 Grant laconically described Lonnie Machin as " a serious @-@ beyond @-@ his @-@ years teenager who wants to set the world to rights . " As the character was based on a theme of ideas , he had initially been given no personal , tragic past ; a common motivator in superhero fiction . This was intended to contrast with Batman , who fought crime due to personal tragedy , while Anarky would do so in the name of ideals and beliefs . As the character was further developed , he was also intended to contrast with common teenage superheroes . Referring to the tradition established by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby of saddling teenagers with personal problems , Grant purposely gave Anarky none , nor did he develop a girlfriend or social life for the character . As Grant wrote for the Batman : Anarky introduction , this was intended to convey the idea that Anarky was single minded in his goals . In one of the earliest explorations of Lonnie Machin 's back story in " The Anarky Ultimatum " , Grant described Lonnie as a prolific reader , but also of being isolated from peers his own age during his childhood . This was elaborated upon years later in the " Anarky " storyline , which described Lonnie as having lost a childhood friend living in an impoverished nation , the latter suffering the loss of his family due to civil war and strife before disappearing entirely . The resulting shock of discovering at such a young age that the world was in turmoil precipitated Lonnie Machin 's rapid maturation and eventual radicalization . 
