 Eventually, their treatment of him is revealed to have become much more abusive—after he runs away from home, they place him in a basement dungeon with no toilet.This is told in issues 5 and 6 of the first series, "The Best of DC" #22, and recapped in Rose's diary in issue #11 of the Gaiman series.In issue #12, their mysterious appearance is revealed to have been because they were being paid an $800 monthly stipend by social services.