Comic Title: Detective Comics Annual #1
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 1988
On Sale Date: May 24, 1988 Shipping Date May 24, 1988
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #756, #758, #760

Shipping Date May 17, 1988
Source: Direct Currents, #4

Copyright Date May 24, 1988
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1988

Shipping Date May 26, 1988
Source: Amazing Heroes, #139

Newsstand Date June 7, 1988
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #756, #758, #760

Cover Price: $1.50
Page Count: 48
Editor: Mike Gold

Title: "The Monkey Trap"
Pages: 38

Feature(s):
Batman (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Dennis J. O'Neil
Penciller: Klaus Janson
Inker: Tony DeZuniga
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Reprinted In:
Batman:The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 2 TPB (2018)
Question by Dennis O'Neil and Denys Cowan Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2022)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Batman #423; next appearance in Green Arrow Annual #1)

Guest Star(s)

• Lady Shiva (last appearance in Question #2; next appearance in Green Arrow Annual #1)

Supporting Character(s)

• Talia (last appearance in Batman:Son of the Demon HC; no further appearances)
• Alfred Pennyworth (last appearance in Batman #423; next appearance in Green Arrow Annual #1)

Villain(s)

• Ra's Al Ghul (last appearance in Batman:Son of the Demon HC; no further appearances)
• Penguin (last appearance in Batman:The Killing Joke #1; next appearance in Batman #433)
• A crew of pirates (no further appearances)
• Shoe and the Perfesser (no further appearances)
• Penguin's henchmen (no further appearances)
• Ibn (a former employee of Ra's; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Two orphanage robbers (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Question (last appearance in Question #19; next appearance in Question Annual #1)

Other Character(s)

• A sensei (a former Japanese soldier; next appearance in Green Arrow Annual #1)
• A chinese monk (dies in flashback; no further appearances)
• An unnamed doctor and a coroner (no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Thomas Wayne (in Batman's memory)
• Martha Wayne (in Batman's memory)
• Joe Chill (in Batman's memory)

Comments:
Fables Part I

This story continues in part in Green Arrow Annual #1.

Synopsis:
Almost 100 years ago, a chinese monk is killed dishonorably by a Japanese soldier. The soldier pledges to take the monk's place. Decades later, the soldier, now a sensei, is taken to America by Lady Shiva to deliver wisdom to three individuals. Shiva makes contact with the Question and asks him to set up a meeting with Batman. Sage makes a cryptic post on a computer bulletin board which is monitored by Batman.

Batman arrives for the meet. Shiva tests him with her martial arts skill before being told to stand down by the sensei. He tells Batman about a monkey who is trapped because he refuses to let go of a banana. He tells Batman that if the wisdom of the parable helps him, the detective owes him a favor.

Batman then meets Talia who has come to Gotham after one of Ra's Al Ghul's scientists has sold a deadly formula to the Penguin. The formula kills only women and children. When Batman and Talia take down the Penguin she is injected with the poison. Batman saves her life by having doctors inject her with testosterone. She offers to stay with him, but Bruce like the monkey is trapped in his own crusade and will not change.

Batman later posts a response on the message board telling the sensei that he will pay the debt owed.