Spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned.

Detective Comics came out of the #1000 gate swinging with the news that the Arkham Knight was making their introduction to comic books. A hugely popular video game character, Arkham Knight has been an enigma since they were introduced. We’ve learned a few details, but in issue #1004 we get the full back story.

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Issue #1004 opens with Batman and Damian reading a scroll written by Arkham Knight aka Astrid Arkham after her father gives it to them.

As they read the scrolls we learn Astrid’s father fell in love with a fellow doctor working at Arkham Asylum and eventually couldn’t take a break from her work and had a baby…during a riot. Because Astrid’s mother was so kind however, Joker and other big-time Batman rogues helped with her birth.

Sadly, during the kerfuffle, the mother dies due to a Batarang. Don’t worry, it wasn’t Batman who threw it.

As you might know, a parent dying can set in motion a superhero’s motivation to become better. We learn she grew up in Arkham sneaking about and palling around with villains like Joker, which certainly influenced her.

Astrid soon learns how her mother dies and that sets her on a mission of revenge. It’s not unlike Bruce becoming a master fighter.

Which brings us up to speed on where Astrid aka Akrham Knight is and how badly she wants to kill Batman.

That’s only a fraction of the story though and I highly recommend you read the whole issue, out today.