The meeting is interrupted by the flamboyant Alexandre LeRoi, who demands that he be proclaimed master of the city, or else he will burn it to the ground. Others believe that Gotham City needs Batman more than ever, namely now-Commissioner Gordon and Bruce's own fiancé, Julie Madison (who Batman rescued from a late-night assault).Īt a City Council meeting, Mayor Tolliver (the former Police Commissioner who aggressively prosecuted Bruce as the suspected Jack the Ripper) is promoting Gotham's hosting of the "American Discovery Exposition" to market Gotham as the "City of the Future". Having brought his parents' murderer to justice, he has come to regard being Batman as a childish fancy, and intends to devote his life to more serious pursuits. In 1892, three years later, Bruce has "retired" his alter-ego and is engaged to be married. Batman disappears into the shadows, leaving Gordon to take in the body of Jack the Ripper. Packer confesses that he is the Ripper and tries to kill Batman, but Gordon shoots Packer dead at the last minute. Gordon appears at this time with the police and Batman tells them to arrest Packer. Packer reveals that he hired an assassin to kill Bruce's parents.
Since then, he had been killing women who resembled Martha to silence the laughter of Martha he heard in his head. Packer had been trained in medicine and law with the money of Thomas Wayne, but he was driven insane by Martha Wayne's rejection of his advances.
Batman chases the Ripper throughout Gotham and the two eventually come to a stop at the grave of Thomas and Martha Wayne, where it is revealed that Jacob Packer is the Ripper. Bruce escapes from prison with the help of Alfred and heads straight for the Ripper.īatman interrupts the Ripper as he is about to claim his next victim. Just one day before the execution, Bruce learns the identity of the Ripper by discovering he had the skill of a surgeon and used a knife that belonged to the medical group who worked with his father. Bruce toils day and night to try to figure out how he can get the Ripper. Once Bruce is in prison, Gordon gives him all the documentation on the crimes. After the trial, Bruce is convicted of being the Ripper and sentenced to be hanged for his crimes.
A trial is held in which Uncle Jake is Bruce's defense attorney. It is soon discovered that Jack the Ripper has come to Gotham, as the murders in Gotham City seem to resemble the Ripper murders in London.Īfter a search of Wayne Manor, a bloody knife is found under Bruce's bed and Bruce is arrested.
Bruce takes up the mantle of Batman to fight criminals on the street.Īt the same time, a series of murders of women take place and some people begin to suspect that Batman is the murderer. Gordon also shows Bruce the case of a man who poisoned his wife and tried to commit suicide with the poison, which left him alive with a permanent grin. Shortly after arriving, Inspector Gordon informs Wayne about criminal gangs currently operating in Gotham. On the return trip, Bruce meets Jacob Packer, an old family friend whom he calls Uncle Jake, who has also returned from a trip to Europe. Bruce tells Freud that he has a recurring dream in which he recalls the murder of his parents and decides he must return to Gotham City. In 1889, Bruce Wayne is on a tour of Europe which ends in Vienna. It spawned one sequel, Batman: Master of the Future (1991), also written by Augustyn, with art by Eduardo Barreto. Subsequent printings of Gotham by Gaslight, however, have incorporated the Elseworlds logo. At the time the story was first published, the Elseworlds concept had not been established yet and initial printings were not labeled as such. Gotham by Gaslight is considered to be the first Elseworlds story in which DC Comics characters from alternate timelines or realities are featured in stories outside of the DC Universe canon. The story revolves around a 19th-century version of Bruce Wayne making his debut as Batman just as Jack the Ripper has arrived in Gotham City. Gotham by Gaslight is a DC Comics one-shot by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, with inks by P.