The Caped Crusade: The Impact of the Batman
"Batman himself knows that he is more than just a man in a mask. He has become a legend, a symbol of justice beyond that of the American system. Not bound by the normal rules of society, he has risen to become an icon of a single man standing against evil and against what the law requires. This is the man whom Gotham so honours. But should they?"
Clark Kent writing in 1945
With those words, the Pulitzer Prize winning Clark Kent helped set the tone of debate regarding the Batman that has raged even before the Kansas native first wrote those words. In the sixty years since the first appearance of the Batman, he has provoked arguments ranging from his impact on Gotham, to the wider issues that only a truly successful vigilante could bring about. Was he a force for good, protecting the defenceless from the calamities and threats that only Gotham could attract? Or was he simply a tool of an increasingly authoritarian city, keeping the masses in line with Gotham's elite benefiting from the distraction of this supposed Dark Avenger?
The question has been asked and answered over the years with academic papers, documentaries and similar books such as this. In the context of the Cold War, Batman has been presented as both a man striking at the evils of capitalism while others believed him to be defending the elite and oppressing those who struggled to escape poverty. Praised and condemned by people in equal measure from all walks of life, the Batman was the ultimate dividing point in a nation for a time, his heyday of controversy being the Communist trials of the 1950's.
But, I am perhaps reaching too far ahead, to first fully understand the long term impact the Batman has had upon this nation, we must first look towards the city he has long since called his home, Gotham. Dark, Gothic and steeped in corruption and crime since its birth, Gotham City provided perhaps the only backdrop in which Batman could have functioned without having ran afoul of Federal agents. This city, looming, dark and dangerous, shall be perhaps the greatest player in the history which I shall tell, its Gothic architecture and darkened alleys providing many of the backdrops to the history related in this book.
In my research upon this subject, I found myself realising that I would have to relate a tale that seemed unbelievable and in many respects, the very definition of fantastic. Despite my scepticism and, that I'm sure many of my readers will no doubt have, all stories within this history are true. Walking through the streets of Gotham these days doesn't show the signs of battles and extravagant personalities that once inflicted the city, but the memories are still within its inhabitants and asking anyone off a street corner will get you a tale of the Dark Knight seen in the shadows. The physical signs may have been hidden or repaired, but the legend of Batman remains to this day and the people of Gotham talk of it with pride.
It is of legend that this story shall concern itself with due to the very nature of Batman himself. Clad in the shadows and keeping only to himself, Batman has inspired dozens of stories, rumours and even a Broadway musical, all with different takes on the cowl and the man behind it. As tempting as it might have been to divulge in such unsolicited tales, I have been determined to keep only to what sources were able to confirm in order to simply present the truth of Gotham's very soul. In this, my account itself will be more compact than others in this field. I intend to give an overview to give an insight into the period and man for ease of access into what was a chaotic time. Those who seek a comprehensive and detailed view of Batman, Joseph Dawson's Watching The Darkness remains the seminal work in recent years and should be read by anyone with an interest in the subject.
And coming to the sources, I must thank the following for their aid in granting me access to their own collections so that I could tell as much of the truth is possible in such an area. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sergeant Wilkes for aiding me in organising the many paper case files deep in the basement of Gotham City's Hall of Records Annex. I would like to thank the city government as well as Commissioner Foley of the GCPD for allowing me access to the files. A special thank you must be given to the Gordon family, who have decided to release the diaries of Jim Gordon and Barbara Gordon after the latter's sad death due to cancer, both of which are great insights into the Batman and his impact upon that family. Arkham Asylum is also an institution that I wish to thank for allowing me to use their own records as a source for this book. Published materials from magazines and newspapers with the Gotham Gazette being a prime source for opinion pieces has proven a boon for this book. Countless thanks must also go to the many citizens of Gotham who have recounted their own stories and the diaries and correspondence of previous generations who witnessed first-hand the changing times in Gotham when the Batman was at his peak.
I also need to mention the numerous reports, writings and other sources that have been used for this book that have provided background into the effect Batman has had outside the city while looking into what could drive a man to become what he did. I thank them for their own research and attempt to answer this mystery which even the greatest minds have puzzled over.
Without any of these contributions, this book would not have been possible and I owe a debt to all those I have spoken to as well as many of Gotham's fine institutions and people. To them, I give my thanks and only hope this work will do that great city and its citizens justice.
Ronald Troupe, 1999