Gotham Before Batman
Batman: he is the “Silent Guardian”, the “Watch Protector”, and the Dark Knight of Gotham. “He is what Gotham deserves”, or at least that is how Jim Gordon, played by Chrispother Nolan, portrays the hero of Gotham in the movie The Dark Knight. But, how was Gotham before Batman came to be? There are countless shows, movies, and comic books fabricating adventures of this DC hero along with various other side characters. Where is the story of Gotham’s origins? Now, there is even a show for that too. Bill Carter dives into the new world, created by Fox, in his New York Times article “Gotham City, Emphasis on Goth”.
Gotham, the new television series, is based on the story before Batman. Yet, the main character isn’t Bruce Wayne or Jim Gordon. “The star is in the title: Gotham, the city, the visually arresting urban world of darkness and menace…” (Par 3.) Viewers will see a glimpse of villains such as Cat women, the Penguin, Ivy, and other characters. For the most part, these people will not have such huge parts in the show. The murder of Wayne’s parents will be a central case in the show. For the most part the series will be “… a timeline in Gotham’s history that has not really been explored that much.” as Geoff John, the chief creative officer of DC Comics, states. (Par 13)
I am very interested in the fact that the world will see the history of Gotham City, since I am a Batman fan myself. I am fascinated to see how each character in the series develops to be the character they are today. Most characters are dynamic, in a way that over time there must of been something to change them. I can not way to see the story will unfold.
The creators have an innovative way of creating the whole Gotham scenery. “The ambience is New York in the 1970s, but characters use computers and carry cellphones. Their clothes could be from the 1950s. And the buildings… look more like edifices from the 1930s…photo books of old London, lifted images and had them woven into his shots of the contemporary New York skyline.” (Par 6-7). It intrigues me the idea that there are various different eras being integrated into the Gotham world. Gotham is a world where New York is twisted, London building thrown in, and time is irrevlavant. It doesn’t go with the history of our world, it’s a world of it’s own. It’s something old and broken, but at the same time limitless. Gotham is a world of imagination. That is how these stories should be.
Overall I agree with everything, at least so far, the creators are doing with the Batman franchise. I simply can not wait to see how the adventures will unfold in these 15 weeks to come. Gotham will be a new story in the the massive tome of Batman legends.
