Name: Batman: Bad Seeds - Gotham Central (2026) #1
Rating: 3.75 (18 reviews)

3,274 reviews19 followers

September 10, 2026

The bar has been set high for the boots on the ground stories, that was intense! By the end of that issue I felt like a pressure cooker in the way this is about to explode in our faces, I love it! I have that the Gotham general special was pushed back but if it’s half as good as this it will be an interesting read. This perspective is exactly what these huge events need, the people you don’t think about as often putting their necks on the line while facing the impossible to continue doing what they do best. One of my favorite characters from this has to be Garber, the LT of the train stations, pulling every trick he has picked up over the years to keep the trains rolling and to get people to safety. But of course I also have to highlight Gordon and Espinoza’s fantastic detective work, even when the world is falling down around them they make sure the monsters that prowl Gotham don’t get away with it. It’s so admirable when their radio frequencies are crowded by the sounds of clowns getting their heads bashed together for standing in the way of batman. Also I adore the art style of this book, the colors are fantastic and the human art draws me into the book right alongside these characters.

We jump into this issue where a plot thread left off in the sunset issue, with Gordon and Espinoza responding to a report of a dead body found in the Gotham Arboretum…because when all of the plants are growing rapidly and killing everyone the best place to go is where the really special plants already are, lol. Of course the TUCO units try and call the pair back for violating orders, but “nobody skates on a murder change just because we’re all having a bad day.” But when our officers arrive they find the entrance gate covered up by vines. Espinoza isn’t going to let that stop her and she decides to ram it, at the very least Ivy seems to be following the rule of cool as the ground burst before them to give them a ramp to jump over the gate with instead of bashing through it, lol. There is a hilarious moment here where Gordon is trying to get her to stop, mentioning a time his grandmother wrecked her car on the plants in her front yard…only for Espinoza to counter with “she just wants going fast enough.” I love their chemistry. The witness, the security guard, who called in the victim isn’t even mad about waiting for so long after the entrance. From a basic examination our officers are able to determine this was a targeted attack and the man has signs of torture before death. Gordon calls in for anyone from forensics, only for Taberman to finally break through the TUCO radio chatter to head down and help with his kit. Taberman found a star bolt screwdriver wound on the body, and signs the body was dropped here. Through Taberman’s experience he also recognizes some of the scuffs as being from Arkham Towers. More than likely he was an employee, and now they need to get down there. Our officers give the security guard a ride while Taberman prepares the body to be transfer and stored in the morgue.

All the while in the narrows of Chinatown, a delivery driver stands ready in the midst of the chaos to take on the crime lords who continue their high stakes Mahjong game. I love Anarky’s vibe in this book, the adoration for the chaos and the hatred of control in any form…even the organized crime mind. But he doesn’t come loaded out, instead he has a 3D printed gun he hopes he doesn’t have to use as it may blow his hand off…perfectly Anarky’s style, lol. Anarky busts into the game with the gun drawn, only to start dodging axes as all of the gang members have them to use as weapons. Snarky triggers the gun, and somehow it causes a massive explosion. Moments later he is running out the front door with a bag full of money as Officer Baker comes across the scene to order the triad members to drop their weapons. Instead they order her to go after Anarky or they will call Savage personally. And just like that Baker is on foot chasing after Anarky, sigh.

Our officers are greeted by an official at Arkham towers who is able to confirm the identity of the victim, George was a technical engineer, and assures them that everyone in the towers are accounted for. They are monitoring through their system and by nurses checking rooms. But he still brings them to a block where they had a power surge and had to have security and maintenance check the circuits. But as they walk past Victor Zsasz’s cell, Gordon bears a slow drip. He asks for the cell to be opened, even of Victor is heavily drugged they are old friends. Only for Gordon to turn over the body to find the dead body of the maintenance tech with the words “no crown” carved into his body. The slow drip was the sound of the blood coming from the guards stuffed in the vent above them. A vent secured with star bit screws. Zsasz just can’t help himself but find ways to break out of Arkham, huh? Ever since his debut story. But wow does this scene also fill me with the sense of dread anyone working at Arkham has to stomach to get through a day. The mention of the crown carved into the man’s body is that of Doctor Zeller’s crown of storms which many patients fear will change them by affecting their brains. Zsasz wants to take Zeller out before she has the chance, and the last place she was seen was heading to the subway station which is still running thanks to Garber’s tricks from working on transit for so long. That’s our officers next stop.

But they aren’t the only ones heading for the subway, as Officer Baker continues to chase Anarky she gets the best encouragement from Savage and TUCO Captain Flass (of course he is) as they call on the radio to enforce how high priority an arrest Anarky is…even if Baker s alone. She watches and chases after him as he ducks into the packed subway system, where Gordon and Espinoza are also looking for Zeller. Not many trains are still set to run, the flora is taking over the tunnels and they are running out of juice. But Garber is still working to get as many people as possible to the Harbor where boats to Bludhaven are waiting. Zeller ends up finding Officer Baker, distressed as she can tell a man is following her and has been for a while as she came from the server center and now has her life’s work. Baker orders her to stick close as she secures them a spot on the train, only for the man who was following her to step up…only to be revealed as Private Detective Bullock. Hahaha! Baker is able to vouch for him, although he is forced to explain that someone hired him to watch Zeller and he can tell she may need a few eyes watching her anyway. Gordon and Espinoza step up next as they inform her that Zsasz escaped killed Engineer George and he could be anywhere. Zeller is ready to run, but the train doors are closed and they are in motion. Even worse, Baker is continually being pestered by Flass to find Anarky. Instead of letting Baker respond, Gordon chips in and tells Flass to stop shrieking like a barn animal before turning the radio off, lol. Baker updates Gordon on the Anarky situation, but the last thing they need is Anarky acting rash if he is cornered. As such they will move through the train cars one by one with Baker taking the lead and Bullock and Espinoza staying back to watch Zeller. But then the setting dawns on them, as they are packed inside a train car with vines growing and disrupting their travel all around them. This is a champagne bottle ready to blow its cork, and as the last page reveals…Zsasz is hiding in George’s clothes in plain sight with his favorite screwdriver in hand. $%#!

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

Batman: Bad Seeds - Gotham Central (2026) #1

Christopher Cantwell, Jacob Phillips (Artist)

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