Natural Predators is the second issue of Nextwave's Batman.
Transcript[]
Four criminals are seen robbing a bank. One criminal is a shorter man in a fuzzy outfit, one has a black mark over his eyes, another is a woman in green, and the final is the girl in the hood.
- Short Man: How long does it take for him to show up?
- Green Woman: However long it takes for the police to call him.
- Black-Eyed Man: He can take as long as he wants for all I care. I'm getting good pickings.
- Green Woman: We're not here to steal everything we see.
- ???: Is that so?
Nightwing jumps down from the shadows and reveals himself.
- Nightwing: Cause it feels like that's exactly what you're doing.
- Short Man: Damn it, you're not Batman! we got the other one!
- Nightwing: Well, no I'm not Batman. But trust me when I say I'm the next best thing.
- ???: Oh, I couldn't agree more!
The criminals' leader is revealed to be hanging from the large lights above and stares down at Nightwing.
- Leader: True, you're not the Batman, but we could still use you to send one hell of a message. But I'm not a man without manners so allow me to introduce myself.
He jumps down from the light.
- Hawk: My name is Hawk. My short friend is Weasel. The man with charcoal on his face is Raccoon. The lovely yet deadly girl is Snake. And last but certainly not least, my daughter, Owl. We are the Natural Predators of the Bat. So a baby bat such as yourself will be child's play for us. Let’s play, shall we?
Hawk pulls out a spear, Snake pulls out a pair of hand blades, Owl takes her sniper rifle off her back, Weasel takes out a dagger, and finally, Raccoon takes out a rope attached to a small scythe. Nightwing takes out his arnis sticks and charges towards the group. He puts up a relatively good fight but is sadly shot in the arm by Owl and is then beaten horribly by the rest of the members, ending in Hawk stabbing his spear right beside Nightwing's head.
- Hawk: Don't start what you can't finish, boy. The only reason you're alive right now is to spread a message. Tell Batman, Batgirl, Batwoman, the whole entire goddamn bat entourage... that we're coming. And blood’s gonna shed.
They disappear and later that day, Nightwing is taken out of the bank and is placed on a hospital bed about to be taken to the hospital. Batman jumps from on top of a building beside Nightwing.
- Batman: I heard the news a minute ago, I came as fast as I could. What happened?
- Nightwing: They call themselves the Natural Predators. Their members are Hawk, Owl, Snake, Weasel, and Raccoon... Owl's a little girl... don't let that fool you. She shot my arm...
- Batman: You, nurse.
- Nurse: Yes?
- Batman: Can you promise me you won't take off his mask?
- Nurse: Of course, sir.
- Nightwing: Batman. They said they're going to kill you...
- Batman: Everyone with even the smallest of criminal records wants to kill me. And I'm still standing.
- Nightwing: I know, it’s just that I think they might succeed.
- Batman: ...Let them try...
Later in the Batcave, Bruce is looking at footage of Dick's fight, zooming in on the members of the Natural Predators and trying to see if the Batcomputer has any record of them. Alfred stands by.
- Alfred: Anything yet?
- Bruce: The Batcomputer has over a thousand different records, profiles, and pictures of people in it. And it can not link a single one of them to a member of this group. That either means they somehow erased their profiles from the internet or they were born somewhere the Batcomputer has no record of. Both possibilities have very slim chances.
- Alfred: Nothing at all that helps?
- Bruce: According to the computer, their leader used some Gotham slang so we know they at least know someone from Gotham but that doesn't help all that much. The best way I could get information out of them is to interrogate a member.
- Alfred: And how are you going to do that?
The Batcomputer sounds an alarm and shows live footage of the Natural Predators attacking Gotham.
- Bruce: That should make things easier.
Bruce gets in the Batmobile and drives off while the Natural Predators continue their attack. Weasel looks out in the distance and suddenly jumps as the Batmobile speeds just below him, stopping as Batman jumps out of it and reveals himself to the group.
- Hawk: Batman! I knew you'd come! much like moths and flames, criminal activity draws you close!
- Batman: Which one are you?
- Hawk: I am Hawk. I'm the leader of this small band of... well, I suppose you'd call us "supervillains".
- Batman: So you're aware that what you're doing is wrong and you're still doing it.
- Hawk: Look on the bright side, I'm honest. Unlike you, I've done my research on you Bat. Your secrets have secrets. You have protocols on how to take down members of the Justice League. It's amazing you're still one of their members after you told them that.
- Batman: Enough talking.
- Hawk: You're right. Everyone, back off.
He pulls out his spear.
- Hawk: I'd like to fight this battle alone.
The two charge at each other, ready to fight when, out of nowhere, Raccoon kicks Batman in the chin and knocks him to the floor. Batman gets back up, wiping a small amount of blood off his mouth.
- Batman: Whatever happened to the honor system?
- Hawk: It died a slow and painful death, my friend.
Hawk runs up to Batman and attempts to kick him but Bruce grabs his leg and throws him through the air, getting back on his feet before being snuck up on by Snake, who scratches his back. Bruce turns to her.
- Snake: poison-tipped claws. It kills white blood cells.
Instantly, Bruce pulls out a thin cylinder-shaped object and uses it to inject something into his neck.
- Batman: Omni-antivenom. Cures all known poisons.
- Snake: How the hell do you have that?
- Batman: I'm Batman.
- Hawk: And I hunt bats!
Hawk jumps through the air and tackles Batman. Once they get back up, Weasel jumps in and kicks Batman in the arm so badly it pops it out of its socket. Batman looks down at his arm, which is hanging loose as Raccoon charges towards him. Bruce uses his good arm to grab him smack him into a wall before grabbing his arm and popping it back into place. Instantly after this, Bruce is shot at by Owl, with him ducking behind a corner as Owl begins following him.
- Hawk: That's daddy's little monster.
Hawk pulls out a bomb and throws it at Batman's location. It blows up and instantly afterward, Hawk is grabbed from behind by Batman, who begins using him as a human shield against the other Natural Predators.
- Hawk: Ah yes, I've heard so much about your disappearing abilities! you're able to go left and suddenly appear to someone's right! how fun it is! but sadly for you, that means now I can do this!
Hawk raises his foot into the air, a spike popping out of the heel of his boot as he kicks Batman in the leg, causing him to bleed. Batman screams in pain and Hawk breaks free of his grasp. Instantly afterward, he begins beating Batman. He punches him over and over, Batman bleeding from his mouth and nose. He ends it with one last punch as the Natural Predators all crowd around Hawk, laying on top of the beaten Batman.
- Hawk: Huff... puff... I... I'm not going to kill you, Batman. I want you to know that.
Bruce attempts to raise his hand, but it is pinned down when Snake steps on it.
- Hawk: ...No... I'm not going to kill you. What I want to do to you is far worse than anyone in this city could imagine. I'm going to strip you of your title. If I killed you, you'd die a symbol. And that's what you want to be. A symbol. But if I took that title away from you then you'd be left with nothing. So instead... I'm going to reveal your biggest... and darkest secret...
Hawk pulls Batman up to his face.
- Hawk: ...Bruce... Wayne...
Hawk drops Batman down again.
- Hawk: I've been trying to draw you out to tell you that...
Hawk briefly lifts Batman's mask.
- Hawk: I wanted to see the look on your face.
- Snake: We're coming.
- Weasel: We're coming.
- Raccoon: We're coming.
- Hawk: ...We're here.
Hawk puts Bruce's mask back on and walks away with the rest of his gang, satisfied with his victory as Bruce slowly passes out.