Time for another "Legends of the Dead Earth" annual: from 1996,
Batman Annual #20, "Fables of the Bat-Man" Written by Doug Moench, art by Vincent Giarrano.
In a far-future world, the bearded elder Posea tells a trio of young charges tales of Old Gotham and Bat-Man and Darkbird; morality plays intended to pass on lessons. But, the kids are nearing the "
decreed age" for the "
final preparing," which Posea doesn't seem thrilled about.
The next night, he tells the kids about "Split-Face," with the moral that "good...is
never an excuse for evil," and the Scarecrow, to teach not to try and use your own weakness as a weapon. But, the city chaperones pick up the kids, for a trip to the "Institute of Final Preparations," which doesn't sound super-ominous or anything. The kids are scheduled for surgery, microchip insertion; but the Bat-Man arrives to save them: "Any future which cannot be faced by your
true minds is
insane." Bolstered by Posea's lessons, the kids realize the system is broken, and join Bat-Man to escape the domes to the world beyond, which wasn't anywhere near as bad as they had been told in the past.
Bat-Man takes the kids to join the rebels, to return to New Gotham only when they had the numbers. The kids wonder how Bat-Man survived, since he had taken a beam to the head; but he was actually not only Posea, but a robot as well. A legend that wouldn't die...
This might be more upbeat than most LotDE annuals; and is largely an excuse for Giarrano to draw crazy versions of the villains. Apparently the kids didn't ask Posea, "Didn't the bad guys come back? Like 40 times?" That would've undercut his message a bit.
Cool read, and even more interesting reveal at the end.
ReplyDeleteI wonder whatever happened to good ole' Vincent Giarrano anyways? I enjoyed his work on Fate & then that's honestly the last I saw of him other than on various projects throughout the rest of the 90's.
Had to look him up and he's quit comics as of 2000 and has gone on to have a successful career as a fine art painter. Hmm.