Batman #441 NM Marv Wolfman Jim Aparo Two-Face Robin Nightwing George Perez Cvr

Description

Batman (1940) #441
A Lonely Place of Dying (part 3)
Published Nov 1989 by DC.

Marv Wolfman script. Jim Aparo art. George Perez Cover. A Lonely Place of Dying Part 3 of 5; 3rd Appearance of Tim Drake. Versus Two-Face; Continued from New Titans #60; Continues in New Titans #61

In Gotham City, both Two-Face and Batman simultaneously come up with plots to lure one another. Two-Face hopes to lure Batman in order to kill him, while Batman wants to lure Two-Face and recapture him. Eventually, after much deliberation, both devise plans.

At Wayne Manor, Dick Grayson introduces a young Tim Drake to Alfred Pennyworth. Both Dick and Alfred are perturbed by Tim’s apparent knowledge of Batman’s secret identity. When pressed, Tim explains that he was a witness to the death of Dick’s parents at Haly’s Circus and Batman’s attempts to comfort him.

Elsewhere in Gotham, Batman and Two-Face have each set up a unique trap for their opponent. Batman has provided 22 million dollars as bait, while Two-Face has kidnapped a pair of twins. While both want to catch the other in their traps, they both eventually abandon their posts to take the other’s bait.

Tim continues to explain that he had been haunted by images of the Flying Graysons and Batman for years after witnessing them. After seeing news footage of Dick as Robin repeating his quadruple somersault, Tim easily deduced the identities of his idols. Tim believes, however, that since Dick became Nightwing and Jason Todd – the second Robin – was killed, Batman has gone off the deep end. Tim pleads with Dick to return to being Robin, in order to save Batman from himself.

Batman follows clues to find the kidnapped twins tied up on the top of the Hawk Bridge over the Twin Rivers. The boys have a live Grenade rigged to go off unless it is removed properly. As Batman removes it, he accidentally addresses one of the boys as Jason, and is horrified. At Club Gemini, Two-Face easily finds his way to the 22 million dollar prize, but he is compelled to flip his coin over whether or not to take it.

Dick is put-off by the idea that he should return to being Robin, but agrees that he should do what he can to help Batman. He leads Tim down into the Batcave, where he puts on his Nightwing costume. Tim complains that Batman needs Robin, and not Nightwing, but Alfred implies that perhaps Tim is meant to be the next Robin.

Later, Batman regrets covering all of his bases, and allowing Two-Face to escape, despite saving the twins. Two-Face regrets having left the money at Club Gemini as his subconscious devises another plan to kill the Batman.

Near mint condition. 1st print.