Batman: Knightfall Vol. 2: Knightquest (English, Paperback, Various)

Bruce Wayne is broken, his back destroyed by the villain known as Bane. In this second instalment of Knightfall, he must choose a successor to the Cowl. Knightquest continues the story of Bruce Wayne’s fall and the threat of Bane.

Summary of the Book

Bane has broken Batman’s back. Bruce is now being rehabilitated through the best doctor in the business, but he still needs time to get back on his feet, if at all. Gotham begins to shudder under the absence of the Dark Knight, and Robin and Nightwing are a poor replacement for him. James Gordon turns on the Bat Signal night after night, hoping for a sign. Bruce realizes that the only way order can be restored is if Gotham gets the hero it deserves: a whole new Batman. However, he picks an unlikely successor: the unpredictable Jean Paul Valley, the vigilante once known as Azrael. Azrael is a skilled martial artist, almost as skilled as Batman himself. But is he capable of wearing Batman’s cowl?

About the Authors

Doug Moench and Jim Aparo are inseparable from the history of the Batman comic book series.

Moench wrote stories for Batman and Detective Comics from 1983 to 1986 and from 1992 to 1998. He is also remembered for his contributions to the Contagion, Legacy and Cataclysm storylines.

Aparo worked with the Batman line of comics throughout the 70s. He is also remembered for his work on DC’s The Phantom Stranger.

Media Note

This storyline was very loosely adapted in the third part of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. The movie starred Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne and Tom Hardy as Bane. The adaptation left out Azrael entirely.

Series Reading Order

If you’ve not read the beginning of this storyline, then be sure to catch the epic fall of the Dark Knight in Knightfall. Witness the end of this epic story as Bruce Wayne returns to claim his rightful title in KnightsEnd! If you’re curious about the origins of Bane’s drug, Venom, read Batman: Venom to watch Batman try the drug himself in a mad attempt to save a girl’s life.