Master Bruce

DC Universe: Genesis - Justice For All

To apply for a character, please utilize the Character Concept Proposal sheet located here.

DC Universe: Genesis - Justice For All

ANIMAL MAN / BUDDY BAKER
@WXer

THE BATMAN / BRUCE WAYNE
@Master Bruce

BIRDS OF PREY
HELENA BERTINELLI / PAMELA ISLEY
@Tackytaff

BLUE BEETLE / THEODORE KORD
@HenryJonesJr

THE CRIMSON AVENGER / LEE TRAVIS
@Polyphemus

THE FLASH / BARRY ALLEN
@thatguy

GREEN ARROW / OLIVER QUEEN
@IceHeart

GREEN LANTERN / KAI-RO
@Bounce

THE MISFITS
HOLLY ANN FIELDS / LONNIE MACHIN / ROSHANNA CHATTERJI / MIGUEL BARRAGAN
@Mao Mao

THE OUTLAWS
JASON TODD / ROY HARPER
@webboysurf

PLASTIC MAN / EEL O'BRIEN
@rocketrobie2

RAVEN / STARFIRE
RACHEL ROTH / KORIAND'R
@AndyC

THE SANDMAN / WESLEY DODDS
@Hound55

SUPERMAN / CLARK KENT / KAL-EL
@Hillan

TEEN TITANS
GARFIELD LOGAN / VICTOR STONE / STEPHANIE BROWN / TARA MARKOV / AMAYA
@Cybermaxx

ZATANNA ZATARA
@Retired

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Characters in Red have expired and therefore available to be applied for.

To apply, please copy, paste, and fill out the Application below:

Application Code

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

A L I A S

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^{_{B I R T H N A M E ♦ O C C U P A T I O N ♦ L O C A T I O N ♦ A F F I L I A T I O N}}

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

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^{"Witty Quote"}

This is where you outline your vision for the character including any notable changes or differences from the regularly accepted canon. This should be a short summary that provides insight into where the character is in terms of their overall progress and development.

C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:

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Why do you want to play this character, what is the driving motivation behind both this desire and the character themselves. What do you hope to accomplish and where do you want the character's story/stories to go?

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

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Any additional notes you want to put either for yourself, the GM's or other players to help clarify your vision or continuity.

S A M P L E P O S T:

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A sample post that can be used in the IC if you so desire upon acceptance. This post should provide an example of your vision for the desired character. This sample post should meet all standards outline in the rules and additionally include dialogue, mannerisms and other actions representative of your intended portrayal.

P O S T C A T A L O G:

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A list linking to your IC posts as they're created. This can be used for a reference guide to your character or to summarize completed arcs and stories.

DC Universe: Genesis - Justice For All

DC UNIVERSE: GENESIS - JUSTICE FOR ALL

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ A YEAR ONE DC COMICS ROLEPLAY ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

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^{◼ G M (s): Master Bruce, Hillan & HenryJonesJr ◼ ◼ G E N R E: Superhero/Fandom ◼ T Y P E: Sandbox with linear and Collaborative Arcs}

I N T R O D U C T I O N:

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Welcome, fans of the DC Universe. DC UNIVERSE: GENESIS is a sandbox based RP that seeks to allow you to tell the story of the world's greatest heroes from the very beginning. The idea behind this RP is not to embody our favorite heroes to simply retell iconic stories and origins but to take these characters and make them our own. In fact, the goal of the RP is for players to take their favorite characters and re-imagine them to tell their own stories. We only ask that the core of the character remains the same. Players will take the roles of their characters and tell stories either alone or in collaboration with other players in order to develop and grow the world.

T H E SET-UP:

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It is the year 2020. Thanks to the swift action of President Lucas Carr and other world leaders working in tandem, the world has just started to recover from a viral pandemic, originating from the nation of Markovia, that would have otherwise left the worldwide economy crippled. But this regained sense of freedom and return to civilized life comes a dire cost: rampant crime. In major metropolitan cities like Midway, Coast, the twin cities of Central and Keystone, and St. Roch, some of those left financially impacted by the virus have become desperate, and others look to capitalize on the growing sense of paranoia by targeting the defenseless. While the police are militarized in some areas where crime has affected the populace the largest, non-violent citizens are often becoming the victim of oppression from those sworn to protect them, prompting a wave of backlash threatens to dismantle efforts towards peace on both sides of the political spectrum. Now more than ever, the world needs a new type of hero to stand above these ideologies and make the world a better place.

A few select individuals are ready to step up. A young man of Metropolis looks to utilize his vast array of superhuman abilities to stand between the very sources of good and evil. An ageless demi-goddess, meanwhile, draws upon a life of warrior's training to bring peace to a world she has yet to fully understand. Another young man, spurned on by the memory of his murdered parents, takes to the streets of Gotham as a vigilante. And then there are the budding stories on social media that speak to a crimson blur, leaving behind a trail of unconscious purse snatchers and hostile criminals in it's wake. A glowing green light emanates from the heavens, striking down those who would cause harm to the innocent. The seas find themselves protected by a new guardian, who seems to be controlling the marine life at will to prevent pollution and piracy, among other crimes against nature. And there is even the fringe conspiracy theory that we are not alone, given new life by supposed first-hand encounters of a figure that is unlike anything humankind has ever seen.

Will these men and women, or otherwise, become Earth's greatest champions? Or is there a different destiny in store for those who would be called upon to don symbols of their own making, uniforms of a starkly different era, and disguises that allow these heroes to work anonymously? Their ultimate place in this world lies with you.

This is the dawn of something new - the genesis of something yet to come.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N:

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All official discussion and announcements will happen through the OOC, however, for those who prefer a faster-paced place of discussion, or just enjoy getting to know your peers, the game can also be discussed in the former Discord channel for the Absolute Comics RP.

The Discord link can be found here.

THE RULES:

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• All players will initially be allotted one Character Concept, to begin with. This concept may be any character from a main stream comic book. If applying as a 'Team Concept', a combination roster may be allowed at the scrutiny of the GM Team. Characters originally appearing in Competing Comic Imprints, Manga or Anime are heavily discouraged because of their incompatibility with western superhero comics. We will judge all properties from outside of the DC Universe (IE: Vertigo and Wildstorm) on a case-by-case basis provided they fit the themes and tones of the game, but the above limitations are definitive.
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• We will grant a second character concept to players who demonstrate a commitment to the game and a consistent posting schedule.
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• Players can compete for characters if an application for your desired character is posted ahead of yours and has not yet been accepted. To compete for a character, you have a twenty-four-hour window to state your intent to compete. The GM Team will then judge the competing applications.
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• In terms of character creation, you are free to overhaul and redesign any canon character from one of the aforementioned publishers. This means you can tell the story of the character how you believe it should be told. However, there is one major limitation, the heart and soul of the character must stay intact. The character should not be changed so much that they're unrecognizable. This means that Superman can't be a cold-blooded killer any more than Green Lantern can be a rich, well off and arrogant playboy. Every aspect of the character that isn't a key to their major identity is malleable, this can even include sex and abilities if so desired.
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• Player characters are claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the parent character (i.e. Batman to Robin), hasn’t been claimed, the legacy is just as available. If another player comes along and asks about playing the parent, it’s requested that both players be as accommodating as possible to allow the other to express their vision. It is understandable that sometimes two visions will not mesh, and in this case, we will give the player who came first precedence. If a GM needs to step in as a mediator or an arbiter, we can arrange this in a group PM.
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• The 'parent character' or 'acting parent characters' have a say in any further legacies being applied for. For instance, if you were playing The Flash, and another player applied as Wally West, as the established 'parent' character, you are able to voice if the concept compliments your own, or if you would rather the character not be accepted. The GMs will take this into consideration before moving further ahead with any legacy application.
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• Absolutely no 'OOC' chatter in the In Character Thread. If you have a question or anything to explain there is an Out Of Character Thread provided. You have no excuse to make an 'OOC' comment in the IC and if done it will be heavily frowned upon. If you require a more immediate answer, don't hesitate to directly ask the GM Team or relevant player in the Discord.
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• Writing expectations for this roleplay are at least two (2) well-developed paragraphs as a minimum per post. Three (3) to five (5) paragraph posts, however, would be awesome so long as you're not simply chewing the scenery. Proper spelling and grammar is also expected but small mistakes here and there are understandable. Blatant offences will be called out.
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• You are required to post at least once per character within a fourteen (14) day period. There will be a post-check-in, once per week performed by the GMs in order to ensure the IC is moving consistently. Extensions will be given in extenuating circumstances. Please recognize your limitations before joining the RP, if you are unable to post once every ten days, then it's highly likely that you do not have enough time to keep up with the RP. In the event that you do miss the deadline, your character will be listed as 'inactive'. After a further week of inactivity, your character will be expelled, and dealt with as necessary in the IC, whether killed or used as needed and then discarded. This whole process is simply easier if you just let the GM know if you're unable to keep up or simply have lost interest in the RP. If you find yourself in a plot with another player and they disappear, do your best to move on without them and quickly finish the arc to the best of your ability, or ask for the help of a GM.
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• This is a Character-Driven RP, and as such you are encouraged and expected to take charge of your character's sub-plots and storylines. There will be a heavy emphasis on collaborative activities and team building as well. The GMs will be developing a driving plot that will ensure the RP keeps moving and player interaction can become more convenient - however, we do want to see you develop your characters and produce your own plots. That being said, we also don't want to see you lock your character out of interaction and focus solely on your character and their 'world'. Like with all pleasurable activities, no one enjoys watching you play with yourself. It's always better to let someone else join in on the fun.

Rules, OOC and Character Application formats created by @Lord Wraith and @HenryJonesJr

Three DC Comics RPGs, one game. Which moves forward? You decide!

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who voted. It's cool to see the enthusiasm for another comics game still alive in the Guild.

Secondly, it appears that with over twelve votes, the winner is almost unanimously Pitch #2, which I will be drafting up an OOC thread to launch for on Friday. @Hillan has been chosen as my Co-GM.

Thirdly, everyone will get a chance to submit their applications once the thread launches, and remember that every character is contestable - meaning that if you want to apply for somebody already claimed, you have 24 hours to do so when the thread starts.

Thanks again, everyone.

Master Bruce's Multiverse Of Madness

The Narrows, 2005.

A traumatized boy is escorted out of his home by police as two bodies are covered by a tarp. The couple is a lower class family, a small business owner and a nurse practitioner. A break-in turned home invasion and double homicide, the attending officer James Gordon notes, with nothing notable about them except for their name - Wayne.

It isn't mere coincidence, as the city soon learns that the patriarch of the family was indeed the brother of billionaire Phillip Wayne, sole heir to the Wayne family fortune and CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Phillip's reputation as a cold, calculating businessman who never fails to step on the little guy to stay ahead is put aside, as the news portrays him in a gentler light when side-by-side with his 10-year-old nephew at the burial site of the deceased Thomas and Martha Wayne. It is said that Phillip will gain legal custody of the boy, whose name is kept anonymous from the press, and that the mystery child could potentially become the new face of Wayne Enterprises when he turns of age.

This, of course, never happens. When the cameras are done rolling, Phillip places his nephew Bruce into the care of a private investigator that he has on retainer, hoping that a foster home can be found without taking a hit to his newfound publicity. The private investigator, Alfred J. Pennyworth, takes an immediate shine to the boy and decides that Bruce needs to be raised with more care and finesse than Phillip would ever be capable of. Alfred ensures that Bruce's education is paid for and that his future remains prospective in the face of a two-fold barrage of tragedy and greed.

This only partially happens. Bruce is eventually diagnosed as having extreme Post Traumatic Stress. He can barely get through a night's rest without waking up screaming, reliving the horrible night that his parents were murdered. Alfred consults Gotham City's top psychiatrists, but nothing seems to work. Bruce is constantly sneaking out of the house, often being found at his parents' gravesite after hours and telling the officers that find him about the last movie he saw when they were alive: The Shadow Of The Gray Ghost.

"Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot,", the boy explains, paraphrasing the film. "That's how you can stop them, isn't it? Because they're afraid."

The officers usually say nothing, but it's a fantasy that Bruce carries with him for the rest of his life. Growing into the role of a teenage social outcast, he becomes reclusive from his schoolmates, teachers, and neighbors. Alfred eventually learns that Bruce is intentionally blocking them out, with his sights set on one goal: the complete and utter dissolution of organized crime in Gotham. So in a desperate bid to break through to his son, Alfred plays along with this delusion - so much so that he eventually gets lost in it himself. Bruce is convinced that he will need instructors for this mission of his, so Alfred reaches out through the grapevine to find what Bruce is looking for, still thinking it to be harmless, though an intense phase of his troubled young life.

The first instructor that Bruce meets is Ted Grant, a former heavyweight boxing champion turned owner of the run-down Wildcat's Gym. In exchange for taking on a part-time job in helping to fix up the place, Grant gives Bruce nightly lessons in hand-to-hand combat. The basics of boxing, at first, but Bruce eventually convinces Grant to bring in some friends that can teach him a cursory knowledge of how to perform Silat, Kali, Wing Chun, Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai, Tai Kwon Do, Wushu and even Judo with relative success. Grant is amazed at Bruce's proficiency with each style, displaying a level of memory retention that allows him to mimic and master every move that he's given. By the time that he turns eighteen, Bruce is a natural - so much so that he turns his attention away from combat to seek a new vocation.

Though Alfred eventually retires from the business, he does introduce Bruce to a detective named Slam Bradley under the pretense of needing a steady job. Bradley puts Bruce to work on errands, but eventually catches onto the kid's true intention: he wants to learn the trade. And so Bradley takes him out on a few field investigations, letting him know how to approach a scene undetected, tail a potential suspect, gather evidence, and come up with conclusive results. Within three years, Bruce becomes equal in skill to his mentor and is working as an assistant, breaking some of Bradley's toughest cases on his own.

During this phase in his life, Bruce runs afoul of some dangerous members of Gotham's underworld. But rather than turn back and avoid danger, Bruce seems to run toward it, despite Slam's protests - eventually having a falling out with his determined protege. But Bruce doesn't seem to care, and within a night, Alfred discovers the reason why in a letter left for him: he's realized that to learn all he needs to know, he'll have to turn to more unorthodox mentors to stay ahead. Burglars, thieves, underground fighters, drug dealers, gang members, street racers, and all manner of the criminal element that infests the city. Only through them, Bruce reasons, will he learn how to turn their methods against them. Alfred doesn't see or hear from Bruce for another five years.

But as Bruce's "education" continues, it becomes clear that the Wayne family name is carrying terrible secrets. Phillip Wayne is arraigned on suspicion of colluding with the Falcone Crime Family, painting Wayne Enterprises in a less than flattering light and prompting the question of who will become Wayne's successor. While a few stories run of the mysterious young boy that Phillip supposedly adopted, most outlets are focused on leading figures of the industry that are looking to bid for Wayne Enterprises' stocks. The most ruthless of them is the owner of a franchise series of nightclubs named Oswald Cobblepot, looking to go legitimate and put Wayne Enterprises back on top. In actuality, however, Oswald is Carmine Falcone's rival in the mob and knows that securing the company will generate enough revenue to make his weapons' trade the most prospective venture on the black market. The only thing standing in Oswald's way is the jailed Phillip - and with a single phone call, that obstacle is rooted out: Phillip Wayne dies in a pool of his blood, having been shivved by three fellow inmates. Within a month, Oswald is named CEO of Wayne Enterprises.

Over the next few years, the corruption in Gotham begins to escalate. The streets are engulfed in a massive gang war between Roman Sionis, the sadomasochistic leader of The False Face Society, and Waylon Jones, the murderous psychopath who butchered his way to the top of the food chain, earning himself the moniker of Killer Croc. Through these powerful underworld leaders, several criminal enterprises are allowed to thrive. Dr. Crane of the mental hospital established in place of Wayne Manor following Phillip's death, Arkham Manor, seems to be misplacing many of his patients. The police turn a blind eye to this activity and the District Attorney, Harvey Dent, is proven to be far from incorruptible. Mayor Rupert Thorne openly mocks the victims of GCPD brutality in The Narrows, proclaiming that any violence would have been avoided if they'd vacated their homes. Captain Lyle Bolton is visibly covering up these incidents, threatening any press that attempts to cover what's happening. Millions of citizens are being blackmailed by an anonymous hacker who bizzarely leaves puzzles in places of frozen bank accounts. The economy is down, tensions are escalating, and even those fighting for the good - such as Lieutenant James Gordon - are beginning to lose faith in the possibility that peace can be restored.

Enter a series of robberies at Wayne Enterprises' Applied Sciences Division. A figure in black attacks each of the archival warehouses with uncanny precision. Each security guard is systematically taken down, the alarms are bypassed, the military-grade technology that lies dormant is stolen in irregularly large quantities, and the warehouses themselves are ransacked to the point that no one piece of equipment can be properly identified. Oswald Cobblepot publicly condemns the lunatic responsible, placing pressure on Mayor Thorne and Commissioner Loeb to head up an investigation. But the thief is never caught and the robberies go unsolved.

Around the same time, Lucius Fox is greeted outside of his home by a young man with jet black hair. He tells Fox that he knows what happened to the man's late son, Luke, how nothing was ever done about the wrongful murder at the hands of a corrupt cop named Flass. He promises that if Fox, a former engineer and member of the board of directors at Wayne Enterprises, helps him to not only learn how to use a heap of stolen technology but improve upon it, that he'll make sure Luke's murderer is put in jail for the rest of his life. The man only ever identifies himself as William Kane, but Fox suspects it to be an alias. Nevertheless, he takes a chance. Within a week, Arnold Flass is arrested after evidence is anonymously collected and sent to Lieutenant Gordon. Fox begins teaching 'William' what each gadget does, and 'William' begins sending back notes.

But it isn't enough. Despite being armed to the teeth with such items as an experimental grapple launcher, modified tasers, tear gas and mace caplets that explode upon impact, and a police radio dispatch forcefully taken from a corrupt officer, Bruce Wayne returns to Alfred's doorstep in a bloody heap, near the point of death after having tried to save a family from being jumped just outside of a theater by a gang of False Facers. As he lies in a hospital bed, drifting in and out of consciousness, Bruce begins to relive the night that he'd always been afraid to confront in a series of hallucinations. This assault on his senses doesn't stop until, upon happenstance, Bruce notices a winged animal fighting to defend its nest outside of his hospital window. It inspires him to fight these delusions in tandem, becoming unafraid of the memories of losing his parents as the bat manages to restore its place.

Taking it as a sign, the words of The Gray Ghost echo throughout Bruce's mind throughout his recovery: that criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot. To prey on their fears, he'll have to appear to them as something that isn't entirely human. Within an hour of being released from the hospital, he phones Lucius Fox with a brand new series of ideas - and with some trial and error, a new persona that Bruce crafts for himself that will begin the fight to reclaim Gotham. An unsung figure that will strike from the shadows and use the night to his advantage.

The beginning of the The Gotham Bat's legend has begun.

Three DC Comics RPGs, one game. Which moves forward? You decide!

I suppose while we're taking about creating canon, we ought to work out exactly how much of each canon we're allowed to shape. The DCU, after all, has tons of legacy characters and spin-offs and whatnot, so it may behoove us to clarify the rules around, say, if someone wants to have Wally West be the Flash first, or someone wants to play Damian as Robin before Dick Grayson shows up, etc.

@AndyC

I think, in the case of Pitch 2, it would have to work on a case-by-case basis... as long as the applicant keeps in mind that this would be a Year One setting. So if someone wanted to apply for Supergirl or Batgirl while their predecessors are just starting to cut their teeth, that'd obviously clash. But if there were a way to play Kara Danvers or Barbara Gordon another way, in a way that makes sense but is also sidestepping the sidekick element, I think that would be viable. Damian Wayne would be trickier since he's Bruce's son.

Overall, my advice is that it'd just be best to submit an app with a back-up plan in mind.

Three DC Comics RPGs, one game. Which moves forward? You decide!

To answer a few questions at once...

@Crimson Flame, while it is true that these would be alternate DC universes, a vast majority of them rely on the idea of Clark Kent still being Superman, Bruce being Batman, Diana being Wonder Woman and all that. So that would have to remain.

However, I would like to note that Pitch 2 let's you create your own version of those characters with no continuity to speak of whatsoever.

But if this doesn't seem like the game setup for you, that's completely understandable. We all have our preferences on what we like to play.

@Mao Mao You absolutely could play a neutral alignment character like Selina, yes. I probably should have been clearer about that, but any character that isn't an outright villain would theoretically be fair game.

@Retired None of these games would allow OC player characters. I moreso meant that if you wanted to invent new supporting characters, that'd be fine.

Three DC Comics RPGs, one game. Which moves forward? You decide!

I want to do an RPG set in the world of DC Comics. However, while I have an idea of what I'd like to do most, I can't decide on my own what setting would be the most desirable for potential players. So I'm leaving it in your hands! Vote on the following pitches. If you like one or some elements of one pitch but would rather see it transferred to another, let me know and we might be able to hash out something. I'm flexible.

PITCH 1 - A Prime Earth-Style DC Comics RPG

Following the disbandment of The Justice Society of America in the 1970's, the world was introduced to their successor ten years ago, in the wake of an attack against the city of Metropolis - The Superman. And thus a new age of heroes began, with costumed and superpowered crime-fighters taking to the streets to fight back against the tide of criminality and injustice. Though their presence inspired almost an equal measure of deadly villains and madmen bent on world domination, hostile alien threats, magic unlike anything the world had seen, and other phenomena that has inhabited the world of mankind since The Man Of Steel's arrival, the formation of The Justice League of America has led the charge to protect Earth and even the galaxy at all costs. But when a schism splits the League apart and the world's most powerful champions go their separate ways, who will pick up their mantle for the next shift in the paradigm of superhumans? And better yet, as the world struggles with the reality of these heroes continuing to seemingly exist above humanity - should they?

This RPG is loosely based on modern DC Comics continuity, with some leeway given in regards to strict events. The main point is that every major hero (IE: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, multiple Green Lanterns, multiple Flashes, The Teen Titans, The Doom Patrol, and others) has been around since 2010, leaving the door open for any sidekick and legacy character to be portrayed in addition to the former members of The Justice League and similar groups.

It would be largely up to the players as to who and what is considered canon, and it would expected for players within the same 'families' to work with eachother to establish set events for each corner of the DCU. Players could tell their own stories and leave interaction for set events of their own making, with any and all characters being allowed to join in once your event starts.

Emphasis would be on character interaction and world spanning team-ups and clashes, possibly even cosmic level skirmishes if the game goes on long enough. Teams and new factions could be formed, characters would be allowed to die or be killed with suitable reason and GM permission, and the characters would be allowed to be interpreted in a sort of 'catch-all' manner, meaning that you could take as much from the comics, cartoons, movies, and other sources as you want.

Villains would be NPC's and be left to related hero player discretion, though if the consensus opposes this, villains could potentially be allowed to become applicable following the launch of the game.

PITCH 2 - A Earth One-Style DC Comics RPG

This RPG would be the complete opposite of Pitch 1, though alot freer in creativity. There is no real backstory, as the central premise is this: we would start on day one of the DC Universe's creation. Superman would be putting the cape on for the first time, Batman would probably only have dabbled in vigilantism, Wonder Woman might still be on the Island, Hal Jordan may have just received his ring - all of it would be primordial and very organic, heavily reliant on player interaction to create the history of these characters as they grow and develop into who they are. And the state of play would be that players would be encouraged not to rely heavily on known events from the comics, such as the JLA's formation and events like Blackest Night having to occur. This would be a brand new continuity, made up of player created events that would hopefully diverge from established canon to create something wholly unique.

I hesitate to say that this would operate in an 'Ultimate Marvel' comics fashion, where you could go out of your way to modernize every little thing for the sake of it, but the basic principle is the same. You take a well known hero's backstory, powers or abilities, and superhero identity, and from that moment, they're your's. You define what their allies, their enemies, and their personalities develop into. You would even be allowed to incorporate original characters, though it would be strongly advised to build on the DC elements before creating anything too far in the realm of fan-fiction.

Despite reliance on interaction, this would be alot looser with set rules, and stories that build into well-treaded territory would actually be discouraged - this wouldn't be a situation where any character is boxed into prior knowledge of the DCU. The only real rule would be to make yourself open to player interaction as opposed to walling yourself off to only participate your own pre-planned set of stories. Though, there would be plenty of that allowed as long as it isn't all that you're doing.

Again, players could spring up events of their own making, with any and all characters being allowed to join in once your event starts. If things get too out of hand or unwieldy, it would be up to GM discretion to come in and work with the players to achieve a desirable resolution.

Villains would be NPC's and be left to related hero player discretion. This wouldn't really change, as the entire point is for a hero player to be able to take known entities and remake them at their will, so playing another hero's villain wouldn't make sense if they have yet to set up what their version is.

NOTE: This isn't actually intended to be based on the 'Earth One' line of books, the name and images are just the closest to what the game would be in terms of what exists in a published comic. This would be a new universe.

PITCH 3 - DC Comics: The Silver Age

Following the debut of The Superman in the year 1938, each subsequent costumed hero rose up to take back America from the scourge of mad science, hostile extraterrestrials, mechanical monstrosities, and the newest, most enduring criminal act since the abrupt end of World War II in 1945 - Lex Luthor's age of the Supervillain. Set in the year 1950, this would obviously be a period piece more in line with DC: The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke. Heroes and villains would be their most classical selves, with the threat of real-world events driving the story forward in real time. While 1950 would start off with the heroes being accepted and even praised for their actions during the war and domestically, the road to 1955 and the 'Silver Age' of the DC Universe would see a change in attitude and even paranoia about what these super-beings and masked lawbreakers are capable of.

This game would perhaps be the most strict of all, with characters being made to act as they would in a time before any of us were born. You could easily incorporate classic elements from later stories into the story that you'd be telling, such as giving Superman a bunch of his post-50's enemies or creating a 50's version of The New Teen Titans with Starfire, Cyborg, and the like, but the general idea is that you would be playing roles rather than outright defining them. You would need to make these characters recognizable, either by emulating how they acted in the Silver Age or creating a facsimile of their modern day interpretations for the 1950's.

The bigger emphasis than character interaction would be world-building. What is Metropolis like in a Post-World War II America? What about Gotham City, or Themyscira, or even the OA and the Green Lantern Corps in a time before the space age truly began? What happens when what was only believed in the funny papers, the radio, and the talkies to be real actually turn out to be science fact instead of science fiction? This would be where you come in to fill in the blanks.

Villains would be outright playable from the start, with their classic interpretations holding as much to how you could play them as a hero character. Sidekicks could also be portrayed or introduced, though that would be more reliant on the setup of the main hero characters. You could even throw a curveball and play characters like Jimmy Olsen or Ambush Bug, as long as you have a story you want to tell and think it could contribute to the creation of a strange new world.

And ...that's it. Any questions or concerns with this could be addressed, any input would be welcome and ideas would be encouraged for the RPG of your choosing. Whichever gets the most votes, if any get a vote at all, would be the game that we move forward with.

Master Bruce's Multiverse Of Madness

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

B R U C E W A Y N E

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^{_{P H I L A N T H R O P I S T ♦ G O T H A M C I T Y , N E W J E R S E Y ♦ W A Y N E I N T E R N A T I O N A L}}

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

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"Never again."

For over half a century, Gotham City had been protected from the forces of evil by an unseen guardian. Considered an urban myth whispered among a superstitious and cowardly criminal lot, those who had been saved by him and those who had been unfortunate enough to earn his wrath knew him only as The Batman. And as the times and traditions of Gotham's citizens changed, he remained the one true constant, striking terror into criminal factions of all creeds and urban terrorists that sought to challenge him through their own bizarre, inspired gimmicks. But with the aid of Commissioner James Gordon, his trusted and faithful servant Alfred, his one-time partner Robin, The Boy Wonder, and the use of his civilian identity as billionaire Bruce Wayne, The Batman crusaded against evil successfully for many years - until one fateful night in 1986 changed everything.

Becoming hardened, grim and vicious, The Dark Knight Detective began to forgo the shadows and legitimately terrorize evildoers, leaving them maimed, broken, and scarred beyond repair. Some terrible evil had been committed against him, and those who knew him best were unable to comprehend how Gotham's greatest hero could have fallen so far. It wasn't until many years later, in a final fight against arguably his greatest foe, The Joker, that something finally shattered The Caped Crusader's restless spirit. Bruce Wayne realized that he'd come too close to the edge for comfort - or worse, that he may have even descended into the abyss without even realizing it. And so he made a choice.

Retiring the cape and cowl, destroying the many weapons, gadgets, suits and vehicles that he'd used to operate as a vigilante, and going so far as to abandon Stately Wayne Manor and block off the fabled Batcave beneath, Wayne devoted himself to his philanthropic and financial efforts entirely. One way or another, The Batman was dead. And as soon as his absence became noticed, his rogue's gallery seemed to slowly dissipate, either dying out due to age, unfortunate circumstances, or retiring far away from Gotham to live in peace, their war against the masked vigilante having ended. With only a few remaining in Arkham and no further escapes reported, Gotham seemed to settle into a period of peace, seemingly affirming that The Batman's war on crime had escalated the very evil he sought to vanquish and that the city was better off without him.

But while Batman's abscence may have left Gotham with eased tensions, they eventually began to boil over once again with a dramatic rise in street crime. With Commissioner Gordon having left the GCPD years earlier, a new civil servant had to rise up and challenge this escalating violence - and to everyone's surprise, the one to answer the call would be Harvey Dent. The one-time criminal known as Two-Face, Dent had been given a clean bill of health and returned to civilian life shortly after his masked enemy retired. Having managed to amass a fortune that rivaled Bruce Wayne's own in the years following, Dent's charm and ambition managed to win him back the public's trust - aswell as an eventual election for Mayor of Gotham City.

In a move that could only be seen as suspicious soon after taking office, one of Dent's first acts as Mayor was to erect a massive wall, blocking off the crime-ridden East End of Gotham City from the more fortunate West End, where the rich were accommodated while the poor were left to fend for themselves against common criminals and street gangs. Despite the best efforts of Commissioner Renee Montoya and the GCPD, whose members were beginning to align with Dent's promise of a Gotham where good and evil could be easily separated, The Blackgate Wall eventually stood as either an achievement in forceful dominion over crime or a testament to a city too far gone to be saved. Montoya eventually quit the force in disgust, leading the way for the ruthless Lyle Bolton to succeed her. But regardless of who was running the police, the massive blockade proved to be effective at preventing GCPD from interfering with what transpired in what was then dubbed "Old Gotham", with even fewer citizens of "New Gotham" willing to lend a hand. While some initially heeded the legend of The Batman as an example to try and take back their streets, those that fought back were soon eliminated by a vicious gang of masked criminals calling themselves The Disciples Of Order.

In the year 2020, all hope seems lost. Bruce Wayne is 81 years old, forced into a pending retirement as CEO of Wayne Enterprises. The once gallivanting socialite has turned into a bitter old hermit, never seen among the public between his hours at the office and the many nights spent alone on the top floor of Wayne Tower, overlooking the city he once would have given his life for - wishing desperately to be able to defend it once again, but physically and mentally unable to return to the mantle of The Bat. In his mind, he is poised to die a failure, leaving behind a Gotham City torn apart by the very sort of criminal that murdered his parents.

It is only until a mysterious figure treads the soiled ground where a ghostly Wayne Manor now stands and begins digging, reaching the partially collapsed ruins of The Batcave beneath with the intent to steal a very important book - The Journal Of Alfred J. Pennyworth - that the quest for Gotham's salvation begins again. Someone out there knows Gotham's biggest secret, and they're determined to continue the fight whether Bruce Wayne allows it or not.

The Batman is dead.

Long live The Batman.

C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:

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This concept is the most ambitious endeavor I've ever attempted with the character. It's not so much about one single narrative - with the exception of Bruce Wayne and the new Batman's perspectives, since they're the protagonists - as it is the biggest statement I have about the myth and legacy of Batman and how that can affect a Gotham City which has seemingly lost it's hope. When Bruce began as a vigilante, he was trying to save a corrupt version of the city. This is the antithesis, where the war was seemingly won, but the corruption naturally took back over after the age of the costumed supervillain passed. There's been no one there to stop it - until now.

I've taken alot of inspiration from notable Elseworlds stories, including The Dark Knight Returns, Year 100, Brotherhood Of The Bat, The Batman of Bethlehem, White Knight, Arkham City, a very tiny bit of Batman Beyond, and the general history of the character in comics, films, television, games, and everything in between. I've also taken some inspiration from stuff like HBO's Watchmen, Logan, Netflix's Daredevil, and the current political climate of The United States to really try and tell a story with some meat to it. It's going to be something very personal that I hope can be wholly mine and yet honor everything that Batman is and has been for the last 81 years.

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

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Gotham is home to many characters that operate within the new status quo of a city quite literally divided. Very few of the original rogues gallery remain, and if they do, they're far too diminished to make any trouble now. But there are quite a few recognizable names that still appear within the city that will make up the supporting cast of Bruce Wayne and the as-of-yet-unidentified Caped Crusader.

Mayor Dent

Once the dashing and crusading District Attorney of Gotham City, Harvey Dent's campaign against the likes of mobsters Salvatore Maroni and Rupert Thorne resulted in a face full of acid that helped split his sanity into two distinct personalities. Becoming Two-Face, the criminal mastermind modeled himself after the gangsters that had ruined his life, taking out the competition in a bloody war for Gotham's streets. Giving up his own sense of free will, he relied solely on defaced silver dollar to decide the outcome of his crimes - which proved to be his ultimate undoing, when Batman used this weakness against him in their final battle, destroying the coin and rendering Two-Face unable to act. Surrendering to authorities, Dent was committed to Arkham and underwent intense therapeutic sessions for nearly twenty years. But against all odds, Two-Face was eventually purged, and Harvey's immense sense of guilt for his many crimes eventually convinced the board of directors that he was sane enough to be released. With Batman having disappeared, Dent saw the city rise up from the chaos only to fall again. Determined to prove that his legacy as a crusader for justice would outlive his legacy as Two-Face, Dent used his knowledge as a lawyer to craft a masterful Mayoral campaign, promising to separate the good people of Gotham from the criminal underworld that sought to bring the city to ruin. A promise he unfortunately made good upon with the Blackgate Wall, bringing tensions to the forefront in a way that he either never expected or willfully ignores, having become an elitist who would prefer to rebuild part of Gotham than to cure the whole of it.

Selina Kyle

Bruce Wayne's ex-wife, formerly the master thief known as The Catwoman. While she remained loyal at his side for over a decade as he waged his neverending war on crime, often joining him in the pursuit of criminals with her own thrill-seeking flair, Selina eventually realized that her husband's obsession with operating as Batman was only going to end in tragedy - a premonition that would come about rather cruelly. When a clash between Batman and The Joker indirectly led to the miscarriage of Bruce and Selina's would-be child, the pain of that loss solidified into an irreconcilable split between them, leaving The Dark Knight to walk a much lonelier path than he had ever before. Selina has been globe-trotting for the better part of two decades, putting as much space between her and Bruce as possible. Whether she'll ever really return is anyone's guess.

Timothy Drake

A brilliant engineer that helped to reshape the once-decrepit Arkham Asylum into The Arkham Institute in the 21st century, Tim's history with The Batman is complex as it is dormant. As boy, he was rescued by the vigilante firsthand during a massive fire caused by the villain Firefly, creating a lifelong obsession and dedication to justice that might not have otherwise existed. Though he's largely put his faith in The Caped Crusader behind him following the disappearance of Batman and Gotham's restructuring under Mayor Dent, Drake was still able to piece together a secret that has remained hidden for decades - that beneath the cowl, at one time, was the now elderly billionaire Bruce Wayne.

James Gordon

The sole remaining ally that Bruce didn't manage to drive away in all his years as The Dark Knight, Gordon is now in the twilight of his life, having long since retired from his role as Gotham's storied Police Commissioner. Living well at the age of 96 years old, despite a few close calls, he acts as an unofficial consultant for the GCPD, keeping the discretion of the few good officers who look towards him for guidance when put against the overt corruption of the new Commissioner, Lyle Bolton. Wayne occasionally visits Gordon in times of crisis, hoping that the presence of his old friend can quell any temptation that might remain to once again act outside the law.

Damian Xu'ffasch

The leader of The Guild Of Shadows, a group of followers in the methods of the original League Of Shadows, before it was tainted by bloodshed to become The League Of Assassins under Damian's grandfather, Ra's al Ghul. Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, conceived during a brief period in which The Dark Knight considered succeeding Ra's as Son Of The Demon. It was only when Talia realized Bruce could never truly part with his mission to protect Gotham that she falsified a miscarriage, a fact that would later create a permanent rift between Talia and her beloved. Surprisingly loyal to The Batman's code of ethics, it would appear, Damian has nevertheless been unable to reach his father and form a legitimate bond.

Barbara Gordon

Having briefly acted as the vigilante Batgirl, fighting alongside Batman after the departure of Robin and disappearance of Catwoman, Barbara eventually gave up the life of a crimefighter to entertain a career in law enforcement. But unlike her father, Barbara could recognize the cracks in the system that were allowing repeat offenders to terrorize Gotham's streets despite Batman and the GCPD's best efforts. And so she eventually became disillusioned with both the badge and the Bat, opting to run for local office against her corrupt colleagues. Now serving her second term as District Attorney of Gotham City, her days are spent torn between a tireless legal effort against Mayor Dent's growing authority and her ailing father, who she fears isn't long for this world. She was made aware of Batman's dual identity as Bruce Wayne, and has chosen to remain silent out of respect for her father's admiration of him - but having witnessed the vigilante's brutal methods up close, she's far from a fan.

Duke Thomas

Currently a member of the Gotham City Police Department, Duke's willpower is second to none after being forged by tragedy. Witnessing his parents succumb to a debilitating strain of Joker Toxin as a teenager, Duke was saved by Batman from the clown's wrath and forever changed, determined to become The Dark Knight's partner after the original Robin had long since abandoned his post to become the vigilante Nightwing. But despite Duke's best efforts, he was rebuffed by the increasingly hostile Batman, leading him to pursue a more legitimate path following the retirement of Commissioner James Gordon. He now serves as a partner in the Major Crimes Unit to Lieutenant Jason Bard, pursuing a mentality that Gotham's streets need to be taken back by the people Batman inspired.

Lucille 'Lucy' Quinzell - Hyena

Raised by a couple of loving foster parents, Lucy Quinzell discovered the truth about her bloodline after she was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 14 - that in reality, she had been the daughter of The Joker and Harley Quinn. Learning that her biological mother had been killed in 1992 during a scuffle between her father and his hated enemy, The Batman, Lucy became consumed with the idea that the masked vigilante had murdered her mother and began to grow resentful of a city that seemed to worship him while demonizing her father. Leaning into her psychosis and turning her delusions into violent behavior, Lucy eventually used a straight razor to kill her 'false' family - including her adoptive father, adoptive mother, and adoptive brother - before disappearing for a number of years. Resurfacing as the clown-themed villainess Hyena, Lucy sought to bring chaos bring to a city that was desperately seeking order. Now, she prepares to commit a grand act of terrorism that will unravel Mayor Dent's work to keep the peace in New Gotham, amassing a group of loyalists that she refers to as 'The Mistahs' to help her enact vengeance in the name of her true parents.

Nathaniel Cobblepot

Born from the affair of the infamous crimelord and an unnamed cocktail waitress working at The Iceberg Lounge, Nathaniel Cobblepot grew up far away from Gotham City in what was considered The Penguin's only true act of compassion. Receiving only the best education that the world abroad had to offer, Nathaniel grew up to become a spoiled, arrogant playboy that shunned his father's legacy whenever possible, seeing Oswald Cobblepot as a failure who turned to petty crime after being too weak to take back his family's fortune through legitimate means. A cunning businessman in his own right, Nathaniel invested in several fortune 500 companies and became a billionaire in his own right. But the all-too-familiar lure of criminal pursuits eventually drove Nathaniel down his father's path, turning him into a leading seller on the Black Market of weapons and narcotics. A chance to return to Gotham eventually came in an invitation from none other than Harvey Dent, who sought an adviser in an upcoming Mayoral race. Dent had long respected The Penguin's business tactics, but despised the man himself, figuring that his son would be a suitable replacement. Tempted by the chance to fully humiliate his father by doing what he never could, Nathaniel made the arrangements and now sits on a throne of misery and wealth as the new Penguin.

Arthur Isley

When Poison Ivy wished to sire a daughter that wasn't born of her experiments with plant mutations, she found the perfect unwitting host in the form of Edward Nigma, better known as The Riddler. Convincing him to cooperate through her pheromones, Pamela Isley soon gave birth to the disappointment of her life - a son, not a daughter. Rejecting him almost immediately, declaring that man had spurned both her and the natural resources of the world, Ivy placed the baby in the care of her one-time ally, Catwoman. Burdened with a child of her own due to be born with her husband, Bruce Wayne, Selina and Alfred Pennyworth arranged for the child - whom they named Arthur, after the inventor of the crossword puzzle as a means of giving Edward some part in the boy's legacy - to be raised by Leslie Thompkins. Ever the kindly caretaker, Leslie taught Arthur the nature of compassion and healing before she eventually passed away, leaving Arthur to succeed her in operating Gotham's only health clinic for the less fortunate. Turning the struggling clinic into an overnight success as he came of age, Arthur eventually opened the Leslie Thompkins Memorial Hospital and gave the good people of Gotham a proper medical facility to rely on. With this achievement, Arthur sought to expand his commitment to Gotham by campaigning for a seat at the board of directors' table of Wayne International, noting Leslie's close connection to the Wayne family. There's only been one obstacle standing in his way: CEO Bruce Wayne, who cynically suspects criminal intent from Arthur due to his biological parentage being that of two of Batman's greatest enemies. After years of trying to convince the old man that he's not out to become either his father or his mother, Arthur eventually won his place on the board and regularly tries to earn Wayne's respect - almost predictably, to no avail.

The Disciples Of Order

Originally started by a gathering of the last remaining remnants of The Red Hood Gang, The False-Face Society, The Royal Flush Gang, and other followers of Gotham's most notorious super-criminals, the borderline cultist group The Disciples Of Order came into true prominence with the election of Harvey Dent, with the group adopting a Two-Face themed mantra of doling out a vicious perversion of justice in the name of balancing out Gotham's 'natural order' of criminal conduct. Each member is anonymous, ranging from those living in poverty to the very top of the elite, but their mission is clear: with the flip of a coin, they will decide the fate of each and every individual citizen of Gotham City. Good heads, the victim will be left alive. Bad heads, and they'll be rendered nothing but a memory. Only fate can spare those from The Disciples' wrath, and fate has seemingly favored death, as the body count of the fringe group of terrorists begins rising with each passing day.

And finally...

The Batman

In response to a tragic event from their past, a mysterious figure that is much more physically able than Bruce Wayne to carry out the Dark Knight's war against crime will soon emerge to try and quell escalating tensions between the citizens of "Old Gotham" and "New Gotham". Virtually nothing is known about this new Batman, other than the fact that in order to acquire all that he has to pursue his crusade against Mayor Dent and the escalating class war that threatens Gotham, he's at least aware that the original Batman was Bruce Wayne - aswell as many other crucial secrets related to Gotham's history that would be able to lead one towards the path of succeeding The Caped Crusader. Bruce Wayne is personally unaware of who the new Batman is, and in his paranoia, will likely begin efforts to try and deduce his identity in the event that the copycat ends up falling short of the model that inspired him - even if his appearance may yet rekindle hope in the people of Gotham that their masked savior hasn't abandoned them.

The Once Deadly... And The Dead
Many of Batman's original rogues gallery were either scared off by their arch-nemesis' newly gruesome approach to striking fear into the hearts of his enemies, forced into retirement by debilitating circumstances, or simply died off due to a varying number of causes. Whatever the case may be, their names are almost as mythic as Batman's own, even now existing as whispers within the halls of The Arkham Institute from the mouths of those who still remember. They are...

The Joker

Status unknown. Many believe he was killed by The Batman in their climatic battle, resulting in the latter's retirement for crossing such a sacred line. But there are those that believe there's more to the story - some are even determined to prove it, believing that when the opportunity for the perfect punchline to Gotham's chaotic state arises, The Clown Prince of Crime will re-emerge to deliver it.

The Penguin

Retired. Formerly the reigning crime boss of Gotham following the deaths of Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni, and any other would-be criminal families, Oswald Cobblepot eventually lost control of his thriving empire thanks to the efforts of Batman's relentless pursuit to put him away in Blackgate. Though The Dark Knight was never entirely successful in seeing Cobblepot serve a sentence in prison, karma eventually caught up to the aging gangster when a heart attack and stroke rendered him a complete invalid. Now pushing 87, Cobblepot lives an undignified existence as a resident of a Coast City nursing home, put there by the cunning and entirely spiteful inheritor of his vast fortune - his son, Nathaniel.

The Riddler

Retired. A permanent resident of The Arkham Institute, Edward Nigma's obsession with proving his intellectual superiority over every citizen of Gotham, particularly The Batman, eventually caused him to have a nervous breakdown that he never entirely recovered from. In a tryst with Poison Ivy, controlled by her mind-altering pheromones, Edward produced a son that he's too hopelessly insane to even recognize at this point. Considered harmless, despite his unending compulsion to speak entirely in brainteasers, Edward lives within a waking nightmare of thoughts that can no longer escape his fractured mind as the other residents of Arkham relentlessly mock the over-the-hill ex-criminal's continued delusions of grandier.

Mr. Freeze

Reformed. One of the few success stories to come out of the era of costumed criminals and crusaders, Victor Fries' cold heart eventually thawed when Bruce Wayne, in an astonishing act of compassion, utilized his vast resources to finally cure Victor's beloved wife, Nora. With his motivation for criminal conduct erased, the former cryogeneticist walked away from a life fueled by hatred and pain in an effort to reunite with Nora. Giving himself over to the police almost immediately, Fries was given a light sentence in exchange for co-operating with the GCPD in building a state-of-the-art series of cryogenic chambers that would preserve bodies more efficiently than the standard methods of preservation, leading to earlier deductions in murder cases and pushing forensic technology ahead by several years. With his time spent serving justice, Victor eventually even pulled off a miracle himself by curing his body of the need to exist only within zero temperatures. He now lives a normal, happier life with Nora and their new children, only occasionally called upon to consult for new technologies developed by Wayne International.

Killer Croc

Reformed. Waylon Jones holds the distinct honor of being Batman's only foe to transition from ruthless criminal brute to the world of celebrity stardom. After coming to the conclusion that he had spent over half of his life either incarcerated or in Arkham Asylum, Jones went about another path that subsided his animalistic nature and tried his hand at underground boxing. Being careful not to cross the line into unlawful territory, the former "Killer Croc" was sought out by a talent agency to endorse a line of skin-care products. Despite the inherent irony, Jones took a chance and became a beloved figure of the media once he published his first novel, I Threw A Rock At Him: The Waylon Jones Story, telling his side of things in regards to his many clashes with the GCPD and The Dark Knight. Having acted in television, produced an album, and even started his own charity for people with disfigurements, Jones now enjoys his life as the narrator to the popular reality television series Legends Of The Dark Knight, a program devoted to speculating the identity of The Caped Crusader.

Residents Of The Arkham Institute

Julian Day
Thomas Elliot
Hugo Strange
Drury Walker
Jervis Tetch
Arnold Wesker

The Dead

Poison Ivy
1966-1997. Transmutated.

Bane
1965-2012. Overdose.

Ra's Al Ghul
????-2005. Natural Causes.

The Scarecrow
1941-2008. Heart Attack.

Harley Quinn
1952-1992. Murdered.

Deadshot
1950-2016. Suicide.

Firefly
1952-2012. Asphyxiation.

Victor Zsasz
1972-2005. Shivved.

P O S T C A T A L O G:

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THE DARK KNIGHT LIVES

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1. And I Heard, As It Were, The Voice Of Thunder

Master Bruce's Multiverse Of Madness

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

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TERRANCE 'TERRY' MCGINNIS ♦ PERSONAL ASSISTANT ♦ GOTHAM CITY, NJ ♦ WAYNE-SIONIS

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

<sub>"Somebody had to do something. And you sure weren't about to!"
- Terry McGinnis to Bruce Wayne</sub>

Obviously, this isn't a character that originated with me. @Lord Wraith did all of the heavy lifting to establish the blend of both the contemporary Batman mythos and the canon of Batman Beyond, resulting in a version where Terry can operate as Batman in a modern Gotham City that hasn't become a Blade Runner-esque futurescape. So the changes to the regular Batman canon should be apparent - my goal is basically to take the baton and run with it, seeing as I've had conversations with Wraith about the basic philosophies of what made Batman Beyond interesting (so don't expect a Riddler Beyond or similar gimmick concepts). We both seem to agree that Terry should be the focus, not Bruce.

Wraith provided me with alot of story content that he was going to do himself, but has no interest in pursuing any further, so I'm going to do what I can to blend what he had in mind with my own ideas since I like alot of what he came up with. Beyond that (no pun intended), I want to really flesh out the Gotham of the past and the Gotham of the present, since The Batman's been around since the 1960's and holds a metric slag-ton of history that influences Terry's life as the heir to the cowl.

C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:

The overall crux of Batman Beyond, as I've revisited the show, is that as Terry grew into the mantle of Batman, he became further away from what Bruce Wayne was whenever he was active. The best way to describe his personality is that Terry evolved from the best parts of each Robin to create a new character, someone who saw things like justice and heroism in a more optimistic light than his predecessor while retaining the rough edges that would make someone The Dark Knight. My plan isn't to deviate from this arc, but to take it even further. Right now, Terry's operating very much in the shadow of The Bat, but I want him to eventually own the role almost independently of Bruce and set the course for his own destiny. Which I recognize is a mammoth task when Bruce Wayne has been the originator from day one of his creation, but I want to make it clear that the old Batman's days are over rather than lean on Terry being an extension of one man's legacy.

Especially since the canon of the DCAU went so far in the opposite direction that they eventually retconned Terry into Bruce's biological... well, let's not get into it. Best to ignore the mistakes of the past, right?

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

Supporting Cast - Established By Wraith

Bruce Wayne - the original Batman, Terry's mentor, who retired in 1995 after a life-altering final mission. Wayne is actually 80 years old, but appears closer 60 due to a Lazarus Pit encounter.
Ace - the loyal guard dog of Bruce Wayne, and sometimes ally to Terry as Batman in the field.
Melanie Walker - Terry's current girlfriend, formerly the villainess 'Ten' of The Royal Flush Gang.
Mary McGinnis - Terry's mother, legal guardian, and widow to Terry's father, Warren.
Matthew McGinnis - Terry's younger brother, who lives only to annoy his older brother.
Maxine 'Max' Gibson - Terry's lone confidant in his secret life, a genius level hacker.
Carrie Kelly - Max's girlfriend and one of Terry's classmates at Hamilton Hill High.
Dana Tan - Terry's longtime girlfriend, recently turned ex.
Chelsea Cunningham - Terry and Dana's more 'out there' friend, prone to attracting attention for her rebellious behavior.
Nelson Nash - Terry's rival and frequent social antagonist, arrogant and spoiled rich.
Commissioner James Gordon - Current head of the GCPD, unaffiliated with The Batman past or present.*

^{*Established by @IceHeart}

Antagonists - Established By Wraith

Roman Sionis/The Black Mask
Jervis Tetch/The Mad Hatter
Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin
Lonnie Lachin/MoneySpider
Deever And Dumfree Tweed/Tweedledee And Tweedledum
Real Name Unknown/The Tally Man
Warren White
The Mutant Gang
The Jokerz
The Sons Of Batman

Supporting Characters - Established By Me
TBD

Antagonists - Established By Me
TBD

Deceased Characters
The Joker
Catwoman/Selina Kyle
Alfred Pennyworth
Lucius Fox
The Riddler/Edward Nigma
Ra's Al Ghul, The Demon's Head
Two-Face/Harvey Dent
The Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane
Mr. Freeze/Victor Fries
Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist
The Phantasm/Andrea Beaumont

S A M P L E P O S T:

...The More They Stay The Same

"Nine-four-zero! I repeat, nine-four zero! Officers in need of assistance!"

The crackle of the damaged communications frequency filled Detective Samuel Bradley with a combination of determination and dread. The latter of which seemed to overtake him as he heard the vicious, child-like cackling from outside his partner's overturned squad-car. Bradley looked to his left to see the driver, Lieutenant Murakami, hanging upside down from his seat and bleeding from the temple. He was only unconscious, mercifully, but in desperate need of medical attention. Bradley unhooked his seat belt and positioned himself to fall on his back to lessen the impact, but he could feel a considerable pain in his right shoulder. A fracture, maybe, but nothing broken... yet.

"Screw it,", Sam whispered to himself, unhooking his fellow officer. "I don't know if you can hear me, Lieutenant, but try and remain still. We're in a bad spot, and we're not out of the fire yet."

The middle aged, graying Detective sneered as he heard the distinct sound of motorcycle engines racing past, circling their position. The cackling grew into high-pitched fits of laughter echoing out from the throats of a group obviously much younger than either of the two seasoned GCPD officers. Drawing his side-arm with the shoulder that hadn't taken the brunt of the car's crash, Bradley pulled his partner towards the middle of the car's hood to draw him out of the line of fire, on the off chance they were packing heat, and began kicking at his own door to loosen it.

"This isn't my first rodeo.", Bradley assured him. "And definitely not my first clowns."

As the door eventually creaked open, revealing itself to have unlatched during the crash. Bradley tried to think of the events that transpired just moments before, in a vain hope to ascertain a motive behind their attack. They were on Park Row Avenue, investigating the lead in a triple homicide. The suspect had left behind traces of his hair fibers in the midst of a victim's struggle. A man in his early 30's with a laundry list of priors, and if he wasn't the suspect, he sure as hell knew who was. As Bradley's partner turned onto 9th street, Sam had heard a faint noise - like a line being snapped, or more likely, a tripwire - before the side of their car was engulfed in a loud explosion and sent airbourne.

This wasn't the work of their perp, obviously. This was a trap set up for a distinct reason: random violence, seeing who would trip the explosives first. It was the M.O. of a group of known terrorists that Bradley had come across before, but never so directly. And as he slowly began to crawl his way out of the car, he was beginning to catch glimpses of their faces. Their smiling, greasepaint smeared faces that looked upon the scene with hungry eyes. A group of late teens to twenty-somethings who had taken up the torch of a madman from Gotham's past. Bradley could hardly hide his disgust as one of them sliced the blade of a machete into the pavement, creating sparks.

Jokerz.

"Well, well, well!", one of them jovially announced. "Looks like we caught ourselves a couple of piggies, kids! Two little piggies, escaped from the farm!"

The others laughed and began to mimick an "oink" sound as Bradley made himself visible, his side-arm's safety visibly turned off. The group of clowns, each done up in elaborate and particularly gruesome fashion, each flashed an even wider grin, evidently seeing the Detective as fresh meat ready for tenderizing.

"What do you say, dregs, should we cut him up? I say we cut him up!", a female member of the gang cooed. "I'm in the mood for some bacon. Maybe some sausages. Oooh, the possibilities!"

Bradley raised his gun, hiding any visible fear even as the group's cycles simultaneously began to slow to a stop. One of them was wielding a pair of large chains, swinging it above his head. Another, the machete clown, was outfitted to the teeth - quite literally, as he bit down on the blade of a knife fixed between his jaw - with all manner of sharp objects affixed to his spiked jacket. The woman held a spiked mallet, fashioned together from crude scraps of metal, displaying her vivid pink and blue shirt that read "Daddy's Little Monster". And flanking the other side of the Detective were a pair of wirey twins, their makeup fashioned off of the Chinese yin and yang symbols while combined with stark green tipped hair and crimson coated smiles.

"Stop where you are, freaks.", Bradley coldly commanded. "You've had your fun. Turn back now and I won't have to use this."

The chain-wielding clown chuckled, stepping off of his bike and revealing a large stature.

"On the contrary, old man. We insist."

Swinging his chains high into the air, the clown slammed the cold metal into Bradley's gut before he could pull the trigger, knocking him down and causing him to drop the fire-arm. The twins stepped infront of it, unsheathing a pair of katanas that had been retroactively graffitied with HA-HA symbols and what looked to be dried blood. Remaining on the ground, the Detective refused to give them the benefit of seeing him so much as worry. His concerns were more directed for his partner, who he could hear groaning inside the car.

"Whoopsie! Looks like the piggy lost his toy.", Machete Clown replied. "You gonna squeal for us to get it back? Huh? Are ya?"

The group erupted in laughter as Chain Clown grabbed Bradley by the lapel of his overcoat.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll find ways to make him squeal. But I want to do it slowly. Make him work for it. Shed a little of the good stuff."

The degenerate licked his lips as Machete Clown brought out an excessively large, freshly sharpened bowie knife to go with his other weapon. Bradley held his breath for a moment, seemingly trying to keep himself calm. It was only a few seconds later when this proved to be a ruse, as the Detective spat directly in the face of Chain Clown.

"Go to hell."

Machete Clown squealed in delight as Chain Clown angrily threw the Detective to him, like a game of hot potato.

"HA! Nicely done, oh, nicely done! Looks like you've got some fight in you, piggy."

Holding the bowie knife to Bradley's face, the clown's rank breath was the first thing to genuinely elicit a reaction from the Detective. Machete Clown's yellowed teeth were directly in Bradley's line of sight as he tightened his grip on the handle.

"Makes you all the more ripe for roasting."

Raising his bowie knife in the air, Machete Clown got the Detective to close his eyes, resigning himself to whatever horrible fate that the gang was waiting to give him. But as he began to fear the worst, the entire group - including Bradley - heard a distant whizzing noise. The noise grew louder as the seconds went by, before a small shadow could be seen launching directly for Machete Clown's knife. With a loud clang, the objects smashed together, creating a large enough spark to send Machete Clown stumbling backwards in surprise.

The bowie knife dropped, embedded into the pavement by something made of a much stronger metal. A red and black circular object, bladed and sporting an all-too-familiar symbol. Bradley barely got a glimpse of it before realizing just what was happening: they were getting their back-up afterall. But it wasn't GCPD.

"Oh, shit! We got..."

"Company? I'll say."

A much larger shadow descended upon them, gliding into view at a speed that none of them could comprehend. Before anyone could make sense of what was happening, the shadow slammed directly into Machete Clown and knocked him back with a force that sent him flying into a nearby shop window. The figure landed, firmly placing himself between the Detective and The Jokerz without a moment's hesitation.

"You dregs really know how to spoil someone's night, you know that?"

The tone was harsh, laced with a combination of sarcasm and malice. The Jokerz each took a step back with widened eyes as the horns of the cowl became visible, aswell as the neon red glow of the symbol adored across the figure's chest. Detective Bradley could only see him from behind, but the silhouette was very - if not painfully - familiar. It was one of the only remaining figures in Gotham that still caused creeps like The Jokerz to hesitate for even a moment.

"Slag this! I wanted a piggy! I didn't sign up to tangle with no freakin' Bat!"

The Batman smirked as another batarang appeared from his outstretched gauntlet. Most of The Jokerz looked at eachother, quizzically, to see if they were willing to take on the obviously more experienced hero. But the twins seemed unfazed, stepping forward with their katanas raised in unison. Batman narrowed his eyes, waiting for them to make the first move.

"Get out of here before you get yourself hurt."

Bradley didn't know if it was a command meant for him or The Jokerz, but he didn't want to wait around and find out. Rushing himself back to the car, the Detective rolled under the opened passenger door, choosing to let what was about to play out begin to play out for itself. Just as he slipped away from view, he could see The Twin Clowns rushing Batman on the attack.

The vigilante tossed the batarang high into the air, raising up his gauntlet to clash with the first katana that sliced towards him. The second swung on approach, but Batman managed to duck, landing a brutal uppercut that sent the second Twin into the air and colliding with his own bike. The Jokerz fixated their gaze on the scene as the first Twin suffered a series of roundhouse kicks that caused his katana arm to raise above his head, setting it up for the batarang that had been tossed as it circled back around, embedding it into the clown's wrist.

With a spinning kick, Batman nailed Twin Clown directly across the face and sent him spiraling to the ground, opening himself up to attack from the other Jokerz. Which they quickly decided they were going to attempt, despite the odds. Chain Clown was the first to attack, having pulled himself from the broken glass of the shop window with a thirst for revenge. Throwing his chain directly towards Batman, he was surprised to see The Dark Knight deliberately allow his arm to be ensnared by the weapon. What was even more surprising was that no sooner than when Batman took a step forward, he was airborne, propelled by rockets beneath his boots. The chain connected to Batman's forearm snapped taut and clotheslined Chain Clown hard in the throat, causing him to drop immediately.

Batman landed ontop of him, sending a direct stomp onto his skull to keep him momentarily incapacitated. Machete Clown and Mallet Clown looked at eachother in fright as The Dark Knight faintly smiled back at them, sardonically using a come hither motion.

"You know, I have a history with dispatching clowns. You might even call it a hobby."

Machete Clown rushed forward, slicing at Batman like a wild animal. The vigilante sidestepped and leaped over each attack, somersaulting over Machete Clown and grabbing him by the shoulders, flipping him onto his back. Landing directly infront of Mallet Clown, who made no attempt to flee, Batman caught the spiked mallet with his palm, displaying the strength of the servos wired into his suit.

"So why the hell that you twips would ever, and I mean ever want to get into this line of work is beyond me."

Ripping the mallet from the clown's grasp, Batman tossed it and caught an attempted punch, spinning the woman around and forcing her into an armlock.

"It's like almost like you want this."

"Funny. We could almost say the same about you."

Before The Dark Knight could react, one of the Twin Clowns smacked him on the spine with an electric buzzer, sending hundreds if not thousands of volts of electricity coursing through Batman's system. Calling out in pain, Batman dropped to one knee and was forced to let the Mallet Clown go, who promptly ran for her tossed weapon. Picking himself up, slightly dazed, Batman found himself taking a katana hit across the chest, severing part of the Batsuit's outer layer to reveal a glimpse of circuitry beneath.

"I mean, you think you're what, a savior? A protector of these lousy sacks of meat?"

Going in for another slice, Twin Clown watched as Batman wasted no time in meeting his attack with a direct right hook. Then a left, then another right, before leaping into the air and drop kicking him far enough away to cause some considerable damage. Batman sneered, running his hand along the damage to his suit.

"Something like that."

As Mallet Clown approached from behind, quietly raising her weapon high into the air, Batman, without even looking, reached back and shot a minature taser directly into the woman's chest, causing her to spasm before dropping to the pavement aswell, with steam rising off the mallet.

Machete Clown and Chain Clown were down for the count, as were the first Twin and Mallet Clown. All that remained was the slightly out-of-it second Twin, whom Batman spotted trying to lurch towards his bike. Outstretching his arms, allowing crimson bat-like wings to unfold and fall to his sides, Batman rocketed into the air and slammed both knees into the clown's back, causing him to fly into a nearby garbage bin.

Detective Bradley kicked the passenger door back open, his partner slung over his shoulder, and watched as Batman landed amongst a slew of unconscious bodies. Reaching into the unconscious Lieutenant's holster, Bradley drew his weapon and aimed it directly at the viglante.

"GCPD! Freeze!"

Batman turned, slightly surprised as Bradley sternly eyed him.

"You're wanted for questioning, Bat. Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head."

Motioning to the unconscious clowns, Batman seemed more annoyed at the threat than anything.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm playing games?!", Bradley countered. "Wearing that mask and beating the hell out of perps doesn't make you any less of a criminal than they are!"

Batman sneered. "Right."

Before Bradley could fire a warning shot, Batman outstretched his wings once again and launched himself back into the Gotham night air. Just before he disappeared out of view, Bradley could hear the vigilante call to him from the skies with one last retort.

"You're welcome, by the way."

Frustrated, the Detective lowered his weapon, knowing that it wouldn't do any good to try and open fire. The kid was already gone, anyway. Placing the gun back into his own holster as he gently lowered his partner onto the street, Bradley's eyes remained fixated on the sky. The Batman had entirely vanished from view. He could hear sirens in the distance, signaling that back-up had finally arrived - about ten minutes late, all things considered.

The Detective sighed to himself.

Unfortunately for him, it was beginning to feel like old times.

"The more things change..."