Batman: Hope For tomorrow

by Arthur Murdock

A "What if?" or "Just Imagine", detailing Batman's journey in an alternate Injustice Universe. It shows the evolution of Batman as a hero and pays homage to "Speeding Bullets". Watch Batman thrust into a new role with dire consequences for the rest of the universe.

1. Issue 1

Batman: Hope for Tomorrow

Issue #1: Blackest Dawn

Story by Arthur Murdock

PART 1

Intro

Unseen Narrator: "I was born in darkness…. from the death of universes. Worlds where horrific and unimaginable things transpired. Universes where the people themselves were begging for death, for an end, for silence. They were tortured by their existence. I was born of the remnant energies of those desires, the desire to snuff out the light and end the chaos. My purpose is to rid the multiverse of this light, to end the chaos, the despair, the agony of…. life. Starting... with... this one…" (A, B)

Earth-54

SCENE: Beached Submarine

Joker has kidnapped Lois Lane and is linking a bomb to her heartbeat. (Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol 1 #1)

FLASHBACK to Clark and Bruce discussing Lois's pregnancy.

Clark: "We want you to be the Godfather, Bruce"

Bruce is Surprised, He momentarily zones out and reminisces about his own "children" (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne)

Superman: "...I heard its heartbeat, Bruce" (C)

Batman Smiles.

PRESENT DAY

Superman tears open the room where he heard Lois's Heartbeat. He moves in to free her, When he suddenly finds himself face to face with doomsday. Desperately trying to save his family, Superman begins to fly what he believes to be Doomsday into the upper atmosphere.

Batman arrives on scene and realizes that the room was filled with Kryptonite laced Fear Toxin. (a Hallucinogen which makes you see your greatest fears)

Batman thinks quickly

Batman (over the Comms): "Flash, supercharge Diana with speed and then Diana fly after superman." (The flash #33 / Dark nights metal)

Flash: "but…"

Batman: "No time, just do it"

Batman radios Superman

Batman: "Superman, Superman Can you hear me?.. Stop!, Whatever you are see..."

Before Batman can finish, Flash finishes supercharging Wonder Woman. She rockets after Superman, Faster than She has ever flown before, Near the speed of Light.

She catches up to Superman and sees what is happening. Superman is flying a screaming Lois into orbit. She quickly wrestles Lois out of Superman's hands, and tries to fly her back to the ground. However, superman engages Wonder Woman thinking that she is another enemy. Wonder woman lets go of Lois in the conflict and, Lois, barely Conscious, free falls toward the ground.

Batman at this point has entered the Bat-plane and is flying to view the situation. He radios green lantern for back up and instructs Flash to bring paramedics. As He flies, He sees Lois failing and jumps out the plane to catch her. He deploys his parachute. On their descent, Superman breaks away from Wonder Woman, and follows Lois heartbeat once again. He locates Bruce and Lois but again sees them as doomsday.

Superman tries to burn them with heat vision, destroying the parachute and burning Bruce's left arm and shoulder (which he used to Shield Lois). They begin free falling while superman barrels down on them.

Suddenly a green bubble appears around Batman and Lois. Superman Attempts to break the bubble and nearly does when suddenly... an enraged Wonder-Woman rockets into superman from behind and drives him into the ground temporarily knocking them both unconscious.

When Superman and Wonder Woman come to, Batman begins to explain the situation to Superman:

Batman (covering his burnt arm): "Lois suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and is likely paralyzed from the waist down, however, other than some broken bones, there seem to be no other ill effects. The baby on the other hand… will be fine. All those Kryptonian genes I suppose."

Superman: "Bruce… I… I..."

Batman (Smiling): "She's a girl, by the way"

Superman hugs Batman with tears in his eyes.

Wonder Woman watches on with a Smile,

Over the next few months Bruce recovers from his burns, Wonder Woman visits Him often. She says it's to spar with him and get him back into shape. However, something may be brewing on the horizon.

Subsequently, the Joker is arrested, finally given the death Penalty, and executed a month later.

SCENE: Metropolis General Hospital Maternity Ward (Smallville Season 2) a few months later

Diana and Bruce watch as Clark paces around the waiting room impatiently.

Diana: "He will Probably dig through the floor if this keeps up"

Bruce: "or cause a natural disaster…"

The Nurse (entering suddenly): "The baby has been delivered"

The trinity(Clark, Bruce, and Diana) enter Lois's room and Clark picks up his new baby girl.

Clark: "Everyone, I want you to meet Bryce Laura Kent…

Everyone is in awe

Clark: "Bruce come here, I want you to hold her"

Diana (joking): "Don't drop her"

Bruce (holding the baby) "Welcome to the world, Bryce"

FADE TO BLACK

PART 2

SCENE: Metropolis General Hospital (Smallville Season 2)

Bruce: "Welcome to the world, Bryce"

UNIVERSE PANNING WITH NARRATION

Bruce: "I think that was the beginning of the Good Times. The next five years had its ups and downs, its good days and bad ones. But everything seemed Better then."

Events during the last 5 years. Appear in panels (Following the events of Part 1)

-Bruce began babysitting Bryce frequently

-Damian secretly "trains" Bryce to become the next robin (age 2)

-Shazam gives up his powers to defeat Trigon

-Billy sealed Trigon within the Captain Marvel persona and then transforms back into Billy Batson and swore never to use his powers again.

-Conner(superboy) and Tim(Red Robin) go to college.

-Barry gets stuck in speed force and Wally takes up the mantle.

-The U.S. goes into negotiations with Bialyia to retrieve POWs

-John Stewart becomes leader of the Green Lantern Corp

-Jason Todd resurfaces, Batman and Nightwing Confront him

-Clark and Lois celebrate their Anniversary

-Jonathan Kent (Clark's father) dies of a heart attack, Bruce and Diana pay their respects.

-Bruce buys the Kent Farm so that Ma Kent can keep it (Joss Whedon's "Justice League")

-Mr. Terrific petitions other planets to share technological advances

-Kyle Rayner inherits Allen Scott's Green Lantern Ring

-Bruce battles and defeats Hippolyta for Diana's hand in marriage

-Jon Jonzzz returns from Mars having brokered a tenuous peace treaty with the white martians.

-Shadowman kills Hawkman.

-Wayne tech buys Luthor Corp. (Lex's stock are in the red)

-Bruce marries Diana, Clark and Dick are co-best men, Bryce is the flower girl

-Captain Atom goes missing while searching for the Missing crew of the Excalibur

-Kara Zor-el (Supergirl) is found

Bruce: "However, it was just the calm Before the Storm"

PAN SHOT OF THE GALAXY

High-Father and Darksied have gone to war, and dragged the entirety of our universe into conflict. These New God brothers have always been at each others throats, waging wars with their godly powers for eons, until a rather recent tenous treaty was formed.

Darksied finally decided to expand his domain. His Minion Desaad personally arranged the battle plans and picked out Key worlds for Darkseid to conquer.

Bruce (Inner Monologue):

"Darksied Started his campaign by attacking and conquering War World (killing mongol in the process), He then set his sights on the yellow lanterns. He killed Sinestro and used his central power battery to augment his already massive army.

He then attempted to annex the red Lantern corp. However, a large portion of the Red lanterns were wiped out, due to their general unwillingness to surrender. Currently, Atrocious seems to be the only surviving original member, he is being held and tortured on Apokalips, using his hate to power Darksied's new weapons of mass destruction. Darksied then sets his sights on Thanagar, and the Blue scarab Homeworld, For their metals and technology. Ultimately, He plans to crush OA and Earth, The last opposition, In his eyes, to his path to conquering the universe.

"In retaliation, Highfather lent his aid to Thanagar and OA in exchange for access to their lantern power battery and other Technologies. Additionally, He seized the orange power battery for his own purposes. Although initially held back by Larfleeze, he eventually crushed him and took the power for himself.

[Highfather: "mine, mine, mine…Mine is a cause that cannot be thwarted"]

"Finally, in an attempt to further establish his foothold in this universe, Highfather occupied Rann. And now he is attempting to occupy earth."

SCENE: Watchtower

The Justice League is Currently is debating with Highfather

Superman: "With all due respect, You cannot impose martial law on a planet like this. The people of this world are free and..."

Highfather (in disdain): "With all due respect, though your abilities separate you from these insects, you are still beneath me Kryptonian. The years I have lived as a New god and as an adversary to Darksied, have taught me that the only way to thwart his domination of a universe, is to Monopolize all the resources of that universe or destroy it!"

Scar, Guardian of the Universe, (Green Lantern Vol 4 #25): "Kal-el of Earth, though his methods are somewhat off-putting, High-father speaks the truth, in the few weeks since Darksied has started his expansion. Many star systems have fallen, Many independent and stubborn souls have lost their lives fighting him."

HighFather: "Darksied is no longer playing at war as he has in the past, he is now courting death"

Batman (Attentively listening): "Then let's offer him a Warriors' Challenge"

A Warriors' Challenge is a one-on-one battle to decide the fate of a war.

Highfather: "Do you think you could take on Darkseid insect..."

Batman: "No, But I could out-smart you both"

High-Father Scowls

Batman: "While he may or may not accept the Challenge, He will at least show his face to respond to it. As a Despotic leader, he must show unwavering strength and attentiveness in order to keep his subordinates in line. Additionally, if the challenge comes from.. say… Superman, He is far more likely to take an interest."

Highfather: "and what will this accomplish, besides the death of your Kryptonian, Insect"

Batman: "It will give us the opportunity to trap Darkseid"

PART 3

THREE WEEKS LATER

The War is coming to a climax, Highfather's forces have lost Thanagar, Oa is being laid Siege by Darksied's forces, and Earth and Rann will soon be engulfed in the conflict.

The Lantern Corp pawns of both sides have been exhausted and stripped down to mere skeletons of their former prestigious armies.

The Warriors' Challenge has been issued, Batman in the Hellbat suit (Batman and Robin (New 52) #33), Superman, and Wonder Woman go to face Darkseid on a neutral planetoid.

SCENE: The planetoid

Darkseid (waiting for his challengers): "The spirited human, the daughter of the old Gods, and…. the Kryptonian, It has been some time since we have opposed one another"

Superman (Glaring at Darkseid determined) "Well, Hopefully, you can gives us more of a fight than you did last time"

Unbeknownst to all, but Batman, Mr. terrific waits in a nearby ship, hidden, with a phantom zone projector, modified to transport its target to a pocket universe populated by ultra dense Black holes.(Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel")

Darksied: "I will accept your challenge, Kryptonian. I will even allow you to use your pets if you wish"

Superman: "hold off on your plan for a little, Bruce"

Batman Nods.

The battle ensues. Superman takes the lead, with Wonder Woman and Batman backing him up.

The Hell-bat suit does not take the punishment as well as Wonderwoman and Superman do but It holds its own.

They struggle, destroying sevearl of the surrounding planetoids and soon the one they stand on. Eventually they end up in the vacuum of space.

Darksied begins taking the upper hand until Batman suddenly spawns a boom tube. this portal sucks them in and spits them out within a few miles of a yellow sun.

Batman (Shading himself from the heat): "Get him Clark…"

Suddenly Superman goes into a furious rage exchanging furious blows with Darksied.

Finally with an immense infinite mass punch, Superman temporarily incapacitates Darksied.

Superman: "Take us back, Bruce"

Batman Weakly, in a near unconscious state, opens a boom tube to the planet of New Genesis where Highfather and his army are waiting.

Highfather (Speaking to Batman): "I am almost impressed with your strategy, Dark knight…almost"

Highfather: "Darkseid for your breach of our treaty and subsequent attack on this universe. I banish you to an extra-dimensional prison, where you shall spend the rest of your eternal life"

As they stand on New Genesis, ready to seal Darksied in a black hole, the minion Desaad walks up slowly clapping.

Desaad (?): "Thank you Lord Darksied, for furthering my goals, however your services will no longer be required."

Darkseid (smiling): "Dark Betrayer..."

Nekron Sheds his Desaad puppet and causally kills Darksied. Nekron the embodiement of death, a broken hunmanoid, skeleton-faced, figure, clad in all black bearing a reapers scythe.

Nekron (Chilling, raspy and broken voice): "Thank you all for bringing more death to this universe for me, the stage has now been set for me to finally snuff out the remaining light...END THE CHAOS"

Mid-speech Nekron holds his hand open and millions of black rings fly-out. they latch onto and convert the majority of the new gods and many earth based heroes into BLACK LANTERNS; Zombified warriors with powers similar to that of Green Lanterns.

Epilogue:

Nekron Narrates: "Though the Kryptonian failed me five years ago, Darksied was a perfect pawn. Thanks to the war and the Dyonisium catalyst, I now have my army and my battery. Death will fall on this universe. Soon there will be Peace, Soon there will be silence, So there will be only Darkness." (D, E)

Continued in Issue #2: Brightest Night

Authors notes:

A The opening Narration is Nekron Speaking and His speech is based on information from Blackest Night #5 and Green Lantern (vol. 4) #51

B The Dark Multiverse exists in this continuity.

C The Story is mainly told from Batman's perspective, Thus in his shock he missed the line superman spoke next in the original story.

D Nekron instigated the war in order to create a black lantern army. He had originally intended the events of the injustice Comics to generate his army.

E Nekron infected warriors with Dyonisium(a metal with regenerative properties) to resurrect them and re-add them to the fight. These warriors would go on to fight and thus further increase the death toll, creating a larger army. Infected warriors can be instantly turn into black lanterns any point after their death and resurrection, thus Nekron has Created a secret army.