Comic Title: Batman #414
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: December 1987
On Sale Date: September 8, 1987 Newsstand Date September 8, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #43

Newsstand Date September 8, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #124

Shipping Date August 18, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #124

Shipping Date August 18, 1987
Source: Focus, #1, Page BC
Misnumbered #415

Shipping Date August 18, 1987
Source: Capital City Distributors, Orderpack August 1987

Copyright Date July 27, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Shipping Date August 18, 1987
Source: Comic Shop News, #8

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

Title: "Victims"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Batman (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Jim Starlin
Penciller: Jim Aparo
Inker: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Reprinted In:
Batman:Second Chances TPB (2015)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Outsiders #26; next appearance in Batman:Son of the Demon HC)

Supporting Character(s)

• Commissioner Gordon (last appearance in Detective Comics #581; next appearance in Batman:Son of the Demon HC)
• Alfred Pennyworth (last appearance in Detective Comics #580; next appearance in Batman:Son of the Demon HC)

Villain(s)

• Frank "Cutter" Thompson (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Kate Babcock (dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Maureen Lopez and Cindy (no further appearances)
• Several police detectives (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Batman is called to the scene of a body dump by Commissioner Gordon. While at the scene, Batman sees a fire down the street. He arrives in time to rescue a social worker, Kate Babcock who was trapped in the fire. After the incident Bruce Wayne meets Kate, and they become friends.

Sometime later, Batman responds to an abduction report involving a blue van. A body then turns up in a dumpster. It is Kate. Batman traces the van to Cutter Thompson, a drug dealer. He searches the city, but can't find Cutter. After a couple of weeks, he learns that police detectives have set up a trap for Cutter. Batman offers to be there as backup.

The night of the bust, Batman spots a red van in the area. Before he can investigate, he is distracted by a simple hold-up. He stops the crooks, then goes to meet the police. Cutter is about to kill them when Batman arrives. He stops Cutter and loses himself in the violence. Batman then tells Gordon that he believes Cutter was Kate's killer.

Batman returns to the Batcave and waits for the forensic report. Gordon informs him that Cutter was not the killer. He was in jail at the time of Kate's murder. Another body is found that night. A red van was spotted in the area. Batman is angry that he let the real killer get away and allowed another murder to happen.