Gotham City has endured much through its dark, twisted history, and even the cosmic changes wrought by the Crisis on Infinite Earths couldn't give the town a fresh start--the grime is in its DNA. The Crisis did, though, allow for the reintroduction of familiar foes, albeit with a fresh take on the Caped Crusader featuring a back-to-basics approach to crime-fighting. Criminals don't always wear a colorful costumes: some just stalk the shadows with sinister plots and evil intentions. A new threat, a fearsome assassin known as the KGBeast, is prowling the streets of Gotham City and he's out to dismantle America's Strategic Defense Initiative. After saving the United States government, Batman must then solve the mystery of ten murdered women before the killer claims even more victims! An all-star cast of talent, led by writer Jim Starlin ( Batman: The Cult, Mystery In Space ) and the dynamic art duo of Jim Aparo ( The Brave and The Bold, Batman & The Outsiders ) and Mike DeCarlo ( The Legion Of Super-Heroes ), present Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1 , collecting Batman #417-425 and #430-431 and Batman Annual #12! Don't miss out on the companion series, Batman: The Dark Knight Detective , to chronicle all of Batman's post-Crisis adventures!