Gretchen Gallway
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Real Identity: Gretchen Gallway
Affiliations: U.S. Army and Project Samson
Appearances (BTAC Comics): Crack-Up! Part One, Crack-Up! Part Two, and Crack-Up! Part Three
Skills: Enhanced Physical Attributes, Medical Training, and Military Training
Gretchen Gallway was ex-military and a former medic who became Professor Hugo Strange's assistant. She was with Project Samson, the U.S. Army's super-soldier program, since its inception. Strange approached Colonel Haslett and Captain Finley about Project Samson. Haslett recalled hearing about an army shrink going around pushing some new hyperwarrior theories. Strange stated he worked in facts and the facts stated she and Finley were excellent candidates for his program. Gallway handed Strange a file. Finley joined Project Samson. Gretchen Gallway thought he was easily the finest candidate--fearless, athletic, a will of steel, the kindest, and most gracious. Gallway developed feelings for him and it became hard for her to watch him endure the drug treatments. The thought of Finley becoming a brainwashed puppet of the military weighed heavily on Gallway. She could not stand it and intervened on the Psi-Ber Helmet process only to discover Joker had somehow broken in and taken over the entire session and made him his loyal sidekick Straightman.
Gallway believed she could use the Psi-Ber Helmet to purge the Joker's control from Straightman's brain. She learned of a prototype battle suit developed by WayneTech in partnership with the military aimed at making its wearer stronger, more agile, and resistant to conventional weapon attacks. She stole the I.D. of the project's military overseer, Colonel Haslett, to steal the suit believing it was the only thing that could let her get close enough to Straightman. She fashioned a red costume to hide her identity and the battle suit then began observing Straightman from afar. Five years after Finely's recruitment to Project Samson, from a high vantage point, Gallway suited up and observed Batman and Task Force X fighting Straightman outside the Simon Trent Theater in Gotham City. Batman eventually noticed her but she felt she was far away enough he would discount her as another urban voyeur getting their kicks. She left with a glider.
The next night, they encountered each other in the Sunshine Hotel while in search of Joker and Straightman. Batman dodged her kick and noted she was fast and very strong. One of her kicks broke a table in half. She stated she did not want to fight. Batman noted she certainly knew how and concluded she was not on Amanda Waller's team. She revealed Waller was going to dissect "Carl" like an animal. Batman realized she knew Finley before he became Straightman. She got set off by "Straightman" and claimed she was trying to save Finley from Waller and Joker then vowed the latter would burn for what he did. Batman demanded answers. Gallway stated she had no time for it but was not his enemy. She opened fire with rubber bullets and he fell out a window. He watched as she flew off with her glider. Joker and Straightman invaded Camp Finger, a U.S. Army base, and confronted Professor Hugo Strange in his office. Strange ordered Gretchen Gallway to call the military police. Joker noticed Gallway and informed them they already took care of them.
Joker requested the "happy helmet" but Strange refused. Joker was crestfallen then ordered Straightman to break Gallway's neck on the count of three. Colonel Haslett intervened and ordered him to stand down. Straightman recognized her and released Gallway. He was overcome by orders by both Joker and Haslett and ran out of the base on foot. Barbara Gordon hailed Batman on comms and announced she just interfaced with the stolen suit and could see what the thief was seeing. She revealed the thief was heading for Gotham's old eastside carnival, one of Joker's recent but vacated haunts. Batman and Robin intercepted the thief but before he could warn Robin of the suit's hidden weapons, Robin was immobilized in a metal bola. She fired electricity at Batman but he dodged and kicked her into the carousel. He tried to reason with her but she knew he was going to put Straightman in prison. She bashed him with one of the carousel's horses. Gordon accessed the suit's remote control and shut it down.
Batman unmasked Gallway. He rattled off her file. Gallway stated she was acting on her own and wanted to save Straightman from everyone. She told them about Straightman's origins, her misgivings about the program, and how Joker used Strange's Psi-Ber Helmet to brainwash him. She speculated Joker was getting back at Strange because of their unpleasant history at Arkham Asylum then told them about her plan but admitted Straightman was already disassociating from reality and becoming psychotic like the rest of the super soldier subjects. Robin asked what happened to them. Gallway revealed they were all eliminated when they became impossible to control but any record of that was covered up already. Batman asked where the helmet was currently. She told them Strange heeded Batman's warning and was moving the helmet to a safer location. She was present when the transport was investigated. Haslett found the sight of the dead Jokerized men monstrous. Strange misinterpreted her and agreed it was a tragedy his greatest invention was stolen by a madman.
Haslett blamed the fiasco on Strange. Strange was quick to point out it was Joker's doing. Gallway agreed Strange could hardly be blamed. Haslett took offense to her words when Gallway herself stole her identity to steal the WayneTech prototype suit to pursue Carl Finley unsanctioned. She mused Gallway should be in jail. Strange believed Gallway could be useful in manipulating Finley since they had a rapport. At Camp Finger, Gallway attended to captured Straightman. Batman, Robin, and Batgirl were on standby. Strange checked in on Finley. Finley became irate and reckoned he should snap Strange's neck. Gallway tried in vain to calm him down. Strange observed his mind was almost unsalvageable and only the helmet could save him. Haslett informed everyone Joker was breaching the south entrance. A short time later, Finley suffered a seizure. Strange believed there was nothing they could do since he was in the first state of a bicameral breakdown and would devolve into utter schizophrenia without the helmet. He found it a shame they couldn't record it. Joker arrived and joked he admired his bedside manner then smacked Strange with a gun. He placed the helmet on Finley.
Gallway pleaded in vain for Finley to be spared. Strange told her not to be an idiot. Joker advised her to listen to the professor. Batman kicked the door down. Joker grabbed Gallway and held her at gunpoint. Finley became enraged, grabbed Joker, and slammed him like a ragdoll. Haslett got him to stop by telling him "At ease." Harley remarked she was enjoying the show.