Y'see, after death, life becomes precious--and I don't like stealing even a minute of it. 
- — Deadman
Batman #530 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1996.
Synopsis for "Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon"
Batman investigates a crimewave relating to ancient Inca artifacts. His investigation leads him to a pawn shop where a transaction of stolen Inca relics is being held. He enters the pawn shop and neutralizes most of the crooks including the shop owner. One of the thugs gets possesed by some spirit that forces the man to kill himself. Batman can't stop him and the man's last words are: "Death...to the Defilers of Amaru". Batman ties up the thugs and calls the police.
A few moments later, two more thugs outside the pawn shop plan to break and enter from the back door of the shop but there is a third man ready to shoot both thieves. Deadman witnessed the scene and possessed the third's man body to prevent him from killing the other two; but as he did, the thieves realized the man's presence and shot him. One of the thieves recognizes the man as a past fellow thief and remembers that he used to have a map of some kind with him. When the pair of thieves are about to search the man, Deadman who is in control of the body, grabs them and they run scared of the "living dead". At that moment the GCPD arrive at the scene and they apprehend the two thieves and they check the inside of the pawn shop.
Batman answers the batsignal call and discusses the Inca connection crimes with Commissioner Gordon. Meanwhile, Deadman notices that the man he possessed is still alive but just barely. He feels guilty for the man's life so he possesses the body again and takes him to a hospital but it is too late. Deadman then decides that he needs the body so he can interact with other people and he possesses the body and goes to seek Batman.
Batman is in the batcave pondering the Inca connection when Deadman manifests himself physically with great effort and briefly explains to Batman what happened. Batman then allows Deadman in the batcave using the dead man's body. They realize that they were after the same criminals and that they might need to work together. Batman checks the dead man's body and finds the map as a tattoo on the man's back. It is a map of Peru showing a specific location. Batman and Deadman decide to travel to Peru.
Meanwhile in Peru, a gangster named Killeen is stealing all the silver and gold relics from an Inca settlement near Machu Picchu. Killeen is the mastermind behind the crimes and is using the Incas as slaves to carry the relics. He is planning to kill them all when they are of no use to him.
Appearing in "Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon"
Featured Characters:
- Batman (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Deadman (Flashback and main story)
- James Gordon
Antagonists:
- Jackson Killeen (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Gotham City
- GCPD Headquarters
- Batcave
- Wiesel's Pawn Shop
- Peru
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This is the first part of the three part story named The Deadman Connection. The story continues in Batman #531.
- There was a special edition of the issue. It featured a glow-in-the-dark cover art.
- This issue is reprinted in Batman by Doug Moench & Kelley Jones Volume 1 and in Batman: Contagion.
Trivia
- There are references to historial figures as Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortés related with the Spanish conquest.
- There are references to the Inca Empire such as the deity Viracocha; the last Inca ruler Túpac Amaru and the world famous ruins of the city of Machu Picchu.
See Also