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22nd out of 230 books
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288 voters
Gotham Central, Vol. 1: In the Line of Duty (Gotham Central trade paperbacks #1)
Meet Gotham's Finest.
Living in the shadows of the Dark Knight makes the detectives of Gotham's police force determined to prove that have what it takes to enforce the law in a city rife with criminals... with or without Batman's help.
Meet Commissioner Akins and his Major Crimes Unit commander Maggie Sawter (fresh from Metropolis). Keeping the streets safe are detectives Re...more
Living in the shadows of the Dark Knight makes the detectives of Gotham's police force determined to prove that have what it takes to enforce the law in a city rife with criminals... with or without Batman's help.
Meet Commissioner Akins and his Major Crimes Unit commander Maggie Sawter (fresh from Metropolis). Keeping the streets safe are detectives Re...more
Paperback, 128 pages
Published
May 1st 2004
by DC Comics
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INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES
There are many graphic novels about superheroes and their world and how important it
is for them to save the regular mortals but rarely do we get a perspective of the mortals unless they're family or lovers. In this series we focus almost exclusively upon the detectives (morning and night shifts) of Gotham who sometimes resent “The Bat” for solving their cases. It's a fresh and interesting approach with Batman showing up less than 5% of all the tales.
BOOK ONE
Story focu...more
There are many graphic novels about superheroes and their world and how important it
is for them to save the regular mortals but rarely do we get a perspective of the mortals unless they're family or lovers. In this series we focus almost exclusively upon the detectives (morning and night shifts) of Gotham who sometimes resent “The Bat” for solving their cases. It's a fresh and interesting approach with Batman showing up less than 5% of all the tales.
BOOK ONE
Story focu...more
Jun 14, 2007
Jam
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who like noir or procedurals and comics
Shelves:
comicsmanga,
back-ups
One of the best comic book series out there. Set in Gotham, but about the Gotham Central Police Department. All the best bits of noir and procedurals, great characters, great use of familiar faces. The Joker, Batman, Mr Freeze or Ivy might make appearances, but it's always about the GCPD.
One of those books you try to force everyone to read.
One of those books you try to force everyone to read.
3 likes · like · see review
A brilliant idea for a premise - following the Gotham cops in the shadow of Batman. Really well done in a Law & Order sense, the Rogus Gallery and Batman really serve as interesting background, whle the real focus is on the cops.
I'm not sure I can add anything in my review that hasn't already been said about this book. GOTHAM CENTRAL takes the action of a standard Batman book down to street level and follows the cops and detectives who protect the city during the day. This book establishes a novel convention that G.C.P.D. is always working against the clock--if they don't solve a crime before nightfall, Batman will show up and collar the crook on his own. I had always assumed that the authorities appreciated his help, b...more
Being fatigued a lot by reading grant Morison stuff on batman that really made me feel tired of the character . So pretty much I feel open for any suggestion , about reading a batman book that dosent involve the dark-night in particular . And gotham central is what i ordered .
What a brilliant mix . Throwing a police/ detective tv show on gotham city with all its vilans and stuff .Not to say that i am actually surprised that the idea really worked . But I really liked the feeling of this book , a...more
What a brilliant mix . Throwing a police/ detective tv show on gotham city with all its vilans and stuff .Not to say that i am actually surprised that the idea really worked . But I really liked the feeling of this book , a...more
Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka draw focus from Batman to the men and women of the Gotham City Police Department in “Gotham Central”. In a city watched over by a Dark Knight filled with colourful villains running amok, how do ordinary police fare against such an outlandish backdrop?
As a huge Batman fan, I think it’s an interesting idea to see the goings on in Batman stories from the perspective of the characters who’re always in the background, looking on as a guy dressed as a bat does their job for...more
As a huge Batman fan, I think it’s an interesting idea to see the goings on in Batman stories from the perspective of the characters who’re always in the background, looking on as a guy dressed as a bat does their job for...more
How do Gotham's Finest really feel about Batman? The initial assumption is that they'd feel grateful, of course. In Gotham Central's Major Crimes Unit, the detectives often feel a bit miffed that some guy in a Halloween costume can do their job better than they can. There's a certain amount of resentment, that they can't do their job without him.
There are five issues here, representing two seperate but interrelated stories. Two cops are investigating a kidnapping when they stumble across Mr. Fr...more
There are five issues here, representing two seperate but interrelated stories. Two cops are investigating a kidnapping when they stumble across Mr. Fr...more
5 likes · like · see review
Contains two stories, "In the Line of Duty" and "Motive." In the first, two officers investigate a tip on a kidnapping case and instead encounter Mr. Freeze, who fills one of them. His fellow officers try to bring down Freeze before the Bat Signal brings Batman into the picture.
In the second story, the surviving partner of the team from the earlier story is still on the kidnapping case when the victim's body is found. The case slowly merges with that of a costumed arsonist called Firebug, who tu...more
In the second story, the surviving partner of the team from the earlier story is still on the kidnapping case when the victim's body is found. The case slowly merges with that of a costumed arsonist called Firebug, who tu...more
Been planning to read this series straight through, starting with the couple of volumes I already had read. I am, just to cut to the chase, sad this series didn't catch on. To me, it is one of the best Batman series, if not the best Batman series, since Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. It is Gotham as seen from the point of view of cops, and not just cops, but very much the sort of cops we recognize from TV serials. And that's a compliment. This is as engaging as the best cop dramas -- fr...more
3 likes · like · see review
Dec 12, 2010
Wirotomo Nofamilyname
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everybody who has inferiority complex
Recommended to Wirotomo by:
Ed Brubaker himself..... I wish :-)
sudah lama belinya, tapi baru sekarang sempat membacanya. sangat memuaskan.
singkatnya komik ini memuat gabungan dari ide yang brilian, cerita yang menarik dan dukungan gambar atas jalan cerita.
jika selama ini kita sering sebal dengan polisi/detektif yang sepertinya tidak menyukai superhero/vigilante andalan kita padahal mereka jelas sangat dibantu oleh superhero kita tersebut, maka di komik ini kita akan bersimpati kepada detektif-detektif tersebut yang "terpaksa" bekerja menyelesaikan kasus kri...more
singkatnya komik ini memuat gabungan dari ide yang brilian, cerita yang menarik dan dukungan gambar atas jalan cerita.
jika selama ini kita sering sebal dengan polisi/detektif yang sepertinya tidak menyukai superhero/vigilante andalan kita padahal mereka jelas sangat dibantu oleh superhero kita tersebut, maka di komik ini kita akan bersimpati kepada detektif-detektif tersebut yang "terpaksa" bekerja menyelesaikan kasus kri...more
I have to say that what I enjoyed most about this first-in-the-series title was the introduction by Lawrence Block. If there have been more righteous words written about comic books I'd be very surprised.
Writers: Greg Rucka & Ed Brubaker - I enjoyed the writing in this comic. The story lines are not particularly memorable once finished, but they flowed well and were addictive to read. I liked the concept that the Gotham City Police Department has to pick up where the superheroes left off, an...more
Writers: Greg Rucka & Ed Brubaker - I enjoyed the writing in this comic. The story lines are not particularly memorable once finished, but they flowed well and were addictive to read. I liked the concept that the Gotham City Police Department has to pick up where the superheroes left off, an...more
What would it be like protecting a city along side the Batman? What I like about this book is that it has a brilliant premise and the commitment to really explore it. It is all too frequent that comics start with a novel idea and stray to more common narratives in order to stay in print (although GC's decision not to write for sales almost certainly attributed to its eventual demise). Gotham Central is a book about the police officers of Gotham City. Batman's influence is felt but he rarely appe...more
Ed Brubaker cuts his chops on this Law & Order-inspired comic series. Seeking to show that the GCPD are competent officers that do not require Batman to solve their every case, Gotham Central explores the officers who patrol the streets of Batman's city. As a routine search accidentally turns up Mr. Freeze - and leaves an officer dead - the group focuses on shutting down his plot without the aid of the Dark Knight. Detective Marcus Driver leads the charge, alongside Metropolis transfer Maggi...more
Sep 11, 2011
Amber Ditullio
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of Superhero Comics, Those who like to read stories of the common man in the world of Supers
Shelves:
graphic-novel
This was another book that I'd picked up when I was looking for something quick to read. I figured, since it had Gotham in the title, that it would be a Batman-related story. And it was... somewhat.
Gotham Central takes a look at the lives of the police officers in the Gotham Central Police Department - most specifically, of the M.C.U. It's a great look at the everyday heroes that are trying to keep Gotham safe.
The first compilation has the member of the M.C.U. trying to find out who is responsi...more
Gotham Central takes a look at the lives of the police officers in the Gotham Central Police Department - most specifically, of the M.C.U. It's a great look at the everyday heroes that are trying to keep Gotham safe.
The first compilation has the member of the M.C.U. trying to find out who is responsi...more
I grew up loving superheroes. As a first grader, I faithfully watched Spider-Man catch thieves—just like flies. In fourth grade, I picked up my first Marvel comic on a road trip. In fifth grade, my mother took me to my first comic shop. And for the next seven years, I was wholly devoted to the superhero and the hero’s genre. I belonged to superheroes and they belonged to me.
It was the kind of relationship that is built on a foundation of passive aggression and enablement. The heroes would strin...more
It was the kind of relationship that is built on a foundation of passive aggression and enablement. The heroes would strin...more
Aug 04, 2012
Carlos Q.
added it
Gotham Central parece resumirse como la historia de los policías de Gotham lidiando con las consecuencias de estar bajo la vigía de Batman. Pero los guiones de Ed Brubaker y Greg Rucka, dotados de un urbanismo serio y de ritmo limpio, elevan las historias creando un satisfactorio ambiente de novela negra. Las historias están bien narradas visualmente y el efecto de estar en el universo Batman y ver a Batman tan poco, pero aún sentirlo como una presencia que inunda cada espacio captura realmente...more
Victor Fries, Firebug, the mystery surrounding the murder of a young girl and some of the best dialogue I've read in a while. This is not a Batman book, and that is strangely a good thing in this case. At most he appears in 20 panels, and its the perfect amount, because this is a story about the GCPD getting one on their own without relying on the Dark Knight. If you like detective stories, the atmosphere of Gotham City and a fantastic cast of characters you will definitely enjoy this book.
Among...more
Among...more
The first volume of Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker's GOTHAM CENTRAL remains one of my favorites in the excellent series. Favoring the realism associated with TV crime dramas over the Gothic surrealism often associated with Batman stories, it nevertheless puts its officers into some strange and terrifying situations.
Imagine a police precinct where a random check on a suspect might inadvertently put you face-to-face with a vengeful Mr. Freeze. Where morale is in the toilet because Batman is perceived...more
Imagine a police precinct where a random check on a suspect might inadvertently put you face-to-face with a vengeful Mr. Freeze. Where morale is in the toilet because Batman is perceived...more
Finally getting around to reading this series, by two of my favorite comic book writers (Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka). I don't consider myself a police procedural person per se, and I've never been a huge fan of Gotham City as an entity, but damn if Brubaker and Rucka don't force me out of my comfort zone and make me fall in love. This also has the most authentically diverse, in terms of race and gender, cast of any comic book I have ever read. I docked this a star only because Brubaker's arc in...more
Goodreader Jace's review kind of nails it for me. A great premise: a noirish procedural focused on the many Rosencrantzes and Guildensterns of Gotham's police force. What's it mean to fight crime when your city is plagued by loony supervillains and an equally loony and limelight-hogging superhero? What's the Job, in such a setting?
Alas, as Jace notes, it's more Law and Order than The Wire or Homicide. I hate the Law and Order shows. All forty-seven of them. As in what I've seen of those, the cha...more
Alas, as Jace notes, it's more Law and Order than The Wire or Homicide. I hate the Law and Order shows. All forty-seven of them. As in what I've seen of those, the cha...more
If your looking for a traditional Batman storyline, then you have come to the wrong place. Batman does make his appearances when he feels like it, but this book is a fresh breath of air that allows the reader to see a side of gotham regularly seen. Gotham Central is a series of stories following the detectives that make up the major crimes unit of Gotham P.D. It is that twist that makes it so interesting to see through the viewpoints of, not a moody caped crusader, but through the normal police...more
Pretty much a straight police procedural with Batman as a backdrop. It's a pretty great angle to take...
Brubaker's book takes as a given that GCPD detectives probably share an ambivalent attitude towards Batman at best--given his undermining effect on their sense of self-efficacy, and the prevailing opinion that his presence actually draws the lunatic criminal element to the city. We then proceed to follow the endeavors of some of Gotham's finest to solve a couple murders on their own. The langu...more
Brubaker's book takes as a given that GCPD detectives probably share an ambivalent attitude towards Batman at best--given his undermining effect on their sense of self-efficacy, and the prevailing opinion that his presence actually draws the lunatic criminal element to the city. We then proceed to follow the endeavors of some of Gotham's finest to solve a couple murders on their own. The langu...more
Do you like Batman? Do you like cop shows? Would you like to see a cop show set in Gotham City? I sure would. Gotham Central is a beautiful crime comic. It takes the amazing world that Batman works in and brings it down to a local level. We've got cops who know that Batman works at night, so they've got to finish up any super-villain police work before he shows up.
Brubaker is a master when it comes to crime fiction. The first volume of Gotham Central is hands down one of the best supporting cast...more
Brubaker is a master when it comes to crime fiction. The first volume of Gotham Central is hands down one of the best supporting cast...more
Gotham is Batman's city, sure, but the cops in the Major Crimes Unit have their own battles, lives, and tragedies. This series, the first stories collected here, shares those with us. Fairly good writing, nice art, and worth looking into for Batman fans.
One thing I like a lot about Michael Connolly's crime books is his continuing shift of perspective. You get your Bosch novels, then a one-off with a lawyer like Micky Haller. Then later, you get a Micky Haller book where Bosch is a character so w...more
One thing I like a lot about Michael Connolly's crime books is his continuing shift of perspective. You get your Bosch novels, then a one-off with a lawyer like Micky Haller. Then later, you get a Micky Haller book where Bosch is a character so w...more
Setelah baca review mas tomo, langsung tertarik dan berburu torrent-nya. Ternyata komik Gotham Central cuma terbit 40 edisi karena nggak laku meskipun banyak dipuji kritikus, dan In The Line of Duty merupakan versi TPB yang terdiri dari edisi 1 dan 2.
Buku ini menggambarkan dunia Gotham dari POV para polisi lokal. Hmm, memangnya enak jadi manusia biasa, yang nggak bisa berkutik waktu ketemu Mr. Freeze? OK, Bruce Wayne juga manusia biasa, bukan mutan atau alien dari planet Krypton, tapi setidaknya...more
Buku ini menggambarkan dunia Gotham dari POV para polisi lokal. Hmm, memangnya enak jadi manusia biasa, yang nggak bisa berkutik waktu ketemu Mr. Freeze? OK, Bruce Wayne juga manusia biasa, bukan mutan atau alien dari planet Krypton, tapi setidaknya...more
This is a brilliant series.
I've been dying to read this volume since I heard Brubaker and Rucka talk about it in their Crime Comics panel at ECCC last year. Now I understand their passion. As creators, what a thrill it must have been to break new ground, to take the camera out of the oh-so-familiar Batman setting and set in in the GCPD central precinct. Rucka and Brubaker have approached Gotham as Agatha Christie would have. The plot twists are brilliant; the characters are real people. There is...more
I've been dying to read this volume since I heard Brubaker and Rucka talk about it in their Crime Comics panel at ECCC last year. Now I understand their passion. As creators, what a thrill it must have been to break new ground, to take the camera out of the oh-so-familiar Batman setting and set in in the GCPD central precinct. Rucka and Brubaker have approached Gotham as Agatha Christie would have. The plot twists are brilliant; the characters are real people. There is...more
The first story with Mr Freeze starts well, becomes a bit of a drag like every Law & Order or CSI show you've ever seen, then fizzles out rather unsatisfactorily. The second story with Firebug is much better, but for a whodunnit, it is quite plain to see who did it almost immediately. The artwork is ok and the story has some character, despite the 'street language' seeming more like bad English for the sake of it in places. An enjoyable enough read, but more realistic like Law & Order as...more
Every once in a grey while someone things about what it would be like for real people to be trapped in the world of superheroes. That is what this graphic novel holds as a central theme. The story follows the staff if the major crimes unit of the Gotham City Police Department. The characters have a love/hate relationship with batman who only appears in only a few frames but his reputation follows them everywhere. So much so that they feel like mere puppets bending to the master that is batman. H...more
Really interesting concept- Batman's city from the perspective of the cops of the GCPD. It's in a great, gritty, hardboiled style, and it's got a good mystery storyline. Someone also was clearly a Homicide: Life on the Street fan, as certain elements were clearly borrowed, I was amused to note.
My only real critique is the fact that I still have no idea of the names of most of the characters. They definitely could have used a more clear introduction or a character guide, as I had an impossible ti...more
My only real critique is the fact that I still have no idea of the names of most of the characters. They definitely could have used a more clear introduction or a character guide, as I had an impossible ti...more
Can´t get enough of gotham? Tired of the same old "is he a hero/is he a psycho?" take on the dark knight? Do you like police procedurals? Then this is for you. Grim, gritty police work with believable characters and storylines that take a very different approach to the Cops that have to deal with the day to day struggle in the city of supervillains. Great artwork that captures the dark and fatalistic mood perfectly. Minor criticism: In the second storyline a moajor charcter is introduced without...more
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Ed Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central, Sleeper, Uncanny X-Men and X-Men: Deadly Genesis, and The Authority, and for helping...more
More about Ed Brubaker...
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central, Sleeper, Uncanny X-Men and X-Men: Deadly Genesis, and The Authority, and for helping...more
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Jan 24, 2013 03:58pm
Mar 12, 2013 01:32pm