Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: Batman, dc comics, future state, gotham, gothamgossip

DC's Future State Gossip: How Gotham Got Even More Fascist Than Usual

Published Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:55:17 -0600

Last updated Fri, 12 Nov 2021 06:04:07 -0600

Gotham time! DC Comics will be running a two-month event, Future State, looking at potential and possible futures for the DC Universe, their most prominent characters and their successors. Originally planned as the ongoing nature for these titles as 5G or Generation Five, it was truncated into two months instead. However, it is notable that some aspects will be continuing over from Future State into DC Infinite, from March 2021.

The Fascism Of Gotham In DC's Future State — Credit: DC

Bleeding Cool has heard a few things about Future State that may suggest what else is to come, including what's going down in Gotham. We may be talking a fair bit about that this weekend on this Future State link. But here are thirty on Gotham alone.

The future of Gotham looks, in part Blade Runner, in others, Mad Max. It's very Mega-City One.
The mercenary force The Magistrate is hired by Gotham City's Mayor Christopher Nakano to hunt down all vigilantes and super-villain after "A-Day", which seems to stand for Arkham.
Employing curfew, arresting civilians without procedure, shooting suspects without process, no freedoms to protest, or for free assembly, the resulting Gotham City system is described as a fascist state.
The Magistrate was developed and funded by Lucius Fox and Wayne Enterprises, who are also behind some of its more esoteric technology.
The Magistrate introduces a fully militarized police force, armoured up including the use of uranium tipped bullets and dragon's breath shotguns, consisting primarily of magnesium pellets/shards.
The Magistrate has no jurisdiction across the Gotham City line.
Dilton Luxury Tech makes "Cybers" for the Magistrate, originally created to safeguard merchandise, but now the drones and over-sized battle droids police the street.
Other companies are also behind the technology. There may be some continuity-conflict here—Plexitech for Magistrate ballistic and armour, as well as Neocorp and Draftech.
Getting faster and more accurate in their responses, Cybers are also using Lazarus Resin to revive themselves when destroyed.
The Magistrate works under a new Gotham "shoot on sight" law, if they see anyone masked, their main task to seek out and destroy any and all vigilantes.
The Magistrate also operates a Detention Facility full of superheroes and supervillains.
The Magistrate monitors everything and traces everyone. But there are ways around it.
Full facemasks stop the Magistrate's facial recognition software. So do polygon masks. And false face serum.
Each Sector has a regional Peacekeeper in charge of the troops, with a different number to denominate them—12 for Wastelands, 01 for Gotham Central. Captain Marks, The Mark, is Peacekeeper 06, head of the Special Group for The Magistrate.
Batman is apparently killed in an alleyway by Peacekeeper 01, as Bruce Wayne. Somehow they know that means Batman is dead – Lucious Fox perhaps?
It was that moment, however, that allowed the Magistrate to turn the city into a police state.
Peacekeeper 01 also replaced Commissioner Montoya.
Batman survived, faking his death as Bruce Wayne but is forced to go underground.
There are 52 public enemies. The Next Batman is number one. Read more about him here, as well as how the rest of his family are facilitating The Magistrate and his fight against the traditional Batfamily.
Police and firefighters no longer talk to each other in Gotham.
Gotham has a Speakeasy for super-powered folk, away from the Magistrates, run by Slam Bradley.
Nightwing was placed in Arkham Asylum on "A-Day" but escaped, is leading a Resistance against the Magistrate.
The Knights Of Arkham also fighting the Magistrate, led by Astrid Arkham include Clayface, Two-Face, King Croc, Zsasz, Dumpty, Phosphorous, are based in Wayne Manor.
Stephanie Brown, after hanging up her mask, later returned as Spoiler – but is believed to have betrayed the Batfamily all to the Magistrate.
Darcy of We Are Robin is working at Gotham Customs. And Jason Todd is working with the Magistrate,
Kaliber of the League Of Assassins is with the Magistrate now.
Jimmy Olsen of Metropolis' Daily Planet revealed a Resistance plot to kill the Magistrate's Captain Of The Guard.
The Black Mask is out there, and no one can catch him or his gang, not masks, not the Magistrate. Veil is part of the Black Mask syndicate.
The Bane-Litos is another street gang operating in Gotham, as is The Red Hood Gang.
Huntress is a criminal – as are Catwoman and Poison Ivy.