DETECTIVE COMICS #485 ART by DON NEWTON and DAN ADKINS-

Original artwork for Detective Comics #485 page 17 (DC, 1979) by the late great Don Newton (pencils) and his finest finisher, Dan Adkins (inks). Superb action scene from, "The Vengeance Vow," which features all three main players; The Batman, the Bronze-Tiger and the evil Sensei. The Sensei, leader of the League of Assassins, has orchestrated a match between martial arts masters the Batman and the Bronze Tiger - to the death! During this intense contest, Batman is ambushed from the sidelines with a toxic dart and must take his antidote in haste before succumbing to the poison. Batman accuses the Bronze Tiger of rank treachery, but the equally surprised Tiger emphatically denies any subterfuge. The stoic Sensei also denies giving any such order and immediately punishes the perpetrator with a perfectly placed dagger to his heart. The Sensei then orders his students to dispose of the Batman who lays prostrate and helpless with the Bronze Tiger still in shock at this devious deed.

Again, this page is from the classic tale, "The Vengeance Vow," which stands as one of the very finest Batman stories of the entire Bronze-Age that featured the death of the original Batwoman (Kathy Kane). Batman vows to avenge her murder and tracks down the Sensi and his League of Assassins with the unlikely aid of his old arch nemesis, Ra's Al Ghul. All in all, this is visual storytelling at its apex with intelligent and intriguing script by seasoned scribe Denny ONeil and outstanding artwork by one of the most talented, and yet, still underrated artists' to ever grace Batman - Don Newton with those wonderful finishes by his very best inker, Dan Adkins!