Bat-Hound Week; Day 6: The Return of Ace Wayne

It has come to my attention that yesterday we didn't even get through 2 pages. Almost, but not quite 2 pages. Then again, yesterday was a sad day. The day evil won. We didn't quite leave on the best of terms, but we still have to make it though the rest of Batman #131 by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff.

Where'd we leave off? Oh yeah. Calamity. The Death Of Bat-Hound.

Or so you thought!

Now hold on. Before you quit this blog forever. To be fair I did hint that our four footed companion didn't die. Given what the titles of today and yesterday's blog were called, it was pretty obvious I was making reference to Batman RIP and The Return Of Bruce Wayne. So where do we go from here? Just like in ROBW, Ace goes back in time and loses his memory!

Like I said yesterday: If you're hoping for an epic betrayal resulting in a fight between our favorite pooch and the caped crusader, prepare to be let down. You would think a snarling Bat-Hound would attack people. Calm Bat-Hound attacks people. So what does Snarling Bat-Hound do?

...Run away? So after meeting Santa Claus on summer vacation, Ace chillaxes with him for a few days. Until he gets taken hostage, that is. But before we continue, did'nt I say something like - I don't know - "Bat-Hound always gets the best Art"? Yes indeedy. Montage time:

"I miss my superpowers."

I mean, just yesterday we (you guys) thought Ace was dead. Never to bite a crooks arm or race to the Bat-Signal again. And yet here he is, living out his dog days and cherishing life. This is the type of stuff in comics I like. Bat-Hound needed a vacation anyways, being shot and all.

So Santa gets attacked, and Bat-Hound tries to stop them, the Dynamic Duo show up, and all sorts of shenanigans:

Panel 1: That is Ace disarming a crook. 10/10
Panel 2: Are Batman and Robin in front of the moon, or carrying a Giant Egg Yolk? 10/10
Panel 3 & 4: Someone gets punched into a river. 10/10
Panel 5: Ace barking. 10/10
Panel 6: Batman giving a stupid explanation 0/10

And then, my favorite part of this entire issue. Even more than Bat-Hound going fishing. Bat-Hound becomes a messiah:

"Elves are lousy company anyways."

I'm sorry, but did Bat-Hound just give Santa an Epiphany? You're Goshdang right. How? Because he's Bat-Hound. And he doesn't stop there:

Ermagerd. Look. At. That. Smile.

Bat-Hound always gets the best art

Best Dog ever.

So after Messiah-Dog Bat-Hound saves a few lives, he walks around Gotham a bit.

But musically in the background, someone whispers in a high pitched voice: "You can tell by the way he uses his trot. He's Batman's Dog. No time, No Bark."

Uuuuuuuuuuh, yeah. Great plan there, Bruce. I'm sure there's no alternative.

So they go along with another dumb Batman plan, and things of course go awry:

Luckily someone finally catches Bat-Hound and gives him back to Batman and Robin like a good civilian.

But before that, time for some forced jokes. (Also Bat-Hound always gets the best art):

Ladies,

Gentlemen,

You've eaten well. 

You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. But your feast is nearly over. 

From this moment on, none of you are safe.

So anyways, they get Bat-Hound back and go home, the end:

Just kidding. Turns out to be another plot. But since when does a Batman comic end like that? You should know better.

And then Batman get's one of those genius ideas of his:

I don't know about you, but to me it looks like Batman is really intent on revealing himself. Actually, he's been full of stupid ideas the entire issue! Recap time:

"They need backup in cars! We better run there!"

"Too bad I don't carry tranquilizers or knockout gas!"

"There's Ace, I better take off my mask!"

"There's a trap! I better walk into it!'

And most recently:

"There's some criminals! I better tempt them to take off my Mask!"

Wow. And the whole make up thing? It was by sheer good luck he had it on from the first time he was going to unmask himself.

At least he has ONE brain cell working tonight and noticed that if the masks came off, Bat-Hound would focus on the next threat he saw: The Guns

"These drugs make me feel funny! Am I a cat?"

Well, time for more forced jokes:

"You're under arrest, Bat-Hound. You just crippled that man!"

"He's Young. He'll Walk Again."

"But you'll stay scared,"

"Won't you, Punk?"

So that's that, Batman #131. Tomorrow, we finish Bat-Hound Week on Day 7. Actually on Sunday i'll post an Epilogue, but that's 2 days from now. Hope this post wasn't too long.

Well, my ride's here:

I don't know about you, but a blog a day keeps the energy away. This can be hard work. So me and Ace are going fishing

See you tomorrow for the finale, on Bat-Hound Week; Day 7!