|
| Title |
The Untold
Legend of the Batman |
| Format |
miniseries |
| Binding |
standard comic |
| Date |
July -
September 1980 |
|
Writer(s) |
Len Wein |
|
Artist(s) |
John Byrne, Jim
Aparo |
| Collects |
The Untold Legend of the
Batman 1-3 |
| Storyline |
Bruce
received a package in the mail. Inside was a bat costume once worn by his
father - ripped to shreds. He remembered the night of a costume ball when
his father wore it. Thomas
Wayne was abducted by gangsters hoping he could removed a bullet. Wayne
refused and had the men arrested. After the gangster (Lew Moxon) was
released from prison, he sent Joe Chill to kill Wayne. With Thomas and
Martha dead, Bruce's uncle Phillip placed him in the care of Mrs. Chilton
(not knowing her son killed them), his housekeeper. Later on, Bruce donned
a yellow, red, and green costume (in order to keep his true identity
secret) and sought out Harvey Harris - the world's greatest detective. He
studied under Harris until he was 18, then went to college. There, he
studied criminology and psychology. After graduating, he opted to work
outside the law than work as a policeman. He took the guise of a bat.
Years later, he recognized his parents' killer and confronted him. When
the man told his associates that he'd created the Batman, they killed him.
Batman learned of Lew Moxon. When he caught up with him, he startled the
man. Moxon stumbled into a street where he was struck and killed by a
truck.
Batman and Robin went out looking for leads on who'd sent the destroyed
costume. While out, Robin thought back on his beginnings: his
parents' deaths, swearing an oath to the Batman, becoming Bruce Wayne's
ward, training, getting a costume, graduating school, and going off to
college. Back at the cave, Dick caused Alfred to think back on his
own past - World War II, the theatre, his father dying, coming to
America and joining the Wayne household, discovering the Batcave. Batman
continued searching for answers to the package he received. He thought of
the criminals he'd been accused of creating, Red Hood becoming the Joker;
Harvey Dent becoming Two-Face. As he and Robin readied to go to police
headquarters, the Batmobile exploded. A note appeared promising to destroy
everything Batman was.
Batman went out alone, forbidding Robin to follow. Robin called their
mechanic to get another car built. Batman went to Gordon. Gordon was sure
the person behind the situation was someone close to Batman. He thought
back on Barbara - she'd met Batman through him and had become
infatuated. She even went to a masquerade as Batgirl. After Wayne
spoke with Lucious Fox, he returned to the cave. Robin helped him realize
he'd been trying to destroy himself. |
|
