By Mark Rodriguez
So some time back, I found all three parts of this story at one of the SteelCity Cons. The covers drew me in, so I picked it up, and now after a year or so of not even opening the packaging, let's check out this classic Batman tale.
The story opens with Batman investigating a crime scene. The smell of bacon and eggs lingered throughout the home where an elderly couple was shot dead by a sniper in the middle of breakfast. Batman knows there's a murderer out there calling himself Mr. Lime that is killing old people. It seems Mr. Lime is targeting people over 63 regardless of gender or if they're rich or poor using several methods like leaving bombs or killing them up close and personal. Batman is determined to find and capture him.
Meanwhile someone is getting dressed in their own suit and is getting their sword ready. He plans to make a debut tonight on the streets of Gotham.
A couple is being attacked by armed men when the mysterious swordsman leaps in to attack them. One of the men is sliced but still tries to pull his gun. The swordsman has him pressed up against the wall with his sword, treating all of this like a theatrical performance. The police show up and say this is good work. The new crimefighter calls himself The Cavalier.
Commissioner Gordon is having a rough week with this new guy in town. It seems Batman has put all his focus on Mr. Lime while the rest of Gotham has crime on the rise. Gordon wonders why this case torments Batman so much.
Batman monologues about seeing the pain of the victims' families and it reminds him of his own personal pain. He swears to make Mr. Lime pay for this.
Batman visits Gordon and asks if he has the file about Mr. Lime. Gordon asks if Batman is worried about getting too obsessed with this case and if he's concerned that the Cavalier is stealing his spotlight. Batman says he is only concerned with finding Lime before he kills again and if Gotham considers The Cavalier to be their new hero, they can have him.
Days go by as the Cavalier continues to stop bad guys and becomes Gotham's newest sensations, being talked about on TV and inspiring fan clubs. Now the common citizen likes Cavalier more than Batman, especially since he hasn't been seen or heard from in a while. Meanwhile, Mr. Lime keeps killing the elderly and Batman continues to obsess over catching him, which is difficult since he leaves no clues behind. Alfred assumed that eventually both vigilantes will run into each other and wonders how that will go.
Batman and Cavalier finally run into each other one night. Batman tells him that Gotham is his city and he asks him why he does this. The Cavalier says he's good at this and he likes the good that he does. Batman tells him he reminds him of old movies and good times, so he'll give him a chance, and only one chance, to protect his city. The Cavalier gracefully accepts and says he heard Batman is the best at everything, which makes him wonder something. The sword swinging hero leaps off the building.
At his home, the Cavalier mentions how his plan is to win the hearts of the city as his heroic persona, and then reveal himself to the city as Hudson Pyle, the actor. He hopes to land himself a lot of movie roles, but he hadn't counted on the thrill of fighting against real life criminals. He now wonders if he can give it up.
Meanwhile, Batman is brooding over the fact that Mr. Lime has struck again. He has set an old folks home on fire. Batman and Gordon watch as the firemen get everybody out, except for one. Batman rushes in, despite Gordon warning him of the danger.
Inside the burning building, Batman uses his cape for cover as he makes his way through, dodging falling support beams. He makes his way upstairs as everything is falling apart around him. Batman finds an old woman, hiding behind a desk, awaiting her fate. As Batman picks her up, she tells him he should just save himself. Batman says they're both getting out of here.
The roof collapses taking out two floors. Gordon thinks Batman is dead, feeling it was way too soon for him. Batman leaps out, smashing through a window, protecting the old lady he found with thick blankets.
Cavalier sees the glow of the fire from the other side of town and figures he would have been of little use had he been there. As he decides not to dwell on this too much, he sees a woman jump off a roof. He swings by and catches her just in the time. The woman begs him to just let her die as she passes out from the commotion. The Cavalier realizes that he has fallen in love with her.
My opinions-
Pretty good story so far. It's interesting to see Batman so focused on one case that the rest of the crime of the city rises in his absence. It usually feels like all other bad guys stop what they're doing whenever Batman is chasing the Joker around. Like we rarely see Catwoman or the Riddler decide to rob some places the same time Batman is busy elsewhere. To be honest though, the Bat Family got it covered nowadays, I assume, but it's still a thing to see crime run rampant while Batman is so focused on this case.
The Cavalier is an odd one, but unlike Batman's dark and scary motif, he actually looks like a hero. Even Batman looked at him as Zorro and remembered happier times. Cavalier's monologue comparing everything to performing in a theater production made sense once we found out he was an aspiring actor in his personal life. While he does have an ulterior motive, he's not trying to take over the city or whatever, he just wants his fame as a do-gooder to land him big movie roles. Even so, he seems to enjoy crimefighting so much, he wonders if he can give it up. I'm glad to see that his big reveal wasn't that he was in fact Mr. Lime, but that will remain to be seen.
I liked the scene with the fire, it's always cool when heroes don't just fight bad guys and are also brave enough to run into a burning building to rescue people. It shows how heroes are just as involved in saving lives than just beating up the bad guys. Cavalier realized he was more of a fighter than a fireman so he didn't show envy towards Batman and focused on the next life to save.
As for Mr. Lime, we haven't seen him at all in this story, just his violent misdeeds. It's explained that he's killing old people to help solve the overpopulation problem. It's rare for a story where we see literally nothing of the bad guy. Not a shadow lurking around, or some mysterious guy cackling in his hideout or shaking his fist at Batman on TV, not even any goons that are working for him.
Overall interesting beginning and the story can go so many ways at this point. Can't wait to read the next one.
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| How did they get away with this back in the early 90's, lmao |
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