The Dark Knight: Batman Crashes the Black Masquerade

By Sean Tulien and Luciano Vecchio

BRUCE WAYNE’S masquerade ball for charity is crashed by none other than the BLACK MASK. He and FALSE FACE SOCIETY members rob the guests, steal the charitable donations, and then kidnap COMISSIONER GORDON. Without the Commissioner's help, the DARK KNIGHT is left to take on the entire criminal underworld on his own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Jun 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781434263735

Sean Tulien

Sean Tulien is a writer and editor from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He loves writing about playful characters, underdogs, and nerd culture—and has a soft spot for animals of all kinds. When he's not writing comics for kids, Sean enjoys reading, hiking, lifting heavy things, spoiling his rescue rabbit, and beating ultra-difficult video games.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

MISSING MASK

CHING! Two-Face flipped his coin into the air with his thumb. The metallic sound echoed through the cool night. CHING! CHING! He flipped the coin again and again. His patience was wearing thin.

Would you please stop tossing that cursed coin of yours, Two-Face? the Penguin chirped. It’s driving me cuckoo.

Two-Face grunted, then carefully pocketed his precious coin. He pulled back his coat sleeve and checked his watch.

Where is Black Mask? Two-Face growled. He was supposed to be here by 6:30, and it’s nearly a quarter past seven.

The Penguin scanned the area, taking in all of the assorted criminals he and Two-Face commanded. There were at least thirty hardened crooks and thugs there, all of them loyal to their respective bosses. But Black Mask and his masked henchmen hadn’t arrived yet.

I admit, Penguin began, I am concerned. This meeting was Black Mask’s idea, so there’s no reason he’d be late. Unless . . .

A sinister scowl crawled across the Penguin’s lips. He glared at Two-Face. I smell a rat, he croaked.

Two-Face reached out and grabbed the Penguin by his collar with both hands.

Who you callin’ a rat, bird-brain?! Two-Face yelled, lifting the villain off the ground.

AWK! AWK! The Penguin squawked and squirmed under the stronger man’s grip. Several members of the Penguin’s gang stepped forward, raising their fists. Seeing this, Two-Face’s men stepped up as well.

As Two-Face glanced at the advancing troops, the Penguin kicked Two-Face in the kneecap with the heel of his boot.

OW! Two-Face yelled.

The Penguin scrambled free from Two-Face and then pointed his umbrella at him. Get him! he cried.

A moment later, both of the gangsters’ crews were battling in an all-out brawl.

SMACK! POW! SLAM!

From the cover of a nearby rooftop, the Dark Knight watched the madness unfold. He scanned the horizon, looking for Black Mask and his men. I can’t wait any longer, the hero said to himself.

Batman threw himself off the rooftop and soared down to join the fight.

CLICK-SNAP! The Dark Knight flipped down his night-vision goggles and activated them. Speeding toward the ground, the hero aimed himself directly for Two-Face and the Penguin.

Below, the criminals were too busy punching and kicking each other to notice Batman’s