Batman #404 through Batman #407

Complete listed story — includes the ending

Batman #404

Chicago Police Lieutenant James Gordon relocates to Gotham City and begins working under Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb. Already, he finds himself detesting the grime of the city, but his thoughts are on his pregnant wife, Barbara. Inwardly, he hopes her tests come back "negative".

Meanwhile, Gotham City's most eligible bachelor, Bruce Wayne, returns to the United States after twelve years abroad. He plays up the role of billionaire playboy, but secretly, he is anxious to begin a new career as a crime fighter. He wants to avenge the tragic deaths of his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne.

Across town, James Gordon meets some of his fellow officers, including the brutish Lt. Arnold Flass. It doesn't take Gordon long to realize that Flass represents only a tiny fraction of a trail of corruption that extends all the way to the Commissioner's office. Gordon learns that Flass is reckless and is not above accepting the occasional bribe. However, Gordon's own moral code is strong, and he refuses to buckle beneath the weight of corruption.

Flass grows concerned and tells Commissioner Loeb that Gordon may not be a "team player". Coyly, Loeb permits Flass to teach Gordon a lesson. That night, Flass and three other officers don ski masks and corner Jim in the parking garage. They mercilessly beat him with baseball bats, but Gordon recognizes the sound of Flass's laughter and vows to strike back.

Later, Jim takes his car and follows the crooked cops back to a place called Chute's. He waits for them outside until they are ready to leave. As Flass drunkenly stumbles out of the building, Gordon attacks him. He beats Flass up, strips him naked, and leaves him bound with his own handcuffs on the side of the road. Jim is confident that the incident will go unreported.

That same night, Bruce Wayne disguises himself as a vagrant and begins patrolling the seedy streets of Gotham's East End. He gets into an altercation with an albino pimp named Stan over an adolescent prostitute named Holly. Bruce and Stan's fight attracts the attention of another one of Stan's working girls – Selina Kyle. Selina tries to defend Holly, but Bruce lays her out with one blow across the jaw.

Suddenly, police officers arrive and take the disguised Wayne into custody. Bruce breaks free of his handcuffs and forces the police cruiser off the road. Wounded and bleeding, he manages to make his way back to his Porsche and return home to Wayne Manor.

He sinks into a wing chair in his study and begins stammering his father's name. Bruce feels that he has let his parents down. He reflects upon the night that a common mugger savagely gunned them down in the street, leaving him an orphan. Suddenly, a bat crashes through the open window. Bruce takes it as a sign and promises to avenge his parents' deaths by taking on the form of a bat.

Batman #405

A recently released mental patient from Arkham Asylum named Albert Blume has taken several children hostage and is threatening to kill them. Commissioner Loeb dispatches SWAT Commander Branden to the scene of the apartment to handle the situation. Lt. Gordon hears about the maneuver and intercepts Branden before he can do anything rash. Jim enters the building alone and single-handedly defeats Blume without causing him undue harm. He knows that if Branden's team had gone in, the results would have been disastrous.

A few nights later, Bruce Wayne makes his first official debut as Batman. He attacks a group of teenage punks stealing electronics and intercepts them on an apartment fire escape. The fight proves difficult, and one teen nearly loses his life. However, he succeeds in apprehending all three and promises to improve his technique before venturing out for a second time.

Over the course of several weeks, rumors of a "Batman" begin circulating throughout Gotham City. Even Detective Flass experiences a chance encounter with the mysterious vigilante.

Lt. Gordon holds a meeting with the other cops and addresses the Batman situation. Flass gives his jaded eyewitness account of Batman, but neglects to include details involving his own illicit affairs at the time of the encounter.

Four nights later, Batman breaks into the Mayor's mansion. The Mayor is hosting a party with several key city patrons, including Commissioner Loeb and crime lord Carmine Falcone. Batman throws a smoke grenade through the window and warns them that from this point forward, none of them is safe. Following the event, Loeb appoints Gordon the lead investigator in a special task force designed to bring down Batman.

Gordon begins investigating a chain of suspects – a chain that takes him all the way to the District Attorney's office. He interviews Assistant D.A. Harvey Dent and even begins to suspect that he is Batman. However, Dent has a solid alibi for his whereabouts, and Gordon crosses him off the suspect list. In truth, Dent is keenly aware of Batman's presence and has been secretly aiding him.

Later, Gordon and Detective Sarah Essen are nearly killed by a runaway truck driver asleep at the wheel. Batman arrives on the scene, and Gordon witnesses him rescue a wino who has fallen in the path of the out-of-control vehicle. He commands Batman to halt, but the vigilante darts down an alleyway. SWAT officers arrive and open fire, but Gordon begins to suspect that the Batman is not the evil creature that he read about in his files.

Batman runs inside a derelict building for shelter. Commissioner Loeb consults with the SWAT officers over the radio and authorizes the use of deadly force. Chief Branden uses a helicopter to firebomb the apartment building.

Batman #406

Flaming piles of debris drop down on top of Batman as the Gotham City SWAT team fires a firebomb at the derelict apartment building. Flammable materials within his utility belt begin to explode. Batman finds an electrical cover and uses it to mask his presence. A ground crew enters the building and begins sifting through the rubble. Batman lures them into a lower section of the building and traps them.

Before preparing his escape, Batman uses a remote device to signal a massive flock of bats from the Batcave. The swarm of bats descends on the area, giving Batman a chance to use them for cover to mask his escape. Several police squad cars attempt to follow the bat swarm, with one even driving off Gotham Pier. Dozens of bystanders (including Selina Kyle) are forced to get rabies vaccinations.

Later, Jim Gordon consults with Sarah Essen over the Batman issue. Sarah suspects that Batman may, in fact, be Bruce Wayne. Wayne has an alibi, however, citing that he was skiing in Switzerland during the recent incident.

Gordon walks Essen home, and the two share a romantic embrace. Jim instantly feels guilty knowing that his pregnant wife is home waiting for him.

In Gotham's East End, Selina Kyle decides to go into a different line of work. She punches out her pimp, Stan, and takes Holly with her. She fashions a costume for herself and becomes Catwoman for the first time.

Batman #407

James Gordon and Sarah Essen have dinner together. Jim feels guilty over their recent affair, but doesn't have the will to call it off. He even gives Sarah a bracelet – a present that should have gone to his pregnant wife. Finally, Sarah decides to end it. She puts in a transfer to New York City.

A few days later, Gordon arrests notorious drug dealer Jefferson Skeevers. Skeevers is a key figure who can link Detective Flass to organized crime, but he won't reveal any information. Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent allows the court to grant him bail.

Batman sneaks into Skeevers' hotel room and accosts him. That same night, Skeevers approaches Lt. Gordon, offering to reveal everything he knows concerning Detective Flass and his illegal conduct. After taking Jefferson's statement, Gordon bypasses Commissioner Loeb and goes straight to Internal Affairs.

Loeb does not appreciate Gordon going over his head. To further illustrate his displeasure, he shows him a surveillance photo of Jim and Sarah kissing. Loeb is more than ready to expose Gordon's tryst if he continues pursuing an indictment against Flass.

Later, Gordon and his wife Barbara visit Wayne Manor. Jim interviews Bruce Wayne about his suspicious actions, but Bruce dismisses any notion that he could be Batman. As the two leave the estate, Jim confides in Barbara and tells her of the affair.

A few nights later, Gordon and a few loyal officers interrogate Flass at length. At first, he refuses to cooperate, but before long, he agrees to detail everything he knows – including dirt on Commissioner Loeb.

Meanwhile, Barbara Gordon gives birth to her son – James Gordon, Jr.

A few nights later, Catwoman raids the home of Carmine Falcone. She believes that making a strike against Falcone will help to forge her own legendary status. The Batman arrives and attacks Falcone's men. The Catwoman escapes capture, but not before raking her claws across Falcone's face. The media learns of the incident and reports that Batman and this mysterious new Catwoman are colluding.

Commissioner Loeb makes a telephone call to Falcone. He instructs him to take measures against Gordon. Falcone sends his men to Gordon's apartment, where they abduct his wife and infant son. Jim manages to shoot a few of the kidnappers, but Johnny Viti takes off in his car with the baby.

Fortunately for Gordon, Bruce Wayne is present incognito. He follows Jim, who takes off on a motorcycle after Falcone. While Gordon deals with Johnny, Bruce rescues baby Jim Gordon.

Days later, news of Commissioner Loeb's corrupt regime hits the media wire. Loeb announces his possible resignation. The incident puts Gordon back in the spotlight, and he is soon promoted to Captain. With Sarah Essen gone to New York, Gordon starts working on his marriage to save it. Around this time, a maniac calling himself the Joker has threatened to poison the Gotham Water Reservoir. Still, Gordon has already contacted Batman, marking the beginning of their long-time collaboration.