Batman: Curse of the White Knight wraps later this month with issue #8 of the DC Black Label series featuring the brutal final showdown between two Bats—Bruce Wayne and Azrael. In writer and illustrator Sean Murphy’s thought-provoking series, the Avenging Angel has been manipulated by the Joker into becoming a deadly threat intent on taking control of Gotham City.

“I love working with Black Label because I'm allowed to do things with Bruce that have never been done before,” says Murphy. “In the last issue, Bruce makes a decision that will change the rest of his life and change the course of Gotham forever. The final (battle) between Batman and Azrael is literally a sword wielding duel that might leave one of them dead.”

But how did things get to this point? Here’s a look at Azrael’s most heinous actions in Murphy’s Batman: White Knight sequel.


Azrael Destroys the Batcave
Batman: Curse of the White Knight #2

The attack is coming from inside the house! Azrael hacks into the Batcave’s security system to turn Batman’s own weapons against him.


Azrael Drops Jim Gordon off a Building
Batman: Curse of the White Knight #3

Azrael makes Gordon’s already-bad day much, much worse, by stabbing him and dropping him off a ledge.


Azrael Frees the Joker from Arkham Asylum
Batman: Curse of the White Knight #5

Now equipped in his own armored Batsuit, Azrael storms New Arkham, freeing the Joker after killing his fellow inmates in a bloody rampage.
 

Batman: Curse of the White Knight #8, written and illustrated by Sean Murphy, is on sale March 25 in print and as a digital download.