Batman: Kill the Justice League

Prologue: What has become of our world?

In the bleakness of winter, Gotham stood poised on a knife's edge. The stillness of the city from above hid the horrors of those who lurked underneath, hungered and depraved. A pulse of adrenaline surged within me, whilst I hunted for my prey. A glow emanated from my cowl as I scanned the dark alleys where the rats went to hide. I began my descent, stalking them like animals in the long grass. They believed that by shining a light on the face beneath the mask, the monster had disappeared. But the light had only angered it, and forced it to find new terrors in the abyss, far below the darkness of night. I towered over them from above, a wraith with eyes of fire, and breathed in the satisfying sounds of their screams. They would learn to fear again.

"Five years ago, the Batman died."

"Tonight, on the anniversary of his passing, we honour his and Bruce Wayne's legacy in a two-hour special including exclusive interviews with reporter Jack Ryan, who was on the ground with Wayne in Arkham City, and Commissioner Jim Gordon, who was Batman's closest ally."

"The Justice League were all present at Bruce Wayne's memorial service, where Superman and Wonder Woman led proceedings with faces of stone. The people of Gotham lost their hero, but we can only imagine what they must have felt at the loss of their ally and friend."

"What will become of Gotham City now?"

"Gotham police are expecting a spike in crime, however the commissioner has issued a stern warning that they are prepared to throw the full weight of the law behind any who dare to turn back the wheels of progress."

"A month after the commissioner's announcement, we have just received confirmation that there has been a twenty percent rise in crimes involving violent assault."

"Multiple reports have begun to emerge of a demon-like creature coming out at night to terorrise criminals. Descriptions range from the devil itself to a towering monster with blood-red eyes of fire. Surely it's not him?"

"It can't be the Batman, he died, so who the hell is this?"

"A civilian has discovered what appears to be a batarang stuck in a wall. The police checked it for fingerprints but found nothing. Traces of blood on it were identified to belong to Connor Wilks, a known child abuser. Wilks was recently found tied up outside of Gotham General Hospital with both of his arms broken, a collapsed lung and cracked ribs."

"Maybe it's a copy cat?"

"Dead is dead. You don't get to come back from that."

"There's been a sighting of the red-eyed demon in Metropolis! It's not often that Batman ventures beyond Gotham, what is going on here?"

"It ain't Batman..."

"Maybe it's more than one?"

"What if it's Nightwing who has taken up the mantle?"

"Man, have you seen Nightwing? That kid is scrawny. Whoever this is, is huge. A giant!"

"Do you really think he died? Wayne Manor blowing up seemed rather staged to me."

"Perhaps he was assassinated by the government."

"They never found the bodies of Bruce Wayne or his butler."

"The mythological Batcave was completely destroyed in a landfill, caused by the explosion at Wayne Manor that is believed to be the result of a gas leak."

"We have recorded one-hundred and fifty-seven assaults against criminals in the past three months. This new vigilante is relentless, he is brutal and he is hunting."