Realworlds: Batman
“The Dynamic Duo”

Originally published in 2000
Writers: Christopher Golden and Tom Sniegoski
Penciller: Marshall Rogers
Inker: John Cebollero
Letterer: Bob Lapan
Colorist and Separator: Dave Stewart

When children begin reading comics, they latch onto a certain Superhero or comic initially attached to the high-flying antics or his crime fighting skills. Slowly but surely, something else starts to sink in. We learn something and these heroes become role models. Some of the most iconic heroes in comic book history have attributes that we all look at and on some level admire and even want to emulate. Unfaltering patriotism or an unwavering urge to make things right. Some are even just the embodiment of what is good with the world around us. In this issue, a man with the mind of a little boy uses the lessons and morals he learned from his favorite crime fighter, while donning his version of the cape and cowl.


Realworlds: Batman starts off in a mess of a kids room. A voiceover lets us know that the Caped Crusader is suiting up for a night of fighting crime. But why the safety pin, the worn out t-shirt, and the gut? This Batman is actually a grown man, a little too old to be running around in a cape, sweatpants, and a pair of old chucks. He marks another day on his calendar, counting down to something. After receiving a call from the commissioner, he heads down stairs and runs into Alfred his trusty butler, who looks remarkably like one of his neighbors, who reminds him that if he steps outside in his costume everyone will know his secret identity. After dodging that bullet, he heads off to fight crime dressed in disguise as a man about town complete with his trusty bike and basket.

He arrives at his first destination determined to save the Chief from the clutches of Gotham’s latest villain by opening the gates for one of the local shop owners on his way to work.

At work in a local grocery store, obviously a cover for his real work as the caped crusader, he is reminded that there are six more days left until the big occasion and that he has a delivery to make. His delivery takes him to the lair of the Catwoman, nemesis and occasional confidant. He delivers the groceries to the elderly woman and her cat, staying long enough to try and talk her out of her evil ways.

With another mission accomplished, Batman heads back to work. He is harassed by a few local tuffs and some onlookers are able to keep the fracas from getting out of hand.

While stocking shelves and keeping himself busy, an old friend comes by the store. He hasn’t seen Robin since she got too old to play with him and moved away with her parents. She came into the store and didn’t even recognize him. He watches her shoplift and then leave the store. That night the crusader (Charlie is his name) ponders what all of this means while his neighbor tries to convince him he has to be wrong about who he saw. The next day, while at work, he sees her again and this time follows her. It seems that Robin, her real name Clarissa, has come back into town and is under the spell of the Joker, who is really just a local drug pusher. When Charlie tries to save her from the Joker/pusher, he is beat up and only saved when Robin/Clarissa talks the pusher out of hurting him. Frustrated and angry, Charlie vows to avenge her.

After leaving work, Charlie runs into Clarissa and they catch up on old times. It is here that we learn that the days being counted down are to, as Charlie puts it “my new movie”. Clarissa is back in town and back on drugs and Charlie can’t comprehend what is going on, putting everything into a good guys/bad guys context. Clarissa takes advantage of Charlie’s good nature and Charlie’s neighbor catches Clarissa with some old costume jewelry from Charlie’s apartment. She runs away and Charlie is determined to spend the next day trying to find his old friend Robin.

After wandering around all day and finding her, she tries to get away and the drug pusher from earlier sees the fight and tries to drag Clarissa away. When Charlie tries to intervene, he is stabbed and ends up in the hospital. When he gets out, the Batman movie has opened and he and his neighbor go to see it. While watching the movie Charlie realizes that if he were a meaner Batman, like the movie, he could protect Robin/Clarissa. Meanwhile Clarissa is back with the drug pusher and after being treated badly, she decides to leave, taking some of the dealer’s money with her. The dealer wakes up and is determined to track her down. She has since gone to Charlie’s house to make sure he is ok before leaving town.

The dealer tracks her to Charlie’s apartment building and he and a few henchmen break into the building. Charlie’s neighbor tries to fight off the drug dealer and Clarissa is getting beat up by his crew. Charlie comes running out of his apartment dressed like the Michael Keaton batman. The fight spills put into the streets and everything kinda turns to chaos with Charlie getting the brunt the beating. When the neighborhood sees what is happening to Charlie they all band together to help him. Afterwards, Clarissa decides that she is a bad influence for Charlie and heads out of town. Charlie goes back to just the way he was before the incident happens.

I hope you enjoyed this issue of Down But Not Out and stay tuned for the rest of the January rotation.

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