We open back up this month to Azrael, to someones inner monologue saying that this day Father Grieve ( the bald-headed dude from last issue), is about to die in a way few others have. Then we cut to Azrael, telling Father Day that they have to stop the Crusader from killing Grieve. Day, who seems quite unmoved by this, simply states that in the Book of The Real Revelation the priest of darkness will have to submit to the warrior of light ( whatever that means). When Azrael questions this Day simply says asks if Azrael does not have total faith in the bible. He then asks again if he would deny the crucifixion of Christ.
Cutting back to the Crusader, we see him picking a knife from an array of levitating ones, and then tells Grieve that the pain will bring the person to divine exaltation and maybe see the face of God. Crusader then seemingly slits Grieve's face in two. From the other room Azrael hears the screams, and suddenly looses hope saying that since the Crusader can kill anyone he wants, why even try. Day, tells him to shake it off, and follow him to the shroud bellow in the Chapel of Mary Magdalene. There day explains that unlike Mary mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene , was misrepresented. Her name linked to asylums, called Magdalene Laundries, housed for young women who where impregnated outside of marriage. There the women were forced to work. Day then continues to say that Mary Magdalene was the "lover" of Christ. Azrael is angered by this, stating in his inner monologue that Day is falling into a trap from these lies. Then Day takes out the shroud and shows Azrael Christ's imprinted face in it.
We flash briefly back to the Crusader and Grieve, where the Crusader is cutting Grieve loose, and Grieve looks at his skinned hands. We flash back to Azrael and Day where Azrael tells Day that the shroud must be destroyed. Day seems to ignore him and tells him that they must escape through the back door. We then cut back to Crusader and Grieve where the Crusader turns Grieve's skinned, but still alive body over (that's comics for you). The Crusader then tells Grieve that he is vain and that vanity must be stripped away, so he basically skins his face off and asks where the shroud is. We cut to Azrael and Day escaping through the back, they find that the bridge is gone. Day says they must go back to the chapel. Then Azrael does the most humanizing thing I've ever seen him do. He admits his fear, but before he can even finish, Crusader breaks in ,and asks Day where the shroud is. Suddenly Azrael questions if Crusader truly does not believe in the shroud and the Crusader answers " yes". Azrael asks if he wants to put his faith to the test and the fight. Then Azrael does the best thing he's ever done in the series, he stabs the Crusader. Taken a back, the Crusader says that Azrael is God's warrior. He then asks to see the shroud and when he does he falls out a window and dies. Then Grieve tells Azrael the shroud was made for one descendant of Christ, and that's the end of the issue.
Overall I enjoyed the issue, though it's not the best Batman book ever, I love the mystery and this may have been the most satisfying fate for the Crusader. I am excited to see where Azrael goes from here, and hope to actually get back into the Batman Universe. The art is good as always, and overall it was a fun issue.
Azrael #13:
Reviewed by Wesley
