An Imperfect Kingdom
Now that we know what kind of hero we are analyzing, it's important to look at what sort of environment he has to deal with in his war on crime. Daniels describes Batman's hometown, Gotham City, as "a bleak site colored by corruption: cops, criminals, and even high society are all a part of the pattern" (p. 157). Moore expands on this calling Gotham "a dark and unfriendly city in decay, populated by rabid and sociopathic streetgangs, it comes to resemble more closely the urban masses which may very well exist in our own uncomfortably near future" (p. 3). It seems appropriate for a dank, gothic city, corrupt from the top down, to have it's own Prince of Darkness, for only a man as driven as the Batman could ever wage war with a city in such a desperate strait. Police Commissioner Gordon makes this statement about the situation, "For good or ill, it appears Gotham has found its own guardian angel�and, God help us-I suspect we're going to need him" (Augustyn, p. 47). Perhaps trying to find a reason to justify the detestable condition of his city, Batman comments, "Whether the scars are physical or mental, crime wounds everyone it touches. It brings injury and death. Poisons the mind and soul. And in the end leaves only despair�Crime is a netlike trap from which few truly escape" (Dini and Ross, p.26-27, 31). Batman knows his limitations, but that doesn't mean that he'll give up. He says:
I know I am fighting a war I can never completely win. But there are small victories that encourage me to keep trying. If I can win back one child, there may be hope for many others. If it starts with one person, and then a neighborhood, then perhaps redemption can spread through an entire city, and finally back to me. (Dini and Ross, p. 61)
