Detective Comics # 609 1989 VF/NM

Detective Comics #609, published by DC Comics in December 1989, is titled "Anarky in Gotham City - Part Two: Facts About Bats". Written by Alan Grant and penciled by the iconic Norm Breyfogle, this highly significant issue concludes the two-part storyline that introduced the lasting anti-hero Anarky to the Batman mythos.

The Plot: Unmasking Anarky

• The Riot: The story picks up with Gotham's homeless population gathering at a construction site for a luxury bank that has displaced their encampment. Wearing his gold mask and red cloak, Anarky rallies them to take back what is theirs, utilizing construction trucks to tear down the building's infrastructure.
• The Confrontation: Batman tracks the civil unrest down and tackles Anarky, only to be caught off guard by how incredibly lightweight the villain is. When the Dark Knight forcefully strips away the mask, he is shocked to discover an elongated, blank neck and head setup—it's a dummy prop used to fake the silhouette of a grown adult. Capitalizing on Batman's confusion, Anarky shocks the hero with his electric stun-rod and escapes into the night while the rioters pin Batman down.
• The Shocking Identity: Batman tracks the escape route to an insurance firm and into the office of a man named Mike Machin. Desperate to shield the real culprit, Mike tries to confess to being Anarky. However, Batman deduces the truth and opens a nearby closet to find Mike's 12-year-old child prodigy son, Lonnie Machin, hiding inside. Lonnie had used his extreme intelligence to orchestrate a sophisticated socio-political crusade entirely on his own.
• The Final Insult: While handing the boy over to Commissioner Gordon, Batman reflects on the tragedy of children fighting the world's systemic failures, quietly recalling Jason Todd. As Batman disappears into the Gotham skyline, Gordon looks closely at the hero's cape, realizing that the unconscious-feigning Lonnie somehow managed to spray paint a massive red "A" Anarky symbol directly across Batman's back without him noticing. 

Collector & Cultural Significance

• Key Issue status: This comic marks the first full unmasking and identity reveal of Lonnie Machin (Anarky). While he debuted in the previous issue (Detective Comics #608), #609 cemented the character's unique premise as a pre-teen political extremist.
• Alan Grant's Philosophy: Writer Alan Grant intentionally introduced Anarky to inject authentic anarchist philosophy and structural anti-establishment debates into mainstream superhero comics.