (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This is the second and last part of the storyline titled The Code. The previous chapter was Batman #570. No Man's Land continues in Azrael: Agent of the Bat #58.
- This issue is reprinted in Batman: No Man's Land Vol 4 and Batman: No Man's Land (2011/2012 Edition) Vol 3.