What would the Batman do if a child was in danger, a villain was making his escape -- and the Batman had only a day to live? Bob Hall answers the question in DOA, an entertaining entry into the Batman legend.

Three villains -- Joker, Penguin and Two-Face -- have orchestrated Batman's demise from the relative safety of Arkham Asylum. Their plan is put into play very effectively -- and soon Batman is dying from a viral poison that has no known cure. Oddly, he's taken to a coroner, not a physician, for treatment and, given the mysterious nature of the poison, she seems to know a bit too much about its progress and end result. (No, she's not the villain!) But, rather than spend his last day in treatment, Batman tackles his latest case to save a kidnapped girl. Robin and Oracle, meanwhile, do what they can to trace the path of the virus and find a treatment.

While one aspect of the ending is a little too pat, the story as a whole is an excellent adventure that spotlights the Batman's devotion to his cause.

- Rambles
written by Tom Knapp
published 14 June 2003