Batman: Cataclysm
Encyclopedia
"Cataclysm" is an 18 chapter DC Comics
crossover story arc
that ran through the various Batman
family comics from March to May, 1998
. The plot of the storyline centers around Gotham City
being hit by a massive earthquake
, the epicenter of the which is less than a mile from Wayne Manor
. In the wake of the destruction, Batman
and his allies join the frantic rescue efforts around the devastated city, which soon spirals into chaos. This story arc would act as a catalyst for the Batman comics and its spin-off titles, signaling the beginning of nearly 2 years of storylines that would spring forth in the earthquake's aftermath, culminating in the year-long "Batman: No Man's Land" saga. "Cataclysm" itself takes place a short time after the events of "Batman: Contagion" and "Batman: Legacy
," two crises which also nearly resulted in Gotham City's destruction.
) lost connection with the Batcave
at 7:03 p.m. while giving a report when a 7.6 earthquake
hit Gotham City. Batman was swept up by the rising currents from an underground stream and Alfred fell into the cave from the crumbling Wayne Manor above. Oracle headed to Gotham City Police Department
HQ to find her father and rally the troops.
Shortly after the quake, it appeared Wayne-owned buildings were the only ones left without major structural damage. Bruce Wayne had seen to it that all of his buildings were quake-proof up to 8.5. However, Wayne Manor and the Batcave were destroyed. With all the exits blocked, Batman strapped on scuba gear and promised Alfred he would be back soon. Barbara Gordon rallied the police force, and Detective Harvey Bullock
had found Commissioner Gordon
. At 8:52 p.m., the first aftershock hit.
Dick Grayson
(Nightwing) had learned of the earthquake from TV while at work. He bolted, grabbed a boat, and headed to his former home. He was taken aback by the sheer destruction in Gotham City. He began helping victims trapped under a collapsed highway as soon as he got ashore.
Azrael
and Nomoz arrived in Gotham City by helicopter to deliver Bane
to the GCPD. After the quake hit, Bane escaped. Azrael tracked and captured him after he killed two civilians in a bank.
Helena Bertinelli was on the subway when the quake hit. She quickly changed into her Huntress
garb and began getting survivors to safety. Batman surfaced in Gotham Harbor and was horrified seeing the city he loved in flames.
Catwoman
was stealing night-vision binoculars for an up-coming job when the department store was destroyed by the earthquake. After having a young girl die in her arms, she began getting the survivors to safety. Later, she started tracking Poison Ivy and stopped her from spreading super-fertilizer into Gotham City's water supply.
Robin (Tim Drake
) performed CPR on Lady Shiva
as Dava attacked Dorrance and his men. Shiva was revived by the drug still in Robin's system. Dava was shot in the melee and Shiva went berserk on Dorrance's people. Robin got Dava to her people and left her there. Tim's flight home was diverted to Blüdhaven
. On the news, he saw Gotham City on fire. He stole a motorcycle and headed toward his home.
The quake and the ensuing tidal waves hit Blackgate Prison hard. The island and many cells were flooded, and prisoners were set free. A land-bridge formed from the island all the way to mainland Gotham City. Batman, just surfacing in Gotham Harbor, realized what was going on and made his way to the prison. He quieted the rioting prisoners, though many had been killed and others escaped via the land-bridge. The aftershocks removed the land-bridge as S.W.A.T. helicopters arrived. Batman reached the mainland and began helping victims. Later, he spoke with Penguin about his "enterprises."
At Arkham Asylum
, many inmates were freed into the public areas of the facility when the quake hit. Joker
, Killer Croc
, Scarecrow
, Riddler
, and others took three guards hostage and killed two of them. They decided to tell stories to the third man, a new guard going to school to become a psychiatrist. They scared him into dementia before Arkham's generator kicked in and they were rounded up.
An odd band of small time crooks hired by WayneCorp saved a group of people trapped in a building. A young boy was convinced that Batman had sent them. Penguin, walking through the rubble, decided which people to help based on how they could repay the favor. Robin arrived and helped out in the excavation while thinking of his own family and friends.
Nightwing and Robin met at the clocktower to see if Oracle was okay—it was the first time Barbara and Tim had met face-to-face. No one had seen Batman because he was saving victims from rubble in the guise of a police officer. Nightwing and Robin then checked out the destruction at Wayne Manor and the Cave. Tim rushed off to check on his father, while Dick located Alfred and Harold
.
Batman searched for Dr. Rellazzo, who had been abducted earlier. GCPD reviewed a videotape delivered to them claiming responsibility for the earthquake: the "Quakemaster" wanted $100 million. Barbara Gordon readied a fake ransom payment and Batman stowed away on the pick-up helicopter with it. He gathered the henchmen who picked up the ransom, but their boss got away. Later, he met with Robin and Nightwing to discuss the situation.
Stephanie Brown, caught in a mall during the earthquake, quickly changed into her Spoiler
outfit. She slipped after rescuing a small child, but Huntress swooped down and caught her. Cluemaster
, Ratcatcher
, Firefly, and others made way for Gotham City after crossing the land-bridge from Blackgate. They arrived at the mall and began looting. Huntress and Spoiler battled them, capturing all but Cluemaster (Stephanie's father).
Robin continued to investigate the Quakemaster's tape while Nightwing and Batman went out. Quakemaster's people kidnapped Detective "Hardback" Bock and held Commissioner Gordon and Mayor Grange hostage in the Mayor's office. Believing he had a lead on the Quakemaster, Robin headed out and met up with Bullock and Renee Montoya
. Robin rescued Bock, and together they took down Quakemaster, who was Arnold Wesker
's newest puppet. Nightwing saved Commissioner Gordon and Mayor Grange, while Batman continued helping survivors.
.
's Batman Beyond
animated series, which is set in the future. In the episode "Shriek", the character of the same name demolishes a building with sonic waves capable of producing earthquakes. After preventing Bruce Wayne from being killed by the falling debris, Terry McGinnis
, the future Batman, asks : "Earthquake?", to what Bruce Wayne replies: "Not like any I have ever been in", referencing the earthquake Bruce survived decades before.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
crossover story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
that ran through the various Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
family comics from March to May, 1998
1998 in comics
-Spring:* Gay Comix , with issue #25, publishes its final issue -October:* Toy Biz buys Marvel Comics* Excalibur is canceled by Marvel with issue #125.-November:...
. The plot of the storyline centers around Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
being hit by a massive earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
, the epicenter of the which is less than a mile from Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor
In DC Comics, Wayne Manor is a fictional setting, the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman. The residence is typically depicted as a huge stately mansion on grounds outside Gotham City, maintained by the Wayne family's servant, Alfred Pennyworth...
. In the wake of the destruction, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and his allies join the frantic rescue efforts around the devastated city, which soon spirals into chaos. This story arc would act as a catalyst for the Batman comics and its spin-off titles, signaling the beginning of nearly 2 years of storylines that would spring forth in the earthquake's aftermath, culminating in the year-long "Batman: No Man's Land" saga. "Cataclysm" itself takes place a short time after the events of "Batman: Contagion" and "Batman: Legacy
Batman: Legacy
"Legacy" is a crossover story arc in the Batman comic book series, which is a sequel to another Batman story arc, "Contagion" and also serves as a follow-up to the "Knightfall" story arc....
," two crises which also nearly resulted in Gotham City's destruction.
Plot
Seismologist Dr. Jolene Relazzo believed the Gotham area was due for a major earthquake as her gear began registering hits nearing the city. Oracle (Barbara GordonBarbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
) lost connection with the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
at 7:03 p.m. while giving a report when a 7.6 earthquake
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
hit Gotham City. Batman was swept up by the rising currents from an underground stream and Alfred fell into the cave from the crumbling Wayne Manor above. Oracle headed to Gotham City Police Department
Gotham City Police Department
The Gotham City Police Department is a fictional police department servicing Gotham City, as depicted in comic books published by DC Comics, in particular those tied into the Batman books.-History of GCPD:...
HQ to find her father and rally the troops.
Shortly after the quake, it appeared Wayne-owned buildings were the only ones left without major structural damage. Bruce Wayne had seen to it that all of his buildings were quake-proof up to 8.5. However, Wayne Manor and the Batcave were destroyed. With all the exits blocked, Batman strapped on scuba gear and promised Alfred he would be back soon. Barbara Gordon rallied the police force, and Detective Harvey Bullock
Harvey Bullock (comics)
Harvey Bullock is a fictional character from DC Comics' Batman titles.-Fictional character biography:Prior to the 1984-85 DC maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, Bullock is a crooked police detective under instructions from Gotham City's Mayor Hamilton Hill to sabotage Commissioner Gordon's career...
had found Commissioner Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
. At 8:52 p.m., the first aftershock hit.
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
(Nightwing) had learned of the earthquake from TV while at work. He bolted, grabbed a boat, and headed to his former home. He was taken aback by the sheer destruction in Gotham City. He began helping victims trapped under a collapsed highway as soon as he got ashore.
Azrael
Azrael (comics)
Azrael is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are a group of assassins who were created by The Order of St. Dumas to "enforce god's will"...
and Nomoz arrived in Gotham City by helicopter to deliver Bane
Bane (comics)
Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
to the GCPD. After the quake hit, Bane escaped. Azrael tracked and captured him after he killed two civilians in a bank.
Helena Bertinelli was on the subway when the quake hit. She quickly changed into her Huntress
Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...
garb and began getting survivors to safety. Batman surfaced in Gotham Harbor and was horrified seeing the city he loved in flames.
Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
was stealing night-vision binoculars for an up-coming job when the department store was destroyed by the earthquake. After having a young girl die in her arms, she began getting the survivors to safety. Later, she started tracking Poison Ivy and stopped her from spreading super-fertilizer into Gotham City's water supply.
Robin (Tim Drake
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
) performed CPR on Lady Shiva
Lady Shiva
Lady Shiva is a fictional comic book character co-created by Dennis O'Neil and Ric Estrada, and published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter as an antagonist of Richard Dragon...
as Dava attacked Dorrance and his men. Shiva was revived by the drug still in Robin's system. Dava was shot in the melee and Shiva went berserk on Dorrance's people. Robin got Dava to her people and left her there. Tim's flight home was diverted to Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven is a fictional city in the . Created by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel in 1996, it was originally intended to serve as a backdrop for the Nightwing comics series.-Fictional geography:...
. On the news, he saw Gotham City on fire. He stole a motorcycle and headed toward his home.
The quake and the ensuing tidal waves hit Blackgate Prison hard. The island and many cells were flooded, and prisoners were set free. A land-bridge formed from the island all the way to mainland Gotham City. Batman, just surfacing in Gotham Harbor, realized what was going on and made his way to the prison. He quieted the rioting prisoners, though many had been killed and others escaped via the land-bridge. The aftershocks removed the land-bridge as S.W.A.T. helicopters arrived. Batman reached the mainland and began helping victims. Later, he spoke with Penguin about his "enterprises."
At Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
, many inmates were freed into the public areas of the facility when the quake hit. Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
, Scarecrow
Scarecrow (comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
, Riddler
Riddler
The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....
, and others took three guards hostage and killed two of them. They decided to tell stories to the third man, a new guard going to school to become a psychiatrist. They scared him into dementia before Arkham's generator kicked in and they were rounded up.
An odd band of small time crooks hired by WayneCorp saved a group of people trapped in a building. A young boy was convinced that Batman had sent them. Penguin, walking through the rubble, decided which people to help based on how they could repay the favor. Robin arrived and helped out in the excavation while thinking of his own family and friends.
Nightwing and Robin met at the clocktower to see if Oracle was okay—it was the first time Barbara and Tim had met face-to-face. No one had seen Batman because he was saving victims from rubble in the guise of a police officer. Nightwing and Robin then checked out the destruction at Wayne Manor and the Cave. Tim rushed off to check on his father, while Dick located Alfred and Harold
Harold Allnut
Harold Allnut is a fictional character in DC Comics, an aide of Batman. He helped to design, build, and repair Batman's equipment.-Character appearance and disabilities:...
.
Batman searched for Dr. Rellazzo, who had been abducted earlier. GCPD reviewed a videotape delivered to them claiming responsibility for the earthquake: the "Quakemaster" wanted $100 million. Barbara Gordon readied a fake ransom payment and Batman stowed away on the pick-up helicopter with it. He gathered the henchmen who picked up the ransom, but their boss got away. Later, he met with Robin and Nightwing to discuss the situation.
Stephanie Brown, caught in a mall during the earthquake, quickly changed into her Spoiler
Spoiler (comics)
Stephanie Brown is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #647 and was created by Chuck Dixon and Tom Lyle....
outfit. She slipped after rescuing a small child, but Huntress swooped down and caught her. Cluemaster
Cluemaster
The Cluemaster is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and enemy of Batman. A failed game show host, he became a criminal who left clues to his crimes, though unlike the Riddler's, they were not riddles....
, Ratcatcher
Ratcatcher (comics)
The Ratcatcher is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics universe, primarily as an enemy of Batman. First appearing in Detective Comics #585 , the Ratcatcher was created by Alan Grant, John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle.-Fictional character biography:At one time an actual rat catcher...
, Firefly, and others made way for Gotham City after crossing the land-bridge from Blackgate. They arrived at the mall and began looting. Huntress and Spoiler battled them, capturing all but Cluemaster (Stephanie's father).
Robin continued to investigate the Quakemaster's tape while Nightwing and Batman went out. Quakemaster's people kidnapped Detective "Hardback" Bock and held Commissioner Gordon and Mayor Grange hostage in the Mayor's office. Believing he had a lead on the Quakemaster, Robin headed out and met up with Bullock and Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992....
. Robin rescued Bock, and together they took down Quakemaster, who was Arnold Wesker
Ventriloquist (comics)
The Ventriloquist is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Batman in the . The Ventriloquist first appeared in Detective Comics #583 and was created by Alan Grant, John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle...
's newest puppet. Nightwing saved Commissioner Gordon and Mayor Grange, while Batman continued helping survivors.
Reading order
"Batman: Cataclysm" reading order:- Prelude: Detective ComicsDetective ComicsDetective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#719 - Part 1: Batman: Shadow of the BatBatman: Shadow of the BatBatman: Shadow of the Bat was a comic book series featuring Batman, published by DC Comics. The series ran for 96 issues, from 1992 to 2000. The stories took place in Batman's then-current continuity along with Detective Comics and Batman, in contrast to Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, which...
#73 - Part 2: NightwingNightwingNightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
(vol. 2) #19 - Part 3: Batman #553
- Part 4: AzraelAzrael (comic book)Azrael was an American comic book ongoing series, published by DC Comics based on the character Azrael. The name, inspired by the Islamic Angel of Death, is primarily associated with two characters: Jean-Paul Valley and Michael Lane...
#40 - Part 5: Detective Comics #720
- Part 6: CatwomanCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
(vol. 1) #56 - Part 7: RobinRobin (comics)Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
(vol. 4) #52 - Part 8: Batman: Blackgate - Isle of Men #1
- Part 9: Shadow of the Bat #74
- Part 10: The Batman Chronicles #12
- Part 11: Nightwing (vol. 2) #20
- Part 12: Batman #554
- Part 13: Batman: Huntress/Spoiler - Blunt Trauma #1
- Part 14: Detective Comics #721
- Part 15: Catwoman (vol. 2) #57
- Part 16: Batman: Arkham Asylum - Tales of Madness #1
- Conclusion: Robin (vol. 2) #53
Collected edition
All of the stories (except Robin #52, Azrael #40, Catwoman #57, and Batman: Arkham Asylum - Tales of Madness #1) were collected into a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
.
In other media
The cataclysm is referenced in Bruce TimmBruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
's Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
animated series, which is set in the future. In the episode "Shriek", the character of the same name demolishes a building with sonic waves capable of producing earthquakes. After preventing Bruce Wayne from being killed by the falling debris, Terry McGinnis
Terry McGinnis
Batman is a fictional superhero in comics published by DC Comics as well as the main protagonist of the animated television series Batman Beyond , in which he has succeeded Bruce Wayne as the protector of Gotham City. He was voiced by Will Friedle...
, the future Batman, asks : "Earthquake?", to what Bruce Wayne replies: "Not like any I have ever been in", referencing the earthquake Bruce survived decades before.
See also
- Batman: Contagion
- Batman: LegacyBatman: Legacy"Legacy" is a crossover story arc in the Batman comic book series, which is a sequel to another Batman story arc, "Contagion" and also serves as a follow-up to the "Knightfall" story arc....
- Batman: No Man's Land
External links
- Batman: Cataclysm at the DC Comics Database