It’s time to start Knightsend.

Batman #509

Story by Doug Moench
Pencils by Mike Manley
Inks by Dick Giordano
Colors by Adrienne Roy
Lettering by Ken Bruzenak
Edited by Jordan B. Gorfinkel & Denny O’Neil

We open with Lady Shiva challenging the Armless Master. Before the match, Shiva has the Armless Master call in his servent towitness the fight, and then puts on a bat-faced mask before the servant can see her face. The story will, going forward, call this a “Tengu Mask,” and that’s… not correct.

We then shift to Bruce Wayne, and see his training thus far. When Bruce still refuses to kill, Shiva gives Wayne the “Bat-Tengu mask” and sends him to an address in Chinatown at a certain time.

Before then, we see the Armless Master’s attendant informing his disciples that he was murdered by a man in a Bat-Tengu mask. We also see Jean-Paul and his ongoing breakdown.

Bruce, in the “tengu” mask, goes to the appointed place and time. He’s challenged by the first of the Armless Master’s disciples. They has fight, which Bruce barely wins.

Bruce spares his opponent, but brings him to Lady Shiva, where he objects to being set up like this, and leaves the guy with Shiva – who kills him.

Elsewhere, Azrael is trying to investigate some gunrunners, but the visions of St. Dumas are tormenting him, making this difficult. Robin is keeping an eye on him, and he’s befuddled by this. The gunrunners in question had taken over Carlton LeHah’s operation, including his remaining stock, and they have his St. Dumas medallion. So, when Azrael finds the medallion while taking them down, he becomes convinced that LeHah is alive.

Bruce fights, and again barely defeats his second opponent – and when he brings him to Shiva’s, Bruce lets his opponent go when they see the body of the first disciple.

The issue ends with Bruce atop a gargoyle, preparing to test himself by leaping, to catch himself with a line from another Gargoyle – and he’s not ready, so he walks away. Some variation of this scene comes up in most subsequent issues until he makes the jump, so… I’m not going to describe it every time, but assume it’s happening.

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