Batman #422

JUST DESERTS

The two Dumpster Slashers discuss their next crime. Vito Procaccini does not want to continue now that Batman is on their trail. Karl Branneck assures him everything will be fine. It's revealed that Branneck is deeply misogynist, believing nobody knows what it means to be a "real man" anymore and "women's lib" has ruined everything. He says the "tramps have gotten too uppity" and what they're doing isn't a crime, it's a political statement.  Batman tells Commissioner Gordon about the Dumpster Slashers, and swears to "put an end to their depravity." Gordon reminds him that there are boundaries he must respect. "Your status as Gotham's semi-official vigilante is a tenuous position, at best. You start playing judge, jury and executioner, and even I won't be able to protect you." Batman replies that this warning is unnecessary and he knows the rules.  arl and Vito put their next plan into action. Batman and Robin try to tail them, but both of them lose the criminals. Karl notices that the same blonde woman in his neighborhood keeps staring at him, and he is annoyed by this. Vito follows Karl into the subway, where Karl stabs him to death. Karl explains that Vito was a weak link and he could not risk him confessing. Karl hides the knife under his floorboards, trusting that the