Knightfall Recall: Detective Comics #659

 Detective Comics #659: "Puppets"

Art by Kelley Jones

Written by Chuck Dixon, Penciled and Inked by Norm Breyfogle, Colored by Adrienne Roy, Lettered by Tim Harkins

"The walls of Arkham came tumbling down..."

Detective Comics begins its part of the Knightfall story with a flashback to the night Bane launched his assault on Arkham Asylum and freed dozens of inmates. Maxie Zeus, boasting of bringing lightning down from the heavens to enable the escape, flees the grounds of the asylum only to run face first into a tree and suffer a broken nose. The Ventriloquist is another inmate fleeing, using a sock puppet to aid him in his search for Scarface. Offering his aid because "somebody blew up [his] room" is the physically massive yet childlike Amygdala.

Moving forward to where we last left off in the arc, Batman and Robin discover Film Freak's body in an alley and easily conclude he has been beaten to death. The two heroes leave before police arrive on the scene with a Lt. Kitch leading the investigation. The cops discuss among themselves that twelve homicides have been committed since the breakout.

Batman and Robin continue to make their patrol in an effort to capture more of the escaped inmates with Robin voicing his concern for Batman's well being. Tailing the pair is the pet falcon of Bane's henchman Bird. The dynamic duo follow a report on a toy store break in. The Ventriloquist and his new friend are searching for a suitable Scarface. Batman enters the toy store after demanding Robin stay put in the Batmobile. He's immediately blindsided by Amygdala.

Robin has noticed the falcon monitoring his movements and decides to investigate because it is not a native species of Gotham. He soon stumbles upon Bird. The caped crusaders' brawls with the villains inter-cut with each other. Batman is tossed around easily before Amygdala breaks down due to a panic attack. Robin is nearly killed before Bane radios Bird to call him off. 

And now a police report comes in that Mr. Zsasz is holding hostages at a school for girls.

Art by Norm Breyfogle.

The issue builds the pressure of Batman running himself ragged trying to recapture the criminals of Arkham. It is also a beautiful showcase of Norm Breyfogle's art.

Next time: Batman #493