TITLE: Detective Comics Starring Batman issue #547
YEAR: February 1985
COMPANY: DC Comics
Created by Bob Kane
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Pat Broderick
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ben Oda
Edited by Len Wein
When it comes to antagonists, two of the most interesting characters to be featured in “Detective Comics” was Gotham City millionaire Anton Knight and his stepsister Natalia.
While Anton lived the good life and learned martial arts in Asia, Natalia would eventually discover that her father was a criminal. Anton used up his inheritance and Natalia had a skin pigmentation disorder after being hit by a radioactive laser and the only treatment was the use of expensive medical equipment but without any money, the two had to resort to burglary.
Anton would don a black body suit and would be called “Thief of the Night” and Natalia would adopt the name “Nocturna” and because they did it in Gotham, they were under Batman’s radar.
But Nocturna would quit her life of crime, became a friend of Bruce Wayne and Batman and after sleeping with Bruce Wayne and he lost custody of Jason Todd (Robin), Nocturna would become the new surrogate mother of Jason Todd and adopted him. And wanting Jason to be part of her life, she feels that she and Bruce must get married.
Anton would immediately don the Batman uniform and would do crimes which immediately set the media up in a frenzy and Commissioner Gordon had no choice but to label Batman as a criminal and he was wanted by authorities.
A book without the real Batman, issue #547 offers a lot of drama, action and wonderful writing by Doug Moench and artwork by Pat Broderick.
In today’s comics, Catwoman has been focused on as Bruce Wayne/Batman and a character that he has often hooked up with. But as Catwoman is an important character in the Batman comics, once upon a time, Nocturna was a female character that was seen as a rival and opponent.
In this issue, as Nocturna wants to win over Bruce Wayne’s affections and have Jason Todd respect her more, she and Robin go to take on her stepbrother Anton Knight, who is now the bad Batman.
It’s an interesting battle but the comic books offer so much more, as police discuss going after Batman, an uncle of a politician that can clear Batman going through indecisions of whether to reveal his nephew is a corrupted politician and a concerned Alfred worried about Bruce Wayne but also an emotional time for Alfred as his daughter that he never raise Julia Remarque shows up. And the regrets that he has of not being there for her.
The issue also comes with a Green Arrow story about a gang member trying to extort business owners for “protection money”. A good addition to this already cool issue.
Overall, it’s a wonderful comic book worth reading!