From: [c--ve--n] at [cae.wisc.edu] (Michael Blakeman Cleveland)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: ZERO HOUR SUMMARIES: 2/6: BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #31
Date: 23 Jul 1994 22:11:39 GMT


Minor spoiler review:  No direct links to Zero Hour whatsoever (although
the events of Batman 511 are mentioned.)  The time anomaly in this issue
is an alternate (and apparently younger) version of Alfred Pennyworth.
I thought this issue was an excellent tribute to early Batman stories in
which bats fight guys with gangster names, but who have powers from
weird scientific devices. (Hmm, again I thought that the Batman issue
was the best crossover of the week, even though it is __completely__
predictable.)

Recommended for:
   ZH completist fanatics (who can't be stopped anyway)
   people who like those old Superman/Batman vs. gangster stories.
   
Avoid if it pisses you off when something says that it crosses over
and then doesn't.


Summary w/ spoilers:


































Batman and Robin return to the Batmobile (from routine patrol?) and notice
a light on in a nearby building.  Batman comments that this is odd.  They
investigate, only to find a man robbing his own company.  Batman finds
this case familiar and suggests they return to the Batcave to do some 
research.

On the way back, Robin laments Alfred's resignation and praises his peanut
butter sandwiches.  Upon arrival at the cave, they find sandwiches and
a shorter, fatter, younger Alfred Pennyworth than they remember.  (Alfred
attacks Robin, who is not the Dick Grayson he expects to meet.)  Batman 
quickly deduces that he is a time anomaly.

This Alfred is revealed to have aspirations to become a detective and also
to be _very_ clumsy.  Meanwhile, Batman finds the file he's looking for.
Gangster Biff Bannon and Dr. Andy Goodwin had developed a hypnotic potion
and used it to make businessmen rob their own companies.  Batman put them
away, but they had just been released from prison.  (Meanwhile, Biff and
da Doc discuss their plans and convince their flunkies to try to kill
Batman first and make money second.  Flunkies are very easy to convince
if you've invented a hypnotic potion. I loved this scene.)

As Batman and Robin prepare to hunt down Bannon, Alfred brings them a 
snack (which he spills).  Alfred wants to go, but Batman refuses.  When
Alfred cleans up though, he notices their destination on the computer
and follows.

Batman and Robin engage the crooks, knocking most of them out, but the
Doctor drugs them.  Bannon and Goodwin lead them to the roof and are 
preparing them to jump when Alfred, preparing to execute some clever 
maneuver from the top of a billboard, falls through it instead.  Bannon
prepares to kill him.  Seeing this, Bruce shakes off the drug, and knocks
out the criminals.  Alfred then vanishes, renouncing his desire to be a
detective, and declaring that he will never abandon his Bruce Wayne.

Overall, a fun, nostalgic story with no relationship to ZH whatsoever.
(Well, OK, Batgirl and time anomalies are mentioned.)