Absolute Batman Vol 1 #8 - CGC SS 9.8 - 2nd Printing - Signed by Dragotta and Snyder - Pink Ink Remarqued by Dragotta

2nd Print Remarqued in Pink Ink

Fries drags Bruce into a laboratory full of containment tubes and straps him into one. Bruce regains consciousness just as Victor fills it with freezing fluid. He screams in agony as his body temperature suddenly drops into hypothermia. Victor leaves and as he freezes Bruce remembers the argument he had with Waylon in the alley. Waylon called him of being a coward like Matches and Bruce attacked him. They fought, with Waylon quickly gaining the upper hand; and Waylon told Bruce that he was trying to kill himself as Batman just like Matches had with his reckless behaviour because he felt guilty about being the last kid the Thomas got into the bat enclosure before he was shot and blamed himself for Thomas' death. Waylon kicked Bruce to the ground and told him that Matches let the guilt eat him up until there was nothing left. He asked Bruce if he was in the same place that Matches had been.

Bruce breaks out of the tube with a batarang and changes into Batman. He charges Victor's office, where he's taking a call from his employer. Victor reveals to his boss that the freak snow is artificial and the snow crystals are filled with markers which will allow them to retrieve genetic profiles from anyone it touches; they currently have data for 92% of the city and climbing. Bruce kicks his way in and attacks Victor with a flamethrower. Although Batman puts up a good fight, he is still feeling the effects of hypothermia and Victor demonstrates superhuman strength, toughness and agility. Victor releases the frozen patients from their tubes and they attack, fully under his control. Bruce tries to fight off the V-Core infected but they start to overwhelm him with numbers. He remembers Waylon telling him that Crime Alley people are survivors and asking him if he wanted to die; and that he had forcefully said he didn't. Realising it is a losing fight Batman jumps out of a window and escapes. He calls Waylon but gets his voicemail, and leaves a message warning Waylon that there is something weird in the snow and to call the others to come and meet them.

However, Waylon does not get the message. At the door to his gym, three men in suits knock him unconscious and take his blood. They test it and determine he is a "perfect specimen", then carry him off to Ark M.