We continue our little pair of one-shots with the re-introduction of one of the characters from the Bloodlines event.
Shadow of the Bat #25
Written by Alan Grant
Pencils by Bret Blevins
Inks by John Beatty
Colors by Adrienne Roy
Lettering by Todd Klein
We open on the Corrosive Man breaking out from STAR Labs in Gotham, killing several guards along the way.
The perspective then shifts to Joe Public on patrol, stopping some muggers, before AzBat shows up and points out that the victim was a runner for a gang, before being called away by the Corrosive Man’s breakout.
Speaking of the Corrosive Man, his internal monologue reveals he’s going after Mort Kadaver. AzBat catches up to him and tries to fight him, but is easily overpowered. Joe Public sees the aftermath, and tells AzBat that Kadaver is in the hospital.
AzBat hurries there, and sees the Corrosive Man, and a large, pressurized fuel tank.. AzBat tries using material on hand to stop the Corrosive Man’s approach, without success, until Joe Public and arrives & is able to drain the Corrosive Man’s powers until AzBat can cover him with a dump truck load of sand.
AzBat ungratefully berates Joe Public – in spite of him having far more information on how The Corrosive Man’s powers work, and Joe Public not only being instrumental in taking down the Corrosive Man, but with AzBat being unable to take him down without Joe Public’s help. AzBat even refers to it as “bungling”, when Joe Public did nothing to interfere. Arguably, AzBat’s ostracism of Tim Drake meant that the person who could have tipped him off to the Corrosive Man’s abilities and could have helped put a plan together for the first fight wasn’t present – consequently creating the risk of detonating the fuel tank. The comic ends with Jean-Paul returning to the Batcave to tinker with his costume.
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