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Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1-4
Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham
When you case your own shadow…it leads you into the abyss.
Batman knows intimately even the darkest and most irredeemable streets of Gotham City, but when an all-new rogues gallery of depraved villains emerges from its murky depths, he will come to find that he hardly knows himself. A serial killer is on the loose, and while the murder victims seem random at first, every clue draws Batman closer to the terrifying truth—that they are all connected, not just to each other…but to him. Batman will have to contend with the very nature of evil—including that which lurks inside in the darkest corners of his own heart—to face what’s coming for his city.
Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham brings Eisner Award-winning creator Rafael Grampá’s twisted vision of both the Dark Knight and Gotham City to life in this thrilling deluxe edition that will reach its icy black tendrils into the rotting heart of human nature and leave you gasping for breath—and for more!
Collects Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1-4.
Batman knows intimately even the darkest and most irredeemable streets of Gotham City, but when an all-new rogues gallery of depraved villains emerges from its murky depths, he will come to find that he hardly knows himself. A serial killer is on the loose, and while the murder victims seem random at first, every clue draws Batman closer to the terrifying truth—that they are all connected, not just to each other…but to him. Batman will have to contend with the very nature of evil—including that which lurks inside in the darkest corners of his own heart—to face what’s coming for his city.
Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham brings Eisner Award-winning creator Rafael Grampá’s twisted vision of both the Dark Knight and Gotham City to life in this thrilling deluxe edition that will reach its icy black tendrils into the rotting heart of human nature and leave you gasping for breath—and for more!
Collects Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1-4.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
Rafael Grampá
54 books33 followersRafael Grampá began working as an illustrator at the age of 14. He began by illustrating self-help books – what he calls the “how to raise your problematic teenagers sort”. During this period, he also did t-shirt designs, caricatures, children’s party decorations, coats of arms and logos for butcher shops and surf shops. He worked as an art director at the Brazilian motion graphics studio LOBO in 2003 where he worked with clients such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Creme Savers, Banco Real, Grendene , Diesel and others. Recent freelance work includes the concept design for ESPN-NBA spots, for Wieden+Kennedy NY, directed by Blacklist’s CISMA, and the visual ID for RESFEST/10 Brasil, that includes a opening and a toy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 9, 2026
A shadowy figure that watches old cartoons, cries, and kills. A younger Gordon sans wife and kid is on the case. Batman doesn’t want to be Bruce Wayne anymore. There’s a protest against the rich. Alfred’s alive and makin cakin. A cult that does bad stuff. Some kid in red with psychic powers. Rogue psychologists. Joker’s a child?! This nonsense is Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham.
Rafael Grampa is like any number of terrific artists who get it into their heads that they can also write AND draw their comics and, boy howdy, can this guy not write at all. This book looks amazing but the story is an utter mess. I couldn’t tell you what the story was, just what was in it, and none of it was the least bit interesting.
Bruce wanting to kill off the Bruce Wayne side of his identity is an intriguing idea. I think it would make his life easier. He could still do all the philanthropy stuff, just behind the scenes and put someone else front and centre like Alfred as the guy doing it all. Then he can spend all his time and energy on Batman. It’ll never happen because that would fundamentally change Batman and DC will never do that to their biggest character but hey, cool idea for a few pages at least.
I really love Grampa’s art. He ranges from cartoonish like Albert Monteys or Langdon Foss to more serious like Chris Burnham or Ian Bertram - and if you know your comics artists, those are some great names to be associated with. Mat Lopes’ colours only enhance the visual feast - every page is a treat for the eyes thanks to this art team.
But besides the artwork? Yeah, absolute garbage. Couldn’t tell you what was happening or why - Grampa can’t write memorable, engaging characters or a coherent, let alone compelling, story. The book is also part of the DC Black Label range which means uncensored swears and blood, and that detail is relevant to… basically nobody with above-room temperature IQ.
Maybe if somebody else with a more proven track record had written this the book would’ve been better - I feel like a better writer would’ve streamlined this more and made the narrative more impressive on the reader. As it is, all that’s worth noting about Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham is the great art and that’s not enough of a recommendation for it. Yet another forgettable DC outing for a major character by an artist that’s deluded into thinking they can write as well as they draw.
Rafael Grampa is like any number of terrific artists who get it into their heads that they can also write AND draw their comics and, boy howdy, can this guy not write at all. This book looks amazing but the story is an utter mess. I couldn’t tell you what the story was, just what was in it, and none of it was the least bit interesting.
Bruce wanting to kill off the Bruce Wayne side of his identity is an intriguing idea. I think it would make his life easier. He could still do all the philanthropy stuff, just behind the scenes and put someone else front and centre like Alfred as the guy doing it all. Then he can spend all his time and energy on Batman. It’ll never happen because that would fundamentally change Batman and DC will never do that to their biggest character but hey, cool idea for a few pages at least.
I really love Grampa’s art. He ranges from cartoonish like Albert Monteys or Langdon Foss to more serious like Chris Burnham or Ian Bertram - and if you know your comics artists, those are some great names to be associated with. Mat Lopes’ colours only enhance the visual feast - every page is a treat for the eyes thanks to this art team.
But besides the artwork? Yeah, absolute garbage. Couldn’t tell you what was happening or why - Grampa can’t write memorable, engaging characters or a coherent, let alone compelling, story. The book is also part of the DC Black Label range which means uncensored swears and blood, and that detail is relevant to… basically nobody with above-room temperature IQ.
Maybe if somebody else with a more proven track record had written this the book would’ve been better - I feel like a better writer would’ve streamlined this more and made the narrative more impressive on the reader. As it is, all that’s worth noting about Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham is the great art and that’s not enough of a recommendation for it. Yet another forgettable DC outing for a major character by an artist that’s deluded into thinking they can write as well as they draw.
October 16, 2026
At the beginning I really enjoyed the concept. The art was really good and great for this story. Other than that after volume 2, the story just got so messy and very Fanfictiony to an unbelievable level.
June 24, 2026
Really fun read. The viscerally violent, gritty, Gothic-maxxing Batman story is a tale old as time but I seriously enjoyed this reimagining as the Gargoyle of Gotham. The art is unsettling at times but it perfectly fits the grimy, oppressed aesthetic. The slowly unraveling mystery of Bruce’s past, Arkham Asylum, and the cult had me very glad that I waited until this was finished to begin reading it. That being said, the ending did feel like a bit of a rush to the finish line despite its 60 page length. I almost think this series could’ve benefitted from 6 issues to really flesh out the antagonists (Joker Jr. is either underdeveloped or a setup for a sequel) but it still ends on a satisfying note. Hope to see more from this artistic duo in the future!
Read
September 19, 2026Grampá’s art and Lopes’s colors are insanely good - aside from a Bruce Wayne facial design that I don’t love, this is one of the best looking Batman books I’ve probably ever read, with some truly spectacular new rogue designs and objectively crazy pages once all-out violence erupts in the last third (). Plot-wise though, it’s a bit of a grab bag of influences - Huge Strange-esque mind manipulations, Court of Owls-like hidden histories of Gotham, reworkings of the Fatal Night and who Bruce Wayne is and could be, with a climax that finds the streets exploding just as they did in No Man’s Land, The Dark Knight Returns, the first arc of Absolute Batman, etc etc. Still, Batman’s been kicking for 85+ years now, and that almost continuously, often with multiple titles running at once - there comes a time when remixes are the only new stories that can be told, and ultimately this is a highly entertaining one, even if the script does sometimes read as someone writing outside their native language and the “behind the scenes” material where Grampá lays out his ideas and motivations feels a bit dunderheaded. Only a Brazilian would think to make City of God Batman with some neat new villain designs, but at the same time, only a Brazilian could pull it off. I’d happily read more in this Gotham if Grampá ever found the time to return.
October 10, 2026
Grampá’s artwork is absolutely stunning, and his talent is on full display here. He’s clearly been given all the time in the world to work on this book, and it shows. Every single panel is insane.
The action is fantastic, but what really blew me away was the atmosphere. There’s this incredible combination of rust, industrial decay, and blood-red skies that reminded me of Batman: The Animated Series from the ’90s. You can also see influences of Latin Gothic aesthetics, and one detail I particularly loved was the presence of angel statues scattered throughout Gotham alongside the traditional gargoyles.
Certain elements even reminded me of Joel Schumacher’s Batman films. Say what you will about those movies, but their production design was genuinely fantastic.
Now, the story itself is probably going to be divisive. I feel like it’s something you’ll either love or hate, with very little middle ground.
It starts out as a gritty, grounded mystery before gradually evolving into something far more supernatural, symbolic, and even a little campy. Personally, I loved every bit of it.
You can tell Grampá has been working on this for years and poured an enormous amount of ideas into it. Not all of those ideas necessarily fit together perfectly, and under different circumstances, that might have bothered me. But somehow, here, it just works.
It’s a fantastic and genuinely distinctive take on Batman. It has everything you’d expect from a Batman story while introducing enough unexpected twists, creative decisions, and fresh ideas to make it feel like something entirely its own.
If you’re looking for a Batman comic that isn’t afraid to do something different, I really recommend checking this one out.
The action is fantastic, but what really blew me away was the atmosphere. There’s this incredible combination of rust, industrial decay, and blood-red skies that reminded me of Batman: The Animated Series from the ’90s. You can also see influences of Latin Gothic aesthetics, and one detail I particularly loved was the presence of angel statues scattered throughout Gotham alongside the traditional gargoyles.
Certain elements even reminded me of Joel Schumacher’s Batman films. Say what you will about those movies, but their production design was genuinely fantastic.
Now, the story itself is probably going to be divisive. I feel like it’s something you’ll either love or hate, with very little middle ground.
It starts out as a gritty, grounded mystery before gradually evolving into something far more supernatural, symbolic, and even a little campy. Personally, I loved every bit of it.
You can tell Grampá has been working on this for years and poured an enormous amount of ideas into it. Not all of those ideas necessarily fit together perfectly, and under different circumstances, that might have bothered me. But somehow, here, it just works.
It’s a fantastic and genuinely distinctive take on Batman. It has everything you’d expect from a Batman story while introducing enough unexpected twists, creative decisions, and fresh ideas to make it feel like something entirely its own.
If you’re looking for a Batman comic that isn’t afraid to do something different, I really recommend checking this one out.
October 28, 2026
Raffael Grandpa is one of my favorite artists. Getting a Batman book this long from his is an incredible treat. It’s some of his best work. That said, the story isn’t great. There are some interesting ideas, but it’s overstuffed and underbaked. It’s not terrible, but it invites comparisons to much better Batman stories. It’s worth it for the art.
October 6, 2026
Another damn good Batman book. Art is absolutely fantastic and is another spin on the origin/early days of Batman
October 26, 2026
Certains choix scénaristiques grotesques et bizarrement amenés mais vas-y ça claque 🔥
Review of advance copy
Read in single issues.
It’s very well drawn however it’s not particularly well written.
The plot itself is ok, but the manner in which it is written is dull, often due to pacing issues - for example some scenes that are supposed to be intense or action packed have the life sucked out of them by loads of text in narrative boxes and word balloons.
In one sense there’s too much packed in however it’s also quite a stuffy, slow book.
There’s a lot of time spent developing a character we already know and who has been done thousands of times but very little time given to the new characters introduced just for this storyline.
It’s also repetitive- both in repeating what has been done before but also repeating elements that crop up throughout the series itself.
For an art driven book it does contain a lot of text although the first chapter is probably the most guilty of that.
Ultimately it looks great but the structure and flow of it is way off.
It’s very well drawn however it’s not particularly well written.
The plot itself is ok, but the manner in which it is written is dull, often due to pacing issues - for example some scenes that are supposed to be intense or action packed have the life sucked out of them by loads of text in narrative boxes and word balloons.
In one sense there’s too much packed in however it’s also quite a stuffy, slow book.
There’s a lot of time spent developing a character we already know and who has been done thousands of times but very little time given to the new characters introduced just for this storyline.
It’s also repetitive- both in repeating what has been done before but also repeating elements that crop up throughout the series itself.
For an art driven book it does contain a lot of text although the first chapter is probably the most guilty of that.
Ultimately it looks great but the structure and flow of it is way off.
June 26, 2026
4 1/2 stars
Reduced 1/2 star because I don’t love the fantasy elements (the “dark aura” content), which keep this from being an otherwise mostly reality-based/plausible story about class.
I can mostly forgive this, however, as the art is just astoundingly gorgeous, and—for my relatively new experience of reading Batman comics, at least—fresh and unique.
I also loved that this version of Batman (and this character is primary “Batman” and not “Bruce Wayne” for the majority of the story) is not especially likable for much of the narrative. He’s borderline reprehensible, actually.
But I like that the ending is earned, and is also not some childish fantasy where the righteous get a clean victory. It seems to address “superhero syndrome” and have Batman and Bruce Wayne play a part in collective, systemic change.
Which is refreshing.
This will sit with me for a while, and absolutely warrants a re-read or two. Or three.
Reduced 1/2 star because I don’t love the fantasy elements (the “dark aura” content), which keep this from being an otherwise mostly reality-based/plausible story about class.
I can mostly forgive this, however, as the art is just astoundingly gorgeous, and—for my relatively new experience of reading Batman comics, at least—fresh and unique.
I also loved that this version of Batman (and this character is primary “Batman” and not “Bruce Wayne” for the majority of the story) is not especially likable for much of the narrative. He’s borderline reprehensible, actually.
But I like that the ending is earned, and is also not some childish fantasy where the righteous get a clean victory. It seems to address “superhero syndrome” and have Batman and Bruce Wayne play a part in collective, systemic change.
Which is refreshing.
This will sit with me for a while, and absolutely warrants a re-read or two. Or three.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
A very strong 4.5. Bloody brilliant. I regret not getting the single issues for this, but I’m most definitely not missing out on the deluxe edition once it’s out.
I think any writer that’s capable of offering a fresh new perspective to a decades-worth legend deserves all the respect. Rafael Grampa, writer AND artist, offered it with flying colours.
There is a charm to his art and an ease in his words that makes this such a fun read. And as I’ve said before, I love it when creators reimagine a legend. The little additions that Grampa brought to this… you know a Batman fan when you see one. There’s a particular arch-nemesis in this… fuckin awesome.
I did feel that the ending felt a bit short, would have loved to have another issue of it just to land the knockout blow. But that little gripe was quickly recovered with the ending monologue and its intercutting montages. That tease in the end was brilliant. Loved it through and through.
I think any writer that’s capable of offering a fresh new perspective to a decades-worth legend deserves all the respect. Rafael Grampa, writer AND artist, offered it with flying colours.
There is a charm to his art and an ease in his words that makes this such a fun read. And as I’ve said before, I love it when creators reimagine a legend. The little additions that Grampa brought to this… you know a Batman fan when you see one. There’s a particular arch-nemesis in this… fuckin awesome.
I did feel that the ending felt a bit short, would have loved to have another issue of it just to land the knockout blow. But that little gripe was quickly recovered with the ending monologue and its intercutting montages. That tease in the end was brilliant. Loved it through and through.
Review of advance copy
Haven’t finished the final issue but I’m not sure my rating will change much.
I enjoy that they gave Batman different artwork with a gritty noir feeling to it. Very detailed with very dark hues throughout - besides the color of blood red. Although different, not a fan. It makes Batman and his new suit look good but everything else just didn’t sit right. The art didn’t take away from the scrambled story in any way.
The beginning was very good. Introducing an earlier Batman (I believe) whose life is solely directed at being the vigilante. Fully prepared to fake his death to become the Batman full-time. This story is also heavily influenced off of the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Revisiting the night they were murdered and new consequences to come from that.
My issue is the villains and the overall plot. Crytoon…cool. So sadistic it seems Batman will break. Same with ‘The Virgin.’ My issue with it is that they add a new villain to each issue for little to no reason at all. Not sure what Little Joker or Moth-er will do but the story is crammed enough as it is. Adding a supernatural element to it is not helping at all. I feel the author wanted this to feel much different than other iterations to stand out. Well he’s standing out in all the wrong ways.
I’m glad that a new story has come to the table; especially with Bruce and many other children having their mind altered by a doctor when they were children. If they would have stuck with that and the random acts of violence I feel this would have been a great read. I’ll change my rating if the conclusion wraps all these subplots together good, but otherwise this is not a standout read for me.
I enjoy that they gave Batman different artwork with a gritty noir feeling to it. Very detailed with very dark hues throughout - besides the color of blood red. Although different, not a fan. It makes Batman and his new suit look good but everything else just didn’t sit right. The art didn’t take away from the scrambled story in any way.
The beginning was very good. Introducing an earlier Batman (I believe) whose life is solely directed at being the vigilante. Fully prepared to fake his death to become the Batman full-time. This story is also heavily influenced off of the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Revisiting the night they were murdered and new consequences to come from that.
My issue is the villains and the overall plot. Crytoon…cool. So sadistic it seems Batman will break. Same with ‘The Virgin.’ My issue with it is that they add a new villain to each issue for little to no reason at all. Not sure what Little Joker or Moth-er will do but the story is crammed enough as it is. Adding a supernatural element to it is not helping at all. I feel the author wanted this to feel much different than other iterations to stand out. Well he’s standing out in all the wrong ways.
I’m glad that a new story has come to the table; especially with Bruce and many other children having their mind altered by a doctor when they were children. If they would have stuck with that and the random acts of violence I feel this would have been a great read. I’ll change my rating if the conclusion wraps all these subplots together good, but otherwise this is not a standout read for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2026
Rafael Grampá’s artwork is exceptional. The line work, faces, costumes and character designs make almost every page worth examining. His style reminds me of Paul Pope and Ian Bertram while remaining unmistakably his own. He has become one of my favourite artists.
Unfortunately, the story was a huge disappointment. There are far too many ideas, characters and subplots competing for attention, with too little development or convincing payoff. Instead of building toward something coherent, the narrative becomes increasingly unfocused. The social commentary also feels vague, and Bruce himself comes across as arrogant without being particularly intelligent or compelling.
This badly needed a firmer editorial hand and a clearer focus. A tighter, character-driven story built around Bruce, Alfred and a smaller supporting cast could have suited Grampá’s extraordinary visual imagination beautifully.
There are individual moments and characters I enjoyed, but the overall experience was frustrating. Such a shame to have artwork this good attached to a story that never comes together.
Unfortunately, the story was a huge disappointment. There are far too many ideas, characters and subplots competing for attention, with too little development or convincing payoff. Instead of building toward something coherent, the narrative becomes increasingly unfocused. The social commentary also feels vague, and Bruce himself comes across as arrogant without being particularly intelligent or compelling.
This badly needed a firmer editorial hand and a clearer focus. A tighter, character-driven story built around Bruce, Alfred and a smaller supporting cast could have suited Grampá’s extraordinary visual imagination beautifully.
There are individual moments and characters I enjoyed, but the overall experience was frustrating. Such a shame to have artwork this good attached to a story that never comes together.
October 11, 2026
I really wanted to love this book as Ive recently identified that Batman one shots are my favourite approach to the caped crusader. However, the art style is stunning with some small flaws throughout and this version of Gotham feels like a weaker version of Reeves’ one with the overall plot a let down. Theres a particular term used throughout the 2nd half of the book that I really didn’t like & it didn’t feel right in a Batman story, one that for the most part is fairly grounded. At times this is a 5 star, the opening is incredibly paced & drawn but then some, what feel like, shoehorned appearances turn this from a focused story with a aim to a “Absolute Batman” lite.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A very dark macabre story with a new and inventive villain. Definitely for fans of Matt Reeves Batman film as it's tone is so similar. Grampá is a masterful artist. So richly detailed and a gorgeous color palette. If only the story wasn't so all over the place with how epic it's trying to be. So much so that it becomes a bit difficult to follow. Part of this is probably because this 4 issue series took 3 years to release so I inevitably forgot some things. At least it built to a satisfying conclusion.
Review of advance copy
I really wanted to love this story but overall it fell a bit flat for me. The changes to Bruce’s origin did not land with me at all and the villain wasn’t very interesting. The artwork on the other hand was incredible! Absolutely love his style and the new batsuit, I just wish the story had lived up to the artwork
Review of advance copy
New vibes, new story and it slapped. It out slapped anything that came before it. Gothic and dark energy that ties in with them spirits. Aura farming quite literally, that was literally the base of the story. Farming aura. I’m thinking another read will be in future. Phuk…. The suit and drawings. The bat himself, it was all on point.
Thanks for read Liv. Love ya
Thanks for read Liv. Love ya
October 2, 2026
3.5/5
Creo que el arte está muy bueno. Siento que la anatomía o los body movements no fueron de lo mejor, pero aun así está padre. El concepto de que Batman no es un héroe, sino un villano, a los villanos les suena más que Batman es más un antihéroe, y pues no creo que sea la mejor manera de reflejar al personaje, pero aun así, el final siento que estuvo bastante decente.
Creo que el arte está muy bueno. Siento que la anatomía o los body movements no fueron de lo mejor, pero aun así está padre. El concepto de que Batman no es un héroe, sino un villano, a los villanos les suena más que Batman es más un antihéroe, y pues no creo que sea la mejor manera de reflejar al personaje, pero aun así, el final siento que estuvo bastante decente.
October 29, 2026
Grampá’s art is as good as expected, but unfortunately it’s heavily obscured behind an abundance of words telling a story that’s very bad. There are plenty of interesting ideas for a good story scattered about (arguably even too many) but they’re never developed into a coherent or engaging plot, and the dialogue isn’t any better.
April 18, 2025
DnF
Art is pretty rad, albeit disturbing at times. But I did not like the story, despite it having some interesting concept. Last chapter will probably come out months from now, but I'm definitely not gonna care when it releases.
Art is pretty rad, albeit disturbing at times. But I did not like the story, despite it having some interesting concept. Last chapter will probably come out months from now, but I'm definitely not gonna care when it releases.
Review of advance copy
I was excited for this but I was very letdown. Also, because Rafael Grampá took soooooo long to finish the last issue, the art style changes in a noticeable way. If you love Batman being the worst and a bunch of new characters that make current Frank Miller's creations look subtle, enjoy!
September 26, 2026
Woah. Familiar and not. The art is perfect for the story, gritty and dark and not the typical Batman arc at all. Really enjoyed this one a lot! I’d be happy to read more of the Batman in this version of Gotham.
May 20, 2025
art style was sorta neat, but i didn't love the story. the cult thing was kinda interesting, but yeah idk, don't think it was my cuppa tea overall
Review of advance copy
Batman as Communist avenger somewhere to the left of Green Arrow is not a take on the character I ever want to see again.
Review of advance copy
Read as single issues
September 5, 2026
3,4⭐️ This feels full of promise, but rushed and unfinished. Such a cool, dark, violent variant of Batman. Loved the art to bits but the story kept getting more and more convoluted and unresolved.
September 20, 2026
A long time coming, but so worth the wait. Highly recommended.
September 30, 2026
Immediately in top 5 Batman books
October 5, 2026
The art was pretty fun and solid--though some moments made me laugh despite the seriousness--but the writing was really mid. I absolutely hated the hamfisted joker kid.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews