Gotham Underground

The series ran from December 2007 to August 2008.

Some of the issues tie in with Salvation Run.

A trade paperback was released on November 19, 2008.

A group of people hidden in the shadows attack and capture Man-Bat before discussing their next target. At Gotham City's police headquarters, Commissioner Gordon lights the Bat-Signal, but only Robin answers the call. Gordon tells him about the recent upsurge in gang-related violence. Dozens of would-be crime lords are trying to fill the vacancy created by the death of Black Mask. Meanwhile, Batman infiltrates the Iceberg Lounge in the guise of henchman Matches Malone. He wants to keep an eye on the Penguin's recent activities. He knows that the Penguin is projecting the image of a legitimate businessman, but suspects that Penguin may also be the ringleader behind an "underground railroad" for supervillains. As Penguin conducts his affairs, Two-Face enters the club and wants in on his underground railroad project. Penguin tells him to meet him later after hours. The Penguin holds a meeting with several of Gotham's most notorious villains, including Hugo Strange, Two-Face, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter. Matches Malone spies on the meeting from behind a darkened alcove. Suddenly, the Suicide Squad bursts into the room and attacks the assemblage of villains. Bane knocks Malone out with a single punch.^[1]

It is revealed that Penguin is involved with the Suicide Squad and that he set up the other villains to gain the favor of the Squad. Scarecrow, who has recently reconsidered his decision to abandon his fear toxins, gasses Bronze Tiger and escapes to warn Ventriloquist. However, when the Ventriloquist and her gang accuse Scarecrow of being the Suicide Squad's snitch and then lead an assault on the Iceberg Lounge, Scarecrow leads them into a trap by Tobias Whale. Whale then betrays him, leaving him beaten and tied up, though alive (but barely), as a sign to all "masks" that they are not welcome in Whale's new vision of Gotham. Batman, as Matches Malone, is in Blackgate Penitentiary. Bane, aware that Malone is Batman, arranges for him to be constantly attacked by other inmates to wear him down. Meanwhile, the Riddler investigates Penguin's underground railroad.^[2]

Bruce/Matches learns how Great White Shark got from Arkham Asylum to Blackgate Penitentiary. Tobias Whale and Penguin are both assembling armies. Spoiler is seemingly working with the Penguin to take care of Johnny Denetto, a member of Intergang. As Bruce/Matches escapes Blackgate Penitentiary, Nightwing as "Freddie Dinardo" has a run-in with Vigilante.^[3]

Penguin's gangs and Tobias Whale's 100 are currently fighting each other as Robin, Huntress, Batgirl, and Wildcat get involved. When Riddler visits Penguin, he is thrown into a room with the Femme Fatales. Even though Penguin gets the upper hand, Whale reluctantly calls a truce with him to stop Johnny Denetto and Intergang. After Vigilante shows up and shoots two members of the Five Points Gang, Batman arrives to save Nightwing from Vigilante.^[4]

When Penguin and Riddler are talking in the Iceberg Lounge, members of Intergang attack. Things were not looking good for the Penguin until Batman arrives and comes to his rescue. However, Batman is not here just to save his life. He lets Penguin know that he owns him now and that he will report everything to Batman concerning Intergang and what is going on in Gotham, to which Penguin agrees.^[5]

• Batman
• Nightwing
• Robin
• Oracle
• Batgirl
• Spoiler
• Alfred Pennyworth
• Commissioner James Gordon
• Huntress
• Question
• Wildcat
• Penguin
• Riddler
• The Suicide Squad

The series has been collected into a trade paperback:

• Gotham Underground (224 pages, Titan Books, January 2009, ISBN 1-84576-965-1, DC Comics, November 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1928-4)