Batman in the Brave and the Bold:The Bronze Age Vol. 1 TPB
Batman in the Brave and the Bold:The Bronze Age Vol. 1 TPB
Cover Credits
Artist: Karl Kerschl

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Title: "Arise Ye Ghosts of Gotham"
Pages: 24

Feature(s):
Batman (of Earth-1)
Phantom Stranger (of Earth-1)

Writer: Bob Haney
Penciller: Ross Andru
Inker: Michael Esposito

Reprinted From:
Brave & the Bold #89 (1970)

Feature Character(s)

Supporting Character(s)

Villain(s)

  • Josiah Heller and the Hellerites (no further appearances)
  • Karl Loftus (disguised as a descendant of Josiah Heller; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

  • The mayor of Gotham City (no further appearances)
  • A police sergeant (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Batman and Commissioner Gordon witness a group of people enter Gotham who claim to be descendants of the Hellerites. Long ago, the Hellerites settled in Gotham City under the leadership of Josiah Heller. However, fear and mistrust caused them to be outcasts, and eventually, their settlement was burned to the ground. Survivors scattered, but Josiah Heller cursed Gotham.

The new Hellerites set up camp in the park and begin demanding reparations led by their own Josiah Heller. Bruce Wayne donates buildings to the group, but Heller remains unsatisfied that all their lands are not being returned. When several of the followers begin exhibiting signs of a supernatural trance, the Phantom Stranger appears and warns Batman of impending danger. Dr. Thirteen also arrives in town and tells Batman that the Stranger is a charlatan. They then knock out the Phantom Stranger.

Batman continues to investigate Heller, who has seemingly turned the elder son's of Gotham to his cause. Dick Grayson has been affected and attack Batman with witchcraft. Eventually Batman realizes that the ghost of the real Heller is responsible for the supernatural events. He revives the Stranger. Then working together Batman and the Phantom Strange expose the modern day Heller as a fake. Once he is incapacitated, the ghostly Heller disappears. The remaining Hellerites then leave Gotham, preferring to return to the country rather than adjust to city life.


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