Comic Title: Detective Comics Annual #3
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: 1990
On Sale Date: September 18, 1990 Shipping Date September 18, 1990
Source: Previews, #19

Shipping Date September 18, 1990
Source: Amazing Heroes, #183

Direct Market Date September 18, 1990
Source: Comic Shop News, #162, Page 2

Direct Market Date September 20, 1990
Source: Comic Shop News, #167, #168

Copyright Date October 2, 1990
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1990

Frequency: Annually
Cover Price: $2.00
Page Count: 64
Editor: Dennis J. O'Neil

Title: "Obligation"
Pages: 56

Feature(s):
Batman (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Archie Goodwin
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Dick Giordano
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Reprinted In:
Tales of the Batman:Archie Goodwin HC (2013)
Batman:The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 5 TPB (2021)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Detective Comics #624; next appearance in Batman 3-D SC)

Villain(s)

• Noboru Yamada (a japanese businessman; no further appearances)
• Mitsuru Chobei (a Yakuza boss; no further appearances)
• Tsunetomo (dies in this story; last appearance in Detective Comics #599; no further appearances)
• Jiro Oka (a Yakuza soldier; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Several Yakuza soldiers (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Mark Cord (a police detective; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Rachel Cord (Mark's daughter; no further appearances)
• Michi Sasuke and her son (a japanese woman and Mark's son; no further appearances)
• Lewis Cord (Mark's father; in flashback; no further appearances)
• A bath house owner (no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Thomas Wayne (in flashback to his death)
• Martha Wayne (in flashback to her death)
• Joe Chill (in flashback)

Synopsis:
Batman witnesses police detective Mark Cord leaving his severed finger on the grave of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Cord explains that years ago his father avoided a mugger who moments later killed Bruce Wayne's parents. Lewis Cord felt an obligation to Bruce which he passed on to his son. Cord has betrayed the obligation by giving security plans to the Yakuza who want to kill Wayne. Batman stops the Yakuza, but Cord is fatally wounded in the encounter.

Cord explains that he spent time in Japan and developed a friendship with Jiro Oka, who was employed by the Yakuza. He also fell in love with Mishi Sasuke. Oka protected Cord and went to prison. When Oka showed up recently in Gotham, Cord provided the security details due to his past obligations. Now, Oka is dead. At the hospital, Cord's daughter Rachel wants answers about her father's past.

Batman travels to Japan and calls off his meeting with Noburu Yamada. They had a business deal which made Bruce a target. Rachel has also come to Japan where she encounters Mitsuru Chobei, the Yakuza leader. Batman rescues her. He then tracks down Mishi Sasuke. In the process, Batman crosses path with Tsunetomo, a martial arts master who trained Bruce Wayne. The master is now working for Chobei. He fights Batman in order to learn if the student has surpassed the teacher. He also wants to die in combat, rather than from the cancer which will soon take his life.

Batman defeats Tsunetomo. He then saves Rachel and Michi from Yamada, who was looking for Michi's son. The boy, now a caretaker, is also the son of Mark Cord. When the Yakuza and Yamada are stopped, Bruce Wayne arranges for Michi and her son to come to America.