| Batman: Streets of Gotham | |
|---|---|
Variant incentive cover to Batman: Streets of Gotham #1. Art by J.G. Jones. |
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | Superhero |
| Publication date | June 2009 – March 2011 |
| Number of issues | 21 |
| Main character(s) | Dick Grayson/Batman Damian Wayne/Robin[1] Commissioner Gordon[2] |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Paul Dini |
| Penciller(s) | Dustin Nguyen |
| Inker(s) | Derek Fridolfs |
| Letterer(s) | Steve Wands |
| Colorist(s) | John Kalisz |
| Editor(s) | Mike Marts Janelle Siegel |
Batman: Streets of Gotham is an American comic book ongoing series written by Paul Dini, with art by Dustin Nguyen.[3] The series stars Dick Grayson as the new Batman and ties into Grant Morrison's overarching "Batman: Reborn" story and the new Gotham City Sirens monthly.[2] The series ran for 21 issues, from 2009 to 2011.
Streets of Gotham features Batman as the main character, but from a "street level" with other characters providing the main narrative. When asked about the style of Streets of Gotham, Batman group editor Mike Marts explained, "...these are Batman stories told through the point of view of other characters in Gotham City. So it could be Commissioner Gordon telling the story, it could be a villain, or it could be a supporting character telling the story."[2]
The series also includes a Manhunter co-feature written by Marc Andreyko and illustrated by Georges Jeanty.[4] The co-feature was replaced by another co-feature that spins-off of the end of the Manhunter one starring Two-Face. The same occurs with the Two-Face one ending and starting the Ragman co-feature.
The series has been cancelled after 21 issues.
Contents |
In addition to Batman and Robin, the series follows a number of characters from the DC Universe, including Firefly, Hush, and Black Mask. The first arc follows Hush as he attempts to steal Bruce Wayne's identity; while Firefly, Black Mask, and others wreak havoc in the city. The writer, Dini, notes, "I’ve always liked that interpretation of Batman – you see him from the crooks’ point of view, or you see him from an innocent person’s point of view. So with this, it was 'Let’s leave the Batcave behind, let’s leave the alter ego behind, let’s just do Batman and the effect he has on people.'"[5]
Chris Yost fills in for Paul Dini in a two-part story arc called "Leviathan" in which Huntress teams up with Man Bat to stop a ravaged priest who believes God is telling him to kill the two. The story drives away from the plot involving Victor Zsasz that Paul Dini was working on.
The series also contains a nine-page strip written by Marc Andreyko featuring the Manhunter. The story follows her arrival in Gotham as District Attorney. Writer Andreyko notes, "I think it’s the smartest way to get new characters out there in people’s minds, because with the economy being as horrible as it is, and with retailers having their choice of 300 Avengers books or 1500 Batman books or 1700 X-Men books, putting these backups in books that compliment each other, allows people to check these things out."[6]
The story begins with the appointment of Manhunter as the new district attorney of Gotham City. She becomes obsessed with taking down the murderer of the previous attorney, Jane Doe. Manhunter captures Doe who frames Two-Face as being her leader. Manhunter then captures Two-Face.
Meanwhile, Firefly begins to burn citizens of Gotham one he had burned the Black Mask's chip out of his head. Thomas Elliot, Hush, uses this to his advantage and escapes Wayne Manor. He then attempts to kill the Black Mask but is stopped by Victor Zsasz and taken in by the police. Hush then gets Jane Doe and Two-Face released from prison under the guise of Bruce Wayne.
As a reward for his loyalty, Victor Zsasz is given a briefcase of money by the Black Mask to torture people. Zsasz then starts kidnapping children and making them kill each other in an arena to raise money to get more kids to kill each other. Dick Grayson becomes Batman and gets information on Zsasz out of the Broker. Batman then apprehends Harley Quinn and tells her to get out of town and live a new life. On the other side of town, a girl named Katie is being sold until she is saved by a massive giant named Abuse.
Black Mask then has a man go invisible and produce terror throughout town. Man-Bat senses him with sonar and can see him, though nobody else can. Huntress pursues Man-Bat and the man is knocked out by a priest upon the arrival of Batman.
Batman and Robin then further investigate the Zsasz murders by interrogating former-villains such as Humpty Dumpty. They are once again interrupted when Commissioner Gordon calls on Batman for investigation of rash murders.
Colin Wilkes, a boy tortured by the Scarecrow using Bane's toxin, and Damian Wayne meet and are kidnapped by Zsasz' men. Colin uses Bane's toxin and transforms into Abuse and they fight Victor Zsasz who then falls into a pit upon Robin's self-defense.
Jenna Duffy, the Carpenter, is hired by the Broker to fix the Monarch Theater for the villain, the Director. An elderly gangster named Judson Pierce is released from Blackgate Prison and has a history with Dr. Death, and the Elliot and Wayne family.
Hush is kidnapped by Pierce and turns the tables on his kidnappers, becoming their leader and recruiting Dr. Death. Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City and finds the city changed, he battles a villain named the Bedbug and retreats.
Hush then betrays Dr. Death, whose chems go off on Judson Pierce. Hush is then captured by Jane Doe, who thinks he is Bruce Wayne, she rips off his skin and poses as Bruce Wayne until the real Bruce arrives and apprehends them both.
The series ends with Judson Pierce being sent to Blackgate Prison again, his skin all dead but the chems having had given him phenomenal strength. Hush and Jane Doe are sent to Arkham Asylum where Hush goes insane and murders his interrogator, with Arkham being known as the House of Hush.
IGN described the series as similar in tone to Ed Brubaker's Criminal, and that the focus on a more human angle makes "heroes seem larger than life, and is awe-inspiring."[7]
Comic Book Resources noted with issue #3 that, "At this point, I think it's safe to say that Batman: Streets of Gotham isn't going to be that different of an approach to a Bat-title than any of the others."[8]
Chris Yost acted as the first fill-in writer for Dini on issues #5-6, giving the fans a two-part story entitled "Leviathan". IGN stated issue #5 as being "odd and frustrating" while praising Nguyen's work.[9] Mike Benson's work was treated much the same.