Synopsis
It’s not easy being a cop in Gotham City. Not only must you deal with the violence and corruption of the world’s most notoriously crime-infested city catering to some of the most insane and homicidal criminals, but you also have to deal with a vigilante who’s hell-bent on playing by his own rules.
Gotham’s Finest work around the clock cleaning up after the mess left behind from Batman’s one-man war against crime. But when one of the GCPD’s own is killed by Mister Freeze, the squad is in a race against time to bring him in without the help of the Dark Knight. Plus, Police Detective Renee Montoya is “outed” as a lesbian, and finds her work environment and personal life turned upside down. Unfortunately for her, things only become more complicated when she is kidnapped by Two-Face.
From: DC Comics
Notes on This Title
Violence is thematic and related to the protagonists’ work as police officers. Renee Montoya is involuntarily outed in her workplace, which leads to some trauma for her.
Recommended for older teens.
Gotham Central was republished in collected editions (Book One – Four) 2008 – 2011.
Awards
2014 Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Award Winner — Queen Women Character Hall of Fame Award (Renee Montoya)
2004 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story
2004 Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story
2004 Gaylactic Spectrum Award Winner for Best Other Work (Issue #6-10)
15th GLAAD Media Award Nominee for Outstanding Comic Book
17th GLAAD Media Award Nominee for Outstanding Comic Book
Reviews
“Gotham Central was the class act among the many Batman comics serials. Eschewing the usual superhero devices, it focused on Gotham City’s police and thereby made the occasional appearances of costumed heroes and villains more effective. Complex story lines, flawed characters, and atmospheric-but-murky visuals doomed it to run only slightly more than three years. In these stories from the end of its 40-issue run, a teenager’s corpse is found in a Robin costume, and Batman is the prime suspect; and trying to bring down a corrupt cop ends in tragedy for two of the series’ most prominent cast members. ” (Booklist, vol 104 number 1, p69)
“Though the Batman butts in a few times, this tough new series concentrates on some of Gotham City’s other crime fighters: the police detectives of the city’s Major Crimes Unit, who must work in the shadow of the Bat. Like Powers, this series combines police investigative procedure with costumed heroes and villains.” (Library Journal, vol 129 number 18, p64-66)
Interviews
ComicsAlliance: “Batman is a fact of life: Greg Rucka reflects on his Batman work, part three“