Savage has been slowly ramping up his pursuit of Batman. He’s unleashed a new division known as the TUCO (Tactical Unit for Controlled Operations) squads to patrol the streets with orders to arrest Batman on sight. Savage has also taken to planting evidence to frame Batman for murder in an effort to justify his actions. Savage has been on his own when it comes to taking down Batman, but now, Savage isn’t the only supervillain with political power in Gotham, and he’s ready to strike a deal that could mean hell for the Caped Crusader and his family.
Mayor Poison Ivy Signs Off on Bringing Batman in By Any Means Necessary
In Batman #8 by Matt Fraction, Ryan Sook, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles, newly elected mayor Poison Ivy calls in Vandal Savage. Ivy is still in the middle of sorting out all the proposals her predecessor left behind, and, as someone who promised radical transformation to the voting public, she’s curious about Savage’s proposal, Operation Peregrine. More specifically, Ivy wants to know why she should bother making it the city’s official policy to bring Batman in. Savage is blunt in his reasoning, saying Batman and his family don’t enforce justice, but impede the progress officials like Ivy want to make.
Savage’s proposal is simple: have Ivy make it clear once and for all that Gotham City doesn’t condone Batman’s actions, and help Savage with whatever he needs to bring Batman into custody. Savage recognizes that Ivy’s not exactly moved by his proposal, so he opts for a more personal touch. He relates his immortality to Ivy’s connection to the Green, saying that they share a unique perception of the world and that by working together, they can achieve a victory that lasts longer than most. Ivy’s starting to come around, but wants to know what she gets out of this.
Knowing he’s got Ivy, he offers up a pledge. His loyalty and a promise that the Gotham City Police Department will act as her personal army and make sure the radical plans she has for the city come to fruition. With a stroke of a pen, Poison Ivy signs off on Operation Peregrine, making Batman and any of his associates targets of the GCPD. It isn’t long before the news gets out and the Gotham Eye reports that Batman is officially a wanted man.
What Operation Peregrine Means for Batman and the Bat-Family
This obviously isn’t new for Batman; he’s been the target of vindictive Gotham officials before. However, this is the first time he’s had supervillains running the city’s most crucial offices, and unlike previous mayors or commissioners, these two aren’t afraid to use the full extent of their political powers to take Batman or anyone in his family down. What’s worse is that it’s looking like Operation Peregrine is going to cause at least one member of the Bat-Family to end up in jail (judging by the looks of the upcoming series, Barbara Gordon: Breakout).
Bruce is already stretched then in Batman. The Minotaur has consolidated the various criminal families to maximize profits and is optimizing crime in Gotham like never before. Dr. Annika Zeller’s work with the Crown of Storms and the Joker are weighing heavily on him. And Batman has had to say goodbye to Tim as he distanced himself from the Robin role to focus on his relationship. Now Batman has to deal with no support from the city he’s protected for decades. It really does feel like the noose is tightening for Batman.
Now I’ve got no doubt Batman is going to get out of this, but things seem to just be getting worse for him. He hasn’t even met the Minotaur, nor does he know who is trying to kill him (if the Joker’s warning from the previous Batman issue is to be believed). How is he going to handle being the public enemy number one? I don’t think Batman would ever abandon Gotham, but if anything could drive him away, Operation Peregrine might. Hopefully, Batman has some kind of plan, because this war with Savage is far from over.
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