St. Patrick's Day

Batman: The Long Halloween #6

May 1997

As March begins, a large menacing figure is being released from Gotham Penitentiary late in the evening. A limo picks the shadowy figure up from the prison gates and brings the person to the Falcone penthouse to meet with Carmine. It is his daughter, Sofia Gigante, and Carmine expresses the fact that he needs her by his side.

At the monthly board meeting of the Gotham City Bank, Bruce Wayne is behaving strangely. He has changed his mind and endorsed the Falcone account. As he leaves the building later, he passes Selina Kyle but ignores her as he heads to his limo. Selina sees Ivy inside when Bruce gets in and decides to investigate.

In Harvey Dent's office he and Jim Gordon are going over the Falcone case. Recently Maroni has hit the Falcone clan, thinking that the Roman is behind Holiday's killings. Harvey comments about how the recent gang murders could be a good thing, but Jim dresses him down for practically endorsing murder. Harvey asks Jim what to do about Bruce Wayne, but Jim dodges the question by bringing up Holiday's possible impending strike, with St. Patrick's Day coming up. Jim tells Harvey to focus on Maroni, and Vernon overhears them speaking from outside.

Carla Viti is in her basement, shooting at a target with a suspiciously familiar gun, when she receives a visit from her niece Sofia. Carla tells Sofia that the gun she holds is the one that killed Alberto on New Year's. She kept it from the police so she could use it to kill Holiday as revenge against her son Johnny's murder. Sofia informs Carla about Carmine's plans to hit Maroni on St. Patrick's Day. The Roman wants assurance that Carla will not side against him in further disputes, and Carla says that she couldn't care less now that Carmine has handled their money problems.

In Wayne Manor Bruce and Ivy are having dinner when Catwoman attacks suddenly. Bruce steps in to protect Ivy and the two scuffle. In the melee Catwoman rips Bruce's shirt to reveal he is covered with ivy, which Catwoman then tears off of him to free him from Poison Ivy's control. Ivy flees before Catwoman can chase after her.

On St. Patrick's Day morning, Holiday hits Maroni's house, killing several of Maroni's men. Minutes later Sofia arrives to carry out the Falcone hit but drives on when she sees the carnage. Maroni watches Sofia's car drive away from above and fumes at Holiday.

That night Batman answers the Bat-signal to discover not Jim Gordon on the roof but Catwoman. Batman thanks her for helping his "friend" Bruce Wayne but asks why. Catwoman disappears without answering, leaving Batman to contemplate the damage Ivy has done to his reputation at the bank. At the same time Carmine meets with Ivy to pay her for the work she did with Bruce on his behalf.