Batman: Hush
BatmanHush.jpg
Batman: Hush is a comic book story arc written by Jeph Loeb, and illustrated by Jim Lee (pencils), Scott Williams (inking), and Alex Sinclair (colors). It was published in monthly installments as Batman #608-619 by DC Comics, starting in 2002, and was later compiled in hardcover format into two volumes. Batman: Hush tells the story of a mysterious stalker, head wrapped in bandages, that seems intent on sabotaging Batman from afar. Jim Lee, who revamped the X-Men comic book franchise in the mid-nineties and created WildC.A.T.S. shortly thereafter, brings to the story his acclaimed pencils, notorious for emphasizing physical perfection (especially in women), which are supported by the vibrant, glowing colors of Alex Sinclair and the inking of Scott Willaims. Jeph Loeb, one of comic's infamous authors and supervising producer for the TV show Smallville, brings to Hush his trademark romanticism, which comes through most clearly in the romance that blooms between Batman and Catwoman.
Plot Summary
Batman: Hush begins with Batman foiling the ransoming of a hostage, only to find his old enemy, Killer Croc, involved in the kidnapping. Swinging though Gotham City in pursuit of Catwoman, who stole the ransom money as Batman was battling Killer Croc, Batman's batrope is cut and Batman falls to the ground, fracturing his skull. Near death, Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, calls on Bruce's childhood friend, Thomas Elliot, now a renowned brain surgeon, for help. Batman recovers, and finds out that it was Poison Ivy who had forced Catwoman to steal the ransom. After saving Catwoman from Poison Ivy and Killer Croc, a romance blooms between Batman and Catwoman. The two track Poison Ivy to Metropolis, where they find that Poison Ivy has taken control of Superman. By using the kryptonite that Superman entrusted to him -- and when all else fails, placing Lois Lane in jeopardy, Batman defeats the Man of Steel, and the two join forces to capture Poison Ivy. Later, in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle are attending an opera when The Joker and his annoying girlfriend, Harley Quinn, rob the theater. In the ensuing struggle, Elliot is killed, and it is made to look as if The Joker shot him. Batman nearly kills The Joker, but former police commissioner James Gordon convinces him not to. Nightwing and Batman then stop The Riddler from robbing an armored car, and in the process find clues leading to Batman's old foe, Ra's al Ghul, who through the use of his various rejuvenating Lazarus Pits maintains immortality. Batman seeks out Ra's, who tells him that someone from Batman's past has used one of his Lazarus Pits to rise from the dead. Returning to Gotham, Batman finds the current Robin, Tim Drake, has been captured by a former Robin, Jason Todd, who seemingly died several years ago in the series Batman: A Death in the Family. In fighting Jason, Batman realizes that this is not really his old friend brought back to life, and it turns out to be Clayface taking the identity of Jason. Batman, having found a device planted in his computer, follows the evidence to a bridge, where he finds that his childhood friend, Thomas Elliot, was behind the bandages of Hush. In the ensuing battle, Elliot is apparently killed by a surgically reconstructed Harvey Dent and falls into the water, but when Batman searches for him, his body is nowhere to be found. Nights later, it is revealed that the true mastermind of Hush is non other than The Riddler. The Riddler had cancer and used a Lazarus Pit to heal himself. Through the pit, the Riddler deduced Bruce Wayne and Batman were one and the same. The Riddler then teamed with Dr. Thomas Elliot and the plot played out. The Riddler currently knows Batman's identity and has Jason Todd's body (Robin II) in his possesion.