Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my space where I will share my idea for a new conception of Batman. The idea is a novel series set in two timelines. One timeline being the retelling of Batman from his origins. The second timeline is set in the future after the mantle of Batman has been passed down to Dick Grayson.
The idea sprung from an idea me and my friend Adrian had regarding the red hood. We conceptualized a theory that what if the Red Hoods' father was the Joker? That one idea spawned a whole universe of Batman inside of my head. Leading to this first concept, where the Hood gets taken by the Joker tortured and ultimately released causing a series of events leading to Jason Todd learning who his father is and the events that spiral out of control after.
Without further ado, here is the first concept of my future timeline of Dark Gotham
Part 1:
The Last Laugh
Chapter I
On a stormy night Jason Todd is called out by an intruder in his territory killing his men. Jason shows up with a few of his men only to be betrayed by them in an elaborate trap set by the Joker who was the true mastermind of the red hood gang the entire time. After Todd has been subdued Joker kills his own men and takes Jason to a secure location. Joker then begins torturing Jason psychologically at first gradually turning more physical. At first Jason is horrified to be at the mercy of the one man he has nightmares about, the man that killed him. He has hope that Bruce will find him though.
Chapter II
Two years later, Bruce Wayne has retired the cowl about a year previous. Bruce handed off the responsibilities of Batman to Dick Grayson, his adoptive son and the first Robin. Bruce returning home from an evening out at a gala for Wayne Industries finds Alfred waiting for him with a package that arrived that evening. Alfred unsure of what the package is said it was delivered express and only arrived a short time ago. Bruce curious looks over the small box with only his name and address on the label with a winky smile face. Bruce opens the package revealing a bloody severed hand. Shocked and frightened about who's hand is sitting in his foyer Bruce and Alfred take the hand to the Batcave where they run it through the fingerprint database of the whole bat system. After a few seconds the match pops up as one Jason Todd. Jason Todd who is Bruce's second adopted son and the second Robin, he was killed by the Joker about 5 years previous only to be resurrected in the Lazarus Pitts and returned to Gotham as the Red Hood. Bruce concerned and panicked at discovering the severed hand is that of Todd. Bruce begins to search the computer for any information on what the Red Hood has been working on the past few weeks. Finding the news article from the last week about how the Red Hood was responsible from stopping a armoured vehicle heist by clowns; taking place in the warehouse district of Gotham. The Hood was able to save millions of dollars although a large sum of cash is still unaccounted for. Bruce pondering how that sounds exactly like Jason, doing something heroic, but taking something personal from it. Bruce attempts to call Dick Grayson but only receives his voicemail. Leaving him a message as Dick is overseas on business this week, informing him that it appears Jason has been captured. Bruce knowing that the only man who would pull something like this off would be the Joker. Bruce suits up into his dusty Batsuit and heads out towards the scene of the armed robbery to find some clues about the potential location that he could be holding Todd. Bruce constantly telling himself that he cannot let this happen again, he will not let Jason die at the hands of Joker a second time. Jumping on the Batcycle he heads out into the night.
Chapter III
The Joker is laughing and informing Todd that today is the day that everything is going to come together. His ultimate plan to destroy the bats. He is going to kill the bats in front of Todd this time, and that it is going to be a spectacular show. Joker squealing with joy leaves the warehouse where Jason is being held captive to finish the final details of the trap. Jason trying to remain conscious from his severed hand, finally alone he is able to break free from his bindings using the intense pain from his severed hand to allow him to feel less sensations in the rest of his body allowing him to escape. Jason sneaks out of the warehouse and begins to head towards Wayne Manor looking for anyone or any phone he can use to call Bruce and warn him that it is all a trap. Unknowingly to Todd, he is doing exactly as Joker has planned for him to do.
Chapter IV
Bruce stops by the station and meets Gordon, informing Gordon that Joker has taken someone very close to him. That Joker has gone to far this time and he needs any information about his possible whereabouts. Gordon informs Bruce that he has heard that Joker has been hanging around the Kane Chemicals warehouse, which also happens to be near the location of the armoured truck heist. Bruce knows these can't be coincidental. Batman vanishes from the station rushing towards the address. Eventually arriving at the address, Bruce stakes out the warehouse and sneaks inside. Once he enters the main manufacturing floor a video projector starts up and begins playing a video showing the heinous torture of Jason right before his hand is severed. As Bruce watches in horror at the sight of his adoptive son being cruelly picked apart psychologically the blade comes down severing Jason's hand. A blood curdling scream echoes through the entire warehouse until the projector suddenly cuts out and Jokers ominous laugh echoes through the warehouse. Suddenly gunfire bursts out from the shadows as Batman jumps for cover. The direction Batman dives in is lit up by explosions from handheld grenades, Bruce narrowly avoids the concussive blasts. Suddenly the Joker appears before Batman swinging a crowbar down onto him. Batman takes the hit to the face and quickly recovers parrying the clown and lunging towards him. Grabbing the Joker by the throat Bruce demands Joker tell him where Jason is. The Joker cackles maniacally responding that "the boy is dead, no coming back from a severed head. his gravestone shall be read, here lies the headless Red." Joker cackles harder from his rhyming joke. Bruce completely in shock from the Joker that he can hear his own heartbeat in his head, with a white hot rage enveloping him. Bruce completely overwhelmed by the news of his adoptive son's death at the hands of this mad man a second time makes Bruce fly into a rage. Bruce begins beating Joker, hitting him over and over; harder and harder. All Bruce is aware of is his heartbeat and the dying laughter of the murderous clown. Bruce beating the Joker savagely remembers Jason and how good of a soul he was that he is able to gain control and stop beating the Joker. As Bruce stops the assault Joker takes the opportunity to grab a busted iron pipe and jam the razor sharp edge into Batman's chest. Bruce groans out in pain letting the Joker go, the Joker makes his escape setting off one final giant explosion seemingly destroying the entire warehouse.
Chapter V
Jason Todd is about ten blocks away from the warehouse heading towards Wayne Manor. A giant explosion fills the night sky coming from the warehouse where he was being held captive. Seeing the remnants of the explosion in the night sky followed by deep bellowing smoke. Jason horrified realizing he might of been too late to warn Bruce begins rushing back to the warehouse. During his travel back he stumbles across a badly beaten and bloody Joker hunched over in an alley way. Jason overcome with rage and anger grabs the bloody Joker by the throat with his right hand screaming at the clown "why?" Joker looks up with an almost toothless smile on his face choking on blood as he cackles. Joker tells Jason that it is in his nature, he is the scorpion of the fable. Gurgling on blood he chuckles with an ominous tone looking up at Jason he says that Jason was a pathetic son and that he needed to motivate him to be better son who will respect and fear his father. As Jason eyes grow wide in horror realizing that the Joker is saying that he is Jason's father, he shakes his head shaking the clown saying that it can't be true. The Joker bellows a giant Cackling laugh as he says that the Bats knew all along. That is the Jokers last Joke as his deep laughter turns into a hacking cough of massive amounts of blood. The Joker dies in Jason's arms from the injuries that Batman had inflicted upon him.
Chapter VI
A broken and bloody Bruce climbs out of the debris of the warehouse barely managing to survive the explosion. Looking around the shattered warehouse his vision becoming slightly blurry from the blood loss. Bruce clutches the wound that is now freely pouring out blood, trying to contact Alfred Bruce realizes that his equipment was damaged by the concussive force of the blast. Coughing up blood Bruce realizes that his internal organs have been damaged and that he is bleeding internally. Bruce manages to crawl over to a half broken wall and steady himself enough to stand on shaky legs. Bruce looks up seeing a figure in the distance. As the figure gets closer the image appears clearer, it is Jason Todd. Bruce half delirious from blood loss and a concussion thinks maybe that dying won't be so bad if he can see Jason again. The figure keeps getting closer as Bruce begins to reflect on everything he has done in his life, and whether or not he made the right decisions. Suddenly Jason's voice breaks Bruce's reflection crashing him back into reality, not really hearing what Jason says Bruce chokes out a question of "what?" Jason demands to know if it is true. Bruce confused and disoriented questions "is what true?" Jason's image clear as day wide eyed and battered asks Bruce if he is the Jokers son. Bruce absolutely shocked by the question is unable to deny it. Jason's eyes lose all hope that he was holding onto of it being a lie and is overcome by a white hot rage. Jason unable to accept that he has been lied to his entire life and that every horrible thing in his life was decided from birth because of his father. Jason attacks Bruce screaming at him that he lied to him his entire life. Bruce is beaten savagely until he is motionless looking up at his surrogate son, Bruce understands that this was the Jokers last laugh. As Bruce feels his last breath leave him he hears Jason scream into the night while he holds Bruce's dead body.
Chapter VII (WIP)
Dick Grayson rushing into the Batcave to gear up to join the hunt for Jason Todd, after receiving the message left by Bruce he got on a plane and headed back as soon as possible. The fact that Dick wasn't in the country was not lost on the Joker. As Dick arrives in the cave he sees a bloody, beaten and dead Bruce Wayne. Dick horrified by what he is seeing is distraught and refuses to accept what his eyes are telling him. Suddenly the silence of the cave is cut when Jason Todd speaks out from the shadows of the cave. Dick turning around towards the voice slightly relieved but still very confused asks Jason what the hell happened. Jason breaks down into a crying laughter, responding that he killed Bruce because he has lied to him his entire life. Dick horrified by the confession of Jason shouts angrily approaching the voice in the shadows. Dick screaming that Bruce was like their father. Jason's laughter turns more into a cackle as he screams back that Bruce is not his father. Only then does Dick know what Jason is talking about. Before Jason even says it Dick knows. Jason in a bold statement declares that the Joker was his father. Jason moves out of the shadows revealing his mouth bloody and cut into a smile from his own knife. Jason berates Dick that Bruce would never have chosen him to become the bat, that he wasn't training him to become a hero. Bruce was making sure he could keep him out of the hands of Joker. Jason clearly unstable shouts that Bruce was never going to accept a broken spawn of Joker as his own family. Then Jason ponders for a moment and adds that Dick was never going to either, he thought of Dick as a brother but now sees him for what he is. Jason cackles loudly as he spews that his purpose in life is to make Dick suffer for the rest of his life, to suffer like Jason has suffered at the hands of Batman. Jason than activates the bat whistle creating an enormous distraction of bats and disappears, leaving Dick Grayson standing there in stunned silence.
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