GOTHAM ACTION NEWS
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: JULY 8TH, 1987
SCREEN: The television screen shows a plain studio set with bare walls, with the exception of a graphic hanging on the wall with the text Action News painted on it. Two news anchors are seated at a double desk, facing the camera - a woman in her early 30's with neck-length, brown hair, wearing a checkered dress suit and a large pair of ear rings, and a man of similar age, with neatly combed brown hair, wearing a black suit with a striped tie.
BECKY: "Good evening, Gotham, I'm Becky Narita.
PETER: "And I'm Peter McElroy, and this is Gotham Action News! Our top story tonight is the continuted development of the horrific murders recently discovered by the GCPD, committed by the serial killer known only as "Doctor Death". Sources inside the police department has revealed that while new evidence is still being uncovered at the crime scene, so far the police have recovered bodies and body parts belonging to at least 50 different victims. Identification remains difficult, as many of these remains have been mutilated beyond recognition, or are otherwise too old and decayed for standard identification methods, a process not helped by the fact that the majority of these victims were allegedly taken from Gotham's homeless and low-income population, making it difficult to use methods such as dental records to identify them."
BECKY: "Both the GCPD and Mayor Hill have come under heavy criticism ever since details about the murders were revealed to the public, with groups such as The National Coalition For The Homeless claiming that these disappearances have been ignored by the authorities, and had the killer been targeting more affluent members of society, such a death toll would be almost unthinkable. Other critics include prominent businessman Max Schreck, already an outspoken critic of Mayor Hill and his alleged bias against big business. Mr. Schreck was generous enough to take time from his busy schedule to take part in this Action News interview..."
SCREEN: The camera cuts away from the studio to a large, richly decorated office, where an ornate desk stands in front of a massive, panoramic window showing the Gotham City skyline. Behind the desk sits a tall man with a thin, almost gaunt face, and long, white hair, dressed in a grey suit with black stripes, and a bow tie.
MAX: "This, er, this atrocity that has befallen our, eh, great city, is just another example of the failings of Mayor Hill and his administration. For, uh, such a nightmare to take place right beneath the noses of those who are supposed to protect us, even those of little means, well, that is just unacceptable! We, uh, we common men of Gotham, we must take back our city from the incompetent fools who have stolen it from us, men like Mayor Hill who cares more for his agenda than bringing jobs back to Gotham! Men like Commissioner Gordon, who stands idly by while the fine citizens of this city are slaughtered like pigs by some psychotic! Perhaps Commissioner Loeb was not perfect, but he did not require the services of a madman in a cape to do his job! I urge all decent, law-abiding citizens out there to make your displeasure known to city hall!"
SCREEN: Cut back to the studio.
PETER: "Thank you for those strong words, Mr. Shreck. In related news, unverified reports state that the vigilante known as The Batman was in fact not involved in uncovering the murders, as sightings have been reported of an individual believed to be the Batman interrupting an attempted break-in across the city at the time, more on this later. The exact circumstances regarding the discovery are currently not officially known, but according to some unnamed sources, a group of victims held prisoner by Doctor Death were able to free themselves with outside assistance, with the killers hideout being destroyed in the ensuing chaos. Action News have as of yet not been able to confirm what kind of assistance this was, but further unconfirmed reports have stated that an unnamed civilian may have been involved in the rescue. Could Gotham City have yet another vigilante operating from the shadows?"
BECKY: "Troubling if true, Peter. While the GCPD have as of yet not confirmed or denied these rumors, a statement was released earlier today by Commissioner Gordon regarding their investigation and search for the killer. A composite sketch of the suspect has been issued to the media..."
SCREEN: A picture appears in the upper right corner, showing a rough drawing of a zombie-like man with sickly, green skin, a black beard and stripey, black hair. The name "DOCTOR DEATH" is printed beneath.
BECKY: "If anyone has any information regarding the killer known as Doctor Death, the GCPD has asked that it be forwarded to them immediately. Furthermore, the suspect is considered armed and extremely dangerous, under no circumstances should civilians attempt to apprehend or detain him, and any sightings are to be reported to the proper authorities at once. More on this story as it develops. Peter?"
PETER: "Thank you, Becky. Our second story tonight, as mentioned previously, the vigilante The Batman was reportedly sighted at an attempted robbery at a chemical production facility on the evening of July 3d. Several suspects have been apprehended by the police. This facility, belonging to Ace Chemicals... Oh, I'm sorry, I misread that. Belonging to AXIS Chemicals..."
.....
The Banks Of the Gotham River, July 3d, 1987
At around the same time the laboratory of Doctor Death went up in flames somewhere beneath Gotham, there was a ripple in the grimy surface of the polluted river crawling it's way through the city like a diseased snake. Seen by no one except a few startled seagulls, a hand suddenly broke the surface, stretching up towards the smog-filled sky. Barely covered by the fraying remains of a leather glove, the skin beneath looking sickly and pale, like the color had been washed from it. A face followed, the man gasping for air as he felt his feet reach solid ground beneath the water. He coughed, and retched, what felt like gallons of stinking river water dripping from his mouth, the cuts around his reddening lips burning like someone had burned him with hot coals.
The man once known as simply Jack ("just call me Jack!") stumbled out of the water, dropping to his knees on a rocky, garbage-strewn beach, the wheezing coughs slowly fading as the water left his lungs. And as he stared down at his hands, the skin bleached a corpse-white by the chemicals he'd almost drowned in, the coughing started to sound like laughter....
Inside the pocket of his coat, The Fool card sat, somehow dry and undamaged despite the state of it's holder. With one exception. A tiny, crimson drip had stained the mouth of The Fool, changing the normally vacant, careless expression to a ghastly, red grin. And as the man who was no longer Jack at all, but something else entirerly, stared up at the sky, his bleeding mouth stretched into that same awful smile. It was time time for a change. Time to be something new...
"Just wait 'til they get a load of me..."