Batman: Last Rites

{{DC Database:Storyline Template
 * Title                  = Last Rites
 * Image                  = Detective Comics 851A.jpg
 * OfficialName           = Batman: Last Rites
 * Aliases                =


 * Universe               = New Earth
 * Locations              = Gotham City


 * Heroes                 = Catwoman, Nightwing, Robin
 * Villains               = Gracchus, Hush, Lady Shiva, Lump, Mokkari, Ra's al Ghul, Simyan
 * Others                 = Alfred Pennyworth, James Gordon, Millicent Mayne


 * Origin                 =
 * Titles                 = Batman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Robin
 * Collected              =
 * Creators               = Grant Morrison; Tony S. Daniel; Sandu Florea; Alex Ross; Paul Dini; Dustin Nguyen; Dennis O'Neil; Guillem March
 * First                  = Batman #682
 * Last                   = Batman #685


 * HistoryText            = Last Rites is a Batman Family event about the aftermath of Bruce Wayne's disappearance during Final Crisis. There are also tie-ins to other publication events including Faces of Evil and Origins and Omens. Grant Morrison elaborates on Bruce's involvement in the Crisis following his previous storyline Batman R.I.P., both part of the larger Morrison's Batman saga. Paul Dini begins his Hush Money arc in the aftermath of his earlier storyline Heart of Hush. Dennis O'Neil writes a two-part crossover Last Days of Gotham introducing a new character called the Face of Gotham. Peter Tomasi concludes the Nightwing series with his arc The Great Leap and Fabian Nicieza concludes the Robin series with his arc Search for a Hero. This series of events leads into the Battle for the Cowl event and Batman's funeral seen in Neil Gaiman's two-part Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?.

Hush Money
Hush recovers from his defeat during Heart of Hush and begins touring the world using Bruce Wayne's face and money until he's recaptured by Catwoman. She tortures him with a rhino then releases him into the custody of Nightwing and Robin, who decide to keep him locked up in Wayne Tower until the real Bruce Wayne returns.

Last Days of Gotham
Wealthy actress and socialite Millicent Mayne becomes known as The Face of Gotham for her charity efforts following the Cataclysm earthquake. However, she upsets a jewel thief named Gracchus who splashes her face with acid while robbing a fundraiser dressed as Two-Face. This accident gives her a supernatural empathic connection to Gotham, allowing her to feel the lives of its citizens and know their stories Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock desperately keep trying the Bat-Signal, although Batman is still missing. Alfred encourages a depressed Nightwing to go after Two-Face, but he's knocked out by several thugs and left inside a burning building. Recovering, Nightwing answers the Bat-Signal and responds to a disappointed Gordon and Bullock. He begins to suspect that this is not the real Two-Face, and tracks down Millicent Mayne leading him to an abandoned theater. Gracchus arrives looking for his missing diamonds in the theater, and Nightwing overcomes his insecurities to beat Gracchus down. While Gordon and Bullock discuss the fact that Batman might never return, Nightwing and Mayne stay up late into the night talking about identity.

Robin Dies at Dawn!
Lady Shiva arrives in Gotham and challenges Robin to a fight to the death, which he must accept. Tim prepares for dying, and tries to make peace with those in his life. The Bat-Signal is restored from the "Robin Signal" as Tim believes Gotham must think Batman is alive. Jason Todd enters the Batcave to view Bruce Wayne's video will. Jamie Harper and Jason Bard go on a date. Tim breaks up with Zoanne over the phone, calls his best friend Ives, and tries to reconcile with Stephanie but she doesn't pick up. He worries about becoming closed off and obsessive like Batman, but that might be the only way to match the mania of his villains. Robin finally confronts Shiva, and she breaks three of his ribs in the first strike. However, he reveals that he poisoned her food earlier in the day. Her heart rate rises in the fight, and she's instantly paralyzed. Nightwing congratulates him, and Robin looks forward optimistically to the future of Gotham.


 * Issues                 =
 * -- Final Crisis
 * -- Final Crisis
 * -- Last Days of Gotham
 * -- Faces of Evil, Hush Money
 * -- Last Days of Gotham
 * -- Faces of Evil, Hush Money
 * -- The Great Leap
 * -- Faces of Evil
 * -- Origins and Omens
 * -- Search for a Hero, Origins and Omens


 * Vehicles               = Batmobile
 * Items                  =
 * Weapons                =

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 * Notes                  =
 * Trivia                 =
 * RecommendedReading     =
 * Links                  =