Lots of LotDK issues feature a very young Batman, before Robin—B.R., as Dick would say—and Alfred is his only sounding board and friend. He’s still in early stages of building his friendship with Jim, and Harvey is too busy being the DA.
“Venom” includes drug addiction, of which I have to warn you. It starts with Batman being unable to save a little kid’s life because he wasn’t physically strong enough. He goes to her father to let him know, but Daddy is high on homemade pills, and he offers some to Batman. Things happen and he accepts them, and soon he becomes addicted.
