Bruce studied what he'd written. The timeline was aggressive but achievable with the system's advantages.
Then he realized something was missing. A critical element he'd overlooked in his original planning.
'The Justice League can't be independent,' he thought, his mind racing through implications.
'In the original timeline, they operated with government cooperation but maintained autonomy. That made them vulnerable. Governments could turn on them. Public opinion could shift against them. They had power but no real security.'
He wrote a new section in his notebook.
*POWER AND INFLUENCE STRATEGY*
Bruce's pen moved rapidly as ideas crystallized.
'I need to control the narrative before superheroes even appear. When Superman makes his debut, the world's reaction will set the precedent for how all metahumans are treated. If governments see him as a threat first, everything that follows will be contaminated by fear.'
He thought about the meta-knowledge he possessed. In various DC continuities, public opinion on heroes ranged from worship to hatred. The Justice League had been both celebrated and hunted. The difference came down to perception, to how the world viewed them.
'I need to shape that perception from the beginning,' Bruce wrote. 'Before Superman arrives, before any hero appears publicly, I need to establish the framework for how the world will see them.'
His enhanced intellect generated strategies rapidly.
*Step One: Control the Media*
'Wayne Enterprises needs to acquire or create major media outlets. Not obviously, through shell companies and proxies, but enough to influence the narrative. When Superman appears, the first stories about him can't be "Alien Threat Arrives" but "Mysterious Savior Rescues People." Frame him as a hero from day one.'
*Step Two: Establish Pro-Metahuman Think Tanks*
'Starting in my early teens, fund research organizations and policy groups that study metahuman integration. Make it seem academic and forward-thinking. By the time heroes actually appear, there will already be a framework in place for how to work with them rather than against them.'
*Step Three: Build Political Leverage*
'Wayne Enterprises is one of the largest corporations on Earth. That gives me economic power, but I need political power too. Not through direct involvement, that's too visible, but through strategic investments and relationships. Support politicians who will be sympathetic to metahuman rights. Fund campaigns. Build a network of allies in governments worldwide.'
*Step Four: Create the Hero Narrative*
'This is the most important part,' Bruce thought, underlining it heavily. 'People need to see heroes as aspirational figures, not threats. The key is making it personal. When Superman saves people, it can't just be big disasters. It needs to be individuals, families, children. Make him relatable. Make him someone people want to protect and support.'
He paused, thinking about his own role in this.
'And Batman needs to be part of that narrative too. Not as a vigilante operating in shadows, but as someone the public sees as necessary. As a symbol of human potential. If I position myself correctly, I can be the bridge between normal humans and superpowered beings. The one who proves that humans can stand alongside gods.'
Bruce wrote one more critical note.
*Personal Image Strategy*
'By the time I debut as Batman, I need to be more than just effective. I need to be iconic. Larger than life. Someone people look up to, not fear. The original Batman was terrifying, and that worked in Gotham, but it made him isolated. It made people see him as barely better than the criminals he fought.'
'I'll be different. Still scary to criminals, but to regular people, I'll be aspirational. A symbol of what humanity can achieve.'
'Of course... that's before getting superpowers of my own.'
He wrote in large letters: *BRUCE WAYNE AND BATMAN MUST BOTH BE IDOLIZED. TWO SIDES OF THE SAME SYMBOL.*
'The public needs to see Bruce Wayne as a genius, a visionary, a philanthropist who uses his wealth to make the world better. And they need to see Batman as the peak of human achievement, someone who stands equal to gods through pure determination and skill.'
'Combined, those two identities will make me untouchable. Governments won't move against Batman because he's too popular. Villains won't target Bruce Wayne because he's too visible... maybe.'
'And the Justice League will follow my lead because I'll have proven myself both as a hero and as someone who understands how to navigate the human world.'
Bruce sat back, looking at everything he'd written. The scope was enormous. He wasn't just planning to become a hero. He was planning to reshape how the entire world viewed heroes.
'It starts now,' he thought. 'Every action I take from this moment forward needs to build toward this. Every company Wayne Enterprises invests in, every charitable foundation I establish, every public appearance I make, it all needs to serve the larger goal.'
He turned to a fresh page.