Tag: elseworlds

If you’ve ever wondered what it would have been like if the Waynes found the rocket carrying a baby from Krypton instead, this is the Elseworlds book for you.

Spoilers under the cut:

The story is told in Lois Lane’s point of view. Bruce is an alien found and raised by Thomas and Martha Wayne in Gotham. The couple are shot and killed by Joe Chill after a night at the movies (yep, “The Mask of Zorro”). Joe, annoyed by Bruce’s crying, shoots the child. But, lo and behold, Bruce incinerates his face using heat vision and the mugger dies. 

Bruce is then left to Alfred’s care. He becomes so consumed by his guilt at what he did that he becomes a reclusive billionaire. At 21 years old, he realizes that he can no longer deny the existence of his powers (including super hearing) and Alfred reveals the truth about his presence on earth. He decides to become a crime-fighter, inspired by visions of bats, which he refers to as his “brothers”. He terrorizes criminals, and even resorts to killing.   

He meets Lois at the Gotham Gazette, which is owned by Bruce’s company, and they fall in love. She comes to admire him for using his resources to do good for the city, not knowing his alter ego, whose actions she is repulsed by. 

A bulky Lex Luthor tries to take over Bruce’s company, but Bruce threatens to expose his past deeds in Metropolis and his tragic accident at a chemical factory. Enraged, Lex reveals himself to be the Joker and kidnaps Lois. Batman retaliates, almost killing him, but Lois’ presence snaps him out of it and he sends the criminal to jail instead.

In the final act, Lois figures out that Bruce and Batman are one in the same and their love affair continues.