Since my last review request thing didn't go over so well, I have decided to make a series out of the thought of many '80s comic books: What if? For this, any character from any form of media is allowed, as well as any hypothetical scenario. For example, I have already thought of one as a sample.
Before I begin this chapter, all characters and settings in this particular chapter belong to DC Comics except for one character, who belongs to The Sandman.
What If: The Joker never went into the vat of toxic waste that made him lose his mind?
I was so close.
I was so goddamn close.
I was going to go to the card factory through my old workplace so that I could get the money I needed for my family from those thugs.
But Batman had to take that fleeting moment of happiness away from me.
The kook in the costume decided that this crime trumped all the others in Gotham that happened that night and he had to come bust me and put my sorry, unfunny ass in Blackgate.
Since I had no hope of beating that freak in a fistfight, I had two options on the catwalk: surrender and live out my days in a cramped jail cell or jump into a chemical vat and hope to God that my death would be coming fast.
My life was a piece of crap anyway, so naturally I chose option B. I jumped off to the side and closed my eyes. I could practically smell the chemical burns and see the green pigment in my eyes, even if my head was completely covered by a giant red fishbowl. It was oddly... serene and peaceful for those few seconds.
Unfortunately, mere seconds before I could feel the sweet release of death, I heard a gravelly "Not so fast." from above. Before I knew it, I was yanked up by a grappling hook.
As Batman said "You're under arrest for theft and murder when the cops get here." and tied me to the wall, I just cried. I tried to plead with him that I was innocent but before I could remove my mask, he was gone and the boys in blue took his place.
After they roughed me up in the interrogation room, I was in solitary confinement at Blackgate. They didn't tell me for how long but I knew it was a hell of a lot longer than I think I deserved.
Sure enough, after a month or so, I was still in this room, smelling about as bad as fermenting dog poop. The bad part about it was I had no visitors, even from the mob.
Luckily, I found an easy out. After all, I filled out my life insurance and my son would be better off with the money and a dead dad than a dad in jail and poverty. When the guard came to give me some food, I would pretend to be absolutely insane and I would get shot. Surprisingly, despite all my other failures, this worked.
I felt like I jolted up from a nightmare when I found myself in my cell block again, but everything was discolored and I saw this really pale teenage girl in heavy makeup smiling at me. "Wha?"
"Hi, I'm Death, nice to meet you, Jack."
I was surprised. "How did you know my-"
"I was there when you were born. And now I'm here to lead you to where you're going." She smiled as she offered her hand. Death seemed to be very nice... almost like my mom when I was a boy. I simply took her hand and let her lead me to where I deserved to go...
In this timeline... The era of the mob ends later but is completely eradicated by Batman. Jack Napier's son goes through life as an orphan, never knowing of his dad or his mom. The al-Ghuls, Bane, and Two-Face are Batman's top priorities. Jason Todd retires from being a Robin to resume his life as an acrobat. Barbara Gordon becomes Batwoman to help Nightwing in fighting crime in Bludhaven. Harleen Quinzel becomes the greatest nurse in Arkham Asylum and eventually opens a flower shop with Pamela Isley. Gotham City's crime rate goes down slightly every year.
Review or PM me to tell me what What If scenario you want to see next. Until next time!