| Commissioner Gordon | |
Detail from the cover art for Detective Comics #779 (Feb. 2003). Art by Tim Sale |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #27 (May, 1939) |
| Created by | Bob Kane Bill Finger |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | James Worthington "Jim" Gordon |
| Supporting character of | Batman |
James Worthington "Jim" Gordon is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. He was the first Batman supporting character to be introduced.[1]
In most incarnations of the Batman mythos, Gordon is the police commissioner of Batman's home of Gotham City. He shares the hero’s deep commitment to ridding the dark and corrupt city of crime. In Golden and Silver age comics and on the 1960s Batman television show, Gordon fully trusts, and is even somewhat dependent on Batman. In most modern stories, he is somewhat skeptical of Batman's vigilante method but recognizes the necessity of Batman and the two have a mutual respect and tacit friendship. He was the husband of Barbara Kean Gordon and, after his divorce, of Sarah Essen Gordon. Gordon is also the father of James Gordon Jr. and the father or adoptive father, depending on the continuity, of Barbara Gordon, the original Batgirl and later Oracle.
Gordon is an important part of the Batman mythos and has appeared in most other media adaptations of the character.
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In most versions of the Batman mythos, he is at one point or another depicted as Gotham City's police commissioner. He succeeded Commissioner Grogan in the position at GCPD. Gordon frequently contacts Batman for help in solving various crimes, particularly those committed by supervillains. Because DC Comics retconned its characters' history in the 1985 miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths, and because of different interpretations in television and film, the details of Gordon's history vary from story to story.
In the original pre-Crisis version of his history, Gordon was a police detective who initially bitterly resented the mysterious vigilante's interference in police business. Although the Batman seemed to fight on the side of justice, his methods and phenomenal track record for stopping crimes and capturing criminals embarrassed the police by comparison. Eventually, Batman met up with Gordon and persuaded the detective that they needed each other's help. Batman was deputized and worked with Gordon as an agent of the law.
The post-Crisis version of the character was introduced in the late-1980s storyline Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller. In this version, Gordon was transferred back to the city after spending more than fifteen years in Chicago. A man of integrity, Gordon found that his only ally against the mob-controlled administration was the Batman. One of the most significant differences in this version is that Batman was never deputized and Gordon's relationship with him was kept out of the public eye whenever possible. It was also added that he was a Special Forces veteran who was more than capable of hand-to-hand combat.
The miniseries Gordon of Gotham takes place nearly twenty years prior to the current events of the DC Universe and ten years before coming to Gotham in Batman: Year One. It reveals that Gordon, during his tenure in Chicago, struggled with his wife over conceiving a child while taking university night classes in criminology. He faces brutality among other officers after uncovering corruption within the force. Later, Gordon uncovers evidence of rigging the mayoral election and brings down two of his fellow officers, which leads to his commissioner recommending to him that he transfer to Gotham quickly.
In the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke, the Joker kidnaps Gordon after shooting and paralyzing Barbara. He then cages Gordon in the freak show of an abandoned amusement park and forces him to look at enlarged photos of his wounded daughter in an effort to drive him insane, thus proving to Batman that even the most grounded, seemingly normal people can lose their minds after having "one bad day." Batman eventually apprehends the Joker and rescues Gordon. Despite the intense trauma he has endured, Gordon's sanity and code of ethics is intact; he insists that Batman apprehend the Joker without harming him in order to "show him that our way works."
The No Man's Land storyline took place after Gotham was destroyed by an earthquake and isolated from outside assistance. Inside Gotham, Gordon struggled to maintain order amidst rampant crime. Batman was mysteriously absent for the initial three months, and Gordon felt somewhat betrayed. He forged an uneasy alliance with Two-Face, but was later double-crossed, kidnapped, and put on trial by Two-Face for breaking their "legally-binding" alliance. He escaped punishment, and later met with Batman once again. In this confrontation, Gordon expressed his disgust towards Batman for letting Gotham "fall into ruin". Batman offered to prove his trust by revealing his secret identity, but Gordon refused to look when Batman removed his mask. Eventually their friendship was repaired.
Gordon fell in love with and married fellow officer Sarah Essen. However, Essen could not comprehend why Gordon needed Batman so much, which occasionally put a strain on their relationship. Unfortunately, she was fatally shot by the Joker at the end of the No Man's Land storyline. An enraged Gordon was able to restrain himself from killing Joker, shooting the Joker's knee instead.[1] Not long after this, Gordon was gunned down by a crook seeking revenge for a previous arrest. Though seriously injured, he survived, and eventually made a full recovery.
Gordon retired from the police force after having served for more than 20 years. He remained in Gotham, and occasionally enjoyed nighttime visits from Batman who came to him for company and advice. Despite being retired, Gordon would find himself still drawn to a series of life-and-death circumstances: of The Joker sending him flowers during The Joker's Last Laugh to being kidnapped by Francis Sullivan, grandson of one of Gotham's notorious serial killers in the 1940s who was following his grandfather Seamus' footsteps during the Made of Wood[2] storyline. After the attack by Sullivan, Batman gave Gordon an encrypted cellphone, the so-called Batphone, in case he needed to contact him, which also carried a transmitter in case of trouble. [3] He also still had contacts with the country's law enforcement agencies, which the sheriff's departments requested Gordon to contact Batman to help investigating a series of unusual serial killings on a suburb territory outside the city's limits which later discovered to be a paranormal case involving black magic, occult rituals, and the supernatural.[4] Commissioner Michael Akins had taken his position, with many officers expressing reluctance to follow him despite being an honorable officer. Even Harvey Bullock at one point attempts to humiliate Akins in front of other officers.[5]
After Barbara required surgery to save her life from the Brainiac virus, Gordon visited his adopted daughter in Metropolis. She revealed to him her current role as Oracle, as well as her past as Batgirl. Gordon admitted that he knew of her life as Batgirl, but was pleasantly surprised to know of her career as the computer information broker of the heroes.
As part of DC's "One Year Later", Gordon has returned to the role of Commissioner;[1] as of the year-long jump he has been back in the job for 3 months. He rebuilt the Bat-Signal, but still carries the mobile Batphone that the Dark Knight gave him. The circumstances behind this are currently unknown, though there have been allusions to extreme corruption within the GCPD. These allusions are supported by events within Gotham Central, especially involving Detective Jim Corrigan. Most recently, Gordon survived an attempt on his life by the Joker (Batman #655), who had drugged him with Joker Venom in an attack on the GCPD. He was taken to the hospital in time.
In most versions of the mythos, Gordon is ignorant of Batman's identity, though some fans and writers feel that Gordon is smart enough to solve the puzzle, but chooses not to in order to preserve Batman's effectiveness. In the 1966 Batman theatrical movie, Gordon explicitly states his desire not to know for such a reason. In Batman: Year One, Gordon claims not to see the unmasked Batman well (whom his wife at that time, Barbara, also sees) because he doesn't have his glasses on. The Batman: The Animated Series episode "Over the Edge" ends with a conversation between Commissioner Gordon and Barbara (his daughter, not his wife); this implies that Gordon at least knows that Barbara is Batgirl, but cannot acknowledge it because that would put him in an uncomfortable legal position. During No Man's Land, Batman attempts to regain Gordon's trust by revealing himself, but Gordon turns his face away, stating that if he wanted to know Batman's identity, he already would.
Likewise, in the 1980s Detective Comics storyline Blind Justice, the world at large incorrectly supposes Batman is dead and Gordon comments to Bruce Wayne that Batman has earned the right to retirement if he so desires. He then rather pointedly asks Bruce's advice on whether or not he should reveal that Batman still lives. In Batman: Year One, Gordon suspects early on that Bruce Wayne may be Batman, though he never follows up on his suspicions, although Sarah Essen is correct in her suspicions, even being correct with Bruce's motivation. In Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, Gordon and Bruce Wayne are portrayed as close friends, with Gordon discovering his identity years ago. During the Hush story arc, while working with Superman, Batman discusses whether or not Perry White has figured out Superman's secret identity. Theorizing that Perry is too good a reporter to not have figured it out, he draws the same comparison to himself and Gordon, stating that Gordon is too good a cop to not have figured it out.
In Pre-Crisis continuity, James Gordon was the biological father of Anthony "Tony" Gordon and Barbara Gordon (later Batgirl). Originally referred to as a college student, Tony later disappeared while hiding from Communist spies. He was later reunited with his sister Barbara and perished in a battle with the Sino-Supermen (Batman Family #12, Detective Comics #482) [1].
In Post-Crisis continuity, there has been no mention of Tony Gordon. James Gordon has a brother, Roger Gordon. James and his wife, Barbara Kean-Gordon, are the parents of a son, James Gordon, Jr. (Batman #404-407) [2].
Roger Gordon and his wife, Thelma Gordon, are parents of Barbara "Babs" Gordon (later Batgirl and Oracle). When Babs was 12 or 13, her parents (Roger and Thelma) died. She moved to Gotham City and lived with her uncle, aunt and cousin. Eventually, James and Barbara adopted Babs. However, the couple divorced and James retained custody of Babs, while Barbara moved to Chicago with James, Jr. (Secret Origins #20). Barbara and James, Jr. are rarely mentioned and presumably still reside in Chicago. It has recently been revealed that James had an affair with Thelma, and might be the biological father of Babs (Batman: Gotham Knights #6).
In one Post-Crisis story, James and Babs visit the grave of his late wife. However, this story is later retconned when it is revealed that his wife is not dead, but instead they are divorced. James eventually marries Sarah Essen (Batman Annual #13, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #2). Unfortunately, Sarah was murdered by the Joker at the end of the No Man's Land storyline. During the "One Year Later" storyline, Gordon makes a slight reference to his ex-wife Barbara "doing well," implying that he keeps tabs on her. Whether Gordon is Barbara's uncle or father in rebooted continuity has not been touched on "One Year Later", though the latest arc in Batman Confidential features Batgirl and may touch on this, solicitations claim Gordon to be Batgirl's father.
Gordon appears in the alternate universe series. Here is mostly the same as in the comics, though in appearance, he greatly resembles the Batman Begins version. He also mentions he has a daughter named Barbara.
James Gordon appears in the limited series Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which presents a future where a retiring Gordon not only knows Batman's identity, but is good friends with Bruce Wayne. He then makes a cameo on Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Now retired, he wrote a book about Batman, who was believed to be dead.
Gordon is also referred to in the first issue of the series, All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, set in the same universe as and prior to The Dark Knight Returns. He made a full appearance on issue #6, as a police captain, having a conversations with his ex-partner, Sarah Essen, about Batman. He's still married to Barbara Kean Gordon, who is now an alcoholic, and has a son James Jr. Just as other continuities, his daughter, Barbara, who is fifteen, becomes Batgirl. Frank Miller has commented that the series is set in his Dark Knight Universe, which includes all of the Batman works by Frank Miller, therefore Barbara's inclusion confirms that Gordon had two children during Batman: Year One.
On the Anti-Matter Earth, where the evil Crime Syndicate of Amerika live, James Gordon's counterpart is a crime boss named Boss Gordon, who was an ally to Owlman, and it is implied that he had an affair with Martha Wayne, although this might have been a lie meant to anger Thomas Wayne. Boss Gordon was the city's leading crime boss until his empire was toppled by Batman and Commissioner Thomas Wayne.
In the Elseworld title set in 1940s Gotham, Jim Gordon is an alcoholic hard-boiled private detective who had left the police force following a failure to solve the disappearance of a judge. He is Selina Kyle's former lover and Bruce Wayne's wartime partner.
In the Elseworld story Batman: In Darkest Knight, Jim Gordon is an honest cop who distrusts the Green Lantern (who in this reality is Bruce Wayne) because of his near-limitless power. Green Lantern comes to him in order to find the identity of the man who killed his parents, but he rebukes him. Later on, he relents and goes over the files and narrows it down, but he is then interrupted and killed by Sinestro, who ruptures his heart.
In Lord Havok and the Lord Havok and the Extremists #3, an alternate version of Gordon, known as Zombie Gordon is featured as part of Monarch's army. A flesh-hungry beast, Zombie Gordon is kept in line by Bat-Soldier, via a large chain.
In the 1960s Batman series, Gordon was played by Neil Hamilton, and is portrayed as not only having the Bat-Signal at his disposal, but also an emergency "hotline" telephone that connects directly to the Batcave. Batman and Robin are regular visitors to his office. The series occasionally made light of his dependence on Batman. In one episode, when Batman is apparently unavailable, he laments that the police will have to solve a case "ourselves".
Actor Ted Knight provided the voice of James Gordon in The Batman/Superman Hour.
Gordon makes two appearances in Super Friends. He first appeared in Challenge of the Superfriends, episode "Superfriends, Rest In Peace", as The Riddler and Cheetah hold Gordon hostage so they can kill Batman with the Noxium Crystal.
The second is in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, episode "The Fear". Along with Jonathan Crane, Gordon is trying to find and arrest The Scarecrow. Gordon and Batman are both unaware that Crane is the Scarecrow.
He also appeared in some of the comics related to the show.
In Filmation's 1977 cartoon series The New Adventures of Batman, Commissioner Gordon, voiced by Lennie Weinrib, is prominently featured as are Batgirl and Bat-Mite.
In the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, Gordon is voiced by Bob Hastings, and his relationship with Batman was similar to that in the comics, with the alliance largely kept between Batman, Gordon, and Harvey Bullock. Many scenes in the series portray Batman and the Commissioner having clandestine meetings at the Bat-Signal. A flashback in the episode "Robin's Reckoning" depicts Gordon as a red-haired police Lieutenant investigating the murder of Dick Grayson's parents. In the episode "What Is Reality?" Batman must save Gordon's life and outwit The Riddler in a computer game at the same time. On the episode "I Am The Night," it is revealed that Batman also sees Gordon as a surrogate father figure, as he would have been the same age as his father Dr. Thomas Wayne if he had still been alive, and is deeply affected after the police commissioner is seriously wounded (by gunshot) by drug runner James "The Jazzman" Peake, who holds a grudge against him after Gordon had arrested him six years previously.
Commissioner Gordon also appeared in the follow-up to Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures. In the episode "Over the Edge" Batgirl suffers from The Scarecrow's fear toxins, producing a nightmare where Batgirl dies in battle without telling her father her secret. When Commissioner Gordon finds out, he blames Batman and starts a manhunt against his former ally after discovering his secret identity on Barbara's computer. After Barbara awakens, she tries to admit her secret to the real Commissioner Gordon, who says that he trusts his daughter with whatever choices she makes and that she doesn't need to tell him anything. The episode implies that Gordon already knows that his daughter is Batgirl, but keeps it to himself. Also in the episode Holiday Knights it is shown that Batman and Gordon meet every year on December 31 in a diner for a meal together.
On a revelation on Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Gordon is one of the few people who knew what happened to Robin and the Joker on a night at Arkham Asylum, and for the boy's sake, he kept it a secret. This event may also have led Gordon to learn who was under the cape and cowl of Batman. Hastings continues his role as Commissioner Gordon in guest appearances on Superman: The Animated Series, Gotham Girls and Static Shock. The spinoff show Batman Beyond also had Barbara following in her father's footsteps and becoming Gotham's new police commissioner. While Barbara keeps a photo of him on her desk at work, he is never seen in the series and no indication of his status is given, leaving it unclear if Gordon is still alive.
In the animated series The Batman, James Gordon is voiced by Mitch Pileggi. He is depicted as a newly appointed Gotham City police commissioner after an incident involving the Joker, the Penguin, and the Riddler. He ends the manhunt against Batman and goes public with his support for the Batman in order to help make Gotham safer for his daughter, Barbara (who, as in most other incarnations, becomes Batgirl).
A young officer was seen trying to comfort Bruce Wayne after his parents’ murders in a flashback in the episode Traction was seen and following Gordon's introductory episode, Night and the City, there arose speculation about the officer being a young Gordon, especially after a line by Alfred on how Gordon had "loomed large over [Bruce’s] life." Former The Batman producer/character designer Jeff Matsuda, confirmed that while not intended as a tie-in for Batman Begins (which, as noted below, had a similar scene) that the officer was indeed Gordon.[6]
In the "Batmobile" OnStar commercial, Batman calls Gordon to tell him he will be coming. An unknown actor says "Gordon here" when Batman calls.
In the 1949 15-episode movie serial Batman and Robin, Commissioner Gordon was portrayed by Ed Wood regular Lyle Talbot.
Commissioner Gordon played by Neil Hamilton was in Batman. He advised Batman and Robin which supervillains were at large.
In the 1989 Batman film, and its three sequels, Gordon is portrayed by Pat Hingle. In the first film, he regards the Batman as a rumor at best and vigilante at worst, though by the end of the film, he and the citizens of Gotham publicly acknowledge his usefulness, and receive from him the gift of the Bat-Signal. In the sequels, Gordon plays only a minimal role compared to his role in other media, but is shown to completely trust Batman and publicly defend him. Even in Batman Returns, where The Penguin has Batman framed for murder, it is implied Gordon is not entirely convinced, as he was not willing to use lethal force in order to apprehend him (seen during a scene in which two Gotham officers open fire on Batman, knocking him off a building, before Gordon arrives and orders them to stop). Although Barbara Gordon is his daughter in the comics, in the last Schumacher film of the series, Batman & Robin, her name is changed to Barbara Wilson and she is Alfred Pennyworth's niece. His wife briefly appears for the first time in Batman, but is never again even mentioned for the rest of the series. In Batman & Robin, Poison Ivy uses her pheremones to make him fall in love with her in order to get the keys to police headquarters, and almost kills him with her toxic kiss, but leaves him heartbroken, begging for her to come back.
In the 2005 film Batman Begins Gordon is portrayed by Gary Oldman. The film partly concerns Gordon's rise from beat cop to Sergeant and, by the end of the film, Lieutenant. He did his best to comfort the eight-year-old Bruce Wayne after the murder of his parents, when he was a young man, and Bruce later recognizes him as one of the few honest police officers in the city and would always remember his kindness after his parents' death.
In the novelization, Gordon is transferred to Chicago during the time frame between the Waynes' murder and the reappearance of Bruce after his seven-year disappearance. It is hinted that something bad went down during his time as a Chicago PD officer, something Gordon "took the heat for," and had to return to Gotham because the GCPD was the only force that would hire him after what happened in Chicago. In a bit of expanded dialogue, when Detective Flass sneaks cash away from a street vendor, and tells Gordon he's nervous about Gordon reporting it, Gordon says, "I'm no rat. In a town this bent, who's there to rat to anyway?"
When Bruce becomes Batman, Gordon is the first person that he meets. They form a secret alliance against Carmine Falcone's criminal operation. Gordon proves important when Batman fights Ra's al Ghul. Gordon takes the Batmobile with Batman's permission and destroys the monorail tracks around Gotham City, resulting in Ra's apparent death when Batman jumps off the train with Ra's still inside. He is promoted to lieutenant and devises the first Bat-Signal. The movie ends with Gordon talking about another criminal who robbed a bank and leaves a calling card in the form of a Joker playing card.
Many critics have noted that Oldman's portrayal of Gordon bears a strong resemblance to the way the character was drawn by David Mazzucchelli in Batman: Year One.[7] Writer David Goyer also noted on the autenticity in DVD commnetary for Batman Begins.
Oldman reprises his role of Gordon in the 2008 sequel The Dark Knight. In the film, Gordon is leading Gotham PD's Major Crimes Unit and forms a tenuous alliance with the Batman and district attorney Harvey Dent to round up the remaining members of Carmine Falcone's mob. When the Joker reveals that Commissioner Loeb is his upcoming target, Gordon arrives at his office with other officers to offer protection, but he fails when Loeb drinks a glass of scotch mixed with acidic poison.
At the funeral of Commissioner Loeb, the Joker makes an attempt on the mayor's life. Gordon is reported to have been killed in the ensuing crossfire, but it is revealed that he faked his death to protect his family. When people feared he died, they pressured Batman to reveal himself and Dent claimed he was Batman. He later saves Batman and Dent, arrests the Joker, and is promoted to Commissioner as a result. Eventually, Harvey "Two-Face" Dent seeks to claim vengeance against Gordon, whom he blames for the death of Rachel Dawes, and attempts to murder his son, before being stopped by Batman. To preserve Dent's image as the city's "White Knight," Batman tells Gordon that he will take the blame for all of Two-Face's murders. Gordon initially is against it, but after much convincing from Batman, he reluctantly agrees. After Batman takes off, Gordon destroys the Bat-Signal in front of his men and gives the call for a manhunt against the Dark Knight.
Bob Hastings, who voiced Gordon in Batman: The Animated Series and its follow-up, The New Batman Adventures, reprised his role in the spin-off films, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.
In Justice League: The New Frontier, Gordon makes a cameo appearance in the interogation scene with King Faraday and Martian Manhunter.
Gordon appeared in Batman: Gotham Knight, within three segments: Crossfire, In Darkness Dwells, and Deadshot. He is voiced by Jim Meskimen.
He appears in LEGO Batman for the Playstation 3, PC, and Xbox 360.[8]
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