Batman: Dark Victory

Batman: Dark Victory is a 14-part American comic book limited series (including a #0 issue) published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Batman. The series, which ran from 1999 until 2000, was written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale, and it serves as a sequel to Batman: The Long Halloween. Batman: Dark Victory takes place primarily four to five years into Batman's career as a vigilante crimefighter. The plot centers on a series of murders involving Gotham City police officers by a mysterious serial killer only known as the Hangman. Central to the storyline is a territory war between Two-Face and the remnants of the Falcone mob, led by Sofia Falcone.

The story is also a re-telling of the origins of Batman's sidekick Robin and his adoption by Bruce Wayne. The story brings closure to many characters introduced in Frank Miller's Batman: Year One.

In 2004, Loeb and Sale produced a follow-up titled Catwoman: When in Rome, focusing on Catwoman's movements in Italy. The story takes place during the events of Dark Victory, between Valentine's Day (when Catwoman leaves Gotham) and Labor Day.

It has been several months after the killer known as "Holiday" was apprehended. "Holiday" was actually Alberto Falcone, attempting to one-up his father, and prove he is more than capable of handling the family business. Janice Porter has replaced Harvey Dent as Gotham City's District Attorney and despises Batman's methods, although Commissioner Jim Gordon tries to sway her opinion.

Bruce blames himself for Dent's descent into villainy and has become even more of a loner, refusing Gordon and Catwoman's assistance. During a visit to Dent's cell, there is a large breakout of most of the inmates of Arkham Asyulm. Alberto is not one of them. Batman insists Sofia Gigante had some hand in the breakout, but she assures him she does not, as since their last visit she now uses a wheelchair and has a brace on her head.

Janice Porter allows the release of Alberto to house arrest in his brother Mario's custody at their father's old estate. Shortly after his release, Clancy O'Hara's body is found hanged from the Gotham city bridge, his old patrol. Taped to his chest is a newspaper clipping, headlined "Holiday goes free", with a hangman riddle written on it.

Batman interrogates the Riddler, the only man whom Holiday attacked but did not kill, but he assures Batman that he doesn't know why Holiday spared him. In the Falcone estate, Alberto begins to hear his father's voice, telling him to continue his work as the Holiday killer. Soon after the Riddler meets with Batman, saying that the killer assumes that another person is playing their twisted game, the corrupt ex-commissioner Gillian B. Loeb is found hanged from his stairs in his mansion, another riddle on his chest.

Later, another corrupt officer, Detective Arnold Flass is found hanged outside the strip club where he worked as a bouncer. Batman believes that Alberto is the newly dubbed "Hangman" killer, or knows who the person is. He interrogates him, but learns nothing and leaves to search for Dent. Entering the sewers, Batman fights Solomon Grundy, and he leads Batman to Dent's new office. Searching his office, there is an explosion and Batman loses Dent underground.