Read more
The television series Gotham gave viewers a unique perspective on the fascinating world of Batman, the legendary comic book character. More than a simple "origin story," the series introduces viewers to a pre-Batman Gotham City, where young hero-cop James Gordon fights a one-man war on crime. In a city where crime is evolving from traditional organized crime to a city plagued by flamboyant and psychotic "super villains," there is a desperate need for a Batman. All of this is witnessed by Bruce Wayne, who was orphaned after his parents were murdered.
This book details how characters and story lines throughout the series touch on modern America: our ethics and flaws, our fears and aspirations. Chapters also explore the show's unique twists to classic depictions of the franchise's characters, who have been adored by millions of fans across the decades. Throughout the text, the authors examine Gotham for its insight into 21st-century America, concluding in the exhilarating and frightening conclusion that "We ARE Gotham."
List of contents
Table of ContentsForeword: Gotham Is All About Journeys and Villainy by Robert G. Weiner
Introduction: Welcome to Gotham!
Part I. The Heroes of Gotham
¿1.¿The Hero's Pre-Journey: Bruce Wayne from His Parents' Deaths to the Cape and Cowl
¿2.¿"The path of the righteous man": Policing in Gotham and the Pre-Batman Career of James Gordon
¿3.¿Becoming Catwoman: Selina Kyle and the Female Criminal
¿4.¿Alfred Pennyworth: Parenting a Future Vigilante
¿5.¿Gotham's Savior: The Penguin?
Part II. The Villains of Gotham
¿6.¿From Falcone to "No Man's Land": The Un-civilization of Organized Crime in Gotham
¿7.¿Dirty Politicians: The Mayors of Gotham and the Corruption of Democracy
¿8.¿Science and Moral Absolutes: The Ethics of Dr. Hugo Strange
¿9.¿Girl Power! The Women of Gotham
10.¿"Riddle me this!": The Downward Spiral of Edward Nygma
11.¿"We're all mad here": Scarecrow, Mister Freeze, Mad Hatter and the Strategy of Terror
12.¿Jerome, Jeremiah, and the Joker: Insanity in an Insane World
Part III. Gotham in Perspective
13.¿Fear Itself: The Role of Fear in Gotham and 21st-Century America
14.¿Flipping the Text: Are Supervillains a Response to the Superhero, or Is the Superhero a Response to the Supervillains?
15.¿"No Man's Land": Comparing and Contrasting the Comic and TV Storylines
Conclusion: We Are Gotham!
Index
About the author
Richard A. Hall has taught courses on various areas of American popular culture as well as U.S. military history. Retired from teaching, he lives in Laredo, Texas.
