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Okay, lets say that Batman is chugging along, doing his thing. He's defending Gotham from all the villains, putting them away in Arkham (some people, multiple times - pesky buggers don't want to stay in!). It's all going all right, for now. There don't seem to be any serious brewings going on. You'd think Batman's life would be getting easier, right?
Wrong. New villains are popping out of the woodwork every day, weirder ones (like the Polka dot guy, what is that??), and a few of them with actual influence. Rumors of a lady who has a thing for plants, some comedian with a freaky big grin, this other guy who really likes penguins.
And worse. In the post 9/11 world, the government has been cracking down on everyone. Even Batman. Terrorism is a new scary threat, and who can be sure this guy in a bat suit isn't some new form of insurgent? Cops who normally would have given him a nod and a wave are now giving him the evil eye, wondering if and when he's going to go berserk. Even the President has spoken out against his type - these vigilantes who don't conform to the law. The Patriot Act has only encouraged the government to look into and track "heroes".
Not only is the government interested in the innerworkings of the Bat and his buddies, but in a world of complete and total media coverage, it's hard for him to get away from the paparazzi. Photos of Batman sell for thousands. In a fight? Much much more. The public got a taste of Batman and want more - they want to know everything, even his secret identity. Especially his secret identity.
That's not all. Gas prices are up (back in storage, batmobile!), housing market is down (hope that manor is paid off!), the world is getting hotter by the minute. Somethings, not even Batman can fix.
The year is 2008, and it's modern times.
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