Vigilante #45 is an issue of the series Vigilante (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1987.
Synopsis for "Black Thorn!"
Adrian Chase, tormented by past trauma and his actions as the Vigilante, confides in Harry Stein that his recent behavior has been dangerously erratic, almost as if he were courting death. However, recent events have shaken him to his core, snapping him out of his downward spiral and reigniting a desire to live. Although still troubled, he insists he's finally in control. Meanwhile, the police pressure Col. Valentina Vostok to surrender Vigilante. She convinces them that Vigilante's work for the Agency is a matter of national security, and orders Chase to leave Washington, D.C.—a suggestion he welcomes. He's eager to head to New York City to investigate a mysterious and lethal assassin known as Black Thorn. Harry offers to accompany him, but Vostok assigns Harry to take her place leading a three-week anti-terrorism seminar. Harry protests, but Vostok insists.
The seminar is attended by Sgt. Harvey Bullock of Gotham City P.D., whose antics disrupt the proceedings and frustrate Harry. While Harry manages the seminar, Vigilante delves into New York's criminal underworld. His pursuit of Black Thorn leads him to an arms dealer named Reimer. After dispatching Reimer's guards, Vigilante interrogates the dealer, but before he can get useful information, Reimer is suddenly killed by a poisoned thorn—Black Thorn's signature weapon.
Unsettled, Vigilante spends the night aggressively shaking down New York's lowlifes. He discovers that the names of Black Thorn's victims are often leaked days in advance of their murders. He wonders if each assassination is a sick game of cat-and-mouse for Black Thorn. Exhausted, he retreats to a safehouse. There, he reflects on the despair and depravity he felt after the tragic death of his family—killed by a bomb intended for him.
That night, Black Thorn infiltrates his safehouse. Chase is stunned to learn that the infamous assassin is a woman. She explains that she's been watching him and she wants them to work together. Suddenly, she seduces him, and for a brief moment, he finds unexpected peace and contentment before falling asleep. But by morning, she's gone, leaving him torn between his duty and a complex attraction. He's unsure whether to apprehend her, kill her, or pursue whatever bond was forged between them.
Vigilante searches for Black Thorn and finds her on a rooftop in a violent encounter with another man. She kills the man with no hesitation. Vigilante condemns it as cold-blooded murder, but Black Thorn insists she's no different from him. She kisses him and launches a vicious attack. In the chaos, Vigilante fires his weapon and she hurls a poisoned thorn; his shot goes wide, but hers lands, leaving him temporarily paralyzed. Before he can recover, the police arrive, see the dead man, and arrest Vigilante on the spot.
Back in Washington, Bullock flips through the seminar materials and recognizes Katia, a former KGB operative who was linked to Russian operations in Gotham. With a new lead in hand, Bullock and Harry decide to leave the seminar and follow the trail to Gotham.
Appearing in "Black Thorn!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Agency
- Black Thorn (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Juke (Single appearance; dies)
- Reimer (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Harvey Bullock
- Murray (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Maryland
- Chevy Chase
- New York City
- Washington, D.C.
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also