Batman: The Cult #2 (DC Comics 1988)

Batman: The Cult #2 (DC Comics 1988) advances the four-issue miniseries with the standalone chapter “Capture,” scripted by Jim Starlin and rendered by Bernie Wrightson. Released in the publisher’s prestige format, this second installment marks a pivotal turning point where Batman is drugged and systematically influenced by Deacon Joseph Blackfire’s religious movement.

The issue operates as the narrative bridge between the cult’s initial infiltration and its eventual full-scale takeover of Gotham. Starlin’s dialogue maps Bruce Wayne’s psychological fragmentation, while Wrightson’s interior pencils and matching cover artwork establish a heavy, atmospheric contrast to typical caper-driven titles. Bill Wray’s coloring, Todd Klein’s lettering, and Dennis O’Neil’s editorial oversight complete a production team widely recognized for pushing mainstream superhero storytelling into mature thematic territory.

Creative & Publication Details

• Series Position: Book Two of Four-Issue Limited Run
• Writer: Jim Starlin
• Artist & Cover Artist: Bernie Wrightson
• Colorist: Bill Wray
• Letterer: Todd Klein
• Editor: Dennis O’Neil
• Publisher: DC Comics
• Release Year: 1988
• Printing Format: Prestige Issue

Select this specific vintage edition to anchor your DC archive. The issue delivers the crucial character degradation sequence before the miniseries concludes, offering collectors a focused narrative segment without supplemental anthology material.