Batman: Gotham by Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age (2024) #1

by Andy Diggle, Leandro Fernández (cover_art), Dave Stewart (cover_art)

The new era of Elseworlds kicks off with the return of its crown jewel, the mysterious and gothic world originated by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola! When a mysterious meteor falls on the wide-open plains of the Midwest, it will unleash a chain of events that find Gotham’s bizarre Batman contending with not just the twin threats of the Catwoman and a mysterious international assassin but also the emergence of superhuman beings beyond all comprehension! This sequel series expands the 19th-century DC Universe beyond the confines of Gotham City, showcasing bold new visions of once-familiar heroes…Do not miss it!

Genres: Comics, Batman, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels

38 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2024

About the author

Andy Diggle is a British comic book writer and former editor of 2000 AD. He is best known for his work on The Losers,Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Adam Strange and Silent Dragon at DC Comics and for his run on Thunderbolts and Daredevil after his move to Marvel.

In 2013 Diggle left writing DC's Action Comics and began working with Dynamite Entertainment, writing a paranormal crime series Uncanny. He is also working on another crime series with his wife titled Control that is set to begin publishing in 2014.

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO good! I really enjoyed the steampunk quality to it. The details of story and drawing are excellent. I can’t wait to read the next issue. This is going to become another favorite for sure.

[seana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally cannot wait for the next issue this was so good!!!

[Aidan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great. One of the most interesting Elseworlds stories in years.

[Murphy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/14/25

[Garth · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 - Year of The Bat (366 Days of Batman)

Day 166: So much better than the majority of the follow ups to the original (which I just finished). My only complaint is with the coloring. Too muted or muddy. Not sure how to describe it. But otherwise, delightful writing and art. Bring on issue two.

[Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

A green glowing capsule crash down on earth, who could it be? A green glowing ring is found, what could it be? Cat woman and Thalia doing their usual stuff.
Only a few pages in and a song have already welcomed immigrants, while Cat woman is a feminist and argues that women with bad reputations have not fallen - they have been pushed. I wonder what the writer thinks about men with bad reputations. Only been pushed, right? I’m surprised we have to wait for issue 2 for the free market critique.

The art is O.K, and the story is just O.K. The dialogue is boring. I think if you are a fan of character and world mix ups within the DC universe I’m sure you would be more excited than I am. To me it is more a negative when they mix Batman with other DC characters. I dislike that if I enjoy a dark, down to earth vigilante story with minimal supernatural elements, I also have to buy into invincible guys flying around with laser stuff coming from their eyes, or a ring that can do anything you want. It totally kills the Gotham feel for me. This is nothing like Gotham by Gaslight, unfortunately

[Logan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m not sure if I’m fortune or unfortunate to still have not seen the film. This sucked.

For everyone meat riding this basic DC exposé issue…stop. There was nothing special about this and I couldn’t even tell this was meant to be a Victorian-era of Batman UNLESS IT TOLD ME. It’s that bad.

The story is something I’ve read a thousand times before. Catwoman breaking into a Wayne Foundation fundraiser - Batman comes to stop her - and something interrupts them. For being an ‘elseworld-esc’ story - that sucks.

Please give me something more interesting.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, the writing feels well put together and thought out and I dig the rough melancholic art too. I’m reading it in the middle of December and it just feels right soaking in the atmosphere of 1890s Gotham. In this issue we get more of Selina Kyle than we do Batman but it doesn’t detract from the story here.

I’ve never read the original Gotham by gaslight but feel easily into this. It’s slow burn but well done introduction to this else world.

[alejandro galvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

I recommend checking out this series. GBG has always been a cool concept to work with. Its an interesting take to see Batman in a long ago age. Very cool. Check it for yourself!

[Neil Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific fun

[Chris Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elseworlds Turns

Gotham by Gaslight was one of a couple of Elseworld stories that you wanted more of. The women of Batman have always been the sparks for some the best storylines.

[James B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this trying to be positive, but ultimately, I thought this was going to be crap. I was wrong, so wrong. It's Batman set in the late 1800s.

[Jordyn Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m enticed :)

[Kasey Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be reading more of this series as I love the setting for Batman (and others) in the Victorian/Gaslight age. This is a revival of an earlier ElseWorld setting and CLEARLY Superman is going to make a showing. So far, issue 1 has given us a very sly and lovely Catwoman. Looking forward to more. The are is crisp and dark with just enough grit and lots of shadows.

[C. John Kerry]

I believe this is to be a four-part mini-series. The first issue doesn't start out to bad. It apparently is part of DC's Elseworlds line, which makes sense as it features familiar characters but is set in the late 1800's, though it starts out in the 1860's with a couple heading west to make a new life discovering a space capsule of some sort. I am sure there will be more about that in a later issue. We are also introduced to versions of Batman and Catwoman. Don't know much about Batman as he is shown in action, but no background is given at this point. Catwoman is in reality Lady Selina Kyle. In this reality it appears she may also be a thief. It is early in the tale mind you thus making it difficult to sort things out. The villian of the piece is somone named Talia Al Gul. So basically we seem to have a Gotham City that is set in the Victorian Era but has a lot of connections to the Gotham we know. I am definitely looking forward to exploring this world in more detail in future issues. Happy reading.

[David Cassady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m hyped to read more of this