Batman: War Games

From Pop-Cult Guides

War Games is a comics thre part story arc published by DC Comics between October 2004 and January 2005. The mayor plot revolves around a gang war that involves all the mayor criminal groups of Gotham City. It appeared in all the DC titles set in and around Gotham City: Detective Comics, Legends of the Dark Knight, Nightwing, Batman: Gotham Knights, Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, Batman, and Gotham Central. In addition, the prelude was published separately as Batman: the 12 Cent Adventure.

[edit] Synopsis

Some time prior to the war's starting, Batman developes a emergency plan in case the organized crime situation of Gotham City ever gets out of hand. It consist on uniting all of Gotham's underworld under a single crime boss: Matches Malone, an undercover identity frequently used by Batman to infiltrate and get information from the criminals.

The story starts when Stephanie Brown, a. k. a, Spoiler, who is serving as Robin at the time and unware that Malone is Batman and not an "employee" him, attempts to implement this plan without Batman's permission, acknowledgement or participation. As a result, she triggers a chaotic massive gang war that ends up with Stephaie death at the hands of Black Mask, who at this poit becomes the overlord of the city's underworld.

Batman still holds himself responsible of her death.

[edit] Long term consequences

The death of Stephanie Brown
Black Mask becomes the single crime boss in Gotham.
Police Commissioner Akins makes all vigilantes criminals (this lasts until the return of Commissioner Gordon).
The citizens of Gotham City no longer consider Batman to be an urban legend (which has been in place since Zero Hour), as he was caught on camera trying to save the life of a wounded student at the end of Act One.

Retconned

Doctor Leslie Thompkins who is revealed in the latter War Crimes as having denied Batman attention for Stephanie Brown who then dies, Batman's "punishment" for allowing children into his war on crime. In retaliation Batman exiles her out of gotam and files her as a murderer. This has been retconed and never happened in the current continuity.