Hello Readers! It's been a long time since I've written anything on this site. I've never been the most prolific of writers, as my life makes it hard to keep any kind of consistent schedule, but I finally feel like I have a story I want to tell. I've always been a huge Batman fan. Out of all the super-heroes out there, he is absolutely my number one. His villains are also the best, and for the longest time I've wanted to write a dark and gritty Batman series on this site. I've tried before but got too overwhelmed by my future ideas that I became impatient with writing the beginning, so I abandoned the concept. Enough time has passed that I have decided to try again.
This is BATMAN: KNIGHTS OF GOTHAM, a series that starts in Batman's third year of crime fighting. He's encountered a few of his adversaries already such as The Penguin, Black Mask, and Carmine Falcone, but has yet to battle many of the costumed villains he's commonly associated with. I plan to use the comics, the movies, and television shows for inspiration, adopting a ripped from the pages approach. I won't follow the stories beat by beat, but use what works, and discard what doesn't. There will also be the occasional cross over with other media that in my opinion fits perfectly into the Batman universe.
BATMAN: KNIGHTS OF GOTHAM
PROLOGUE: THE PARK ROW TRAGEDY
LOCATION: CRIME ALLEY, PARK ROW, THE EAST END, UPTOWN, GOTHAM CITY, NEW JERSEY, USA
It always seemed to be dark in Gotham City, even during the daylight hours. The architect who'd constructed the coastal port city had probably been insane as the sprawling gothic design and stone-faced gargoyles of the city's numerous skyscrapers seemed to blot out most of the sun's light for Gotham's approximately 8,168,564 residents. This projected a grim haze on the trash littered streets below and meant that at night, Gotham wasn't just dark. It was near impossible to see clearly if you were unlucky enough to find yourself in an area where the streetlights had long since been smashed. It was also during these late hours that all the creeps and predators emerged from their daytime hiding spots.
Situated in Uptown Gotham, the Park Row area of Gotham's East End district had certainly seen better days. Once an affluent neighborhood during Gotham's glory years, Park Row was better known now for its derelict buildings and abandoned properties. Years of neglect and urban decay had turned the area into crime filled slum, one of the worst in the city. Park Row was now a hotbed for assault, drug dealing, muggings, and prostitution. The most notorious section of Park Row had even gained a more sinister name among Gotham's residents: "Crime Alley."
That night in Crime Alley had been a dark and cold one. A couple and their young son had been out walking out of the movies. The Monarch Theatre nearby had been playing classic movies from Hollywood's Golden Age. That night's showing had been 1940's "The Mark of Zorro" starring Tyrone Power. A big fan of the movie, the man had been excited to take his wife and young son to see it later that night once he was done working. They were walking to the agreed meeting spot where their butler was to pick them up and take them home when the man made the decision to take a short cut through Crime Alley. Despite enjoying the movie, their son was tired, and the man wanted to get him home as soon as possible. The woman had concerns though, given the area's notorious reputation. The man shrugged them off, however. They weren't going to linger for long, and they would get to the agreed meeting spot soon. If they kept moving, nothing would go wrong. This would prove to be an ill-fated decision.
The family's presence in Crime Alley did not go unnoticed. Lingering in the shadows, out of the sight of the family was a dark figure, dressed in a ratty coat, dirty trousers, and a flat cap pulled low over his eyes. He'd been leaning against a brick wall attempting to light a cigarette when he noticed the family approaching. Based on the way they were dressed he could tell they had money. The man was wearing an expensive business suit and Rolex watch while the woman wore a fine dress and fur coat with a necklace of expensive pearls around her neck. Seeing an opportunity, the man in the shadows took a deep breath and summoned his nerve. He whipped out his revolver, checked the ammunition, and waited to make his move.
The family didn't see the hoodlum until he was right in front of them, almost as if out of thin air. They stopped walking immediately, stunned at the sight of him. It was then they saw what was in his hands! The woman yelped in fright as the hood pointed his revolver at them, the whole family recoiling.
"Wallet and that watch!" the hood demanded, "Now!"
"Easy friend." reasoned the man gently, hand raised, "No need for anyone to get hurt."
"Did I say you could talk!" snarled the thug, "Give me what asked for!"
"Ok, ok." the man replied, removing his watch and handing to the hood who snatched it away. The man also handed his wallet over as well, shooting the gunman a calm, yet nervous smile as he did so, "There you, see, we're all good now."
The gunman wasn't done though as his eyes swiveled over to the necklace around the woman's neck.
"I'll take those pearls as well!" he growled, reaching out and yanking the necklace.
"Hey!" protested the man, pushing the thug away. When he did so, the necklace snapped, and pearls spilt to the street, scattering everywhere.
"BLAM!"
The deafening sound of the thug's gun echoed throughout "Crime Alley!" The man gasped as blood started spilling down the front of his suit. He collapsed to the ground as his wife shrieked in horror."
"THOMAS!" she cried out as her son's eyes widened at the sight of his downed father.
The thug took a deep breath and leveled the still smoking revolver at the woman now.
"WAIT, DON'T!" yelped the woman putting herself in front of the boy, "NOT IN FRONT OF MY SON!"
"You shouldn't have screamed." replied the goon calmly, before firing again.
"BLAM!"
The wide-eyed boy could only watch as it was his mother that fell to the ground this time, right next to her husband. He turned to see the barrel of the gun pointed at his head. The goon was about to shoot, but paused when he noticed the look the boy was giving him. It was a dead eyed stare, fearful, yet with a cold rage boiling behind the eyes. The killer lost his nerve at this point, the kid's gaze sending a cold chill down his spine. Besides, someone had probably heard the shots and called the police who were bound to show up soon. It was probably best to make his escape.
"See you around, kid." he said uncertainly, before dashing off into the night.
The boy watched him leave, too stunned to move. The world seemed to be spinning, and he felt like he was going to be sick. The reality of what had just happened was starting to sink in. His parents were...dead, brutally gunned down in front of him!? It seemed almost too surreal to be true. He was shaken from this stupor when he felt a cold hand suddenly clamp onto his wrist.
It was his father, still breathing, but barely. He didn't long, but he needed to say one final thing to his son before he passed.
"Bruce." he gasped, blood dripping from his lip, "Don't be afraid!"
His head slumped back to the ground, and he went still again for the final time. At this point, the emotions he was trying to hold back came bellowing out. Bruce couldn't hold it in any longer. He looked up to the sky and screamed!
There it is readers, there is the Prologue for BATMAN: KNIGHTS OF GOTHAM. Hopefully, I wrote something that you all enjoyed reading, and that provides a taste of my plans for the future of this project. Also, I'm currently watching the new Batman: Caped Crusader show on Amazon Prime. It's nice to have a new Batman show. I mostly like the show, though there are a few things that I didn't necessarily care for. I was disappointed in how Harvey Bullock is portrayed as dim-witted crooked cop. I understand that this was how he was written in his early comic appearances, but my preferred Bullock will always be the morally gray, yet honest and loyal detective who always has Gordon's back. I will give the show points for trying some different things instead of rehashing Batman: The Animated Series, which can never be topped in my opinion.