American comics: I gradually replicate everything

"Even the famous Batman... has moments of confusion, feeling powerless, and needing to ask for help?"

Van Kent read the message and raised an eyebrow.

That's quite rare.

But that's not surprising.

Batman is a human being, not a born, flawless symbol of darkness.

Especially in the early stages when he first donned the cloak and fought against evil with his mortal body, it was perfectly normal for him to feel lost, frustrated, and in need of help.

"Batman needs an assistant...isn't that Robin?"

Robin, Batman's most famous and closest sidekick.

Batman is not omnipotent; he often needs Robin's help in fighting crime.

Van Can raised an eyebrow.

According to the timeline, it's still a long way off from the first Robin; the title "Robin" hasn't even appeared yet.

Batman meant he wanted to hire him as an assistant, and Batman's assistant, well, isn't that... Robin?

"So, Batman... wants me to be the first Robin?"

Van Kent looked at him strangely, finding it somewhat amusing and subtly funny.

Robin is usually played by a minor, and I do seem to be a minor myself.

"Speaking of which, it's been quite a long time since I've seen Bat."

"Inviting me to Gotham...to be Robin?"

He touched his chin.

Whether he accepted Batman's offer to become Robin is another matter.

But the matter of going to Gotham...

"That's perfect."

Van Can's eyes lit up as he realized where he should start his pharmaceutical company.

Don't let Gotham's reputation as a crime capital and a den of iniquity overshadow its economic importance.

It is, after all, another New York in the DC universe, one of the few modern metropolises in the United States and even the world, and one of the world's economic and financial centers, with a very large scale, technological level, and medical market.

"Moreover, one thing that is rather hellish but unavoidable to consider is if I were to start a pharmaceutical company to conduct research and commercialize the Sacred Sun Orchid."

Gotham has no shortage of human test subjects suffering from incurable diseases, and once the research is successful, it will have a large number of potential consumers.

Gotham, the more I think about it, the more ideal it seems as a starting point.

There's also start-up capital for starting a business...

Although Van Can now possesses martial prowess comparable to a human tank, with punches and kicks as powerful as an RPG rocket launcher, he can't exactly rob a bank.

He could have easily borrowed some start-up capital from that "wealthy but boring" senior brother Bat...

"I've heard that among the most annoying people are those who never contact you normally, but the moment you do, they ask to borrow money."

Thinking about it this way, I think... I might become that kind of person too.

Van Ken chuckled.

……

Van Can didn't have much to prepare. He simply packed a few changes of clothes, some necessary personal items, a backpack, boarded a plane, crossed the ocean, and then took a train.

Two days later, he got off at Grand Central Station in Gotham's East District on a slightly worn platform.

After a long car ride,

As soon as I got out of the car, a stench of engine oil, dust, cheap perfume, and the smell of human body odor hit me.

A female voice announced train numbers in a cold tone over the loudspeaker. People hurried past, their leather shoes and high heels making a dense clattering sound on the mottled marble floor.

Step out of the station.

Van Ken stopped and looked up.

In the distance, Gotham presents itself to visitors as a vibrant modern metropolis.

Skyscrapers rise one after another, their glass curtain walls reflecting a dazzling yet cold light in the afternoon sun, outlining a sharp skyline.

That's Gotham's Diamond District, home to Wayne Enterprises headquarters, major corporations, and the world's financial center.

Social elites and the wealthiest people live there; it's a glamorous and beautiful place that many people yearn for.

But as your gaze shifts slightly downwards, away from the edges of those gleaming glass curtain walls, and into the intricate network of streets and alleys near the station,

A completely different scene was then revealed without any concealment.

Gothic-style old buildings are everywhere, with pointed roofs, arched windows, and intricate reliefs, most of which are covered with thick dust and soot, making them look gloomy and heavy.

The narrow streets were not very clean, with piles of garbage in the corners that no one had cleaned up, and the walls were covered with all kinds of wild or messy graffiti, some of which were gang marks, and some were just meaningless venting.

An indescribable smell filled the air.

The damp air mingled with the smell of stone powder from the old buildings, the pungent odor wafting from the distant chemical plant, and the rusty smell rising from the underground pipes.

There's also a kind of... oppressive and restless atmosphere that seems to permeate the very bones of the city.

On the faces of pedestrians on the street, one rarely sees the relaxed smiles or leisurely expressions common in other economically developed cities; instead, one sees more vigilance and haste.

His eyes quickly scanned his surroundings, especially the shadows, and he walked briskly, as if he didn't want to linger anywhere for even a second longer.

And a deep-seated numbness, as if one has become accustomed to and blind to the chaos, filth, and even potential darkness around them.

"Light and darkness coexist, prosperity and decay are neighbors..."

Van Cann's gaze swept across the street scene before him.

"Gotham lives up to its name."

He followed the crowd out of the station square, took out his phone to send a message to Bat, telling him that he had arrived and asking him to come pick him up.

Just then, a cheerful sound rang out.

"Hahaha."

Two little boys, who looked to be seven or eight years old, were wearing faded old clothes, but their faces were full of smiles as they played and frolicked through the crowd.

They nudged and patted each other, giggling with childlike innocence and energy, a stark contrast to the gloomy and oppressive environment around them.

This scene brought a slight sense of relief to Van Can, who was new to Gotham and experiencing its heavy atmosphere.

It seems that even in Gotham, there is still hope and a chance for survival.

Children are always the purest and most energetic.

The two children were playing and running around, getting closer and closer to Van Can.

They seemed to be having too much fun, and one of the shorter boys accidentally bumped into Vanken while dodging his companion's "attacks".

Without pausing, the boy and his companion continued laughing and chasing each other like two happy little sparrows, quickly merging into the crowd ahead and almost disappearing from sight.

The whole process took only two or three seconds.

But the smile that had just appeared on Van Ken's face had vanished without a trace, and his expression had become calm and sullen.

He wanted to take back the two kind words he had just said about Gotham!

I reached into my pocket, but my wallet was gone.

He was not surprised at all.

Actually, it was right when the boy accidentally bumped into Van Ken and reached into his pocket with his not-so-clean little hand.

With his exceptionally keen senses and physical reflexes as a kung fu master, Van Can had already noticed it.

He could have easily caught that young wrist red-handed in the blink of an eye, exposing what he considered a clumsy pickpocketing act.

But he didn't.

The reason is simple: the thieves were two children.

"Even in broad daylight, children will team up to steal on the streets."

This is Gotham, the Gotham of honest and kind people!