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"The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:43 pm
by Cainanite (imported)
I've realized that not all of you may be familiar with the Batman Beyond storyline that Paolo and I have been playing with in our stories;

"Simon Beyond" (https://eunuchworld.co/s13834)

and

"The Ghosts of Gotham City" (https://eunuchworld.co/s13835)

So, I've decided to put up this little explanation.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

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http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Project_Batman_Beyond

Project Batman Beyond was a secret project launched by Amanda Waller through her old Project Cadmus connections to ensure that Batman would have a successor. The result was Terry McGinnis, in actuality the genetic son of Bruce Wayne and Mary McGinnis.

History

During Amanda Waller's encounters with the Justice League, both hostile and friendly, she developed a great admiration for Batman, and came to believe that someone like him would always be needed. As she watched Bruce Wayne age, she realized he wouldn't be around forever. Drawing on her old contacts with Project Cadmus, Waller devised a scheme to give Bruce a genetic "son", who would likewise be compelled to take up a life as a crime fighter.[1]

To begin the project, Waller found a young couple that were almost identical psychological matches to Wayne's father and mother: Warren McGinnis and Mary McGinnis. Using nanotechnology and a sample of Wayne's DNA, she created a retrovirus that was administered to Warren during a routine flu inoculation, which over-wrote Warren's reproductive DNA with Wayne's DNA. A year later, Terry McGinnis was born.[1]

Knowing that genetics were not the only factor in creating Batman, Waller later hired an assassin to murder Terry's parents at the same age and under very similar circumstances as Bruce had endured in losing his parents, trying to recreate the conditions that turned Bruce Wayne into Batman. However, the plan did not work. The assassin hired was Andrea Beaumont, who had been Bruce Wayne's fiancee at an earlier point in his life.[2] Knowing what the murder of his parents had done to Bruce and realizing that she would be dishonoring everything he stood for, Andrea refused to subject another child to the same horrors. Waller realized she had crossed a line, and scrapped the project.[1]

Shortly after the failed assassination, Matt McGinnis (http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Matt_McGinnis) was born to Warren and Mary, an unexpected addition to the project.

Despite Waller's abandonment of it, Project Batman Beyond was ultimately successful. When Terry was sixteen, Warren McGinnis was murdered on the orders of Derek Powers. A chance meeting between Terry and Bruce Wayne did the rest, and a new Batman was created.[3]

Discovery

At some point after Terry became Batman, Bruce became aware of their genetic relationship. He concealed it from Terry, feeling that Warren had raised Terry, and so deserved to be remembered as his true father. He also wanted Terry to be his own man, and not to feel that his fate had been ordained by his birth.

Bruce's decision to conceal the truth from Terry led to conflict years later. When Bruce, by then in his nineties, began to suffer from kidney failure, Terry, then in his early thirties, was checked for compatibility of being a tissue donor to clone the organs needed and was found to be a perfect match. Surprised, Terry ran a DNA test and found that he was Bruce's genetic son.[1]

Initially believing that Bruce had been behind the scheme, Terry sought out Waller for answers. Waller then explained the truth to him, and advised him that he was not Bruce's clone, but his son -- his own man, free to choose his own path in life. Armed with this reassurance, Terry freely chose to carry on as Batman.[1]

Paolo has cleverly taken the storyline and plot of the Cadmus experiment to create a new Batman, and masterfully inserted it into the universe of C van D.

In "Simon Beyond" (https://eunuchworld.co/s13834), Tristan comes face to face with the reality of who he is, and the legacy he is meant to inherit. Paolo supposes that Simon Scott, and all his adventures became too important for the world to not have a Simon Scott in it. Simon Scott had proved influential, and pivotal to the world's security. As Simon was neutered at age eleven, he would never have anyone to fill his shoes once he became too old to have the adventures he once had.

Melanie Hamilton-Scott, Simon's girlfriend through though C van D's stories, and eventual wife of the hero, could not let Simon's legacy fade away. So with a few of Simon's friends, they genetically created a new Simon. Tristan was the result.

Through Paolo's story, there are flashbacks, and beautiful memories of Tristan's life. They mirror the episode from Justice League - Unlimited, "Epilogue" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfE-9cJAEVM) in a very satisfying way.

It proves how terrific an author Paolo is that he was able to adapt the story to so perfectly fit our favorite boy eunuch, Simon Scott by C van D.

For me, it also proves that Paolo is psychic!

At the exact time Paolo was writing "Simon Beyond" (a fact I was unaware of) I had just downloaded all the episodes of "Batman Beyond" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfzy110FKEw)

I didn't know why I was suddenly needing to watch this series, but I now know it was Paolo using his Jedi mind control powers on me. I was just getting the idea for my own Batman Beyond / Eunuch Archive story, when "Simon Beyond" appeared fully formed in my mailbox.

Seriously, how does he do these things?

I wasn't going to write my story, but after a few emails with Paolo, I was convinced I had to. I don't have the skills to adapt a story the way Paolo does, but I was interested in Terry McGinnis's little brother from the series, Matt McGinnis. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh9bRt7I6s8)

It donned on me that Matt shared the same DNA as his brother. He too, was the genetic son of Bruce Wayne.

I had a loose idea that perhaps in the future, there might be a special way to punish young offenders that would conform to the stories of boy-eunuchs here on the Archive. What would that do to a boy with the DNA of Batman in his blood? The part of the story I was running with, was the fact that Warren McGinnis, The father of Terry and Matt, had had his own reproductive material overwritten with the genes of Bruce Wayne. It seemed suspiciously in line with inoculations to make boy eunuchs, and it made sense that Neutersol (https://eunuchworld.co/s5178) would exist in the world of Batman Beyond.

In two days, "The Ghosts of Gotham City" (https://eunuchworld.co/s13835) was done. Paolo read it over before it was posted, and added some terrific comic book references, and helped spice up the dialog.

In tribute to a friend of mine here on the archive, I added one other character. I added the cat-boy, Growler. He's a boy that's been genetically spliced into the form of a leopard. It gave my story a decidedly "Furry" flare.

For those of you who might nit-pick that such "Furry" story-lines don't belong in the Batman universe, I direct you to Cheetah (http://wonder-woman.wikia.com/wiki/Chee ... ce_League)) from the Justice League - Unlimited series. She was a half woman, half cheetah hybrid who went around perpetually naked. She first appeared in the JLU episode, "Injustice for All". She had a very sexually charged (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5iwXjMe ... re=related) moment with Batman.

It seems to me that the old Warner Brothers Cartoon Series of the DC superheroes was a lot more adult than it looked like on the surface. There was certainly a lot more going on there, than I saw on first viewing. It certainly influenced Paolo and I.

Maybe you'll be inspired too?

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:35 pm
by Paolo
"These are not the eunuchs you are looking for."

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:42 pm
by StefanIsMe (imported)
Well, this works as a thank-you thread for both these stories :)

Ghosts: Dude, this is a treat, especially after the novel. I will address that story elsewhere, but Ghosts was a total hoot. I have never been able to weave much depth into a story (attention span of a gnat); the effort that goes into a story like yours is NOT a mere three- or five-hour effort, obviously. Thank you for this fun piece of work... I can only hope you had fun writing it. You realize, too, of course, that if you changed the court-ordered dosing to something more mainstream, this project could fly and get tons of fans on many other websites!

Simon Beyond: What can I say? The ol' Paolo brilliance shines again. I had no idea of the Batman reference and didn't look it up before reading your story, and for me, it was unnecessary background; the story pulled off its plot all on its own. Well, with a little help from you :). I've enjoyed your stories since before I joined here (2004 joined, but read as a leach for two or three years first) and you only imrpove with age. At this rate, you'll be out-writing Voltaire by your 60's! :p . I love your take on the Simon stories, man, you have the feel down pat, but to take it to this futuristic point was just so fun to read. You got skills. An ability to really work a story into a E.A. castration tale shows a dedication I lack. Someday... when I actually get a holiday... I can only hope I work half as much plot and surroundings into a writing for this site as you do.

Thanks, guys, for making this story archive one of the very best on the web.

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:10 pm
by Cainanite (imported)
StefanIsMe (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:42 pm I can only hope you had fun writing it. You realize, too, of course, that if you changed the court-ordered dosing to something more mainstream, this project could fly and get tons of fans on many other websites!

Any ideas of what I should change it to? It would have to be something traumatic, and get him kicked out of regular school permanently. I'd like to keep the Joker and Harley Quinn reference when he is dosed, if I could.

I'm worried if I change it, I'll lose the Warren McGinnis parallel of his reproductive DNA being overwritten, like Mattie's was destroyed.

I'm open to suggestions.

And yes, I had a lot of fun writing it.

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:21 pm
by devi (imported)
What's wrong with Robin??? We need him back. Batman is actually pretty boring. Bring back Robin!!!

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:32 pm
by Paolo
Dick Grayson, or Robin as Nightwing?

(Nightwing's way cooler!)

Jason Todd?

Tim Drake?

Damian Wayne?

And let's not even address that 'girl' who tried to be Robin.

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:33 am
by loveableleopardy (imported)
Thank-You HEAPS for the tribute Bat-kiddy :-)

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:32 am
by Cainanite (imported)
loveableleopardy (imported) wrote: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:33 am Thank-You HEAPS for the tribute Bat-kiddy :-)

You're welcome loveableleopardy... Or should I call you "Growler"?

I know you don't share many traits with my character, but yes, it was a tribute to you. Thank-you for the inspiration. I hope you enjoyed the story.

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 10:13 pm
by Cainanite (imported)
Seeing if I could get any more inspiration for future "Ghost" stories, I've just started watching the new series, "Young Justice".

So far, it is a pretty good series. It appears to be set sometime prior to the full events of Justice League - Unlimited. Wally West is still Kid Flash, Dick Greyson is still Robin. It sadly does not have Kevin Conroy voicing Batman, nor does it have Mark Hammil voicing the Joker. It may simply be set in a slightly alternate universe to the one I am familiar with. Still good though.

I just had to stop watching to post this. In Young Justice, there is a super-villain by the name of Cheshire. It is a female assassin, and completely unlike my half man, half cat splicer pervert in Ghosts of Gotham City, but I had to remark on the similar thinking. It seems there are only so many avenues of thought you can explore, when creating an iconic character for the DC superhero universe.

I swear. If Growler shows up in the DC universe, I will be quite upset... Or flattered. I haven't decided yet.

Re: "The Ghosts of Gotham City" and "Simon Beyond" explained.

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 11:31 pm
by Paolo
"YJ" is set on Earth 16, stated as being fairly unused in DC canon. I believe this comes from the JL movie "Crisis on Two Earths" which introduced the idea of multiple realities, much like the Star Trek TNG episode "Parallels". I was not all that impressed with YJ, and have watched both seasons. I absolutely detest their version of AquaLad. On another note, Robin sounds a lot like Zuko from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" on Nick, although it's not the same voice actor. You'll find that Beast Boy in season 2 sounds a lot like Aang, too, but it's not.