10 Factors That Give Batman The Best Extended Comics Universe
8. Gotham City Police Department
The GCPD have been an inherent part of the Batman universe since it's inception. In a city like Gotham, a cesspool of crime and duplicity, it stands to reason that the police are going to play a major part in events, and the GCPD is the most well rounded department in comics. The most famous and beloved member of the GCPD is, of course, Commissioner James Gordon (or Lieutenant, depending on what era the story takes place in). It could be argued that Gordon's importance to the Batman mythos is right up there with the Dark Knight himself, and we would subscribe to this notion. Gordon is simply a brilliant character, depicted as one of the few good, decent men in a city of moral decay, fighting against the corruption he begrudgingly works alongside every day. One of the greatest things that Frank Miller did in his comics career was giving the world the perfect Jim Gordon characterisation in Batman: Year One, an interpretation that has informed every writer since. Gordon is currently playing a major role in Batman: Eternal, a testament to the strength of the character. Other notable GCPD members have included Renee Montoya, Harvey Bullock, Crispus Allen and Maggie Sawyer, who were all featured in the sublime series Gotham Central, published by DC between 2003 and 2006. Written by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka and pencilled by Michael Lark, this series was revolutionary for it's time, taking a grounded and realistic look at what it would truly be like to be a cop in Gotham City. In a world where a policeman can answer a routine 911 call and end up facing a maniac with a freeze-gun or a gun-toting, psychopathic clown, what calibre of person would join the force? It's a brilliant notion and unfortunately, this excellent series was cancelled far too early. However, It is clear that the GCPD is an essential ingredient to Batman's extended universe in comics and Gotham Central proved that fans were willing to read stories starring only the police, with very little inclusion of Batman.
