The real-life horror story of Ed Gein is very fascinating as is the American horror icon Leatherface, so I wanted to fashion a comics-stylized 'vigilantism fan-fic' involving these two unusual 'figures' in 'American history.'
Many consider the real-life horrors of Ed Gein to be a template for the design and modelling of Leatherface in the iconic Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror films.
Isn't it interesting how we valuate purgatory?
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Thomas Flowers was a horribly abused child who grew up in a troubled inner-city neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). His father, a German-American immigrant, was a factory-worker and alcoholic who relentlessly beat Thomas and his mother. When Thomas' mother committed suicide, Thomas tried to run away and start a new life but ended up wandering the streets as a pickpocket and beggar (at the age of 12!). At the age of 24, Thomas was a bank-robber and drug addict and joined the Army to clean up his life.
Thomas went on the Gulf War campaign in Iraq where he discovered he was a ruthless and vicious battlefield soldier, very adept and willing to use a gun. When he returned home a somewhat emotionally traumatized veteran, he fell into a deep depression but managed to keep a small apartment for himself. One night, Thomas turned on the news to discover that a strange menace in Texas had risen to prominence for his bizarre demonic murders committed with a large chainsaw. The murderer, a 29 year-old American male named Thomas Hewitt, was nicknamed 'Leatherface' (since he wore an eerie face-mask made out of human skin).
Thomas Flowers decided to become a 'night-vigilante' and pursue this maniacal 'Leatherface' (Thomas Hewitt) who was still on the loose! Flowers decided to call himself 'Batman' (since he fashioned himself a cape-and-mask outfit made to look like a bat). As Batman, Flowers could express all his interest to seek that 'golden utopia' that was the American Dream but which had always eluded him --- a terrible childhood, a difficult life growing up, and then a shocking war experience as a young adult. Batman decided to travel to Texas and find Leatherface and bring his un-American reign of terror to an end.
When Batman and Leatherface stood face-to-face across a barren road in Texas one hot Saturday afternoon in September (both men in their 30s now), the chainsaw-wielding maniac (who was by now also a practicing cannibal) probed Batman to see from where his vigilantism motivations derived.
LEATHERFACE: Why the mask you wear?
BATMAN: We all wear masks, Leatherface!
LEATHERFACE: Yours is abuse?
BATMAN: I was a scarred youngster, yes.
LEATHERFACE: Aaarrrggghhh!!!
BATMAN: Uncontrolled rage is not the solution!
LEATHERFACE: Happy Halloween!
BATMAN: Surrender or die.
LEATHERFACE: Die!!!
BATMAN: Taste my tear-gas.
LEATHERFACE: No!!!
BATMAN: All witches die.
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The Stand (Stephen King)