Batman: Death of Innocents

Batman
Cover of Batman: Death of Innocents: the Horror of Landmines (1996)
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Superhero
Main character(s)	Bruce Wayne/Batman
Creative team
Writer(s)	Dennis O'Neil
Penciller(s)	Joe Staton
Inker(s)	Bill Sienkiewicz
Letterer(s)	John Costanza
Colorist(s)	Ian Laughlin
Creator(s)	Bob Kane Bill Finger

Batman: Death of Innocents: the Horror of Landmines is a "landmine awareness" and "humanitarian comic book" published by DC Comics in 1996. The graphic novel was authored by Dennis O'Neil, Joe Staton, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Ian Laughlin. O'Neill wrote the story, Staton was the penciller, Sienkiewicz was the letterer, and Laughlin was the colorist.^[1] The purpose for publishing this particular Batman comic book was to teach the people of the United States regarding the dangers and consequences of landmines worldwide, left active in countries that had been under war. The publication of this Batman comic book title was influenced by two other similarly themed comic books featuring Superman and Wonder Woman, namely Superman: Deadly Legacy and Superman and Wonder Woman - the Hidden Killer (both were intended for readers who are outside the United States, particularly Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Bosnia, the Former Yugoslavia, and Kosovo).^[1][2]

Description

Batman: Death of Innocents has two parts. The first part is the story about Batman's battle against a formidable enemy – the landmines. The second part is composed of essays written by people who had personal experiences with landmines.

Description and summary

Although the comic book does not mention the publisher's stance regarding the morality of any war, Batman: Death of Innocents tackles how Bruce Wayne – as Batman – goes to Kravia, a fictitious country that experienced a civil war.^[2] Batman learned that one of his Wayne Enterprises (also known as WayneCorp,^[1] a company owned by Bruce Wayne) staff – named Ted Orbley – was killed by a landmine that was placed on the road by anti-Kravian government rebels.^[1][2] Before the tragic event, Ted Orbley brought with him to Kravia his daughter (Sarah Orbley) and a friend of his daughter (Mariska). Ted Orbley was working on an irrigation project for Wayne Enterprises.^[2] Ted Orbley was not the only who died in the explosion, Mariska was also killed by the blast. Sarah was left alone in Kravia in the hands of rebels.^[1] Ted Orbley’s wife meets with Bruce Wayne and that Sarah Orbley be rescued by Wayne Enterprises. Batman searches for Sarah. Batman finds her. But while Batman and Sarah are waiting for an air transport that will pick them up and take them out of Kravia, Sarah picks up a toy on the ground that is similar to a yo-yo. However, the toy is not a yo-yo. The plaything is actually a landmine, designed to look like a toy. Sarah dies from the explosion.^[1] The narrator in the comic book Alfred Pennyworth – who is Batman's (and Bruce Wayne's) butler, assistant, confidant, legal guardian, and surrogate father figure – explains to readers the dangers of landmines.^[1]

See also

• Superman: Deadly Legacy
• Superman and Wonder Woman - the Hidden Killer
• Mine action
• Mine clearance agencies
• International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Xtreme Holofoil Edition: Batman: Death of Innocents". Comic Book Revolution. http://comicbookrevolution.net/index.php/reviews/dc/826-xtreme-holofoil-edition-batman-death-of-innocents-. Retrieved 13 July 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Friedman, Herb. "Batman: Death of Innocents: the horror of landmines". Comic Book Psyop (Psywarrior). http://www.psywarrior.com/PsyopComics.html. Retrieved 11 July 2011.