A great, lesser-known source that the writers of Gotham - and you - should look to is the 1998 miniseries Gordon of Gotham. If the title doesnt immediately tell you that this comic arc is applicable to a show concerning James Gordon in Gotham City, read on. The story of young Detective Gordon coming to Gotham after political machinations all but force him out of Chicago is told by the older, grayer Gordon as he stands with Batman on the roof of the GCPD Headquarters. The Gotham TV show seems to be rewriting (or omitting) the Chicago stint of Gordons backstory, even though his actions as a detective there are actually an intriguing element of his comic book persona. In any case, plot points and story developments concerning the characterization of young Gordon are the things that the TV show could benefit from. The case itself is relatively simple Gordon learns important lessons about trust in his early policing days, facing a different kind of enemy than the ones he has faced before. Some of Denny O'Neil's writing is really stiff, but some of it absolutely sings. When we discover that the case has reopened like a poorly-treated wound hence Gordons retelling of it to Batman the greatest sections of the four-issue miniseries occur. Gordon asks for Batmans help to finally close the case, and what does Batman do? Swoop heroically? Nope he refuses. He recognizes this as another personal case for Gordon, one the Commissioner himself has to put to rest once and for all. Batman barely appears outside that scene, and this is totally Gordons show. If Gotham doesnt decide to completely disregard the comics, Gordon of Gotham will likely have a great influence on the characterization of the young detective.
