Snapshots
Middle-aged Catwoman trying to reintegrate into society. Catwoman: Lonely City #1
SELINA. Out of all of us, the Penguin – sorry, Emperor Penguin – made out
the best after masks went away. Moving the casino out to Gotham Bay,
beyond the city’s jurisdiction, turned it into the Macau of the Eastern
Seaboard. Even before that, he was the fence and laundry for every major
thief in Gotham. He washes everybody’s money now. Offshore accounts, shell
companies, real estate, fine art… And the crazy thing is, most of it’s
legal.
BARBARA. What none of us ever asked… “Was it worth it?” We wasted
so much time dressing up and fighting. But after he died? Bruce’s
money did more for this city than all those years of punching. More
programs, more housing –
SELINA. More cops. More guns.
BARBARA. You’re right, it’s not perfect. But this is how you make a
difference. Working with people, changing everyday lives, not running
around on rooftops.
NYGMA. Even with the masks on, we weren’t trying to hide. You don’t
dress up unless you want to be seen. “World’s greatest detective”? I
had to take a shot at him.
SELINA. – Many shots –
NYGMA. – But I never hurt anybody, not seriously. I think he got a
kick out of it. Out of everyone, I think he liked tangling with me
best.
SELINA. All you guys – so competitive – trying to see
who could take him down.
NYGMA. Then what was it about you? The
jewels? The chase?
SELINA. Freedom.
DENT. And the profiler?
EMPLOYEE. Wayne’s, um… predictive
algorithms? Yes, we’ll finally be able to run the program on our systems
instead of the car’s. If the legal team can clear the, um, constit–
DENT. It’s a shame he was too scared to use it. Batman could
have cleaned things up for you, eh, Commissioner?
Batman tells a story of human power and the resistance against tyranny. In other volumes, e.g., Injustice and Kingdom Come , Batman is utilized as the anti-totalitarian among the heroes, including Superman.
CROC. Don’t let them get me – I… hkkk… I used to be the King of
Gotham… Please…
JOURNALIST. In market news, Lexcorp shares rose sharply on the announcement
that Gotham will not be the site of its new headquarters amid security
concerns…
JASON. – An unlikely hero of the people, but it suits you. A Robin
Hood for our times, perhaps?
SELINA. Oh no, the protestors needed
a symbol and I happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. I’m no
hero…
JASON. Well, as I was told by Merlin himself, be careful what
you pretend to be. You may end up becoming it. I’ll see you soon,
Selina–.
SELINA. I’m sorry about Alfred… You know, one day you’ll have to
stop. We both will. Don’t you ever think about your life after–?
“After” is a dream. I can’t be distracted by it. But… When
I do let myself dream, Selina… In that life…? I’m with you.
JASON. Every conjuring requires sacrifice, milady. Change! Change,
o’form of man! Release the might from fleshy mire! Boil the
blood in heart of fire! Gone! Gone, the form of man! Rise,
the demon Etrigaaann!
IVY. Why would Batman enchant the Batcave?
SELINA. Superman got in.
Once.
JOKER. Why do you do it, Bruce? Why do you – unh – play by rules no
one else is following? There’s no rhyme or reason to this world.
It’s all one big joke – and I’m so tired of laughing…
Of Joker’s renditions of the trolley problem, this one takes the cake.
ETRIGAN. Spite of chill and damp, this place reminds me pow’rfully of
Hell… So full it is of despair…
SELINA. Not despair,
Etrigan… It’s full of memories.
SELINA. Bruce wanted me to bring him back. To revive him so he could
fight again, for a week or however long he’d have. The cape came
first. I knew that, and yet… Nothing else mattered. Nobody else
mattered. – Not even me.
References
- Catwoman: Lonely City #1. Dirty Old Town. Cliff Chiang. Oct 19, 2021.
- Catwoman: Lonely City #2. Collecting Strays. Cliff Chiang. Dec 21, 2021.
- Catwoman: Lonely City #3. Blood and Thunder. Cliff Chiang. Apr 19, 2022.
- Catwoman: Lonely City #4. The Underworld. Cliff Chiang. Oct 25, 2022.
Batman: White Knight (2017) digs into this idea more by having Bruce try to do good with his money, but even then, there’s a use for the Batman.