Cover: Denys Cowan & Dick Giordano

Batman #342

Dec 1981 · DC · 0.60 USD; 0.20 GBP

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In "Requiem for a Hero," Batman confronts the tragic aftermath of a failed experiment when he rescues Dr. Thirteen from Man-Bat’s assault in the Batcave—only to see the creature flee. As Batman grapples with the shattered mind of Kirk Langstrom, now consumed by delusion and grief, he must navigate a fractured psyche where the line between hero and monster blurs, all while the caves of Wayne Manor echo with the weight of a father’s loss. Written by Gerry Conway and illustrated by Irv Novick, with inks by Frank McLaughlin and colors by Adrienne Roy, this powerful issue features a cover by Denys Cowan and Dick Giordano.

Contains 2 stories

Requiem for a Hero

19 pp · Superhero

Batman [Bruce Wayne]Man-Bat [Kirk Langstrom]Doctor Terrence Thirteen [The Ghost Breaker]Commissioner James GordonMiss CrumLucius FoxBoss Rupert ThorneHugo Strange (ghost)Francine LangstromRebecca LangstromAlfred PennyworthPoison Ivy (flashback)Hamilton Hill (photo, identified as Harrison Hill)

In "Requiem for a Hero," Batman confronts the fractured mind of Kirk Langstrom, once a man driven by science and now lost to the Man-Bat's torment, as the hero tries to reach him amid the ruins of the caves near Wayne Manor. With Dr. Thirteen rescued and Francine Langstrom's warnings echoing, Batman must navigate a desperate, delirious Kirk who sees him as both savior and destroyer—caught between memory and madness.

Burn, Robin, Burn

8 pp · Superhero

Robin [Dick Grayson]SharkeyDeanna (the coven's female captive)