Reason To Believe
"Congregation gathers down by the riverside.
Preacher stands with a bible. Groom stands waiting for his bride.
Congregation gone, the sun sets behind a weeping willow tree
Groom stands alone and watches the river rush on
So effortlessly.
Wondering where can his baby be.
Still, at the end of every hard earned day,
people find some reason to believe." --- Bruce Springsteen
Year One
Gotham City
The city's been in the grip of criminal interests and wholly corrupt for
many years. The habits of corruption have been ingrained in Gotham City
deeply, as a river carves out a jagged canyon from smooth rock. Those
good persons who felt the crushing weight of this darkness fell habitually
into despair and helplessness. But something's changed. The Batman has
captured the imagination of the public and revitalized the still-weak
reform movement. And he has indeed struck fear into the hearts of Gotham's
criminals.
But out of fear comes retaliation and madness. The crime families have launched a massive offensive aimed at retaining their supremacy at all costs, and insane killers like the Joker have appeared. One might call the crime families' assaults the force of inertia. And one might call the mad ones the sparks thrown off by the impact.
No one man could change Gotham alone. But there are others who believe. Some overtly, good cops like Lieutenant James Gordon, and fiery public servants like Assistant DA Harvey Dent. And others, like the Batman himself, covertly, from behind a mask or a costume...
This is the story of that first year of the battle for Gotham's soul, the battle for its redemption. The story of Year One.