| Issue | #1 |
| Published | November 1989 |
| Cover Price | 1.50 USD |
| Pages | 40 |
| Editing | Andrew Helfer; Kevin Dooley (assistant editor) |
| Notes | This issue alone had a double cover (8 pages). The outer front cover came in four colors. The data on this line refers to the inner front cover, which is more in line with subsequent front covers. Dean Motter did the cover design and logo for this first arc. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Pencils | Ed Hannigan (c); George Pratt (painting) (c) (s) |
| Inks | George Pratt (painting) (c) (s) |
| Colors | George Pratt (painting) (c) (s) |
| Notes | This issue alone had a double cover (8 pages). The outer front cover came in four colors. The data on this line refers to the inner front cover, which is more in line with subsequent front covers. Dean Motter did the cover design and logo for this first arc. |
| Script | Andrew Helfer? |
| Notes | The writer explains the logic behind the double cover and importance of the debut of a new Batman solo book, the first since 1940. This appears on the inside front (outer) cover. |
| Characters | INTRO: Thomas Woodley (villain), a tribal Shaman and his daughter. |
| Synopsis | Bruce Wayne (pre-Batman) studies with a bounty hunter tracking a criminal in Alaska. He is saved by a Shaman who tells him a story about a bat and a raven, while wearing a ceremonial bat-mask. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | Dennis O'Neil |
| Pencils | Ed Hannigan (c) |
| Inks | John Beatty (c) |
| Colors | Richmond Lewis |
| Letters | John Costanza |
| Notes | The Batman Year One story is expanded a bit in this storyline. |
| Reprinted | in Batman: Shaman (DC, 1993 series) #[nn] |
| Genre | Horror |
| Notes | This is a poster for the movie Shocker from Wes Craven. |