PREVIOUSLY:
Driven to his mental and physical breaking point after a breakout at
Arkham Asylum (Batman 491), Bruce takes on the man behind it all: Bane.
Easily defeated by Bane, Bruce's back is broken and he is tossed over
the side of a building (Batman 497).
Near death he hands over his mantle to newcomer Jean Paul Valley aka
Azrael (Batman
499). After recovering a bit, Bruce leaves Gotham to track
down Dr. Kinsolving and Jack Drake who have been kidnapped..During a
confrontation with the Scarecrow (Shadow
of the Bat #18), the Scare-Gas calls up Jean Paul's deepest
fears and thus sets into action a deep subconscious programming known as
"the System". The System acts as the subliminal programming of all
Azraels and Az-Bat finds himself incapable of fighting against his
increasingly violent urges brought on by the System. Azrael (or
Az-Bat) goes out as the Batman and confronts Bane. Jean Paul finds
himself on the losing side of the fight and his life is saved only by
his modified gloves (Detective
Comics 666). He begins tweaking the Bat-costume further. It
isn't until a second confrontation with Bane (Batman
500) where Az-Bat is able to get the better of the behemoth
and (almost reluctantly) turns him over to the police. Jean Paul tells
Tim that he no longer has a use for Tim in his new fight against crime.
An upgraded but unstable and violent Batman now stalks the night alone.
SUMMARY:
Driven mad by "The System" Jean Paul begins seeing the ghosts of his
ancestors instructing him that the only way to fight crime in Gotham
City is through violence. Obsessively re-designing and tweaking elements
of the Bat-Suit, Jean Paul equips himself with deadly weapons such as
razor sharp batarangs and a flame thrower. Tim Drake is left on the
sidelines and is shocked by just how violent the new Batman has become.
Also left confused by the transformation of the Batman is Commissioner
James Gordon. Just like he did with Robin, Az-Bat pushes Gordon aside
and continues his violent acts against even the pettiest of criminals.
After a confrontation between Clayface III and Lady Clayface, Jean
Paul finds himself tracking down the serial killer Abattoir. Abattoir is
keeping a civilian hostage in an extremely painful torture device at an
undisclosed location. During the pursuit, Az-Bat coldly allows Abattoir
to fall to his death inside a foundry, thus sealing the fate of the
innocent civilian as well.
Bruce returns to Gotham with Jack Drake. When he arrives he is aghast
to find that Jean Paul Valley has become reckless vigilante as the
Batman. Bruce tries to reason with Jean Paul but Jean Paul won't listen.
Bruce decides that he must take back the cape and cowl by force, but
first he needs to get back into top physical shape. He decides that the
only person capable of training him is the dangerous assassin Lady
Shiva... |
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