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Batman: Shadow of the Bat (1992)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1
"The Last Arkham" part 1 includes the first appearances of Jeremiah Arkham and Victor Zsasz! Arkham Asylum has a new warden, Jeremiah Arkham, nephew of the asylum's founder Amadeus. He has big plans for Gotham's madhouse--like incarcerating Batman!
25 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 1992
About the author
Alan Grant
1,733 books146 followersAlan Grant was a Scottish comic book writer known for writing Judge Dredd in 2000 AD as well as various Batman titles during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the creator of the character Anarky.
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 18, 2023
A really cool intro to this series, looking forward to the next issue.
July 7, 2024
Welp, now I have to read Shadow of the Bat, 'cuz I'm really interested in this. I had no clue this was the first appearance of Vic Zsasz. Significantly later than The Question's Victor Szazs; on purpose? It's crazy just how many of DC's biggest villains Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle created in the 90's.
I got the Collector's Set version of this issue, so I now own the updated Arkham blueprint, a sweet pop-up, two posters, and a bookmark. Such a jackpot.
It's crazy that Michael Eury can say things like "then I went to lunch with Keith Giffen" and "then Mike Mignola walked in" and MEAN IT.
Anyways, great stuff! Excited to continue the series. I'm glad I'm not out of Grant/Breyfogle Batcomics.
I got the Collector's Set version of this issue, so I now own the updated Arkham blueprint, a sweet pop-up, two posters, and a bookmark. Such a jackpot.
It's crazy that Michael Eury can say things like "then I went to lunch with Keith Giffen" and "then Mike Mignola walked in" and MEAN IT.
Anyways, great stuff! Excited to continue the series. I'm glad I'm not out of Grant/Breyfogle Batcomics.
May 13, 2026
Haven’t picked this book up and read it since it came out, way back in 1992, so a long overdue re-read.
I remember it was quite exciting at the time as it was a new Bat book back in the days when they were still relatively rare (you had Batman, Detective, and Legends if memory serves).
I was also a fan of the Alan Grant/ Norm Breyfogle creative team, so what’s not to like?
The story itself is fine, dealing as it does with the renovation of Arkham Asylum by Jeremiah Arkham, but the nature of the twist we get by the end means the actual star of the book is barely in it. An odd choice for me.
It also has the first appearance of Victor Zsasz, doing his best Hannibal Lecter impression.
It still stands up pretty well, especially Breyfogle’s art and the Brian Stelfreeze cover.
I only dipped in here and there for the rest of the run, it was never an ‘essential’ book for me. Although Alan Grant was always a steady hand, I think the constant juggling of crossovers in this era meant the book lacked a little consistency, especially in the later issues.
I remember it was quite exciting at the time as it was a new Bat book back in the days when they were still relatively rare (you had Batman, Detective, and Legends if memory serves).
I was also a fan of the Alan Grant/ Norm Breyfogle creative team, so what’s not to like?
The story itself is fine, dealing as it does with the renovation of Arkham Asylum by Jeremiah Arkham, but the nature of the twist we get by the end means the actual star of the book is barely in it. An odd choice for me.
It also has the first appearance of Victor Zsasz, doing his best Hannibal Lecter impression.
It still stands up pretty well, especially Breyfogle’s art and the Brian Stelfreeze cover.
I only dipped in here and there for the rest of the run, it was never an ‘essential’ book for me. Although Alan Grant was always a steady hand, I think the constant juggling of crossovers in this era meant the book lacked a little consistency, especially in the later issues.
March 15, 2026
Got the first four issues of Batman: Shadow if the Bat, which includes the entire "The Last Arkham" storyline, at my local comic shop in celebration of Free Comic Book Day.
Dr. Jeremiah Arkham has the asylum practically rebuilt, upping security and wiping away the things of the past (when his uncle Amadeus Arkham ran the place before being committed himself). However, is his treatment really helping the patients? Does he really have their best interests in mind, or is he on a power trip?
Dr. Jeremiah Arkham has the asylum practically rebuilt, upping security and wiping away the things of the past (when his uncle Amadeus Arkham ran the place before being committed himself). However, is his treatment really helping the patients? Does he really have their best interests in mind, or is he on a power trip?
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews