Should they let Bruce become the Commissioner like he was in pre-cisis Earth 2

[magha_regulus]

Greetings everyone,

Given how things have progressed in the DCU lately, I had a thought that it might be a good idea for Batman to become the commissioner of the GCPD like he was in the pre-crisis stories on Earth 2 before he died. It might provide some great new character developments. Thoughts?

[JBatmanFan05]

No. What maybe worked for pre-cisis Earth 2 just doesn't necessarily work in the "present" "main" earth. Superman comics will heading on back to more classic territory, so I don't see any need or anything for Batman to veer off on some tangent (that'd have to eventually be awkwardly undone...Ex-Commissioner Bruce Wayne was photographed partying with some women at the Iceberg Lounge).

Now an Elseworld mini with older Commissioner Bruce with some top creative talent?...I'd support that I suppose. I could support a lot of different ideas as Elseworlds minis.

[thwhtGuardian]

No. What maybe worked for pre-cisis Earth 2 just doesn't necessarily work in the "present" "main" earth. Superman comics will heading back to more classic territory, so I don't see any need or anything for Batman to veer off on some tangent (that'd have to eventually be undone...Ex-Commissioner Bruce Wayne was photographed partying with some women at the Iceberg Lounge).

Now an Elseworld mini with older Commissioner Bruce with some top creative talent?...I'd support that I suppose. I could support a lot of different ideas as Elseworlds minis.

Yeah, as a "possible" future it would be fun to explore but I'm not keen on it for the main continuity.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I rather they deputize Batman as an officer of the law than put Bruce in charge of GCPD.

[thwhtGuardian]

I rather they deputize Batman as an officer of the law than put Bruce in charge of GCPD.

I like that for Earth-2 but again it's something that doesn't really work well with modern continuity.

Batman having an overt relationship with the police is an increasingly tricky balance these days and that's coming from both sides; Batman chumming around too much with the police can be seen as Batman turning a blind eye or supporting police brutality and Batman out right being a member of the police is a tacit message that police brutality is okay because Batman does it and it yields results.

I think the best bet is Batman is friends with a select few members of the GCPD( Bullock, Montoya, Gordon) and they feed each other details under the table so to speak while officially Batman is viewed as something of a menace and that the GCPD does not support vigilantism. Maybe even have a scene where a rookie actually tries to shoot Batman only to have their elder partner tell them that they only chase Batman for show they don't actually want to stop him.

[Frontier]

Unless he permanently retires, no. Even then, character-wise I'm not sure he's a good fit for it.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I like that for Earth-2 but again it's something that doesn't really work well with modern continuity.

Batman having an overt relationship with the police is an increasingly tricky balance these days and that's coming from both sides; Batman chumming around too much with the police can be seen as Batman turning a blind eye or supporting police brutality and Batman out right being a member of the police is a tacit message that police brutality is okay because Batman does it and it yields results.

I think the best bet is Batman is friends with a select few members of the GCPD( Bullock, Montoya, Gordon) and they feed each other details under the table so to speak while officially Batman is viewed as something of a menace and that the GCPD does not support vigilantism. Maybe even have a scene where a rookie actually tries to shoot Batman only to have their elder partner tell them that they only chase Batman for show they don't actually want to stop him.

It's a more believable direction than the alternative. I don't mind those problems as it's something I rather address in the story than avoid. I don't mind doing out of continuity like Earth One etc but I don't mind doing it in continuity either.

[phonogram12]

Wouldn't he have to become a cop first? Honestly, I know very little about the qualifications required to be hired as a police commissioner lol

[JBatmanFan05]

Wouldn't he have to become a cop first? Honestly, I know very little about the qualifications required to be hired as a police commissioner lol

Very darn good point. I'd bet nowadays at least, there are no police commissioners who weren't long time cops (who paid serious dues).

So this idea seems wildly unrealistic, on top of other problems with it.

[bat39]

As much as I like the idea proposed by the current JSA series that the history of Earth 0 might move in an Earth 2-ish direction in at least one possible future...I'm not sure if Bruce becoming Commissioner is something that makes a lot of sense, especially with contemporary takes on the character.

Back in the 60's or 70's, it might have been somewhat believable that a politically well-connected multi-millionaire philanthropist (remember, Golden Age Bruce was a close personal friend of Commissioner Gordon's) could become Commissioner on the merits of his social status and public-spiritedness. But it makes far less sense today. At a time when wealthy elites in politics are a contentious enough issue across the political spectrum, the idea that one of them could just randomly become the head of the police force (another institution that's become contentious) is far more absurd that the idea that one of them could put on a costume and beat up criminals night after night for years!

Also, looking at it from a character perspective - the Golden Age Batman may have started out as a vigilante, but for the bulk of his career, he was a 'duly deputized officer of the law', publically working hand-in-glove (literally!) with the GCPD. Gotham wasn't the corrupt hellhole it is in contemporary stories, and the police were largely a positive institution. So it made sense for Bruce, after spending decades very successfully working as a deputized police officer behind a mask, to pivot to becoming part of that institution, and leading it, in his later years without the mask.

Modern Batman on the other hand has spent his career dealing with a largely corrupt and compromised police force, with a few good cops like Jim Gordon and Montoya. He's always been a vigilante, even though it's an open secret he collaborates with Gordon. The whole point of his crusade is that the system is rotten and he can make it work by working outside it.

[Triniking1234]

That only worked in Earth-2 cuz Bruce was old and Robin and Huntress took over as Gotham's heroes. Can't see them doing that in the mainline if they want Bruce to continue being Batman.

[thwhtGuardian]

Very darn good point. I'd bet nowadays at least, there are no police commissioners who weren't long time cops (who paid serious dues).

So this idea seems wildly unrealistic, on top of other problems with it.

I don't think there are actually many cities that have the rank of Commissioner anymore, I know we do in Boston still and while many have been former officers it's largely a political appointment and it is a civilian role so a philanthropist with a background in community outreach and development with close ties to health and human services and law enforcement wouldn't be a bad fit for the roll.

Bruce Wayne for Mayor though would be a better alternate future roll in my mind though; it gives him legitimate access to both the GCPD and the district attorney's office while being removed from the actions of both parties.

[bat39]

I don't think there are actually many cities that have the rank of Commissioner anymore, I know we do in Boston still and while many have been former officers it's largely a political appointment and it is a civilian role so a philanthropist with a background in community outreach and development with close ties to health and human services and law enforcement wouldn't be a bad fit for the roll.

Bruce Wayne for Mayor though would be a better alternate future roll in my mind though; it gives him legitimate access to both the GCPD and the district attorney's office while being removed from the actions of both parties.

Yeah, Bruce as mayor makes way more sense. Though that's kinda Oliver Queen's thing Then again, Oliver's 'borrowed' so much from Bruce so maybe he can return the favor...

IIRC, in the old Earth 2 stories, Bruce solved a high-profile case as a civilian, and this combined with (I assume) his long history of philanthropy and being a 'prominent citizen' enabled him to become Commissioner.

(At some level, you kinda have to wonder if the authorities knew that Bruce was Batman when they appointed him...)