Author's note: I never knew anything about the commonly called 'Bat-Embargo' until I came across the expression on the DCAU wiki and read up on it. Apparently, characters used in the Batman Begins/The Dark Knight film franchise (except for Batman) were banned from appearing on any DCAU cartoon (except Batman: The Animated Series), which meant the absence of villains like Two-Face, the Penguin, the Scarecrow, Mister Freeze … The Joker made two (memorable!) appearances and Harley Quinn only one.
Now, I wondered whether there could be a reason in canon to keep the League from going to Gotham more often than the minimum required … and came up with this.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to DC Comics, and characters covered by the Bat-Embargo as well – and the whole thing is a bloody shame anyway. Imagine Mister Freeze and Captain Cold teaming up to take over the world :D
Snapshot Collection
8. Prerogative
"Y'know, John, I was thinking of somethin'."
"Lord preserve us."
"Hah-hah. We get around pretty much, right?"
John Stewart looks up from his book and into the eyes – or lenses, rather – of the Flash, who is standing in front of him with a thoughtful look on his face. Or as close to thoughtful as it gets with the kid, right up until he winks and says something really stupid to make up for it.
"I suppose we do, yeah," he says, going back to the line he was reading.
"I mean, before the whole League thing, the farthest I got was Metropolis – I mean, to fight crime, not to get coffee or Chinese take-away – and just last week we're out there in space with a bunch of aliens and a mind-controlling creep with three eyes attacking planets I didn't even know existed –"
John honestly doesn't know if he should be annoyed or amused. It often happens with Flash. So he closes his book again and cuts off, "Get to the point, will you?"
Flash gets that thoughtful look on his face again as he slightly turns to the Watchtower monitor where Batman is sitting, blatantly ignoring the ongoing conversation.
"How come we almost never go to Gotham?"
The question takes John by surprise, and he frowns, throwing a quick look at Batman who shows no sign of listening in on the conversation. Flash goes on, apparently thinking aloud, "I mean, think about it – there's crime all right, city's famous for its criminals – the Joker and his whacked-out girlfriend, the Penguin, the Scarecrow, that guy Captain Cold is always on about … But we're always all over the country – Metropolis, Washington, and even Central. Why do we never go help Bats?"
"What makes you think I need help?" growls a familiar voice that makes Flash jump. Batman – having heard everything after all, as usual – soundlessly walks past him, his patented Bat-glare firmly in place, not even stealing a sideways glance at the speedster.
John barely manages to hold in his snicker while Flash just looks miffed.
"Well," he says crossly, glaring at the door the Dark Knight just walked through, "he isn't that territorial, is he?"
John's eyes go to the door as well, but he's not really acknowledging what he's seeing. He thinks of the horrific tales he's heard about the Gotham City Rogues Gallery. He remembers Flash telling him about one of his own rogues saying that when villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories.
Since the League formed, they've had their share of sick, sadistic mind-twisting, but in Gotham, they take it all to brand-new levels.
He knows why Batman will always be the only one to deal with the likes of the Joker.
"You have no idea," he mutters, his book quite forgotten.
The "when villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories" bit was inspired by something I read on Daily Scans; one comics had villains teaming up, and one of them 'inviting' the Joker and getting disbelieving looks for it. Wish I could remember what comics it was(*) … Anyway. In my opinion, too, Batman's Rogues easily come out as the scariest, but I think they're tied for first place with Flash's. Central City/Keystone Rogues are organised, folks :D
(*)Updated 07/07/10: it was in the mega-crossover Underworld Unleashed, and the Rogue who made the remark (in his own head, 'cause he's not keen on dying - most of the time) is the Trickster. Because I don't like leaving things hanging - and also, I'm something of a geek :P
Next up: In the aftermath of the Cadmus and "Brainthor" crisis, Superman asks Flash a question that's puzzled him for years.