It'll take hours for you to die, cousin--a day, more! And every instant that you scream--every time you curse me, I'll be absorbing just that little more of your spirit! As your life-force seeps away, so will it make my life-force stronger!. Now is that family bonding, or what? 
- — Abattoir
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #27 is an issue of the series Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1994.
Synopsis for "Creatures of Clay: Child's Clay"
Lady Clay has Batman in her grip. She has transformed into a giant clay snake and is about to break Batman's body when he is able to reach a panic button that he installed on the belt. The button activates a jolt of electricity on the batsuit powerful enough to knock out Lady Clay and leaves Batman wondering what to do with her.
Back in the building where Graham Etchinson was kidnapped by Clayface 3; Commissioner Gordon and Leslie Thompkins are examining the crime scene. Officer Kitch examines the bodies and confirms the murders were committed by Preston Payne a.k.a. Clayface 3; and sends word to all the units in the area to stay alert at any sight of the criminal.
Clayface is seen carrying Graham Etchinson to a place known only to him. At that moment Abattoir is in his hideout at some abandoned place with Clayface's son. Abattoir kidnapped the child when he escaped from Batman in their last encounter. To calm the kid, Abattoir reads him some pages of Lady Clay's diary. In the diary are described the moments that the clay family lived before and after the arrival of their baby.
Batman injects a potent tranquilizer in Lady Clay to prevent further struggling. In a weakened state Lady Clay explains to Batman why she is chasing him. She tells him about her son, Cassius, and how he was kidnapped by Abattoir. She is to kill Batman and her husband will take Graham Etchinson to Abattoir so the killer gives them their son back. She passes out before telling Batman the complete direction of the place they are to meet with Abattoir and Batman sets out to find it.
At the corner of Magenta and Vinto, the meeting point, Clayface arrives with Etchinson. Abattoir descends to the street via the fire escape leaving Cassius tied to a litter. He orders Clayface to place Etchinson in the backseat of a car and to take his kid at the fire escape. Abattoir intends to leave in that car but Clayface crushes the windshield with a trash can and grabs Abattoir to give him his lethal touch. Batman arrives just in time to stop Clayface from killing Abattoir. Batman and Clayface engage in a fight and Abattoir escapes in the car, hitting Clayface and breaking his leg on the way. Batman starts to chase Abattoir but stops to help Clayface. Cassius manages to untie himself and is about to jump off the fire escape and Clayface is unable to reach him with a broken leg. As the kid is falling, Batman saves him. Once the kid is safe, they engage in combat again but as soon as it started it is over. Batman sprays some gas on Clayface's face and leaves him unconscious until S.T.A.R. Labs staff arrive to take him into custody.
Meanwhile, Abattoir takes his cousin to an abandoned building, strips him naked and ties him to a torture machine of his own design. Graham is lying over hundreds of oversized nails and above him are some weights that will be released every hour to increase the pressure of the body over the nails giving the victim a slow but painful death. Abattoir watches as his cousin suffers and laughs maniacally.
Appearing in "Creatures of Clay: Child's Clay"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Abattoir
- Clayface (Preston Payne) (Flashback and main story)
- Lady Clay (Flashback and main story)
Other Characters:
- Cassius Clay (First appearance) (Flashback and main story)
- Graham Etchison
- Gotham City Police Department
Locations:
Items:
Notes
- This issue is part of the "Knightquest" saga. Knightquest: The Crusade continues on Detective Comics #674.
- Batman (Jean-Paul Valley) appears next in Showcase '94 #7.
- Abattoir appeared last in Batman #505. He appears next in Batman #508.
- First appearance of Cassius Clay Payne, the child of Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller.
- This issue is reprinted in Batman: Knightfall Volume Two - Knightquest and Batman: Knightquest - The Crusade Vol. 2.
Trivia
- Clayface came up with his son's name as a pun on Cassius Clay, better known as Muhammad Ali.
