In this summer's blockbuster release, Batman: The Dark Knight, fans of the Batman story were given a closer glimpse into the lives of Gotham's cops through the perils faced by Jim Gordon and the officers of the Major Crimes Unit. The release The Dark Knight, however was the not the first time the members of the MCU were featured with major roles in the story. Beginning in 2003, and running until 2006, writers Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka with artist Michael Lark took a closer look a the members of the MCU in the forty issues of the award winning series, Gotham Central.
I never read this series when it was originally released, but when I saw that this new hardcover edition containing the first ten issues was to be released, I decided that this was a book that needed to be added to my library. Overall, purchasing this book was a great decision. The stories of Gotham Central not only examine the cases being investigated by the MCU, but the lives of its members as well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading how characters such as Detectives Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen as well as other members of the MCU sought to capture some of Gotham's most infamous villains including Mr. Freeze and Two Face.
On a related note, I am a huge fan of NBC's Law and Order. I love watching the story develop with a sudden twist, only to be resolved in the last few moments of the episode. In my opinion, Gotham Central read like a good episode of Law and Order. Each page led the detectives to some new material and a new "hunch" to follow. Furthermore, the division between first shift and second shift allows the reader to experience the same story from several different perspectives. As I continued reading, I was constantly drawn into the story – waiting to see what happened next.
One interesting aspect of this book is that it does include appearances by Batman, but only in brief segments. Brubaker and Rucka did an excellent job of including Batman without making him the central focus of the story. The MCU detectives are the main characters, and Batman only appears when completely necessary. In the end, I found myself reading what I assumed was a Bat-title, but not being disappointed by a lack involvement by Batman in the stories.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to all those who enjoy Bat-titles as well as those who might enjoy a good mystery but are not too familiar with the Batman story. Brubaker and Rucka do an excellent job of introducing characters in order that readers are able to almost immediately understand the main plot without being confused by characters' identities. Throw in some excellent and very appropriate art by Michael Lark, and what you have is an excellent book. In my opinion, this is one of the better books available right now, so while you can still find this in stores, you should purchase a copy. You will probably become as I am, anticipating the opportunity to purchase the next book.
