Detective Comics # 635 1991 NM-

Detective Comics #635, published by DC Comics with a cover date of September 1991, kicks off the three-part "Mind Games" storyline. Written by legendary creator Louise Simonson and featuring a distinct, atmospheric cover by George Pratt, this Copper Age issue drops Batman and Tim Drake (Robin) into a surreal, technocentric crisis sweeping Gotham City.

Core Plot & Synopsis

An unknown, reality-altering force begins wreaking havoc across Gotham City by morphing everyday transit vehicles and city locations into literal, lethal video game levels. As blocky, dangerous video game creatures manifest in the real world to attack citizens, the Gotham City Police Department is left completely baffled.

• The Escaped Inmate: The chaos escalates when an Arkham Asylum inmate named Professor Powder manages to break out of the facility, desperately trying to warn authorities about what is causing the reality shifts.
• A Fatal Warning: Before Powder can properly explain the threat, he is brutally killed by one of the digital entities. 
• The Investigation: Batman steps in to investigate the bizarre murder and navigate the pixelated hazards. Relying heavily on Tim Drake’s extensive personal gaming background to counter the logic of the hallucinatory monsters, Batman eventually deduces that the epicenter of this reality-warping threat is tracing back to the walls of Arkham Asylum itself. 

Issue Specifications & Credits

• Creative Team: Written by Louise Simonson, illustrated with pencils by Jim Fern, inks by Steve Mitchell, and colors by Adrienne Roy.
• Behind the Scenes: Edited by the acclaimed duo of Dennis O'Neil and Kelley Puckett.