C Drake Write

A few years ago, I took a comic-focused class that involved writing our own origin stories of a selected superhero. I, a huge fan of the Batman Arkham franchise, chose to rewrite Batman’s origin story, focusing more on The Penguin as a central villain. Here’s the final part of that assignment

Batman: Gotham’s Newest Superhero or Supervillain?

Witnesses have reported multiple sightings of the masked hero known as “The Batman.” 

The caped crusader has made multiple appearances in Midtown, notably along the Gotham River. The Batman has allegedly stopped three drug deals and foiled two gun smuggling rings run by the crime lord “The Penguin.” The Batman appears to be targeting Penguin’s largest known crime hotspots, including the drug bust in the Gotham City Opera House’s basement and the assassination attempt of Harvey Dent outside Saint Mary’s Park. Harvey remains in critical condition but looks to recover with major skin scarring from the thwarted acid attack. 

Is Batman a hero or is he simply a crime boss’s pawn in an attempt to remove Penguin from the picture? We asked former Gotham Gazette writer and correspondent Vicki Vale for her thoughts on the new masked character.

Drew Sappen (Gotham Chronicle correspondent): “Would you say this ‘Batman’ character is fighting for good or for evil?”

Vicki Vale: “Well, given the facts we have so far, it’s hard to tell. He obviously disagrees with the way things are being run by Penguin, and as a result he’s devoted most of his time to ruining Penguin’s crime world. Of course, Batman has attacked other crime lords around Gotham, too. Just look at Black Mask and the Falcones. Both of them had plans foiled in this past week.”

Drew: “That’s true, that’s true. Do you think he was hired by someone? Is he a Falcone goon, a vigilante, or is he some wannabe Victor Zsasz?”

Vicki: “We can definitely rule out the Zsasz idea. Zsasz was a twisted killer who was only stopped when his hubris got the better of him. Batman is smarter, he’s faster, he’s better equipped. Plus, Batman has yet to get blood on his hands. He’s left the bad guys tied up for the cops to find, but there’s never been a casualty. It’s impossible to rule out the Falcone idea, it’s too plausible and they’re definitely smart enough. But, if you’re asking for my opinion specifically, I believe Batman has true goodness in his heart and is fighting crime for the sake of Gotham. Not for personal gain, not for fame.”

Drew: “Thank you for your time Vicki.”

Vicki: “My pleasure Drew.”