Good evening, Gotham... My name is Nicodemus, and I've come to issue you a warning... This city is a place of evil, and it will be destroyed... burned from the earth as if it never existed. Those who wish to survive should run for their lives... those who choose to stay should consider themselves dead already. 
Batman #601 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 2002. It was published on March 27, 2002.
Synopsis for "Turning the Town Red, Part One of Two"
A strange man tells a story about a kid, whose parents were murdered in Gotham City to a man that is about to become his next victim. The strange man then burns his prisoner and leaves him to die in flames.
Meanwhile, Batman enjoys his new freedom by taking down random criminals around the city. However, the night is quiet and Batman returns to his base, where Alfred is waiting for him, but because he is worried for Bruce's mental health, Alfred starts reading some of Bruce's journals. Batman finds out this and demands an answer from his old friend and butler, who tries to tell Bruce about his latest attitude but Batman performs his trademark vanishing act on Alfred, something he has never done before.
Moments later, Batman answers the beaconing of the Bat-Signal and learns about a serial killer terrorizing Gotham. Commissioner Akins gives Batman all the information about Jack Mckenna and Thomas Hart, who have been kidnapped by the killer. He also asks Batman to stop the killer before more lives are taken.
Batman starts looking for any information that would lead to the killer and he finds some of the hired help the man has used in the past that tell Batman all he needs to know.
The mysterious killer has McKenna tied up and ready to be burned when Batman arrives and stops him from burning the man. The killer sets the place on fire and Batman decides to rescue McKenna from the fire, however the feat allows the killer to escape and Batman still doesn't know where Thomas Hart is. Batman looks for the man and finds him just before the house burns to ashes. Batman mmanages to take both men outside but realizes that McKenna is dead.
On his way to his base, Batman looks the medical records of McKenna and discovers that the man suffered from a heart disease and that the most likely reason for his death is a heart attack after being deprived from his medication for a whole day. Batman acknowledges the killer, when the digital billboard on a building starts broadcasting a recorded message from the killer, who calls himself Nicodemus and warns the people of Gotham that he is going to cleanse the city from its evil and that everyone that stays in the city is already doomed.
Appearing in "Turning the Town Red, Part One of Two"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Nicodemus (First appearance)
- Stump (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Fire Department
- Buckley (Single appearance; dies)
- Jack McKenna (Single appearance; dies)
- Bats
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in:
- This is the third part of the storyline titled Bruce Wayne: Fugitive. The previous chapter is Birds of Prey #41 and the story continues in Detective Comics #769.
See Also
Links and References
  This comic issue is a part of the Bruce Wayne: Murderer? and Bruce Wayne: Fugitive story that went through every Batman Family title in 2002. Bruce Wayne was framed for the murder of his love interest Vesper Fairchild and forced to go on the run from the law so he could prove his innocence. This adventure almost completely compromised his identity from the inside. Bruce Wayne: Murderer?
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
Batman #600 • Birds of Prey #41 • Gotham Knights #27 • Batman #601 • Detective Comics #769 • Batgirl #27 • Nightwing #68 • Gotham Knights #28 • Detective Comics #770 • Nightwing #69 • Birds of Prey #43 • Batman #603 • Detective Comics #771 • Batgirl #29 • Gotham Knights #30 • Azrael #91 • Detective Comics #772 • Gotham Knights #31 • Batman #605 |