Description

Batman: Master of the Future                                                  Trade Paperback
Writer: Brian Augustyn
Artist: Eduardo Barreto
Colorist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Editors: Dennis O’Neil & Kelley Puckett
Cover by: Eduardo Barreto

In this sequel to Gotham by Gaslight, the Victorian-era Batman faces an insane prophet who is hell bent on keeping Gotham City from entering the 20th century.

Story/Spoilers
This Elseworlds tale takes place eleven months after the event of Gotham by Gaslight, Bruce Wayne has retired the cape and cowl of the Batman. However, there are some people who longs for the vigilante in protecting the city again: Bruce’s fiancé Julie Madison, a woman who runs Gotham City’s Orphan Relief Fund and was saved by Batman from a group of thugs. And James Gordon, now police commissioner of Gotham’s police force after his predecessor Tolliver became mayor of the city, is displeased of Tolliver spending the city’s budget on the city’s upcoming twenty century exposition during the city’s economic crisis and worried of attracting the worst of criminals from across the country meaning he have to stretch the police forces’ capacity without the help of the Batman. At Gotham’s city council, after dismissing Buffalo Bill Cody for incorporating his rodeo into the exposition for it is only celebrating the future Tolliver overrules with councilman Rupert Thorne who concerns of the large revenue that is spend for the exposition in the presence of a possible city-wide bankruptcy. Tolliver assures Thorne that the exposition will bring the revenue. The council is then intruded by air pirate Alexandre LeRoi, “Master of the Future”, who criticized Tolliver and everyone presence for being too optimistic for the future and state that the forthcoming industrial technology will only pollute the world. He then warns everyone that he will destroy the city “with the fire of the sun” if they cease the city’s celebrations. Tolliver then calls for LeRoi’s arrest, but the air pirate jumps out the room’s window from the ninth floor and suddenly disappear once the policemen lookout the window. Unhindered of LeRoi’s warnings, Tolliver still insist on continuing the celebrations. On a dinner with Julie Madison, Bruce talks to her of everything that has happened in the city council. Julie digresses with Bruce that with maniacs such as LeRoi keep appearing, Batman maybe the only the hope who can save Gotham. Meanwhile, Alexandre LeRoi consults with an unknown benefactor who made a unknown deal with the air pirate. The individual questions him as to why he is doing this. LeRoi reply that mankind has taken upon itself to recklessly sacrifice all their resources for “machine of convenience” and that the only way to “teach” them is to destroy them. After announcing to his benefactor of preparing for his plan involving being imported with solar panel lens LeRoi then depart on his airship. Sometime later at Gotham City’s exposition fairgrounds, Bruce has lately arrived at Tolliver’s planning committee, including Rupert Thorne and James Gordon. As Tolliver and his committee tour the fairground, they are attack by a self-mechanized machine gun. Bruce quickly saves Tolliver’s life and cripple the machine by carefully throwing an iron pipe. From the wreckage of the machine, Rupert Thorne discovers a warning letter from LeRoi stating that the city will “burn”. Tolliver, still unfazed of the warning, insist that the celebrations must go on. Gordon confides with Bruce that he strongly believes that extra police force wouldn’t be enough to stop LeRoi and that only the Batman could stop him. At Wayne Manor, Bruce enters the batcave. Alfred Pennyworth enter the cave and discovers Bruce has return to don himself as the Batman. On the day of the opening of the exposition, Commissioner Gordon is worried about LeRoi’s threat. At Tolliver’s residence, LeRoi abducts the mayor at gunpoint and bringing Tolliver on his airship, the Bird of Prey. From here, LeRoi tour Tolliver aboard his airship and introduce the ship’s robot pilot, Antonio. At the fair, many of the guests including Thorne, Claypool and Bruce Wayne impatiently waits for Tolliver. Bruce then hears a buzzing sound. High-up over the fair, LeRoi monitors over from the Bird of Prey and shows a distraught Tolliver of how he will destroy the fair and the city: a special solar-power ray gun. On the ground, everyone has witnessed LeRoi’s airship. Bruce finds Julie and both knows that something terrible is about to happen. From the airship LeRoi then ‘fire’ his weapon, setting a pavilion on fire. Tolliver begs LeRoi in sparing the city, but LeRoi ignores him and throw him out of his airship, sending Tolliver fatally plunging through a ceiling window. From the ground, in finding a mean to reach the Bird of Prey Bruce finds a displayed hang-glider. He is then approached by Alfred who provides the batsuit to him. In Gotham’s slum district, LeRoi’s devastation have reach the district having Commissioner Gordon to direct the rescue efforts. From the fair, Batman saves Julie and a girl that Julies was trying to save from a burning building. After saving them, Batman utilize the hang-glider and flies from a gondola tower as the rising hot smoke from the fires helps him to glide to the airship. LeRoi spotted Batman and tries to ascend away from him but only to be boarded by the hero. After accidentally destroying Antonio by pushing LeRoi into him, Batman and LeRoi take the fight to the airship’s hull. The two are equally matched, but the ruined robot falls and apparently overloads the ship’s engines, Batman escape and LeRoi plummets to his death as the airship crashes into Gotham’s sea bay. In the aftermath of the devastation, the fire was only contained to the areas first struck and 133 people were killed, including Tolliver. In city hall, Batman confronts Franklyn Claypool. Batman acknowledge that Claypool has been LeRoi’s benefactor after investigating the slum district that has been deliberately destroyed by LeRoi, and that Claypool had own those districts. It is revealed that Claypool have been planning to sell the now higher valued properties once LeRoi’s work was done in destroying the fair that has been jeopardizing his plan. But Claypool is lamented of the loss of lives happen in the devastation and is then arrested by James Gordon. Sometime later, Bruce takes Julie to the outskirts of Gotham City. Julie surprisingly informs Bruce that she knows him as the Batman. Julie explains after being rescued from the fire, she clearly recognizes Batman through his eyes. Julie assures Bruce that his secret is safe and promise that she will support his cause as the Batman. The two kisses, and in the final panel Batman over-watches the city as Julie summarize that Gotham needs Batman.

Batman: Master of the Future (1991) is the sequel to Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (1989).  DC Comics

Trade Paperback is bagged & double boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

First Printing
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: 1991
Format: FC, 64 pages, TPB, 10.25″ x 6.5″
ISBN-10: 1563890151
ISBN-13: 9781563890154

Collectible Entertainment note: Trade Paperback is Brand New & Unread.  Very Fine + condition.  Beautiful!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Batman collector and/or enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Highly Recommended.

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