Batman #349 Art by Gene Colan

Dala, striking a stunning statuesque form in the open window, looks out into the gloomy distance with a silent longing, wistfully lost in a recollection of a foreboding past, perhaps best left forgotten. A bolt of lightning suddenly illuminates her breathtaking beauty, her visage radiating with a subtle supernatural sophistication and other worldly confidence that belies a dark and diabolical intent. With an uncanny calm, she turns to address her most famous captive, Robin the Teen-Wonder, tied up to a chair and gagged. She reminisces about her distant childhood spent in New Orleans, nearly forgetting about her helpless captive, whom she had so easily spellbound with her irresistible charms via an intense sexual seduction of not only Dick Grayson's physical body, but his very soul and as well. Like a lioness ready to devour her prey, Dala bends over her silent captive and caress his cheek, whispering to him, "Poor Dick. Poor Robin. You must thing I'm Mad."

This scene, rich with profound subtext and mystery, reveals that Dala knows Robin's secret identity, and thus, Batman's as well. A masterpiece epic supernatural saga, which spanned over eight riveting issues, beginning in Detective Comics #511 and continuing throughout in issues #515 and 517 and Batman #345-346, 349-351. Most of the issues were illustrated by Colan with a few being drawn by the late, great Don Newton. These issues reintroduced Batman's very first costumed super-villain, The Monk and his assistant, Dala to the Batman mythos. Characters who had not been utilized and any story since their very first introduction, way, way back in Detective Comics #31 and #32 (September/ October, 1939), originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bob Kane. Conway's tale proved an excellent updated version of the original tale and its intriguing characters, one which was every bit as tantalizing, complex and dramatic epic clash between good and evil as Gardner and Bob’s first foray more than eight decades ago.