[Abishai100]

This story captures a great deal of fascination for me in regards to Batman (DC Comics) and his work with the daunting challenges of prosecuting criminal insanity in Gotham City.

This story is also an homage to Batman films, since Batman has been the most heavily explored superhero on the big-screen.

Enjoy!


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Bruce Wayne looked at his calendar and noted his Friday afternoon meeting with the Gotham Environmentalism Foundation (GEF). He also realized he had a date with Selina Kyle on Friday evening at the chic Gotham restaurant Dorsys. Bruce had been pondering for some time now if he should tell Selina (whom he had begun to develop feelings of real love) that he was actually Gotham's masked vigilante Batman, a 'dark knight' who prowled the city streets at night trying to tackle the terrifying presence (always lingering) of criminal insanity.

Batman went into his 'bat-cave' and begun drawing up his computer files on Gotham's awful nemeses, criminally insane 'terrorists' who undermined basic pedestrian sensibilities regarding urban securities. Batman called his collection of files 'Faces of Darkness' (in reference to the orientations of evil that these nemeses created/presented). The files were of multiple 'ghouls,' some of whom Batman had befriended in some way or another as Bruce Wayne (Gotham's prominent socialite-businessman and CEO of Wayne Enterprises).

"SCARECROW --- a masked maniac wielding fear-toxins (possibly intends to poison Gotham's water)
TWO-FACE --- former Gotham DA Harvey Dent (my friend), disfigured/transformed into a hellish punisher
JOKER --- a clownish terrorist who seems to believe crime is somehow 'funny'
PENGUIN --- a ghoulish sewer-dwelling crime-master who may plan to kidnap the mayor
POISON IVY --- a beautiful but dangerous botanist-turned-ecoterrorist (and once my girlfriend)"

Batman perused his files on these nemeses and his hypotheses regarding their next moves and took a moment to breath a sigh of relief that at the very least, two nemeses (Bane, a steroids-pumped brute, and Harley Quinn, Joker's insidious 'female assistant') were already incarcerated in Arkham Asylum (Gotham's ultimate center for the incarceration and hopeful treatment of the city's most nefarious criminally insane). Batman wondered when the others (Scarecrow, etc.) would join Bane and Harley Quinn, so he could finally retire to Fiji (perhaps with Selina!). Batman's butler Alfred suggested he try to relax while 'analyzing' these 'super-demons.'

Scarecrow and Penguin were allied in a mission to destroy the GCPD (Gotham City Police Department) and frame Commissioner Jim Gordon for the act (and paint it as 'accidental arson'). Scarecrow and Penguin agreed with Batman that criminal insanity was very very real, but they were too anxious about the masked vigilante's 'idealistic' visions of urban civics to consider surrendering to him, especially after Batman incarcerated Bane (a good friend of Scarecrow). Penguin suggested they perform the GCPD attack on the upcoming Halloween Eve.

Dick Grayson was a rookie-cop working for the GCPD under Gordon and aspiring to someday team-up with Batman. Grayson had a theory(!) that Batman was actually Bruce Wayne and wanted to investigate the possibility that business/capital could be used to tackle criminal insanity and create inspiration in modern cities regarding pedestrian ambitions towards the proverbial 'American Dream.' Grayson wanted to don a special vigilante costume and mask and call himself either Robin (like the bird) or Nightwing (a sidekick of Batman!). However, Grayson was a bit paranoid about Batman's seemingly relentless pursuit of Gotham's real devils --- i.e., Scarecrow, etc.

Batman got a call from an anonymous informant before Halloween. The informant claimed he was a gang-member of Penguin excommunicated and seeking revenge against his cruel 'boss.' The informant claimed Scarecrow and Penguin plotted to destroy the GCPD on Halloween Eve and frame Commissioner Gordon for the terrorist-act. Batman realized Scarecrow and Penguin were attacking the GCPD because they both held some malicious and insane grudge against the 'federal bureaucracy' that creates 'police-control muscularity.' Batman wondered if Scarecrow and Penguin were abused children seeking to unleash their unsorted fury onto innocent civilians whom they viewed perhaps simply as 'irresponsible targets.'

Batman prepared to intercept Scarecrow and Penguin before they could do damage to the GCPD on Halloween Eve. He was lurking around the rooftops of buildings near the GCPD, looking for signs of Scarecrow and Penguin. When he saw a mysterious car pull up and two men (of stature comparable to those of Scarecrow and Penguin) dressed as firemen and carrying oil-drums in the trunk, he immediately guessed (correctly) it was them. He swooped down to tackle them when suddenly another masked 'mystery-man' jumped onto the scene and took down Penguin, ironically allowing Batman to handle Scarecrow with greater focus. After Batman hauled off Scarecrow and Penguin, he hunted down this 'mystery-man' who helped him deal with them that Halloween.

The mystery-man was indeed Dick Grayson, and he had dressed up as the new Gotham vigilante 'Nightwing.' Nightwing explained to Batman that the same informant that told Batman about the Halloween GCPD attack also called him, in case Batman failed. Nightwing decided to show up and when he saw Batman swooping in to tackle both Scarecrow and Penguin, he decided to take down Penguin, allowing Batman to focus on Scarecrow. Batman thanked Nightwing but told him such work was nothing less than 'hellish.'

BATMAN: I never thought I'd consider working with a 'partner.'
NIGHTWING: For now, just consider me a 'sidekick.'
BATMAN: The demons I deal with can drive you insane, Dick...
NIGHTWING: Bruce, you and I both believe crime has to be addressed!
BATMAN: Are you prepared to do whatever it takes?
NIGHTWING: To be a sidekick --- yes --- to be a 'crusader --- maybe.
BATMAN: Well, that makes my life easier, since I want to think about this.
NIGHTWING: Don't doubt me, Batman. I can help you.
BATMAN: I believe that (now). Well, Nightwing, I say we pursue Poison Ivy.
NIGHTWING: Yes, I believe she may be developing chemical weapons.
BATMAN: Aha, that would be 'Machiavellian' now that Scarecrow is in Arkham.
NIGHTWING: Do you realize Joker is angry Harley Quinn is in Arkham?
BATMAN: These Gotham 'ghouls' create merciless 'faces of darkness.'
NIGHTWING: There must be something rotten in their religion...

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