Writer: Denny O'NeilPlot: Leslie Thompkins' brother believes he is on a divine quest to purify the world with the help of Lilhy's new Azrael, while Jean Paul Valley makes his way back to Gotham.
It's been a long time since people have been talking about Azrael, but with this arc, that just might happen again. The title's getting back on track, and Jean Paul sounds like he's just about found himself, to know who he was, is, and who he's become. That last part will solidify itself by the time this arc is through, I reckon.
Jeremiah Thompkins is clearly insane, telling a helpful doctor she's the essence of evil, yanking an old woman around by her hair, and generally making scary faces. It doesn't help that he's got an Azrael who obeys his every word.
Azraels were spawned from the Order Of St. Dumas. Through their life, they are blind without a slightly different sort of order, that being the kind of command that any self-aware individual can give them. Unfortunately for this new Azrael, the only person who's around to order him is that raving maniac, Jeremiah.
Oddly enough, Jean Paul finds solace back in his birthing place, the Order. Even he admits he cannot escape it, because it's what made him who he is, but not who he's become. That's what Jean Paul has that the new Azrael doesn't: experience away from the restrictions of the Order, to understand himself and to evolve. Nomoz reaches this point, too, but from a different perspective. His philosophical response will engage your mind. As will JP's retort.
Once Bruce learns that an Azrael is terrorizing a far away land, he starts down that path of regret again. "Why did I allow him to become Batman...? How could I let him kill people I've fought all my life to bring to justice, not murder? And why didn't I act sooner?" His façade from figurehead of WayneCorp to seething out-of-costume Batman proves that he doesn't need a mask to become his alternate self, something which Jean Paul might have to rely on, if he hopes to survive the wrath of the Dark Knight.
