Katana is fighting Professor Pig and Mr. Toad without Batman (who’s at home sleeping/ healing), but fails and they escape. Batman is having nightmares of his close encounter with Killer Croc. Alfred considers that it is perhaps time for Bruce/ Batman to take a break, perhaps see friends. Bruce tells him that he had one friend, Alfred, and he walked away from him. Alfred claims that Bruce was not the reason he left; Bruce asks if they were really going to discuss it, Alfred states that he came back when Bruce needed him, and he will tell him where he was and why when it is the right time. For he is far more concern with Bruce/Batman than himself. Bruce tells him that he is afraid for what will happen if he puts the suit on, for he almost killed Killer Croc in that fight back at the prison. Alfred says to perhaps let Katana look after Gotham for awhile, while he takes time to recuperate. Meanwhile, in order to keep his enemies closer, Bruce Wayne befriends Harvey Dent and the captain of the SCU, Dane Lisslow, with whom he makes a strong connection. At dinner with them, he learns Dent is trying to win his support in helping him become mayor, but Bruce is unsure, for Dent would then stop at nothing to bring Batman to “justice.” Bruce doesn’t seem to connect with Dent, but with his friend Dane. Martial Arts seems to be the key that they have in common. Elsewhere, Katana is training Barbra to defend herself; who gives herself the name, “oracle.” Finally he tells Dent to send his proposal, but their meeting is cut shut when Bruce sees what looks to be a flying bat creature. He chases after it, confronts it, but it gets away. Bruce tells Katana and Alfred, but they don’t seem to believe him. Except that the last few knights there have been break-ins at chemical facilities; the same as what Professior Pig and Toad were breaking into. Bruce thinks it’s time for Batman to get back in game, Alfred disagrees considering his condition, but Bruce doesn’t care. They find that it’s only animal sequence DNA chemicals that are being stolen. At one of the facilities, Batman and Katana soon encounter Man-Bat creature, after a chase, Batman brings it to the ground, Professor Pig and Mr. Toad arrive and they escape, but not until a confrontation with the police. Back at the cave, they learn from Man-Bat he was an experimental result of animal army of mutant humans, and so Toad can get a wife. Batman asks if he can lead them to pig and toad, and he answers that he can, but it may be too late, for they have what they need. At their hideout, they are just about to begin; they get there in time to stop them before they can inject any more people. While Batman is fighting with Pig, Toad goes after them, but is to late for Katana and Man-Bat get the hostages to safety. However, Toad gets Man-Bat under is control and captures Katana, planning to her into his future bride. Batman defeats Pig, but a control Man-Bat starts fighting him. It doesn’t take long for him to break Man-Bat from Toads control. During that time, Pig and Toad are trying to turn Katana into an animal, but Batman intervenes. They are sent to prison; Batman tells Man-Bat to look for a cure, but he is scared since he is not human. Batman tells him that what’s on the outside doesn’t matter, it matter what’s on the inside. Man-Bat asks how he will find him if he needs help, Batman replies that they will find him. At the mansion, Bruce is sparring with Dane, and agrees to support Dent to keep an eye on him.
