10 Best Ed Brubaker Comics Fans Must Read
3. Gotham Central
Even in the DC Universe, superheroes can’t be everywhere. They can’t prevent every crime and catch every crook. Gotham Central is a good, old-fashioned police procedural that follows the boys and girls in blue of the Gotham City Police Department.
Michael Lark was once again on art duties while the writing was split between Brubaker and Greg Rucka. The sprawling cast was split between the two writers who took alternating arcs. Rucka’s concerned the day shift while Brubaker, fittingly, told tales of the night shift.
All the usual suspects are here – Two-Face, The Joker, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, along with regular Batman supporting characters from the other side of the thin blue line – James Gordon and Harvey Bullock. While Batman is barely seen, his presence is felt throughout.
Police procedurals are hard to get right, and the huge cast of characters required means they are more at home on TV rather than between the pages of a comic book. With Gotham Central, Brubaker and Rucka got the balance spot on.
Gotham Central was a clear inspiration for the Gotham TV show, and in July 2020 HBO announced a Matt Reeves police procedural set in the universe of his upcoming movie, The Batman. It is rumoured that this show will be called Gotham Central.