Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 Page #3

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Merv, l'm absolutely convinced

of Harvey's Dent's innocence.

But that's not to say he hasn't returned

to crime.

I know that sounds confusing to the layman,

so let me explain.

You see, it all comes down

to this Batman fellow.

His psycho-erotic behavior

is like a net...

...trapping weak-minded neurotics

like Harvey...

...drawing them into corresponding,

intersecting patterns.

You could say Batman

creates his own enemies...

...committing the crimes using his

so-called villains as narcissistic proxies.

ln other words,

the real villain here is Batman.

[GRUNTING]

[ALL GASP]

MAN 1 :
Look out. Look out!

MAN 2:
Oh, my--

Report just coming in of an explosion

at the Gotham Life Building.

[BEEPS]

People of Gotham. This is Harvey Dent.

Sorry to interrupt

your television-viewing pleasure.

Right now, l'm sitting atop

the beautiful Gotham Life Building...

...with two bombs big enough

to make both towers rubble.

You have 22 minutes to save them.

And my price is $22 million.

[BEEPS]

[MEN COUGHING]

[GRUNTING]

[MEN COUGHING & GRUNTlNG]

[BLOWS LANDING THEN MEN GROANING]

[GUNSHOTS]

[GRUNTS THEN SCREAMS]

[GRUNTS]

[GROWLS]

[WHlMPERlNG]

-What's happening?

-Your favorite nightmare.

Should last about an hour.

[BEEPlNG]

[GRUNTS]

-How do l stop it?

-Stop it? lt shouldn't be going.

Two-Face lied to you.

He said we'd get the money and run.

The bombs are just for show.

He wants to die.

And take thousands with him.

-Can you stop it?

-I'm not sure. Cross your fingers.

[GRUNTS]

[GUNFlRE]

[SCREAMlNG]

[PANTlNG]

[BEEPlNG]

[BATMAN GROANS]

[GRUNTING]

Show me. What did you do?

HARVEY:

No.

[HARVEY PANTING]

I played along as long as I could.

While you and the docs had your joke.

You got everyone to smile and keep

their lunches down when they looked at me.

-Pretending I looked normal.

-You think--?

Cut it out.

Just look at me and have your laugh.

Get it over with.

At least both sides match now, right?

Look at me and have your laugh.

Who are we kidding? They couldn't fix me.

Nothing can change what l am.

You and me both.

WOMAN:
I think it's a mistake to look at

Batman's return in purely physical terms.

I think it's a symbolic resurgence

of the common man's will to resist.

A rebirth of the American soul.

Okay, easy on the rhetoric, Lana.

The only thing Batman signifies

is an aberrant psychotic force.

The man's a danger to every citizen.

-Hardly as dangerous as the criminals, is he?

-Batman knows exactly what he's doing.

His kind of fascist always does.

Sorry, Morrie and Lana, we're out of time.

But l'm sure this debate is far from over.

-Commissioner.

-Mr. Hudson.

Sure, you should be out so late?

Not safe, even for our top cop.

-Wife forgot bean sprouts.

-Sounds like she's got you eating right.

Gotta watch the red meat, you know.

Everyone's a doctor.

You have a good night.

[HUDSON GRUNTS]

[BOTTLES SHATTERING]

[CHUCKLES]

[GUNFlRE]

A parents group called the Council of Mothers

filed a petition with the mayor's office today...

...as did the Victims' Rights Task Force...

...both calling for renewed sanctions

against the Batman.

The mayor spoke to reporters this afternoon.

We're still in consultation on this.

Still in consultation.

LOLA:
Incidents of violence against criminals

continue to rise in Gotham.

Which of these acts are the work

of Batman...

...and which are by others he's inspired,

is impossible to tell.

Batman? I think he's A-okay.

He's kicking all the right butts.

Beating the heads that need beating.

Know what l mean?

I'd like to see him show up

for my landlord next.

It makes me sick, to see such a violation

of people's rights.

We have to strive to reintegrate

the disenfranchised into society...

...not revel in their punishment.

We have to show patience.

Excuse me? No, I'd never live in the city.

One moment, I've just been handed this.

"Commissioner James Gordon

has been shot and killed."

Wait, l'm sorry. I read that wrong.

"Commissioner Gordon has shot

and killed a 1 7-year-old-mutant."

[OVER TV] Gordon was attacked not far

from his west-end apartment.

MAN:

What a downer.

-Seventeen years old.

WOMAN:
Macho cops.

Just like Chicago. Remember Chicago?

MAN:

Not really. I was tripping the whole time.

[GASPlNG]

Whoa. lnstant pizza.

[GASPS THEN SCREAMS]

[GRUNTING]

Some Robin.

Gordon is set to retire later this week...

...while the mayor has yet to announce

his replacement.

I'm still polling opinions.

Still polling opinions.

In entertainment news,

Galaxy Broadcasting president James Olsen...

...assured viewers that the television

writers' strike, now in its fourth year...

...will not affect programming.

A spokesman for the Ridley Chewing Gum

family has revealed that the Mutants...

...have kidnapped Kevin Ridley,

the 2-year-old heir to the Ridley fortune.

[WAlLlNG]

You ever wanna hear him again?

Do like we said. You got one hour.

[MUFFLED GRUNTING]

Oh, man. The kid messed himself.

Hold your breath. Once we get the ransom,

we flush the whole kid.

[CREAKlNG]

[BAT SCREECHlNG]

-Get it off me. Get it off me.

-Chill, Spot. It's just a bat.

[SCREAMlNG]

Get out of the way.

[GUNSHOTS]

Should have got out of the way, Spot.

[SCREAMS]

Back off or l'll kill him.

Believe me man, l'll do it.

[GRUNTING]

[KEVlN WHlMPERlNG]

I believe you.

[GRUNTS]

[PANTlNG]

Didn't suck.

BATMAN:

Do you know who I am, punk?

MAN:
Where am l? I can't see.

BATMAN:
l'm your worst nightmare.

The kind that makes you wake up

screaming for your mother.

MAN:

I think I'm bleeding. What's on my face?

BATMAN:

Quite an arsenal you had in that apartment.

Combat weapons.

You're going to tell me where you got them.

MAN:
Solid, man, l'll tell you.

But no cops, and l walk. Deal?

BATMAN:
You're in no position to negotiate.

Let me show you.

[SCREAMlNG]

For the record, no, that place wasn't worth

coming to this neighborhood.

Don't worry, it's easy to get a cab

on the next block.

-If we make it to the next block.

-Will you chill out?

They can smell the fear on you, you know.

CARRIE:

Eyes slideways.

Hoo! Haah!

Look out.

What the hell?

I'm trying to make an honest living here.

Stay out of my business.

You're welcome.

So many years of service.

My men, my country, that's all I cared about.

You've been selling weapons

to the Mutants.

My wife...

...she's dying.

And after all those years,

they wouldn't pay for the treatment.

You sent them enough firepower

to stage a small war.

If it's a war they want, l've got just the thing.

Nice way to end your career, general.

[GUNSHOT]

DRlVER:

Leader says everyone, so get in.

MUTANT 1 :
Sure. Figure we got plenty time

for speeches.

DRlVER:

Not talking speeches, man. Talking war.

The dump, in one hour. So get in.

-Okay, okay.

-The dump.

[RUMBLlNG]

[BEEPlNG]

ALFRED:
Master Bruce?

-Who else?

-Of course, but the signal is coming from--

-Been a while since l've taken her out.

Still purrs. Like it was yesterday.

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