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Gotham City: Year One (2022-2023) #1-6
Gotham City: Year One
There once was a shining city on the water, a home for families, hope, and prosperity. It was Gotham and it was glorious.
The story of its fall from grace, the legend that would birth the Bat, has remained untold for 80 years.
That’s about to change.
Superstar creators Tom King and Phil Hester team up for the first time to tell the definitive origin of Gotham how it became the cesspool of violence and corruption it is today, and how it harbored and then unleashed the sin that led to the rise of the Dark Knight. Two generations before Batman, private investigator Slam Bradley gets tangled in the “kidnapping of the century” as the infant Wayne heir disappears in the night…and so begins a brutal, hard-boiled, epic tale of a man living on the edge and a city about to burn.
The story of its fall from grace, the legend that would birth the Bat, has remained untold for 80 years.
That’s about to change.
Superstar creators Tom King and Phil Hester team up for the first time to tell the definitive origin of Gotham how it became the cesspool of violence and corruption it is today, and how it harbored and then unleashed the sin that led to the rise of the Dark Knight. Two generations before Batman, private investigator Slam Bradley gets tangled in the “kidnapping of the century” as the infant Wayne heir disappears in the night…and so begins a brutal, hard-boiled, epic tale of a man living on the edge and a city about to burn.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2023
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654 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
February 22, 2024
It's the story of Batman's grandma and grandpa.
Sam Bradly is an old man in a hospital room, presumably on his deathbed, who retells the part he played in an ugly time in Gotham's history to the Dark Knight.
Alright. So, there's some Batman(ish) stuff in here, but it's mostly just a hardboiled detective story. And I really liked it for that.
"Slam" Bradley is an ex-cop who runs a detective agency in Gotham. One fine day, a fast-talking dame walks into his office and hires him to personally deliver a letter to Richard Wayne and his wife, Constance.
Everything goes completely sideways as Sam discovers that he's been thrust into a kidnapping plot ala the Lindbergh's baby. It seems little Helena Wayne was snatched from her crib sometime earlier, and now he's the guy on the doorstep holding the ransom note.
It's not a good look.
As Slam unravels the mystery of the missing baby, he's also unraveling the seedy underbelly of police corruption and racism in Gotham. And here's where the story takes a lot of interesting twists and turns that go outside the usual Batman tale.
The story itself was excellent. And because of that, I really wish it hadn't had to be connected to Batman in any way. The only part of this that didn't completely suck me in was Slam and Batman's interaction.
There was honestly no point in Sam telling this tale to Bruce in a this is where you come from kind of way. It didn't have much to do with him or his mission, other than as a history lesson.
But that's a mild complaint and it didn't affect my overall enjoyment.
Apparently, Slam is a really obscure character from back in the day that King retconned. I had zero knowledge of this until I started reading some of my friends' reviews after I'd finished the comic. He's popped up now and again in different comics over the years but I didn't recognize him at all. Kinda neat.
If you enjoy hardboiled detective comics, I think you'd dig this.
Recommended.
Sam Bradly is an old man in a hospital room, presumably on his deathbed, who retells the part he played in an ugly time in Gotham's history to the Dark Knight.
Alright. So, there's some Batman(ish) stuff in here, but it's mostly just a hardboiled detective story. And I really liked it for that.
"Slam" Bradley is an ex-cop who runs a detective agency in Gotham. One fine day, a fast-talking dame walks into his office and hires him to personally deliver a letter to Richard Wayne and his wife, Constance.
Everything goes completely sideways as Sam discovers that he's been thrust into a kidnapping plot ala the Lindbergh's baby. It seems little Helena Wayne was snatched from her crib sometime earlier, and now he's the guy on the doorstep holding the ransom note.
It's not a good look.
As Slam unravels the mystery of the missing baby, he's also unraveling the seedy underbelly of police corruption and racism in Gotham. And here's where the story takes a lot of interesting twists and turns that go outside the usual Batman tale.
The story itself was excellent. And because of that, I really wish it hadn't had to be connected to Batman in any way. The only part of this that didn't completely suck me in was Slam and Batman's interaction.
There was honestly no point in Sam telling this tale to Bruce in a this is where you come from kind of way. It didn't have much to do with him or his mission, other than as a history lesson.
But that's a mild complaint and it didn't affect my overall enjoyment.
Apparently, Slam is a really obscure character from back in the day that King retconned. I had zero knowledge of this until I started reading some of my friends' reviews after I'd finished the comic. He's popped up now and again in different comics over the years but I didn't recognize him at all. Kinda neat.
If you enjoy hardboiled detective comics, I think you'd dig this.
Recommended.
June 22, 2025
I loved everything about this book. I freely admit part of the would be nostalgic as I grew up on PI shows like Mike Hammer and (the original) Magnum PI. The story noir, Sin City, and of course Batman all combined together.
Samuel "Slam" Bradley knows Gotham. He has lived on both the North and South sides. He has been a cop now, a private detective. Now, a client walks in with a letter to the "King" of Gotham Richard Wayne. After this, Sam's life and the future of Gotham will never be the same again.
It's an awesome book. I loved everything about it. Perfect blend of story, great characters, action, detective work, and grit. Truly defining the legecy of Gotham as we know it now. The book finishes with a sketch book with character designs and a varient comer gallery.
Samuel "Slam" Bradley knows Gotham. He has lived on both the North and South sides. He has been a cop now, a private detective. Now, a client walks in with a letter to the "King" of Gotham Richard Wayne. After this, Sam's life and the future of Gotham will never be the same again.
It's an awesome book. I loved everything about it. Perfect blend of story, great characters, action, detective work, and grit. Truly defining the legecy of Gotham as we know it now. The book finishes with a sketch book with character designs and a varient comer gallery.
October 30, 2023
An interesting story with some pretty interesting retcons...sort of like most of my dates in college.
October 27, 2023
Tom King gets all noir with Bruce Wayne's grandparents and one of DC's earliest private detective characters, Slam Bradley.
Bradley is a nifty choice to lead the series since he is already a forerunner of Batman, having debuted in Detective Comics #1 in 1937, a couple of years before Bruce first dons the cowl in #27. But this character is named Samuel Taylor Bradley, not Samuel Emerson Bradley, so I'm a little unclear if it is supposed to be the same Slam Bradley from Detective #1, the father of that Slam, or a multiverse doppelganger on whatever Earth is currently the prime stage for the DCU.
Regardless of who he is, Bradley finds himself dropped into the midst of a kidnapping plot that kicks off with echoes of the Lindbergh baby snatch. While Gotham City of the early 1960s presents itself as an exemplar city with a low crime rate, Bradley's investigation quickly reveals the have-nots and the racial tensions that are suppressed and the police brutality that makes it so.
It's a fairly typical bit of crime fiction with femme fatales and numerous betrayals and twists. The biggest twist plays against the very perception of Bradley as a character from his inception, but before it is over the tale also tarnishes the sterling Wayne family reputation and has some implications for how blue their blood really is.
I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn't just read King's noirish treatment of the Human Target recently, but my biggest problem is the stupidity of pairing a trigger warning with grawlix. The title page has fine print that reads in part, "This comic contains language of a racially offensive nature and may not be suitable for all age groups." The book then proceeds to unrealistically not use the actual N-word, but a dated word down a notch or two on the offensiveness scale. But while using that word openly and often, the writer and editor then proceed to use grawlix -- you know, stuff life @#$& -- instead of Geroge Carlin's seven words -- you know, stuff like shit and fuck. If you're going to use grawlix anyway, why not use it for the racially offensive language also? Or why not include "mature language" in the title page disclaimer also and be done with the ridiculous symbols? Does this has something to do with Florida's censorship law? (And having ranted, do I now find myself in a similar situation by using "N-word" and "fuck" in the same paragraph?)
Also, one of my least favorite Batman continuity implants was having Bruce Wayne's father, Thomas, wearing a Batman costume the Halloween before his death. This series doubles down on that corniness by having the kidnapper use a bat symbol on the ransom letters and being referred to as the Bat-Man. Ugh!
Bradley is a nifty choice to lead the series since he is already a forerunner of Batman, having debuted in Detective Comics #1 in 1937, a couple of years before Bruce first dons the cowl in #27. But this character is named Samuel Taylor Bradley, not Samuel Emerson Bradley, so I'm a little unclear if it is supposed to be the same Slam Bradley from Detective #1, the father of that Slam, or a multiverse doppelganger on whatever Earth is currently the prime stage for the DCU.
Regardless of who he is, Bradley finds himself dropped into the midst of a kidnapping plot that kicks off with echoes of the Lindbergh baby snatch. While Gotham City of the early 1960s presents itself as an exemplar city with a low crime rate, Bradley's investigation quickly reveals the have-nots and the racial tensions that are suppressed and the police brutality that makes it so.
It's a fairly typical bit of crime fiction with femme fatales and numerous betrayals and twists. The biggest twist plays against the very perception of Bradley as a character from his inception, but before it is over the tale also tarnishes the sterling Wayne family reputation and has some implications for how blue their blood really is.
I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn't just read King's noirish treatment of the Human Target recently, but my biggest problem is the stupidity of pairing a trigger warning with grawlix. The title page has fine print that reads in part, "This comic contains language of a racially offensive nature and may not be suitable for all age groups." The book then proceeds to unrealistically not use the actual N-word, but a dated word down a notch or two on the offensiveness scale. But while using that word openly and often, the writer and editor then proceed to use grawlix -- you know, stuff life @#$& -- instead of Geroge Carlin's seven words -- you know, stuff like shit and fuck. If you're going to use grawlix anyway, why not use it for the racially offensive language also? Or why not include "mature language" in the title page disclaimer also and be done with the ridiculous symbols? Does this has something to do with Florida's censorship law? (And having ranted, do I now find myself in a similar situation by using "N-word" and "fuck" in the same paragraph?)
Also, one of my least favorite Batman continuity implants was having Bruce Wayne's father, Thomas, wearing a Batman costume the Halloween before his death. This series doubles down on that corniness by having the kidnapper use a bat symbol on the ransom letters and being referred to as the Bat-Man. Ugh!
August 12, 2023
6'5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Y por primera vez aquella noche, tuve miedo.
Verás, tengo la impresión general de que hay muchas personas dispuestas a apuntarte con un arma. Pero muy pocas que apretarán ese gatillo.
La mayoría de las personas que ves dudan demasiado de sí mismas, del mundo y de Dios para matar a alguien y correr el riesgo de condenarse.
Pero hay otras que harán justo lo contrario.
Distinguir a unas personas de las otras es básicamente mi forma de ganarme la vida.
Y al mirar a Constance Wayne, no tenía ninguna duda de que ella no tenía ninguna duda en absoluto.”
Me ha gustado, aunque para estar guionizado por Tom King, uno de los mejores guionistas actuales, no ha llegado al nivel que esperaba.
El título es acertado, ya que Gotham es protagonista y no Batman. El hombre murciélago solo escucha la historia que le narra el viejo detective Slam Bradley en su lecho de muerte.
Una historia sobre el pasado de la familia Wayne donde un joven Bradley, se enfrenta al secuestro del bebé de Richard y Constantine Wayne en un ambiente clásico de novela negra policíaca. Quedándose el cómic en un homenaje al género y la época, pero sin nada que sorprenda. Con un dibujo acorde de Phil Hester con la escasa gama de colores de la época en tonos pastel.
Recomendable, solo, si no te importa que Batman no participe en la historia ni esperas al mejor King en este tomo autoconclusivo de 192 páginas.
“Y por primera vez aquella noche, tuve miedo.
Verás, tengo la impresión general de que hay muchas personas dispuestas a apuntarte con un arma. Pero muy pocas que apretarán ese gatillo.
La mayoría de las personas que ves dudan demasiado de sí mismas, del mundo y de Dios para matar a alguien y correr el riesgo de condenarse.
Pero hay otras que harán justo lo contrario.
Distinguir a unas personas de las otras es básicamente mi forma de ganarme la vida.
Y al mirar a Constance Wayne, no tenía ninguna duda de que ella no tenía ninguna duda en absoluto.”
Me ha gustado, aunque para estar guionizado por Tom King, uno de los mejores guionistas actuales, no ha llegado al nivel que esperaba.
El título es acertado, ya que Gotham es protagonista y no Batman. El hombre murciélago solo escucha la historia que le narra el viejo detective Slam Bradley en su lecho de muerte.
Una historia sobre el pasado de la familia Wayne donde un joven Bradley, se enfrenta al secuestro del bebé de Richard y Constantine Wayne en un ambiente clásico de novela negra policíaca. Quedándose el cómic en un homenaje al género y la época, pero sin nada que sorprenda. Con un dibujo acorde de Phil Hester con la escasa gama de colores de la época en tonos pastel.
Recomendable, solo, si no te importa que Batman no participe en la historia ni esperas al mejor King en este tomo autoconclusivo de 192 páginas.
September 16, 2023
When Slam Bradley is hired to deliver a letter to Richard Wayne, he gets caught in a web of kidnapping, lies, and murder!
Tom King is hit or miss for me but I like Phil Hester and Jordie Bellaire so I was quick to pick this up and it did not disappoint.
Slam Bradley is a PI hired to deliver a letter to Richard Wayne, only to wind up as the Wayne's bagman when it turns out their baby daughter Helen, aka the Princess of Gotham, is kidnaped. After that, things get complicated. Hester goes more Tothian than usual in this and Jordie Bellaire's stark, minimalist color palette is prefect for the tale. King's writing reminds me of a lighter James Ellroy. The ingredients alone led me to believe some twisted shit was going down and I was surprised a couple times.
I'm not sure I liked the new revelation on how Crime Alley was named or that Gotham was a sunny place where people didn't lock their doors until the events of this book. Gotham was pretty bad in All Star Western, after all. Still, it's a Black Label book and probably not a part of continuity, although it's DC so does that really matter?
Questions/Spoilers -
Anyway, I liked this quite a bit. Gritty AF, captivating, and a great looking book. Is every street in Gotham named after a former Batman writer or artist? 4 out of 5 stars.
Tom King is hit or miss for me but I like Phil Hester and Jordie Bellaire so I was quick to pick this up and it did not disappoint.
Slam Bradley is a PI hired to deliver a letter to Richard Wayne, only to wind up as the Wayne's bagman when it turns out their baby daughter Helen, aka the Princess of Gotham, is kidnaped. After that, things get complicated. Hester goes more Tothian than usual in this and Jordie Bellaire's stark, minimalist color palette is prefect for the tale. King's writing reminds me of a lighter James Ellroy. The ingredients alone led me to believe some twisted shit was going down and I was surprised a couple times.
I'm not sure I liked the new revelation on how Crime Alley was named or that Gotham was a sunny place where people didn't lock their doors until the events of this book. Gotham was pretty bad in All Star Western, after all. Still, it's a Black Label book and probably not a part of continuity, although it's DC so does that really matter?
Questions/Spoilers -
Anyway, I liked this quite a bit. Gritty AF, captivating, and a great looking book. Is every street in Gotham named after a former Batman writer or artist? 4 out of 5 stars.
March 1, 2024
Slam Bradley!!
April 13, 2023
Have I mentioned before that I've really been enjoying Tom King's version of DC IP?
Yeah, pretty sure I have from Mister Miracle to Danger Street (which is going on right now) King adds a lot of humanism to these characters. And, who better for him to take on than Slam Bradley, one of the first DC Comics characters ever (and possibly the oldest, older than Batman and maybe Superman).
This is very much a hard-boiled private eye story in the Chandler and Hammett tradition. There are a few retcon moments regarding the Waynes, Slam and Gotham City itself. But, for me they all worked, and some of the topics broached (really avoiding spoilers here) make the story very topical for 2023.
Slam gets hired to handle the ransom exchange for the kidnapping of the Wayne's baby daughter, and much like the real life Lindbergh kidnapping things get more complicated from there.
Race relations, money, politics and a city so corrupt that it probably belongs in one of the nine circles of Hell.
Yeah, pretty sure I have from Mister Miracle to Danger Street (which is going on right now) King adds a lot of humanism to these characters. And, who better for him to take on than Slam Bradley, one of the first DC Comics characters ever (and possibly the oldest, older than Batman and maybe Superman).
This is very much a hard-boiled private eye story in the Chandler and Hammett tradition. There are a few retcon moments regarding the Waynes, Slam and Gotham City itself. But, for me they all worked, and some of the topics broached (really avoiding spoilers here) make the story very topical for 2023.
Slam gets hired to handle the ransom exchange for the kidnapping of the Wayne's baby daughter, and much like the real life Lindbergh kidnapping things get more complicated from there.
Race relations, money, politics and a city so corrupt that it probably belongs in one of the nine circles of Hell.
June 26, 2023
A crime noire that feels rather detached from the world of Gotham save for the familiar names. It’s a trip to the past that earnestly tries to tackle themes like segregation and child kidnapping without a superhero spin. Whilst much of the narrative and the art works, some parts do become a little bore and chore before it manages to pick itself back up. One for the crime lovers, it’s nice for fans and comic readers alike to have this kind of variety.
November 13, 2023
Gotham City. The cesspool of crime of the DC Universe, but Tom King theorizes that it was once a thriving haven and wasn’t always synonymous with crime. Year One stories in DC are always important origin stories and it’s pretty cool to now present one for the most popular fictional city in pop culture.
In a brilliant idea, the telling of Gotham’s fall from grace is presented here as a hard-boiled crime mystery starring the OG private dick Slam Bradley, who gives a deathbed confession of his involvement in a child kidnapping case that set the city on fire. Witness a pre-Batman Gotham, where everyone has secrets and the seediness that has been festering in the shadows of the city are brought to the surface, in pure Tom King-style.
The writing here is fantastic and a must-read for fans of classic mystery and gritty noir as King once again knocks it out of the park!
In a brilliant idea, the telling of Gotham’s fall from grace is presented here as a hard-boiled crime mystery starring the OG private dick Slam Bradley, who gives a deathbed confession of his involvement in a child kidnapping case that set the city on fire. Witness a pre-Batman Gotham, where everyone has secrets and the seediness that has been festering in the shadows of the city are brought to the surface, in pure Tom King-style.
The writing here is fantastic and a must-read for fans of classic mystery and gritty noir as King once again knocks it out of the park!
“This is not some scum-slum where you can get away with your sins. This is Gotham. Where the angels rise. And the devils burn.”
October 4, 2023
An excellent noir story. Using all the tropes of the genre King writes an excellent period piece and uses it to kick the Waynes mythology in the guts.
As a genre amateur I found it brilliant; as a Batman fan I found it quite the same. My main complain would be Sam Bradley’s origins, sounding phony and opportunist in this day and age. The tarot reading mother is a bit too much, too. It’s rather peripheral to the main plot but still.
I’ve always liked Phil Hester but this book might just be his best work ever. It’s like he waited all these years just to outdo himself drawing this one. Composition, storytelling, use of black and white... Everything is just great, sublimed by Jordie Bellaire’s beautiful colours.
As a genre amateur I found it brilliant; as a Batman fan I found it quite the same. My main complain would be Sam Bradley’s origins, sounding phony and opportunist in this day and age. The tarot reading mother is a bit too much, too. It’s rather peripheral to the main plot but still.
I’ve always liked Phil Hester but this book might just be his best work ever. It’s like he waited all these years just to outdo himself drawing this one. Composition, storytelling, use of black and white... Everything is just great, sublimed by Jordie Bellaire’s beautiful colours.
Read
November 23, 2023DNF - I just can't seem to get into this. I usually love 85% of King's work but this one was a drag to read. Just not for me, as everyone else seems to really enjoy this one.
June 1, 2025
Samuel Bradley, más conocido como Slam Bradley, es el protagonista y narrador de esta historia sobre los orígenes de la podredumbre, depravación, decadencia y altos índices de criminalidad a los que se ve abocada Gotham City.
También nos cuenta los orígenes de la riqueza atesorada por los Wayne, cómo conoció a los antepasados de Bruce Wayne, cómo acabó metido en una investigación que se volvió cada vez más turbia y cómo hubiera deseado no llevar nunca ese sobre con instrucciones del secuestrador a la mansión de los Wayne.
Cada personaje, como en todo buen noir que se precie, esconde sus secretos, y Slam no es una excepción. "NQE". Pero aún más esconden el resto de personajes, en una trama detectivesca que se va desentrañando poco a poco a medida que su protagonista se adentra en la jungla que había tras el escaparate de cristales ahumados que oculta los bajos fondos de Gotham City.
Tampoco ayuda que esté ambientada a principios de 1961, cuando está en todo su apogeo la diferencia de clases y la segregación racial típica de aquella época llena de claroscuros (grandes avances, logros y descubrimientos científicos versus disturbios, aumento de la violencia en las calles y asesinatos cada vez más viles) que se daba en cualquier gran ciudad norteamericana de entonces, y donde el mal acechaba hasta en los rincones más inesperados -el episodio del famoso Callejón del Crimen aquí se da de otra forma-.
Paro aquí de contar para no desvelar ningún plot twist que pueda fastidiar a todo el que no lo haya leído. Solo añadiré que merece la pena (más ahora que están al 20% o más de descuento todos los restos que dejó ECC tras quebrar), y que el arte de Phil Hester y el color de Jordie Bellaire -incomprensiblemente no aparece anunciada en portada, al menos en la edición de ECC de noviembre ‘24- le van como anillo al dedo a una trama con todos los tropos de los noir, tan bien hilvanada por Tom King, del que ya había leído otra joya, pero marvelita, aún mejor que esta: “La Visión”.
Leedla y juzgad por vosotros mismos si tenéis las agallas de seguir a Slam Bradley en su descenso a los infiernos de Gotham City. Valoración final: 3'75 de 5⭐"noir".
También nos cuenta los orígenes de la riqueza atesorada por los Wayne, cómo conoció a los antepasados de Bruce Wayne, cómo acabó metido en una investigación que se volvió cada vez más turbia y cómo hubiera deseado no llevar nunca ese sobre con instrucciones del secuestrador a la mansión de los Wayne.
Cada personaje, como en todo buen noir que se precie, esconde sus secretos, y Slam no es una excepción. "NQE". Pero aún más esconden el resto de personajes, en una trama detectivesca que se va desentrañando poco a poco a medida que su protagonista se adentra en la jungla que había tras el escaparate de cristales ahumados que oculta los bajos fondos de Gotham City.
Tampoco ayuda que esté ambientada a principios de 1961, cuando está en todo su apogeo la diferencia de clases y la segregación racial típica de aquella época llena de claroscuros (grandes avances, logros y descubrimientos científicos versus disturbios, aumento de la violencia en las calles y asesinatos cada vez más viles) que se daba en cualquier gran ciudad norteamericana de entonces, y donde el mal acechaba hasta en los rincones más inesperados -el episodio del famoso Callejón del Crimen aquí se da de otra forma-.
Paro aquí de contar para no desvelar ningún plot twist que pueda fastidiar a todo el que no lo haya leído. Solo añadiré que merece la pena (más ahora que están al 20% o más de descuento todos los restos que dejó ECC tras quebrar), y que el arte de Phil Hester y el color de Jordie Bellaire -incomprensiblemente no aparece anunciada en portada, al menos en la edición de ECC de noviembre ‘24- le van como anillo al dedo a una trama con todos los tropos de los noir, tan bien hilvanada por Tom King, del que ya había leído otra joya, pero marvelita, aún mejor que esta: “La Visión”.
Leedla y juzgad por vosotros mismos si tenéis las agallas de seguir a Slam Bradley en su descenso a los infiernos de Gotham City. Valoración final: 3'75 de 5⭐"noir".
November 14, 2023
Gotham City: Year One collects issues 1-6 of the DC Comics series written by Tom King, illustrated by Phil Hester, and colored by Jordie Bellaire.
Gotham City. The 1960s. The city is a beacon for America and what all other cities strive to be. It has the lowest crime rate in the country and poised to become even greater with Richard Wayne close to opening a state of the art chemical plant that will thrust the city to even bigger heights. Then the unthinkable happens. The Princess of Gotham Helen Wayne, the infant daughter of the Waynes, is kidnapped in the middle of the night. Private Eye Slam Bradley is thrown into the middle of the case and will do everything in his power to rescue this baby girl.
Tom King can be very decisive but I have always really enjoyed his work. I really enjoyed the first 5 issues of the book, with King crafting a great noir set in Gotham with everything you would want: hard boiled crime, damsels, smoking guns, and double and triple crossings. And then the book forces way too much into the final issue. Some of it seemingly coming from nowhere. Maybe this should have been a couple issues longer to explore more of those themes to make more sense.
There are some big take aways from this book if it’s to be considered canon. I really don’t know if it is or just another Black Label multiverse tale. But Gotham going from the golden city to crime infested dumpster fire in twenty years is quite a stretch. There are also some very cringey foreshadowing/easter eggs/winks to the reader that again feel incredibly forced: “bat-man,” Richard Wayne’s “cherry cave,” crime alley, and more. I expect better than that from King.
Gotham City. The 1960s. The city is a beacon for America and what all other cities strive to be. It has the lowest crime rate in the country and poised to become even greater with Richard Wayne close to opening a state of the art chemical plant that will thrust the city to even bigger heights. Then the unthinkable happens. The Princess of Gotham Helen Wayne, the infant daughter of the Waynes, is kidnapped in the middle of the night. Private Eye Slam Bradley is thrown into the middle of the case and will do everything in his power to rescue this baby girl.
Tom King can be very decisive but I have always really enjoyed his work. I really enjoyed the first 5 issues of the book, with King crafting a great noir set in Gotham with everything you would want: hard boiled crime, damsels, smoking guns, and double and triple crossings. And then the book forces way too much into the final issue. Some of it seemingly coming from nowhere. Maybe this should have been a couple issues longer to explore more of those themes to make more sense.
There are some big take aways from this book if it’s to be considered canon. I really don’t know if it is or just another Black Label multiverse tale. But Gotham going from the golden city to crime infested dumpster fire in twenty years is quite a stretch. There are also some very cringey foreshadowing/easter eggs/winks to the reader that again feel incredibly forced: “bat-man,” Richard Wayne’s “cherry cave,” crime alley, and more. I expect better than that from King.
September 30, 2023
An enthralling noir story from the first panel to the last. I would have loved this story based solely on either the writing or the art.
January 13, 2024
Some great stuff in here, but I'm not quite feeling a 5 star.
The start of this wasn't as promising as I'd hoped. I had been looking forward to reading Gotham City: Year One from the moment I realized how much merit the plot had. A Slam Bradley story, set in Gotham, telling the origins of Gotham City, using noir, written by Tom King? Every single part of that sounds like perfection, and yeah, King delivered.
Probably the ONLY issue I have with this, though, is the pacing of the first issue. I'm glad Tom King isn't dragging things out like he does many times, but I felt like he jumped right in too fast this time. There's no time to get used to things, it starts with the envelope and then the story gets started. It makes sense whenever stories are issue-based, and I think I'm just too used to movie pacing and getting to get a feel for the world and the characters and the tone before jumping into the meat of the story since I've been watching a lot of movies lately, but it still bothered me.
Don't worry though, because if that bothers you like it bothered me, it'll go away by 3rd issue at the most. By the end, I forgot I even had that issue until I started writing my review. You'll get to the third issue quick, too. Some Tom King comics are wordy and long and just a drag to get through (Supergirl, specifically) but this one has just enough text and a page-turning story. Mystery is always good for interest, though.
It seems like Tom King introduced a new piece of lore about Slam Bradley's race, because when I look it up it's exclusively mentioned in discussions of this comic. If that's the case, I think it's a great addition to his lore, especially considering his Golden Age appearances were EXTREMELY racist. Hope to see more stories with King's version of Slam. Reminds me of Incognegro (which, if this idea interests you, you should very much read).
About the actual Gotham City lore, though, this isn't really important at all. And actually, I don't think this a year one story? This takes place well after Gotham has been established, even going as far to say that Gotham is a better city than Metropolis. The spiral is somewhat interesting, but really not necessary, and it's clearly just a marketing thing to call this Gotham City: Year One. I was expecting it to be set during the establishment of Gotham and probably have some more mystical aspects mixed in, like Dark Knight, Dark City. I'm not at all disappointed with what I got instead, but don't go in expecting anything other than a Slam Bradley tale with Batman ties.
The noir aspect isn't as good as Sandman Mystery Theatre (which I'm aware I always cite when talking about noir and I will talk about it until I die) but it's still great. Although the comic is mainline DC, the story doesn't suffer from it. The racism is still very strong and well articulated without using slurs (although there's still plenty of racist language) and it's plenty noirish and dark. Although it makes for a good story, it's still upsettingly dark at times, however. The final reveal about what happened to Helen hurts worse than any of the other accusations and theories throughout the book.
The art is fantastic. Hester feels like an elevated Gabriel Ba in many panels, and although there are a few panels where the parts I don't like of Ba show, it's mostly some pretty darn good stuff. Hester makes use of sillouhettes, too. The coloring, by the way, is also incredible.
Definitley something you should pick up if you like noir and DC. This is the third best thing I've read from Tom King, and I think I've started to love his work. All I know is I'm definitely excited to check out another comic by him and that you should definitely check out this one. Highly recommended.
The start of this wasn't as promising as I'd hoped. I had been looking forward to reading Gotham City: Year One from the moment I realized how much merit the plot had. A Slam Bradley story, set in Gotham, telling the origins of Gotham City, using noir, written by Tom King? Every single part of that sounds like perfection, and yeah, King delivered.
Probably the ONLY issue I have with this, though, is the pacing of the first issue. I'm glad Tom King isn't dragging things out like he does many times, but I felt like he jumped right in too fast this time. There's no time to get used to things, it starts with the envelope and then the story gets started. It makes sense whenever stories are issue-based, and I think I'm just too used to movie pacing and getting to get a feel for the world and the characters and the tone before jumping into the meat of the story since I've been watching a lot of movies lately, but it still bothered me.
Don't worry though, because if that bothers you like it bothered me, it'll go away by 3rd issue at the most. By the end, I forgot I even had that issue until I started writing my review. You'll get to the third issue quick, too. Some Tom King comics are wordy and long and just a drag to get through (Supergirl, specifically) but this one has just enough text and a page-turning story. Mystery is always good for interest, though.
It seems like Tom King introduced a new piece of lore about Slam Bradley's race, because when I look it up it's exclusively mentioned in discussions of this comic. If that's the case, I think it's a great addition to his lore, especially considering his Golden Age appearances were EXTREMELY racist. Hope to see more stories with King's version of Slam. Reminds me of Incognegro (which, if this idea interests you, you should very much read).
About the actual Gotham City lore, though, this isn't really important at all. And actually, I don't think this a year one story? This takes place well after Gotham has been established, even going as far to say that Gotham is a better city than Metropolis. The spiral is somewhat interesting, but really not necessary, and it's clearly just a marketing thing to call this Gotham City: Year One. I was expecting it to be set during the establishment of Gotham and probably have some more mystical aspects mixed in, like Dark Knight, Dark City. I'm not at all disappointed with what I got instead, but don't go in expecting anything other than a Slam Bradley tale with Batman ties.
The noir aspect isn't as good as Sandman Mystery Theatre (which I'm aware I always cite when talking about noir and I will talk about it until I die) but it's still great. Although the comic is mainline DC, the story doesn't suffer from it. The racism is still very strong and well articulated without using slurs (although there's still plenty of racist language) and it's plenty noirish and dark. Although it makes for a good story, it's still upsettingly dark at times, however. The final reveal about what happened to Helen hurts worse than any of the other accusations and theories throughout the book.
The art is fantastic. Hester feels like an elevated Gabriel Ba in many panels, and although there are a few panels where the parts I don't like of Ba show, it's mostly some pretty darn good stuff. Hester makes use of sillouhettes, too. The coloring, by the way, is also incredible.
Definitley something you should pick up if you like noir and DC. This is the third best thing I've read from Tom King, and I think I've started to love his work. All I know is I'm definitely excited to check out another comic by him and that you should definitely check out this one. Highly recommended.
December 25, 2023
Apesar de Gotham City: Ano Um ser escrita por Tom King, escritor de quadrinhos badalado dos últimos anos, não vi nenhuma comoção a respeito da minissérie por aí. Mas gostei da premissa: mostrar como o crime e a corrupção começaram na cidade, duas gerações antes do surgimento do Batman. A história é focada em Slam Bradley, detetive particular criado pelos mesmos inventores do Superman. O que me encantou mesmo nessa minissérie foi a tentativa de emular as narrativas noir dos anos 1930 de autores como Mickey Spillane e Raymond Chandler, com um protagonista imponente como Bradley e personagens sem escrúpulos e nem remorsos como os Wayne daquela época. São todos ingredientes que um belo romance noir pede, além de uma polícia não confiável e algumas pitadas de femmes fatales agindo dentro da trama. Mas temos também os plot twists interessantes de histórias clássicas do noir como Chinatown e L. A. Confidencial. Esse quadrinho me fez ficar grudado nele até eu entender todos os mistérios que ele estabelece e desbarata até a última página, mas também acaba deixando alguns na incumbência do leitor.
September 16, 2023
I wouldn't normally read anything "noir", but this was pretty good. Plus I love Tom King.
June 17, 2024
This is the kind of narrative DC created the Black Label for. In Gotham City: Year One, we follow private eye Slam Bradley as he's coerced into solving the crime of the century: the kidnapping of the Wayne heir. This being the heir to Bruce Wayne's grandparents, right in Tom King's sweet spot of midcentury glamour/noir. Everyone is ceaselessly lighting cigarettes and pouring drinks.
Each issue contains more twists than a tourniquet, more shocking reveals than a Maury episode. It's hard to explore the plot in a review without giving anything away. Suffice it to say, the kidnapping is less of a mystery than it first appears. The real investigation is into the grit, grime, and rampant racism that underlies picture-perfect Gotham. The "year one" idea being that this crime is what led to Gotham's downfall - essentially, to what created Crime Alley, where young Bruce Wayne became Batman.
I was absolutely hooked to the story, even if some of the twisty explanations towards the end failed to land. Phil Hester's blocky artwork is well suited to the noir tale. Gotham City: Year One is easily one of Tom King's finest reads - it has the hallmark voiceover he's known for, but the plot rarely strays into "the thinking man's" territory. It's dark and mean the whole way through, as exhilirating as it is troubling.
Each issue contains more twists than a tourniquet, more shocking reveals than a Maury episode. It's hard to explore the plot in a review without giving anything away. Suffice it to say, the kidnapping is less of a mystery than it first appears. The real investigation is into the grit, grime, and rampant racism that underlies picture-perfect Gotham. The "year one" idea being that this crime is what led to Gotham's downfall - essentially, to what created Crime Alley, where young Bruce Wayne became Batman.
I was absolutely hooked to the story, even if some of the twisty explanations towards the end failed to land. Phil Hester's blocky artwork is well suited to the noir tale. Gotham City: Year One is easily one of Tom King's finest reads - it has the hallmark voiceover he's known for, but the plot rarely strays into "the thinking man's" territory. It's dark and mean the whole way through, as exhilirating as it is troubling.
November 7, 2023
Edit: What I meant to say is that this story feels like Chinatown directed by Billy Wilder. Like it genuinely feels like a 40s noir as opposed to a love letter to the genre. Feel me?
Issues collected individually throughout late 2022 to now! I am proud of myself. I didn't really know what direction Tom King was going to go into with the origin of Gotham. There are limitless possibilities for an environment that has evolved as many times as this one has since 39. What he gives us is a noir detective story with no fancy costumes or psychotic villains. Rather a deep exploration of corruption, greed, racism, and more. This story has far more in common with a Billy Wilder movie than say Chinatown, but it works very well. It has all the tropes you could adore. My only complaint is that the ending. Suggests something new about Batman that has never been done before. You'll either love it or hate it. I was appreciative of the new idea, but still somewhat felt a bit like it retconned the whole Batman history. And it just felt a bit weird. Makes sense, but a little weird.
Issues collected individually throughout late 2022 to now! I am proud of myself. I didn't really know what direction Tom King was going to go into with the origin of Gotham. There are limitless possibilities for an environment that has evolved as many times as this one has since 39. What he gives us is a noir detective story with no fancy costumes or psychotic villains. Rather a deep exploration of corruption, greed, racism, and more. This story has far more in common with a Billy Wilder movie than say Chinatown, but it works very well. It has all the tropes you could adore. My only complaint is that the ending. Suggests something new about Batman that has never been done before. You'll either love it or hate it. I was appreciative of the new idea, but still somewhat felt a bit like it retconned the whole Batman history. And it just felt a bit weird. Makes sense, but a little weird.
September 6, 2023
This is the perfect book for me. Gripping noir tale, drenched in rain, starring a beaten down guy just trying to find some reason in this world. Fantastic stuff. I hope Phil Hester draws more books like this, and I hope Tom King finds a way to keep telling stories like this
November 17, 2023
Strictly ok. Decent mystery but does too much to try to reinvent the wheel. Liked the art.
January 14, 2024
Why can't two rich bluebood just get divorced, why must you bring down a whole city with you? Why be so extra!?
Year one really is textbook noir with loose ties to DC. It's something Brubaker and Philips would write 20 years ago if they were in their Gotham Central days. It also weirdly is exactly the type of story that fits Tom King's tropes. A few instances of it are a slog, but Hester and Gapstur really set the tone perfectly between pencils and colors. I love when a book goes sorta old school and washes the whole page in a few similar colors, like good lighting in a film. I didn't love this book, it's not the be all end all, but the quality cannot be denied, and when King plays to his strengths it works out well for everyone. But forreal, Slam is gonna need a new face and the Wayne's should have just gotten divorced.
Year one really is textbook noir with loose ties to DC. It's something Brubaker and Philips would write 20 years ago if they were in their Gotham Central days. It also weirdly is exactly the type of story that fits Tom King's tropes. A few instances of it are a slog, but Hester and Gapstur really set the tone perfectly between pencils and colors. I love when a book goes sorta old school and washes the whole page in a few similar colors, like good lighting in a film. I didn't love this book, it's not the be all end all, but the quality cannot be denied, and when King plays to his strengths it works out well for everyone. But forreal, Slam is gonna need a new face and the Wayne's should have just gotten divorced.
October 20, 2024
Nao gostei tanto, achei uma historia valida, nao fiquei com aquela sensaçao de ai, precisava? Mas ao mesmo tempo nao estava mt interessada durante a leitura. Acho que o personagem principal é meio unidimensional demais, nao me interessei por ele. Mas foi diferenter ver uma Gotham antes do caos se instaurar.
May 13, 2024
Tom King has written more Batman comics than most contemporary writers. I won’t be surprised if, whenever he retires, he will have written the most of anyone. This is his take on the “birth” of contemporary Gotham. It’s a hard boiled detective noir that centers on Batman’s Grandparents. King leans into the cliches while keeping the story entertaining and sprinkling in some fun Batman lore. There’s a lot of interesting race relations stuff here that I haven’t seen in many other Batman comics. The art by Hester and Bellaire is incredible, and it alone is enough to warrant checking the book out.
November 19, 2023
Se me ha hecho algo confuso el guion en algunos tramos, pero sigue siendo una maestría artística y narrativa; vaya espectáculo.
January 11, 2024
This whole story reads like the ending of the dark. Knight rises where the lady in the office says, you have to use your whole name… Robin!
Decent noir crime, but so full of needless fan service, and cheesy lines
Decent noir crime, but so full of needless fan service, and cheesy lines
September 8, 2023
Possibly Phil Hester’s best art to date, and as a life long fan of his that’s saying a lot.
June 20, 2024
Es un cómic noir cojonudo. Con un apartado visual acorde a lo que homenajea, con contrastes muy marcados, sombras duras, jugando mucho con las siluetas... La trama te mantiene en vilo y hay múltiples giros que incentivan el interés por parte del lector. No diría que es de los trabajos más redondos de King, pero sí que está a la altura de uno de los mejores autores contemporáneos.
7/10
7/10
March 20, 2025
An excellent pulpy noir. The best part of having a bad memory is that I thought I remembered the twist, but there was another one after that I forgot about lmao
I know this didn’t have stellar sales, but I hope DC green lights the sequel Tom wants to do. 4.5
I know this didn’t have stellar sales, but I hope DC green lights the sequel Tom wants to do. 4.5
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