DC HERO AT MARVEL

"In their eyes, those mobsters, they think you're a monster—just like me... but I'm not a monster. I'm just a cut above the rest."

The Joker shrugged as he faced Batman, his tone calm, yet it completely infuriated the Dark Knight.

"Where Harvey?"

Batman grabbed the Joker by the collar, his eyes burning with suppressed rage.

"See, you're still clinging to those rules, thinking they'll save you..."

The Joker, pinned against the wall by Batman, looked frail and thin in comparison.

Yet instead of appearing weak, he exuded a sense of dominance, as if the one in control wasn't Batman, but him.

And that was the reality.

"I have only one rule," Batman said coldly.

"Oh, then breaking it will bring the truth right in front of you!"

"The truth?"

"The smartest way to live is to abandon all rules. And tonight, you're going to break your one and only rule."

"I thought as much."

"There one minute left. This is your last chance if you want to save any of them."

"Them?"

Batman caught onto the word, his pupils contracting.

Rachel!

At that moment, everyone realized that it wasn't just Harvey Dent who had been captured but also Rachel, Batman childhood friend and possibly his first love.

As the film progressed, the audience witnessed Batman powerlessness.

Rachel died!

Batman and Commissioner Gordon were played like fools by the Joker.

Even Harvey Dent, the righteous district attorney, began to show signs of corruption under the Joker relentless pressure.

Fans familiar with Batman comics instantly recognized this character as the villain known as Two-Face.

No one expected that Two-Face had once been a righteous district attorney.

And before his fall, he was called the "White Knight," someone closely tied to Batman, even considered his ally.

The White Knight?

The movie is titled The Dark Knight?

Is there some kind of symbolism here?

As for the Joker...

In DC Comics, the Joker was merely mentioned in passing by other villains, feared yet unseen.

He had never made an appearance!

Fans didn't know the Joker true face.

Before the movie release, DC had carefully planned to ensure the Joker debut would leave an unforgettable impression.

Clearly, DC succeeded.

The storyline of The Dark Knight defied all expectations.

In the real world, Batman was seen by many as an almost invincible superhero.

Much like how Superman was revered as a god in the Superman films.

In reality, especially in New York, Batman home base, there were signs of people beginning to venerate him as a god.

Though this reverence was still in its infancy, it was already awe-inspiring.

Not even Captain America had received such treatment!

Every appearance of Batman was accompanied by the eradication of evil.

Countless citizens were saved.

Over the past year, the accident-prone city of New York had grown even more radiant due to Batman presence.

Yet the creators of Batman—DC—were the first to "defame" him!

In the movie, Bruce Wayne, the Batman, was, in many ways, reduced to a "normal person" manipulated by circumstances.

DC imbued Batman with a unique charm, distinct from other heroes.

They made Bruce Wayne character whole.

Suddenly, people realized that, despite his privileged upbringing, Bruce Wayne had faced hardships from a young age, clawing his way out of despair with the world strongest willpower.

Such a superhero couldn't be defined merely by superhuman abilities or external advantages.

This film brought out the most dazzling aspects of Batman.

His greatest strength?

His philosophy.

"A boundless imagination... or perhaps, this reflects the real Batman experiences? Could there truly be a villain like the Joker, someone who commits evil for the sake of amusement?"

Tony marveled as he thought.

He was currently grappling with palladium poisoning, trapped in a situation of extreme pain.

In a way, he felt a connection with the dire straits Batman faced in the movie.

It was well-known that DC and Batman were closely tied.

Tony suspected Batman had already seen this film and might even have been one of the writers.

The Dark Knight embodied Batman spirit.

Tony felt inspired by that spirit, growing even more impressed with Batman.

Meanwhile...

In the back corner of the theater, Coulson stared at the screen, his expression slightly grave.

Unlike Tony, Coulson had a different thought.

If Batman and the Joker were polar opposites, two sides of the same coin, could the Joker be a manifestation of what Batman would become if he lost his ideals and moral compass?

A chill ran through Coulson.

He suddenly felt that Nick Fury idea wasn't baseless.

The Avengers were absolutely necessary.

The Justice League had already become a force that no faction could ignore.

If Batman ever turned to the dark side, the Justice League under his leadership would undoubtedly become the world greatest threat.

In the film, the Joker sought to create a world without Batman.

It was as if he were implying that a darkened Batman would seek to create a world without opposition.

In such a world, Batman would be the sole ruler.

At this moment, Gotham in the movie had fallen under the Joker control.

Everyone wanted to escape the city.

The police relocated all the criminals, putting them on a ship to transport them to other cities.

Meanwhile, under the Joker psychological manipulation, Harvey Dent fully succumbed to darkness.

Yet, those Gotham citizens who still believed in justice continued to trust their "White Knight."

Batman had no choice.

If news of Harvey Dent downfall spread, it would undoubtedly shatter people faith in justice.

With justice collapsed and belief extinguished, everything would fall apart.

People would become walking corpses.

Facing such a bleak future, Batman chose to shoulder the darkness himself.

At the end of the film,

the Joker was captured.

But Harvey was dead!

—Reported in the news as having been killed by Batman.

The Commissioner personally confirmed it.

Thus, Batman became a reviled criminal.

Meanwhile, Harvey Dent remained the righteous district attorney embodying everyone belief in justice.

Gotham returned to its former peace.

And Batman disappeared.

The movie ended.

"The Dark Knight…"

Tony and Coulson finally understood the meaning behind the film.

"Carrying the darkness while yearning for the light—this is what it means to be the Dark Knight!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

A wave of applause filled the entire theater.

Jim couldn't suppress the smile on his face. He knew this film would achieve unimaginable success.

They had redefined Batman image in the hearts of the audience.

From now on, Batman would no longer be seen as a god but would remain an eternal symbol of justice and an idol in people hearts.

Anton stood up.

"Congratulations."

"The film was brilliant!"

Voices of praise came from all around him as the crowd congratulated the team.

The premiere was an overwhelming success.

Tony remained seated, lost in thought for a moment, as though solidifying a newfound resolve.

As Anton passed by him, Tony called out to his old friend:

"Anton."

"This is an exceptional film."

"Thank you for the compliment," Anton replied without hesitation. "It a masterpiece."

"It Batman masterpiece, not yours," Tony said plainly before rising and leaving.

He had no intention of staying to watch Anton and the other creators revel in their glory on stage.

Everyone knew that the creators didn't matter as much.

The name Batman was the real key to the movie success.

Even if it were an epic disaster of a film, slapping the Batman name on it would guarantee good sales.

And this movie? Its quality was already exceptional.

Its success was inevitable.

Following Tony lead, Coulson quietly left the theater as well, intending to report the film content to Nick Fury immediately.

He also planned to discuss whether the movie contained any reflections of the real-life Batman.

After all, Batman had already given S.H.I.E.L.D. endless headaches.

Especially recently, when Batman had formed a relationship with the U.S. military.

Moreover, as the public face of the Justice League, Anton had the backing of the Jameson family, whose political influence could not be underestimated.

S.H.I.E.L.D. already lacked the military strength to suppress the Justice League. Now, politically, they had also lost the leverage to counter it...

As a result, the Avengers, which S.H.I.E.L.D. was still in the process of assembling—no, had already partially assembled—would be utterly overshadowed by the Justice League.

This was absolutely not the outcome Nick Fury wanted to see.

Soon after, amidst widespread acclaim, the premiere came to an end.

Online, reviews of The Dark Knight began flooding major movie forums and websites.

Most critics gave the film unprecedented praise.

A handful of sensationalist dissenters were simply ignored by the public.

[Batman and the Joker: Two Sides of the Same Coin?]

[When You Stare Into the Abyss, the Abyss Stares Back at You]

[The Real-Life Batman Is Seen as a God, but the Movie Batman Shows You His Humanity]

One review after another sent the internet into a frenzy.

On the most well-known movie review platforms, the ratings soared: Rotten Tomatoes had a 97% freshness score, and IMDb scored it a 9.1.

These near-record-breaking numbers only fueled the anticipation.

Anton returned to DC Studios.

He loosened his tie, sat down in his executive chair, and prepared to wait for the stream of good news to pour in.

Ring, ring, ring!

His phone suddenly rang.

The call was from the old man, Jonah Jameson.

"Old man, the movie is a huge success!"

Anton answered with a smile, but his expression instantly froze.

"Wayne Enterprises has been bombed!"

Jameson voice carried a hint of lingering fear. "I'm fine, Wick saved me... but the company is in trouble. It was a terrorist attack."

"How could this happen!"

Anton face darkened, his gaze sharp and dangerous.

He spoke slowly, "Stay where you are. I'm coming right now!"

A few minutes earlier.

Anton was still in the parking lot of DC Studios, preparing to head upstairs.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Manhattan, several men in blue electrician uniforms infiltrated the Wayne Enterprises building.

Under the guise of electrical maintenance, they gained access to the floor occupied by Wayne Enterprises with clear intent.

Jameson was overseeing operations on this floor.

Wick, acting as his bodyguard, remained stationed outside his office door.

The appearance of the electricians didn't raise any alarms.

Work carried on as usual.

But Wick sensed something was off.

As the former assassin king of New York, his sharp instincts had saved him from peril countless times.

Although the electricians disappeared from his line of sight as soon as they turned a corner, separated by a wall, Wick intuition screamed that something about them wasn't right.

He moved to investigate.

The electricians didn't panic upon seeing him. Instead, they greeted him with smiles.

But these weren't friendly smiles—they were mocking, maniacal, and devoid of regard for life. It was the silent laughter of death devotees, bringing an ominous foreboding.

Danger.

Wick eyes caught a subtle flush on the skin of these two men.

He raised his gun and fired.

Bang! Bang!

Muzzle flashes erupted as bullets left the chamber, hitting both electricians square in the chest.

The force of the impact slammed them against the wall behind them.

Yet, to Wick astonishment, the bullets didn't deliver a lethal blow. Instead, the men mocking smiles deepened, their deranged expressions undeterred.

"Damn it!"

Wick pupils contracted as he cursed under his breath. He knew something was very wrong—these weren't ordinary men. He was facing something far more dangerous.

Deciding not to engage further, he turned and headed straight for Jameson office.

These men were incredibly dangerous!

In a situation like this, his priority was ensuring the safety of his employer, Jonah Jameson.

Wick was a man of his word.

After agreeing to serve as the Jameson family bodyguard, he had consistently performed his duties with exceptional professionalism.

It wasn't just about duty—it was also the immense pressure of Anton identity.

While most people regarded Batman as a hero, Wick, having once faced him directly, had seen the unimaginable threat lurking beneath the surface.

That overwhelming presence, akin to staring death in the face, was an experience Wick never wanted to repeat.

Bang!

Wick kicked open the office door, startling Jameson, who looked up in shock.

"Wick!"

Jameson frowned. "What going on?"

Boom!!

At that moment, a thunderous explosion erupted behind them, accompanied by searing heat and blinding flames that quickly engulfed the area.

The half-open office door was instantly blasted off its hinges by the shockwave.

Wick expression changed dramatically.

Without a word, he grabbed Jameson and leaped out of the window.

Fortunately, Wayne Enterprises occupied the lower five floors of the building.

The first floor housed the lobby, the second floor contained the offices for researchers and company employees, while the third through fifth floors were dedicated to laboratories and treatment facilities.

In other words, Wick pulling Jameson from the second-floor office to the ground inflicted minimal harm.

Wick landed back-first on the roof of a parked car, shielding Jameson with his chest and absorbing most of the impact from the fall.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

Simultaneously, the explosion tore through the second floor, as well as the third through fifth floors, sending shattered glass raining down like a storm.

Without hesitation, Wick twisted his body to shield Jameson from most of the falling debris.

Moments passed.

Thick black smoke billowed from the building interior, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation.

Jameson stood on the roadside, staring at the wreckage of Wayne Enterprises in the aftermath of the explosion.

Though injured, Wick remained standing protectively by his side, looking disheveled but steadfast.

Wick glanced at Jameson.

This wasn't just a random attack.

Those two men had clearly been targeting Wayne Enterprises!

If Wick could piece that together, there was no way Jameson hadn't reached the same conclusion.

After a moment of grim silence, Jameson expression turned dark as he pulled out his phone and dialed Anton number.

"Wayne Enterprises has been bombed!"