- "Ladies and jerks! There's been a slight change in tonight's show. Insteada the opera robbin' you for somethin' like a thousand bucks a seat -- we're gonna rob you! Believe me folks, I've seen it already. I'm doin' ya a big favor!"
- ―Harley Quinn
| "Hush (Part 6)" The Opera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Batman | |
| Title: | "Hush (Part 6)" The Opera |
| Storyline: | "Hush" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 613 |
| Cover price: | $2.25 |
| Cover date: | May, 2003 |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Credits | |
| Ex. Ed: | Mike Carlin |
| Writers: | Jeph Loeb |
| Pencilers: | Jim Lee |
| Inkers: | Scott Williams |
| Cover artists: | Jim Lee |
| Cover inker: | Scott Williams |
| Cover colorist: | Alex Sinclair |
| Colorists: | Alex Sinclair |
| Letterers: | Richard Starkings |
| Assistants: | Morgan Dontanville |
| Editors: | Bob Schreck |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | Batman #612 |
| Next: | Batman #614 |
"The Opera" is the 613th issue of the first ongoing Batman comic book series. It is the sixth of twelve chapters in the ""Hush" storyline that runs from issue #608-619. The issue was written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Jim Lee with Scott Williams on inks. Lee and Williams also provided the cover art illustration. It was colored by Alex Sinclair with Richard Starkings providing the lettering. The issue was edited by Bob Schreck. It shipped with a May, 2003 cover-date and a retail price of $2.25 (US) per copy.
Synopsis[]
Bruce Wayne goes to the Gotham City Opera House along with Tommy Elliot, Selina Kyle and Leslie Thompkins. During the opera, the main actor begins acting strangely until it is revealed to actually be Harley Quinn in disguise. Harley's masked henchmen take control of the orchestra pit and begin spraying the room with gunfire. Bruce, Selina and Tommy all move to conduct crowd control. Harley tries to steal a pendant from around Tommy's neck – an important heirloom he had since he was a child.
Bruce quickly ducks away to turn into Batman. He is surprised to see Harley acting in such a violent fashion – a fashion that is quite uncharacteristic of her. While Batman intercepts Harley, Selina changes into Catwoman. Catwoman and Harley bounce all across the stage trying to catch each other, but ultimately Harley shoots Catwoman. Batman races to Catwoman’s side as Harley makes her escape.
Catwoman's wound is superficial and she chastises Batman for letting Harley get away. Batman runs outside, but the villain is nowhere to be found. Suddenly he hears a gun shot coming from a nearby alley. Running towards the sound of the gun he finds the Joker standing over the bleeding body of his friend Tommy Elliot.
Appearances[]
Featured characters
Supporting characters
Villains
Minor characters
- Unnamed opera patrons
Organizations
- None
Races
Locations
Items
- None
Vehicles
- None
Powers
Notes & Trivia[]
"A little work on your improv might do ya some good!"
- This issue is reprinted in the Batman: Hush hardcover and trade paperback collections as well as the Batman: Hush, Volume 2 hardcover and trade paperback collections. It is also reprinted in the 2005 Batman: Hush: Absolute Edition hardcover slipcase edition.
- This issue shipped as a direct edition and a newstand edition.
- The tagline for this issue is "Poster Child for Crime!"
- This is the final issue of Batman with Mike Carlin as executive editor.
- Clayface appears as Thomas Elliot only in this issue. This fact is not revealed until Batman #619. Clayface makes a chronologically earlier appearance in Batman: Gotham Knights #69.
- Includes a flashback scene from Bruce Wayne and Tommy Elliot's childhood.
- The imagery of the beads falling to the ground when Harley Quinn reaches for Tommy Elliot's medallion is similar to the scene classically depicting the murder of Martha Wayne at the hands of Joe Chill.