Four new stories, four different writers and graphics teams, this entertaining tetralogy takes us back to Batman's first encounters with four troubled terrorists in the very first year of his crimefighting career. A naive, young Dark Knight, served by the already sardonic butler Alfred, becomes entangled with the flowery but fatal Poison Ivy, rattles a young Riddler (one E. Nigma desperate for credibility), turns the tables by scaring The Scarecrow, and meets Man-Bat, a giant flying rodent with whom he feels "an odd kinship". As the Batman learns what's missing from his utility belt, he shows a bright side and an understanding compassion for the four supervillains all of whom have troubled pasts that lead them to the darkside - and ultimately Arkham Asylum for the criminally insane. These are the stories of their origins and the tragedies which make them tick, told with intelligence, wit and emphasis on the detective work. Meet also a certain Lieutant Gordon on the fast track to promotion, and the Riddler's wild, athletic accomplices, Query and Echo (" What has measurements of 36-24-36-44 Magnum?").