The following story and photos are from Giant Panda King's book,
Gotham 1919-1939 by Russall S. Beattie, available from www.giantpandaking.com.
Viewer discretion is advised.
In the months leading up to the Shadow War - the war that would change Gotham
forever - the Bat-Man had acquired an extensive network of allies. There were many who debated
whether his presence in Gotham had a positive impact. But there were others who believed in
his crusade enough to join the fight. The Bat had not set out to gain a following, but - in
his quest to avenge his family - he had gained a new one; one he would have never expected.
His alliance with the Gotham City Police was one aspect of this, but this was expanded upon by the
others who donned masks. They sought justice in a city that gave so little back to its citizens.
Bruce Wayne - the man behind the Bat - had been subject to the toll the years had taken on him.
His mental and physical capacity had taken a hit. When he had started his crusade,
he had no idea the impact he would have, nor the monsters he would seemingly inspire.
Those first few years as a vigilante seemed like a distant memory; another time altogether. As
the Shadow War loomed, Bruce was looking for a way out of his vigilante career.
He sought someone to take up the mantle. This was due to his belief that Gotham needed the Bat-Man,
no matter who wore the mask. But he also knew that he had to see the coming conflict
to its end. He knew that he would have the Bat-Team at his back.
Some of the more well-established members of the Bat-Team could see Bruce starting to burn out.
Dick Grayson, the first Boy Wonder, had taken up a new mantle as Nightwing.
This new moniker was due to things Grayson had seen over the years;
he was done pretending to be the colorful young sidekick to the Bat-Man.
He had earned his independence, and the color of his youthful days gave way to a darker,
more mature persona. As Nightwing, he was the de facto second-in-command of the Bat-Team.
Barbara Gordon, now known as Oracle, was the other member of the team with seniority.
Since her paralyzation at the hands of the Joker, she had taken to helping the team in other ways.
Her investigative and logistical skills were invaluable to the Bat-Team.
She devised a switchboard system with the Bat-Man that allowed the team to communicate across the
city. She operated this from the Batcave. Her support towards them extended beyond that; she was
a friend to them all. She was the glue that held them together. With the addition of Black Bat and
Batwoman to the team, having Oracle there helped them to feel welcome on a team of mostly men.
Black Bat and Batwoman were inseparable, they brought a combined combat prowess that was crucial
to the Bat-Team. Another invaluable member of the team was Tim Drake, the third person to take up
the mantle of Robin. Tim’s time as Robin had shown the entire Bat-Team the value of observation,
deduction, and forensic science. His addition to the team brought a fresh take to the way
they operated. It would end up making a huge difference in the days to come.
The most controversial member of the Bat-Team was the Red Hood, Jason Todd. He was one of
the most unstable members of the team, which made some of the Bat-Team uneasy around him at first.
Over the months, however, Jason changed for the better. Being around Nightwing, Oracle, and Alfred
Pennyworth proved to be a good - even healing - experience for him. Jason brought efficiency
to the team, as well as a knowledge of the League of Assassins. This would prove extremely helpful.
The societal impact that the Bat-Man and Bat-Team had on Gotham was very evident during this time.
During the height of the Bat-Man’s career, the Gotham Gazette spent a good deal of time
sensationalizing the vigilante, his allies, and his villains. This took many forms,
and even became somewhat exploitative. In one of these instances, they created their own satirical,
parody version of the Bat in order to sell papers. Sheldon Finger, a little person, was hired by the
Gazette to don a costume they had made, and Sheldon became the Bat-Mite. This role brought
some fame with it as the sensationalism with the Bat reached an all-time high. Toys were made in
Bat-Mite’s likeness, and Sheldon got to appear in public events and newspapers every other week.
Sheldon loved getting to live this role, even though it could be somewhat demeaning at times.
Many made fun of his height, and took the parody and satire too far.
As the sensationalism died down, Sheldon soon found himself out of work.
The Gazette had used his likeness to make a fortune, but Sheldon was left penniless.
Sheldon wasn’t as bothered by this as he was by the sudden lack of attention.
He had enjoyed the fame of being Bat-Mite. He had no delusions about the fact that Bat-Mite
had been created as a joke, but he had at least felt some semblance of respect when in costume.
Sheldon felt discarded, depressed, and alone. All of that changed when an idea dawned on him:
he could still be Bat-Mite, and he could become a true defender of Gotham,
just like the Bat-Man. Bat-Mite would embark on numerous attempts at doling out justice,
but would usually get himself into trouble or cause it. Bat-Mite, while meaning well, became
a great annoyance to the Bat-Man. The Bat had to get Sheldon out of a lot of sticky situations.
Bat-Mite - for better or for worse - became an honorary member of the Bat-Team. This was less an
acceptance into the inner circle, and more a way to keep Sheldon from getting into more trouble.
He was not privy to the secret identities of the other vigilantes on the team.
Another well-beloved addition to the Bat-Team was Ace the Bat-Hound. It’s commonly said that
dogs are man’s best friend. In this instance, Ace certainly was the Bat-Man’s. Ace was very
well trained. The Bat-Man had gotten him in order to have a guard dog for the Batcave. Ace
was trained similarly to the dogs used by police in England and Belgium; this afforded the canine
with ample defensive capabilities. Ace knew how to restrain and deter intruders quite effectively.
On top of his training as a guard dog, Ace became a friendly presence to the allies of the Bat.
Nightwing was known to sneak the dog a treat once in a while,
and Ace was quite affectionate towards the others. Alfred and Ace had a special relationship
as they were both in the Batcave the most. During Barbara Gordon’s early days after being paralyzed,
Ace was a constant emotional support to her. Ace was also the first to detect when Jason
Todd was in distress due to his brain damage, and would rush to comfort him.
Whenever the Bat-Man was present in the Batcave, Ace would not leave his side.
Ace was as caring as canines could come, and would serve the Bat-Team loyally for years.
Not every new ally to the Bat-Team so easily gained their trust at first.
When a vigilante who identified himself as Azrael first appeared in Gotham, the Bat-Team
was extremely wary of him. His grim appearance was - quite literally - much like that of a knight.
He wielded twin blades, and wore metallic armor that shielded him from gunfire
and physical attacks. On top of this, it was very clear that Azrael had extensive combat training.
Azrael’s methods - while brutal - were effective and non-lethal. The Bat-Team was not able to
learn much about Azrael other than what he had revealed to them. He claimed to be a champion
of the noble Order of St. Dumas, and that he sought to fight for truth and justice.
He sought to make Gotham a better place. The Bat-Man connected with Azrael on those ideals,
and he even worked with Azrael on a couple of occasions to gauge the knight’s prowess.
Gradually, the rest of the Bat-Team began to trust the new vigilante.
The only one who remained wary of Azrael was Jason Todd, the Red Hood. Jason had been subjected to
service in a secret organization, and the Order of St. Dumas sounded too similar to him. In spite
of this, Azrael remained an ally to the Bat-Team, and would fight alongside them in the Shadow War.
As the coming war with the League of Assassins inched closer and closer, the Bat-Team would do
their best to prepare. The warning signs had been sighted: David Cain and Lady Shiva’s involvement
with the Battle for Chinatown, Onyx’s incursion into Gotham, Jason Todd’s torture and brainwashing
at their hands, and the Bat-Man’s own experience training with them. All these signs pointed to
the League eventually making a move on Gotham. In spite of their preparation, neither the Bat-Team,
GCPD, or citizens of Gotham could truly prepare for the horrors that would ensue.
The Shadow War of Gotham City would spark a flame that had the potential to either begin effective
change, or burn the city to the ground. Many lives would be lost, and all of them would haunt the
Bat-Man in the years to come. His desire to leave crime-fighting behind would be at the forefront of
his mind. In spite of this, Bruce knew that he had the support of his adoptive family and friends.
All of these allies - old and new alike - would prove indispensable in the coming conflict,
and the Bat-Man was grateful to have them. The Bat-Man had become more than a person,
more than a singular crusade. The symbol of the Bat had become a beacon for these people; those
who thought this crime-fighting crusade to be the hand of true justice. Whether or not this was
actually the case, Gotham would need the Bat-Team if it was to survive the war on the horizon.