(Batman I #322) - Captain Boomerang arrived in Gotham City, threatening newspaper men who distributed the Gotham Guardian tabloid, saying their boss owed him money. Batman showed up and Boomerang launched an explosive boomerang at a nearby building, sending rubble down on one of the newspaper men. Batman saved the man’s life, but the distraction enabled Boomerang to slip away. Batman asked Alfred to look up who owned the Guardian, and Alfred asked if he should call in the Flash. Batman said the day he couldn’t beat one of Flash’s castoffs was the day he’d retire. Alfred learned that the Guardian was published by the Connoisseur Corporation, which was owned by Gregorian Falstaff. Captain Boomerang decided to try a semi-legit way of making money, and invested the stolen money he’d saved up for a retirement fund in Connoisseur Corporation stocks, which Falstaff shorted, causing Boomerang to lose his entire investment. Boomerang showed up at his office, knocked out Falstaff’s bodyguard Karlyle Kruggerand with a boomerang, and demanded his money back. Falstaff was shaken and said he’d happily give Boomerang all the money he wanted. Batman showed up, but Boomerang knocked him out with a trick boomerang that split in two. Batman woke up to find himself tied to a giant rocket-powered Doomerang which Captain Boomerang informed him would launch him into the stratosphere before it exploded. Boomerang set off his Doomerang and was overjoyed at the blast, thinking that without Batman Gotham City would be ripe for plunder. Batman shocked him by sneaking up on him, having removed his bonds using the Doomerang’s rocketfire and slipping away in the cloud of smoke it produced. He downed Boomerang with one punch, but realized it was fortunate that Boomerang enabled him to finally meet Bruce Wayne’s fiercest business rival.

(Batman I #330) - Bruce wondered why Lucius Fox hadn’t left the files he was waiting for on his desk, and asked his secretary Caroline to track Fox down. She informed him that Lucius was in the hospital after being attacked, and Bruce rushed off to Gotham General Hospital. Caroline called up Gregorian Falstaff to inform him she had the papers he wanted. Lucius was in bad shape and begged Bruce to save his son Tim before he passed out. Fox was in a gang led by Ronald Watkins, and Falstaff had ordered Watkins to blow up the Wayne Foundation. Watkins tried to convince Fox that Bruce Wayne was secretly a slumlord, and deserved whatever he got. Batman and Robin confronted them at the foundation, where Fox had finally decided Bruce couldn’t be evil and was trying to duck out. The Dynamic Duo took out Watkins and his men, and Batman let Tim know he was disappointed in him.

(Batman I #332) - Batman dug into Gregorian Falstaff’s records, learning that he’d only acquired his wealth in the last three years, and he was losing money by continually underbidding Wayne Enterprises. Batman realized he was being bankrolled, and was a front for someone else’s machinations. He deduced that the leak at Wayne Enterprises was his new secretary Caroline Crown, and he went to her apartment, witnessing her being threatened by a mutate who demanded she keep following Falstaff’s marching orders. Batman confronted the mutate, but was put through a wall. As Bruce Wayne he visited Lucius Fox in the hospital, convinced that Falstaff was behind his assault. He returned to his office, where Caroline confessed that her daughter Elizabeth had been sent upstate for medical treatment, and Falstaff was keeping her hostage to make her comply with his schemes. Bruce confronted Falstaff, who shrugged off Bruce’s threats that he’d expose him. Falstaff said he’d purchased the mortgages on Wayne Enterprises’ Asian oil properties, delivering a severe blow to Bruce’s business. Falstaff said he’d entertain Bruce selling off the rest of his assets to him, delighting in the idea of a Falstaff Foundation. Talia al Ghul snuck out of the Batcave at night and Batman tailed her to Falstaff’s offices. When he interrupted them he quickly took out Falstaff’s right hand man Karlyle Krugerrand but Falstaff pressed a button, opening a wall in his office to reveal a gang of mutates at his command. Batman overcame them and Falstaff panicked, knowing his failure would mean death if his master found out. He held Elizabeth Crown hostage and had a weapon that created a sphere of energy to destroy Batman. Talia kicked Falstaff into the sphere, disintegrating him. She said she’d come to Falstaff to convince him to stop his attacks on Wayne Enterprises, admitting that Falstaff once worked for her father Ra’s al Ghul. Batman was suspicious that she was glad Falstaff was dead so he couldn’t elaborate on that relationship.