Legend of The Batman Mystery surrounds Gotham’s most famous citizen.


Gothamites swear by the existence of their hometown protector, despite scepticism still lobbed in their direction after nearly 20 years of Bat-sightings. The fact that the costumed vigilante dubbed ‘The Batman’ has never stepped forward to cash in on his fame has led many outsiders to dismiss him as an urban legend, or a wildly exaggerated story cooked up by a sensationalist press. If you share similar sentiments,


it’s best to keep them to yourself: disbelief in The Batman is a sure- fire mark of a Gotham outsider. Instead, chat up the locals at a tavern in the Warehouse District or a dive bar on Park Row. Most people are happy to share their tales of close encounters with The Batman, and after hearing a half-dozen of them you’ll probably start craning your neck toward the night sky hoping to catch your own glimpse of The Bat. Here’s what to look for, compiled from years of eyewitness reports.


Gadgets Unlike Metropolis’ latest hero, The Batman doesn’t appear to have any superhuman powers. But that doesn’t mean he’s ordinary. Using a retractable cable gun, he traverses the city from rooftop to rooftop, leaving behind telltale claw marks in many of Gotham’s taller buildings. He swoops down into alleyways, interrupting robberies and breaking up beatings. Sharpened metal projectiles shaped like a bat’s silhouette are thrown at enemies, and several of these have allegedly been recovered from crime scenes


and delivered into the hands of private collectors. The so-called ‘Batmobile’ – a matte-black roadster with the armor of a tank and the engine of a Formula One car – occasionally roars through the near-empty streets after midnight, although it has never been caught on film. Some swear they’ve also witnessed a supersonic ‘Batplane’, but such sightings are officially attributed to military flyovers.


Criminals Street toughs aren’t the only criminals said to have been collared by the bat-eared vigilante. Since The Batman launched his nocturnal crusade, criminals with an equally theatrical bent have become media sensations. Thanks to The Batman’s intervention, their high- profile capers have ended in arrest by the GCPD and incarceration in the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. The sadistic Joker is the most notorious of these rogues. Close behind him are twisted figures the public has dubbed Deadshot, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, and more.


Identity Who is The Batman? In light of the crimefighter’s access to advanced technology, many have speculated that he is a foot soldier bankrolled by the wealthy and powerful – with Wayne Enterprises and the U.S. government two common string- pullers in the minds of conspiracy theorists. Given The Batman’s nearly 20-year career, it’s entirely possible that his costume has been passed down and worn by a succession of different Batmen.


Time Out Shortlist | Gotham City 63

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