The Newest Chapter for Gordon Is Exactly What Batman Stories Need More Of

Batman is unarguably DC’s biggest hero. His stories have nearly always been DC’s number one sellers, and there are very good reasons for that. Batman himself is a character that millions can relate to and love as they watch him turn his pain into motivation to save the day. Not to mention his incredible skills and unmatched cool factor. Of course, the best Batman stories focus on far more than the Dark Knight. Batman’s stories are at their best when they remember that Gotham City itself is its own character. The people who make up Gotham all have their own lives and storylines that, when developed, make Gotham and Batman feel more alive.

Unfortunately, modern Batman stories tend to shun the non-superheroic people of Gotham in favor of focusing solely on the heroes and villains. When was the last time a story focused on Jim Gordon’s love life, or Harvey Bullock’s career? Batman comics haven’t gotten worse or anything, but they’ve lost the human perspective that grounded the fantastical elements of his world. Thankfully, DC just gave us another glimpse of this human Gotham in the midst of Batman’s newest event. Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1 thrusts us into a story about the people who live in Gotham, and it is fantastic.

Normal People Trapped in a World That’s Anything But

The long and short of the context behind this event is that Poison Ivy has unleashed prehistoric plants across the city, which immediately began terraforming everything. Electricity has been knocked out everywhere, and people are dropping to spores and the changing air. This issue establishes the numerous protagonists, who all circle a single threat. Gordon and Officer Espinoza are tasked with solving a murder, with the killer being none other than Victor Zsasz. He’s chasing Arkham doctor Annika Zeller, who is being tailed by Harvey Bullock for protection. Meanwhile, Anarky has robbed a gang, and Officer Lynne Baker was sent after him under threat of her badge.

All of these characters wind up trapped on the last train going out of Gotham, knowing that at least two villains are onboard, and one is hungry for Zeller’s blood. This sounds like a lot, and the issue is certainly packed, but it takes the time to give the perspective of the main characters in broad and small ways. We see how out of their depth everyone is, but also how Gordon takes command and faces each challenge with the persistence and control of a man who has seen the worst of this city. This non-hero point of view puts into perspective how terrifying these villains and situations can be, and adds an insane amount of tension. These characters aren’t heroes. They’re just very vulnerable people, and it’s great.

A View From Gotham’s Dirty, Intimate Streets

All too often, Batman’s stories can get lost in his legend. A huge part of his draw is the atmosphere he generates just from walking into a room or stalking on a rooftop. Batman is undeniably cool and can break down any threat into manageable steps and solved problems. Naturally, we want to spend as much time with this awesome titular character as possible, but that’s where the stories should actually take the camera off of Batman. Spending too much time with the man who can beat anyone risks deflating the tension. We become too separated from the reason Batman fights, only seeing the fight itself.

Yes, the fight is obviously flashy and impressive, but the reasoning is the thing that gives the fight its impact. Batman saving a family from a gunman hits much harder if we recently focused on his backstory as a survivor of the same attack. If it’s just treated as Batman stopping another thug, it won’t hit as hard. Villains will always be more terrifying from Gordon’s perspective, because we know he is so much less capable in a fight. Stories like Gotham Central remind audiences how dangerous Batman’s world really is, and that makes the Dark Knight all the more impressive.

Overall, these kinds of stories are healthy for Batman, and his comics desperately need more of them. Would you like to see more normal-person-adjacent stories like this? Let us know in the comments below!

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1 is on sale now!

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