Life in Gotham: A Gotham City Municipal Election Series (2002).

[Bigby]

Gotham Under Gordon:

Not long after Sarah Essen Gordon assumed the title of Mayor, Gotham received a blessing in disguise. Another attempt on Falcone's life was conducted, but Falcone defended himself in apt time. When the police arrived, Falcone had beaten his assailant to a bloody pulp after the two got involved in a fistfight. Falcone himself would face no charges as the D.A.'s office concluded that his self-defense claims were genuine. The assailant, who is left unnamed to protect his identity, testified against Maroni in exchange for a plea deal. Countless evidence, plans, and written and recorded evidence was located thanks to this would-be assassin's testimony. The judicial system quickly churned out an arrest warrant, with Harvey Dent personally presiding over Maroni's prosecution. Not everything Maroni had done could be used against him because of statute of limitations, but enough evidence was placed on him for first degree murder, conspiracy and complicity charges for various crimes, and whatever else the courts could pinpoint. The trial lasted for nearly an entire year, but by May 31st of 2000, Maroni was convicted and sent to prison for life. Within the two following months, the Maroni crime family fell apart because of infighting and abandonment of the syndicate. Maroni finally pays for his crimes against Gotham, Harvey Dent has risen to quick fame, and the city can fully enjoy its revitalization.

In the background of all of this, Johnathan Crane has been audited by the IRS for potential ill-gotten gains from the Ace Chemicals-Arkham Asylum partnership. This has formed a rift between him and his superior, Hugo Strange. The public only began to listen in closely on this scandal once the Maroni trial ended. Whether this move was a means to save Arkham Asylum's integrity, or if it was personal disgust against Crane for sullying his administration, Strange fired Crane and replaced him as Deputy Director with the freshly graduated Dr. Joan Leland by September. This proved to have... lasting consequences. In what became infamously known as the "Long Halloween," Crane revealed himself as the metahuman known as Scarecrow on live television. He revealed himself to have the power of not only knowing one's deepest, most worrisome fears, but to also have the ability to spring them to life. During his time as Deputy Director, Crane had opened up a normal counseling service as an extension of Arkham's mental health services. His self-reveal included hostages, all of which were patients under this regular counseling service. During the live hostage situation, Crane announced his desire to "unmask the people of Gotham for what they truly are, with primal, unadulterated fear being the one true way how!" Every one of these counseling patients revealed their deepest darkest fears to the people of Gotham, with Crane intending on "changing them into their own worst fears, forever!"

Every hostage had a worst wear Crane learned about during his counselor sessions, all of which were utilized against them in the Long Halloween. The first two hostages, Pamela Isley and Basil Karlo, were two young professionals, a botanist and a local actor, respectively. Their worst fear was getting lost in their reportedly overbearing and all-consuming work. A next hostage was then revealed, which was Roman Sionis, Former Mayor Richard Sionis's son. Roman's worst fear was his family name eternally remaining "black marked, like a black skull of shame" from the events of the 1994 Mayoral Election. The next hostage was revealed, a young chemistry student from Gotham University named Louise Lincoln, whose worst fear was dying in the cold after almost freezing to death in a meat locker as a child. The final hostage, a Cuban-American athlete by name of Antonio Diego, admitted a fear of anabolic steroids and other illicit enhacement drugs, which Crane noted as "exceptionally irrational" as Diego's record was squeaky-clean. Crane intentionally waited until the police arrived just in time for them to witness his powers. Scarecrow first blew plant matter combined with his fear powers into Isley's mouth, which promptly transformed her into a half-human, half-plant monstrosity with an involuntary connection and influence over any plant near her. The next victim, Karlo, got fear toxin-laced makeup rubbed into his skin, which took over his physiology and turned him into a morphable, clay-like being that could shapeshift while retaining the dull brown clay color all over. Scarecrow next pressed a hot black skull design all over Sionis's head, giving him a permanent black skull design over his head skin. Lincoln was struck with cryogen-laced ice, which turned her into an eternally-cold metahuman with icepowers that could only feel heat from external sources. Finally, Scarecrow injected Diego with a new experimental muscular enhancer laced with fear toxin that would atrophy and weaken Diego if he failed to receive a routine dosage. Gotham PD was unable to do anything but stare in fear as the first manmade metahumans (Sionis excluded) were born.

Not only did every single hostage taken during the Long Halloween turn insane, but they all turned to crime. Virtually all isolated and mafia crime was absorbed by these new villains, and thus Gotham's crime became virtually monopolized by these creations of Scarecrow. In response, a new hero arose from the shadows to combat these threats after the Gotham PD repeatedly failed to stop them. A strange, currently unidentified man in a black and dark gray bat-themed costume, quickly known to the people of Gotham as "Batman," emerged to fight against these supervillains. This "Batman" quickly became loved by the people of Gotham as he swiftly responded against Gotham's newest foes with effective zeal. While most of the costumed villain bosses remain at large, their underlings have been routinely defeated by this Batman at every turn, forcing them to either hide or turn desperate enough to show their faces. Vigilantism is illegal, but the Gotham government turned a blind eye to Batman as, honestly, he made their lives far easier. District Attorney Harvey Dent especially seems fond of Batman. "Look, if we ever catch this Batman, I will gladly prosecute him for vigilante activity, but on a personal level, he is a good man that should be admired. He refuses to attack or intentionally harm innocents, he only kills in self-defense if even then, and knows just how to subvert every single one of the five freakshow crime bosses. We can appreciate him for that, I feel." The Mayor and Deputy Mayor agree with this sentiment, as does most of the GCPD.

To some, he is the beloved Caped Crusader. To others, he is a dreadful Dark Knight. Either way, Gotham sees the Batman as a savior to the city and Gotham personified.

The Candidates:

Mayor Sarah Essen Gordon - "Gotham Welcomes our Caped Crusader."

Gotham's overall crime rate remains down compared to the Falcone years, and the Gotham economy remains healthy after President Schwarzkopf's reelection, but the voters of Gotham seem unconcerned with these facts. Instead, Mayor Gordon's campaign has focused on an intent to cooperate with Batman. "Sometimes I wonder if Batman can be called a vigilante in the truest sense of the word. So far, he has always done his best to hand over the thugs he subdues to the GCPD. Hell, he's even got this fixation on reading criminals their Miranda Rights. At this rate, I'll let the Commissioner give the man a badge if only he'd barge into his office." Deputy Mayor Wilson and District Attorney Harvey Dent likewise share this sentiment, making their endorsement of Mayor Gordon unsurprising. Gordon's administration has the rare honor of not suffering from scandal borne of donor demands or the Gotham Gazette's snooping around, mostly because the would-be responsible organizations are crumbling. True to herself, Gordon has declared that she will serve all of these villains their due process, as they are all still American citizens.

Arkham Asylum Director Hugo Strange - "This Dark Knight Fails To Go Far Enough."

The main opponent of Mayor Gordon is none other than Arkham Asylum Director Hugo Strange. Strange is not focusing on Mayor Gordon so as much as he is on the new metahumans. "Lincoln, Sionis, Karlo, Diego, Isley, even Crane himself.... It should be obvious that they are no longer their old selves, but something new. New threats must be counteracted with new defenses." Unlike the more constitutionally-inclined Gordon, Strange has posited that metahumans and vigilante-styled villains have no constitutional rights because their old identities are permanently lost. After Batman captured Basil Karlo, now known as the metahuman "Clayface," Strange's administration was interrupted by the Gotham City courts for improperly giving Karlo due process into Arkham Asylum. Karlo has sued Strange in civil court over Fourteenth Amendment due process violations. While this distracts Strange from his Mayoral campaign, it does provide him ample opportunity to prove his thesis to the voters of Gotham. When asked about the Batman, Strange merely grins and replies with, "Batman will be fine as long as he abides by my rules." Allegations of Strange's involvement with Scarecrow's schemes were quickly silenced when Strange fired Scarecrow while he was still Crane, and had cooperated fully with the Gotham government against Scarecrow, so Gordon's campaign has not been able to utilize that against him despite Wilson's personal desire to do so.

You have 48 hours to vote. Vote responsibly, and keep the Batman and the freaks when you pull the lever.

[Mr. Smith]

Gordon.

[Bigby]

US Presidential Election, 2000:

President Norman Schwarzkopf (R - FL)/Vice President Duncan Hunter (R - CA): 338 EVs, 53.9% PV
Governor Robert Reich (D - PA)/Senator Bill Clinton (D - AR): 200 EVs, 45.2% PV

Americans were largely happy with President Schwarzkopf. The economy continued to soar, gas prices remained low thanks to energy deregulation, and the federal anti-crime bills helped to produce a consistently lowering crime rate since 1998. America has not been involved with another war since the Orient War ended, so the post-Cold War joy of peace once again resumed. Overall, the American people had no major concerns. However, the picture was far from perfect. As a tradeoff to the anti-crime legislation, incarceration rates have spiked nationwide. Continued opposition to NAFTA has cratered Mexico's economy and stability, which in turn has led to increased border control and crackdowns on illegal immigrants. Debate about global warming resurfaced thanks to an end to Cuomo's environmental policies and the downsizing of the EPA. Most economic and population growth occurred in the Sun Belt while the Rest Belt continued to rust. Though Schwarzkopf has led a squeaky-clean administration, his choice of Gotham-native Nathaniel Barnes to the Supreme Court as well as his decision to combine the Department of Education back into HHS to revive the HEW Department collectively enraged the most ardent liberals. Plenty of heated debate existed for such an otherwise calm election.

The primaries reflected the mostly ideological nature of the election process. Conservatives gleefully united around Schwarzkopf, with establishment types falling in line for the sake of maintaining party unity. On the Democratic front, Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich ran on a new, youthful style of liberalism. Reich's platform was ardently liberal on economics, but Reich instead focused on creating a more socially liberal America. His policies included more open trade with failing nations such as Mexico "to share the wealth of this nation," increased affirmative action and an end to what he considers administration-endorsed racial profiling, and an increase in LGBT and women's rights, especially after the 1999 partial birth abortion ban was passed by Congress. While Schwarzkopf went through the mere motions of a primary, Reich energetically crushed his main competitors, the establishmentarian Dick Gephardt and the centrist Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Schwarzkopf was regarded as rather moderate during his first term, but that seems less so now as the Republican Party has slowly evolved to his platform.

Unsurprisingly, Schwarzkopf pulled a comfortable margin for reelection. However, Reich's charismatic, liberal ran was seen by pundits as the new lifeblood that the Democratic Party needs to maintain national prominence. Reich easily undid the slim margins Schwarzkopf won in California and Illinois, which is primarily why Schwarzkopf's electoral victory was nearly 95 EVs less than it was in 1996. The Republicans enjoyed a 250 seat majority in the House and a 54 seat majority in the Senate, but the Democrats ensured that these minimal gains remained minimal while also securing the victories of numerous Reich-styled Democrats in Congress. Most notoriously, Reich shook up the GOP Establishment wing with an endorsement from Alexander "Lex" Luthor, Jr., an already centrist Republican who jumped ship against President Schwarzkopf in 1999. Defeating Schwarzkopf was seen as too gargantuan of a challenge, but the Democrats definitely felt consoled with the Reich Revival. Talks of Reich running again in 2004 against Vice President Hunter immediately began on the Wednesday after the election.

President Norman Schwarzkopf held back the liberal tide, and remains a popular President, but will Vice President Hunter be able to win a third term for the GOP in 2004?

[White Trash]

Ugh, this is a tough election. I feel like a significant portion of the city is having their needs ignored. Abstain, bring back Falcone.

[Bigby]

Ugh, this is a tough election. I feel like a significant portion of the city is having their needs ignored. Abstain, bring back Falcone.

Luckily for you, neither attempt on Falcone's life worked, and both attempts have vindicated him in the eyes of Gotham City. If someone could make a "Can't X the X" for Falcone, I will be immensely grateful. As to the needs of certain demographics being ignored, it sounds like you're a voice of reason (or at least conventional politics) during the age of insanity plaguing Gotham's political landscape.

By the way, does anyone want me to make a lists of confirmed metahumans and masked heroes/villains in the Master Thread? I may also include ones not officially revealed in the storyline yet.

[White Trash]

Can't Baloney the Falcone?

And on the subject of conventional politics, I understand the concern with the metahuman crisis. But this whole time I've been thinking "What about the schools?".

[Bigby]

Can't Baloney the Falcone?

And on the subject of conventional politics, I understand the concern with the metahuman crisis. But this whole time I've been thinking "What about the schools?".

That's so cheesy it's hilarious. I love it.

[White Trash]

Can't Baloney the Falcone?

And on the subject of conventional politics, I understand the concern with the metahuman crisis. But this whole time I've been thinking "What about the schools?".

That's so cheesy it's hilarious. I love it.

Lol gave it my best shot

[Antonio the Sixth]

Gordon, obviously, but SG is right that a Falcone comeback would be great right now.

[Maxwell]

Obviously Gordon.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Easiest one yet, obviously Gordon.

[Bigby]

Voting ends tomorrow around 1:15 PM Eastern. This falls on a weekend without a due date for anything on my end, so more likely than not, I can post the epilogue and maybe even 2006 on that day.

[Bigby]

Okay, it's obvious that Mayor Gordon won re-election, but my epilogue for this election year may take a while, since I have something of a surprise for all of you. It won't be pretty.

[Bigby]

No Contest:

Unsurprisingly to many Gotham City pundits, Mayor Sarah Gordon won reelection. What came as the shock was by how far she won and why she won in such a massive lead. Strange was always seen as an eccentric, disturbingly morbid personality, but that drawback only worsened for him as time went by. The average Gothamite was absolutely frightened by Hugo Strange, and without another candidate to run in opposition against Gordon, she won in a landslide. Turnout was so low that it beat the previous low record of 1986, but Gordon's victory was still hailed by the entire city. Sarah Gordon earned not only the achievement of becoming Gotham City's first elected female Mayor, but also the achievement of being the first Mayor to win reelection since Timothy Burton. The two major scandals to sink Strange were the Strange v. Karlo case as well as Strange's fascination with a metahuman's ramblings.

Hugo Strange's claims that vigilantes and metahumans do not deserve due process under the Fourteenth Amendment received little support. Rather than pure law, Strange's theory was grounded largely in the philosophical concept of the "identity theory." Strange argues that American vigilantes and metahumans lose the "qualia" of their previous lives that made them who they were, including their qualia of American citizenship. Once it arrived to the Supreme Court after being rejected at the trial and then the appellate level, seven Chief Justices, Chief Justice Orrin Hatch included, promptly affirmed the judgement against Strange's argument. However, two Justices concurred in part but dissented in part. Associate Justices Doug Wilder and Nathaniel Barnes, the latter of whom was a federal judge representing Gotham's district before ascending to the Supreme Court in 1999, agreed with the majority that American vigilantes are still American citizens who deserve to retain their constitutional rights. However, they dissented in regards to metahumans. Metahumans indeed changed completely, even at the mental level. Since humans who were transformed into metahumans nearly uniformly abandon their previous lives, those two justices considered Strange's claim valid. However, Strange had still received an unfavorable opinion and thus had to follow with the trial court's specific performance to give Karlo due process as ordered. This did not help his image on the campaign trail, which Strange was already minimally involved in.

During Halloween in 2000, another Metropolis metahuman revealed herself. This was a gray-skinned young adult woman by the name of Rachel Roth, American-born but not exactly a human. She and Koriand'r, now largely known as Starfire by her fans, joined together as defenders of mankind against both foreign and domestic threats. Raven was the rebellious daughter against the demon Trigon, even though she was born into the material world thanks to a group of demonic cultists. Her powers include vague and byzantine predictions of chaos and calamity. In the fall of 2002, she revealed a revelation given to her. "Tens of thousands of dead souls, one in return for one, ran by fear and demon. Not only will death rise from the ashes, but so will new power." In Gotham, most citizens, including Gotham City's administration, believed that Raven's fortune casting was hinting towards another plot by Scarecrow. However, Hugo Strange posited that the plot against Gotham would be done by the League of Assassins. The public considered such an idea as preposterous, as attempts against the United States on its own soil by the League have been few and quickly vanquished. The League was too focused on causing chaos in the Middle East to be considered a current threat to America itself.

Strange may not be a cultist, but Gothamites nonetheless view him as a freak and an outcast. Of the 400,000 voters who cast a ballot in November, about 336,800 of those ballots were cast for the Incumbent Sarah Gordon. Arkham Director Hugo Strange's image and pride were promptly knocked down a peg thrice in one year, which did not lend well to his concession speech. Strange lashed out against everyone who conspired against him, or those he thought that did at least, and that history would vindicate him. As Harvey Dent retorted, "quoting James Buchanan never sounds like a good idea for anything, honestly." Batman seems to think so too, as he laughed furiously at Dent's quip during a news rerun, according to a criminal that Batman was subduing. Virtually little of Gotham found themselves even mildly upset at Strange's loss.

Disaster For Thee, But Not For Me:

Soon enough, Scarecrow's misdealings were discovered by GCPD. The supervillain likewise blamed the League of Assassins for any impending doom, and this time, Scarecrow's actions were to PREVENT harm rather than cause it. Though Johnathan Crane's public image cratered when his identity as Scarecrow was revealed, his hatred for the League remained. As genuine as this hatred seemed, no one believed Scarecrow. It took Batman six weeks to hunt down Scarecrow, but when he did, both were intercepted by the League! The two fought off every League rogue they could find in Gotham, and lo and behold, the two uncovered the League plot to blow up an Ace Chemicals plant right the middle of industrial center Gotham. As surprising as this was, Scarecrow doubly surprised Batman when he immediately surrendered to the Caped Crusader. When Batman questioned Crane's motives, Crane simply expressed his annoyance at giving up his criminal activities for a while, but the League was too loathesome for him to idly stand by. Scarecrow, revealing that some of Crane was indeed left in him, wanted to be turned in so he could leak the other League plots he had learned of during his six week crime spree. Batman believed Scarecrow and arrested him, but by the time they arrived to Gotham PD headquarters, they realized that they were too late.

At the White House, on New Year's Day, 2003, President Schwarzkopf was greeted by one of his Secret Service agents. This agent was none other than Gothamite and Orient War Hero Floyd Lawton. The two talked about the Orient War, with the President lamenting that "it's a shame how that Johnny Crane fellow went mad. At least we still have you and Slade Wilson as shining examples of American victory." Lawton just blankly stared and grinned at Schwarzkopf until pulling out a small detonator in his hand. "Only Slade Wilson is a hero. I am more an ... assassin," Lawton grimly chuckled out as he pushed the button. A loud explosion was heard. Almost instantly, the Pentagon went ablaze in that same explosion. Among the commotion, Lawton then pulled out his pistol and shot the President right in between the eyes. Before other agents could react, League cronies swarmed the White House, some of them having been disguised partygoers, to finish off everyone else in the party. While the Secret Service and later the National Guard wrestled with the League to regain the White House in the ensuing hours, reports from New York, Metropolis, and Los Angeles poured in.

The League of Assassins targeted more than merely the White House and the Pentagon in D.C. In Metropolis, the S.T.A.R. prototype particle accelerator was rigged to explode, causing almost 7,500 deaths ... as well as strange and currently unexplainable injuries to those who somehow survived the block-wide blast. In New York, a D.C.-styled explosion combined with League infiltration wiped out both World Trace Center towers, killing around 5,000. In Los Angeles, an almost magical fire spread in the middle of the Hollywood district, burning around 4,000 to death before inexplicably dying out. These combined catastrophes killed around 20,000 in total, innocents and fallen League members included. Despite receiving numerous shot wounds, the instigator, Floyd Lawton, barely survived. Numerous military generals, President Schwarzkopf, Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld, Chief Justice Orrin Hatch, Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia, and numerous other high-ranking officials were confirmed dead in DC before the last of the calamity ended elsewhere in the nation. Scarecrow and Hugo Strange were indeed correct about the League of Assassins being involved in the metahuman Raven's predictions, and thanks to Batman, Gotham City was the only major city that was targeted by the League of Assassins to largely survive unscathed. Metropolis, oddly enough, suffered more than Gotham for once. Once Vice President Duncan Hunter was quickly sworn in, he condemned these attacks and promised that the "Demon's Awakening" would never happen again.

(2006 is coming ASAP. Very likely to be posted today.)

[Antonio the Sixth]

Well wow.

[Bigby]

Well wow.

I can safely say that I've prevented the world in this series from being seen as utopian compared to ours. I've been convinced for a long while that living in a comic book setting is worse than living in our own. Looks like I bled that belief into my writing.