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turret's review
5.0
+9 According to many, Gotham Noir makes good use of film noir tropes as a homage - and to others, it’s cliché and stereotypical. Unfortunately I do not know enough about noir or its stereotypes to form a good judgement on their usage in this story. Either way, I still really loved this story for its plot and art.
James Gordon takes on the protagonist role and Batman becomes a tertiary character - seeing a perfectly normal guy navigate the city of Gotham and clear his name will always be interesting. During all this, James is still battling his PTSD and alcoholism issues - which like the other slight character reworkings of well-known Batman mythos characters - gave a refreshing take on a familiar character with additional depth. The perspective this one-shot has on Batman is intriguing too, being an all-black shadow that only appears in Gordon’s presence. Is the Batman real, or is it a hallucination brought on by Gordon’s mental issues and substance abuse? Also was greatly amused by how often Gordon gets beaten up, tortured and captured. He’s really lucky, or got sharp wits, to get out of such great dangers! There was one plot hole that had me scratching my head though - how did?
The noir-ish art by Sean Phillips is amazing, with lots of dramatic shadow covering faces in close-up or mid-range shots, particularly the faces of Gordon and Harvey Dent. Dave Stewart’s colouring, combined with Phillip’s art, really gave each scene vibrancy and action, particularly with the flat colour backgrounds. Phillips was very good with consistency regarding the little details - for example, a character is holding an object in their left hand, and continue to hold it throughout the scene. I did notice a couple of errors though, like Gordon not wearing his necktie for one singular panel. However that's acceptable, since not every panel requires the same amount of detail.
To finally conclude, Gotham Noir is a wonderful Elseworlds story with interesting 1950’s noir takes on well-known characters, wrapped up in a tight mystery told in 60-ish pages.
[Read in February, read and reviewed in May 2023]
James Gordon takes on the protagonist role and Batman becomes a tertiary character - seeing a perfectly normal guy navigate the city of Gotham and clear his name will always be interesting. During all this, James is still battling his PTSD and alcoholism issues - which like the other slight character reworkings of well-known Batman mythos characters - gave a refreshing take on a familiar character with additional depth. The perspective this one-shot has on Batman is intriguing too, being an all-black shadow that only appears in Gordon’s presence. Is the Batman real, or is it a hallucination brought on by Gordon’s mental issues and substance abuse? Also was greatly amused by how often Gordon gets beaten up, tortured and captured. He’s really lucky, or got sharp wits, to get out of such great dangers! There was one plot hole that had me scratching my head though - how did
Spoiler
Boss Zucco know that Mayor Dehaven had killed RachelThe noir-ish art by Sean Phillips is amazing, with lots of dramatic shadow covering faces in close-up or mid-range shots, particularly the faces of Gordon and Harvey Dent. Dave Stewart’s colouring, combined with Phillip’s art, really gave each scene vibrancy and action, particularly with the flat colour backgrounds. Phillips was very good with consistency regarding the little details - for example, a character is holding an object in their left hand, and continue to hold it throughout the scene. I did notice a couple of errors though, like Gordon not wearing his necktie for one singular panel. However that's acceptable, since not every panel requires the same amount of detail.
To finally conclude, Gotham Noir is a wonderful Elseworlds story with interesting 1950’s noir takes on well-known characters, wrapped up in a tight mystery told in 60-ish pages.
[Read in February, read and reviewed in May 2023]
duparker's review
5.0
This was a great read. The noir was well done, the story had a great vive to it, and incorporates the right amount of familiar elements from the Batman mythos.
ralac71's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
strawberryteeth's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
nkives's review
2.0
2.5
I expected more out of this. It isn't bad, just not up to the standards I expect from a Brubaker/Phillips book. Oh course this probably one of the earlier collaborations if not the earliest.
Gordon has been fired from the police force and is now more of an alcoholic private eye. Pretty much solely has to do with Gordon and nothing to do with Batman.
I expected more out of this. It isn't bad, just not up to the standards I expect from a Brubaker/Phillips book. Oh course this probably one of the earlier collaborations if not the earliest.
Gordon has been fired from the police force and is now more of an alcoholic private eye. Pretty much solely has to do with Gordon and nothing to do with Batman.
thomas_6's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
rimahsum's review
1.0
I had already made a review of this but my internet went limp and it didn't get saved. Sigh.
Anyways, I couldn't really say I enjoyed this book. First of all, Batman does not make much of an appearance.
This type of comic books belong in the 'noir' category. This is my first time reading a noir book but from what I gather, it is a type of more than usual 'black-ish and shadowy' art looking story with a mystery/crime driven plot. Of course, this is very much like a Detective Comic, however the detective being James Gordon, not Batman. Batman was merely the fighting' miracle' that comes at select moments to help save Gordon.
The art was alright, nothing to complain, it coming from 2001 (plus its supposed to look noir like). I think in that sense it did, you could see how Batman here was quite different looking.
Also, the timeline seems to have changed. Since when have Gordon resigned, when his daughter Barbara (to become the Batgirl) is still a child? Perhaps this is a one time series comic book - and it is- for it is published by Elseworlds.
The conclusion was so rushed, and very cheesy 9the part whee Gordon was dying and suddenly claimed that he could've been a better man and what not in just one panel). That was really out of the box, in a negative way.
But things could've been a bit more different if it was more of a Batman show, and in that respect I was quite disappointed that it wasn't.
Anyways, I couldn't really say I enjoyed this book. First of all, Batman does not make much of an appearance.
This type of comic books belong in the 'noir' category. This is my first time reading a noir book but from what I gather, it is a type of more than usual 'black-ish and shadowy' art looking story with a mystery/crime driven plot. Of course, this is very much like a Detective Comic, however the detective being James Gordon, not Batman. Batman was merely the fighting' miracle' that comes at select moments to help save Gordon.
The art was alright, nothing to complain, it coming from 2001 (plus its supposed to look noir like). I think in that sense it did, you could see how Batman here was quite different looking.
Also, the timeline seems to have changed. Since when have Gordon resigned, when his daughter Barbara (to become the Batgirl) is still a child? Perhaps this is a one time series comic book - and it is- for it is published by Elseworlds.
The conclusion was so rushed, and very cheesy 9the part whee Gordon was dying and suddenly claimed that he could've been a better man and what not in just one panel). That was really out of the box, in a negative way.
But things could've been a bit more different if it was more of a Batman show, and in that respect I was quite disappointed that it wasn't.
jmanchester0's review
4.0
Check out this story about hard-boiled lush detective James Gordon, struggling ever since he‰ЫЄs come back from WWII.
Gotham Noir, indeed!
Gotham Noir, indeed!
suvij's review
4.0
Класна альтернативна історія, і класно намальовано. Самого Бетмена на сцені практично нема, головний герой — Гордон, який практично спивається (а дружина пішла), і в кінці помирає. Маскараду нема, зроблено все цікаво і зі смаком. Дуже сподобалось.
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