Description

Batman: Sword of Azrael                Trade Paperback
Signed – Certificate of Authenticity included
Writer: Dennis O’Neil
Artist: Joe Quesada
Inker: Kevin Nowlan
Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
Letterer: Ken Bruzenak
Editor: Bill Kaplan
Cover by: Kevin Nowlan & Joe Quesada

Batman: Sword of Azrael depicts the origin of Jean Paul Valley, the man who one day replaces Bruce Wayne as Batman. The descendant of holy warriors, Jean Paul is forced into using his ancestral super powers and abilities to become Azrael, the avenging angel of an ancient cult. But when the Order of St. Dumas targets Batman, Azrael begins to question his life and duty. After working alongside the Dark Knight to defeat the deadly demon that threatens the ancient cult, Azrael turns his back on the Order and leaves to train under the tutelage of Batman.

This book is signed by the artist, Joe Quesada of front cover. Included is a flyer presenting Joe Quesada and is stamped on the back as a certificate of authenticity.

Story/Spoilers
First in part #1, “Vanishing Angels & Sudden Death”, The story starts with Jean-Paul Ludovic Valley, acting as Azrael, confronting Carleton LeHah. Lehah draws a modified firearm, which he uses to shoot Azrael multiple times, tearing through his bullet-proof vest. Azrael manages to escape, but not before injuring Lehah. Azrael falls into the street, landing in the middle of the Gotham City Founder’s Day Parade. He lands on a horse, which he rides to safety, though he accidentally injures several people, killing four, and causes a riot in his escape. Ignoring offers of help, Azrael abandoned his equipment and stumbles, bloody and bleeding, to the apartment of his son, Jean-Paul Valley. Ludovic manages to detail to his son the previous events, and give some parting instructions, before dying. Jean-Paul is distraught. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is discussing the nature of the riot and its cause with his loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth. They examine a bullet riddled bullet-proof vest found near the scene of the incident, and Bruce notes that weapons dealer Carleton Lehah owns a penthouse near the scene of the incident. He dons a Batsuit and resolves to get to the bottom of the strange incident, where some witnesses reported a falling angel. Elsewhere, Jean-Paul Valley finds instructions from his father, and follows them, after which a pair of mysterious men come to remove his father’s body. Then he finds 40,000 dollars in various currencies, and further directions to fly to a small airfield in Switzerland. There he is picked up by a man who refuses to answer his questions and is driven for almost six hours until they arrive at a small village deep in the Swiss Alps. There he is met by Nomoz, a short hairy man who tells him about his father’s occupation as Azrael. He instructs his assistant, Heinreich, to strike Jean-Paul several times while explaining these things and tells the timid Valley that he will instruct him in “the system”, and by extension, how to become Azrael. Batman investigates Carleton Lehah’s penthouse and finds evidence of the later’s altercation with Ludovic Valley. There he plants a sophisticated microphone and listens in on a conversation Lehah is having at the house, where the weapons dealer metions that “old Dumas will be in for a surprise.” While Nomoz continues to inform Jean-Paul about the system, and Azrael, Batman discusses the riot incident with Commissioner Gordon, where Gordon gives Batman more details. Batman investigates the area around where the incident took place and discovers Ludovic’s sword hidden in a cellar. It is emblazoned with the symbol of the Sacred Order of St. Dumas Meanwhile, Nomoz uses hypnosis to activate “the system” in Jean-Paul, who immediately feels a change, and knocks over Heinreich. Jean-Paul is puzzled as to how he has suddenly become a “tough guy.” Nomoz states that although Valley has the skills and knowledge, he does not have the body, but that “the mountains will cure that.” Back in Gotham City, Batman calls upon Oracle to help him in his investigation, where she finds information on the Ancient Order of St. Dumas and details it to Batman. Nomoz explains to Jean-Paul the purpose of Azrael and how the role was hereditary, while Bruce and Alfred travel by private jet to Switzerland, where they find out that Lehah had already arrived. The two set out in a helicopter to investigate the village that Lehah probably travled to. Meanwhile, Nomoz is giving Jean-Paul the Azrael costume for the first time, when he notices the sound of Bruce and Alfred’s helicopter, who have in turn noticed that the glade that Nomoz’s chalet is located is cut and shaped to form the symbol of the Order of St. Dumas. Unknown to both parties, Lehah is observing the chalet from a ridge, where he seeks to test a new weapon on Nomoz’s chalet, despite the objections of his accomplice. He fires the weapon at the chalet, which is struck by a pulsing beam of energy, which causes an explosion, which upsets Bruce’s helicopter…

Next in part #2, “Azrael Does Not Protect”, The helicopter crashes with Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth inside. They survived the explosion caused by Carleton LeHah but the site is completely destroyed along with the chalet where Jean-Paul Valley and Nomoz were. Jean-Paul and Nomoz survived the explosion because they headed to an underground survival shelter referred to as a “fallout shelter”. An avalanche happened as a result of the explosion, covering the underground shelter and damaging the chopper used by LeHah to escape. While narrating the events of the accident, LeHah felt the presence of Biis, a demon lord considered an archenemy of Azrael. Under his influence, LeHah murdered the pilot of the helicopter. Meanwhile Bruce and Alfred went down to the place where the chalet had been when suddenly the ground under them started to crumble. From underneath came a hovercraft with Nomoz and Jean-Paul inside. Bruce now in the Batman robes, is attacked by Azrael and left behind in the snow. Instead of following the hovercraft, Batman and Alfred decide to check the hideout from where the vehicle had arisen and found some facts on the Order of St. Dumas LeHah, now acting as Biis, starts a manhunt of those people who belong in the Order of St. Dumas. Nomoz being aware of that fact decides to go with Jean-Paul to visit and old member of the Order that was currently hospitalized. Just as they arrive to the hospital room, they realize Biis was already there, and Jean-Paul is shot many times and pushed back through a window falling down to a certain death.

Next in part #3, “Direct Action”, Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth were heading to the hospital where a member of the Order of St. Dumas was hospitalized when suddenly they saw Jean-Paul Valley breaking through a hospital window and falling to an apparent death. Bruce enters the hospital through the same window just in time to stop Biis from killing Nomoz. Biis then tries to escape but is followed by Bruce. The pursuit leads Bruce to the hospital’s storage rooms where he is ambushed by Biis. Inside the room, Biis threw a shelf full of ether bottles on top of Bruce. Affected by the gas, he started to hallucinate and couldn’t fight properly giving Biis an easy victory. Biis drags Bruce’s body outside and takes him away in an ambulance where Biis drugged Bruce to make sure he won’t be a trouble. Meanwhile, Alfred and Nomoz decide to work together to stop Biis and rescue Bruce. They take Jean-Paul to a hideout of the Order of St. Dumas for him to recover. He survived because the Azrael suit stopped the bullets before they reach his body. They plan to prevent the other members of the Order to get in touch with LeHah, now acting as Biis. When that plan fails, they decide to go to the houses of the possible next victims. Biis was faster and murdered one member before Alfred, Nomoz and Jean-Paul could do anything. Biis was also planning to use Bruce’s wealth and identity as Batman to achieve his goal. Alfred, Nomoz and Azrael go to the mansion of Mr. Harcourt to prevent his murder, but Biis was already inside and posing as Batman with the costume he took from Bruce. When they arrive to the mansion, the guard didn’t let them pass and Azrael knocked him out.

Finally in part #4, “No One is Innocent”, Once Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley) knocked out the guard of Harcourt’s mansion, the rest of the security went on to bring down Azrael but aided with his flamethrower gauntlets he slayed all of them including some hounds. Then he decides to break and enter an illuminated greenhouse just to find Mr. Harcourt murdered by Carleton LeHah disguised as Batman. When LeHah tried to escape in a car, Azrael jumped on top of it just to be knocked down by a branch, leaving the killer an easy escape. While Alfred Pennyworth tended Azrael’s head injuries, the both of them and Nomoz decided to go to LeHah’s possible location in Texas, an oil refinery. In the meantime, Bruce Wayne is held captive by LeHah in the mentioned refinery. Here LeHah is torturing Bruce, with hot steel heated with a blowtorch, to appease his demon lord Biis but Bruce talks to him confusing the man and tricking his mind to buy some time. Alfred, Nomoz and Azrael where outside, trying to find a way in, but the security was impenetrable. At that point a lightning struck a nearby electrical tower, causing a power failure that granted the trio an easy way into the building. Just before LeHah fired a bullet to Bruce, Azrael threw a flaming knife to him causing the man to fire repeatedly to some pipes at the roof. The pipes started to leak oil and it ignited when the blowtorch caught a drop of oil. The whole place burned, and Azrael saved Bruce by using the fireproof cape of the Batman’s costume and carrying him out of the explosion. LeHah is left inside and apparently burns as well. Nomoz reproaches Azrael for saving Bruce, saying that he has disgraced the name of the Avenging Angel, to which Jean-Paul answers that he is no angel somehow denoting he has gained control over the system.

Trade Paperback reprints/collects: Batman: Sword of Azrael (1992) Issues #1-4.  DC Comics

Trade Paperback is bagged & 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: 1993
Format: FC, 125 pages, TPB, 10.25″ x 6.75″
ISBN-10: 156389100X
ISBN-13: 9781563891007

Collectible Entertainment note: Trade Paperback is in Very Fine + condition.  Beautiful!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Joe Quesada, Batman and /or Azrael collector / enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Recommended.

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