I'm Rick. Sorry about yesterday... and thank you for yesterday. I am totally, 1,000 percent sure that when we tell our grandkids how we met... they won't believe it. But right now I am truly in your debt and I would very much like to make that right, Pearl. 
- — Rick Araki
Pearl #1 is an issue of the series Pearl (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 2018. It was published on August 15, 2018.
Synopsis for the 1st Story
In San Francisco, Pearl, an Asian girl with pale skin and whitish hair, is hanging out with her friend Kim when a guy stops her to ask about the spider tattoo on her right wrist. She is surprised by the fact that he seems to recognize the artist, Iriguci, a seemingly world-class tattoo artist who -to the guy's great surprise- made the spider without asking Pearl for her consent or for money. As the guy, Rick, goes towards his friends to tell them about the spider tattoo, Pearl reminds Kim about a bet concerning the first boy who would know what her tattoo is, as she approaches Rick and his (unimpressed) friends. She asks Rick how does he know about Iriguci, so he explains he is himself a tattoo artist, showcasing his work on one of his friends' back. As Pearl decides to leave, suddenly four gunmen on motorbikes assail the group of men, killing all of them bar Rick. Before he gets shot too, Pearl draws a gun herself and kills some of them. Unfortunately, one of the hit men manages to shoot her in the shoulder.
At Pearl Ink Tattoos, Pearl is recovering from her wound. A Mr. Kai asks her about her gun and why didn't she get rid of it after the altercation, so Pearl explains that she can't because it was a present from her father on her 14th birthday in order to protect herself from possible assailants. Pearl asks whether "Mr. Miike" is upset for what happened and Kai answers that he is upset because she hadn't told him she had this talent in herself. Pearl tries to play it down, but Kai reminds her that she may have started a war bigger than any one in the history of the Yakuza.
At Mr. Miike's, Mr. Miike tells Pearl he has figured her out: her steady hands with needles are just as steady with weapons. Again, Pearl tries to minimize, but to no avail. He assures her he won't deliver her to the other clan, but for that to not happen, she will need to do more than tattoos for him from now on: for starters, she'll have to kill all the men present the previous evening. She refuses, but he forces her to accept by pushing the tattoo needle inside her gun wound.
Back at Pearl Ink, at night, Pearl is trying to contact Kim by message: her friend seems to be upset for the previous night's events. Suddenly, Rick opens her door, declaring he's proud of himself for finding her. He introduces himself again and tells her he's indebted to her for what happened, so he wants to make up for it.
Appearing in the 1st Story
Featured Characters:
- Pearl (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Kim (First appearance)
- Rick Araki (First appearance)
- Mr. Kai (First appearance)
- Pearl's father (Flashback only)
Villains:
- Rival Yakuza thugs
- Mr. Miike (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Iriguci (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- San Francisco
- Pearl Ink Tattoo Parlour
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Batman: "Citizen Wayne"
This story is reprinted from Batman Chronicles #21.
The eccentric billionaire mogul Bruce Foster Wayne dies in his mansion, and his last word is "Rosebud." Reporter Clark Kent is sent to interview his closest friends in an attempt to discover what his last word meant, visiting Selina Kyle, Dick Grayson, James Gordon and a man named "Jack." His last visit is to Alfred Pennyworth, who explains that "rosebud" was the word written on the side of the gun used to murder Wayne's parents by a mugger.
Appearing in Batman: "Citizen Wayne"
Featured Characters:
- Bruce Foster Wayne (Dies)
Supporting Characters:
- Alfred Pennyworth
- Clark Kent
- Dick Grayson
- James Gordon
- "Jack"
- Joe Chill (Flashback only)
- Martha Wayne (Dies in flashback)
- Perry White
- Selina Kyle
- Thomas Wayne (Dies in flashback)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Arkham Asylum
- Crime Alley (Flashback only)
- Wayne Enterprises
- Wayne Manor
Items:
Notes
- This comic was the first Jinxworld comic published by DC.
- The Batman Elseworlds story reprinted in this issue was the first Bendis/Gaydos story published by DC Comics and was originally published in the year 2000.
See Also