azrael tagged posts

An Interview with Sergio Cariello
By: Jek Tezak

Sergio Cariello has drawn our hero for some time now. We have some questions for you Sergio, related to the the art of Azrael. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule at DC Comics to do this interview.

How did you land the job of doing the art for Azrael: Agent of the Bat?
Denny requested me as the regular Artist on Azrael after working with me on Legends of the Dark Knight #127 to #131.( Bats /Green Arrow mini-series).

Did you read Azrael previous to getting the job of doing the art?
I had read a few issues prior to getting the job.

We know that the Azrael line will eventually come to an end at issue #100. Will there be any hype for the last issue, like chromium, cardstock covers?
I really don’t know if the last last issue will get any special treatment.

What line will you do after the Azrael line is finished?
Only God knows for sure what I’m gonna be doing after Azrael.

As in our interview with Joe Quesada, he said that many artists had trouble drawing the Azbats armor. You seem to draw it quite well in fact, was it hard to keep drawing a complex piece like that, frame after frame?
I had fun doing the Azbat suit. I didn’t have a problem with it.

Can you give us an idea of what it takes to complete an issue of Azrael?
It takes a month of hard work.

1)I start by doing small, 4×6 mini version/layout version of the whole book, from Denny’s scripts,in about 2 days…

2)I then transfer 11 of those layouts to the boards in about one day

3) and fax them, reduced, to Mike Carlin, so he can place the balloons while

4) I mail the actual boards to the letterer. While Jack Morelli letters the first batch of pgs

5) I work on the last 11 pgs. In a few days I get the first 11 boards back from Jack, lettered and with the panel borders inked.

6)So now I’m ready to ink the pages, adding enough details to the rough layout pencils before inking them. I’ll get the last pgs from Jack before I’m even done with the first 11 pgs. By the end of the month I get to work on the next book layout. After all is done

7) I’ll erase all the pencils. Add or white out whatever is necessary before sending the pages to DC Comics. That’s about it.

It takes a lot of of prayers, references, erasing, reworking, long hours on the board, juggling between teaching at the Kubert School and other projects, lots of coffee, lots of ink, paper, pencil leads, more erasers and a great amount of fun!!!! I love it!!!!!

In your very honest opinion, what do you think of the character?
I really enjoy drawing Az, JP and the rest of the characters. I think JP is a bit confused and insecure, but he has some good qualities as a person. He just needs to be pointed in the right direction.

How long have you been in the comic industry?
About 11 years in America. But my first published work was in Brazil, in the local Newspapers. I was 11, back in 1975. I wrote, drew and lettered my own comic strip, Frederico, the Detective! And later, at 14 , I did caricatures for political spot illustrations, before coming to America in 1985.

Where did you go to school, or is your talent natural?
I believe it’s a God given talent!. I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil.I was mainly “self taught” but I did go to the Kubert school for a year and a half, before getting hired by Marvel as a letterer. One job led to another…so I never really went after the work… I’ve been Blessed, for sure, by the Best Artist of all, Our Creator!!!

An Interview with Joe Quesada

By: Jek Tezak

Joe Quesada has designed our hero and the Azrael version of Batman as well. We have some questions for you Joe, related to the creation of Azrael and the Knightfall storylines. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule at Marvel Comics to do this interview.

In creating the Azrael character in the visual sense, what things helped you design the character?
When I received the assignment I went that very same day to a military bookstore here in NYC called Sky Books, heck I don’t even know if they’re still around? Anyway, I picked up as many books as I could find on mediaeval warfare and knights and such and started my visual work there. All I was told by Denny and Archie with respect to art direction was that we needed an old Azrael and a new Azrael so when the son takes over the mantle. Oh, and Denny wanted a this guy to have a flaming sword!

What costume did you design first: Azrael/Batman Knightsend, Azrael/Batman Knightquest, Azrael updated, or Azrael ancient version?
Ancient Azrael came first because I wanted to work in sequence and I wanted to design the modern version in a logical fashion. Once the Ancient design was complete, I would then look at ways of streamlining and modernizing it for the young Knight of the Order of Saint Dumas on the go. After that was done, Denny’s art direction with respect to AzBat was to design the most outrageously over the top, near impossible Batman war machine costume that I could think of. He wanted me to go nuts but the costume had to be modular so that there was a bare bones version that could have gear added onto it as Jean Paul started to lose a grip on being Batman. I don’t know how many people know that the costume was designed to echo his mental state or rather the breaking down of his mental state. So, my approach on AzBats was opposite of Azrael. I design the final version and then broke it down to the bare bones version which was going to be the first version seen by the fans.

I noticed that the final Azrael/Batman costume changed during Knightquest. It was a different look than what we seen in the Wizard magazines. Did you redesign the helmet and suit of Knightsend Batman?
See above, it was designed to grow with Jean Paul. What was funny about the costume is that it was design to suit my art style and a lot of other artist had trouble with it. It was too complex in many ways to draw economically panel after panel. I swear I could hear Batman artists across America cursing my name for those designs.

How many different designs did you have of the new Batman?
Here’s a little history. At that time in my life, all the top artist were going to Image or were living at Marvel, all I wanted to do was draw Batman. I wanted to be one of the regular guys on one of the regular Batman titles at the time. I told Denny and everyone there that I would make Batman a top 10 book if they gave me the gig. Well, they didn’t but what they offered me was Azrael which wasn’t going to have too much Batman in it. What it did have to offer was three things, Denny was writing it, Archie was editing it and if I took the job, I would get to design the new Batman! Then we got Kevin Nowlan and I couldn’t say no. So, all the while that I was drawing the Az series, I knew that I was going to be designing the AzBats war machine and all the while I was working it out in my head. I do most of my work like that. By the time it came time to design AzBat I was pretty much set on the design. There might have been some sketchy throw-away stuff but most of the work was done in a few passes.

Did you know what you wanted Azrael and the new Batman to look like before you started?
Azrael took research and AzBats, as I said, was in the works mentally.

I heard stories about how involved you were with the creation of Azrael. I’ve heard that you suggested inkers, colorists, and letterers. Tell us a little bit on how your bosses reacted to your enthusiasm.
Well, if you folks know me now, I wasn’t any less enthusiastic then. I love what I do and it’s always been fun for me. I remember suggesting Kevin Nowlan, which at the time was like suggesting the King of England. At that time in Kevin’s career, he was amazingly respected as an artist and designer but Kevin wasn’t doing much in comics that we were aware of. He was one of those geniuses that graced our industry for a tiny bit and was too slow to produce regular work. Therefore, I believe that most people were skittish about using him. They also figured why would a master like Kevin lower himself to ink some punk like me? Truth be told, I thought the same. Still, the major concern was would Kevin deliver on his deadlines especially over a newcomer who wasn’t great with them either. I had Kevin ink a couple of pin-ups I did at Marvel a few months earlier and my attitude was that it couldn’t hurt to call the guy! So when Kevin accepted we were off and rolling. I believe that Archie recommended the rest of the team but I was reasonably involved in all aspects of process. Since Denny was working full script, I also marked balloon placements since I was designing the artwork to work around them.

Do you have any little known facts or secrets that fans don’t know about the Bat-summit meetings or the creation of Azrael/Knightfall?
You mean aside from all the stuff I just revealed? Okay, I’ll tell you three stories I don’t think I’ve ever told publicly.

When Denny suggested the flaming sword of Azrael he was expecting both versions to have long flaming broad swords. When he and Archie saw Ancient Azrael first they loved him and said, “Looks great, let’s see the dad’s costume!” I was like, “Uh, guys, this is the dad.” When I whipped out the design for young Azrael, I think Denny more than anyone was a bit disappointed, not because I think he didn’t like the way it looked but because it looked different than what he expected or perhaps had in his minds eye. Still, I think it grew on him over time. I thought it was the most inspirational part of the design and really worked around the idea. The idea of course sprung from the concept behind Wolverine’s claws which always gave the character a great iconic profile but never made sense to me in execution. How can he bend his arms at the elbow when those things are retracted? So I thought about how cool something like Wolvie’s claws would be on fire and in a contraption that made sense. I’m still very proud of the Azrael costume, I think even to this day it looks like nothing else out there.

Then there was the Wizard AzBat cover! I received a call from Wizard asking me to do a cover with the new AzBat costume on it. I was thrilled and the person I was dealing with said that it was all cleared. I killed myself on that cover and I was pretty happy with it at the time. But something was nagging me and I called Patty Jeres, who is one of my favorite people up there. I said, “Patty, you gave Wizard approval to show AzBat right? I was told you guys approved the assignment?” As it turned out both parties had their signals crossed and stuff was approved but not quite what I was assigned to draw.. So I got Wizard to send me the cover back and I had to do it all in silhouette which still looked pretty good.

The other never before told AzBat story happens right around the time I hand in the final pencil designs for the new AzBat war machine. I hand delivered them by hand and I’m not sure if I gave them to Denny or Archie, probably Denny. Regardless, I was given a crappy faded Xerox copy of my pencils and they kept the originals. Well, some time goes by, and please keep in mind that Batman and Daredevil are my absolute favorite characters, and for some reason even though I called editors I can’t seem to get any Batman work. Also, a weird thing happens around this time, let me preface this by saying that this was right around the time of multiple distributors. There was Diamond, Capital and many smaller ones. So, one day I hear that some distributor, I believe in Hawaii has leaked the AzBat design in their catalog, this floored me because we were guarding this stuff like it was plans for a safe, clean nuclear reactor. I was pretty surprised by this but just figured some intern must have gotten a hold of the stuff off of someone’s desk and faxed it around. Okay, now here I am trying to get Batman work and it doesn’t come for at least a year.

A year later I get a Batman gig, I forget what the assignment was, perhaps a cover or a pin-up piece, I’ve forgotten. Anyway, when I handed in the piece an officer of the company asked me if I was glad the ban was finally over. I said, “Ban? Over? What are you talking about?” This person then proceeded to show me a document signed by someone in the Sales and Marketing department, who shall remain nameless, saying that I was to be prohibited from working on any Bat related things for a certain amount of time. It stated that I had leaked the designs to a distributor and they had placed it in their catalog. Now, what really kills me is not the ban, because if I had actually done what they said I had done then I would have understood and accepted my punishment. What killed me aside from the fact that I didn’t do it was that no one called me to ask if I did. No one even called me to tell me I was being punished, I just was.

You would think that someone like me who understood the importance of secrets and who had proven it by not revealing that Azrael was going to become Batman, that Batman was going to have his back broken and held on to that secret for a year and a half, could certainly keep themselves from faxing off drawings of the top secret redesigned Batman. The truth of the matter is that those drawings were probably sent off or ordered to be sent off by the same idiot in Sales and Marketing that had me banned in the first place. Realizing their mistake they needed a fall guy and I was fairly convenient. And, yes, this person is still there and they’ve probably been wondering for the last couple of years why I hate them so. Maybe now they’ll understand why.

Who created the symbol for the new Batman?
That would be me! I was so thrilled when I saw that on a T-shirt!

Did you suggest ideas where Azrael could go in terms of story direction?
Only slightly. I was too new to the game and too respectful of Denny and Archie to get into their business. My job was to tell the story in the clearest manner possible. Working with Denny and Archie was one of the highlights of my career, I can’t tell you how much I learned about story and story telling from those guys. To this day, my experience with Archie has help me create the template and the basis for my editorial vision at Marvel Knights and Marvel.

An Interview with Dennis O’Neill
Conducted by Jek Tezak

Dennis O’ Neil is responsible for using his creative writing talents to give us our hero and the awesome storyarc of Knightfall. We have some questions for you Dennis, related to the creation of Azrael and the Knightfall storylines. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

How did the idea for Knightfall begin? What was the original concept for Knightfall? Was Azrael a character that was in the original outline?
The genesis of the story was a two-part piece for Detective, by Peter Milligan. Then I thought I saw some big-time possibilities in the idea and assembled the troops to put together an outline. Azreal came along much later. We needed a character to be the antagonist and it fell to me to come up with one. So Az was created to serve a plot need, I never expected him to have an afterlife.

In a visual sense, what did you want Azrael to look like? What was your original concept for the character?
I didn’t have a concept. I trusted the artist and the editor, my late and much-missed friend, Archie Goodwin.

I’ve heard the term Bat summit meeting. Is this refering to creative brainstorming meetings on where to take the Batman storylines? Can you give us a rough idea as to how the first meeting about Knightfall went?
It usually worked like this: I assembled as many people as the budget would accommodate somewhere outside Manhattan and explained the problems to them. Then, for about three days, everyone drank coffee, took walks, played poker, and talked talked talked. Jordan took notes and at the end of our time together, we’d solved enough of the problems to begin the project.

There was a rumor going around roughly when Sword Of Azrael was at the news stands that the Death of Superman team copied the Knightfall teams ideas, that originally Bruce Wayne was supposed to die. Is there any truth to this rumor?
Mike Carlin did not copy me, nor I him. I didn’t know about the Superman storyline until we were some months into Knightfall, and Mike was equally ignorant of my stuff.

Besides what we’ve already read, Were there any changes to the storyline or characters made when Knightfall was hitting the newstands? By changes I mean, last minute ideas or concepts that were not originally going to be used?
I’m sure there were. I always tried to keep the outline loose enough to accommodate good, late-blooming ideas.

One change I’m curious to know about is why the Azrael Batman suits final design was changed. I noticed in an old Wizard magazine that the AZbats suit looks much different than it did in the comics. Why did you guys change the final suit?
Ask the editor. I’m not sure, but lame sales might be a good guess and if so, the editor was doing his job.

When reading Knightsend I really felt like Azrael was going to become a full time Batman villian and added to Batman’s already infamous Rogues Gallery. Was this ever thought of in the process of creating Knightfall?
We were mostly thinking about filling a plot hole and undertaking a year-long juggling act. Not much consideration of anything beyond that.

In your very honest opinion, what do you think of the Azrael character?
Tough one to answer. I wish I’d done one or two things differently, and I think the series kind of lost its way for a while in the middle of the run. But all that aside…I don’t think there’s ever been a character exactly like Az before or since and I generally enjoyed working on him. I wish the 100th issue could have been stronger, but it was wonderful of Mike to let me write it; I was only weeks past major surgery at the time and maybe a ways from my best.

In the Knightfall saga, Azrael was Batman for about a year. I know some fans were very upset sending death threats to DC comics stating that if Bruce Wayne wasn’t put back in the Batsuit, that you would lose loyal readers. How long was Azrael supposed to be Batman? Did those letters from the fans influence your decision on how long Azrael was going to be Batman?
No, We had most of the series, and particularly its length, planned from the git-go. Actually, I would have been more bothered if the readers liked Az–that would mean they favored a nastier Batman and I would have had problems with that.

Do you have any little known facts or secrets that fans don’t know about the Bat-summit meetings or the creation of Azrael/Knightfall?
If I ever had such secrets, they are lost to a memory riddled with hard living, defibrillation, age, and maybe genetics.

There was a rumor going around that DC wanted you to outright kill off Jean Paul Valley/Azrael and you didn’t want to. I heard that you wanted to make the ending of Jean Paul’s character vague because you liked him too much to kill him off outright. Is any of this true?
No. He was, at first, a plot device and often plot devices bite the dust. In fact, before my heart attack, I was doing a continuity that would have culminated in Az’s shuffle off this mortal coil. It was Mike’s idea, but I was completely comfortable with it.

What really happened to Jean Paul Valley at the end of issue#100?
He left? Gotham? Earth? Life? I wanted the readers to decide for themselves. As noted above, the original idea was to kill him off, but I was myself briefly dead (and revived by defibrillation and a stalwart fireman) and while I was recovering, Mike called Marifran and told her that maybe having a character I created die might be letting fiction get a little too close to fact, and maybe we shouldn’t do it. So we didn’t.

With this Battle For the Cowl and a new Azrael comic, will we ever see the return of the original Azrael, Jean Paul Valley?
I have no idea.

In terms of collecting Knightfall memorabilia, were you excited to see Azrael finally as an action figure?
It was nice, and it gives me credibility when I talk to Marifran’s grade-schoolers

America Online Fan Chat with Dennis O’Neill and Archie Goodwin
Reprinted in Azrael #3
April 1995

On December 19, a week before Azrael #1 htit the stands, DC Comics held a question and answer session on AOL (America Online) With series writer Dennis O’Neil and editor Archie Goodwin fielding the questions. For those of you who missed the session, here’s the skinny on what went on…

What will be the driving premise behind Azrael?
Dennis: The driving premise will be a young man , striving to discover his identity and his place in the world. We’ll also play with the difference between men and angels, and men and super heroes.

Do you think the dark hero is a fad, or do you see this type of hero lasting forever?
Dennis: Batman has been a dark hero for 55 years. I don’t think dark is a heroic category. The coloration of the hero proceeds from the premise. In Azrael’s case you have a dark premise, someone who is driven to acts of violence by forced that are beyond his control.

Do you think that Azrael is freer now that he doesn’t have to be Batman?
Dennis: No, he is still a slave to the system, a victim to old compulsions. Some of what the series is about is Azrael’s attempt to free himself.
Archie: I think he’s in the process of earning that freedom.

Do you think it will be difficult to make Jean Paul a character readers can sympathize with – or even understand? He was pretty gone by the end of Knightfall and many of us just didn’t care anymore.
Dennis: We’re starting from way behind square one with Azrael. Normally, an audience’s feeling is neutral at first. We know in this case that a lot of people actually dislike him. To make him a hero, and a likeable one, is the biggest challenge we face. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve tried in 29 years of writing comic books.
Archie: From the time we Sword of Azrael it seemed Jean Paul had the potential to be more than just the role he was given in Knightfall. This book will let us realize that potential.

Will Azrael be a Batman book like Robin, or a spinoff, like Catwoman?
Dennis: A spinoff like Catwoman.
Archie: Bit interacting with Bats a couple times a year.

How will Jean Paul suppress his will to kill, or will he?
Dennis: That’s what the first story arc is about, his quest to control that. That is his particular ‘grail.’

What role will Oracle play in Azrael and the DCU?
Dennis: In the DCU an increasingly important one. In Azrael she will be a continuing character.

Will Azrael wander forever or find a city to adopt and continue to fight crime like Batman?
Dennis: Eventually, he will find a home.
Will there be any guest stars lined up for Azrael’s first year?
Dennis: Batman is in issues #1 and #2, Ra’s Al Ghul in #5, and Robin and Nightwing eventually, although I can’t say exactly when.

Who will be Azrael’s enemies?
Dennis: Initially, The Order of St. dumas. That will take us through the first six issues. After that, we’ll see.

Will Azrael meet Bane again, and on what terms?
Archie: I don’t think they’ll be dating.
Dennis: It is quite likely that Azrael will run up against all of Batman’s enemies.
Archie: Actually the Batfolk HAVE Bane plans; enough to keep him occupied for a bit.

What role, if any, will the homeless people play in the Showcase ’94 story?
Dennis: There are no plans for them.
Archie: Although Jean Paul’s initial situation gets close to that in a way.

Will there be any crossovers like Batman VS Predator?
Archie: We’re getting Azrael up on his way. That takes time. Maybe in the second year.

Whatever happened to the dwarf guy [Nomoz] from Sword of Azrael?
Archie: I don’t know, I hope Dennis can get sveral issues out of answering that sometime soon.
Dennis: Azrael will meet him again sometime between issues #7-12.

Will we meet Jean Paul’s mother?
Dennis: Very interesting question. The question of Jean Paul’s mother will have a lot to do with his problems.

Will Azrael be meeting the more mystical side of the DCU? Such as the Spectre, Phantom Stranger, Fate, or will he stay urban and dark?
Dennis: Anything is possible. He will certainly meet the same characters that Batman runs into.
Archie: Since I edit Fate, I’d like to see it happen, but not until both are more clearly established.

Will Jean Paul destroy The Order of St. Dumas?
Archie: He may only wound them.

How will the rest of the DC Universe react to Azrael – a hero who they fought beside before but didn’t know it?
Dennis: It will depend on the individual characters. They will have an individual response if and when they meet.

A Somewhat related question having to do with Knightfall – is there a future for books like Knightfall? And will there be any more?
Archie: Only if the storyline justifies it. Our job, in part, is to come up with stories that do.
Dennis: There is a future as long as there are enough people who buy it and want to see more of it.

Speaking of Question, will he be making an appearance in Azrael?
Dennis: Very likely.

Will Azrael make an appearance in The New Adventures of Batman and Robin?
No, that series is now also done with production.

Any suggestions for up and coming writers?
Archie: Read outside of comics. Write, write, write, submit and don’t get discouraged.

Any chance Nightwing will go up against Azrael?
Archie: I’d like to see it, but no immediate plans unless Dennis says otherwise.
Dennis: Nightwing will certainly meet Azrael. I don’t know if it will be in a combative situation. Super heroes don’t have to fight every time they meet.

Super heroes don’t have to fight every time they meet.

Batman The Animated Series Style Fan-Made Knightfall Video
Created by Allan Agustin

Batman/Punisher
January 1994
Lake of Fire
In this DC and Marvel comics crossover issue Jean Paul Valley as Batman meets Marvel’s Punisher. The Punisher follows leads to Gotham where his enemy Jigsaw has come to inject a rocket fuel into the city’s water supply system in hopes of ransoming the city. Batman and the Punisher briefly team-up when they realize that they are after the same people but Batman is betrayed by the Punisher twice who fears being taken in. In the end the Punisher escapes, Jean Paul feels he has failed and we are surprised to find that the Joker was actually the one behind bringing Jigsaw to Gotham.

 

 

 

Azrael + the Question
December 1996
The Answer to the Terror & the Question
After saving a politician from being killed, Victor Sage is offered a job to protect the life of his daughter aboard a cruise ship she performs on. After lucid dreams of his father verbally abusing him, Jean Paul finds himself aboard the same cruise and helps save the lives of the passengers after a gang of would-be thugs attempt to kill everyone on board.

 

 

 

 

Azrael/Ash
January 1997
A mysterious fire is set in New York with reports stating a character with flaming swords was the cause leads Batman to confront Jean Paul on his whereabouts. To clear his name Azrael hits the big apple and encounters Firefly where he teams up with Ash.  With Oracle’s help, the duo locate Professor Kissedy, a former University teacher who has been using an alien to start fires in seeking revenge on those who wrote him off. In the end the alien sees the trust and is reunited with his mother.
This issue is special due to the fact that it features two characters created by Joe Quesada – Azrael and Ash.

 

 

 

1,000,000
November 1998
Angel Wings – As part of a series of on-shot issues for the ‘one million’ title, we find a version of Azrael in the year ::insert year here:: getting his wings from Sister Dumas that enable him to time travel to any place and any time. During his travels looking to help he encounters versions of Green Arrow, Catwoman and Robin, and the Hawkmen. In going to the past he becomes discordant material, or an actual angel and witnesses jean Paul Valley as Azrael in hand to hand combat with Two-Face. Azrael is then taught a lesson by Sister Dumas about where evil comes from.

Issue No. 47 – December 1998
A Man of Wealth and Taste – Batman sends Azrael to watch over Senator Halivan, a key figure in the relief support funds for Gotham City. The charismatic rockstar Nicholas Scratch befriends the unsuspecting senator in order to kill him. His first attempt is failed only to personally kill Halivan himself.

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 48 – January 1999
Scratching The Surface – Things aren’t looking good for Azrael as Nicholas Scratch frames Azrael as the killer of Senator Halivan. With crowd amateur footage of Scratch and Azrael fighting on a stage Batman orders Azrael to burn his suit.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 49 – February 1999
Gotham City Must Die – He’s been framed for murder and rejected by his mentor, as well as being stripped of his very identity. As Gotham City’s relief funds teeter on the brink of destruction Azrael tries to sway remaining votes of senators who could make or break the decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 50 – March 1999
Resurrection – With Azrael framed Batman gives Jean Paul a new costume to wear and finally accepts him somewhat as a team player asking him to look more into Nicholas Scratch to find out what just what exactly his true motives are. The question remains though whether or not the system will work with a different costume.

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 51 – April 1999
Miracle Run – With his old costume destroyed Jean Paul has no choice but to dawn the new suit given to him by Batman. Not long after putting it on he is attacked by Scratch’s men, and than hit by lightening which awakens and breathes new life into the new Azrael.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 52 – Devil Down Below – May 1999
Azrael continues his month long chase of Nick Scratch into Gotham and has a run-in with Calibax who is taking out civilians left and right in the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 53 – June 1999
Jellybean Deathtrap – Azrael is asked to go after the Joker who has set up shop in a small section of Gotham he is now claiming his territory. Calibax and Nick Scratch still roam the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 54 – July 1999
Step Into The Light – Azrael finally meets Oracle face to face and gains an adopted sister in her. I guess that would make her further flirting with him awkward. Meanwhile someone is dancing and killing the homeless in Gotham.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 55 – August 1999
Misery Dance – Azrael faces off and takes down the mysterious dancing surgeon in Gotham. Along the way he saves Barbara from getting killed, and helps out Dr. Tompkins.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 56 – September 1999
The Night Fortold! – The new Batgirl shows up to help out Jean Paul and Dr. Tompkins. Jean Paul finds out where Nick Scratch is and infiltrates, only to be found and captured. How Scratch was able to gain his manipulative powers and turn his life around is revealed.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 57 – October 1999
Scratched Out! – His costume taken away, Jean Paul is powerless as Scratch’s followers beat him pretty severly. Waiting in the wings, Nightwing, Robin and Batgirl quietly take over 3 dozen guns from Scratch’s followers. Jean Paul tricks Scratch into giving him his costume, enabling his powers to come back, defeating Scratch and showing his followers who he really is.

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 58 – November 1999
Jean Paul’s day of judgement comes as he comes face to face with Saint Dumas, the man responsible for the Order of St. Dumas himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 59 – December 1999
Batman puts Azrael on yet another protective mission, this time to ensure Catwoman makes it to him with information that he thinks may be able to help Gotham City, and his most important mission yet. That is if Catwoman is able to make it to the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 60 – January 2000
Evacuation – Batman sends Azrael along with the new Batgirl on a mission to evacuate an area of the city where the final battle against the Joker and Harley Quinn is to ensue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 61 – February 2000
It’s the holiday season and Azrael and Batgirl unwrap more of the Joker’s hideous plan as he ruins the festivities for everyone. No Man’s Land continues with the clown prince’s kidnapping of the Christmas spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 62 – March 2000
It’s a new year and Jean Paul wants to make changes in his life. Making a promise to Dr. Tompkins he won’t hurt anyone for 24 hours. Bruce Wayne buys a church to be used as a second hospital and Brian returns!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 63 – April 2000
The Quakists – Huntress comes to town to stake out a group calling themselves the Quakists. Nick Scratch has a plan up his sleeve as he tricks Brian and Jean Paul into thinking he has reformed. Jean Paul drugs the two in a plan to brainwash Jean Paul by secretly giving him his old Azrael suit back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 64 – May 2000
Fugitive – Believing that he has killed again, Jean Paul is on the run at war within himself. He tries to enlist help from Dr. Tompkins who wants him to give up being Azrael altogether for a normal life as a gentleman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 65 – June 2000
The Witness – Azrael’s a fugitive and only Batman can help him. Using good old fashioned detective skills, Batman finds that Scratch not only poisoned Azrael and Brian, but also strangled the man Azrael was accused of murdering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 66 – July 2000
New Order – Jean Paul celebrates his birthday – his first ever – and his new life without Azrael. Lilhy returns to Gotham with a faux Azrael, killing for artifacts from the Order of St. Dumas. Meanwhile Batman comes across information that the woman who Jean Paul came from is still alive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 67 – August 2000
Maternal Instinct – With Oracle and Batman’s help, a book from the Order of St. Dumas is translated revealing that Jean Paul’s mother may still be alive. With the blessing of Dr. Thompkins, Jean Paul is on his way by plane to an area where his mother is believed to be. Meanwhile, Lilhy and her new Azrael are keeping close tabs on Jean Paul as she sends her Azrael to follow him.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 68 – September 2000
Mirage – With the plane crashed in the desert, Jean Paul runs into none other than Nomoz who assists him as they are taken to a mercenary military base. Jean Paul meets the woman who may possibly be his mother, only for her to be shot in trying to save him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 69 – October 2000
Jean Paul, Nomoz, the General, and the faux Azrael make their way through the desert only to be hunted down by the generals men. Jean Paul dons his Azrael costumes and he and the new Azrael team up for survival.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 70 – November 2000
Prophet Part 1 – Cry For Atonement – Jean Paul heads back to the desert in search of Dr. Leslie’s brother Jeremiah with Bruce’s blessing. Jean Paul accepts help from General McGog and searches for Jeremiah who has taken the faux Azrael under his wing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 71 – December 2000
Prophet Part 2 – Brothers – Taken hostage by Jeremiah and the faux Azrael, Jean Paul and his driver are interrogated. In amn unconscious haze, Jean Paul figures out where this new Azrael came from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 72 – January 2001
Prophet Part 3 – Hell & Back – The faux Azrael shows mercy on Jean Paul and sends him off to the desert, General McGog’s men are slain when they go after Jeremiah as he begins to plot his holy war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 73 – February 2001
Losses (One of Three) – Homecoming – Jeremiah and faux Azrael start going on a killing spree more fueled by Jeremiah’s revenge than his supposed holy war. Jean Paul makes his way back to the ruins of the order where Nomaz has nursed him back to health and provides him a plan back to Gotham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 74 – March 2001
Losses (Part Two of Three) – Accused – Jean Paul and Batman team up to stop Jeremiah’s holy war which has now made its way to Gotham. Jeremiah also makes plans to have his Azrael kill Lilhy as she sets up a meeting with him and Jean Paul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 75 – April 2001
Losses (Part Three of Three) – Fallen Angel – Jean Paul is shot by Lilhy, Jeremiah and faux Azrael escape to the ruins of The Order of St Dumas where Jean Paul must save Lilhy. Now in yet another suit, Jean Paul fights the faux Azrael to the death

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 76 – May 2001
There Shall Be A Beginning – Still in the mountains for a month and a half mourning the death of the faux Azrael, Jean Paul decides to set up new quarters in the quarters of a cavernous mountain owned by The order of St. Dumas. With Batman’s blessing and Harold’s help, this will be Jean Paul’s new base of operations just outside of the small town of Ossaville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No 77 – June 2001
Poison Road – Azrael meets Mr. Prymm, the man responsible for much illness quickly spreading throughout Ossaville and neighboring small towns as he spills toxic wastes into the water system. Harold outfits Jean Paul’s gloves with a flaming shot they refer to as ‘Angel’s Wrath.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 78 – July 2001
The Amazing Adventures of Captain Death! – Somebody’s up to no good working the graveyard shift in a town obsessed with a 15 minutes of fame movie character called Captain Death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 79 – August 2001
Driven To Extremes – Azrael thwarts a school bus hijacking and, of all things finally wins over Bruce when he tells him he is proud of him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 80 – September 2001
Deadly Faux – After Azrael is framed for a robbery Oracle and Jean Paul do some digging to find out that it was set up by the Sobek Society and its head, Garm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 81 – October 2001
Azrael becomes a victim of a series of tests by Garm, but there’s no immunity for Jean Paul at the end. Once Jean Paul reveals the secret of his power Gram flees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 82 – November 2001
What makes Azrael Tick?
Azrael Works – Garm’s thirst for knowledge about Jean Paul leads him to dig up the grave of the faux Azrael for further dissection. With the help of Oracle, Jean Paul makes his way to Garm’s lighthouse to recover the body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 83. – December 2001
Joker’s Last Laugh
Twisted Sister – The Evil Men Do… – Lilhy’s decides to visit the Joker in a maximum security prison where she, as wlel as the inmates, are gassed with Joker’s laugh toxin. After speaking with him she decides that she is unsure if she is evil and tries to burn down an retirement home. In the end Azrael stops the fire from escalating and gives Lilhy a question to ponder.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 84 – January 2002
Wahoo!
A former baseball player goes on a killing spree and only Azrael can stop him. The player, Wahoo!, turns out to be a metahuman who Azrael very easily defeats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 85 – February 2002
The Sentinel
Spartan has fought in America’s shadows for so long that it’s warped his judgement of his country’s ideals. At his grandmother’s request, Azrael must catch Spartan before the local law does. In the midst of the chase Spartan and Azrael team-up to save a woman from falling off of a cliff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 86 – March 2002
Rescues
A crooked police officer in the jail holding Spartan until trial decides that he is going to execute him himself. Azrael is called upon to take matters into his own hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 87 – April 2002
Kenny
Jean Paul cuts a deal with sister Lilhy – in exchange for a second chance for the Spartan, he must bring track down a particular metahuman for her. Meanwhile, Barbara is worried about Jean Paul’s increasing strength and brings him to see Dr. Tompkins for some testing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 88 – May 2002
Nightwing Begins the Search!
Lost and Found – Azrael takes on more than he can handle as he is ambushed by the metahuman and his brother. Barbara calls on Nightwing to find Jean Paul as Dr. Tompkins find out that Azrael’s chemistry is coming to the point of death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 89 – June 2002
Double Trouble
Sibling Rivalry – Jean Paul and Nightwing take on two two metahuman brothers while Nightwing begs Jean Paul to go back to Gotham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 90 – July 2002
What Goes Around…
Denial – After delivering the metahumans to Lilhy Jean Paul visits Dr. Tompkins only to find that he could die any day. The news sends him into a frenzy as he storms out to Wayne Manor, specifically the bat cave for a version of his old bat suit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 91 – August 2002
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive – Rogue Agent!
Confession – in a battle between Jean Paul and Batman in the Batcave Jean Paul destroys the bat computer while Batman tracks down Jean Paul to his home base in the mountains in Ossaville. While confronting him there, Bruce finds that Jean Paul is once again being driven mad by the spirit of St. Dumas as the mountain is triggered to explode.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 92 – September 2002
Deliver Us from Evil!
New Boss – The devastating explosion leads Batman to conclude that Jean Paul is dead, giving Jean Paul and St. Dumas the opportunity to plan their next move; leadership of the ‘new’ order of St. Dumas . To do so however requires Jean Paul to take down its new leader and sometime ally, Lilhy. His hallucinations of St. Dumas order him to belittle Lilhy and make her his servant.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 93 – October 2002
Hollier Than Thou!
Reordered – After trying to poison Jean Paul Lilhy flees to Palm Springs where she meets up with Carlton LeHah whom she asks to kill Azrael as the demon Biis. Still dressed in his old Batman suit, Jean Paul is on a one-man spree cleaning up crime in Gotham again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 94 – November 2002
From the heavens Above…To the Hell Below!
Endgame – Azrael is asked by a politician to go on a rescue mission in Santa Prisca only to return and find that he now has an ally in rebuilding the Order of St. Dumas. Jean Paul expresses his disdain to Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, and Dr. Tompkins for never truly accepting him to bending to Batmans will, making each of them take a look at themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 95 – December 2002
Hero of the people!
The Azraelites! – Azrael’s madness finds himself ambushed by his oldest foe, Carlton LeHah as the demon Biis. Jean Paul defeats him without his suit on and gets LeHah to serve him before going after Two-Face in an abandoned bowling alley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 96 – January 2003
Two-Faces of Evil
The White Place – After easily defeating Two-Face Azrael saves a child from the burning bowling alley with much love and praise from the press. He seen receives warning in a vision from St. Dumas that his new politician friend may be using him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 97 – February 2003
Snow Angel
Angels In Disguise – An hour before the Christmas Eve press conference Jean Paul is told that it is cancelled, only to have Nicholas Scratch impersonating him in a baggy white Azrael costume. Jean Paul almost gets mugged walking the snowy streets of Gotham and brings a man to a church to keep him from freezing to death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 98 – March 2003
Patricide
Combat – With the strange malady that afflicts Jean Paul pushing him closer to the brink of death, and madness, Dr. Tompkins has hope that she may find a cure for Jean Paul in the most unlikely of places. Jean Paul visits Brian for the last time to retrieve his Azrael suit to have a one-on-one with the demons that plague his head – the spirit of St. Dumas and his father.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 99 – April 2003
Last Respects
Lost & Found – Batman is defeated in battle against Azrael, and then saved after almost drowning in a freezing river. Nicholas Scratch inpersonates Azrael again at a press conference while Dr. Tompkins takes Jean Paul to meet Shondra Kinsolving in hopes that she can cure him of the illness that should have killed him long ago, as well as his loss of sanity.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue 100 – May 2003
Fallen Angel
Full Cycle – More than a decade after his debut, the life of Jean Paul Valley comes to an end in this issue that finds Azrael coming full circle as he is shot by Carlton LeHah as Biis, falling to his death from a balcony. This all happens after he promises Dr. Thompkins that this evening will be the last that he dons his Azrael suit – how true those words become.

Issue No. 1 – February 1995
Fallen Angel …Some Say In Fire… – In this first issue we find out what has become of Jean-Paul Valley after Bruce Wayne has reclaimed the mantle of the Bat and banished from The Batcave and Wayne Manor – he’s homeless, broken, and has virtually no memory. Not only that, thanks to The System, he is also hallucinating situations to be much more than they are. Jean Paul befriends a now homeless former psychiatrist named Brian. Batman and Robin make a short cameo in the issue as Batman decides that Jean-Paul is still his responsibility. At the same time, it seems that The Order of St. Dumas is trying to train someone to become the new Azrael. The issue ends with Jean-Paul sitting upright in a bed at a homeless shelter which is being burned down by thugs he has encountered twice in the issue.

 

 

 

Issue No. 2 – March 1995
Fallen Angel: 2 …Some Say In Ice… – Batman saves Jean Paul and gives him a nice care package – 100,000.00, information on how to find The Order of St. Dumas and his Azrael costume as Batman is sure that Jean Paul may need it on his journey. Jean Paul seeks out Brian to accompany him on his journey to the order in Die Eistathedrale (Translated Ice Cathedral). The order is made aware of Jean Paul and Brain’s presence and sets out to murder him by sending their hopeful replacement to finish the job common hired thugs could not.

 

 

 

Issue No. 3 – April 1995
Fallen Angel: 3 …The Proposition – Jean Paul makes his way to the Ice Cathedral and meets sister Lilhy and Rollo, the Arch Bishop. St. Dumas himself tells Rollo there are people around him plotting his death. Rollo will not give Jean Paul information regarding The System, Lilhy however offers the information in exchange for slaying Rollo. In turn, Rollo makes a deal with the Azrael in training to slay Jean Paul and protect him in exchange to become the next Azrael.

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 4 – May 1995
Fallen Angel: 4 …Escape – Jean Paul fights the new Azrael in training and allows him to plummet to an icy grave. With Sister Lilhy’s help, he and Brian attempt to escape the Ice Cathedral as Brother Rollo and the Acolytes try to capture Azrael and sister Lilhy to be punished for treason.

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 5 – June 1995
Fallen Angel:5 …The Abduction – Azrael, Brian and Sister Lilhy escape the Ice Cathedral via an underground lake. Using Oracle, they make their way to Mobari, Africa for answers regarding The System. This leads to a meeting with Ras Al Gaul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 6 – July 1995
Fallen Angel:6 …The Temptation – Jean Paul meets Ras Al Gaul and Talia and finds himself tested for Ras’ amusement. Ras offers Talia and a life beyond Jean Paul’s dreams if he will serve him – and is denied. Ras does respect him though and offers to help in the journey in finding out more about his past and controlling The System.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 7 – August 1995
Fallen Angel: 7 …The Curse – Talia takes Jean Paul, Sister Lilhy and Brain as close to the caverns as she can. Azrael eventually meets the one who is responsible for the programming of each of the Azrael’s and is mortified to find out that he is kind of a test tube baby from pre-birth. The issue ends with Jean Paul enraged, destroying the cavern and its programmer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 8 – September 1995
Azrael At Large: The Silence – Now knowing his birth origins, Jean Paul is devastated. Sister Lilhy and Brian gather up books of alchemy that make up the background in which The Order of St. Dumas is based on and leave via hovercraft only to be shot at by possible new enemies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 9 – October 1995
Azrael, Brian and Sister Lilhy make their way back to Ras Al Gaul’s to be tended to by Talia. Azrael is still in shock and not speaking. Interestingly enough though, he seems to be controlling himself only injuring and not killing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 10 – November 1995
Arena – The Order of St. Dumas version of Azrael has made his way to a Gotham Karate match; and he’s wearing Azrael’s Nightfall Batman costume in hopes of luring Azrael out. His deal is revealed and Batman is lured out into a rooftop battle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 11 – December 1995
Azrael Rising Part 1 – Sister Lilhy and Brian meet up with batman in Gotham City where it is revealed Azrael has been sitting quietly in the Batcave for the past 3 days. Azrael leaves Alfred’s watch to visit Sondra Kinsolving where he is greeted by Alfred, Sister Lilhy and Brian, who somewhat analyzed Azrael.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 12 – January 1996
Angel Rising Part 2 – Azrael rescues the kidnapped Sondra Kinsolving from Nug and Kluber, telling the scared woman she is her guardian angel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 13 – February 1996
Demon Time (Part 1: Returned) – Lots of surprises in this issue. Nightwing spars a bit with Azrael. Sister Lithy finds herself attracted to Nightwing and kisses him, making Jean Paul feel like a jealous kid. Simon LeHah also returns as Biis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 14 – March 1996
Demon Time (Part 2: Revenge) – Azrael faces LeHah as Biis, effortlessly defeating him. Sister Lilhy admits feelings for Jean Paul to Brian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 15 – April 1996
Requiem For An Immortal – As Part 4 of the ‘Contagion’ series, this issue really detracts from the Azrael storyline as Azrael teams up with Catwoman and Tracker to find Fong, a man who seems immune to the virus spreading in Gotham. Unfortunately Fong thinks he is immortal and accidentally stabs himself to death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 16 – May 1996
Part 10 of the ‘Contagion’ series, it is revealed that the virus plaguing Gotham originated from The Order of St. Dumas on accident. Thanks to books taken from the trio’s visit to North Africa sent to Brian by Talia, Sister Lithy is able to find the antidote which Azrael brings to Gotham. The issue ends with Tim Drake possibly being claimed by the virus.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 17 – June 1996
Angel In Flames Part 1: A Distant Savior – Kluber and :: :: make a brief appearance seeking revenge on Azrael, only to be sent back to prison. Jean Paul leaves to meet with an old collegue of Brian’s, Mathias Orchid on a small island in the tropics in hopes of being cured of the system’s deprogramming.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 18 – July 1996
Azrael encounters one of Dr. Orchid’s other patients and things get large.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 19 – August 1996
Angel In Flames Part 3: Save The Innocents – Dr. Orchid somehow separates Azrael from Jean Paul. In a fight between Orchid’s brother and Azrael, humanity comes into play and Azrael leaves the fight to save Orchid’s daughter, enabling her to leave the island as it is being evacuating while a volcano goes off.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 20 – September 1996
Conclusion: Angel In Flames: A Prayer of Fire – The Orchid brothers make peace with each other and Azrael saves them both from the volcano, and the earthquakes that are being caused due to the eruption. The issue ends with Jean Paul coming face to face with Azrael asking it to let him be.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 21 – October 1996
Angel In Hiding Part 1: Renunciation – Lots of surprises in this issue as Jean Paul returns to Sister Lilhy and Brian free of Azrael. Jean Paul also moves back into his old place, reenrolls in university and finally asks Lilhy out on a date. Through all of this it turns out Nomoz has been keeping an eye on Jean Paul and reporting back to Rollo who is told by St. Dumas spirit to leave Jean Paul and Lilhy be. Unfortunatly Rollo has other plans and wants to exact revenge on them and kill Nomoz, kidnapping Lilhy and Brian while Jean Paul is now defenseless to stop them.

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 22 – November 1996
Angel In Hiding Part 2 – Nomoz saves Jean Paul and the two make a compromise to save Jean Paul save Lilhy and Brian and bring down Rollo who is corrupting the Order of St. Dumas. Nomoz proves to have a bit of a sense of humor. Jean Paul asks Batman to accompany them but is met with refusal, but does offer aid and requests Jean Paul put back on the suit of Azrael once more if he is to succeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 23 – December 1996
Angel In Hiding Part 3: Prelude To War – Disguised, Bruce Wayne helps out Jean Paul, Sister Lilhy, Brian and Nomoz as they get to North Africa. Rollo sends acolytes dressed as demons and Biis into to further scare Jean Paul as the systems programming is brought back to life by Nomoz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issue No. 24 – January 1997
Angel At War Part 1: The Fall of St. Dumas – With Jean Paul now Azrael again, the four venture back to the Ice Cathedral to take care of Rollo who is continuing to directly disobey The Order of St. Dumas. It is also mentioned that there is a Mother of St. Dumas who is even more powerful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 25 – February 1997
Angel At War Part 2: The Fall of St. Dumas – Possibly the most fast paced issue yet, the Dwarflings are ordered to kill Azrael and Lilhy but are turned against Rolo after Nomoz reminds them how they are going against the orders laws. After careful thought of how powerful the order is, it is decided that Azrael must keep Rolo alive for it could cause economic crisis throughout the world. Rollo in turn tricks Azrael and Lilhy into taking him to where the spirit of The Mother of St. Dumas is contained where he intends to use it to destroy the planet.

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 26 – March 1997
Angel At War Part 3: Conclusion of The Fall of St. Dumas – As the story concludes Rolo has all of the Dwarflings slain leaving Nomoz the last of his kind. As the Mother of St. Dumas expands it collapses the entire Ice Cathedral, and with it the Order of St. Dumas itself. The story ends with the Cathedral destroyed, and the head of St. Dumas, along with books of it’s ways in the snow as the foursome leave.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 27 – April 1997
Angel Insane Part 1: Entry – Grey Abbott is locked away in Arkham Asylum for losing it on a shopping mall Santa Clause. After relocating to Mexico City, Lilhy is now trying to keep things together as the order is no longer. It is decided that Azrael should get Grey Abbott out of Arkham in hopes that he might use his knowledge to better help mankind. Upon infiltrating Arkham, Azrael’s fire sets off fire alarms which in turn let all inmates out of their cells causing a battle between Killer Croc and Azrael.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 28 – May 1997
Angel Insane Part 2: Exit – Being held captive by the inmates in Arkham, the Joker is wearing the Azrael suit and eventually sets his head on fire. Grey Abbott has somehow gained the trust of all of the inmates but halfway through changes sides and helps Azrael to escape. Abbott has other motives and wants to take Killer Croc with him and instead chooses to stay behind then leave without him.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 29 – June 1997
Angel Errant Part 1: Descent – Lihy’s interest in Jean Paul seems to have faded as she has moved onto a French businessman, and Jean Paul and Brian have a heart to heart about it. Luckily Ras Al Gaul’s daughter Talia has come to seek out Jean Paul romantically before she is captured by one of her her fathers’ enemies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 30 – July 1997
Angel Errant Part 2: Descent – Ras Al Gaul has courted Azrael to marry Talia, however declines the offer and decides Azrael must die instead when he learns that Azrael’s blood is not pure what holds animal genes as well. After escaping, Azrael returns home broken, only to find that Lihy is leaving with Luc for France, leaving Jean Paul heart broken and alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 31 – August 1997
Angel and the Monster Maker: Vampire – Depressed, Jean Paul goes back to Gotham to see Batman and ask if he needs help with anything explaining what has transpired over the past few months. Batman however has no need of him and sends him off on what he thinks is a wild chase for a supposed vampire in a neighboring city where he finds a vampire feeding on the homeless.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 32 – September 1997
Angel and the Monster Maker: Werewolf – Still in the rundown city, Azrael finds himself face to face with another odd creature, this time a werewolf. With the help of Oracle, he is starting to figure out just who is behind these movie monsters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 33 – October 1997
Angel and the Monster Maker: Epiphany – Azrael finally comes face to face with the father and son monster makers, only to be practically crippled by the father turned octopus monster. Amidst the battle Jean Paul gets a serum splashed onto him that temporarily turns him into an angel with wings and all, flying throughout the city. It doesn’t last long however as he comes back down to earth and the battle between good and evil within himself continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 34 – November 1997
Genesis – As if the monsters weren’t enough, now Azrael has to encounter a Parademon who wants his soul. Eventually he wins, but only due to him showing that he isn’t just a fighter, but has a heart, thanks in part to Azrael helping out a kid whose father no longer wants anything to do with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 35 – December 1997
While checking in on the young friend he met in the previous issue, Jean Paul finds that the kid sis very ill and the hospital needs a relative on hand, leading Azrael to hunt him down. In turn he teams up with Hitman who has been contracted out to find the father as well for other reasons.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 36 – January 1998
Azrael and Bane – A few unexpected guests as Bane returns and is on the run with Batman sending Azrael to go after him. Meanwhile Lilhy returns using her feminine wilds to coerce Jean Paul to come back to Mexico with her. Trick or does she actually want him back?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 37 – February 1998
Having a change of heart, Jean Paul leaves Lilhy at the airport and instead heads to Florida to go after Bane. Along the way he is joined by Nomoz who, without the order has no other purpose except to help out Azrael. On the way, Bane frees his old right hand man Bird and injects him with a new and improved Venom formula and has him go after Jean Paul, almost defeating him, but not before Bane can have his turn.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 38 – March 1998
Azrael continues to fight Bane until he and Nomoz are captured and brought aboard Bane’s ship en route to Santa Prisca. While captive Azrael and Bane are injected with the new Venom formula which enables them to escape, but also may addict them as well. With proof of the new Venom’s strength in Azrael, Bane shows him off to his potential buys who see the effects firsthand.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 39 – April 1998
Angel and the Bane: Finally to Vanquish – Kidnapped by Bane and used as his test subject for the new venom formula, Azrael manages to escape, taking Nomoz with him into the woods where he breaks his addiction over the night. After regaining strength, Azrael goes back to defeat Bane, not just by brute force, but this time through skill and smarts.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 40 – May 1998
Hour of the Quake – Returning to Gotham to hand Bane over to the authorities, Gotham is rocked with a massive earthquake just as Bane is being turned over to the Gotham police. Bane escapes through the cities destruction only to be beaten by Azrael yet again and literally dragged back to justice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 41 – June 1998
Taking a ship to Mexico to see Lilhy and Brian, Jean Paul is thrown off of the ship in a brief storm and ends up in of all places a pirate ship! Forced to combat the pirates and their leader, Azrael eventually stabs him and finds himself back in the water brought back onto the ship wondering if the whole pirate debacle was just a hallucination.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 42 – July 1998
Welcome To Eden – Jean Paul finds yet another detour on his journey to Mexico when the ships motor goes out and him and a few on board are welcomed to stay on an sland paradise. The paradise turns out to be of other intentions as it’s owner has been slowly drugging it’s guests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 43 – August 1998
Homecoming – Finally returning to Mexico Jean Paul is ambushed and put to work by Luc and his men. Eventually he is able to make his way out, but not before Luc has beaten Brian and Lilhy a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 44 – September 1998
Angel and the Beast: The Crash – With Luc on the run, Lilhy takes matters into her own hands and hunts him down on horseback with Azrael not far behind. Not knowing her intentions he is unsure whether he will have to take both down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 45 – October 1998
Angel and the Beast: Deathstroke – Calibax seems to make everyone in his presence tired on his island. Azrael and Deathstroke go head to head before teaming up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Issue No. 46 – November 1998
Guardian Angel – Calibax is now in Gotham while his parents have contracted out Death Stroke to take him out. In Mexico Lilhy asks Jean Paul to help her rebuild The Order of St Dumas – he refuses and takes Brian with him back to Gotham where he takes down Calibax.

 

 

 

 

 

Batman – Sword of Azrael
Book One
Issue No. 1 – October 1992
Vanishing Angels & Sudden Death

Azrael is the enforcer for the secret Order of Saint Dumas, a society whose existence dates to the time of the Crusades. After an encounter with arms dealer Carlton LeHah, Azrael is fatally injured, crashes through Gotham’s annual Founder’s Day parade. Using all his energy, Azrael gets rid of most of his Azrael garb and brings himself to his son, Jean Paul’s door.  Near death, he instructs his son to open a package left with him earlier and follow its instructions. After reports of a fallen angel come in, Bruce decides it is time for batman to investigate. Upon his discovery he finds Azrael’s abandoned sword. Even with the vast knowledge of Oracle at his disposal, there is not much known about the Order of St Dumas. Batman is drawn into the mystery of this fallen angel now, launching into a quest that leads him and Alfred to Switzerland. Little does he know that this is also where Jean Paul is, as he meets with Nomoz who implements, ‘The System,’ as well as starts to fit him with the garb of Azrael. Upon arriving the snowcapped mountains, Bruce and Alfred’s helicopter is blown from the sky by the orders of Carlton LeHah.

 

 

 

Batman – Sword of Azrael
Book Two
Issue No. 2 – November 1992
Azrael Does Not Protect

Narrowly escaping their attack, Bruce and Alfred make their way out of an avalanche with makeshift snow shoes, with Bruce retreating to his Bat suit. Meanwhile LeHah is having hallucinations of a demon called Biis. Batman has a dangerous encounter with Jean Paul, now wearing the same Azrael garb. After defeating Batman and hand to hand combat, Azrael and Nomoz retreat in a hover craft. As LeHah now adopts the garb of the demon Biis, waging a campaign of death against the Order of Saint Dumas, Nomoz has designed a new suit for Jean Paul. Now Jean Paul as Azrael is ready for new enemies with bullet and fireproof cloth, and telescoping blades from gauntlets in the forearms that are fed fire like the original sword. Bruce and Alfred take shelter where Nomoz and Jean Paul had been training as Jean Paul and Nomoz go after LeHah, dressed as Biis, who is at a hospital slaying one of the few left of the Order of St Dumas. Not in his garb, this encounter leads to be almost fatal as Jean Paul is shot by Biis.

 

 

 

 

Batman – Sword of Azrael
Book Three:
Issue No. 1 – December 1992
Direct Action

Alfred and Bruce arrive just in time to see Jean Paul shot and flying through a window into the street. As Alfred and Nomoz tend to Jean Paul, Bruce goes after Biis. Once again hallucinating Bruce is easily defeated by Biis, drugged and has his identity as Batman revealed. LeHah now intends to take hold of all of Bruce Wayne’s holdings and wealth. As Biis, LeHah now moves forward to England to murder the next member of the Order of St Dumas, not knowing that the alliance formed by Alfred, Jean Paul and Nomoz is taking them into the same direction.

 

 

 

 

Batman – Sword of Azrael
Book Four
Issue No. 4 – January 1993
No One Is Innocent

Behind the gates in Harcourt, Azrael combats all who protect the next man on Biis list of prey. In an act of humanity, Azrael let’s Biis escape. Afterwards Jean Paul comes to find that he cannot remember much of what happened during his battle, revealing that when he fully becomes Azrael ‘The System’ takes full control. From here Jean Paul, Nomoz, and Alfred head to an oil refinery in Texas where Azrael must save Batman and have his showdown with Biis. Going against ‘The System,” Azrael shows the humane side of Jean Paul, against Nomoz’ wishes rescues Bruce from the inferno of the burning refinery. In doing so Jean Paul is able to beat ‘The System,’ and not only remembers who he is, but now feels a new purpose for his life.