worse-2
Explanation
This comic reimagines the Batman-Alfred dynamic as a vehicle for political commentary. Batman asks Alfred: "Am I just making everything worse?" Alfred responds with a lengthy, thoughtful analysis explaining that yes, the real origin of most human suffering is "diffuse things like scarcity, geography, and our latent tendency to intergroup animosity." He argues that Batman dressing up and fighting individual criminals gives the public the false impression that "good civic life is a matter of pointing out who is obviously bad" rather than addressing systemic issues.
Alfred continues that the only real solution requires "trustworthy, well-designed and transparent institutions and norms," "a free press," "engaged citizens," and "a well-educated public." He then suggests Batman should reveal his true identity and seek office -- to which Batman enthusiastically agrees: "By God Alfred, that's it!"
The final panels show Bruce Wayne giving a political speech where he promises to "lower my taxes, reduce my public services, and gut that local fire thing" -- revealing that a billionaire entering politics would predictably just use power to serve his own class interests. Alfred, watching on a phone, wearily says "What have I done?"
The comic works as a multi-layered political satire. First, it deconstructs the Batman fantasy by pointing out that vigilante justice doesn't address structural problems. Then it sets up the seemingly hopeful idea that Bruce Wayne's wealth and influence could be better used in democratic politics. Finally, it delivers the cynical punchline: billionaires entering politics tend to pursue policies that benefit billionaires, not the public good. The comic neatly skewers both the superhero genre's simplistic good-vs-evil framework and the real-world phenomenon of ultra-wealthy individuals running for office while claiming to represent ordinary people.