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Punchline: The Gotham Game
DC Punchline The Gotham Game #3 CVR C Ejikure Card Stock VAR
PUBLIC ENEMY number one! Punchline crossed a dangerous line at ACE Chemicals, and crossed Batman in the process. Now every masked vigilante and officer of the law is after Punchline, but this is exactly what she wants. What’s the point of being a public enemy if you’re not going to be public enemy number one? But the scariest person in the Gotham world isn’t the Bat…it’s the Cat. Catwoman will hunt Punchline and make her pay.
32 pages, Comic
Published January 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
DC Comics
15.1k books142 followersDC Comics is one of the most influential and enduring comic book publishers in the world, widely recognized for launching the superhero genre and shaping the modern mythology of American pop culture. Founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, the company published the first comic book featuring all-original content. That early publication, New Fun Comics, marked the beginning of a new form of entertainment that would quickly gain momentum.
The transformation from a publishing experiment to a cultural powerhouse began in earnest with the creation of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938. Introduced in Action Comics #1, Superman is widely regarded as the first true superhero and set the standard for the genre. His instant popularity laid the groundwork for DC’s expansion and its rapid rise within the industry. The debut of Batman, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, in 1939, and Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston and H. G. Peter, in 1941, added to DC’s growing pantheon of heroic figures.
As superheroes captured the public imagination, DC introduced a wide array of characters, including the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow. In the 1960s, these characters were brought together as the Justice League of America, reflecting the company’s focus on interconnected storytelling and shared universes—concepts that would become central to comic book publishing.
DC’s influence extended far beyond its own titles. During the Silver Age of Comics, the company reimagined older characters and introduced new ones, revitalizing interest in the medium. The company also played a central role in the development of the Comics Code Authority, which shaped the industry’s self-regulation following public criticism and Senate hearings in the 1950s.
In the 1980s, DC undertook a bold redefinition of its brand and storytelling approach. The publication of The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, and Swamp Thing marked a creative renaissance. These works pushed the boundaries of what comic books could express, bringing mature themes, literary depth, and psychological complexity into the spotlight. This era confirmed DC as a platform for serious artistic exploration, not just superhero adventure.
DC also took steps to streamline its increasingly complex fictional universe with the crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, an ambitious effort to consolidate decades of continuity. Since then, the company has repeatedly reinvented its universe through major storylines and publishing initiatives, including Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis, Flashpoint, and Convergence. In 2011, DC launched The New 52, a line-wide reboot that modernized characters and storylines. This was followed by DC Rebirth in 2016, which aimed to reintroduce classic elements and emotional resonance.
In addition to its core superhero line, DC has published influential works under its imprints, including Vertigo, which released genre-defining series like Sandman, Preacher, and Y: The Last Man. These titles broadened the scope of comics and attracted new adult readership. More recent imprints such as Black Label and DC Ink continue to offer creator-driven, experimental storytelling for mature and young adult audiences.
DC’s characters have transcended the comic book medium, becoming mainstays of global entertainment. From Christopher Reeve’s Superman films to Tim Burton’s and Christopher Nolan’s Batman adaptations, from animated series like Batman: The Animated Series to the DC Extended Universe, the company’s heroes have been interpreted and reinterpreted across generations. Games like the Arkham series and shows like The Flash, Arrow, and Peacemaker have extended DC’s reach into interactive and serialize
The transformation from a publishing experiment to a cultural powerhouse began in earnest with the creation of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938. Introduced in Action Comics #1, Superman is widely regarded as the first true superhero and set the standard for the genre. His instant popularity laid the groundwork for DC’s expansion and its rapid rise within the industry. The debut of Batman, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, in 1939, and Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston and H. G. Peter, in 1941, added to DC’s growing pantheon of heroic figures.
As superheroes captured the public imagination, DC introduced a wide array of characters, including the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow. In the 1960s, these characters were brought together as the Justice League of America, reflecting the company’s focus on interconnected storytelling and shared universes—concepts that would become central to comic book publishing.
DC’s influence extended far beyond its own titles. During the Silver Age of Comics, the company reimagined older characters and introduced new ones, revitalizing interest in the medium. The company also played a central role in the development of the Comics Code Authority, which shaped the industry’s self-regulation following public criticism and Senate hearings in the 1950s.
In the 1980s, DC undertook a bold redefinition of its brand and storytelling approach. The publication of The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, and Swamp Thing marked a creative renaissance. These works pushed the boundaries of what comic books could express, bringing mature themes, literary depth, and psychological complexity into the spotlight. This era confirmed DC as a platform for serious artistic exploration, not just superhero adventure.
DC also took steps to streamline its increasingly complex fictional universe with the crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, an ambitious effort to consolidate decades of continuity. Since then, the company has repeatedly reinvented its universe through major storylines and publishing initiatives, including Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis, Flashpoint, and Convergence. In 2011, DC launched The New 52, a line-wide reboot that modernized characters and storylines. This was followed by DC Rebirth in 2016, which aimed to reintroduce classic elements and emotional resonance.
In addition to its core superhero line, DC has published influential works under its imprints, including Vertigo, which released genre-defining series like Sandman, Preacher, and Y: The Last Man. These titles broadened the scope of comics and attracted new adult readership. More recent imprints such as Black Label and DC Ink continue to offer creator-driven, experimental storytelling for mature and young adult audiences.
DC’s characters have transcended the comic book medium, becoming mainstays of global entertainment. From Christopher Reeve’s Superman films to Tim Burton’s and Christopher Nolan’s Batman adaptations, from animated series like Batman: The Animated Series to the DC Extended Universe, the company’s heroes have been interpreted and reinterpreted across generations. Games like the Arkham series and shows like The Flash, Arrow, and Peacemaker have extended DC’s reach into interactive and serialize
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 4, 2023
I've been thoroughly enjoying "Punchline: The Gotham Game." I think the first three issues were fairly solid - the writing perfectly captures Punchline as a Gen Z supervillain trying to make a name for herself, the artwork is beautiful, and the ambiguity of her actual plans make me eagerly await for the next issues. However, I should have realized there was a Catwoman tie-in when I saw them fighting on the cover of a new Catwoman comic. I think if this was mentioned in "Gotham Game" #2, it would have been more clear to readers. It is easy to go back and read what happens to fill in some missing events from #2 and #3.
January 16, 2023
Lost
I enjoyed the fun but I also feel lost. Reading Catwoman #50 seems to be important to understand this issue. I didn't do that sooo...a lot seems to go above my head. Still funny with the talking corpse and the art is entertaining on its own. 3/5
February 4, 2023
I was kind of digging issues one and two. But three and four, not so much. I'm not totally sure I'll bother with issues five and six.
I might for completeness sake, but these two really fall off hard. You come in to issue three felling like you've missed some major events, because you have unless you read Catwoman issue 50. It's bad enough having unrelated tie ins with major events, but this isn't that, this is a mini series. And while I was kind of into Blue Bird in Trial of Alexis Kaye, here she's a lot less cool. I was ok with some gay romance subplot lines for Cullen (BB's little brother) but now Tini Howard is starting to push it with some feminist garbage as well.
Book four leave off on a bit of a cliff hanger, and I'm kind of curious what it is. I can tell you, something is about to happen, but I don't know what, and I can't tell you why without spoilers. Wanting to know that, and with mini series that are easy to collect, I'd like to get the whole thing. On the other hand, I don't want to reward propagandizing and that's what his is starting to devolve into.
Here is a tip Howard, gangsters and killers are not bad people because they are sexist, they are bad people because they are bad. In another era, from another writer I could accept the sexism as a ploy, as characters trying to manipulate and play off other characters. But here and now with this writer, it's feeling less like evil characters being clever and the writer thinking about going into a full on scree and starting to lecture me.
I might for completeness sake, but these two really fall off hard. You come in to issue three felling like you've missed some major events, because you have unless you read Catwoman issue 50. It's bad enough having unrelated tie ins with major events, but this isn't that, this is a mini series. And while I was kind of into Blue Bird in Trial of Alexis Kaye, here she's a lot less cool. I was ok with some gay romance subplot lines for Cullen (BB's little brother) but now Tini Howard is starting to push it with some feminist garbage as well.
Book four leave off on a bit of a cliff hanger, and I'm kind of curious what it is. I can tell you, something is about to happen, but I don't know what, and I can't tell you why without spoilers. Wanting to know that, and with mini series that are easy to collect, I'd like to get the whole thing. On the other hand, I don't want to reward propagandizing and that's what his is starting to devolve into.
Here is a tip Howard, gangsters and killers are not bad people because they are sexist, they are bad people because they are bad. In another era, from another writer I could accept the sexism as a ploy, as characters trying to manipulate and play off other characters. But here and now with this writer, it's feeling less like evil characters being clever and the writer thinking about going into a full on scree and starting to lecture me.
February 1, 2023
I get that tie ins are par for the course in the world of comics but this issue doesn't even attempt to help the reader make sense of the story if you haven't read Catwoman #50. I felt a bit lost as a result. The chaos and art is still decent and the character is fun.
January 1, 2023
2,5 stars
The art is really great in this issue, but the story itself is a bit.. meh. I didn't read the catwoman issue mentioned so I missed quite a bit of context, which definitely didn't help.
The art is really great in this issue, but the story itself is a bit.. meh. I didn't read the catwoman issue mentioned so I missed quite a bit of context, which definitely didn't help.
September 18, 2023
This one was fine, but felt like a drop from the first two. It's times like this i really wish goodreads had half stars as I'd really like to put this at 2.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews