Gotham Central, Vol. 3: Unresolved Targets

Gotham Central (Collected Editions) #3

by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, Michael Lark (Illustrator)

Living in the shadow of the Dark Knight makes the detectives of Gotham's police force determined to prove they have what it takes to enforce the law in a city rife with criminals--with or without Batman's help.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Batman, Comic Book, Crime, Graphic Novels Comics

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Ed Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.

In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.

Reviews

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something so right about the concept of a police procedural series set in Gotham City. The idea of ordinary people doing the best they can in a world populated with superheroes and villains is an appealing one.

First, a series of sniper killings proves to be the work of the Joker, but just where is Batman when you need him? High point of the story for me was the Joker short circuiting expectations by surrendering and then having enormous fun in the interrogation room while the police race against the clock to figure out his scheme.
But I liked the second story with the Mad Hatter even better. The pieces of the mystery come together nicely and we learn more about the fate of Harvey Bullock. Brubaker and Rucka have a finely tuned sense of just when to play up the traditional comic book elements and when to dial back to keep the focus on the members of the Major Crimes Unit. All comics should be this good. Recommended!

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this one, as well. Not as much as the last one because the characters seemed forgettable and interchangable. Renee was only mentioned in this one and I couldn't remember anything specific about the others.

The cases were pretty interesting. The first one revolving around Gotham's least favorite clown. There was a plot that reminded me of an episode of BBC's Luther. I won't spoil it but the Joker was wreaking havoc on Gotham's first responders and it was pretty scary. I really like the way Brubaker and Rucka tell these stories because you're pretty much just along for the ride as they attempt to stop the bad guy. We learn everything the officers learn at the same time so none of the suspense is lost when the audience gets to find out the plan ahead of time.

The second is one of my least favorites, Tetch. Guy seriously creeps me the fuck out. That case reminded me of a Law and Order episode. While I don't like the final reveal, it didn't bug me so much that it took me out of the book. I didn't like this portion as much but it was still pretty good.

I think there's only one volume left and that makes me sad because I'm really enjoying this series.

[Julio Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS THE BEST OF THE BUNCH! 🔫

I was literally on the edge of my seat with the Mad Hatter telling his victims to kill a select few. As for the first half, reminiscent of The Dark Knight.

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first story in this book is the second collaboration between Rucka and Brubaker for Gotham Central, playing on the well worn themes of Joker holding Gotham to ransom over his ongoing feud with The Bat. Certainly reminiscent of the really tedious second half of Dark Knight but from the point of view of the detectives it becomes something far more interesting, but even so as with the rest of the series the detectives are so interestingly written that when these silly cartoon villains appear it reduces part of the enjoyment of the story. And I don't want to criticise Rucka, which is how I always feel when I'm reviewing these books, one eye constantly on the lookout for Brubaker's involvement but the second story that is all Brubaker is truly exceptional crime writing that not only gives everything you love about Criminal or Fatale or basically anything he created with Scott Phillips (minus the fabulous art of Phillips unfortunately) but also everything you've already come to love about this series so far, it's dark, brooding observations of humanity.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES 

There are many graphic novels about superheroes and their world and how important it is for them to save the regular mortals but rarely do we get a perspective of the mortals unless they're family or lovers. In this series we focus almost exclusively upon the detectives (morning and night shifts) of Gotham who sometimes resent “The Bat” for solving their cases. It's a fresh and interesting approach with Batman showing up less than 5% of all the tales.

START BOOK THREE 

The tales in this volume are “Soft Tales” by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka; then “Life is Full of Disappointments” by the same authors and then “Unresolved” which was written just by Brubaker.

In “Soft Tales” the Joker threatens the city by sniping people as he pleases, including the Gotham Police Force. The latter two tales deal with an old high school murder and the fact that one of the two male survivors of that day is now one of the detectives (Detective Driver). I enjoyed the last story the most.

ARTWORK

I found the artwork hit or miss. Yes, it's dark and gritty looking but sometimes it feels like only 80% of the normal details are there in the artwork. Batman doesn't look terribly impressive though maybe that's intentional to add to the mundane setting. 

Artists were: by Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano for tale one and three and Greg Scott for the second tale.

RESULTS

This series received great critical acclaim and a passionate fanbase but never did well commercially.

STORY/PLOTTING: B plus; ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B plus; INVESTIGATIONS/CLUE TRAILS: B plus to A minus; WHEN READ: late July 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B plus.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotham Central is proving to be everything that I wanted it to be. While the previous entry in the series contained the award winning story "Half a Life", this comic continued to push new ground by introducing a Joker story that was actually... incredibly interesting and not reliant upon overdone tropes.

"Soft Targets" is a Joker story that leaves the Joker in the background, focusing instead upon the way that his actions affect those who have to actually deal with them. The story is horrific, and judging by what exactly its topic is, will likely never be adapted to the small or large screen. Having grown up during the DC Sniper Attacks... yeah, it hit hard as hell.

The two stories that followed the aftermath of "Soft Targets" were more narrowly focused upon the outcome of an older crime. The cold case leads our detectives to the cell of one Mad Hatter, and you can imagine the difficulty of unravelling those riddles...

This was a phenomenal comic. The stories remain tight and intriguing, the writing unparalleled, and the art just fantastic. This series is the full package. I'm just sorry it took me so long to dive in.

[Jeremy Hannaford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series cotniues to surprise me with how good the writing and the character dramatization is. Tales an absolutely insane crazy world like Gotham and brings it down to Earth as best it can with human stories.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing in Gotham Central's fine tradition of combining traditional police work with Batman's supervillains, this trade collects two story arcs, one with Joker and the other with the Mad Hatter. In the Joker arc, he has a holiday sniping spree with additional mayhem to keep the police running. As always, Batman is practically nonexistent. The Mad Hatter story is actually a bit more subtle, longer, and a much more traditional investigation. It also features the return of Bullock. Which, honestly, I never missed him, so I didn't get too thrilled about it.

I would take the stories seperately, but there's no real need to. They both show the very solid storytelling and attention to character that the Gotham Central title has shown from issue one. No, they're not quite as strong of a storyline as in Half a Life. But seriously, what is? It's also a very good use of very familiar villains, and I like that they don't overwhelm the book with their presence. Not even Joker is allowed to take over the book entirely.

The art is either improving or it's growing on me, because I like it a lot more now than I did back in issue one. Which I already liked quite a bit. It's one of the best matches of art and writing styles I've seen in awhile.

I'm getting increasingly sad that the title has ended, but at least it did so because Rucka was ready to move on.

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a cop in Gotham City is rough. In addition to the long hours, hostile population and dangerous streets that come with the police officer’s job in any large city, Gotham City has one of the highest corruption rates of a police department in the United States. None of your fellow officers can be fully trusted. Worse yet, Gotham City is home to some of the most bizarre and sometimes lethal criminals in the world. Sure, Batman helps, but is he also attracting these costumed lunatics?

This police drama comic book series was created by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, collaborating or taking turns on the writing, with art by Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano. It ran from 2002-2006, with forty issues. Many of the characters had previously appeared in DC Comics over the long history of Batman and other superheroes. Longtime Police Commissioner James Gordon had retired after a criminal’s attack nearly killed him, and he was replaced by Michael Akins, even less trusted by the officers, and more hostile to caped vigilantes.

This trade paperback collects two of the storylines. “Soft Targets” appeared in issues 12-15.

Commissioner Akins is having a discussion with Mayor Dickerson. Due to budget woes, the mayor wants to cut expenses by refusing overtime payments to police officers. He thinks the cops have been padding their paychecks by not clocking out when they should. If they can’t finish their cases on time, detectives should just let the next shift handle it. While there is doubtless some featherbedding going on, the mayor also clearly does not understand how police departments work. The argument is cut short when the mayor is shot dead by a sniper.

This high-profile case activates an investigation by the Major Crimes Unit, led by Detectives Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya. Also on scene are Captain Maggie Sawyer (formerly of Metropolis) and crime scene investigator Jim Corrigan (who may have light fingers.) Just as they realize they’re all on overtime, a call comes in. The sniper has struck again, this time killing a school superintendent.

Just as that crime scene is being wrapped up, the sniper shoots several police officers. It turns out that the sniper is in fact the Joker, who is playing one of his sick games to match wits with Batman, using Gotham City’s government workers as pawns. And the fact that it’s almost Christmas factors into his plans.

It’s interesting to see Batman pop in and out of the story as he also attempts to find the Joker before he can kill again. Unfortunately, even this hero can’t save everyone.

“Unresolved” collects issues #19-22. Detective Marcus Driver is called to a hostage situation at a McBurgers fast food restaurant. The perpetrator has asked for him in specific. Kenny Booker used to be the best friend of Driver’s little brother when they were younger. Booker was an athlete, and a member of the Gotham High Hawks baseball team. Until a pipe bomb killed most of them, leaving Booker as one of two survivors. Booker rants about a “man in my head” telling him what to do before committing suicide.

The Hawks bombing was unresolved, and Driver convinces his manager to let him look into this cold case. The case files are missing, and the evidence boxes have been misplaced over the years. Driver’s partner Josie Mac “luckily” finds the right box (she has her own subplot involving being able to find clues way more than is likely), and Kenny Booker’s old cap–which has a previously overlooked slip of paper inside.

The case files were taken home by disgraced former detective Harvey Bullock, who may have arranged for an “untouchable” suspect to be murdered by the mob. He’s taken to drinking even more heavily since being dismissed. Bullock agrees that the evidence shows the involvement of Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter, who has a thing for mind-control headwear. But why would he murder a high school sports team? The two leads Bullock had at the time were that two bullied nerds had cheered instead of mourned at the memorial service–and there were rumors of gambling tied to Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin.

Investigation is complicated by the fact that Tetch’s mental state has deteriorated over the years. Driver and Mac visit him in Arkham Asylum, and get some ramblings that might lead back to the former nerds, who were living in the same boarding house as him before he turned criminal. Meanwhile, Bullock decides that the Penguin angle is the one that’s most promising, and acts all hard-boiled detective about it.

There are twists and turns, and a surprise perpetrator. The Penguin gets beat up, but for one of the few things he didn’t do, and now Bullock will have to deal with his latest mistake.

There’s also other subplots going on. This isn’t the kind of city where only one case at a time is happening.

The art team gives this series a distinctive heavily shadowed look, suitable for the dark, gritty tales this series is telling. Sometimes it’s a little hard to tell characters apart if they’re not named in a scene. And with two experienced crime writers working with a strong cast, the stories are excellent.

On the other hand, I would not recommend this as anyone’s first Batman-related comic book, as it does rely heavily on a knowledge of past events and who the characters are based on previous series. (The Jim Corrigan character is specifically named to evoke another character’s history.) It’s also got a pretty depressing vibe that may not sit well with those who like their comics upbeat.

Content notes: Lethal violence, gory corpses. Attempted and successful suicide. Homophobia. Demeaning words for women. References to extramarital sex. Alcohol abuse. Older teens should be able to handle it if they like the grittier cop shows.

This volume skips over a story in the middle; you might be better served by the later collections that each have ten issues. Check your local library, or if you’re a big Batman fan, they should be available at comic book stores.

[myla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d be surprised if that first arc didn’t lend some inspiration to The Dark Knight. Great self-contained Joker story, Batman or no Batman.

This series is improving by volume. I can almost tell all the guys apart now.

[Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esse novo compilado continua mantendo um alto nível em sua forma de contar a história focando no DPGC de uma forma realista, como se tudo fizesse parte de um mundo real. Todo os principais arcos até o momento aparece um inimigo do Batman, aqui é a vez do Coringa, Chapeleiro Louco e Pinguim. O ponto negativo deste compilado é que infelizmente não incluíram alguns capítulos que, na minha opinião são bons, mas podem ser pulados sem problema nenhum.

CONTÉM SPOILERS

Soft Targets (#12-15)
Roteiro: Ed Brubaker/Greg Rucka - 4 Estrelas
Arte: Michael Lark - 3,5 Estrelas
Um atirador de elite começa a matar policiais e civis deixando mensagens. Os oficiais já desconfiam quem seja e sem pensar duas vezes ligam o Bat-Sinal para chamar o Batman, que confirma a desconfiança dos oficiais. O atirador é o Coringa. Os oficiais ficam em círculos tentando saber qual será o próximo passo do Coringa, mas a mente do vilão é imprevisível. Ele se entrega ao DPGC dizendo que instalou bombas pela cidade e os oficiais vão a caça das bombas, enquanto isso o vilão causa um caos na delegacia matando vários oficiais. No final Coringa é baleado e é preso.

Como de praxe, neste arco mostra um Coringa mais realista e mostra a dificuldade do DPGC em lhe dar com um maníaco imprevisível como ele, fazendo os oficiais dar voltas no caso.
O único ponto negativo deste arco é que eu queria ver muito mais do Coringa no estilo deste quadrinho. Neste arco ele só tem destaque no último capítulo, mas isso não tira o brilho da escrita dos roteiristas.



Unresolved (#19-22)
Roteiro: Ed Brubaker - 5 Estrelas
Arte: Michael Lark - 3,5 Estrelas
Um sequestro em Gotham reabre um caso do passado não resolvido que pertencia a Harvey Bullock antes dele sair do DPGC. No passado, antes do Chapeleiro Louco enlouquecer, ele vivia como inquilino de uma senhora. Certa vez essa senhora pediu ajuda ao Chapeleiro para dar jeito em alguns rapazes que ela acreditava ter estuprado sua filha. Ele matou todos, menos um que era o sujeito do sequestro do início da história. Nas investigações antigas de Harvey Bullock, ele suspeitava que o Pinguim tinha envolvimento neste crime junto ao Chapeleiro. Bullock vai atrás do Pinguim armado para fazer justiça acreditando no envolvimento dele, mas os oficiais do DPGC chegam na hora e avisa ao Bullock que Pinguim não tem nada a ver com o caso. A cúmplice era a idosa que se envolveu ao Chapeleiro no crime.

Este arco marca o retorno de Harvey Bullock desde que saiu do DPGC no arco Batman: Officer Down. É bastante interessante vê-lo retratado de uma forma mais realista. As aparições de Harvey Bullock daqui de Gotham Central e de Monstro do Pântano por Alan Moore, foram as que mais gostei, mesmo que neste último o Moore focou mais na gula dele (risos). Outra coisa interessante foi ver o Asilo Arkham e destaque também para o Pinguim e o Chapeleiro Louco no estilo de Gotham Central. Este arco, junto com Half Life que foca em Renee Montoya, são os meus preferidos até o momento em Gotham Central.


--------------------------------------------
Como disse antes, os capítulos/arcos abaixo não constam neste compilado e por algum motivo foram retirados. Eles podem ser pulados tranquilamente, mas eu recomendo ir atrás e ler. Nos novos compilados estes podem ser encontrados.

Daydreams and Believers (#11)
Roteiro: Ed Brubaker - 3,5 Estrelas
Arte: Brian Hurtt - 3,5 Estrelas
A história foca em uma menina que trabalha no DPGC chamada Stacy. Ela conversa com o leitor sobre o dia a dia dentro e fora do DPGC e sua carência após se separar de seu namorado, levando ela a ter fantasias com o Batman. Stacy é a responsável por ligar o Bat-Sinal quando necessário.

Life Is Full Of Disappointments (#16-18)
Roteiro: Ed Brubaker - 3,5 Estrelas
Arte: Greg Scott - 3,5 Estrelas
Após as mortes que o Coringa causou dentro do DPGC como mostrado no arco Soft Targets, os oficiais juntam os cacos e já partem para um novo caso. Eles tentam resolver um caso de uma menina encontrada morta em uma lixeira. Este arco tem participação da Caçadora.

[Nate]

“Soft Targets” opens with a bang - literally, as the Gotham City mayor is assassinated by sniper fire on a crisp December morning. Several other deaths follow, and soon enough, Major Crimes deduces that the Joker is behind it. This is a brutal story that ramps up the intensity issue after issue, not least of which because the Joker sets a ticking time bomb for his next victim. It’s great seeing this play out from the cops’ perspective, as they work together to stop the madness before it’s too late. Were this a Batman arc, it would simply be another face-off with the Joker. Having the cops front and center adds layers of desperation, pathos, and the hardscrabble determination needed to survive in Gotham. A great one.

In “Unresolved Targets,” Detectives Driver and MacDonald reopen a case handled by Harvey Bullock years ago. It’s a good mystery with some surprises at the end. I love how this story digs into Bullock’s character and contrasts his way of policing with the younger crowd. There’s also a subplot where Chandler deals with the aftermath of Joker’s rampage. It’s somewhat disruptive to the main plot, but nicely handled and a reminder of the trauma and grief cops experience. And the interpersonal dynamics between the cast are wonderfully realized. Not just in this story, but all of Gotham Central.

[Eva B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The GCPD is back, and tis the season for ho-ho-homicide (sorry) when a sniper targets several of Gotham's high-ranking officials in the days leading up to Christmas. Yep, the killer is who you'd expect, and he takes a fairly major cop out with him. Soft Targets was solid, but the standout for me was Unresolved, which sees Josie Mac and Driver trying to solve The Case^TM that's been driving Harvey Bullock (one of my favorite Batman side characters) insane for years. Also the Mad Hatter is involved! Yay? He's certainly unnerving!
My main gripe is that the coloring and art style for the book makes it hard to distinguish a lot of the cops from each other unless we're directly being told their names in-panel, which makes moments like the sniper attacks in Soft Targets hit less impactfully since I can't remember if the guys who died were people I cared about or not. Still, I'm excited for what's next, especially since I know that Crispus' death is coming up, which means we get to see him become the Spectre, a very underrated hero--although as far as I know, this Jim Corrigan is of no relation to THAT Jim Corrigan.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

He sets a mood like nobody else, but DAMN, Michael Lark canNOT draw individually distinguishable characters. The Joker-sniper story suffered, just a bit, from high expectations. I recall that it won an Eisner, and though it was good, I still felt like it circled the block once too often in showing tense cops trying to find clues in the madness. I enjoyed it, but I somehow expected just a little bit more.

Brubaker's solo arc, "Unresolved," featuring Harvey Bullock, was good stuff. With a smaller cast, Lark's individuality issue isn't such a distraction, and Brubaker keeps you guessing right up to the arrest.

[Neil Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Half A Life" is often given as Gotham Central's finest hour, but I'm not so sure. Greg Rucka as usual, responded gamely and professionally when crafting that story; but Montoya basically ends it on the sidelines, which doesn't sit right, and is a creative choice that cancels much of the tension he'd worked so hard to build.

No, for GC's best, I'd put "Unresolved," Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark's look at the failure and anger of long-lost Batman foil Harvey Bullock. While DC was genuflecting to that turdfest Identity Crisis, I-- if I can preen about it-- read the aforementioned story during its' original run in GC #19-22, and my throat tightened

[Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the disappointment of Vol 2, Vol 3 was approached with a certain amount of trepidation.
But all fears were allayed within the opening pages. We're back to gritty cop drama stuff, no repeats.
In this volume we are dealing with an unsolved case and Mad Hatter, with Harvey Bullock lurking in the shadows like the spectre at the feast.
And it's just great.
The story rattles along, there are twists and turns aplenty, and the whodunnit aspect holds up its end of the bargain.
The artwork is as good as we've come to expect, and as an added bonus the TPB version's pages are heavy and feel old - adding to the grittiness of the story.

[Omni Theus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible Feat in this Genre
OVERALL RATING: 5 stars
Art: 3.25 stars
Prose: 4.75 stars
Plot: 5 stars
Pacing: 4.75 stars
Character Development: 5 stars
World Building: 5 stars
This installment was superb. Rucka definitely outshines Brubaker here and by some margin. I'd be a liar if I was to say the Joker arc was the outshining story but I'd be so wrong. That three issue arc finding a killer who poisons was incredible with Rucka churning out some of the best writing in comic books I've had the pleasure reading. Top top tier trade!

[Falcon Blackwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible for me not to give this five stars. It is so good! The art is very noir and gritty, as it should be. The characters are totally believable. The story rolls along and all is as it should be, with twists and turns and entertaining surprises along the way. Glimpses into the frailty and humanity of everyone. Of course, the shadow of the bat falls occasionally, but you're not sure if he's a force for good or evil. The PD certainly dislike and resent him. Oh, I could go on, but if you like Procedural stuff, then Brubaker is your man.

[Bassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, two great stories. I really liked how two great villains, Joker and Mad Hatter were introduced in the gritty world of Gotham Central. The Joker story was good, the Mad Hatter’s story even better, especially if you know a bit more about this character. The art and story really complement each other, I wished the Gotham TV series (although fun in its own) adapted this way of storytelling.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great series. In this volume, we end up with stories featuring the Joker and the Mad Hatter. I was wondering if bringing in the "super villains" would hurt the series since it's presented as such a realistic police procedural, but it worked great. If anything, there was less Batman in this volume, and it worked better that way.

This is a very underrated series, and I think a lot of readers would enjoy it, but probably aren't aware of it.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

GOTHAM CENTRAL is what GOTHAM the t.v. show should be: an examination of the police, fire dept, doctors, and journalist who have to still make the city work when Batman can't be everywhere...

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still one of the best short-lived series of all time DC history.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best one so far

[Neil Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A-.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is as good as it gets. Crisp,natural dialog. Great stories. Couldn’t love the work any more than I do.

An excellent crime novel with pictures.

[Jeffrey E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a mixed bag. The first story (Soft Targets) is a total snooze fest but the second one is amazing!

[Luis Reséndiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

inteligentemente, la compilación omite los números que hay entre el arco del joker y el arco del sombrerero loco. así la historia tiene mayor cohesión, mayor completitud, y no se "relaja" al lector entre uno y otro, sino que se le administra de un jalón la historia. (con todo, la de enmedio también es muy interesante, aunque más rutinaria: un caso de alguien que mata a una compañera de trabajo porque no lo pela. con todo, la intriga se enreda y resuelve con mucho ingenio.)

este es otra pequeña adición a la mitología de gotham central: el regreso de harvey bullock, que en este cómic ya está retirado y que ha estado planeando por encima de los protagonistas del departamento de policía desde los primeros números: "lo que pasó con bullock", decían, "lo que bullock hizo". aquí nos enteramos que el "asunto de bullock" no fue otra cosa sino una venganza: alguien disparó a james gordon y lo dejó lisiado --forzándolo a dejar el departamento--; este francotirador no iría a prisión porque es un soplón de la policía que vendió su información para entrar al programa de testigos. lo que bullock hace --y esto lo sabemos por narración, no por flashback es entregar la nueva identidad del soplón a la mafia para que lo maten y así cobrar venganza por la lesión a gordon. esto, naturalmente, provoca la salida de bullock del departamento, y lo convierte en un ente borracho que deambula por los bares de gotham.

eso es, apenas, la parte más "delgada" del argumento. todo lo demás ocupa más tiempo y es, si cabe, mejor: una investigación casi fortuita de un atentado de bomba en una universidad de gotham, la fuga del sombrerero, su relación con una viejita conservadora de los suburbios. la atención que se pone a los personajes secundarios es sorprendente y quizá se deba a que esta serie trata, de hecho, a los personajes secundarios de gotham. nadie aquí no importa; todos tienen pequeñas historias entrelazadas con el arco principal. (por ejemplo: la chica civil que prende la batiseñal, enamorada secretamente de batman, cuya historia se nos revela en un número intermedio, un one shot; esto parece poco importante hasta que, en la primera parte de unresolver targets, la vemos prender de nuevo la batiseñal y ser salvada por batman. plant and payoff a niveles magistrales.)

de modo alguno, creo que se podría trazar un parentesco entre el daredevil de bendis y esta serie. y también creo que al menos dos ensayos podrían escribirse derivados de gotham central: la mutación de gotham a través de los años (desde detective comics no. 27 hasta zero year de snyder, y un estudio sobre los "encuadres" en gotham central: esos paneles llenos de manchas que nos transmiten, impresionistamente, el sentir de los detectives del departamento.

no estoy capacitado para escribirlos pero hagan de cuenta que este es mi manuscrito en una botella.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this first story-arc in this collection -- “Soft Targets” -- I could not help but be struck by the surprising number of plot elements that parallel the current Batman cinematic hit, The Dark Knight. (Of which I won’t spoil much here, rest assured.) Starting with several high-profile sniper killings of the latest Gotham Police Commissioner as well as the Public Schools Superintendent, a chaotic and insane plot by the Joker to take out civilians via the internet turns into a nail-biting cat-and-mouse game in which Gotham’s finest scramble to beat the ticking of the clock. And let’s not forget a brief cameo by the Dark Knight himself, who appears as less a deus ex machina, but more a harbinger of death. This is just likely Rucka, Brubaker, and Lark’s best – and most disturbing -- crime story to-date.

“Unresolved”, the second story, brings back Detective Montoya’s washed up ex-partner, the notorious drunk and hard-boiled Harvey Bullock, who stubbornly comes out of forced-retirement to resolve an unclosed case involving the twisted Mad Hatter. (Who, I might add, would make a great villain in any future Batman movie by Nolan and Co.) Although the tragedy of a long-since cold case of multiple homicides permeates this storyline, the ultimate tragedy in this story is the consequences of hubris by those who become obsessed – and even blind -- with avenging the dead. Alas, on an artistic note I found Gaudiano’s inks to be a bit lackluster over Lark’s usually top-notch pencils. (Would that the latter inked his own pencils instead.)

[Amber DiTullio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers two stories - one involving the Joker and the other involving the Mad Hatter. Both are incredibly engaging stories with a bunch of nuances that have you reading carefully.

The first half of the book follows the MCU as they search for the Joker because of his latest madness - the high-profile killings of some of Gotham's most important people. After the first couple of deaths, he sets up an elaborate trap to keep the MCU looking around in the wrong places while he turns himself in. It's a harsh story, leading to a death in the end. But it's a good one.

The second half brings former Detective Bullock back to the case that has haunted him for a long time. While not officially on the case, he steps into the MCU's case to supposedly try to help them. But it turns out that Bullock is completely blinded to the true story that emerges, instead being convinced of the truth that he wants to be there.

I don't know why, but these two stories didn't strike me as strongly as the first two graphic novels. The story wasn't bad, but it didn't quite give me the thrill in reading it as I'd gotten with the others. Still, it is a good read if you don't expect it to be as strong as the first two.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching the new Batman movie, I had to go back and reread this, since it feels like there are elements pulled from this story in the new movie.

This is actually two separate stories. The second, concerning the Mad Hatter, is the reason this is only four stars. It's very good, but not outstanding, a typical Gotham Central tale. The first, which would have gotten five stars if it stood on it's own, is a Joker story, showing how scary crazy and vicious he can be. It makes both the Joker and Batman into larger than life characters, really restoring the "super" part of them just by showing how they're viewed by the average folk (in Gotham Central's case, the cops).

One other thing I consistently enjoyed about Gotham Central was the fact that they seemed to "borrow" terms from the TV show "Homicide", which always gave me a warm feeling.