Logging Into Watchtower...

Note from Wachter: Large parts of this "interview" can be considered out of continuity now (Maybe, eventually, I'll redo it). Your take away should be that Bruce is indeed still Mayor and Gotham is relatively "stable" after his long career as The Bat-Man. Specifically, ignore the stuff about Batwoman and Catwoman.


As the freshly elected Mayor of Gotham, Watchtower sat down in some incredibly comfortable (yet slightly smelling of mildew and mothballs) chairs with billionaire Bruce Wayne to chat about the current state of Gotham, his goals, and obviously The Batman. Of course we did that after a short tour of his manor so smell or no smell, the chair was welcome.

Watchtower: Alright, Mr. Mayor, before we get to the stuff that actually matters to a majority of my readers, why don't I treat this like a proper interview and ask a quick question or two over legit issues about your campaign and victory?

Bruce Wayne: That'd be great. Ask away.

Watchtower: What made you think you were qualified to run for mayor when over the years, there were numerous attempts to take your family's company away from you and many of your constituents believed that a corrupt politician might just be better than an inexperienced one? A sorta the devil you know versus the devil you don't situation.

Bruce Wayne: I wouldn't say I'm a devil [laughter], but everyone definitely knows me; Waynes have always been there for Gotham. I've seen all it has to offer. I've seen the good as well as the bad. When I was just ten years old, my mother, father, and I were confronted by a man on our way home from a movie theater. They both were shot and killed right in front of me. I've seen the ugly, but I realize that under every mound of dirt lies a treasure chest. I ran for mayor because I wanted to be at the front lines when it came to dealing with Gotham's issues. I've been successfully running my company for the past fifteen years. The Martha Wayne Foundation's been helping more people than ever before. Simply put, I decided to run for mayor because...I love Gotham. Roman Sionis ran for mayor for that reason, too. He took the loss with such dignity and nobility. Even then, the work he's doing will be instrumental to Gotham's prosperity.

Watchtower: It's hard not to know the Waynes even outside of Gotham and the world is grateful you never dived into Reality TV. Well, most of the world. Some people just have no taste... Sionis did take the loss well. His speech has almost as many views as your own. However, you still have your detractors out there. How's it been trying to manage your company, the City, and your various foundations? Do you have some reliable help or should all the single women out there begin to worry about hair loss in Bruce Waynes' future as you get pulled in every direction?

Bruce Wayne: Ha! Well, my life isn't all glitz and glamor like some people think. If I had my own reality show, it'd be off-air by the third episode for being so boring. The episodes would all have the same formula--me waking up and going to work at Wayne Tower, then going to work at City Hall, then going back to the Manor, and repeat. And yeah, y'know, I'll go to an event pretty often. Bottom line, we Waynes aren't that interesting to follow around.

I try to keep "head of Wayne Enterprises" and "Gotham City mayor" as separate as possible. The last thing I want is a conflict of interest. Lucius Fox is doing a spectacular job at...um, holding down the fort, if you will. Wayne Ent is in good hands with him. So, no, the ladies don't have to worry about gray hairs yet. I'm not THAT old! [Laughter]

Watchtower: I always thought your grandfather was a "hoot" as he described himself in his biography which by the way, I managed to get a signed copy of and it's one of my favorite books. The anecdotes he came up with were pure awesome. He'd have been fun to follow. He's also a nice segue into something you dealt with during the campaign considering his somewhat similar situation.

The Batman.

It always comes down to the Batman here in Gotham. You and your opponent had to constantly share your comments on vigilantism, its effects on the city, and what needed to be done about it. Now Batman... He's become a beacon of respect, fear, and even hope depending on your point of view. His apparent allies and copycats less so. Can you restate some of your goals in dealing with it now that you're in office for my less politically minded readers?

Bruce Wayne: I like that you say "the Batman." In Gotham we say "the Bat-Man." There's a little pause in there. A hyphen. Kind of like how we Gothamites call Batman and his crew the Knights, while everyone outside of Gotham just calls them the "Batfamily." I hope that shows how ingrained Batman is to this city. He's a part of us. In some ways, he IS Gotham. Fifteen years ago, when I returned to the city, I started hearing whispers about the Bat-Man. Back then, he started out as a guy in a simple hoodie. No one knew what to think of him then.

Not until the Joker came along. He's toppled skyscrapers. He's killed thousands of innocent people. And when no one was able to stand up to him, Batman was there. I have no clue how he did it, but he always managed to stop the Joker, one way or another. And it wasn't just him. Others started showing up. Two-Face... Riddler... Black Mask... Scarecrow... Poison Ivy... [Pauses] Bane. Those are the people we're concerned about.

Watchtower: I for one agree. They're who we should be truly worried about, not heroes that are trying to make this city and the world a better place. But I'm not one of those people that matter to most. Not even of voting age yet. [laughs]. All I have is this soapbox and there are those with bigger soapboxes than a blog about Capes.

Bruce Wayne: There may be bigger sites out there, but have any of them had an interview with the mayor of Gotham City?

Watchtower: Well, a few of them have but they also tend to have history behind them so thank you for that.

How do you respond to the concerns of those people on more publicized boxes who find nearly half of the Knights to be questionable? Both Catwoman and Batwoman have checkered pasts that are more than simple reports of Batman toeing the line with excessive force yet the Mayor's office and the GCPD give them a free pass now. Robin is kid that Batman's been accused of raising into a child soldier. And recently all over news for Frankie Deever's trial, his lawyer has told the press the "Boy Wonder" nearly beat him to death until Batman pulled the kid off him. Is there a point or line your administration has warned The Bat-Man that everything he's accomplished so far could come crumbling down if it is crossed by him or his allies?

Bruce Wayne: It's not really my place to speak about Robin on Batman's behalf. It's dangerous, though. I wouldn't like it if either of my kids dressed up in colorful costumes and fought crime in the night. Crime here is...special. Crime is a part of Gotham's DNA, if you know what I mean. Batman and his allies have certainly helped, but it's hard to erase crime without going outside the law. The Knights realize that. If they take lives, they become criminals themselves. As I said, Batman is a part of Gotham. Nothing's as simple as, "Oh, well, what if he does this thing? What happens then?" Or even, "What about this person? What makes them so special?" Batwoman is hardly seen these days, and Catwoman's operation in the East End has been helpful. Gotham is far from your average city. Things are different here. Rules change. What works in this city may not fly in others. It's just the way things are, and we, as citizens, have to learn to adapt. A little fun fact... I've never heard Batman's voice. Hardly anyone has. The only ones who have are some key people at the G.C.P.D. That goes to show how secretive the Knights like to be.

Watchtower: Alright, Mr. Mayor, the Knights may get to be secretive but now it's your turn to finally tell the truth. Rapid fire time. Say the first thing that comes to your mind.

Bruce Wayne: Fire away.

Watchtower: Batmobile or Batcycle?

Bruce Wayne: Batmobile.

Watchtower: Batmobile or Batplane?

Bruce Wayne: Batplane.

Watchtower: Batarang or grapple line?

Bruce Wayne: Bata-- Wait, Batman has a grappling line?

Watchtower: He does. Yellow batsymbol or black?

Bruce Wayne: Black.

Watchtower: Do you have a batarang?

Bruce Wayne: No.

Watchtower: Do you want one?

Bruce Wayne: I guess.

Watchtower: Batwoman or Catwoman?

Bruce Wayne: Neither.

Watchtower: Safe answer. Keep the people of Gotham and the press on their toes about your preferences on whips. We’re in the last sprint for the final question. Fittingly enough, it’s about the Scarlet Speedster himself. If the Flash gave Batman a headstart until the last couple hundred miles around the world, could Batman beat him in a race with his jet?

Bruce Wayne: I don't know how fast the Batplane can go, so I'll have to say Flash.

Watchtower: Thank you for your time, Mr. Wayne. I appreciate you letting me into your house and home and answering ridiculous questions atop of the rather serious matters we discussed. Especially when you have so much on your plate and I couldn't fault you for taking what free time you have to relax.

Bruce Wayne: It's been a pleasure.

*****

Once again, Watchtower thanks Mayor Wayne for his time and his maturity in refusing to offer me anything from the wine cellar. When he's not being Mayor of Gotham City, Wayne is the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, either heads or sits on the boards on a variety of charities, and looks out for other organizations and facilities that make the world a better place. It's those charities and place I'll sign off on with the links below. Please read up, donate, share... Do what you can to help because not all heroes wear capes or masks. So check out The Martha Wayne Foundation, The Jennifer Scott Foundation, the East End Restoration Fund, and Molly Mayne's Kitchens On the Move. There's also the new Roman Sionis Gotham Children's Hospital, Elliot Memorial Hospital, Arkham Aslyum, and the Kane County Boys Home.

Remember, even a single dollar, a single hour of volunteering, can help change lives.