Comic Title: Detective Comics #596
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: January 1989
On Sale Date: December 6, 1988 Shipping Date December 6, 1988
Source: Direct Currents, #11

Shipping Date December 8, 1988
Source: Amazing Heroes, #153

Copyright Date December 13, 1988
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1988

Direct Market Date December 8, 1988
Source: Comic Shop News, #75, #76

Cover Price: $0.75
Page Count: 32
Editor: Dennis J. O'Neil

Title: "Video Nasties"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Batman (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Alan Grant
Writer: John Wagner
Penciller: Eduardo Barreto
Inker: Steve Mitchell
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Reprinted In:
Batman:The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 3 TPB (2020)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Invasion #2; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)

Supporting Character(s)

• Alfred Pennyworth (last appearance in Detective Comics #594; next appearance in Batman #431)
• Commissioner Gordon (last appearance in Detective Comics #595; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)
• Lt. Kitch (a police lieutenant; first name not revealed in this story; first appearance; next appearance in Detective Comics #602)

Villain(s)

• Milton Sladek (first appearance; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)
• Oscar Lampet (a video store owner; first appearance; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)
• Several hired thugs (no further appearances)
• Tonka (first appearance; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)

Other Character(s)

• Arch Gaines (a student at Gotham College; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)
• A shoe store manager (no further appearances)
• Mike Neuman (a WGGC reporter; no further appearances)
• Al Jarrold (a boxing promoter; no further appearances)
• Barry and Dirk (young boxers; next appearance in Detective Comics #597)

Comments:
This issue is not officially an Invasion tie-in. However, the final page of this story depicts the detonation of the gene bomb and leads into Invasion #3.

This story continues in part in Detective Comics #597.

Synopsis:
Video store owner Oscar Lampet hires some thugs to attack and beat a college student while he films the action. Batman interrupts the fight, saves the student's life, and captures the thugs. Oscar gets away, but he drops the camera and film before making his escape.

Batman uses detective work to track down Lampet at his video store. However, he needs hard evidence. He waits for Lampet to strike again. This time Batman stops the crime and catches Lampet. However, Milton Sladek, the man who hired Lampet, has sent backup in the form of Tonka, a massive fighter. A fight ensues between Batman and Tonka. It is interrupted by an explosion of black light.