Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Vol 1 1



 Shaman (Book I of V) 


 * "Tell everyone. All the punks, junkies, gunsels, enforcers... all the wise guys, leg-breakers, muscle boys... tell them they're finished. Tell them the streets belong to the Batman."
 * --Batman

Summary
Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Month: November Year: 1989

Credits
Editor in Chief: Jenette Kahn Head Writer: Denny O'Neil Cover Artists: Ed Hannigan and George Pratt Pencilers: Ed Hannigan Inkers: John Beatty Colourists: Richmond Lewis Editors: Kevin Dooley and Andrew Helfer

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Batman
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Holly Robinson (flashback cameo)
 * Joe Chill (in a dream)
 * Leslie Thompkins
 * Martha Wayne (in a dream)
 * Selina Kyle (flashback cameo)
 * Thomas Wayne (in a dream)
 * Thomas Woodley
 * Tina Wilson
 * Willy Doggett

Locations:
 * Alaska
 * Gotham City
 * Wayne Manor

Items:
 * None

First Appearances: Thomas Woodly; Tina Wilson; Willy Doggett (a bounty hunter) Final Appearances: Tina Wilson (dies in this issue); Willy Doggett

Synopsis: Twenty-five year old Bruce Wayne accompanies tracker/bounty hunter Willy Doggett across the mountains of Alaska. He wants to learn from the best. An assassin named Tom Woodley appears and kills Doggett, while greatly injuring Bruce. Bruce fights back, and during the struggle, Tom slips from his perch and falls seemingly to his death. An Alaskan Shaman and his daughter find Bruce and nurse him back to health. The Shaman tells Bruce an ancient Native American folktale about a bat, and makes Bruce promise to never reveal the story to another living soul.

Bruce returns to the United States and his family home at Wayne Manor. His first attempt at crime fighting nearly ends in disaster, and he returns to Wayne Manor broken and bleeding. While resting in his father's study, a large bat crashes through the window. Inspired by animal's dark visage, Bruce decides to adopt the costumed identity of Batman in order to strike terror into the hearts of criminals.

The following evening, Batman investigates a break-in at Leslie Thompkins free clinic. He beats up several thugs in the alley behind the clinic and finds a scared patient hovering in a corner. The woman screams the word "Chubala" and then plunges a knife directly into her own heart.

Trivia

 * This issue was offered with a dual-cover, printed in four different color variations; Blue, Yellow, Pink and Green. The cover logo was designed by Dean Motter.


 * The famous phrase "Criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot" is attributed to the in-universe author Sir Maxwell Floppy. In both the Golden and Silver Age versions of Batman's origin, Bruce mutters a version of this quote mere moments before the bat crashes through the study window.


 * In Bruce's fever dream, he envisions mugger Joe Chill as a demonic looking snowman.

Recommended Readings

 * Batman #404
 * Batman #405
 * Batman #406
 * Batman #407
 * Batman: Year One (trade paperback)

Related Articles

 * Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight cover art gallery
 * Batman appearances list
 * Batman quotes page
 * Batman: Shaman
 * Batman: Year One
 * Gotham City Police Department