DC High Volume: Batman – Dark Victory, Chapter 4

Podcast: DC High Volume: Batman
Host: DC | Realm
Episode Date: August 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this gripping audio adaptation of Batman: Dark Victory (Chapter 4), listeners are plunged deeper into Gotham's criminal underworld as Batman, Commissioner Gordon, and Janice Porter attempt to find their way through a city reeling from the devastating Hangman killings. As old wounds resurface and alliances are tested, the search for the missing Harvey Dent (now presumed Two-Face) entangles the heroes and villains of Gotham in a chilling New Year's Eve tale. The episode explores the threat of a new face of villainy, the ghosts haunting Gotham’s protectors, and what it means for Batman and Gordon to hold the line amidst chaos.

Key Discussion Points & Story Beats

1. Haunted City, Haunted Men (00:18-01:50)

• Gordon reflects on Gotham as a city full of ghosts — both metaphorical and literal — highlighting Alberto Falcone’s house arrest and Dent’s disappearance.

• The specters of guilt, failure, and unresolved cases weigh on the main characters.

  "They say every house has its ghosts. Just ask Alberto Falcone… Or ask Commissioner James Gordon… Or ask the Dark Knight a simple. Where is the man he failed to save? Where is Harvey Dent?"
  — Jim Gordon (00:18)

2. Batman’s Search in the Sewers (01:50-03:41)

• Batman searches the sewers for Harvey Dent, recalling how Harvey, scarred in body and mind, has hidden underground before.

• Batman’s inner monologue draws parallels between himself, Harvey, and Grundy — men lost to darkness.

  "Harvey, Grundy, myself — each of us lost pieces of our lives and hid what was left in the dark. Is this what I want for myself? A world that exists only in darkness?"
  — Batman (09:39)

• Grundy is lured with food laced with tranquilizer, showing Batman’s preference for nonviolent tactics.

3. The Hangman’s Latest Victim (03:41-06:22)

• Commissioner Gordon and Janice Porter investigate a grisly crime scene: another cop killed by the Hangman.

• The Hangman leaves cryptic clues on the bodies, referencing Harvey Dent's files.

  "A N, blank, J, blank, S, T, blank, C, E, blank, O, R, A blank, blank."
  — Janice Porter (05:34)

  "Justice and justice for all."
  — Jim Gordon (06:12)

4. Criminal Element: Maroni’s Restaurant (06:22-07:39)

• Janice Porter confronts Maroni’s sons, pressing them about ties to the Hangman killings and fires at the Cheetah Club.

  "Your father thought he was above the law. Throwing acid into people's faces. It's time you learned you're not."
  — Janice Porter (07:14)

• Gordon expresses skepticism about the legitimacy of arrests, knowing bail is likely — but Porter’s hardline approach signals new resolve.

5. Batman and Grundy – Echoes in the Dark (07:51-09:39)

• Batman explores Harvey’s makeshift lair in the sewers, finding remnants of Harvey’s old life, including a photo of Gilda.
• The cave imagery reinforces Batman’s doubts about the toll his crusade takes on his humanity.

6. Power Plays: Falcone Crime Family (12:59-14:08)

• A tense negotiation unfolds between Sofia Gigante (new Falcone head) and a mysterious visitor regarding the theft of Carmine Falcone’s body.
• The one-million-dollar bounty and suspicions about the theft play out in an escalating battle for control of Gotham’s criminal legacy.

7. Emotion & Estrangement: Batman and Selina (Catwoman) (16:47-17:29)

• Batman’s personal life collides with his crime-fighting as he awkwardly reunites with Selina, revealing the strain and isolation of dual identities.

  "Last night. I decided we were over."
  — Selina (17:06)

  "Did you? I'll... I'll leave then."
  — Batman (17:10)

8. Gordon’s Fractured Family (17:49-18:21)

• Janice Porter makes a heartfelt phone call to Barbara, highlighting the cost of the job — a fractured home, loneliness, longing.

  "I'm only asking that you think about coming back home. I know you're angry, but is that all? You want to be angry?"
  — Janice Porter (17:49)

9. A New Alliance: Undercover Squad (18:40-19:51)

• Janice Porter recruits Gordon to help oversee a new squad, assembled from a list bequeathed before Police Chief O’Hara’s own murder.

• Gordon’s moral code remains intact, cautioning Porter to avoid the line between bending and breaking rules.

  "You can bend the rules, but I won't let you break them. Otherwise, how are you different from...?"
  — Jim Gordon (19:24)

  "You just reminded me of something I once told Harvey Dent."
  — Janice Porter (19:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gotham’s Ghosts:
  "They say every house has its ghosts... Or ask the Dark Knight a simple. Where is the man he failed to save? Where is Harvey Dent?"
  — Jim Gordon (00:18)

• Darkness Shared:
  "Harvey, Grundy, myself — each of us lost pieces of our lives and hid what was left in the dark. Is this what I want for myself? A world that exists only in darkness?"
  — Batman (09:39)

• Morality vs. Expediency:
  "You can bend the rules, but I won't let you break them. Otherwise, how are you different from...?"
  — Jim Gordon (19:24)

• Loneliness and Regret:
  "I'm only asking that you think about coming back home. I know you're angry, but is that all? You want to be angry?"
  — Janice Porter (17:49)

• Serious Charges, Determined Justice:
  "Conspiracy to commit murder, illegal possession of a firearm, violation of the city's health code."
  — Janice Porter (07:30)

Major Timestamps

• 00:18 – Gordon lays out the haunting questions facing Gotham’s protectors
• 01:50 – Batman searches the sewers for Harvey Dent
• 05:34 – Janice Porter deciphers the Hangman’s clue
• 09:39 – Batman’s introspection on darkness and solitude
• 12:59 – Sofia Gigante’s confrontation about Carmine Falcone’s body
• 16:47 – Batman and Selina (Catwoman) share an emotionally charged reunion
• 17:49 – Janice Porter’s emotional plea to Barbara
• 18:40 – Porter asks Gordon for help with the undercover squad
• 19:24 – Gordon draws a moral line on law enforcement tactics

Episode Tone & Style

The adaptation is mature, brooding, and introspective, channeling the noir flair of the original comics. The language is direct and hard-bitten, steeped in regret, determination, and moral ambiguity befitting Gotham City. Character voices are on point — Batman is stoic and reflective, Gordon weary but resolute, Porter ambitious and rising, Catwoman sly and wounded.

Summary

Dark Victory Chapter 4 brings listeners deep into the heart of Gotham’s darkness and moral complexity. The hunt for Harvey Dent/Two-Face intensifies as Batman, Gordon, and Porter grapple with the escalating Hangman murders and political upheaval. Themes of loss, isolation, and the thin line between justice and vengeance permeate the episode. Layering sharp dialogue, psychologically rich narration, and a distinctly noir atmosphere, this chapter sets the stage for an all-out struggle for the heart and soul of Gotham City.