Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman #112
In the latest issue of Batman, DC Comics reminds readers that the Dark Knight actually succeeded in his mission to save Gotham...before the Joker arrived. Initially donning the cape and cowl as a tool to strike fear into the superstitious and cowardly lot of average criminals, the debut of the supervillain was not an element Batman anticipated at first, resulting in his crusade expanding and shifting into the seemingly unending war that has continued into the present. As a result, it's no wonder Gotham has willingly accepted the paramilitary force known as the Magistrate to protect them as opposed to vigilantes like Batman and his family of heroes.
In recent issues of Batman, Bruce Wayne has been dealing with a growing number of anti-vigilante sentiments that have grown to be quite loud after the devastation of the back-to-back City of Bane and Joker War events. Furthermore, Gotham now has a mayor who was elected on a platform to outlaw vigilantes, and he was subsequently motivated to bring in the Magistrate to the city, a pilot security program of paramilitary agents founded by Simon Saint of Saint Industries. Now, the latest issue of Batman from writer James Tynion IV and artist Jorge Jimenez begins with a public message from Simon Saint, who rightly credits Batman for succeeding in his original mission as Gotham's Dark Knight.
When Bruce Wayne first began his mission to save Gotham, the criminals he was dealing with were of an average fare. The primary challenge was simply dismantling the major criminal empires run by the Maroni and Falcone crime families, as well as removing the corrupt politicians keeping them in power, using the fear of the Bat to get the results Gotham's police couldn't. As such, Batman #112 confirms that the Dark Knight's crusade was indeed a success. However, villains like the Joker arrived and the war for Gotham became a whole different ball game.
As Simon Saint claims, the levels of escalation that have plagued Gotham with its plethora of supervillains and costumed criminal masterminds have become too high and more than Batman can handle, hence his belief that the Magistrate is a necessity for Gotham's safety. It's hard to argue with his assessment after the devastation Gotham has suffered in recent years, and Batman himself probably wouldn't argue that the danger has become too great. However, the Magistrate turning Gotham into a fascist state still isn't the answer, especially after they've been compromised by the Scarecrow.
In any case, it seems clear that while Batman has been losing quite a bit in his seemingly unending war lately, it shouldn't be forgotten that his original mission to save Gotham was successful prior to the emergence of villains like the Joker and the rest of his more colorful rogues' gallery. The war for Gotham changed, and Batman found himself facing very different players who were more dangerous than any he likely ever imagined he'd face when he first put on the cape and cowl to fight crime in the DC Universe.