Story: "Scared Straight" (22 Pages)

Credits:

Scott Beatty (plot, script)
Roger Robinson (pencils)
John Floyd (inks)
Bob Pinaha (letters)
Noelle Giddings (colors) Wildstorm FX (color seperations)
Nachie Castro and Matt Idelson (edits)

Feature Characters: Batman (also in flashback)
Nightwing II (also in flashback as Robin I)
Robin III
Batgirl III

Supporting Character:

Alfred Pennyworth

Villain: Val Kaliban (last in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #4; next in Batman #657; also in flashback as the Spook II)
Steeljacket
KGBeast
Johnny La Monica

Guest Appearance:

Bane

Other Characters:

Conover
Kazu (guards at Blackgate)
Brenda Bronstein (runs a boarding house for ex-cons trying to go straight)
Bobby (one of the residents)

Synopsis:

Val Kaliban, the Spook, is granted parole after eight years in Blackgate, which is a surprise to many, as they had expected him to escape. Batman and his allies keep a close watch on Kaliban, so much so that he tires of this and deliberately breaks his parole so that he can retreat to the safer environs of the prison.

Second Story: "Urban Renewal" (8 Pages)

Credits:

Will Pfeifer (plot, script)
Brent Anderson (pencils, inks)
Nick J. Napolitano (letters)
Michael Wright (edits)

Feature Character:

Daniel McKinley (a writer)

Othe Characters:

Mr. Orostin (a publisher)
Batman

Synopsis:

Daniel McKinley is researching a book on some of the old kitsch architecture of Gotham City, the giant type-writers and such, but can find no-one who will publish a book on this topic. He is about to give up when he gets a letter from Signal Publishing who wish to publish his book. This company is a division of Wayne Enterprises, and the book idea had reminded Batman of some happy memories.