Got to face up to it--no matter how it hurts! From now on, everything is going to be different--it has to be... 
- — Bruce Wayne
Batman #217 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1969.
Synopsis for "One Bullet Too Many!"
Dick Grayson has finally graduated high school and is bound to leave for college. Bruce Wayne and Alfred bid him farewell as he leaves for Hudson University, both knowing that Batman and Robin will have to go their separate ways for awhile.
After Dick is gone, Bruce reveals to Alfred that they must begin a new way of life for themselves. He proposes that they move out of Wayne Manor, leaving the Batcave behind, and station themselves in a penthouse above the Wayne Foundation building. He also plans to reestablish the fearful trademark of the "old Batman", to strike terror into the hearts of the new breed of gangsters hiding behind the curtains of respectable citizens and big "legitimate" corporations.
As part of the new trend, Bruce creates the "Victims, Inc. Program" (VIP), dedicated to helping victims of the underworld. The name is taken from a series of newspaper articles written by Marla Manning, a reporter and feature writer. Her latest article tips Bruce off to his first "victim", Dr. Susan Fielding, a pediatrician whose partner and husband, Jonah, was shot dead recently by a gangster.
With Susan's help, Batman manages to deduce the identity of the killer, who took Jonah's life because he was tending to an ex-partner whom "Stub" Martel, the murderer, shot earlier. Batman catches a slug from Martel in the process, and Susan Fielding removes it from his arm. The bullet, which matches the one Jonah Fielding extracted from his former partner, is enough evidence to have "Stub" Martel arrested.
Later, Bruce Wayne arranges a long-term loan to help Susan in her financial difficulty and after his arm mends, Bruce returns to work at his Wayne Foundation desk. Suddenly, a gun-wielding, one-eyed Indian barges in and declares that he is one of Wayne's "Victims, Inc.," and that Wayne himself is about to be the next one.
Appearing in "One Bullet Too Many!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Alfred Pennyworth
- Dick Grayson
- Dr. Susan Fielding (Flashback and main story)
Antagonists:
- "Hop" Miller
- "Stub" Sartel
- Chance Collins
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Marla Manning (Mentioned only)
- Dr. Jonah Fielding (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- GCPD Headquarters
- Wayne Foundation (Moves into the Wayne Penthouse)
- Wayne Manor
- Hudson University (Mentioned only)
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This story continues in Detective Comics #394.
- The digital release of this issue includes a full design of the Wayne Foundation Penthouse, which was not included in the original print.
- This story is reprinted in Batman: From the 30's to the 70's and Batman in the Sixties.
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See Also