I remember this as one of the first storylines I remember reading when I discovered Legends of the Dark Knight (LOTDK). It quickly became one of the best titles of Batman.

For one thing, it carried short storylines, 2-5 issues long, so that it was something that new readers, could always jump into at anytime, without having to purchase multiple back issues just to catch up with what was going on presently. Another thing was that the stories where many times written by a different writer and artist. So that there was always differnent interpertaions and thoughts on Batman and Bruce Wyane's charecter. The series was started to give up and coming artists and writers a chance to jump into mainstream comics and make a name for themselves. A lot of good art and stories were told in these pages of LOTDK.

But my post is about a particular storyline in LOTDK. I looked back through my older comics, many times the ones that I remember finding back when I first started collecting comics. This was the second storyline I read, since I picked up LOTDK.


Written by James Robinson
Art by John Watkins
Published by DC Comics
Date: May-June 1995

The first issue kind of sets up the story, how Batman gets involved in this crime and how it takes him to London. (Which I thought was kind of clique.) Well the story starts that Batman went to Gordan in response to two murders. Both of them were people that worked for Bruce Wayne at the Wayne Foundation. The first was shot, pretty straightforward. The second however, a Dr. Hugh Downs (I don't that is in relation to Mr. 20/20. Sorry Barbara Walters, I have a wad of "You aint Hugh Downs" and can't hear what you are saying) was murdered viciously. Torn apart. So after some investigation, Batman first suspects something with WayneTech's office in London, as they were already under suspicion of using the office as a front for money laundrering.

So Batman decides to go to London, at the suspicion of his own employees and the eyewitness, testimony of Hugh Downs death, that is was a werewolf that killed him, as Dr. Downs was out walking his dog when he was attacked. Well on arriving in London, Batman goes to work with his patented investigating. Coming across a suspecious man named Tommy Twist that has connections to Charles Blake that was rumored to be a crime boss, using a legitimate buisness as a front for his illegal activites. But Blake himself had been missing for years, as he had disapered shortly after his wife divorced him and has not been seen since. As the London police, working with Batman, tell him that Blake's buisness was bought a while back, by a Willian Sinclair in a hostile takeover. So thinking that maybe Sincliar had something to do with it, Batman decides to visit Sinclair's home. He doesn't find Sincliar, but he does find . . .



Wowsers that's a big a meataball! Look how he throws Batman around . . .



That left panel is one of my favorite renditions of Batman. Both as the charecter and how once he is set to a task, nothing will stop him, not even a possible broken rib. And also artisticly. The look of determination as he brushes of the broken glass to return to the battle with the werewolf. That is determination there. As you can see from the panel next to it, that Sinclair is most definatly dead. But who did it and who is the werewolf? Batman's thoughts on that? Blake is the werewolf. But why and how?

Batman's investigations take him to a cult know for their worship of this feral beast. However, them and their leader Raven, claim that they don't know of the wereabouts of the werewolf, or who is human alter ego is. So Batman must investigate further to figure this mystery out.

The more Batman finds out the more that it still leads back to Blake. So Batman goes to find Tommy Twist once again. But before he can the police call Batman and explain that while they were at a stakeout for Blake, they woke up, feeling drugged and one of their men, Yeardley was killed by the werewolf. So what kind of werewolf has to drug people to kill them?

So Batman after confronting Tommy one more time to give him a chance to come clean, Tommy sets out to put a price on Batman's head, because of his interupting their buisness. Batman has given Tommy a chance to come clean. Believe me Batman will be back and this time Tommy will not be happy.



A new tip comes to Batman's attention. Blake's ex-wife called Bruce Wayne (who I forgot to say was the woman that Bruce Wayne was renting a flat for his stay in London) to tell him that while she was cleaning through some of Blake's stuff that he had left their after their divorce, she found something that may lead to finding Blake himself. But what he found was not what he was suspecting. The information that Blake's ex-wife had found, was a note that after Blake's buisness went under, his equipment from his buisness was moved to a up until then undisclosed location. So Batman goes to this location in hopes to find some clues. But what he finds his Blake himself. Long dead, for months. But what he did find was Blake's journal. What he discovers is that Blake was indeed a werewolf, and that he was working in seclusion to try and find a cure for the curse of the wolf. Of course, right on schedule, Tommy Twist catches up with Batman, and a battle begins. Tommy is killed by the werewolf, in an attempt to avenge his brother's death at the hands of the werewolf. But not before the werewolf can escape, Batman is able to defeat the beast. But what was all this about and who was the real killer?

Read on . . .







So that is the story. It was a great one. That is one of things that I like about Batman stories. Is that the most simplistic things can make a great story when Batman is concerned. There are some of the most fabulous stories can come from a simple crime that can make a helluva story.

Thanks for reading my posts and I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed posting it and the memories that came with remembering such a good story. Take care all.