This week from DC Comics we follow one of the newest additions to the Gotham street scene. For once the Joker loses as Miracle Molly easily outclasses him in the color department. In Batman 111, we finally get some deeper insight into Molly and her colorful, motley crew, the Unsanity Collective. At first, this techno-colored group looked to be Joker’s replacement in Gotham, being the “it” gang to deal with, but instead, we learn she was set up. Now she and her cohorts must escape the hammer’s fall.

When I first saw the previews for Miracle Molly, I thought she would figure into the Joker’s posse mainly due to their make-up and outfits. Would they hook up with Punchline at some point? Now we see they are in fact a bunch of disfigured societal outcasts. Molly engineers improvements to augment their disabilities, and, being outcasts, some crime breaking may be required, but the jobs that put them front and center in the Gotham Nightly news was actually a set-up. They would help raise the terror levels in Gotham so Simon Saint could begin his Magistrate program. Now his Peacekeepers, led by the infamous Peacekeeper-01, attempt to take the Unsanity Collective into custody…or the morgue.

Sadly, all her gadgets and human enhancements only buy them some time. Even their big brute, Breaker can’t take down Peacekeeper-01, and in the process both Molly and Squeak get shot. Molly only suffers a flesh wound, but Squeak takes a fatal hit. with barricaded doors and a dying friend, things look hopeless.

Hope From Above

We then get the perfect set-up line followed by the greatest introduction in comic history! Master Wyze laments that all looks lost and utters the perfect set-up phrase: “If Breaker falls, I don’t know who could possibly save us!” Enter our heroes!! Batman, Ghostmaker, and Harley Quinn come crashing down on the party. Not only is it a great intro, but the lines from Harley and Ghost are perfect. Harley’s “That’s right you &#%*^!@$! You don’t mess with the Bat-family unless you wanna get hit with a ^%@$#^ Bat!” Not your typical Bat-companion entry line. I see Batman rolling his eyes when she says that, but of course Ghostmaker responds “I must say, Batman. I do like your new friend.” I love this new dynamic.

Of course, the three turn the tide and manage to get everyone out, save Breaker, on the Ghost-stream. Batman thinks they can have Miracle Molly testify they were used, but given what happened in Future State, it’s a pretty safe bet this will not happen. I really like the dynamic Molly and the Unsanity Collective add to the story. They seem like they could be strong allies in the fight ahead, but are they that good, or will they do what they must to survive? Can they be trusted?

Now if Batman can just take out Scarecrow, they may yet win the day, but of course, it’s never that easy. Scarecrow gets the drop on Batman and looks ready to inject his new fear toxin into him. In Detective Comics, Batman’s mind was just taken over by Mr. Vile. Here he appears to be subject to Scarecrow’s fear toxin….again. Batman is not having a very good time of it right now.

Miracle Molly – Making the Ghostmaker

In the final pages, we get a brief snippet of Ghostmaker and his current predicament. The center of this part of the story revolves around the bandaged man (not sure who it is exactly). He goes on about being a master and disciple of pain and knowing it better than anyone. After explaining to his cohorts his abilities, he informs them Ghostmaker is most assuredly not dead….and he is coming.

Not sure this last part did much, but in the finale in Batman Annual #1 it looks like all hell will break loose.