After the introduction of Bane, we have a slight side story as we ease into Knightfall proper.

We now start getting into the Knightfall Saga proper with the introduction of Bane.

This week we move on to the introduction of the super-steroid that will play a major role in the Knightfall saga – Venom.

Today we wrap up our introduction of Azrael to the Bat-Family.

Last time Batman had his first encounter with Azrael, and the Avenging Angel of Death was forced to withdraw.

When we last left off, the previous Azrael had died in Gotham and left the mantle to his as-yet-unnamed son (who we will later learn is Jean-Paul Valley). Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth have traveled to Switzerland to learn the truth about the Order of St. Dumas – but arms dealer Carlton LeHah has gotten there first.

At last we come to the last of the lead-in stories to Knightfall, and one with the most direct hook outside of Venom – the introduction of Azrael.

I’m continuing with the beginnings of Tim Drake’s time of Robin with the follow up in Batman – issues #455 – #457, rounding out 1990.

Today we’re wrapping up this part of the Road to Knightfall.

After getting clean, Batman is on the hunt for the men who got him addicted.

Last time Batman was asked to kill Commissioner Gordon – we’ll see what his response is this time.

After finishing with Robin, we’re moving closer to Knightfall with a storyline from Legends of the Dark Knight.

We now come to the end of Robin’s first solo miniseries.

We continue with Robin’s solo series as Tim Drake and Clyde Rawlins head to Hong Kong to stop King Snake from releasing a biological weapon.

When we last left Tim Drake, he and his new compatriot Clyde Rawlins have had to lay low on the outskirts of Paris while looking into the plans of the Ghost Dragons and their master – King Snake.

Having finished with Tim Drake’s path to becoming Robin, it’s time to get into his first solo adventure.

In the last issue of Batman, we saw a series of spree killings unfold in Gotham, with a plot inspired by Larry Cohen’s film God Told Me To, and with a cliffhanger where Vicki Vale was being menaced by a skull-hooded man with a sledgehammer.

We’re continuing with Tim Drake’s rise as Robin, and shifting books from Detective Comics to Batman.