Book Review - Graphic NovelGotham Central Vol. 1: In The Line of Duty
Written by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka
Pencils by Michael Lark; Colors by Noelle Giddings
The Gotham City Police Department simply gets no respect. Aside from operating in the long-time dreariest, most crime-ridden city in the United States, the police force of Gotham Central must also contend with a new challenge: the rise of the super-criminal.
If the name "Gotham City" rings any bells, it should. It is the base of operations for the superhero "caped crusader" known as the Batman. But Police Commissioner Atkins and the detectives of the Major Crimes Unit - headed by commander Maggie Sawyer - are deeply ambivalent by the presence of the "Dark Knight" on their streets. The Major Crimes Unit is a proud lot, and therefore they can sometimes be deeply resentful towards their hometown superhero for doing their jobs for them and making them feel incompetent. But... on the other hand, sometimes police detectives need all they help they can get... especially when they operate in a city littered with frighteningly-demented serial killers like the Joker, Poison Ivy, the Penguin, and Killer Croc, just to name a few.
The story begins early in the day with detectives Marcus Driver and Charlie Fields following a lead in a case regarding the suspected kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl to a hotel room. Unfortunately, the occupant of the room was none other than Mr. Freeze, who was only too happy for the opportunity to murder someone. After a short firefight, Detective Fields was killed by Freeze's freeze-ray, but the supervillain allowed Detective Driver to live, in order to 1) have the detective's story serve as a warning to anyone else that is looking for him, and 2) simply because he enjoys causing others live as he does: in a constant state of suffering.
Naturally, cop-killers are given a special priority among those on the police force, and finding Mr. Freeze moves to the top of the to-do list for a number of detectives. On the case are partners Renee Montoya and Crispis Allen, as well as a recovering Detective Driver and his temporary partner (as well as new love-interest) for the assignment, Romy Chandler. Of course, to Driver, this case is an extremely personal one, and he is determined - as a matter of honor and pride - that the Major Crimes Unit apprehend Freeze without any outside help. But can they do it? Or is taking on Mr. Freeze without the aid of the Batman a virtual guarantee for an "early retirement"?
Gotham Central: In the Line of Duty is a serious and compelling, adult police drama, the type of which the average person would be surprised to learn is published in comic books. But although the events in the story is occasionally suspenseful, there were a number of times I felt that things were turning rather dull, and my attention began to drift. Part of this I blame on the lack of characterization. The characters, at least in this first collected volume of the series, remain as one-dimensional figures, none of whom have forced me to become emotionally invested in them. Also missing, unfortunately, were any instances of smart detective work. Perhaps this will be addressed in subsequent volumes. As for the art... one word: amazing. Michael Lark has an extraordinary understanding of shadows, one that is so difficult to fully understand, yet so easy to appreciate. Admittedly, it can be a bit tiresome to see panel after panel of dark, dull colors, but it seems to capture the essence of Gotham City rather well. Anyway, I don't really see the point of recommending this book, or at least this volume of the series. Although it had its moments, ultimately, I think my time could've been better spent elsewhere. Still, the art is phenomenal and I will undoubtedly make it a priority to keep an eye out for Lark's work in the future. B-
Past Book Reviews:
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation (2002) by Joseph J. Ellis
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (2003) by Mark Haddon
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (2000) by Michael Chabon
State of Fear (2004) by Michael Crichton
Interpreter of Maladies (1999) by Jhumpa Lahiri
Confederacy of Dunces (1980) by John Kennedy Toole
Novel Without A Name (1995) Duong Thu Huong
