He's here.
Where, Mr. Thorne?
Huh? Ah! There!
I-I-I saw him!
Clink What? What's that?
Take him!
Uh. Okay.
Uh, we split the take, 30-70.
Fifty-fifty.
Aah.
Uh, ah!
Ah!
Uhh!
Uh-ha.
How-how'd you do that?
I'm the Batman.
♪ The Batman ♪
whoosh.
Surprise.
I'm touched, Alfred
but my birthday isn't until October.
It's an anniversary, Master Bruce.
Three years ago tonight, you first donned cape and cowl.
Crime flies.
Chop-chop. Make a wish.
I wish, I wish..
I wish they were here, too. Very much so.
To the memory of Thomas and Martha Wayne.
The reason I became the Batman.
'Chief Rojas, can you verify rumors'
'that it was the Batman who apprehended'
'crime boss Rupert Thorne and his gang last night?'
Do you know of anyone who's actually seen this Batman?
Because he's what's called an Urban Legend.
Why that cheeky..
- Bran flakes, sir. - Easy, Alfred.
The Batman's right where he likes
hovering below the radar.
You are not one to bask in glory, Master Bruce.
Well, there you have it.
In only three years time, our crime rate
has plummeted to a nationwide low
thanks to Gotham's finest.
Back to you, Jim.
Next up, billionaire Bruce Wayne
contributes an unprecedented sum
to Gotham's children's hospital.
And in sports, the Gators kick off a new season
with tonight's home game.
Which billionaire Bruce Wayne will be there to enjoy.
Your season tickets, sir.
Oh, to-tonight? Oh, but I had..
Work to do in the Batcave?
For the Batman to better remain below the radar
Bruce Wayne must occasionally venture above it.
Get anything on our vigilante this time, Bennett?
Besides the fact that he bat-wrapped.
Thorne's butt for us?
Well, it's up to you and your partner to see to it
that this Urban Legend doesn't become a folk hero.
Partner? Since when?
Since I decided two heads are better than one.
Detective Ethan Bennett, meet Detective Ellen Yin
formally of Metropolis PD.
- Their loss. - Howdy, partner.
Welcome to Gotham.
Now that you two are acquainted
bring me this Batman, whoever he is.
'Ahem.'
I know, Alfred.
Time for swinging Bachelor Bruce Wayne
to put on the party hat.
Rest assured, Master Bruce.
You're never far from the Batcave
with the modern miracle of Batwave.
Steiner, check.
McSwain, check.
223, vacant.
Hey.
No one logged any new arrivals.
Whoa.
What are you doing in here?
What the..
I was feeling a bit screw-loose
so I checked myself in.
Who-who are you?
My card.
'Huh, uh, no! N-no! No! Aah!'
Let me tell you something. Ol' bats never leaves a trace.
No prints, no follicles, no match on tire tracks.
- Custom jobs. - The dude has resources.
And a knack for showing up where crime is
and police aren't.
I've never laid eyes on him.
Just in.
An unknown perp released all patients
from the East Wing of Arkham Asylum.
What? That's crazy!
Crazy enough to lure a bat?
You know, I once toyed with the idea
of buying the Gators, buying them lunch.
Oh, Mr. Wayne.
Uh, pardon me, ladies.
Arkham?
'And among Gotham notables'
'we welcome the young CEO of Wayne Industries'
'Bruce W-Wayne, uh'
'grabbing a Gator dog, no doubt.'
No doubt.
Gotta work on those stops.
Whoa!
What the..
Zap.
That was theatrical.
He takes after his pa, wouldn't you say?
What did you do to him?
Just some laughing gas, drag.
Don't tell me you're not an inmate.
What rational being dresses like you?
Speaking of threads
think this is a good look for me?
- Who are you? - Joker.
Not what, who?
Smear-free. It's perma-clown.
Ooh, tough crowd.
Look! Nothing up my sleeves. Ha ha.
Nothing that won't put a smile on your face.
Say, cheese.
I'm out of gas.
And I'm out of patience!
You really know how to spoil a coming-out party.
How do you expect me to spread mirth and whimsy
without a proper hideout?
Listen, Joker, you're sick! You need help.
Well, maybe I am a little off.
Yah!
But what are you gonna do, lock me in the looney bin?
I'm already here.
Situation report?
We're rounding up patients and waiting for choppers
to take us over.
Like we'll get any drier?
Uh.
Huh.
My new partner. Triathlon Whiz.
You know, I really love this place.
My old hideout's a shambles.
Eyah. He-heh.
And these digs just scream me.
Okay, take back the asylum.
But mark my words, this town has happy days ahead.
Boing 'Smile, Gotham!'
Well, better split up.
You have the right to remain silent.
Bennett, spot the perp?
The Bat.
Sir, a stranger in the Batcave?
Tonight, we'll make an exception.
Oh, my, chap could use a dentist.
Or a medic.
Right, then.
'Chief Rojas, any suspects yet in this bizarre'
'jack-in-the-box hostage incident?'
'I'm not at liberty to reveal whom.'
'But I feel confident our best detectives'
'are closing in on him as we speak.'
And Gotham Gator fan Bruce Wayne
with nary an alibi.
How's our patient?
Despite the ghastly grimace
fit as a fiddle.
Poor fellow simply a prisoner
in his own body.
A sample of Joker's gas
is our only hope of deriving an antidote.
I need to find it before this madman
puts a permanent smile on all of Gotham.
'Smile, Gotham!
My old hideout's a shambles.
If I find the old hideout, I find this Joker.
'Master Bruce, someone to see you.'
Who is it, Alfred?
The police.
Detective, uh, am I under arrest?
Yo, Bruce!
Ethan.
Where you've been, my friend?
Master Bruce was at the Gator game last night.
Speaking of, I thought we were all set
to shoot some hoops last week.
Ah, I-I've been buried, Ethan, 24/7.
So, why the sudden visit?
Just... ne-needed to talk to someone.
Other than the guys at the station, I mean.
This is gonna sound weird, Bruce.
But last night..
I saw the Batman.
Only a Ming.
So, he's for real?
What's he look like?
A dude like you or me.
Except he wears Batjamas.
Tough part's this, Bruce.
I really believe the Bat's helping Gotham.
Even if he is on the wrong side of the law.
But he's getting a bad rap
and the heat's on me to take him down.
'Looks like a clown hideout.'
Stop me if you've heard this one before, Batman.
There were these two fellows
in an abandoned party favor factory.
One says to the other..
Where are you keeping the gas, Joker?
You call that a punch line?
I don't share your sense of humor.
Yet we're linked, you and I.
Like comedy and tragedy.
Two sides, same coin.
The gas, Joker
or I vow I will turn your smile upside-down.
If it's gas you want.
Place all tray tables in their upright positions.
- What is that? - Ah.
- It looks like a balloon. - Smiles, people. Smiles!
The balloon's filled with Joker gas.
'And he's gonna pop it.'
Over Gotham.
A balloon downtown this time of year? That's...
Crazy? I'll drive.
If you're loving me
wait till you get a load of my pop.
- Stop this thing, Joker. - With what brakes?
He-ah!
It's the Batman. And he's pummeling a clown.
- Ugh! - Aah!
The jack-in-the-box, Yin.
What if clowny's the one behind the Arkham incident?
Explain the missing orderly.
Maybe Bats took him 'cause.. Uh, I don't know.
Uh, the guy needed help or something.
Fair enough. We're chasing two perps.
One's a criminal. The other's still a vigilante.
Watch your pinkies.
Whoa.
East. Gotham Bay.
You have made me one very sad clown!
You.. Where'd you go?
- Knock-knock. - Who's there?
Ah!
Boing boing boing.
My precious gas passed by a party pooper.
I had a different punch line in mind.
'Well, we can take the clown in.'
I know you love to swim.
Alfred, move our houseguest out of the Batcave
and prep the lab. I have an antidote to whip up.
Steiner, check.
McSwain, check.
223, new arrival.
Check.
They all said I was sick in the head.
They said I needed help.
Well, maybe I am a bit batty.
Blame it on the Bats in my belfry.
♪ The Batman ♪