Gotham Academy Vol. 1

Gotham Academy #1-3

by Becky Cloonan, Karl Kerschl (Inker), Dave McCaig (Colorist)

Maps Mizoguchi is new to Gotham Academy, but she's found the perfect Olive Silverlock (her brother's ex, which isn't awkward at all). Olive's had some problems recently, but amnesia pales beside a school that's haunted by ghosts, secret societies, and bats. How bad can it be, showing her ex's kid sister the ropes? How about when another prominent member of Gotham's elite shows up, and she has to deal with Damian Wayne? Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, and Karl Kerschl welcome you back to school in this volume that collects Gotham Academy #1-18 and Gotham Academy Annual #1!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy

472 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 9, 2023

About the author

Becky Cloonan is an American comic book creator, known for work published by Tokyopop and Vertigo. In 2012 she became the first female artist to draw the main Batman title for DC Comics.

Reviews

[Mariano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun read. The tone really works for Gotham and the characters get fleshed out interesting by the end. The third arc is weird though, with all six issues as an anthology of short stories. My guess is that the original plan was for 12 issues (like all the others series launched at the time: Starfire, Black Canary, etc) but looks like this one worked out so the extended it (and there are even Rebirth issues not included in this volume).

Anyway, a fun idea that isn't super original but is a fun read.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want silver hair.

[Mario Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved everything about the book, up until the last part with multiple writers and multiple artists doing multiple short stories. Other than that (way too long) section, everything was a delight.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to like Gotham Academy and many parts of it are inspired. I think it could be adapted into an all time DC animated series. I don't think it lands as it is. Perhaps it was the constraints of how many issues the run was approved for but the mystery of it all seems to wrap up too quickly. And the Detective Club is never quite sold as a cohesive unit. People's abilities and strengths seem to fall out of the sky as if I'm supposed to be familiar with them, but many of the characters are new for this series.

I imagine a version of Gotham Academy telling the same basic story across 3 seasons, concurrent with other DCAU series, but with room for teen drama and angst, with room to let the monster of the week stories breathe, with a deeper connection to the past of Gotham, Gotham Academy, and Arkham Asylum. With Damien Wayne as a slightly more involved player and with a guest appearance from Constantine. I could see the dangled mysteries and the web of intrigue being a great way to get people coming back week after week. But what exists in this collected volume just doesn't quite land. I'm invested in Olive, I'm invested in Maps, and I'm invested in Manbat jr. If only we could see more of them.

[Benjamin Natelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't in good faith recommend this run. It's first two thirds struggle between monster of the week mysteries and a grand mystery tied to the MC. And then for the last third becomes a clip show. Plus being in Gotham means most of the weird happening are due to preestablished Batman rogues, and not the students doing weird stuff of their own accord. It doesn't help the pacing is a train wreck. Leaving the cast no room to become interesting, which sucks cause the promise IS there. Fortunately Maps is here and is so good she gets to be in mainline things. So there's that at least.

I'm willing to try the sequel run in time. But this one does not sell the premise well at all.

[Ross Cudmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comic book sat firmly in the genre of Boarding School Mysery.

A lot of fun energy from the cast of characters that make up Gotham Academy. Maps enthusiasm for the unknown is infectious and Olive's mysterious past kept me engaged in the story. The story can be sweet and comedic, and even moving at times.

A lot of great references to minor Batman characters throughout the series from Man-Bat Kirk Langstrom to classic 1960s villian "Egghead".

A very rewarding read. I hope "The Second Semester" also gets collected.

[Fabio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
il fumetto mi ha conquistato soprattutto grazie ai suoi personaggi, ai quali mi sono affezionato pagina dopo pagina con le loro avventure leggere e adatte a un pubblico giovane. Anche i disegni, pur non colpendomi all’inizio, hanno saputo conquistarmi, fino a farmi rimpiangere quando il disegnatore è cambiato.
La cosa che invece ho trovato più debole è la sezione centrale, dove brevi aneddoti slegati dalla trama principale spezzano il ritmo, rendendo il tutto un po’ meno coinvolgente.

[Phillip G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

A boarding school mystery/adventure set in Gotham City. Gratifying cameos from members of the Bat-family and various villains. The kids in the central cast are engaging, relatable, and fun.
The pacing is quick, probably for younger readers, but that certainly keeps it from getting bogged down. As an older reader, I appreciated the familiar tones of old school teen sleuth stories.