The Untold Legend of the Batman
| The Untold Legend of the Batman | |
|---|---|
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | |
| Format | limited series |
| Publication date | July – September 1980 |
| No. of issues | 3 |
| Main character(s) |
Batman Robin |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Len Wein |
| Penciller(s) |
John Byrne Jim Aparo |
| Inker(s) | Jim Aparo |
| Colorist(s) | Tatjana Wood |
| Collected editions | |
| The Untold Legend of the Batman | ISBN |
The Untold Legend of the Batman is a three-issue Batman comic book miniseries published by DC Comics in 1980. It was written by Len Wein. The first issue was penciled by John Byrne and inked by Jim Aparo. The second and third issues were drawn entirely by Aparo. José Luis García-López drew the covers for the entire series. The primary plot elements of the story are retellings of the origins of several Batman characters. It is the second miniseries published by DC Comics as well as the first starring Batman.
In 1989, as a marketing tool, each issue of the series was available in a special "MPI Audio Edition", accompanied by an audio cassette containing a performance of the text of the issue, with musical cues. The series was also reprinted as a single 160-page paperback (Tor Books, ISBN ). That same year, the series was reprinted in smaller format as a premium for Batman breakfast cereal.
Batman opens a package to find the shredded remains of a bat costume once worn by his father. He investigates to find the costume missing from its display case in the Batcave, with a threatening note left in its place: THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING, BATMAN! BEFORE I'M DONE, I WILL DESTROY YOU!
Batman reminisces about the time when his father, Dr. Thomas Wayne, wore the costume to a charity costume party and was taken hostage by a group of thugs looking for a doctor. He was taken to see their boss, bank robber Lew Moxon, who had been shot and needed the doctor to remove the bullet. Instead, Dr. Wayne attacked the thugs and defeated them. He turned them over to the police, including then-Lieutenant James Gordon. Wayne testified against Moxon, who was convicted. However, years later he was released and threatened to have his revenge against Wayne. Several weeks later, Dr. Wayne and his wife Martha were shot dead in front of their son Bruce (Batman) by an apparent mugger named Joe Chill. Batman also recalls those who looked after him following his parents' deaths – Leslie Thompkins, and Mrs. Chilton, housekeeper of Bruce's uncle, Philip Wayne (who had been appointed Bruce's guardian, but was seldom at home as his work required him to travel quite a bit). Unbeknownst to him, but known to his butler, Alfred, Mrs. Chilton was also Joe Chill's mother.
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Wikipedia