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>>5851983
>Lead Character Design: Dou Hong. Character Design: Alaine Baybayan, Carli Squitieri. Director: Diana Huh.
>Alt text: A man in armor with a skull-shaped helmet walks through smoke, holding two energy swords.
>Vote Titles: Doug Moench. Frank Miller.

Clouds of black and orange cut through Cobblepot Park, the explosions scattering debris and injuring the less fortunate.
Your training allows you to tackle the reporters to the ground because, unknown to most, you are more than the Billionaire Philanthropist Bruce Wayne.
You are The Batman!
Some call you a terrorist, some a vigilante, others still a hero or revolutionary.
But whatever label they give, they all know to fear ever standing in your way.

DEATHSTROKE: Hey, Mr Mayor, I have a campaign donation for you!

Through the ash walks a man in body armor split down the middle in shades of black and orange.
He fires a rocket launcher at the podium where Dent is helping Dr. Thompkins to her feet.

SFX: PSSHAH!!

The explosive crashes against a bright orange forcefield, a security gift you gave to Dent initially designed for your nighttime activities.

DEATHSTROKE: Nice toy. Mine’s better.

The man raises his hands, and magnetic blue sparks fly from his fingers.
He clenches his fists, and the metal force field projectors buckle and burst from the ground, cutting the stadium in two and separating Dent and the Doctor.
The assailant raises his hands again, and Dent is pulled by his cufflinks through the air until his throat is in the grip of the armored attacker.

DEATHSTROKE: I think it’s time for a Snap Election.

You rush to the mayor as the assassin squeezes but hear a scream from behind you.
When the attacker destroyed the podium with his magnetism, the metal frame for the lights and cameras came loose.
Dr Thopkins is moments away from being crushed. You can only save one, but who will it be?

>Blood Kin
Save Dr Thopkins: She saved your mind and your life as a child. The city needs her skills to fight the pandemic of pain it's in.
>Friend in Need
Save Dent; he’s your friend and might be the only chance for the government to actually help people.

>>5851995
Goddamn, RIGHT into the tick of it, huh? Shit...

>Blood Kin

>>5851995
Previously on Batquest...

Issue 1: I Shall Become a Bat
https://lws.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5086723/

Issue 2 Part 1: Warriors of the Darkness
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5180270/

Issues 2.1-3 + Annotations:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=batquest

Previously on K9jgL238's The Man of Tommorow!

https://archived.moe/qst/thread/5089042/

>>5851995
>>Friend in Need

Rest in peace AxisQM

>>5851995
>>Friend in Need

Oh shit we're back
>>5851995
>Friend in Need
I believe in Harvey Dent

>>5851995
>A friend in need

Good politicans are so hard to find.

>>5851995
>Blood Kin

>>5852015
>>5852075
>>5852079
>>5852404
>>5852408
Locking for "A Friend in need." Update coming within 13 hours.

Welcome and welcome back everyone to Batquest. It is been a while and some folks may be new, so feel free to ask any questions. I am glad to be back in the saddle.

>>5853426
>so feel free to ask any questions
Is K9jgL238's quest required reading to understand the setting or the Superman we're getting?

>>5853432
It is not. Like comics of old, knowing the old stories will give you some additional backstory and context but the intent is that everything needed to understand things will be explained in this quest.

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>>5851995
>Art: Steve Muffati, Frank Endres, Jack Ozark, Hal Seeger
>Alt-Text: Superman as seen in the Fleischer Superman shorts
>Dialouge Samples: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer, Tom Taylor, Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer

“Harvey, duck!”

The masked man turns just as they catch an elbow to the throat.
You know firsthand that even with all that armor, the neckplates must be soft enough to turn.
As you tumble to the ground and pin the would-be assassin, Dent screams.

DENT: No! No, not me! Why are you coming for me?

A metal glove lifts you in the air, and you feel the tell-tale metallic sting of an electrocution running through your veins.

DEATHSTROKE: That’s a mean right hook for a trust fund brat. Do a lot of extreme sports?
SFX: ZAPPPPT
BRUCE: AHHHH!!!

Let him talk; you can already see Dent running to safety- wait, no, he’s going straight for the podium.

BRUCE: Harveeeeeyy Itss nt ssafe
DENT: I got you, Dr Thompkins, hold on!

He’s too far away; you can already see the scaffolding collapse on your mentor. The best you can hope for is a quick-

SFX:WHOOOSHH!!

As the metal falls, it doesn’t make the sick crunch of broken bones, but instead, the iron melody of steel crashing against something far stronger.
As the light shines through the warm spring, revealed are the fluttering cape and bronze visage of-

THOMPKINS: SUPERMAN!

The alien scoops Dr Thomplin like a cat from a tree and carefully drops her next to Dent.

SUPERMAN: I’m sorry I’m late, Mr Mayor. Had I been here sooner-
DENT: You’re here just in time! You have to stop him!

Dent and Superman look at the murder machine pumping you full of thunder, and he looks back, just the opening you need.

SFX: KRAACK
DEATHSTROKE: NYAARGH

The eyes, yet another needed soft point in a suit of armor. The warrior drops you, and you start to scurry away.
Even if you could beat him unarmed, doing so would draw more attention than it was worth.

DEATHSTROKE: You punk! I don’t usually do freebies, but-

He pulls out an energy sword and lunges after you, but a humanoid hurricane stops him.
In a Red-Blue blur, Superman appeared and grabbed your enemy by the wrist.

SUPERMAN: That’s enough of that.
DEATHSTROKE: What the-? Let go freak!

The blue lighting once again pours from the black and orange suit, bringing your would-be savior to his knees.

DEATHSTROKE: What’s the matter, Boy Scout? Can’t take the power?
SUPERMAN: N-no. It's just easier to see your suit's battery from here.
DEATHSTROKE: Wha--

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>>5854327
>Art: Jae Lee & June Chung
>Alt-Text: A bifurcated image of Superman and Batman. Superman is on top, facing away from the audience in the day, showing the S symbol on his cape. Batman is on the bottom, upside down, facing the audience in a shadowy silhouette with tendrils.
>Dialouge Samples: Chris Terrio & David S Goyer, Mark Schultz, Dwayne McDuffie
>Vote Titles: Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder, Michael Green & Mike Johnson, Mark Waid & Unknown

Like a god of old, fire pours from Superman’s eyes.
The red-hot gaze lands on his opponent’s armored chest, melting it in a haze of sparks and smoke.

DEATHSTROKE: The containment’s off, you--
SFX:KSHRRNNT

A burst of magnetic energy flings the swordsman back until he “lands” six feet high on a flag pole stuck by his back.
Before he could move a muscle, all manner of folding chairs, nails, and debris flew after him, trapping him in a dense ball of magnetic material.
A squadron of CBI helicopters pour on the scene as if on cue, and out of the lead vehicle steps Agent Cameron Chase.

CHASE: Clear the area! We don’t know what supertech he left here.
DENT: Hey, what are you goons doing here?! I ordered you out of town weeks ago!
CHASE: Yes, because Gotham’s Finest clearly had this under control. You ended CBI control of the police, but we still have jurisdiction over metahuman incidents.
DENT: And I’m sure you just happened to be in the area when you showed up. And late at that.

Chase hands Dent a clipboard.

CHASE: You have a law degree. Sue us. Until then, Mr Halloween over here is coming with us.

You don’t trust the city government, even with Dent in charge, but you trust the CBI even less. You spent enough time in the secret halls of espionage and intrigue to know whatever they get up to, and it can’t be-

SUPERMAN:..okay?
BRUCE: What?

He’s right in front of you, with that million-watt smile beaming like the sun itself.

SUPERMAN: You took a nasty jolt, and while your vitals all seem fine, you appeared to be in your head. I didn’t know if you were in shock.
BRUCE: Uh.. No, I’m fine, Mister...Man
SUPERMAN: Deep thought then. I get it. I’m known to have a bit of an internal monologue myself.

You vitals? How did he know... There may be more to him than your files suggested. Something to note considering...

>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
You can’t trust Superman. He has the power to wipe out the entire human race. If we believe there is even a one percent chance that he is our enemy, we have to take it as an absolute certainty.
>Superman/Batman: Night and Day
I work the shadows, and he works the light. As long as he stays out of Gotham and stays out of your way, he’s not an issue.
>Batman • Superman: World’s Finest
He’s a true hero. Despite our differences, I have nothing but respect for him. He showed me heroism doesn't always have to come from the darkness.

>>5854334
Just a heads up, this vote will determine the overall arc of this entire storyline (and by extension the Batquest series as a whole) so it's pretty significant.

>>5854334
>Superman/Batman: Night and Day
They live in two different worlds, and must stay in them. Like how bats can rarely be seen during the day and even display some activity, by nature they belong in the night.
>>5854336
>and by extension the Batquest series as a whole
Wow, what a serious decision point. You sure about this boss?

>>5854334
>You don’t trust the city government, even with Dent in charge, but you trust the CBI even less.
I like this bit a lot. Our Batman in this quest is the tech-terror secret agent psyop bat, but in his blood he still initially holds a fellow Gothamite over any foreign influence. Dent is almost always the better side of the coin over the damn feds.

>>5854336
I don't know if I ever posted you these, QM, but here you go
https://bloons.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Knight
https://bloons.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Champion
https://bloons.fandom.com/wiki/Legend_of_the_Night

>>5854351
It's not the SOLE decision that will define the 'verse but it sets up a lot of stuff the players will vote in later.
To not give too much away this will Decide the "Question" and later votes will decide the "Answers" to that question

>>5854334
>>Batman • Superman: World’s Finest

>>5854334
>Superman/Batman: Night and Day

>>5854334
>>Batman • Superman: World’s Finest

>>5854359
If I had to guess, the "questions" are probably...
>How can we counter and defeat Superman?
>How much can we trust and work with Superman?
>How can we and Superman best combine forces to improve the world?

>>5854351
>>5854361
>>5854368
>>5854711
Something I forgot: The quest uses approval voting for choices with three or more options.
So, each player is allowed two votes, and the winner will be the option with the highest total votes.
So, if any of you want to pick a second option you are okay with, feel free to do so.

>>5854334
>Superman/Batman: Night and Day

>>5854334
>Night and day.

I can respect a hero. But Gotham doesnt deserve one. It needs the Batman.
A secindary choice is
>He cant be trusted

Because this superman is a tyrant, but a benevolent one. Touching gotham is offlimits.

>>5854736
I'm >>5854351 on mobile
My secondary is
>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
He's cool and he handles threats Batman cannot. Bats CANNOT deny Superman is useful, but it takes one malign force compromising him to put the whole planet at risk. Better stockpile that Kryptonite...

>>5854334
>>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
>Superman/Batman: Night and Day

>>5855140
>>5854934
>>5854929
>>5854792
Locking for Superman/Batman: Night and Day. From here on, this quest shall be known as Batquest Issue IV: Batquest/Superquest. Update tonight

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>>5854334
>Dialouge Sample: Jerry Siegel
>Art: Francis Manapul
>Alt-Text: Superman flying over Metropolis, a city of many Art Deco skyscrapers, in an outfit reminiscent of a circus strongman. On his chest is a red S in a yellow badge.

Superman may be good at breaking up wars and putting the squeeze on governors, but Gotham is your city; it needs an intimate touch.
No matter how well-intentioned, an outsider can’t give the city what it needs. That makes his appearance all the more concerning.

SUPERMAN: Lost in thought again? Understandable with what you went through.
BRUCE: You’ll find Gothamites tend to grow thick skin. Well, not as thick as yours.
SUPERMAN: I bet.
DENT: Bruce!

Dent runs towards the two of you.

DENT: What were you thinking, tackling that that guy?
BRUCE: I don’t know. I saw a creep with a weapon trying to kill someone I cared for, and I... I just

His face softens, and he puts a hand on your shoulder.

DENT: Hey, I get it. If we all didn’t have baggage, I wouldn’t need to be doing all this at all.

He turns and looks at Arkham, then at Superman.

DENT: Well, even without the pomp and circumstance, I hope the donation is still coming through.
SUPERMAN: Of course. Supercorp has already transferred the funds to the city account. However, I would have liked to drop off a giant check.
DENT: Ha! If you want to try again, no one’s stopping you from doubling the donation.
SUPERMAN: I just might.

The alien looks at the CBI agents, chiseling the assailant from the metal ball.

SUPERMAN: You sure things are covered over here?
THOMPKINS: Trust me, if I know my boys like I know my city, both will bounce back from trouble.
SUPERMAN: True, but I know one way to help.

Wind like a twister blows past your face as the Kryptonian darts around the ruined podium in a flurry of heat vision and clanging metal.
When he finishes, the structure stands as good as new.

DENT: Holy..
SUPERMAN: I did some set design as a kid.

What is he doing?! Who knows how much he just contaminated the crime scene? He hovers back to the ground.

SUPERMAN: If everything’s okay here, I have to go. I’ve done the math. There are at least 52 lives a second I could be saving right now.
DENT: Of course, of course, thanks for stopping by.
BRUCE: Yeah, Superman. Enjoy your...flight.

With an inhumanly large boom, the Man of Steel takes off.

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>>5855951
>Art:Javier Gtz (https://twitter.com/exeiviermx)
>Alt-text: Lois, a Korean-american woman, typing aggressively. Sound effects write out “ticka ticka ticka”
>Vote Titles: Cary Bates, Edmond Hamilton

Flying in empty air offers fewer distractions. And more room for the thoughts.
Murder in Smalltown England, Private Yacht adrift on Connecticut Coast, Freight Train Robberies in...
Focus. Center your mind. Figure out what action leads to the most good for the most people, and do it.

SUPERMAN: Friday, call the Daily Star.
FRIDAY: Ms. Lane has been trying to reach you for 24.567892...
SUPERMAN: Thanks for the update, Friday. Patch me in, please.
LOIS: How’s it hanging, Spaceman?
SUPERMAN: I had a bit of trouble at the opening, Ms Lane, but nothing I couldn't handle.
LOIS: I know; I’m working on the article now.
SUPERMAN: How did you?
LOIS: Jimmy had his camera drones all over the park. You’d think eyes like yours would notice.
SUPERMAN: I was... distracted.
LOIS: It makes sense the man who can fly has his head in the clouds. But now, do you see why going to Gotham was a good idea?
SUPERMAN: Right as always, Ms Lane.
LOIS: Darn skippy. And stop calling me Ms Lane. You know what color my DNA is. I think we're on a first-name basis.
SUPERMAN: Actually, Lois, DNA has no...
LOIS: You know what I mean. Are you finally ready to work on finding The Batman?
SUPERMAN: Knowing you, you’re already halfway there.
LOIS: Please. Two-thirds at least. At first, I thought military or police black ops, but after the dust-up at Gothcorp, I doubted Uncle Sam would be behind him. And with the help of my Pentagon connections.
SUPERMAN: You mean your dad.
LOIS: My anonymous sources were able to rule out most nations with his kind of tech. That leaves private investors or organizations, and his MO doesn’t match KOBRA or Intergang. Only 52 companies could produce all his confirmed gear.
SUPERMAN: Any way to narrow it down?
LOIS: Well since you're in town... If you scanned the city with your baby blues, I’m sure you find traces of his smog gas or Batblades or whatever. Some hard evidence would cut our list down faster than me with a Bibbo Steak.
SUPERMAN: You know you can’t publish-
LOIS: Please. Jimmy and I got the Star a Pulitzer. We don’t need to out a tacticool furry to get press.

Knowing Lois, if you play ball, you could be at The Batman’s doorstep by the weekend. But should you shake the belfry?
You need his help, but he might not take kindly to you poking around in his business. Then again, it’s not exactly like you can call him up.
And you can’t afford to hover around the city until you run into him. Not with the world on fire. So much to do, so many to save... Stop. Focus, Clark.
Just like before, weigh the options.

>The Secret Lois Lane Could Never Tell
Work with Lois to figure out who Batman is.

>The Game of Secret Identities
Try to find Batman another way, and let the world suffer the consequences of you spending more time in the city.

>>5855965
>>The Game of Secret Identities
Clark is overachieving waaaay too much and that's never healthy.

>>5855965
>The Game of Secret Identities
Huh. This Batman has already learned the value of community and formed The Outsiders with Nightwing, Alfred, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy, right? Having a single-minded Superman who doesn't yet fully trust is a neat contrast. Reminds me of 'The Batman' from the 2000s on WB.

>>5855965
>>The Game of Secret Identities

>>5855965
>The Game of Secret Identities
When will we get the funny moment when Clark and Bruce shake hands, but Superman and Batman recognize each other at the same time?

>>5855965
>Jimmy had his camera drones all over the park
THIS ROBOT IS TRAINED TO BREAK YOUR CAMERA
THIS ROBOT IS TRAINED TO FUCK YOUR ASS
THIS ROBOT IS TRAINED TO END YOUR RUN
and so on and so forth. It's that guy.

>>5855965
>The Game of Secret Identities

Fastest way to get Batman's attention is to cause a crime, but seeing as that is a little rough for Supes. The classic X-Ray eyes through the cowl trick is always funny though.

>>5856151
I guess he could wander around trying to become the VICTIM of a crime?

>>5855965
>a game of secrets.

If you want his help, all observable facts and his modus operendi say that he would take learning his identity as a threat.

So track him another way. He tends to fly at night and uses gas, this is useful.

>>5856454
Locking for The Game of Secret Identities. Update tonight.

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>>5855965
>Pencils: Doug Mahnke. Inks: Tom Nguyen. Colors: Glenn Whitmore.
>Alt text: Superman sits on a mountaintop overlooking a mountain range, an ocean, and a cloud bank. His cape with the S shield is facing the viewer. He wears a headband.
>Dialouge Sample: J.M. DeMatteis

SUPERMAN: *Sigh* I don’t think it’s the right move. He doesn’t seem the type to like folks poking in his business. And I need him on my side for this.
LOIS: Suit yourself, Spaceman. I’ll send you today’s article when it's finished. What do you think about “Deathstroke” for the new guy’s name?
SUPERMAN: Death- you’re still giving them names?
LOIS: Of course. It gets the people going. If us normies have to live in a world with atomic apes and deathbots, we’re at least gonna make it fun. You ever heard of that? You should try it sometime.
SUPERMAN: I have ...fun. Why, just last week, I...
LOIS: Exactly. Do yourself a favor while looking out for the world, and look out for yourself, okay?
SUPERMAN: I will, Lois. Thank you.

You’ll have to do this fast. Every second spent here is a literal century of suffering you could be stopping worldwide.
Mount Gotham should work for this. You sit on its summit and take a deep breath. Open your meridians. Let the Shreearr flow through you.
Listen to the world.

Help! 帮忙啊! मदद करना! HELP! ¡AYUDAME! 救人啊! يساعد! बचाओ! Help! help. BAM! BOOM! CRASH! ZAP! Whrrrrrrr. Swoosh. Plat! Slam! Where's the drop-off!

SUPERMAN: There!
SFX: FWOO-

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>>5857376
>Art: Victor Martinez
>Alt-Text: Superman and Batman face each other at night in a run-down Gotham City street. Graffiti on buildings shows the bat symbol, “Gotham RIP’ and BAM! POW! POW!”
>Dialoauge Samples: Brian Q Miller, Tim McCanlies and Brad Bird.

BATMAN: Where’s the drop-off!
JOCKO: I told you I changed! Father Manheim showed me there’s no point in not doing wrong. Cuz we’re all damned anyw-
BATMAN: Where is-
SFX:-OOOSHH!
SUPERMAN: Maybe he’ll listen to me.

There he is again, the alien powerhouse still in your city and still in your business.

BATMAN: I have it under control.
SUPERMAN: Is the mutagen he’s trading Follistatin based?
BATMAN: What do you know about it?
SUPERMAN: I can smell it on his skin. The only other place in the city with the same mix of proteins and his unique dander is... *sniff*

SFX:WHOOSH

He’s go-

SFX:WHOOSH.
SUPERMAN: Here.

Superman holds out a black box filled with Venom vials, the newest metadrug brand sweeping the streets.

BATMAN: Put it back. Now. The pick-up is tonight, and if the buyer leaves without it, I can’t track them to where they’re taking it.
SUPERMAN: I’m sorry, I
BATMAN: Now.
SFX:WHOOSH.

Jock makes a run for it. He thinks you're distracted. Big mistake.

BATMAN: Bat-dart!

A tranquilizer fires from your wrist, hitting Jocko in the back and knocking him out.

SFX: WHOOSH.
SUPERMAN: Wasn’t that a bit extreme?
BATMAN: Better than a prison cell. I need to keep him from tipping off the buyer tonight. Like you almost did.
SUPERMAN: It was my mistake. I put it back.
BATMAN: I need you out of my city. My operations here are too delicate to have a warhead in town.
SUPERMAN: I AM NOT. A GUN.

The alien furrows his brow and floats above you. You reach for your utility belt.

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>>5857381
>Prop design: Glen Murakami, Bruce Timm & Hiroshi Wagatsuma. Director: Kazumi Fukushima
>Alt-Text: A hand holds a watch with a Superman logo on its face.
>Dialoauge Samples: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez, James Robinson
>Vote Titles: Transogram, B. Clay Moore

SUPERMAN: *inhale* ...deep breath...

He calms himself and floats back down.

SUPERMAN: I'm sorry, it's just... I've used too much time already. I wouldn't be here if it weren't necessary. Don't you wonder where all this technology is coming from?
BATMAN: The so-called "Superscientific Revolution." If you mean the mutagen, in particular. It has roots in Metropolis. Headquarters of your company.
SUPERMAN: Supercorp brings peaceful Kryptonian technology to Earth, but humanity will always find a way to hurt each other. The only difference between a spaceship and a missile is where it lands.
BATMAN: If you're here to stop people from finding new ways to kill each other, you're a few million years too late.
SUPERMAN: I'm here to stop the end of the planet. Even before Supercorp, technology had been growing at an exponential rate. A dangerous rate. Lexcorp, Waynetech, KORD. They've been doing things for decades that should still be science fiction here. The metahumans and supertech are just the start. Governments are running supersoldier programs; doomsday cults have the firepower of small nations. We have a year at best before this planet is doomed. Even with me on it.
BATMAN: Assume I believe you. What do you plan to do about it?

He reaches into a pocket in his cape.

SUPERMAN: This "New Earth" has its wonders, too. I've been tracking them. "Magic" and birdpeople in New York, a fishman in the Atlantic, and, of course, Gotham's resident vampire. If we're going to stop the coming crisis, we'll have to do it together.

He passes you what he took from his cape: a watch.

SUPERMAN: It's a signal watch. It's impossible to listen in on because there's only one receiver on the planet for it.
BATMAN: And I'm looking at him.
SUPERMAN: Exactly.

He winces and looks up.

SUPERMAN: I've been here too long; a hundred lives were lost while we were standing here. We can't let that be in vain. I'm looking into how all this supertech is connected. If you need me, just push the S.

He flies away without another word. You stare at the watch. If there truly is something deeper to all this tech, having an ally with his resources could be useful.
Then again, you have no idea what this watch is. It could be tracking you for all you know; you might be better off dissecting it.
It wouldn't work anymore, but the access to alien technology and intel on Superman could be invaluable.

>Calling Superman
Keep the watch so you can contact Superman.

>Signal to Noise
Break the watch and gain Kryptonian tech and intel on Superman.

>>5857414
>Signal to Noise
We don't yet know this Superman and, between his corporation, his doomsday prophecies, his instinct to levitate and loom menacingly over us when his motives or means are questions, and all the pressure he's under... I'm getting faint pre-fall Plutonian vibes.

>>5857458
+1

>>5857414
>Signal to noise.

Yeah, but we can also use OTHER MEANS to get your attention mr Man.
This device will be rather useful for information.

>>5857414
>>Calling Superman
its a cool watch

>>5857414
>Signal to Noise
He just gave us every reason to NOT trust him right there. Whatever intel the watch gives needs to be handled very sensitively since we now know just how accute his senses really are. If it gives us enough information to develop anything like a weapon, armor, or even a kryptonian cologne, we need to develop it in a completely sterile environment that is entirely soundproofed and air tight to avoid detection and another instance of him almost losing his temper. He's not our enemy, but he sure as hell isn't our friend either.

>>5856151
back-linking to this since I mobile post.

>>5857414
>Calling Superman

>>5857414
>Calling Superman
Keep the watch so you can contact Superman.

Locking for Signal to Noise. update today .

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>>5857414
>Art: Robert Hough (https://robhoughart.com/). Model: Christopher Reeves. Model Costume Design: Yvonne Blake
>Alt-Text: A painting showing the same man bisected. One half shows him as Superman, with an S shield on his chest. The other shows him as Clark Kent, wearing glasses and a suit.
>Dialouge Samples: wwUaSlTL, Stanley Ralph Ross & Lee Orgel, Grant Morrison, Allen Ducovny & Robert Joffe Maxwell

An alien demigod on call is useful, but so is knowing an alien demigod’s secrets. He's not your enemy, but he sure as hell isn't your friend.
Batbunker 32 will serve as the site of your analysis; you can’t risk the cave if something goes wrong.
__
It took weeks and the best in Waynetech robotic deconstruction gear, but you pried out the secrets of the signal watch.
You debrief your partner Nightwing on the findings in the Batcave.

BATMAN: The watch uses Superscience.
NIGHTWING: Yeah, the giant S kinda gives it away. Looks like Superman loves his Superbranding.
ALFRED: Remind you of anyone?

Alfred, your surrogate father, sets down a plate of chicken and jalapeño sandwiches. You respond with a glare.

BATMAN: The data suggests all technology based on Kryptonian science has a crystalline energy signature. One we can track.

The Batcomputer displays a map of the globe, with countless locations lit in green.

NIGHTWING: Holy Geography.
BATMAN: Indeed. What concerns me is most of these signatures predate Superman’s debut.
NIGHTWING: If Supercorp’s not where the superscience is coming from, where is it?
BATMAN: I don’t know where the supertech comes from, but I can figure out where the Superman does. The two largest concentrations are Supercorp HQ in Metropolis and this location in the North Pole. The area’s a total blank on the satellites, but if we assume Superman is connected...

With a few clicks of your keyboard, a string of red lines form on the globe, linking Metropolis with the North Pole and Affirmation Tower, NYC.

BATMAN: He always makes sure to dodge spy satellites but if you know where he’s going in advance, you can chart his flight paths.
NIGHTWING: So what’s he doing in New York?
BATMAN: Superman may be good at dodging radio waves, but he has much to learn about corporate cover-ups. Cross-referencing the tower’s public ownership and rental records with Supercorp transactions, the highest volume by far is for one Michael Kent.
NIGHTWING: I think I saw one of his films back in the day.
BATMAN: He has one son, who even by celebrity scion standards is hard to find. No images available in the public record. As if someone was trying to scrub it clean, but if we access Waynetech’s driver’s license data...

On-screen shows the ID of Clark Kent. A humble glasses-wearing man.

BATMAN: Overlapping the image with Superman...

Aside from the spectacles, they are a perfect match.

NIGHTWING: Superman is Clark Kent?
BATMAN: Looks like they’re something even stranger about our strange visitor from a distant planet
BATWAVE: Alert!

File: Riddle me this....jpg (5 KB, 168x300)

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>>5860549
>Logo Design: Jacqueline Duran
>Alt-Text: A question mark with four line symbols above it, below it, and on either side of it. The symbols are one line intersected with two shorter parallel lines.

The Batcomputer displays a livestream.A dark warehouse with neon green question marks painted on the walls.
In the center, a fireplace on a conveyor belt. Next to it, a shivering man strapped to a chair, District Attorney Gil Colson.

BATMAN: Track the location!
BATWAVE: Estimated time for triangulation: ∞ minutes.
NIGHTWING: The Batcomputer can’t find it?! What exactly are we dealing with here?

In the corner of the screen, the same question mark symbol appears, accompanied by a computerized voice.

RIDDLER: Good evening Gotham, the time has come for your education.
COLSON: Where am I?! Who are you?! Help!
RIDDLER: The men with their open faces have kept the city in shadow, and now the men in masks will enlighten you. Thisssssss man. Claims to represent your law. Yourrrr justisss. Yet he conspires to bury his secret SINS from you.
COLSON: Please, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
RIDDLER: Oh my mistake, I haven’t given you your hint.

A word am I of square shape, larger than cat, but smaller than grape.
Upon a craft, the cost is heavy, yet no matter how many, gives the same weight. Your hidden blemish is my name. So speaks The Riddler.

The lights in the warehouse turn on and the sounds of air conditioning blast from the screen.
You now see Colson is stripped to his underwear and many blocks of ice surround him.

COLSON: HELP! HELP!
RIDDLER: Sorry Mr Colson, that’s not the answer.
COLSON: PLEASE!
RIDDLER: You’re getting colder....

The conveyor belt starts up and the fireplace moves away.

BATMAN: At this rate, he’ll freeze to death.
NIGHTWING: If we can’t track the signal, let’s go old school. Are there any details we can pick out?
BATMAN: Batwave, when was Colson last spotted?
BATWAVE: May 2nd, 5:45 pm EST, Gotham City Courthouse.
BATMAN: Not enough time for him to be taken out of the city if we cross reference all warehouses with the power required for the air condition rig-
NIGHTWING: Still too many hits.
COLSON: Uh... uhh... BRIBES! The sin is bribes!
RIDDLER: Cooolder.

The fire almost moves to the other side of the warehouse, and Colson’s shivering intensifies.

RIDDLER: Looks like a cold case tonight.
BATMAN: Night! That’s it. Batwave, zoom and enhance the windows.
NIGHTWING: That’s Ursa Major!
BATMAN: For it to be in that position at this time at this time of year, there’s only one place they can be.
NIGHTWING: Let’s go!

File: To the Batsubway Rocket!.png (217 KB, 382x231)

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>>5860562
>Pencils: Graham Nolan. Inks: Scott Hanna. Colors: Adrienne Roy
>Alt-text: A bat-themed train car on top of subway tracks
>Vote Titles: Scott Lobdell, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid
{If you want to try to solve the Riddle, post your guess before reading the answer in this post!}

The stream keeps playing while you take the Batsubway Rocket to the warehouse.

COLSON: Ggg-gang, the sin is gang.
RIDDLER: Warmer... Perhaps you have a brain cell after all.

The fire moves closer.

BATMAN: He’s guessing randomly, he’ll never make it.
COLSON: Just let me go! What do you want to know? The deals with the Owls? The Gothcorp kickbacks, I’ve been trying to cheat on my wife for twenty years but no one will touch me.

Colson cries freezing tears.

RIDDLER: Amazing. What a harrowing admission of human guilt and self-recognition. COLDER!
COLSON: NOOOOOO!!!!
__
Your boot bursts through the door of 1431 Silas Sr Street. And exposes across a grim scene. The Attorney general frozen in his chair.

BATMAN: Impossible, the stream was live!
NIGHTWING: Look.

Dick takes down the “windows.” They’re TV screens playing a recording of the sky from earlier tonight.

RIDDLER: And now we’re all here.
BATMAN: What’s your plan Riddler?
RIDDLER: Oh don't play coy my friend. Thanks for coming for the cleanup, we’ll be in touch.

Dick scans Colson’s body with his mask.

NIGHTWING: He’s been dead for an hour. Guess he wasn’t much for riddles.
BATWAVE: Superscience detected.
BATMAN: Riddler’s using supertech, no wonder they were able to outpace the Batcomputer.

The crime scene has many questions, but what concerns you most is the answer. A square has four points.
“Cat” has three letters and “grape” has five. To be between them is a four-letter word. And it's a blemish both weightless and expensive.
Dent.
Whatever this Riddler is involved with, it goes to the core of the rot in your city. You’ll have to deal with some people you’d rather not.
You’ll start your investigation by-


>Prince of Gotham, Part One
Talking to Dent. He’s a reformer and was once sympathetic to Batman, and you know personally the good in his heart. You also know no one in government keeps their hands clean. A confrontation could get ugly.

>Masterspy
Talking to the CBI. You left the world of secret intelligence behind, but they’re the only ones available who might have intel on City Hall. You might be able to leverage your connections to Agents Chase and Turner, even if you are blackmailing the government.

>Man and Superman
Talking to Superman. Riddler’s rig has alien-influenced technology. He’s your best lead on the subject. You broke his tracker but found out his secret identity. You can probably track him down, though you don’t expect he’ll pleased.

{Choose one or two. The option with the most votes wins.}

>>5860568
>Prince of Gotham, Part One
Riddler spelled it out for us. Colson had a nasty tie to Dent, and his "sin" has to do with "gang". Which gang and how we don't know yet.

>>5860568
>>Prince of Gotham, Part One
>Man and Superman

>>5860568
>Prince of Gotham, Part One

>>5860568
>Man and super man

>>5860568
>>Prince of Gotham, Part One
>Man and Superman

>>5860621
Locking for Prince of Gotham Part One.
Gonna try for an update within 24 hours, dealing with some health issues. In the meantime feel free to leave feedback on the first act of this chapter of the quest

>>5863278
I'm liking it, and very interested with this novel take on Supes. However, I would personally rather mostly stick to Batman's perspective. He's our MC from the last three chapters, after all, and unlike Nightwing, Superman is less an apprentice or partner than a possible rival or enemy, at least at this juncture and with the choices we're making.

>>5863278
>dealing with some health issues
Seems many QMs are these recent days

>>5863380
Cold and flu season is now cold, flu, AND covid season.

>>5863278
Get well soon, QM!

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>>5860568
>Production Design: James Chinlund. Set Decoration: Lee Sandales, Toby McColl, Guy Mount, Claire Nia Richards, Cathy Vlahogiannis. Set Design: C. Scott Baker, Chris Cortner, Patrick Dunn-Baker, Daniel Frank, Luis Hoyos, Andrea Onorato, Joseph Ramiro, Robert Woodruff, David Chow, Chris Sanford. Set Dressing: Jake Mitchell, Brian DuPont, James Flanagan, Manuel Vilaseca Vaya.
>Alt-Text: A richy decorated office covered in light and shadow.

If Dent has anything to do with this Riddler attack, you owe it to the city to investigate. You hope he’s innocent. For his sake.
__

Getting into the Mayor’s Office was easier than the last time you were here. Dent still uses his old keycodes.
The creaking floorboards of the antique skyscraper would threaten to give away your location.
Good thing you’re not trying to hide.

BATMAN: Dent.
DENT: Ah!

When you see his face you almost regret the intimidation.
Stress lines crackle through his skin like breaking ice, his suit is sweaty and disheveled. The white knight of Gotham is melting under pressure.’

BATMAN: We need to-
SFX: BANG!

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>>5866179
>Storyboards: Kevin Altieri, Glen Murakami, Brad Rader, Tony Salmons. Character Design: Bruce Timm, Director: Kevin Altieri
>Alt-Text: Harvey Dent sweating and cringing from stress.
>Dialouge Sample: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan & David S Goyer

The force of a bullet pushes your chest back, the body armor takes most of the damage, but it still hurts. You were sloppy.
Didn’t expect him to be armed. Before he can raise another shot you grab his wrist.

BATMAN: Since when do you carry a weapon?
DENT: Since I became Mayor of the city where masked men keep trying to kill me!

You take the gun and let go of your old friend's wrist.

BATMAN: I’m not here to kill you. I need to know about the Riddler.
DENT: You need to know? They’re not with you?
BATMAN: I have nothing to do with them.
DENT: You might want to make a statement. The press is running wild with this “story.”

He pulls up a laptop full of Viewtube thumbnails.
“Batman and Riddler team up: DENT IS TOAST!” “RIDDLER KILLS DA: REACTION!” “ Vigilantes Versis Woke Mayor!”

DENT: The Council’s running with this. Threatening impeachment. Like half of them weren’t on the take before you cleared out the Owls.
BATMAN: The answer to the riddle was “Dent.” What does the Riddler know about you?
DENT: I don’t know! I don’t even know who the Riddler is! You think I have time to think about every crackpot theory out there? The feds are still trying to worm their way back here, every crook in office wants me out, I’m dodging court cases left and right for trying to fix this city, my DA just starred in a stuff film and oh yeah SOMEONE TRIED TO MURDER ME! So forgive me if I’m not in the most elaborative mood.

He stares at you while panting in rage. He catches his breath and walks toward the whisky tumbler.

DENT: It’s like I’m the only one trying to drag this city out the hole it’s in, but everyone keeps trying to drag it back down. What point is it being a good man if you can’t do any good?

He’s on edge, but you need to get to the bottom of this.

>Prince of Gotham, Part Two
Offer to work with Dent.
The government can’t be trusted, but an ally with his power and general moral standing would be useful for the mission

>50/50
Leave. He may have good intentions, but he’s a politician and the system won't let him achieve any real good.
You’ll have to solve this case through other means.

> The Face Schism
Tie up Dent, search the Mayor’s office, and steal his files. He may have been your friend, but he can’t be trusted now.
Whatever is going on, you’ll have to figure it out through force.

>>5866183
>Prince of Gotham, Part Two
I fucking said "I believe in Harvey Dent" and you bet your ass I will still uphold that until he reveals the other half of his face and becomes lost to us

>>5866183
>> The Face Schism
>Prince of Gotham, Part Two

>>5866183
>Prince of Gotham, Part Two
It's worth a go. We don't need to trust the system, but we can extend trust, however tentative, to a friend.

>>5866219
Hopefully we can avert that. We have a non-mutated and heroic Ivy for our efforts, and an allied Croc

>>5866183
>Prince of Gotham pt 2.

I believe in Harvey Dent.

>>5866242
Locking for Prince of Gothan, Part Two
Update tomorrow. My end goal is to get back to daily updates by this coming week, Thanks for the support and feedback everyone.

>>5867645
Also, I'm curious. I reference a lot of media in this quest, has anyone been inspired to watch read, or play anything after I referenced or cited it in this quest?
That also goes for following the work of any creators I credited.

>>5867646
I rewatched The Batman and the Schumacher movies after being inspired to give them another shot by this quest.

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>>5866183
>Pencils and Inks: Tim Sale. Colors: Gregory Wright
>Alt-Text: Harvey Dent in shadow and Batman in silhouette facing away from each other.
>Dialogue Samples: Jeph Loeb, Mark Russell

You don’t trust the system, but you do trust Harvey.

BATMAN: You want to do what’s right, but you’re limited. There are lines you can’t cross.
DENT: Like you can? I took this job to stop City Hall from being a crime den, and you want me to break the law.
BATMAN: The law is ink and paper. The question you have to ask yourself is what matters more to you, paper, or people?
DENT: I’m not gonna be lectured on justice by a vigilante.
BATMAN: I already told you, there’s no such thing as justice. But there are consequences. And if you want to give them to the right people...

You take a communicator from your utility belt, reverse-engineered from Superman’s signal.

BATMAN: You’ll give me a call.

He grabs the Batsignal and gives it a heavy stare.

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>>5869892
>Pencils:Emanuela Lupacchino. Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger
>Alt-Text: A woman sits at a table set for two, across from an empty seat. She stares sadly at a clock.
>Dialouge Samples: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer

DENT: So how does it...

You look up, The Bat is gone. Just your luck.
The guy you thought about working with only shows interests after he blows up an office building.
You can see the headlines now: “Harvey Two-Face teams up with Bat-Terrosist!”

SFX: Ring-ring.
DENT: Hey, Gilds. Oh crap.
GILDA: You’re not at therapy are you?
DENT: It’s just this impeachment and this Riddler stuff now.
GILDA: That’s why you signed up for more sessions. And why you asked me to help you stick with them.
DENT: You’re right. I’ll call Dr. Thompkins first thing tomorrow. Thank you.
GILDA: Will you be home tonight?
DENT: Of course, I’ll call the driver as soon as we finish.
GILDA: I better hang up then.
DENT: Hey! Ha-ha. See you soon, I love you.
GILDA: Love you double.
_
The cops escort you through the elevator to the parking lot.
You’d prefer going it alone but Councilman Thorne insisted it due to “security concerns.”
Like most “perks” of this job, they wear on you like an ill-fitting suit.

DENT: Hold up, this isn’t our parking space.

The cops back away and a voice echoes from the shadows.

BLACK MASK: Don’t be too hard on them Harv. With what the City’s paying them, a trashman could have bribed them.
DENT: Please. I grew up in Burnside. Before the yuppies moved in. You think this is the first time some cops tried to rough me up?

From the darkness emerges a man in a white suit. You think at first his head is still in shadow but no.
It is pitch black and carved around his head in the shape of a skull.

BLACK MASK: They're not here wail on ya. I just wanted you to have some one on one time with a constituent.
DENT: Didn’t know wanna-bee mob bosses were so politically active, Roman.
BLACK MASK: Wrong twice. I even voted for you. And there ain’t no Roman here. I’m Black Mask.
DENT: This fucking city... I’m not in the market for bribes so can you just break my knees or whatever so I can get back home?
BLACK MASK: That’s right, you don’t even live in the Mayor’s Mansion do you? Lot of people would kill for that view.
DENT: The color scheme clashed.
BLACK MASK: Ha! I knew I bet on the right horse. You’re like me. No bullshit, eyes opened to the fact the old ways are done for. Hunted by the ignorant because you see the world’s true face.
DENT: Sure you don’t want to be in politics?
BLACK MASK: Nah, I’ve already joined an outfit. And I’m thinking we could help you with your Riddler problem.
DENT: I have it covered.
BLACK MASK: Really? With the cops that just sold you out for beer money? You said you grew up here. You know what makes this city work. You know if you wana keep the fancy job and big house you never sleep in, we’re the best bet you have for erasing this question mark.

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>>5869895
>Director: Matt Youngberg. Art Direction: Jeff Matsuda. Character Design: Jon Suzuki, José López. Storyboard: Christopher Berkeley, Vinton Heuck, Juan Jose Meza-Leon, Alan Wan, Chap Yaep, Matt Youngberg
>Alt-text: A man in a skull-faced mask and business suit.
Content Warning: References to Child Abuse

DENT: I don’t work with criminals.
BLACK MASK: You’re the Mayor of Gotham, you ARE a criminal. And word on the streets is you always were.
DENT: What did you say?!

You run toward the skull-faced dick, but the cops hold you back. Black Mask walks closer and looks at you in your rage-filled eyes.

BLACK MASK: There it is. I knew you had it in ya. And so did the nerds I paid to crack that riddle, Mr “Dent.” Way I see it, you can either stay out of my way and let me handle business. Or the whole world’s gonna find out about your other side.
DENT: You don’t scare me, you masked freak!

His lips strain into a smile. A sound like crackling cigar paper echoes through the garage.

BLACK MASK: Ohhh you think this is the mask. No no no. The mask was drowning myself in drugs and sex to forget what my parents did to me. The Mask was when I believed the scraps Carmine and The Owls had was an empire worth fighting for. This?

He grabs your temples and pushes his face into yours. His burnt texture grinds into your skin.

BLACK MASK: This is my face.

He walks away.

BLACK MASK: I think you’ll show your true face soon Mr Dent. And I want it to be on your terms. Not because some geek with a grudge is digging up dirty laundry.

The cops drop you.

BLACK MASK: My friends and I aren’t trafficking people, we’re not selling dope and we’re not stealing the worthless paper this country calls “wealth.” We just want this city, its people, you, to be what you were meant to be. Look the other way, and I promise you’ll like what comes out the other side.

He and the cops dissolve into the shadows.

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>>5869896
Pencils: Mike Zeck Inks: Jerry Ordway Colors: Rob Ro & Alex Bleyaert
Alt-text: Harvey Dent flipping a coin, one side shows Batman and the other is an armored Batman that is scratched.
Vote Titles: Edmon Hamilton, Greg Rucka, Joshua Williamson & Dennis Culver, Greg Rucka

Damn it all! No matter what you do, no matter how good you try to be, this corrupt broken world keeps dragging you down.
You swore yourself to law and order, but you live in a world of chaos.
Any choice you make, any action you take, could just make things worse. You may as well flip a coin.

>The Secret Star
Work with The Batman. He’s an illegal vigilante but it's clear the law has failed both you and the city.
With the power of the Mayor secretly backing him, this city WILL see justice.

>Mosaic
Let Black Mask take down Riddler. He’s a mobster, but letting the Riddler take you down would keep you from saving this city.
In the long run, Black Mask’s dream is nowhere near as harmful as what will happen if the crooked Gotham Council impeaches you.

>Future State: Gotham
They’re all criminals. The Batman, Black Mask, Riddler, the Council. The people voted you into power, it's time to use it.
Strip the Gotham PD bare, take its funds and arms, and use them to build a force for TRUE Justice. Then go to war.

>Balance
Go to Therapy. You need help. The pressures of this job, of your past, of trying to be a good man in a bad world, its too much for you.
If you don’t get mental health treatment you’ll fail yourself, Glinda, and your city.

{Vote for up to three options. Dent will flip a coin to choose between the top two vote-getters.}

>>5867653
Interesting. What did you think of them?

>>5869905
>>Mosaic
>Balance

>>5869905
>The Secret Star
As Batman we voted for an alliance with Dent; why vote against the alliance now that we ARE Dent?
though Future State is a fun option, and tempting

>>5869911
The Batman cartoon is better than I remember, though the very young, upbeat Batman in the first season especially still throws me a bit, and I don't know that he ever got "the voice" down, or the presence.

With the Schumacher movies, both have a lot to recommend them visually and now that I'm an adult, Batman has been taken seriously enough for me to be less protective of the property and character, and I recognize the camp in B&R is deliberate... I enjoy it. Now Batman FOREVER, that legitimately has the kernel of a good, serious-but-fantastical Batman movie in there, brought down by studio meddling RELEASE THE SCHUMACHER CUT and by Carey's performance.

One thing I realized those movies do that you rarely see anymore is that they portray Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson's relationship less like father/son than as BROTHERS, to the point that Clooney-Batman actually says as much at one point. Not only does it fit with him 'adopting' a guy who's already 16-to-18 when he's in his 30s or 40s, but it also makes a lot of sense for a character who is often still trapped in an adolescent fantasy and childhood trauma, and who might well struggle to see himself as a 'grown up' or 'parent' in a relationship when his own parents still loom over him.

>>5869957
This, this post right here is the good shit. These types of posts are why I loved /co/ back in college. Thank you for your insight.

Rolled 4, 3 = 7 (2d4)

>>5869905
>Any choice you make, any action you take, could just make things worse. You may as well flip a coin.
And all these options are too good, you madman. In fact, fuck it. I'm going to do the appropriate thing here. First roll is my first vote, second one is my second vote

>>5869905

>Future State: Gotham

>Mosaic

The difference is snapping and giving up and snapping and throwing down

>>5869905
>Balance

>Secret star.

Harvey needs therapy. But if not, I'd just dearly like to avoid having to face our friend.

>>5869905
>Balance
>The Secret Star
Let's not unleash something we can't put back on its leash.

Locking for Balance and The Secret Star.
Update within 24 hours Health Permitting

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Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5869905
>Pencils and Inks: Guillem March. Colors: Tomeu Morey
>Alt-Text: Harvey Dent’s fist with a 1922 quarter dollar on top of it.
>Dialoagge Samples: Chris Terrio, David S. Goyer, Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler, Akiva Goldsman
>CW: Ableist Terms
It's funny, you dedicated your life to justice, but this is a world without it.
The Batman was right, if you want this world to make sense, you have to force it to. As a lawyer, as the mayor, you are limited.
But The Batman can go places you can’t. Do things you won't.
If you combine your forces, you can finally make this city what it needs to you can finally save everyone.
Wait. No. That’s your complex talking.
Dr. Thopkins talked about it, the need to fix everything around yourself because you don't want to look inside.
Throwing yourself into vigilantism won't turn out any differently than letting politics or law consume you, its just another distraction.
You need help. Serious help. You can't talk up Arkham's glories and be afraid to walk through its doors yourself.
But if you’re getting treatment, who will look out for the city? You are the thin line between life and doom for ten million people.
Do they deserve to suffer just for an accident of circumstance? Because some man they never met couldn't take the pressure?
Babies starve, politicians grow fat. Holy men are martyred.
Why? Why, why, why, why, why? Luck! Blind, stupid, simple, doo-dah, clueless luck! If a random toss is the only justice the universe has, let’s see what it thinks you should do.
SFX: FLIP

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>>5873037
>Art: Ty Templeton
>Alt-Text: The left side of Harvey Dent’s face in front of the tails face of a US quarter dollar.
>Dialogue Samples: Dialogue Samples: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer
>Vote Ttiles: David Vern Reed, Cecil Castellucci,Gerard Jones

The coin dances seductively through the air, then embraces your hand like a lover. Tails. It’s time.

DENT: Hey Doc. I know it’s late but... I’m not doing so well.

You can’t help others if you can’t help yourself. You’ll get your treatment, tighten your focus, and come back to be the hero Gotham deserves.
In the meantime, you’ll need to appoint a First Deputy Mayor.
Someone to look out for the City’s interests while you’re being treated, someone to fight off the baying wolves at the gate. Someone like...

>Bruce Wayne, Mayor of Gotham City
Bruce Wayne. A childhood friend you trust who you know has Gotham’s best interests in mind. Though the people might resent an old money billionaire being appointed to rule over them

>Oracle Rising
Barbara Gordon: World Class Librarian, Harvard-educated Lawyer, flirting with a run for Congress. Barbara shares your vision of justice, though she is dedicated to reforming the Gotham Police Department. Even if you did think that was possible, it would be dangerous for her to try.

>Run Riddler Run
Donna DiForza: Socialite philanthropist, Donna believes her “New Gotham” project can redefine what the city can be. Her vision promises safety, peace, and security but you always wondered if anyone could be left behind in her brave new world.

You’re tempted to go back to the coin again, but you know you can’t. You’re taking responsibility here, whichever choice you make, will be your own.

>>5873064
Reminder: You may vote for any number of options you like the top total vote getter will win

>>5873064
>>Oracle Rising

>>5873064
>Oracle Rising
Batgirl's got this

>>5873064
>Oracle Rising

>>5873064
>Oracle Rising
Barbara's a good candidate, methinks, and more likely than Bruce to get others in office to agree with her.

>Bruce Wayne, Mayor of Gotham City
The people can resent him all they want at first. Once things start getting done, I'm sure he'll poll better.

>>5873067
>>5873072
>>5873225
>>5873261
Locking for Oracle Rising. Update in a few minutes.

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>Director: Chris McKay
>Vote Titles: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Gregg Hurwitz, Chris Claremont
>Alt-Text: Barbara Gordon, a red-haired Black woman, stands at a podium with the Gotham City seal on it. Behind her, the seal of Gotham City Police. The picture is done with LEGO pieces.
>Dialouge Samples: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern &John Whittington. Matt Reeves, Peter Craig & Mattson Tomlin

GORDON: Mayor Dent served this city well, and I am honored to carry on his legacy. To deal with crime in Gotham City, we have to realize it takes a village, not a Batman. I’m not a Batman hater, but I know we don't need an unsupervised adult man karate-chopping people in a Halloween costume. We need to take what’s good about the spirit of direct action running through our city, and mary it to actual law, ethics, and accountability. My dream is for the police force to be rebuilt. Better than Batman, better than the corruption that came before. A true force for justice by the people and for the-
SFX: *Click*

You turn the Batmonitor off.

ALFRED: Not Miss Gordon’s biggest fan I take it?
BRUCE; I don’t understand. Harvey and I were on the cusp of something great. Had we worked together, we could have finally cleaned something up.
ALFRED: Perhaps Mayor Dent realized some things were more important than a single-minded obsession.
DICK: Careful, Alfred. The World’s Greatest Detective can probably pick up on subtext.
BRUCE: This isn’t an obsession, it’s a mission. The world is on fire and we have to put it out.
DICK: So without our in at City Hall, what’s our next move.
BRUCE: Tracking the superscience, if Riddler’s using it, we track down every source of it in the Gotham area.

The Batmonitor roars to life again, showing a map of the city with many green dots around it.

DICK: Guess I’m canceling my dinner plans.
ALFRED: Speaking of which Master Bruce, the Wayntech investment Gala is tonight. As head of the company final say on which, if any, technology pitches to fund lies on you. Will you be attending?

>The Fall of the House of Wayne, Part 1
I don’t care about any of that. My family’s True legacy is the mission. I’m not going.

>Corporate Raider
Wayne Industries is a tool for the mission like any other. I have no attachment or sentiment for it, I keep it around as long as it’s useful. I’ll go, but only to see if any technology can be used for the mission.

>Legacy
Wayne Industries is a beacon of hope for Gotham City, that’s why I’m deeply involved in it operations. it’s my honor and duty to support it while granting opportunities to local inventors. Of course, I’ll go.

>>5873937
>>Corporate Raider

>>5873937
>Corporate Raider

>>5873937
>Legacy
Wasn't it established by one of Bruce's ancestors? I don't want Bruce to forget his roots on his road to remain a force for good. Especially now that we're playing tech Batman in this quest. Waynetech helping local investors helps people from becoming a terror with this tech, like Isley was about to be. It also helps open jobs and help people get futures in Gotham. I feel like it's good to keep this in our pockets, facing the front and the light

>>5873937
>BRUCE; I don’t understand. Harvey and I were on the cusp of something great. Had we worked together, we could have finally cleaned something up.
When will Bruce find out Harvey is going to therapy? Or when will he visit Harvey in the night only for him to go "I'm getting help. I still want to work with you, but not while I'm in this state. You wanna get shit done, you have my permission to take it up with Barbara Gordon in my place." at Bats? Some way to reaffirm to Batman that he does still have something going with Harvey Dent, but he needs to reorient himself to Barbara Gordon in the meantime?

>>5873952
+1

Never forget the reason behind the Mission, Bruce. That's how we get the freak-ass dictator Batmen.

>>5873937
Gonna +1 >>5873952 on account of not wanting Bruce to forget WHY he fights.

>>5873984
>>5873952
>>5873951
>>5873945
>>5874190
Locking for Legacy, update today. Merry Christmas for those that care and celebrate.

>>5874275
Merry Christmas!

File: Coleman_Reese.png (112 KB, 349x411)

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>>5873937
>Director: Christopher Nolan. Actor: Joshua Harto Costume Design: Lindy Hemming
>Alt-Text: A smug-looking man in a business suit.

BRUCE: Of course I’ll be there. The mission can’t just be about tearing down what’s broken, we have to build something better.
ALFRED: Well said Master Bruce. I’ll have your suit prepared post haste.
DICK: Og! It’s party time!
BRUCE: Not this time, Dick. I need you going through the superscience files.
DICK: Wow, I really am an intern.
ALFRED: I’ll put the kettle on Master Dick, ti looks to be a long night...

___
You always liked it when your parents took you to investment nights.
Seeing the dreams of Gotham and being able to grant them, it made your parents look like magic.
Bringing it back was one of the first things you did when you wrested control of the company back.

FOX: Mr Wayne, we’re glad you could make it. I trust the rock climbing went well?
BRUCE: Had to deal with someone who wanted to use the same mountain as me, but it worked out.
FOX: Mountains are pretty big, have you considered sharing?
BRUCE: I share money Lucious, not land. That didn't work out for my people so well the last time it happened.
FOX: Oh I’m well aware of what happens when people come to your home trying to take. Just make sure you can tell friends from enemies.
BRUCE: Isn’t that what I pay you for?
FOX: You pay me to run your company for you while you go “rock climbing.”
BRUCE: Hey that’s not true. I also make occasional appearances and date supermodels.
STICKLEY: Everyone to their places, the first pitch is about to begin.
BRUCE: Duty calls.

The three of you take your seats with the Wayne board as a mousy man comes forward with a monitor and a remote.

REESE: People of the Board. My name is Coleman Reese and I’m here to sell you... the future!

The screen displays a stream of 1s and 0s.

REESE: We live in a world of constant information, at any given moment someone could learn the recipe for ganache, the history of Mansa Musa or how to build a pipe bomb. The sum total of human information available in the palm of your hand.

He holds up a cellphone.

REESE: And what do companies charge for this? Next to nothing. Because the users aren’t customers. They’re PRODUCT. DATA! Endless data! Your height, weight, blood type, voting record, underwear size. Every time you open a link, a library of information on you is taken and sold for billions.
FOX: Mr. Reese Waynetech doesn’t share user data without consent..
REESE: But all that is chump change! Behold!

File: CollectiveUnconscious.jpg (23 KB, 897x76)

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>>5874338
Pencils: Emmanuela Lupciino. Inks: Ray McCarthy. Colors: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
>Alt-text: A field of white stars in a black void
>Dialouage Sample: Lee Batchler, Janet Scott Batchler, Akiva Goldsman
>Vote Titles: Jim Starlin, Frank Robbins, Anonymous Writer of “The Brain That Ruled Gotham City” from Detective Comics vol 1 #210

The screen shows a field of stars in a black void

REESE: The Collective Unconscuousness! A recent discovery of so-called superscience, every mind in the universe linked at the cosmic level. With a simple device, we don’t need to search engines or email addresses. We can beam content directly into the user’s mind.
BRUCE: And pull data from them at the same time.
REESE: Exactly! Imagine the minds of the world at the palm of your hand. Every thought, desire, wish right for the taking. Ultimate knowledge. You thought you were powerful now? Imagine knowing everything. You won't just be rich. You’ll be gods.
FOX: The legal concerns alone would shut this down, let alone legal.
REESE: That’s what the service agreement is for. Even if only one thousand people use this, you’ll know enough about them to sell them anything. And if they have any good ideas, that’s just extra. All I need is Wayne funding to scale up the prototype.
STICKLEY: This is grotesque. Mr Wayne, I’m sorry to waste your time with this.
BRUCE: Actually...

>Questions
This technology just raises too many questions. You can’t fund it.

>The Brain-Pickers
The ability to read the minds of the world would be invaluable for the Mission. You need to buy this tech and weaponize it for The Batman.

>The Brain That Ruled Gotham City
If Waynetech prosers Gotham prospers. This technology would let your company become the most powerful institution on the planet. You can outcompete and destroy the businesses of the wealthy predators that run the world that only care about money and replace them with a Company with a conscious. From there you can influence government, and make real change.

>>5874340
legally is questionable, morally its disgusting, personally i like it
>The Brain That Ruled Gotham City

>>5874346
+1 let's do it

>>5874338
>DICK: Wow, I really am an intern.
OP please never stop writing Dick like you have been. It doesn't matter if he's Nightwing and not Robin in this quest, the quips you're wrote so far are gold. And as before, the ethnic words here and there (which you poured an extreme amount of research into, and to great success) also work perfectly in his lines.

It just occured to me that the power to pull info right from other peoples' minds and integrate it directly into oneself, ignoring the "beam content directly into other minds" bit, is eerily reminiscent of Karnak and Monsieur Mallah from the France sub-arc. Speaking of which, Karnak was super cool for what brief screentime he had before he died. He might have been one of the best parts of that thread, in my opinion. Going from damn dirty ape to knowing absolutely everything about Bruce in only a minute or so, then knowing Batman's telling him the truth and really means and wants well but still heroically sacrificing himself and his fellow apes anyway. Truly based beyond belief and too cool to live.

>>5874340
Is there a write-in option to buy this and crush it or bury it? If not
>The Brain-Pickers

>>5874340
We cannot let this technology get out. At all. Ever.

But I believe the only way we can stop it being disseminated is to control it, patent it and then never use it. Maybe for interrogations.
>The brain pickers.

>>5874346
>>5874377
We had a whole thing about the privacy of people and that lines were crossed with taking arkhams patient files. This is well beyond that.

>>5874634
Ok

>>5874340
Vote change
>>5874377
To
>The Brain-Pickers

>>5874627
>>5874403
Also to exapnd on why we cannot just ignore this.

"Scale up the prototype".
If its functioning it already exists. So refusal is just setting it loose in the world to be picked up later.

>>5874403
>>5874627
>>5874639
Buying access to it and never using it would be functionally the same as buying access to it, not using it for wider Wayne Industries but keeping it as a private Batman weapon, (The Brain-Pickers) but then never using it whenever a vote option comes up to use the technology.

>>5874340
Gonna vote:
>Questions

Not gonna lie. I don't like how any of these options might go, if the guy goes elsewhere for funding. But this is just the first pitch. I think we should save our funding for stuff with less questionable applications.

>>5875472
>>5874656
>>5874639
>>5874275
>>5874627
>>5874403
>>5874638
>>5874634
>>5874377
>>5874346
Locking for The Brain Pickers. Sorry about the delays. Update will be today. Also, assessing feedback, what is the maximum amount of time you are comfortable waiting between updates. Any number is fine, I just want to see where the bar is.

>>5876434
well, after a week i assume the quest is dead. does that help

File: Bat-Tech.jpg (134 KB, 1920x1080)

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>>5874340
>Logo Design: Anton Furst. Airbrushing: Bill Garland Additional Effects: MAKE Digital
>Alt-text: The Batman logo with glowing circuitry and electricity surrounding it.
>Vote Titles: Scott Snyder, Chip Zdarsky, Fabian Nicieza

BRUCE: I’m prepared to offer a full buyout of the technology for 4 billion dollars.
STICKLEY: Mr Wayne! You can’t be serious.
REESE: Could I take Waynetech stock instead, about 36 shares should do.
BRUCE: I don’t think you know how negotiating works, that’s not even worth 20 million.
REESE: $18,944,125.18 at the current price if my math is correct. And trust me, with my Box in every home, that stock will be worth more than every dollar on earth.
BRUCE: It’s a deal. The lawyers are outside with the paperwork.

Lucius pulls you aside.

FOX: This technology is too dangerous for the world.
BRUCE: Which is why I’m buying it. We can keep it in the right hands.
FOX: Your hands you mean.
BRUCE: If we didn't buy it he’d take it elsewhere. Can you imagine Gothcorp or the Government with this?
FOX: I don’t want to imagine anyone with it.
BRUCE: Trust me, it will stay locked in a crate somewhere in applied sciences.
FOX: Well of course I trust you. I don’t have a choice. But if you ever start looking at that crate too on a dark night. Just remember. If you’re playing god, who’ll play the devil?
STICKLEY: Okay... well moving on... We have several promising investments available for-
BRUCE: We’re buying them all.
STICKLEY: Wha-
BRUCE: I read the dossiers on the way here, Reese was the only one I needed to see myself. Have Fox pick out the prices. I have a sudden craving for white Russians.
FOX: You don’t drink.
BRUCE: Who said anything about drinks?

All three of the other devices being pitched to you will be useful for both Waynetech and the world, but you only have enough time to develop one of them for field work on such short notice.
It will be a year before all three are ready. You choose to prioritize the-

>Superheavy
Cybernetic power armor that increases your strength a hundredfold.
It’s heavy enough to limit mobility but may give you a fighting chance against superpowered enemies. Maybe even a Kryptonian.

>Failsafe
An AI network so advanced it borders on sentient.
It would let you hack and crack all but the most advanced systems and would be useful in tracking down the riddler.

>Insider
The latest in biotech grants the user access to a limited pool of metahuman abilities, with a significant recharge time between uses.
It wouldn’t perform well in a one-on-one fight against a naturally superpowered enemy but it would be good for clearing out large groups of normal humans such as soldiers, cops, or mobsters.

>>5876499
>Failsafe

>>5876499
>Failsafe
We are Tech Batman, after all.

>>5876499
>Failsafe

Can someone put remote kill switches in this mind reading shit. Encrypt all the files to call home when they are opened, the whole shibang.

Not so much kill switches on failsafe though.
I'm not so concerned about potential AI uprisings if it's raised correctly and programmed with proper safeguards.

File: Spoiler Image (138 KB, 1280x720)

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>>5876553

>>5876590
Solid image, what's the source ?
Part of me thought it was AI at first, but that image looks way to close to Failsafe'e Canon design (a character who debuted just last year) for me to believe an AI was able to capture it that accurately.
If that IS AI holy heck it's advancing quickly.

Locking for Failsafe. update tonight

>>5876684
Tiago da Silva, Batman 125 variant cover.

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>>5876499
>Art: The Spookster https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198079464955/myworkshopfiles/?appid=431960
>Alt-Text: A computer screen filled with data including Batmobile blueprints., in the center a Batman logo

The Failsafe technology will be the most immediately effective.
Not only can it help tracking the Supertech, but it can provide guardrails for the Box technology.
You don’t plan ever to use it, but you discreetly install the technology in the new line of Waynetech products.
Thanks to a cleverly written clause in the license agreements, if it comes to it, you can access the minds of 2 million Gothamites at the push of a button.
Not that you would go that far. This is simply a precaution.

DICK: If this is what having robots overlords is like, sign me up for the future. This Failsafe just did a week's worth of work in a day.
BRUCE: That depot in Gotham Harbor has a suspiciously high level of superscience.
DICK: Failsafe says its ownership is DCX Shipping.
BRUCE: And next to no records of its owner, buried in a string of shell companies. Failsafe, track the legal records.
FAILSAFE: DCX Shipping ultimate ownership: Corporate Businesses Incoprataed
BRUCE: I know that name. It’s a CBI front company.
DICK: Look’s like they didn't get the message when Harvey kicked them out.
BRUCE: We’ll have to plan a strike team, superscience this close to Gotham, they could be trying to destabilize Gotham like they did France.
DICK: I’ll get Ivy and Croc on the line
BATWAVE & FAILSAFE: ALalERerTt!
DICK: We gotta get them a queue or something now.
BRUCE: Failsafe: Silent. Batwave visual to screen.

Projected on the screen, in digital light only visible by your technology, is the Batsignal, a beacon in the sky coming from City Hall. Someone is calling you. And it’s not Dent.

DICK: Bruce, are you okay?
BRUCE: No.

File: Barbara Gordon.png (196 KB, 478x906)

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>>5878999
>Vote Title: Milke W Barr
>Art: Neon Jawbone https://neonjawboneportfolio.tumblr.com/
>Alt-Text: Barbara Gordon crossing her arms while wearing gloves and an a-shirt saying “Harvard for Police”

You land on the roof of city hall unseen, the biting wind covering your footsteps. You count three snipers on the surrounding rooftops.
The Batdrones you have hovering should take care of them if anything happens.
You announce yourself to the Deputy Mayor, you could have snuck behind her easily, but you don’t want her friend in blue getting jumpy.

BATMAN: That signal wasn’t meant for you.
GORDON: Mayor Dent gave it to me. He felt we could work together.
BATMAN: I agreed to work with him. Not you. And especially not cops.
GORDON: Dent is getting the help he needs. You trusted him, he trusts me. Every officer here is hand-picked, most straight out of the academy. Not much of a chance for the Thorne’s of the world to get hands into them.
BATMAN: [b]Untrained[/b] cops aren’t any safer.
GORDON: I’m not a politician. What I said wasn’t spin. I think you can be good for the city if you do things by the book.
BATMAN: That “book” is written in blood. Your “law and order” has turned this city into a cesspit. One people like me need to clean up.
GORDON: You want to do your business, fine. But leave some room for the law. Here.

She tosses you a cell phone. Its screen shows the address of Gotham Cathedral.

GORDON: A meeting place for the new outfit that moved in once the mob and owls cleared out. Their weird ones, no drugs or robberies, mostly hoarding mutagen.
BATMAN: I don’t work for you.
GORDON: I’m not asking you to. I know you have resources the city budget could only dream of. You go in, clear them out, and we swoop in with the arrests. We get this stuff off the street, [b]and[/b] can book them legally so they stay off the streets.
BATMAN: You think a jail cell will fix whatever put those people in that church?
GORDON: No. But until we [b]can[/b] fix that we can keep them from making more Man-Bats.
BATMAN: You might think you’re different than the scum that was here before. But as long as you're backed by that badge, you’ll just be another stranger with a gun.
GORDON: And you aren’t?

By the time she looks up, you’re gone. This church meeting is tonight, but you have the CBI base to raid.
You can split assets between them if you want to send anyone to the Church at all.


>Batman and the Outsiders
{Assign each of the following to either the Church or the CBI base. The character will be sent to the location they have the majority of their votes for}
Batman
Nightwing
Poison Ivy
Killer Croc

>>5879008
CBI Base:
>Nightwing
>Poison Ivy
>Killer Croc

Church:
>Batman

We don't know if this is a set-up. We can investigate it, but let's not risk our team. Conversely, we know we can trust them to get shit done, right? Let's send them to do that shit which we KNOW needs doing.

>>5879008
CBI Base:
>Batman
>Killer Croc
I want Batman to take the CBI this time
Killer Croc because this spot is at Gotham Harbor, and that plays to his strengths

Church:
>Nightwing
>Poison Ivy
Nightwing because Batman has had enough run-ins with the mutagen last arc. I want our boy to get his turn of experience dealing with it
Poison Ivy because she's the established mutagen expert of the group
Yes I want to get a little Batman & Robin (1997) here, don't give me that look!

>>5879149
Really solid logic for both of these, alleviates pressure on both fronts since both teams get to take someone apt for the environment.

Just make sure Dick stays in contact and gives us updates so we can call a retreat if shit gets 'too' weird

>>5879160
To confirm, is this a "+1 " for this vote?

>>5879008
I think I'm gonna +1 >>5879149 .

>>5879149
+1

>>5879589
>>5879507
>>5879160
>>5879149
Locking for Batman and Croc at the CBI base and Nightwing and Ivy at the Church. Update in a few hours or so.

File: Gotham and its Harbor.jpg (289 KB, 1000x352)

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>>5879008
>Art:Christian Lorenz Scheuer
>Alt-Text: Batman standing on a radio spire overlooking Gotham City and its harbor area. Lighting strikes a building below. Three bridges connect the city to land across a river.
>Dialouge Sample: N4SoB1Su
>Vote Titles: Ann Nocenti, Gerry Conway, Gerry Conway

You may not work for the cops, but you still can’t look away when people could get hurt.
Ivy is a mutagen expert, so having her at the Church makes the most sense. You can assign Dick to lead that mission.
He’s earned the responsibility. You’ll take on the CBI with Killer Croc. Its location at the harbor makes it ideal for his skills.
Now it is time for you to make your plan
>Creep
Sneak in through the roof and have Croc sneak in through the sewers. This is a moderately safe option for both of you, though it would leave you separated once in the base

>Don't Mess With Killer Croc!
Have Croc give a frontal assault as a distraction while you sneak in. This option would give you the least amount of trouble in the base. You may even sneak in and out without anyone knowing Batman was there. However, this option puts Croc at the highest risk.

>Inferno
Bomb the base with the Batplane and have Croc sift through the rubble. This option is the safest for you and Croc, will do the most damage to the CBI, and will most likely stop any operations the base is doing. It will also kill many CBI agents and give you less data than a successful infiltration would have.

{Vote for one or two. The option with the most total votes will win)

>>5879807
>Creep

>>5879807
Killing a bunch of feds without even trying a non-lethal option is going to bring down SERIOUS heat. Maybe even Superman. We can't afford that right now, whatever our thoughts on CBI operations or the government.

>Creep

>>5879807
>Creep
Let's not forget that tiger fighter guy helped out Nightwing a bunch before. There are some good feds out there, but they're too hard to tell out of all the other glowie scum. I bet they prefer it that way. Also what >>5879815 said. NO heat. NO killing. NO casualties. We're full nonlethal on this, and that includes Killer Croc. Government money will patch up their own agents afterward, so long as they get no broken necks or fatal crippling or worse. And I don't wanna get Killer Croc too hurt with this being the first mission we're on with him. AND let's not forget we have ZERO CLUE what the CBI are up to with that superscience stockpile. Bruce said "they could be trying to destabilize Gotham like they did France" but that could be completely missing the mark for all we know.

>>5879807
>Creep
Let's do what we do best and be sneaky. Okay, so maybe Killer Croc isn't the best at that, but we are/

>>5879862
>>5879827
>>5879815
>>5879813
Locking for creep. Update within 24 hours.

Rolled 3, 1 = 4 (2d6)

>>5879807
>>5879862
>>5879827
>>5879815
>>5879813
Rolling for the success of infiltration. The first roll is for Bruce, the second for Croc. Given the moderate safety, a roll of 3 or higher will succeed, with higher rolls being a greater success. 2 will be a failure and 1 a massive failure.

>>5881300
Dadgummit, Croc.

>>5881300
>Batman makes it in easy
>but the CBI were watching the waterway and Croc ran right into them
We pick the "sneak in" option, but Croc is still being an inadvertant distraction whether we like it or not. Great.

>>5881307
Checking to see if I can do markups from [b]here.[/b]

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>>5879807
>Pencils & Inks: Michael Turner. Colors: Peter Stiegerwald
>Alt-text: The Batboat, a stealth watercraft, floats in Gotham harbor underneath a city skyline at night
>Dialouage Sample: Anonymous Scots, David Simon & Ed Burns

You sail the Batboat through the slick waters of Gotham Harbor. King Croc preparing in the drop bay behind you.
The waterproof contacts he’s wearing will give you visual footage of the lower levels.

BATMAN: We’re clear on the plan.
CROC: You take the high road and I take the low road, and I’ll be smashing skulls before you.
BATMAN: Right, but we keep this nonlethal. Killing federal agents is an escalation we can’t afford.
CROC: A’ight lil buddy. Let’s slide.
SFX: SPLASH

Croc heads towards the piping system of the base.

BATMAN: Bat-Eject Button!
SFX: SHWOOM

Pounds of force launch you in the air. You open your cape and your glider embraces the salted Gotham air like a lover.
You slice through the night, landing on the roof of the base.

BATMAN: Croc, status update.
__
Bullets fall on you like a hurricane. They tickle.

CROC: You finna come for the king?! Best not miss. YAAHHH!

You pick up a scrawny little fed and fling them clean across the basement.

BATMAN: Croc!
CROC: Chill Bats. Just a couple jits. Nothing I can’t handle.

Three more cops fire taser rounds at you. They break against your leather hide.

CROC: Gonna need better than that bap to smoke King Croc! YEEEEHHH!

You aint gonna kill them. But you’ll sure hurt them some.

CBI AGENT: AHHHHH!!!
CROC: All clear Bats, coming up now.

You look around for the exit, but something hits your nose. A familiar scent, mixes with the blood and piss of the feds. Fish. A Big Fish.

NANAUE: E kala mai, e ke kanaka maoli. Ke hoomalu nei keia mau kanaka naʻau ʻino ia'u. RAAGGH!

Half a ton of meat and gristle slams you into the wall.
You can barely see past your face, but what you can see is a mountain of teeth cutting into your arm.
NANAUE:Ke kauoha aku nei au ia oe e haawi pio, e ke kanaka maoli. E emi ana ka eha.
CROC: GRAHH!

With all your might you push the beast off you. Your devil eyes finally get a good look.
Ten feet tall, muscles on muscles, and a shark mouth full of teeth stained in your blood.

CROC: Heh. Light work.
BATMAN: CROC!

Left hook, fade, bite. Tackle. A lifetime of fights comes out in you.
Same as it does every night. Any person would break down after what you gave this Sharkbeast. But this isn’t a person.
It's taking your blows like nothing. You give a desperate swing but the monster catches your wrist, breaking it like a rotted log.

CROC: GAH!!

You use every muscle in your body to keep standing. You’ll be damned if you don’t die on your feet.

CROC: Make sure to give it to the feds for me.
BATMAN: No!

The Shark opens its mouth for the final bite, then it starts dancing as electricity fries it.
The last thing you see before passing out is an army of goons.

File: King Shark vs King Croc.jpg (305 KB, 1041x648)

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>>5881781
{Bonus Art}
>Pencils:José Luís. Inks: Jordi Tarragona. Colors:Adriano Lucas
>Alt-Text: Nanaue, also known as King Shark, a Humanoid Shark, rushes at King Croc, a man with crocodile-like skin.

>>5881781
>>5881786

Oh fuck, they brought Task Force X. And... Maybe a literal demigod? Oh balls.

File: The Brain.png (467 KB, 973x768)

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>>5881786
>Director: Kiki Manrique. Character Design: Dou Houng, Alaine Baybayan, Carli Squitieri. Storyboard: Haley Foster, Emily Hu, Kelly Kao
>Alt-text: A floating robot with arms and a camera that looks like an eye. A digital eyebrow bent in anger, and a brain in a clear case
>Dialouge Sample: Arnold Drake
>Sound Effect Samples: Chip Zdarsky

Croc’s been captured.
The setback..hurts. But the mission must go on. If the CBI has access to metahumans, you need to find out what's going on in this base.

BATMAN: Failsafe, scan the floorplan and generate a predictive map.

Based on thousands of designs on file, you can predict algorithmically where the next passage are likely to be.
Combined with the energy signals, the server bay is most likely

BATMAN: Here.

The room is swampy. Even with your suit and taxpayer-funded climate control, the Harbo’s dank creeps into the room.

BATMAN: Access the server
FAILSAFE AND BATWAVE: AICntruCde Er SA ler t!SING.
BATMAN: Gah!

You really do need a queue. The intruder rounds the server farm.
It’s a hoverdrone with arms, but the top of it is a human brain in a case!

BRAIN: Meirde! Security! It’s the Batman.

That voice! Doctor Ernst?! Why is he here from France?

BATMAN: Bat-grappel!

Your cable grabs the drone, pulling it to your hand.

BATMAN: What is this base?! What happened to you.
BRAIN: Oh no Mon ami. The question is, what is going to happen to you!
SFX: CLANG!

A backflip saves you from becoming a black-red smear. In front of you stands a crimson robot, face carved into a toothy grimace

BRAIN: Feeble mind! Know now that you shall meet your death at the hands of the ultimate of all thinking machines - ULTIMAX!

The robot installs the Brain into its chest, giving you time to hack into its comms.

WALLER: Ernst! Take the fight out of the server room, now! We can’t lose that data.
BRAIN: Bah! As if your anglophone ramblings earned that word. My brilliance is all the data you need.
WALLER: Are you going to follow orders, or will I have to send you to Caulder and his creeps?
BRAIN: Bah! As you wish, maîtresse.

You barely dodge a swing from Ultimax’s claw.
The server farm is keeping the attacks limited but the moment you leave you’ll be taking more firepower.
You cant use an EMP and risk losing the data either.

BATMAN: Batsmoke!

Under the cover of smog, you grapple to machine’s chest

BATMAN: Bat-saber!
SFX:SZHAA!!

The energy blade melts through Ultimax’s armor. In a few seconds, you’ll reach the Brain.

SFX: BZZZZ

Electric pain cuts through your nerves as the robot shocks you.
BRAIN: Didn’t expect to lose to your own trick did you, petit homme? And now, I end you.

The machine's foot raises in front of your skull...

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>>5881801
>Art:Greg Staples
>Alt-Text: Superman flying to a giant robot’s head and punching it. The robot’s head swings back while breaking. Lighting arcs from antenna on the robot's head. The robots are based on designs from “The Mechanical Monsters” (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033888/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm)
>Dialouge Sample: Jerry Siegel
>Vote Titles: Alan Burnett, Edmond Hamilton

SFX: CRASH!!!

...And stops in the hand of the Man of Steel.

SUPERMAN: And this is why we call.

He crushes the foot like tinfoil, causing the robot to wobble backwards.

BRAIN: Quoi?!

He leaps at the machine and with a single punch, crushes its head.

BRAIN: Non!
SUPERMAN: I’d like to do this to every weapon in the world!
BATMAN: Get the Brain!

The drone floats out the scrapped robot, but Superman catches it.

SUPERMAN: I’d like a word with you.
BRAIN: I’ll tell you any-AHHHH

An electric pulse beams from the drone. Superman is unhamred but The Brain is silent.

BATMAN: Is he-
SUPERMAN: He’s alive, in his own way. But this machine shut down his brain function, nothing to interrogate.
BATMAN: I do the interrogations here. I told you to stay out of Gotham.
SUPERMAN: And if I had, you’d be dead.
BATMAN: I had it covered.

The alien smirks.

SUPERMAN: I’ll take that as a thank you.
BATMAN: Were you watching me?
SUPERMAN: I was watching the world. I have a... friend who is tracking the global spread of superscience. The brain interface technology in this drone confirms I'm in the right place. All evidence pointed to a stockpile in Gotham, but I couldn’t hear smell, or see it.
BATMAN: So you let me find it for you.
SUPERMAN: Now imagine what we could have accomplished if we worked together from the start.
BATMAN: Is this base still hidden from your senses?
SUPERMAN: I can pick up bits and pieces, but it's like the whole place is in shadow. I only got this far because I recognized your heartbeat. You need the firepower and I need help infiltrating this mystery base. So what do you say, team up?

>The Batman/Superman Story Part 1
Team up. You don’t like it but you need to save Croc and Superman’s your best chance at that.

>The Feud Between Batman and Superman!
Don’t team up. He’s too powerful, he sees and hears too much and his brute force would disrupt the mission.

>>5881818
>>The Batman/Superman Story Part 1
i was wondering why the thread was called batquest superquest just now

>>5881818
>The Batman/Superman Story Part 1
Early on, we made a decision not to treat him necessarily as an enemy. If he's not our FRIEND, he can at least be an ally when our interests align.
Besides, can we really stop him?

>>5881818
>Batman/superman

Croc is worth putting up with the alien. And we can't really stop him.

>>5881818
>The Batman/Superman Story Part 1
Teamup time let's GOOO

>>5881818
>The Batman/Superman Story Part 1
Ugh, FINE you fucking CLERK. Have it your way. We needed to go rescue Croc anyway. No way in hell we're leaving him at the mercy of the feds. Speaking of which, Croc really put up a good fight against them. We should get him something he can eat after this mission's over. Bruce Wayne might know a place with quality steaks.

>>5882068
It occured to me we didn't tell Ivy or Croc about the France arc, probably because it wasn't relevant or concerned them. Now that that Doctor Ernst is here, the France shit is relevant. Last we saw him, in only ONE scene and while we were eavesdropping on him, he was talking about the Phantom Zone tech and using those gorillas to give the gorilla bitch her augs. The fuck happened to him offscreen and between issues to turn him into this brain cyborg AND siding with Waller? Raptor was right, the government spared no time looting material and manpower after that shitshow.

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>>5881818
>Pencils: Joe Benitez. Inks: Victor Llamas. Colors: Guy Major
>Alt-Text: Close-up of the ungloved hand of Superman shaking the globed hand of Batman, their capes and lower bodies are visible.

BATMAN: Fine. You can stay. But we do this mission my way. I’m team lead. Don’t make any move without my say-so.
SUPERMAN: Whatever you say, boss.

He holds out his hand.

SUPERMAN: Shake on it?

He reaches out his hand and you take it. Not out of any sentiment you tell yourself, but to assess his alien physique.
The hands are cool, like touching the ocean, and you can feel a tense force just underneath the surface, like rubbing your hand across an atom bomb.
Yet even with its eerie power, he shakes your hand with all the warmth and enthusiasm of a neighborhood baker. You quickly pull away.

BATMAN: Mr Malone to Birdwatcher, status update.
____

NIGHTWING: I like church better when they hand out booze.

It’s a cheap joke, but you needed to cut the tension. The scene below you is, in technical terms, creepy as fuck.
From your hiding spot in the rafters, you see rows of people, even children, lined up with piercings, tattoos, and implants on their faces.
And at the candle-covered pulpit, decked in a black silk suit was Roman Sinois himself, the Black Mask.

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>>5882279
>Art: John Van Fleet
>Alt-text: A black-gloved hand holding a burning book with alien patterns.
>Dialouge Samples: Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, John Wagner
>Vote Titles: Doug Moench, Larry Hama


BLACK MASK: Gotham has changed. The World has changed. No masks. No disguises. We are revealed as what we have always been. The powerful forced us to hide behind False Faces, but with the gift of the sacrament, our true faces shall have their revelation!
CONGREGATION: Amen!
BLACK MASK: I was once like you, lost in a stew of petty vices. The False Facers convinced me Mammom was the only god, that greed, property, and ownership were the only heaven. This was a lie!

He strokes his face. The sound of rubber squawking against burnt plastic echoes through the church.

BLACK MASK: My false face was burned to ash for my hubris, and in its place a pure black slate to receive the ultimate truth: There is a GOD and his name is CRIME! The rage when the lion slays the buffalo, the lust when the dandelion seeds the wind, the gluttony when the rot consumes all.
IVY: This is getting weird even for me. And I went to Berkley.
NIGHTWING: Seen any signs of mutagen?

Ivy sits in the pews —a chlorophyll injection lets her green face blend in with the marked crowd.

IVY: None. Everyone here looks like a goth acid rave, but still fully human.
BLACK MASK: This world is built for sin, life IS a crime, and the sentence is death! But we have a way to beat the case.

He raises a book with a bisected letter Ω on its cover and burns it on a candle.

BLACK MASK: Father Manaheim showed us The Biblia Krínnō is the only law we need.

He gestures behind him and a hooded figure walks out with a sealed jug.

NIGHTWING: Guess they have Booze after all
IVY: No.
BLACK MASK: The book teaches us the first tool of crime felll from the stars, the red rock of rage. So too has the tool of the final crime come from the blood of the stars. Who will take this sacrament, and become who they truly are?!

The jug is opened and a green glow spreads through the cathedral.

IVY: Concentrated mutagen!
NIGHTWING: I’m assuming that’s bad.
IVY: I wasn’t sure it existed. Full biological transmutation in the palm of your hand.
DR BALIN: I’ll take it!

A woman steps from the crowd, her face tattooed black and white.

BLACK MASK: Yes sister. Shed your False Face, your False Form, and let the liquid of the heavens give you the body of hell!
CONGREGATION: AMEN!

The woman walks towards the jug.

>The False Face Society of Gotham
Try to stop her from drinking it. This will blow your cover and start a fight with whatever forces this group has, but there’s a solid chance you could keep her from mutating.

>Orca, Part One: A Matter of Principle
Stay hidden. This guarantees she’ll drink the mutagen but it avoids a fight and would let you keep spying.

>>5882280
"Ω". Ah fuck, it's Darkseid's influence, isn't it?

>Orca, Part One: A Matter of Principle
Valuable intel, and there's no way we fight our way out of here without endangering Ivy... Which is worse than letting a (misguided) volunteer do some extreme body modification.

>>5882297
+1
Let's not forget Ivy is not mutated into classic Poison Ivy. She's still basic human Dr. Pamela Isley. I wonder if she or Nightwing are getting any major bad vibes from that book, what with the Darkseid connection as >>5882297 said. What would Supes do if he were here and saw the book and sensed the sheer extraplanetary evil it contained?

>>5882280
>a chlorophyll injection lets her green face blend in with the marked crowd.
Wait is she green like the usual Poison Ivy now? I thought she was still her default human self after we saved her from the mutagen and the attack at the swamp and all that other shit. We didn't get her space and funding for nothing!
>Father Manaheim
Who would this be?
>DR BALIN
And who is she?

>>5882280
>>The False Face Society of Gotham

>>5882280
>Orca

I cannot wish this on anyone. But we must stop an army being formed, one is fine. Many is not.

>>5882304
The shot made her face green.

>>5882304
I assume the chlorophyll is temporary

>Balin
it's in the prompt: she's Orca.

>Manaheim
Less sure about him. Could be a reference to Moxie and Bruno Mannheim of Intergang, or an alias of an Apokaliptan maybe?

>>5882280
>Orca, Part One: A Matter of Principle
We can't risk Ivy or the intel just yet.

>>5882297
>>5882304
>>5882316
>>5882320
>>5882366
Locking for Orca Part 1. Update within an hour or so.

>>5882280
{Writer’s Note: The previous update used the words “walked” and “stepped” to describe Dr Grace Balin.
Upon further research, I have found Dr Balin to be a wheelchair user in her base form.
I apologize to the wheelchair-using community for this harmful erasure.
The previous update is now retconned to establish Balin as using a wheelchair.
Going forward, I will be more thorough with my research.}

>>5883234
>I apologize to the wheelchair-using community for this harmful erasure
What wheelchair community? Does one even exist here on 4chan, least of all /qst/?

>>5883234
>>5883236
QM, it's alright. Nobody n any reasonable corner of the internet (or society) would get mad at you for forgetting an obscure DC comics character USED to use a wheelchair in her backstory.

>>5883236
>>5883240
Since I started using alt-text, I've been thanked for using it exactly two times. That's twice as many people as I needed. As long as a single person benefits from them, I believe it's worth it for me to use them, especially since they cost me so little.
By the same logic, even if no one here noticed the error, me writing the apology was so low effort I think it was worth it just for the chance that a wheelchair user might stumble onto it one day. It's a microscopic gesture, but if has it even a .1 percent chance of improving someone's day I think it was a gesture worth making.

Update within 30 minutes or so.

>>5883252
[That is an insane amount of collective effort to go through to MAYBE create a bit of joy and comfort, but also I wouldn't be in a Batman quest if I didn't respect dedications of insane effort to the collective good. More power to you, QM, and keep up the good work.]

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>>5882280
>Art:https://0theghost0.tumblr.com/
>Alt-Text: A waist-up image of Orca, a humanoid Orca-woman. Green fluid covers her and spills from her mouth.
>Dialouage Sample: Larry Hama

Balin wheels herself to the pulpit and takes a large gulp of the mutagen.

BLACK MASK: Drink deep, sister. Strip away the false face of Grace Balin and show us who you TRULY are.
BALIN: They see us as weak. They cage us in slums, and when we fight to survive, they cage us in prisons. HRRRNN

Balin falls out of her chair. Ivy rushes to help, but Black Mask blocks the way.

BLACK MASK: Hold up...let her cook.

Even on the ground, writhing in agony, Balin speaks her mind.

BALIN: Pirates... robber barons, despots, it’s time we take the world BAAAHCK!

A dorsal fin explodes from her back. Black and white skin spreads over rippling muscles. In the place of Dr Balin rises a humanoid dolphin.

ORCA: Balin is dead. I am ORCA!
CONGREGATION: WELCOME ORCA!
BLACK MASK: And thanks to our people in Metropolis, soon, we’ll all show our True Faces!

NIGHTWING: Are you hearing this Mr Malone?

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>>5883284
>Breakdowns: Larry Hama. Pencils: Carlo Pagulayan. Inks: Jason Paz & Sean Parsons. Colors: Jermey Cox & Hi-fi.
>Alt-Text: Deathstroke, a man in hi-tech chainmail shoots green Bullets at Superman. Superman shields himself with a piece of metal. Onomotemepia read “BRAATATTT--!!”
>Dialouge Samples: Frank Miller, Ron Marz
>SFX Sample: Christopher Priest

BATMAN: You can handle this, I have my own mission.
SUPERMAN: So I see you’re not a *total* loner.
BATMAN: I work with people I can trust.
SUPERMAN: Am I that much of a threat to you?
BATMAN: One of these days someone's going to tell you to bring me in. Someone with authority. What happens then?
SUPERMAN: The first month I wore this suit, I broke into the governor’s mansion. Do you think care about “authority?” If I come for you, it’ll be the same reason I come for anybody. Because you’re a threat to the planet.
BATMAN: And how do you decide that?
SUPERMAN: The same way you pick which building to bomb.
BATMAN: You don’t get to judge me.
SUPERMAN: I don’t disapprove. Tearing down what’s wrong is the first step. Building a better is world what’s next. It's why I gave you that watch.

The watch.
If Clark’s senses are muted, combining Failsafe’s algorithm with your Superscience tracker could help you find where they’re keeping Croc.

BATMAN: Failsafe- Cross-reference floorplan algorithm with superscience tracker.

The map in your cowl updates with green clusters.

BATMAN: The highest superscience signature is one floor below.

The alien flexes like a circus strongman.

SUPERMAN: Need a shortcut?
BATMAN: *Hn*
SUPERMAN: I’ll take that as a yes, Grumpypants.

With a single blow, he punches a hole in the floor. Then the same hand that broke through solid concrete reaches out to you.

SUPERMAN: Need a lift?
BATMAN: I can make it myself.

You glide down the hole and land in front of a lab. It looks cleared out, security must be on its way to the server farm.
A ring of computers surrounds a green crystal. One one screen is an image of a red and blue rocketship.

SUPERMAN: No. No no no, how do they have this?

A wind you’ve never felt indoors blows past you as Clark rushes to the computer, pushing buttons at frantic speed.
The computer shows more pictures of the ship, microscope scans of DNA samples, fingerprints, and a star chart with a flight path.

BATMAN: That’s YOUR ship, isn’t it?
BATWAVE & FAILSAFE: AalLeErRtT!
BATAMAN: Get dow-
SFX: BOOM

The computer explodes the room in a haze of smoke.

BATMAN: Can you see anything?!
SUPERMAN: This smog is lined with something. Blocking my-
SFX: BRAATATTT--!!

A hail of green bullets pierces the smoke. The rounds are too small to break through your armor. No way they’ll hurt-

SUPERMAN: AH!!

The fog clears and the assassin from Dent’s rally appears, now wearing high-tech chainmail.
Clark is on the floor next to you-bleeding?!

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>>5883286
>Art:Christian Lorenz Scheurer
>Alt-Text: A chunk of crystal on a lab table
>Vote Titles: Chipp Kidd & Alex Ross, Bill Finger , Denny O’ Neil

DEATHSTROKE: How's that for a field test, Mandy?

Waller's voice sparks through the comms

WALLER: Call me that again and I pop your head.
DEATHSTROKE: And waste all the tax dollars your paying me? DC would riot. Again.
BATMAN: Waller was behind the Dent attack.
DEATHSTROKE: And now Deathstroke gets payback on both you caped Bozos.

He reaches out and magnetic force pulls you by your armor into his grasp.
The cybernetic hand grabs you by the cowl and thundershocks once again flow through your blood.

DEATHSTROKE: Bet you can take more of this now that you got your PJs on. Mandy wants you alive, but I can still have fun with you.

Your electronics are fried, you can’t access any of your bat-gadgets!

SUPERMAN: The helmet weakest... n right eye.

With all your strength you rip open your utility belt with your hand and jab the jagged metal into Deathstroke’s eye.

DEATHSTROKE: AHHHH!!!

The electricity follows the path of least resistance, flooding into his eye and popping his cornea like a microwave egg.
He drops you and falls to the ground, screaming. But you’re not done. Not even close. You grab his Neck.

BATMAN: Where’s Croc!
DEATHSTROKE: In Mandy’s little freakshow by now. *Cough.* Guess you and her traded weapons.
BATMAN: RAH!

You throw him to the wall and he faints.

BATMAN: Status update.
FAILSAFE: Batwave offline. Batsuit functionality 30%. Local radiation detected. One metahuman signal in a 1000-meter radius

You turn to Superman, he’s kneeling on the floor, and pulling the bullets out of his chest with his bare hands.
As he drops them on the floor you see his fingertips burn wherever he touches the slugs.

BATMAN: The radiation hurts you.

There’s lead lining in your suit. You can contain it. But this is an opportunity.

>The Trust
Contain all the material and give it to Superman as a show of trust. This will make him see you as an ally. Though one he still has doubts about.

>The Plot to Destroy Superman
The radiation has weakened his senses. You can trick him into thinking you are giving up all the material while secretly saving some for yourself. Superman will see you as an ally he has doubts about, but if he ever finds out you saved some, you’ll become a major enemy.

>The Curse of Krypton
Contain all the material but don’t give it to Superman and show him you're keeping it. This show of force will make sure he knows you can hurt him. He’ll see you as an enemy, but you won’t be a major target.

{Vote for one or two. The vote with the most total options wins.}

>>5883292
>The Curse of Krypton
We WANT him to know. it'll keep him honest.

>>5883292
>The Trust
>The Plot to Destroy Superman

>>5883292
>The Curse of Krypton
>The Trust
You'll thank us for it if you ever turn evil and against the planet, and you need to be stopped to return you to normal. We can't pretend that cannot happen. Remember the mutagen trips?

I like how we're setting Batman and Superman up to be wary and grudging allies to each other, moreso on Batman's part. They're gonna be great friends later after mutual character development, but right now I prefer tsundere Batman wanting all advantage he can get

>>5883292
>flooding into his eye and popping his cornea like a microwave egg.
He can get a cyber replacement, can't he?

>>5883292
>The curse of Krypton

I cannot justify the Trust.

>>5883520
Who cares? Fuck that guy. We may not be a Batman of Murder, but we're also not no-kill, no-maim Batman, and he's trying to kill us and enslave our buddy/colleague.

>>5883520
he uses an eyepatch in the comics

>>5883292
>The Trust
>The Curse of Krypton

Either we extend the olive branch or we extend the sword.

>>5883729
>>5883668
Makes sense

>>5884071
he's actually got regeneration but that eye remains gone because of emotional damage or something. if that sticks here or not is anyone's guess

>>5884077
Interesting to see how the QM plays it out

>>5883252
Incredibly based, despite me disagreeing with it anyway. Keep doing it.

>>5883284
>BLACK MASK: Hold up...let her cook.
10/10 line. Also in line with Black Mask if he's anything like Red Mist/Motherfucker, or what I remember of him from the Kick-Ass movie

>>5884288
I'm glad you like it. Black Mask's spoiled rich white trust fund brat vibe was inspired by how Ewan MacGreggor played him in the Birds of Prey Film it overlapping with Red Mist/ Motherfucker is a fun bit of convergent evolution that I played into with the weird recursive Joker quote.

>>5883991
>>5883524
>>5883515
>>5883331
>>5883295
Locking for The Curse of Krypton. Update Monday.

>>5885298
damn, i didn't wanna burn this bridge but there's about to be a fire

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>>5883292
Pencils:Shane Davis Inks:Matt Banning Colors:Pete Pantazis
Alt-text: Close-up of Batman holding a chunk of Kryptonite, a green crystal. His chest Logo is visible behind his hand.

BATMAN: You feel that? That’s mortality. What we go through every day.

You walk around the downed alien, picking up the bullets and storing them in your lead-lined utility belt.

BATMAN: I want you to know I have this. I want you to know the next time you think of coming here, what I can do to you if you get out of line.

With the last piece in your belt, he staggers up.

SUPERMAN: You...colossal jerk! We find a government lab using technology they shouldn't have, and your takeaway is now you get to kill me if you want?
BATMAN: If I need to.
SUPERMAN: Because far be it for the high and mighty Batman to let anyone run the show but him.

He takes an angry step forward and you palm your hand over your belt.

BATMAN: Watch yourself... Clark.

He pauses in shock, then turns and laughs

SUPERMAN: Ha. You know, a friend of mine could have found out who you were weeks ago. Heck, I could memorize your DNA right now, and fly over the city in the daytime until I found a match. But I didn’t. For the same reason I gave you that watch, I respected you. But now? I don’t think you want to help the planet, you want this city as a playground to act out your savior complex. You want me out of Gotham? Fine. I’ll be saving the world with people who care. Have fun playing dress up.

SFX: Whoooshh!

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>>5886617
>JH Williams III: Pencils & Inks. Dave Stewart: Colors
>Alt-text: A Manhatten Skyline featuring Antonio Gaudí’s Hotel Attraction, (a skyscraper made up of several torpedo shapes arranged into a cone with a sea urchin-shaped observatory on top), Hans Hollein’s Rolls-Royce Building (a flat face skyscraper shaped like a grill) and the proposed Mid-Manhatten Expressway. In the distance is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ellis Island Key Project, a circle podium ringed by towers and surrounded by domes.

You fly so fast the screams of the planet melt into dull ringing.
It kills you to move past them, but in your headstate, you can’t risk interfering.
A bus driver goes to work emotional and might cause a car accident. You go to work out of sorts and could sink an island. No.
Before Superman can get on the case, Clark Kent needs sorting out.
You dance around the gaze of spy satellites and land on the familiar roof of Affirmation Tower.
You’ve battled mechanical monsters and four-dimensional poets, but this will be your greatest challenge of all

SFX: Knock
CLARK: Hello, Pa.
PA: Hey kiddo, wasn’t expecting you. Come inside, this new banana bread is to die for.

The inside of the rooftop apartment is a monument to eccentricity.
The Shield of Sir Brian Kent, the legendary silent Knight, purported maps to the lost city of Atlantis, “indestructible” bracelets from the Mediterranean.
While you look at Pa's collection, he arrives from the kitchen

PA: This deli might be my greatest discovery yet, they use real sweet potatoes in the...
SUPERMAN: Pa. I was just at a government base.
PA: They still trying to boss you around? I told you to let them know you don’t work for-
SUPERMAN: They had pictures of my ship. Flight charts to Krypton! How?! ... how?

You sit down, you’re not looking at him, but you can hear his face break to a frown.

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>>5886625
>Pencils and Inks: Gary Frank. Colors: Brad Anderson
>Chest-up image of Michael “Pa” Kent. A middle-aged man.
>Vote Titles: Grant Morrison, Christopher Priest, Elliot S! Maggin

PA: Kid- Clark, when you were a kid, things were tough. Roles weren’t coming in, bills were due. I... I needed help. I sold off my whole collection just to keep our condo. I had some scientist friends, they consulted on a movie. They paid me so they could study the ship
SUPERMAN: Pa...
PA: But I swear I didn’t tell them about you. They probably thought it crashed empty.
SUPERMAN: Or that there was an alien on the loose!
PA: Hey. we talked about that. No one is an alien. This place is your home just as much as mine.
SUPERMAN: I’m not here for your lessons. Because of you, my home is full of dangerous technology centuries ahead of what should be out there. This “Superscientifc Revolution” means thousands of dangerous people have the power to do the impossible. And now when I try to stop them, I have to worry about getting killed.
PA: What do you mean?

Your anger gives way to sadness.

SUPERMAN: They made a weapon, Pa. Something that could hurt me. Even kill me. And I’m on a planet full of people chopping at the bit for the chance.
PA: Son, I’m sorry. I understand I betrayed you, and that you’re feeling vulnerable, what can I do?
SUPERMAN; Unless you have a time machine in your ‘collection”, nothing.
PA: Wa-

SFX: WHOOOSH

You can’t believe it. Selling access to the only piece of your home like it was an exhibit.
Treating your life just like one more thing he collected. You’re hurt.
Hurt by the breakdown of old relationships and the failure to make new ones.
And with those green rocks out there, a whole lot more hurt is coming.


>Superman and the Authority
You tried sharing Superscience, but it's clear humanity isn’t ready for it. Go across the globe, confiscating or eliminating it all.
People will be angry but the world can’t be trusted with this level of power.

>Superman: Lost
You’ve been doing this a few years but it feels like a lifetime. You could probably lift the planet but the weight of the world is still heavy.
You should seek counseling to deal with your stress and responsibilities.

>Wild Week-End in Washington!
Since you started the powers that be have fought you to keep the oppressed under heel.
If the government takes you out, they’ll have free reign. You’ll have to stop them. It's time you paid a visit to Washington.

>>5886629
>>Wild Week-End in Washington!

>>5886629
>Superman: Lost
The world is made of cardboard, we cannot let Clark stop holding back. As much as perhaps the obstacles in his way deserve to face his full force, the Earth cannot survive it.

>>5886657
+1

>>5886629
>Wild Week-End in Washington!
Huh, Pa Kent as an irresponsible adventurer isn't a twist I'm used to. Is it from that Superman quest?

>>5886672
Him as an actor is from the Superman Quest. Him as a collector of all things "strange" is my innovation.

>>5886678
Neat!

>>5886657
>>5886667
Anyway, our Batman is a bit of a terrorist/freedom fighter, so if our Superman is also persona non grata with the White House and Task Force X, it can only bring us closer together! R-right?

>>5886680
Sure, but Clark is in a bad state right now after the Kryptonite scare

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>>5886682

>>5886691
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-H4YAk_PE8

>>5886629
>Superman lost

Is this the timeline where a therapist is the most powerful [wo]man in the world?

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>>5887269

>>5886631
>>5886657
>>5886672
>>5887269
>>5886667
Locking for Superman:Lost Update tonight, next update might be in a new thread.

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>>5883284
>>5886629
>Pencils: Irv Novick. Inks: Mike Esposito. Colors: Unknown
>Alt-Text: Close-up of Superman’s crying face.
>Dialouge Samples: Robert Kanigher, David Ayer
>Vote Titles:David Slack, Paul Dini

In the papers, Lois called you “The Man of Steel.” Then -- why aren’t these tears metal? Why do they burn so?
You’re trying to save the world, but the world is coming down around you. You can’t protect anyone in this state.
You need help.

SUPERMAN: Friday, run an algorithm for mental health professions to meet my needs. And start screening my calls from Pa.
____

BATMAN: You can handle this, I have my own mission.
NIGHTWING: Yes but-

He hung up. You’re playing Quasimoto in a nightmare Notre Dame and he hung up on you.
Whatever he’s going through at that base, it’s got him off his game.

BLACK MASK: Now I would normally end our congregation here, but this little interruption’s given me an idea.

He’s turning to Ivy!

BLACK MASK: I haven’t seen you before.

He grabs her face and you grab your cachaba.

BLACK MASK: Green ivy... not the usuall look. Our crown usually goes for the Frankenstein vibe.

She pulls away from his touch, holding in her burning anger.

IVY: I’m new. I heard about The Faith in The Narrrows.
BLACK MASK: The Narrows. With hands that look like they LIVE in lotion. Riiiight.

The robed figure moves threateningly toward Ivy, you get ready to jump in-

BLACK MASK: No, no no. I’ve always wanted to do a Training Day.

He walks to Orca.

BLACK MASK: Sister Orca, would you kindly allow me to share your blessing with another one of your flock.
ORCA: Of course.

She passes him the jug of concentrated muatagen and he pushes it into Ivy's hands.

BLACK MASK: You’re really one of us? Finish that shit.
___
You palm the jug in your hand and stare down its mouth. It’s beautiful. Green as the Earth should be. An ocean of potential.
Your work with powered plants was one thing, but with this, you could become the power.
You had heard stories about Concreted Mutagen responding to the desires of its user, almost as if it was alive.
Part of you chalked that up to superstition, but seeing Orca transform, become the embodiment of what she cherishes.
You know in your heart this cup is the gateway to everything you want and the planet needs.
>Fleurs Du Mal
Take the serum. Black Mask’s threat is the perfect chance to take it blame-free.
If you hand it over to the team, Batman will never let you take it. He has a godo heart, but his need for control won’t allow it.
This could be your only chance for the power to enact the change the world needs.

>House & Garden
Signal Nightwing. It will blow your cover, but you can probably escape with a sample. You wont be able to take it, but you can at least study it.

>>5887678
>House & Garden
A house divided cannot stand. The House of Batman has to stay strong right now, if Supes is temporarily out-of-commission and Waller and Black Mask are both getting up to crazy shit.

>>5887678
>>Fleurs Du Mal

>>5887682
+1
Even a bat's house needs some tasteful moss or green somewhere

hm
on one hand there's a pretty big power boost
on the other it'll cause a schism in an already kind of strained team
I'm not sure how dangerous it's going to be to rescue croc either
I think I'm okay with both options

>>5887678
>House and Garden.

Later. We can always do it. . Later.

>>5888050
>>5887682
>>5887695
>>5887688
>>5888065
Locking for House and Garden
Update in the next Thread. (Which will be today or this weekend)

In the meantime I would love your feedback on the quest so far.

How have you liked the story? Have the votes been interesting? How do you like Superman and his relationship with Batman? Is there anything you would like to see more of? How comfortable have you been with the pace of updates?

Thanks for everyone following the quest. At the end of this one there will be a hint toward the future of the setting I hope you will find exciting.

>>5889024
>How have you liked the story?
It's been fun so far, though I prefer focusing on our established main two characters' perspective (that is, Batman's and Nightwing's) ,personally. Superman being here is cool; controlling him takes a lot of the tension out of the relationship, as it becomes more about micromanaging the meet-cutes of two thirty-year-old men as opposed to really occupying the headspace of one. When we vote for both halves of the World's Finest team, we know what both of them are thinking/feeling, after all.

>Have the votes been interesting?
Very. I enjoy your take on the characters, their universe, and the idiosyncrasies of the genre (obsession, the nature of law and justice, etcetera). It's a take that the mainstream comics very rarely even approach, which makes it perfect for a quest, in my opinion.

>How do you like Superman and his relationship with Batman?
Still too early to tell, being a WIP. I'm very interested to see where it goes, be it enmity or alliance.

>Is there anything you would like to see more of?
Opportunities to recruit for the Outsiders could be cool.

>How comfortable have you been with the pace of updates?
My preference is once-a-day, but my REAL preference is whatever you can mange without burning out. Keep it up if this works for you!

>>5889024
OP, check this out
https://nitter.privacydev.net/V_of_Europe/status/1745777312086339912