Batman: Nine Lives is an Elseworlds

Elseworlds

Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...

 graphic novel

Graphic novel

A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...

 published by DC Comics

DC Comics

DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

 in 2002. As with all Elseworlds publications, it takes well-known DC characters and places them in another reality.

Plot Summary

Nine Lives differs from the normal Batman

Batman

Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

 canon because it is set in the 1940s at a time when Gotham City

Gotham City

Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...

 is rife with organized crime. Rather than being a superhero story, it more closely resembles a detective comic book from the same era, before the idea of superheroes had been introduced. Though Batman still exists, members of his rogues gallery appear as normal criminals rather than mutated, disfigured or technologically enhanced characters, a similar approach to that of Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Jonathan James Nolan is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer.He received serious notice after his second feature Memento , which he wrote and directed based on a story idea by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. Jonathan went to co-write later scripts with him,...

's Batman film series. Part of the story's appeal is its clever use of creating more human identities for supervillains such as Joker

Joker (comics)

The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...

, Penguin

Penguin (comics)

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...

, and Two-Face

Two-Face

Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....

.

The story begins with noirish narration, following the Batman down a sewer in search of a crocodile. Upon finding and wrestling the animal he is hit on the head by a mysterious assailant. When he awakens, he is lying next to the body of Selina Kyle (Catwoman

Catwoman

Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...

 in the normal canon).

Once the body is discovered, Private Detective Dick Grayson (Robin

Robin (comics)

Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...

) is accused by Commissioner Gordon of having something to do with the murder. As the story progresses we find out that Selina Kyle earned the nickname of Catwoman because she owned the Kit Kat Club (a place of ill repute). She used her sexual allure to keep the club from going under financially, but she later resorted to blackmail, because she knew the secrets of many of Gotham's most wanted criminals.

Characters

• Selina Kyle nicknamed The Catwoman
  Catwoman
  Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
  
  , a murdered owner of the bankrupt Kit Kat Club who was blackmailing many of the city's most powerful figures.
• Private Eye "Boy Wonder" Dick Grayson
  Dick Grayson
  Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
  
  , an orphaned former circus performer and ex-cop who was hired as Selina's bodyguard but was fired the day before her death.
• Batman, a mysterious vigilante believed to be on the payroll of Bruce Wayne.
• Bruce Wayne, an aloof playboy millionaire and former lover of Selina Kyle.
• Police Commissioner Gordon
  James Gordon (comics)
  James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
  
  , the head of Gotham's Police force who is investigating Selina's death and considers Grayson among his chief suspects.
• Barbara Gordon
  Barbara Gordon
  Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
  
  , the daughter of Commissioner Gordon who works as Grayson's secretary, despite her father's disapproval.
• Jack, a two-bit card dealer from Las Vegas
  Las Vegas, Nevada
  Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
  
   who runs an unsuccessful underground gambling racket, earning him the nickname "The Poker Joker
  Joker (comics)
  The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
  
  ".
• Oswald Cobblepot, a dapper racketeer also known as the Penguin
  Penguin (comics)
  Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
  
   who uses his matrimonial businesses as a front for dodgy dealings.
• Mister Freeze
  Mr. Freeze
  Mr. Freeze, real name Dr. Victor Fries , is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Bob Kane, he first appeared in Batman #121 ....
  
  , Cobblepot's hired sociopathic gunman.
• Matt Hagen, a powerful, disfigured gangster called Clayface
  Clayface
  Clayface is an alias used by several DC Comics fictional characters, most of them possessing claylike bodies and shape-shifting abilities. All of them have been enemies of Batman.-Publication history:...
  
   who is owed money by Joker.
• Edward Nigma, a guilt-riddled embezzling banker known as the Riddler
  Riddler
  The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....
  
  , who was forced by Selina Kyle into a "business" relationship that consists of stealing for her.
• Harvey Dent
  Two-Face
  Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
  
  , Bruce Wayne's two-faced lawyer and best friend.
• Croc
  Killer Croc
  Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
  
  , an ex-sideshow attraction who performed with Grayson in the circus when they were young.
• Oliver Queen
  Green Arrow
  Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
  
  , one of Wayne's society friends.

Critical reaction

IGN

IGN

IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

 Comics ranked Batman: Nine Lives #23 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels, calling it "one of the most unique and pleasurable Batman books ever written."

See also

• List of Elseworlds publications
• Batman: Gotham Noir, another Batman Elseworlds tale written in noir style.