I am Bane -- and I could kill you... but death would only end your agony -- and silence your shame. Instead, I will simply... BREAK YOU! 
- — Bane
Batman #497 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1993. It was published on July 14, 1993.
Synopsis for "The Broken Bat"
Bruce Wayne enters his study at Wayne Manor and finds Bane waiting for him. He is shocked to find that Bane knows his secret identity. Bane states that he has always known who the Batman was, but that Bruce Wayne is merely a façade and the Batman is the true persona. Bane pumps himself full of Venom, in preparation for his final step in taking control of Gotham City. Bruce is disgusted that Bane would kill so many just to gain control of the city, and he sheds his bathrobe, dons his cape and cowl, and leaps into action.
Batman is exhausted from fighting Gotham's criminal underworld non-stop for nearly three nights. Alfred regains consciousness, and Bruce only has time to tell him to escape before Bane wraps his hands around his throat. Unlike Batman, Bane is in top form, and he easily smashes him through the grandfather clock that hides the access hatch into the Batcave.
Bane breaks Batman
Batman stumbles down the steps and Bane trails after him. Alfred, severely injured, manages to crawl to the front door of the manor and gets to his feet while Bane batters his master around the cave. He begins limping across the yard towards Drake Manor. Tim Drake answers the door and Alfred tells him that they may need an ambulance. Tim gets into his costume.
Shondra Kinsolving tries to reach Bruce on the phone, but gets no reply, as Bane pummels him, determined to break the Batman's spirit. Broken and bleeding, wanting to die, Batman tells Bane to go to hell. Not satisfied with merely killing the Bat, Bane wants to prolong his adversary's agony.
Bane picks Batman up with both hands and then drives him down across his knee, shattering his spine. Satisfied, he let's Batman's crumpled body fall to the floor.
Appearing in "The Broken Bat"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Template:Apn
Other Characters:
- Amygdala (Flashback only)
- Black Mask (Flashback only)
- Firefly (Flashback only)
- General (Flashback only)
- Headhunter (Flashback only)
- Joker (Flashback only)
- Mad Hatter (Flashback only)
- Metalhead (Flashback only)
- Mister Zsasz (Flashback only)
- Poison Ivy (Flashback only)
- Riddler (Flashback only)
- Scarecrow (Flashback only)
- Tattoo (Flashback only)
- Two-Face (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Gotham County
- Gotham City
- Arkham Asylum (Flashback only)
- Drake Manor
- Wayne Manor
- Batcave
- Shondra Kinsolving's Clinic (Cameo)
- Gotham City
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is Chapter Eleven of the "Knightfall" story-arc. The story continues in Detective Comics #664.
- This issue is reprinted in Batman: Knightfall Part One - Broken Bat, the 2012 Batman: Knightfall Volume One, the 2018 Batman: Knightfall Vol. 1 and Batman: A Celebration of 75 Years.
- The direct market edition of this issue originally shipped with an enhanced card stock half-cover overlay advertising "The Breaking of the Batman." The newsstand edition shipped with the normal Kelley Jones cover, but without the overlay.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Bane Recommended Reading
- Azrael: Angel and the Bane
- Batman: Bane
- Batman: Bane of the Demon
- Knightfall
- Batman: Legacy
- Batman: Tabula Rasa
- Batman: Veritas Liberat
- Batman: Vengeance of Bane
- Checkmate: Corvalho
- Secret Six (Volume 3)
- Batman Recommended Reading
- Batman (Volume 1)
- Batman (Volume 2)
- Batman (Volume 3)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 3)
- Batman Confidential (Volume 1)
- Batman: Gotham Knights (Volume 1)
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Volume 1)
- Batman: Streets of Gotham (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 2)
- The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 2)
- Superman/Batman (Volume 1)
- World's Finest (Volume 1)
