Batman: Generations

[Abishai100]

Batman (DC Comics) has become a very popular American comic book superhero, and perhaps that's because he's the only superhero who specifically deals with criminal insanity in urban environments.

Urbanization is a modern phenomenon, and the commerce-traffic in great American cities such as New York and Chicago remind people of the philosophical value of evaluating the impact of confluence. In this melee of 'human activity,' Batman tackles criminally insane terrorists such as Poison Ivy (an eco-terrorist) and Scarecrow (a fear-toxin wielding psycho).

Batman has to understand how to temper/balance might with mercy, power with leadership, and courage with compassion. This requires a sensitivity about future generations, tomorrow's idealistic crime-fighters (including Batman's own children!).

So here's a short-story I wrote (probably my last one) about Batman considering retiring and contemplating how to 'watch' the reins of power pass from his hands into the hands of the next generation. This short-story was inspired by the generation films Over the Top and Batman and Robin.


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Talia al Ghul and Catwoman (Selina Kyle) had both become prominent 'characters' in a crime-riddled Gotham City, and this was troubling the brooding vigilante Batman (Bruce Wayne). Talia was the head of the powerful crime syndicate Leviathan, and Selina and Bruce were once co-workers at Wayne Enterprises (before Selina became the controversial vigilante and rival of Batman, Catwoman!). While Bruce (Batman) disapproved of Leviathan and Catwoman's tactics, he had secretly fallen in love with both Talia and Selina.

Bruce was engaged in a love affair with Talia who had helped him escape from the clutches of her evil father, the eco-terrorist Ra's al Ghul whose visions of fascism frightened Batman. Bruce and Talia spent some time together alone in Switzerland; it was at that time when Bruce and Talia conceived their son Damian Wayne who would grow up to become a new Robin and a some-time ally of Dick Grayson (the original Robin). Bruce/Batman believed he should foster his relationship with Talia to watch over their son Damian/Robin, but Talia wanted Damian to join Leviathan.

Some time later, Bruce and Selina finally consummated their long-time on-and-off relationship, a relationship 'kindled' by the drama and intrigue of vigilantism in Gotham City. While Bruce/Batman disapproved of the radical approach of Selina/Catwoman, he admired her conviction and her hatred of criminality and had started falling in love with her. Catwoman was extra-hesitant now to reciprocate Batman's affections, since Talia told her about Damian Wayne. Nevertheless, Catwoman continued to harbor a soft-spot in her heart for Batman, and one night (after a fight with Penguin's Red Triangle Gang), Batman and Catwoman consummated their relationship and conceived their daughter Kitrina (who would grow up to become the vigilante 'Catgirl').

Batman was very happy to discover that Damian Wayne and Kitrina Wayne had become affectionate towards each other and were helping each other fight crime as Robin and Catgirl. However, Talia still wanted Damian to be a part of Leviathan, and Selina/Catwoman wanted Kitrina/Catgirl to be her protege and ally in her more radical crusade/mission in Gotham. Batman was ready to retire and simply wanted to see Damian/Robin and Kitrina/Catgirl get married. Damian and Kitrina had already started working together, and their heroic antics had become the subject of a cult-favorite Hollywood (USA) film called Mr. and Mrs. Smith (starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie).

Finally, Talia and Selina requested to meet with Bruce and talk with him about the destiny of Damian and Kitrina. Bruce/Batman wanted to see Damian and Kitrina married and secure in their lives and wary of fanatical vigilantism. Mostly, Batman was concerned that Robin and Catgirl would become immersed into a world of criminality that almost drove him insane during his days of heroic crime-fighting. Batman remembered how the 'madness' of crime made strong love-relationships (i.e., with Talia and Selina) virtually impossible. Bruce/Batman told Talia and Selina, "Let's allow Damian and Kitrina indulge their passions about being Robin and Catgirl and encourage their peaceful love-affair (which even Hollywood is now 'condoning'). I propose a special annual Wayne Enterprises endorsed social criticism gazette about the development of civics (and jurisprudence education) across generations!"

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TALIA and DAMIAN (left); SELINA and KITRINA (right):

TALIA AL GHUL and CATWOMAN:

 

[mudwhistle]

Batman is popular because he has the coolest uniform or costume and the coolest gadgets.
He's like an American James Bond only cooler.

 

[Abishai100]

The Racers


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Damian and Kitrina were now set as Robin and Catgirl and were also engaged to be married. However, they somewhat disagreed about the methods of crime-fighting. Damian/Robin enjoyed car-racing and loved films such as Days of Thunder and wanted to apply a 'daredevil' approach to crime-fighting, which is why journalists were calling him the 'Speed Racer of Vigilantism.' Kitrina/Catgirl enjoyed dirt-bike racing and loved films such as On Any Sunday and waned to apply a 'rogue' approach to crime-fighting, which is why journalists were calling her the 'Red Queen of Vigilantism.' Bruce Wayne was enjoying retirement and reading such news-stories from the comfort of his home. Damian/Robin and Kitrina/Catgirl were allowed to contact Bruce/Batman for simple vigilantism advice/wisdom but knew their dad was retired.

Robin and Catgirl decided to work with the acting-CEO of Wayne Enterprises (Thomas Hardy) to sponsor a youth-oriented event involving both car-racing and dirt-bike racing in a newly-built giant race-arena in the center of Gotham City which would be open only in the summer. The arena would host racing events to raise money for charity organization and non-profit groups such as UNICEF and the Salvation Army. Gothamites under the age of 20 were invited as the main guests, and the racers were professional racers brought into Gotham for the annual 4th of July race which would be called The Summer Contest. There was an audience fan-cheer volume-meter which determined if the car-racing or the dirt-bike racing received greater cheers. Whichever group got the louder cheers would get to choose the charity.

After two great summers of successful races which raised much money for charity, Robin and Catgirl were very happy and decided to get married. Bruce, Talia, and Selina gave their blessings, and the wedding was held in the newly-built lavish garden of Wayne Manor. Damian/Robin and Kitrina/Catgirl were content that their work in Gotham was going very well and that the annual Summer Contest (held in the well-constructed Gotham Raceway) was raising charity money and making Gothamites feel more optimistic and cheerful about urban management. However, on the 3rd summer, The Summer Contest was about to be visited by a new terrorist named WildCat, the illegitimate son of Scarecrow who was locked up in Arkham Asylum. WildCat wanted to drop tear-gas grenades into the Gotham Raceway during The Summer Contest from a hang-glider. However, Robin and Catgirl were prepared (having anticipated some kind of 'fly-by terrorism' during the races), and Robin swooped in on a hang-glider of his own to intercept WildCat, while Catgirl collected the tear-gas grenades from her motorcyle on the grounds of the Gotham Raceway. Bruce/Batman telephoned Damian and Kitrina and told them, "It looks like Gotham City is well-blessed by Robin and Catgirl. Congratulations!"

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