Armless Master

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The Armless Master
The Armless Master. Art from Catwoman Annual #2, art by Jim Balent
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	(novel) Knightfall Part II
In story information
Alter ego	Unknown
Team affiliations	Catwoman
Abilities	None, but a world-class martial artist and superb sensei

The Armless Master is a fictional character in the DC Universe. He was a martial arts master that first appeared in the Knightfall story arc.

[edit] Fictional character biography

During Selina Kyle's first burglary, as detailed in Catwoman: Year One, she is confronted by the ninja who later takes the name of Hellhound. He lures her back to a local Gotham dojo, ruled by the Armless Master. There, both are taught martial arts.

Years later, he is slain by the martial arts expert Lady Shiva, who frames Batman for the deed. This results in Batman, recovering from injuries, being retrained for combat by being forced to battle the Armless Master's students.

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[edit] The Master of the Iron Hand

The Master of the Iron Hand
The Master of the Iron Hand, art by Staz Johnson
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Robin # 49 (1998)
Created by	Staz Johnson Chuck Dixon
In story information
Abilities	None, but a world-class martial artist and superb sensei

In Robin #49, Tim Drake (Robin) journeyed to France searching for martial arts instruction, and joined the dojo of the Master of the Iron Hand. The Iron Master taught both Robin and a young female student named Dava, who had come to him because she wished to learn his most feared technique, "The Whispering Hand". Dava, small but fast, had realized years earlier that she would have to end fights quickly if she was to be effective, and had become a master of "single blow techniques", attacks that could end a fight with a single move. Dava's mastery of these techniques had drawn the attention of Lady Shiva (earlier Dava had used her skills to kill the crew of a ship carrying weapons intended to kill the people of her homeland). Shiva, in her guise as the Tengu, arrived at the Iron Master's dojo seeking Dava. Dava, however, had left upon learning the Whispering Hand technique, and the Iron Master refused to give his student's identity or location. Robin, realizing that there was nothing he could do against Shiva, agreed to the Iron Master's wish to face Shiva alone. The Iron Master revealed that the Armless Master, who had been killed by Shiva (as the Tengu), had been his brother. Shiva recognized this, stating that the brothers had been legends in the Thai fighting circuits. At this point it was revealed that the Iron Master had no legs, and had once been known as the Legless Master, as his brother had been the Armless Master. He did battle with Shiva, but was defeated and killed, never revealing Dava's identity or location.

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.