A peice of a fragment of an idea.

[CjP]

I've had this idea I've been tossing around for some time, and can't quite figure out where to go with it, so I figured I'd toss it out, and let more malleable minds bang on it.

It's called 'The Man Who Collected Batman', and it's about a guy that, well, collects Batman. The difference is that he doesn't hoard newspaper clippings or blurry pictures or anything like that, his collection is much more unique: discarded batarangs, severed grapples, dud grenades, portions of a ripped cape... all the remnants that get left behind. It's not like Batman has a crew that comes along after a fight and 'sanitizes' the area, so what happens to all that stuff?

...and that's where I hit a wall. I think it's an interesting premise, but I just don't know where to go from there. Does he somehow use all these items to peice together Batman's identity? Does he use it to discover and exploit a possible weakness? Does he use it himself, becoming a second-hand Bat? I just don't know...

[Armless Penguin]

He sells it on Ebay.

[Damo]

Mske it a kid. Some third tier villain kidnaps the kid and steals the collection to try and figure out Bats' identity. Bats saves the kid, but the collection is trashed. It ends with the kid finding an entire spare cape and cowl in his room, with a note saying "please don't pick up any more of my grenades" and a bat symbol.

[lucifernomi]

I like the idea, but see this guy being an average joe who gets himself in trouble with some real villian who catches him poking around Batman's trail.

[the goddamn batman]

You could go the obvious rout of classic "collector" who becoms obsessed and tries to collect Batman himself. I imagine that would write itself.

The kid idea is cute but, drop the line about grenades. Batman wouldn't leave a note. The cowl says enough. Sounds sorta like a BTAS episode like "I've got Batman in my basement".

I like the concept though.

[Sizzle]

Didn't they have a story recently where Batman now puts GPS into his batarangs so he can track them?

[phantom1592]

During Hush, he was attacked with a batarang. Apparently he DOES try to not leave gear behind, but SOME slip through the cracks.

[CjP]

Didn't they have a story recently where Batman now puts GPS into his batarangs so he can track them?

That would be a nightmare to try and write over. Any decent hacker would turn Batman into a walking tracking beacon, unless he didn't activate them till just before he used them (hold on while I turn on my batarang)... that's just a bad idea all the way around.

[phantom1592]

That would be a nightmare to try and write over. Any decent hacker would turn Batman into a walking tracking beacon, unless he didn't activate them till just before he used them (hold on while I turn on my batarang)... that's just a bad idea all the way around.


Just had a flashback of Batman Returns, where he is surrounded by carnies and has to PROGRAM where they are so his batarang can find them.....:confused:

[David Atkins]

Does he use it himself, becoming a second-hand Bat? I just don't know...

Could be a cool premise for a modern incarnation of 'Batman Jones.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_Jones

[Micro]

I like this idea, I think it would make a good Episode of the animated series, or a single issue story. I would have the guy be a comic book geek who becomes obsessed with Batman, and collects everything he can. I'd have him try to set up the most difficult crime in Batman's history. I would have him try to recreate the Batcave in his apartment, and end up doing a DNA test, discovering that Batman is really Bruce Wayne. But he wouldn't accept it as true because in his mind Batman is too great to be a spoiled rich man. I would have it end with him actually trapping Batman in a situation he truely can not get out of. He would then go on to say "He is the man that beat Batman" and claim he has earned to right to be Batman.

However, he would mess up by giving Batman too much credit, thinking Batman will save him he sets off a bomb trying to kill a kidnapped child and himself, and Batman is only able to save the child in time, leaving the Batman fan to die in the explosion. The Batman Fan freak would parade around in a costume similar to Batman and look something like this: http://www.costumeholidayhouse.com/Costume/Adult%20Costume/5470-47w.jpg
I would also call it "The man that beat Batman" instead of "collected", that reminds me too much of the Spider-Man story.

[CE_Rap]

how about it being a fan, but also an intelligent young man/woman. To acquire more tools or get closer to Batman, they set off alarms, commit crimes but run away before Batman can whoop his ass. Then, as Batman studies teh area, the person studies him, his demeanor, his subtle movements. Maybe he does this 2 or three times, as Batman would soon see teh pattern. On teh last time, the person leaves one of the baterangs with a note that reads: "I know."

Batman takes the note and analyzes it in his cave. He cannot find any prints, but finds a type of residue. The computer analyzes the material, while it does, he gets another alarm about a large scale robbery in progress at a chemical plant, being led by someone from his rogues gallery, (not sure who yet). After he foils the crime, he thinks to himself that such a crime is out of character for [villian]. On his way home, he realizes he has residue on his gloves and cape.

In the cave, he reads the computer analysis. It matches teh same residue on his gloves and cape. From here he realizes that it must be someone who works at the chemical plant that he just came from.

*.................................that's all i got so far................*

Basically, i think it's a great starting point and can be expanded upon greatly. It doesn't just have to be a one shot. You might have a whole story arc goin' on.

[dancj]

It's called 'The Man Who Collected Batman', and it's about a guy that, well, collects Batman. The difference is that he doesn't hoard newspaper clippings or blurry pictures or anything like that, his collection is much more unique: discarded batarangs, severed grapples, dud grenades, portions of a ripped cape... all the remnants that get left behind. It's not like Batman has a crew that comes along after a fight and 'sanitizes' the area, so what happens to all that stuff?

Read Batman: Child of Dreams

[Mutate]

There was a gotham knights story that was kinda similar. Its in tpb 1.