There's a lot going in this collection. First, in concordance with the Zero Year storyline is a tale about the early days of Jim Gordon and the GCPD. Then we shoot forward six years as Batman teams with Manbat to bring an end to Lady Manbat's reign of terror (see Detective Comics Volume 3 & 4 for more information.) After the conclusion of that adventure, the Dark Knight returns to the Bat Cave only to be confronted by his partner, Catbird!
Huh???
In the course of just two pages, gritty Gotham City has turned into Gothopia, a utopia where crime is virtually non-existent, none of the Robins ever died, and Oswald Copplepot's umbrella bears the mantle of Mayor Penguin. Has Batman entered a parallel universe, has he suffered a mental breakdown or is there something more nefarious behind this panacea?
Lastly, the origin and 75 years of Dark Knight legends combine in a reprint of last year's 'Detective Comics #27 Special Edition.' There are some unique looks at the Batman and his lengthy cast of friends and foes. With an all-star list of contributors ranging from Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Scott Snyder, Brad Meltzer, Mike and Laura Allred, and many more. You may not like every story in the 'Special Edition', but it's the tribute that the Caped Crusader deserves; filled with his highest highs and lowest lows.
I loved this volume, but the Jim Gordon story was my favorite. I really enjoyed the series 'Gotham Central' from 2003-06, which focused on the crime fighters and detectives of Gotham who wear a badge instead of a cape. Gordon's story captures the spirit of that great series. I'm also a big fan of the FOX show 'Gotham.' I would not be surprised if the writers and producers of that program didn't use this tale for some sort of inspiration.
Worth Consuming.
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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