What do you think?
Rate this book
Gotham Central (Hardcover Reprints) #3
Gotham Central, Book Three: On the Freak Beat
A brutal gang war rages in Gotham City. After a tragic mistake, the police feels that they can no longer trust Batman, so the Commissioner makes a fateful decision -- the Dark Knight is now a wanted man, and the famous Bat-Signal is removed from the roof of headquarters.
Plus, Detective Renee Montoya investigates the disappearance of important evidence amid a gang war and travels to Keystone City in an attempt to unveil the truth about Officer Kelly's strange mutation.
Collecting GOTHAM CENTRAL #23-31.
Plus, Detective Renee Montoya investigates the disappearance of important evidence amid a gang war and travels to Keystone City in an attempt to unveil the truth about Officer Kelly's strange mutation.
Collecting GOTHAM CENTRAL #23-31.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2010
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,718 books2,838 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
October 29, 2012
Montoya and Allen tangle with the Black Spider and a crucial piece of evidence goes missing. A televangelist turns up dead and it looks like Catwoman is the killer. One of Dr. Alchemy's old experiments transforms a cop and Montoya and Allen have to team up with some Keystone City cops and Dr. Alchemy himself to try to cure him. Business as usual for the detectives down at Gotham Central...
Brubaker and Rucka have wowed me again. Even this far into Gotham Central's run, they continue to impress me. This volume is just as good as the previous two.
The cases involved more superhuman elements than the previous one, including more Batman than the previous two volumes put together. Corrigan and MacDonald developed quite a bit as characters in this volume. Allen and Montoya's partnership is growing stronger and watching the two of them in action is one of my favorite parts of the series. It could have used more Detective Driver but you can't have everything.
Renee Montoya is my favorite GCPD detective by light years. You wouldn't think I'd latch on to a Hispanic recently-outed lesbian detective so quickly but I have. In a way, I wish I didn't know what 52 has in store for her once Gotham Central ends.
The Catwoman case was my favorite plot-wise, but Dr. Alchemy as Hannibal Lecter was the best character. Other parts of the book that stand out are the taking down of the Bat Signal and one of the Keystone City cops mentioning Detective Allen had a good last name for a cop in their town.
Gotham Central continues to be a home run derby of a graphic novel series as far as I'm concerned. Five easy stars.
Brubaker and Rucka have wowed me again. Even this far into Gotham Central's run, they continue to impress me. This volume is just as good as the previous two.
The cases involved more superhuman elements than the previous one, including more Batman than the previous two volumes put together. Corrigan and MacDonald developed quite a bit as characters in this volume. Allen and Montoya's partnership is growing stronger and watching the two of them in action is one of my favorite parts of the series. It could have used more Detective Driver but you can't have everything.
Renee Montoya is my favorite GCPD detective by light years. You wouldn't think I'd latch on to a Hispanic recently-outed lesbian detective so quickly but I have. In a way, I wish I didn't know what 52 has in store for her once Gotham Central ends.
The Catwoman case was my favorite plot-wise, but Dr. Alchemy as Hannibal Lecter was the best character. Other parts of the book that stand out are the taking down of the Bat Signal and one of the Keystone City cops mentioning Detective Allen had a good last name for a cop in their town.
Gotham Central continues to be a home run derby of a graphic novel series as far as I'm concerned. Five easy stars.
January 19, 2013
The police detectives of Gotham City’s Major Crimes Unit continue the struggle against the ‘freaks’ who like to commit their crimes while wearing costumes, and now they’re doing it without Batman’s help.
There’s three main stories in this collection of the gritty comics. First, Detective Allen saves his partner’s Renee Montoya’s life when they get caught in the middle of a gangland assassination attempt by the Black Spider, but missing evidence threatens Allen’s career afterwards so Montoya tries to clear him. In the second, Josie Mac and Charlie Driver investigate a murder in which Catwoman is the prime suspect, but Josie is keeping secrets about why she thinks Catwoman has been framed.
The third and most powerful story involves a patrolman who gets caught in a booby trap left by Doctor Alchemy. With the cop painfully mutating into some kind of monster, Montoya and Allen have to journey to Keystone and deal with the arrogant Doctor Alchemy who is in jail. A cop getting hurt by a super villain would be just a story set-up in a Batman comic, but once again Gotham Central makes the damage done to an ordinary policeman a tragedy. A subplot with lesbian Montoya still dealing with being ostracized by her family for coming out is another moving story and great character development.
Hanging over all these stories is the subplot from War Games in which Batman has pissed off the Gotham PD so badly that they take the bat signal down and now consider him a dangerous vigilante, not an ally. While many of the cops don’t entirely trust Batman and resent the way he seems to inspire the freaks they have to deal with, there’s a nice vibe of uneasiness built up among the characters who think they may be turning their back on the best weapon they have.
Another great volume that tells first rate crime stories in a super hero universe.
There’s three main stories in this collection of the gritty comics. First, Detective Allen saves his partner’s Renee Montoya’s life when they get caught in the middle of a gangland assassination attempt by the Black Spider, but missing evidence threatens Allen’s career afterwards so Montoya tries to clear him. In the second, Josie Mac and Charlie Driver investigate a murder in which Catwoman is the prime suspect, but Josie is keeping secrets about why she thinks Catwoman has been framed.
The third and most powerful story involves a patrolman who gets caught in a booby trap left by Doctor Alchemy. With the cop painfully mutating into some kind of monster, Montoya and Allen have to journey to Keystone and deal with the arrogant Doctor Alchemy who is in jail. A cop getting hurt by a super villain would be just a story set-up in a Batman comic, but once again Gotham Central makes the damage done to an ordinary policeman a tragedy. A subplot with lesbian Montoya still dealing with being ostracized by her family for coming out is another moving story and great character development.
Hanging over all these stories is the subplot from War Games in which Batman has pissed off the Gotham PD so badly that they take the bat signal down and now consider him a dangerous vigilante, not an ally. While many of the cops don’t entirely trust Batman and resent the way he seems to inspire the freaks they have to deal with, there’s a nice vibe of uneasiness built up among the characters who think they may be turning their back on the best weapon they have.
Another great volume that tells first rate crime stories in a super hero universe.
January 3, 2020
"People are such a disappointment most of the time."
Agree, absolutely agree!!!
Plus, Catwoman is so cool~
I think I like the murder mystery with this priest guy the best, I really like how BDSM and the lifestyle is mentioned in a neutral way without much discrimination. And like I'd just said, some sexy and terrific Catwoman here and there won't hurt!
The stories and the film noir aura are still doing so, so great! I hope to read the last volume ASAP!
PSS: Batman also did a nice job creeping around in the shadows, I like it!
Gotham Central vol. 2 review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Batman: Detective vol. 5 review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 19, 2012
I honestly didn't expect to love this series as much as I did when I started it. The fact that you're asking me to read about Gotham but you're not going to give a whole lot of love to The Dark Knight himself? Blasphemy!
Turns out when you hand it over to the very capable hands of Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, you know you're going to get to read something special.
This third volume collects issues 23 through 31 of DC's stellar Gotham Central series. In this volume, we're given 4 different story arcs:
Corrigan - Two part story dealing with the lifting of evidence from a crime scene which may prove the innocence of a well known detective. Interesting, but a somber way to start your collection.
Lights Out - We're presented with a tough decision made by Commissioner Akins to dismantle the Bat-Signal following some trust issues between The Caped Crusador and the GCPD. While Batman disagrees with what Akins deems to be a serious problem, he elects to proceed as if business were normal.
On The Freak Beat - Detective Josephine MacDonald is brought in as lead on a case seemingly caused by Catwoman. The only problem being that the case involved murder most foul, and common knowledge is that Catwoman doesn't leave bodies laying around. "Mac", however, is harboring a secret that could blow the case open but jeopardize her career.
Keystone Kops - A brilliant four part story detailing a case involving the disfigurement of a well liked, hardworking beat cop that the team is struggling to solve. Spanning a good chunk of this book, the story brings in elements of The Flash's universe with super villain Dr. Alchemy (or Albert Desmond).
Renee Montoya takes center stage in this collection, dominating most of the stories. Not only can she come across as a pretty sympathetic character due to her continuous persecution as a gay woman, but she kicks some serious ass when faced with violent enemies.
I absolutely love this series and will have no problem recommending it not only to any fans of The Bat but to those who love a good crime yarn.
Turns out when you hand it over to the very capable hands of Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, you know you're going to get to read something special.
This third volume collects issues 23 through 31 of DC's stellar Gotham Central series. In this volume, we're given 4 different story arcs:
Corrigan - Two part story dealing with the lifting of evidence from a crime scene which may prove the innocence of a well known detective. Interesting, but a somber way to start your collection.
Lights Out - We're presented with a tough decision made by Commissioner Akins to dismantle the Bat-Signal following some trust issues between The Caped Crusador and the GCPD. While Batman disagrees with what Akins deems to be a serious problem, he elects to proceed as if business were normal.
On The Freak Beat - Detective Josephine MacDonald is brought in as lead on a case seemingly caused by Catwoman. The only problem being that the case involved murder most foul, and common knowledge is that Catwoman doesn't leave bodies laying around. "Mac", however, is harboring a secret that could blow the case open but jeopardize her career.
Keystone Kops - A brilliant four part story detailing a case involving the disfigurement of a well liked, hardworking beat cop that the team is struggling to solve. Spanning a good chunk of this book, the story brings in elements of The Flash's universe with super villain Dr. Alchemy (or Albert Desmond).
Renee Montoya takes center stage in this collection, dominating most of the stories. Not only can she come across as a pretty sympathetic character due to her continuous persecution as a gay woman, but she kicks some serious ass when faced with violent enemies.
I absolutely love this series and will have no problem recommending it not only to any fans of The Bat but to those who love a good crime yarn.
October 29, 2024
3.5/5
Individual issues rated below -
Gotham Central #23: 3/5
Gotham Central #24: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #25: 3/5
Gotham Central #26: 3/5
Gotham Central #27: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #28: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #29: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #30: 3/5
Gotham Central #31: 3/5
Individual issues rated below -
Gotham Central #23: 3/5
Gotham Central #24: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #25: 3/5
Gotham Central #26: 3/5
Gotham Central #27: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #28: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #29: 3.5/5
Gotham Central #30: 3/5
Gotham Central #31: 3/5
April 8, 2022
Whilst it maintains the dark and gritty realist charm of the previous entries, it's not quite on the same level narratively. None of the stories are bad, but they don't have the power of the former titles which were so engaging that they were hard to put down. There's also something different about the art this time. It's not a big change, but it doesn't feel quite as visually captivating. However, it's still worth a read for those who enjoy the series.
February 7, 2023
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
To stand tall and face the streets of Gotham city with a virtuous and honorable conviction that justice should be administered by the book can be pretty difficult for the cops at the Gotham City Police Department, swarmed on a daily basis by freaks dressed in colourful and sometimes disturbing costumes. While some of these deranged folks claim to be on the same side as the uncorrupted cops, many who withhold legitimate authority in the streets of Gotham can’t help but put them all in the same basket, a basket full of nutcases who should be put behind bars. Collecting issues #23-31, this third and penultimate volume in the multiple award-winning Gotham Central series continues with acclaimed writers Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker, containing the two-part story arc titled Corrigan, the one-shot tale titled Lights Out, the two-part story titled On the Freak Beat, and the four-part story titled Keystone Kops.
What is Gotham Central: On the Freak Beat? In the midst of a brutal gang war in Gotham City, the Major Crimes Unit’s detectives Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen find themselves sticking their necks into trouble as they encounter the Black Spider. As the case becomes complicated, Montoya, now forced to embrace her sexual identity as a lesbian, outed with blackmailing intent by Two-Face, is off to do whatever it takes to prove her partner’s innocence. Meanwhile, the GCPD decided to put an end to the bat signal, retiring it from their roof, and declared their intolerance of the masked vigilante’s activities. While trouble doesn’t ever want to end in Gotham City, a tragedy implicating a heroic cop sets the MCU’s attention on the sketchy and notorious Doctor Alchemy.
With most stories collected in this volume are written by Greg Rucka, whilst Ed Brubaker is put on the passenger seat, there was doubt formed beforehand regarding the quality of these tales to be read. Fortunately, Greg Rucka does an impressive job of capturing a realistic and grim atmosphere as he went on to focus the volume on Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen. While it did feel like some of the stories were missing some oomph, something unpredictable and noteworthy, they managed to further develop the interpersonal plights of these characters, especially on the emotional front, with Renee Montoya’s own mountain of adversity that she struggles to confront, whether it’s with her colleagues or her own father who refuses to acknowledge her existence. Even more satisfying is for this volume to further antagonize Batman, creating a conflictual climate within the department as cops either commend or condemn his role in the realm of crime-fighting.
Surprisingly, the artwork is consistent and coherent from cover to cover. It continues to accentuate the gritty and grounded style of the narrative and offers plenty of subtle hints at the characters’ emotions and general state of mind. Similar to previous volumes, certain pages still have a monochromatic overlay that genuinely captures an old-school crime procedural tone. As per the narrative’s lack of pizazz, the artwork also conveyed the shortfall despite some unforgettable moments in the final story arc that masterfully portrayed some fantastic yet tragic moments. There is however little to criticize in terms of character design, as most of the story revolves around everyday humans, wonderfully drawn at that, making it effortless to follow and distinguish everyone. Although typical of a series that focuses on these detectives, this volume does limit the number of freaks, but whenever there is one, you’re sure to notice and remember them.
Gotham Central: On the Freak Beat is an exceptional, grounded, and genuine chapter illustrating the integrity and resilience of Gotham’s Major Crime Unit’s finest detectives amidst the terrors brought upon their city by costumed freaks.
February 16, 2018
While I wasn't wowed quite as much this time around compared to the first two volumes, On the Freak Beat is still another solid entry in the Gotham Central series. Investigators Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen get the lion's share of the focus (especially Montoya, and her relationships with her distant father and her sweetheart Daria), though MCU rookie Josie Mac gets an interesting subplot in the middle story. This volume also seemed sort of streamlined - no famous villains (well, just a brief appearance from one) in the mix, little use of the large MCU cast of characters, and just three prosaic cases. But the developments in the last few pages - and that final panel - were SAD.
April 10, 2022
Gotham Central Book 3 On The Freak Beat collects issues 23-31 of the DC Comics series written by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka with art art by Michael Lark, Stefano Guadiano, Jason Alexander.
The Gotham Police department feels that it can no longer trust Batman and word from the top comes down that the Bat is a fugitive. Gotham's MCU is at odds on the decision and will have to deal with many supervillains including Black Spider, Catwoman, and Doctor Alchemy.
I really enjoyed the storyline dealing with evidence tampering and the far reaching effects it had on the department. Another great collection of comics that could just as easily be on an episode of Law & Order if you just removed the supervillains aspects.
The Gotham Police department feels that it can no longer trust Batman and word from the top comes down that the Bat is a fugitive. Gotham's MCU is at odds on the decision and will have to deal with many supervillains including Black Spider, Catwoman, and Doctor Alchemy.
I really enjoyed the storyline dealing with evidence tampering and the far reaching effects it had on the department. Another great collection of comics that could just as easily be on an episode of Law & Order if you just removed the supervillains aspects.
February 8, 2018
This continues to be a very strong series. I particularly like the part towards the end where Montoya works to rebuild her relationship with her father. As for the villains, it feels like there are more B-list villains than in the first two volumes.
February 4, 2015
Book Three is another hit or miss volume. Ultimately the great stories carry the mediocre ones but the artwork definitely hits a new low. Here are the main stories in the volume:
Corrigan by Greg Rucka
I’ve always liked the partnership between Detectives Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya so this was another good one. Allen and Montoya end up walking in on a gang war between the Black Spider and some random Gotham gang. One of the random gang members gets hit in the crossfire and takes the opportunity to sue the city because he claims that Allen shot him while he was handcuffed. Unfortunately for Allen, the only evidence that would exonerate him ends up in the pocket of a corrupt crime scene investigator. With Allen on enforced leave, it’s up to Montoya and an Internal Affairs agent to discover the truth.
Seeing the lengths that Montoya would go to for her partner was awesome and the divisions between Major Crimes (who were handpicked by Gordon and therefore are mostly on the level) and the fairly corrupt regular beat cops and crime scene investigators were really interesting. The story itself doesn’t have much mystery (since you know what the problem is and who’s responsible pretty much from the beginning) but the other aspects make up for it. On the downside, the art takes a serious turn for the worse. I mean, I can’t throw too many stones since my artwork is limited to pathetic stick figures but bruises should not look like Montoya has smeared grape jelly on her face.
Batman vs Gotham Central by Greg Rucka
This moment has been coming since Batman refused to explain his actions in Soft Targets. He finally goes too far and in ignoring police procedure causes the deaths of numerous officers of the GCPD. In response, the Commissioner decides to make it clear to Batman that he won’t tolerate that and that Batman and the GCPD are no longer on speaking terms. The way the different officers (and bystanders) respond to this was really compelling. Especially the division between Montoya (who supports Batman as he has saved her life numerous times) and Allen (who didn’t grow up in Gotham and has never particularly liked the fact that Batman and the GCPD have worked together). Since they’re supposed to be the perfect cop partnership, it felt very real to see even them divided on the issue.
On the Freak Beat by Ed Brubaker
In this one, you finally find out what the hell makes Josie MacDonald such a spot-on detective and I have to admit that it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. The basic premise is that a prominent televangelist has been murdered and all the facts point to Catwoman as being responsible. Luckily for the cat burglar, Josie doesn’t buy this and when Catwoman overhears Josie’s secret, she blackmails the detective into proving it wasn’t Catwoman who committed the murder. It’s a generally well-written story if not one of Brubaker’s best.
Keystone Kops by Greg Rucka
Man, Greg Rucka’s stories are really hit or miss for me. This one is somewhere in the middle. The only thing that I really liked about it was Montoya’s personal growth. This story involves a villain I’ve never heard of, probably because he’s apparently one of Flash’s villains. In the process of helping some kids in a pretty rough neighborhood, one of the good, non-corrupt beat cops named Andrew Kelly gets infected by some pretty nasty chemicals. It turns out that this was the work of yet another psychotic villain, this time one who usually works out of Keystone. Since Montoya knows the neighborhood (the situation occurs right outside the shop that’s owned by her father) and was Kelly’s mentor when he first got started, she ends up going to Keystone to see if a cure can be found for the poor man. Things don’t go as planned, add a little Batman and a villain who is part chemist and part Riddler and you get a complicated situation for Montoya. It’s balanced out by her interactions with the father who had disowned her when she was outted as a lesbian, which is really the saving grace of the story. If you really like Montoya, it’s worth reading but otherwise nothing is lost by skipping it.
The stories are mostly well-written and interesting (nothing anywhere near as boring as that extremely forgettable one in Book Two) but the artwork is awful. I mean, not the worst I’ve ever seen but it’s bad. Which is really a shame since some of the stories are great, particularly Batman vs Gotham Central.
Overall, it’s still one I’d recommend if you like the series, just try and ignore the awfulness of the artwork.
Corrigan by Greg Rucka
I’ve always liked the partnership between Detectives Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya so this was another good one. Allen and Montoya end up walking in on a gang war between the Black Spider and some random Gotham gang. One of the random gang members gets hit in the crossfire and takes the opportunity to sue the city because he claims that Allen shot him while he was handcuffed. Unfortunately for Allen, the only evidence that would exonerate him ends up in the pocket of a corrupt crime scene investigator. With Allen on enforced leave, it’s up to Montoya and an Internal Affairs agent to discover the truth.
Seeing the lengths that Montoya would go to for her partner was awesome and the divisions between Major Crimes (who were handpicked by Gordon and therefore are mostly on the level) and the fairly corrupt regular beat cops and crime scene investigators were really interesting. The story itself doesn’t have much mystery (since you know what the problem is and who’s responsible pretty much from the beginning) but the other aspects make up for it. On the downside, the art takes a serious turn for the worse. I mean, I can’t throw too many stones since my artwork is limited to pathetic stick figures but bruises should not look like Montoya has smeared grape jelly on her face.
Batman vs Gotham Central by Greg Rucka
This moment has been coming since Batman refused to explain his actions in Soft Targets. He finally goes too far and in ignoring police procedure causes the deaths of numerous officers of the GCPD. In response, the Commissioner decides to make it clear to Batman that he won’t tolerate that and that Batman and the GCPD are no longer on speaking terms. The way the different officers (and bystanders) respond to this was really compelling. Especially the division between Montoya (who supports Batman as he has saved her life numerous times) and Allen (who didn’t grow up in Gotham and has never particularly liked the fact that Batman and the GCPD have worked together). Since they’re supposed to be the perfect cop partnership, it felt very real to see even them divided on the issue.
On the Freak Beat by Ed Brubaker
In this one, you finally find out what the hell makes Josie MacDonald such a spot-on detective and I have to admit that it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. The basic premise is that a prominent televangelist has been murdered and all the facts point to Catwoman as being responsible. Luckily for the cat burglar, Josie doesn’t buy this and when Catwoman overhears Josie’s secret, she blackmails the detective into proving it wasn’t Catwoman who committed the murder. It’s a generally well-written story if not one of Brubaker’s best.
Keystone Kops by Greg Rucka
Man, Greg Rucka’s stories are really hit or miss for me. This one is somewhere in the middle. The only thing that I really liked about it was Montoya’s personal growth. This story involves a villain I’ve never heard of, probably because he’s apparently one of Flash’s villains. In the process of helping some kids in a pretty rough neighborhood, one of the good, non-corrupt beat cops named Andrew Kelly gets infected by some pretty nasty chemicals. It turns out that this was the work of yet another psychotic villain, this time one who usually works out of Keystone. Since Montoya knows the neighborhood (the situation occurs right outside the shop that’s owned by her father) and was Kelly’s mentor when he first got started, she ends up going to Keystone to see if a cure can be found for the poor man. Things don’t go as planned, add a little Batman and a villain who is part chemist and part Riddler and you get a complicated situation for Montoya. It’s balanced out by her interactions with the father who had disowned her when she was outted as a lesbian, which is really the saving grace of the story. If you really like Montoya, it’s worth reading but otherwise nothing is lost by skipping it.
The stories are mostly well-written and interesting (nothing anywhere near as boring as that extremely forgettable one in Book Two) but the artwork is awful. I mean, not the worst I’ve ever seen but it’s bad. Which is really a shame since some of the stories are great, particularly Batman vs Gotham Central.
Overall, it’s still one I’d recommend if you like the series, just try and ignore the awfulness of the artwork.
September 8, 2017
The weakest of the Gotham Central books which is saying a lot because this is damn good. Even the war games crossovers were good and I hated War Games and the Catwoman story is good to. The Dr. Alchemy story though was meh though. I don't really care about cops chasing after a Clayface ripoff.
November 23, 2020
Ei käy kateeksi Gotham Centralin poliiseja, kun joutuvat tavallisten rapparien ja ryöstäjien lisäksi tekemisiin myös supervoimaisten konnien kanssa. Lepakonnahkakaveriin ei voi oikein luottaa ja yksityiselämässä saattaa ilmetä ongelmia, kun konservatiivinen isäpappa suhtautuu nuivasti tasa-arvoiseen avioliittolakiin.
Onhan tämä ihan uljainta parhautta.
Onhan tämä ihan uljainta parhautta.
January 5, 2018
Another solid volume (although I wasn't thrilled with the art change in the middle) centering on the cops with Batman skirting the edges of the book.
8/10
8/10
December 29, 2014
Freak beat builds on the story and character developments in the previous two trades and readers are rewarded with some even more amazing character development and cameos from main characters of the DCU.
It took me a while to pick up the third trade, I had read/watched myself into a procedural crime overload and I needed some time off from this genre. However, slipping back into this genre with this series was like a glove. The characters, art, writing, story, world are all done so well that you wish that this was what the insanely bad Gotham tv series was based on:
World: Dark, gritty, dangerous and uninviting, the Gotham that Rucka and Brubaker paint is one that people are familiar with but don't really get to see all that often. Often we see Gotham through Batman's eyes, high above soaring, or in a duel in the sewers with a villain. Here, we get to see the streets, not just the street, but the alleys and shadows. It's not a good place to be if you are a normal person, but it is an amazing place to be to find a good story. The art compliments and paints a world that is doused in dark colors, reds and blacks and browns giving it a melancholy and unsettling quality to the art, it's great.
Story: A couple of great ones here, of course the big arc in this book is Keystone Kops but the rest of the tales are all super solid. Brubaker and Rucka are masters of the crime procedural genre in comic books and it shows with this entire series. Each panel is meticulously scripted, each story arc flows smoothly, it's great story telling. I don't want to ruin anything for you, as honestly if you've read two trades already you don't need me to tell you it's an amazing series. Read it!
Characters: Wonderful, one of the things with comic books is that often time due to the 22 page nature of issues and the need for action the character development is somewhat stunted and often takes second fiddle, not so with this series. Characters like Montoya, Allen, Sawyer and Akins to name a few are given ample time to develop and to be fleshed out. They are strong, heroic and often flawed human beings in a really brutal and unforgiving city. The cameos by main characters of the DCU are nice, they are there enough to tie the world together but not often enough to overshadow the characters of the book. This is a really good character book.
This is what I had imagined Gotham the tv series to be like and reading this again after a couple of years ago and watching that show now I am more convinced that this should have been the way to go. This is a well craft crime procedural that is not only a good comic book but just plain good storytelling.
Onward to the next book!
It took me a while to pick up the third trade, I had read/watched myself into a procedural crime overload and I needed some time off from this genre. However, slipping back into this genre with this series was like a glove. The characters, art, writing, story, world are all done so well that you wish that this was what the insanely bad Gotham tv series was based on:
World: Dark, gritty, dangerous and uninviting, the Gotham that Rucka and Brubaker paint is one that people are familiar with but don't really get to see all that often. Often we see Gotham through Batman's eyes, high above soaring, or in a duel in the sewers with a villain. Here, we get to see the streets, not just the street, but the alleys and shadows. It's not a good place to be if you are a normal person, but it is an amazing place to be to find a good story. The art compliments and paints a world that is doused in dark colors, reds and blacks and browns giving it a melancholy and unsettling quality to the art, it's great.
Story: A couple of great ones here, of course the big arc in this book is Keystone Kops but the rest of the tales are all super solid. Brubaker and Rucka are masters of the crime procedural genre in comic books and it shows with this entire series. Each panel is meticulously scripted, each story arc flows smoothly, it's great story telling. I don't want to ruin anything for you, as honestly if you've read two trades already you don't need me to tell you it's an amazing series. Read it!
Characters: Wonderful, one of the things with comic books is that often time due to the 22 page nature of issues and the need for action the character development is somewhat stunted and often takes second fiddle, not so with this series. Characters like Montoya, Allen, Sawyer and Akins to name a few are given ample time to develop and to be fleshed out. They are strong, heroic and often flawed human beings in a really brutal and unforgiving city. The cameos by main characters of the DCU are nice, they are there enough to tie the world together but not often enough to overshadow the characters of the book. This is a really good character book.
This is what I had imagined Gotham the tv series to be like and reading this again after a couple of years ago and watching that show now I am more convinced that this should have been the way to go. This is a well craft crime procedural that is not only a good comic book but just plain good storytelling.
Onward to the next book!
May 23, 2016
This third hard cover volume collects issues #23–31 of Gotham Central, DC's comic about the Gotham City Police Department's Major Crime Unit (mostly dealing with the kinds of crime that inevitably tends to involve "the Bat").
The volume is dominated by Greg Rucka's writing, and while it was Brubaker's presence that caused me initially to pick the series, I have to say that both of these writers do a great job on it.
First out is the two-parter "Corrigan," which gives us a look into the corruption in the GCPD and problems with internal affairs as two members of the MCU are involved in the shooting of a masked assassin where CSI Jim Corrigan happens to "lose" some important evidence. The short arc is written by Rucka and drawn by Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano.
This is followed by a one-shot, "Lights Out," by the same creative team. Events have led the police to lose faith in "the Bat" and consequently commissioner Michael Akins has decided to remove the infamous bat signal from the roof of Gotham Central.
Third out is the two-parter "On the Freak Beat," by Ed Brubaker and Jason Alexander. Here the MCU finds a murder scene with evidence pointing towards Catwoman. But detective Josephine "Josie Mac" MacDonald has a sense about these things, and it tells here that everything is not as it seems.
The volume ends with the Rucka-penned and Gaudiano-drawn four-parter "Keystone Kops." Here an Keystone City villain, Doctor Alchemy, has left an insidious trap behind in Gotham City, and an unlucky police officer is the one who is exposed to the Doctor's experiment. It is up to the MCU to try to solve the case.
As some of you may know already, I really enjoyed volume 1 and volume 2, and this volume has certainly not disappointed me either. It is good crime fiction, set in a superhero universe, but grounded in a strong police perspective. Highly recommended.
The volume is dominated by Greg Rucka's writing, and while it was Brubaker's presence that caused me initially to pick the series, I have to say that both of these writers do a great job on it.
First out is the two-parter "Corrigan," which gives us a look into the corruption in the GCPD and problems with internal affairs as two members of the MCU are involved in the shooting of a masked assassin where CSI Jim Corrigan happens to "lose" some important evidence. The short arc is written by Rucka and drawn by Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano.
This is followed by a one-shot, "Lights Out," by the same creative team. Events have led the police to lose faith in "the Bat" and consequently commissioner Michael Akins has decided to remove the infamous bat signal from the roof of Gotham Central.
Third out is the two-parter "On the Freak Beat," by Ed Brubaker and Jason Alexander. Here the MCU finds a murder scene with evidence pointing towards Catwoman. But detective Josephine "Josie Mac" MacDonald has a sense about these things, and it tells here that everything is not as it seems.
The volume ends with the Rucka-penned and Gaudiano-drawn four-parter "Keystone Kops." Here an Keystone City villain, Doctor Alchemy, has left an insidious trap behind in Gotham City, and an unlucky police officer is the one who is exposed to the Doctor's experiment. It is up to the MCU to try to solve the case.
As some of you may know already, I really enjoyed volume 1 and volume 2, and this volume has certainly not disappointed me either. It is good crime fiction, set in a superhero universe, but grounded in a strong police perspective. Highly recommended.
April 16, 2013
The first two volumes of Gotham Central were great, but missed out on full five star ratings for some reason or another; the third volume finally manages it.
This volume opens with a great two parter, titled Corrigan, which follows on from some earlier plots as well as setting up a climactic final arc for the fourth volume.
We then get a done in one called Lights Out, which ties into the then-ongoing Bat-Event War Games, and manages to be extremely powerful whilst setting up a new status quo for the GCPD with regards to the Batman.
Next comes the two part titular On The Freak Beat, which pits Josie Mac against Catwoman and reveals a shocking secret about Josie herself which I certainly didn't see coming but has been seeded since her first few appearances.
Finally, we get Gotham Central's version of a crossover, as Montoya and Allen head to Keystone City when one of The Flash's Rogues causes problems in Gotham, which lead to some very personal events for some of the Gotham Police force. I think again it's interesting to note that the fact that Batman appears in this story arc actually makes the final few issues weaker than the preceding few - this may be a Gotham book, but Batman doesn't make it better, if you ask me.
Throughout this volume we get stories pencilled by Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, and Jason Masters, whose grim and gritty art brings a great atmosphere to this intimate, street level series.
Overall, this is an exceptional volume of a superb series, and you should most definitely read it.
This volume opens with a great two parter, titled Corrigan, which follows on from some earlier plots as well as setting up a climactic final arc for the fourth volume.
We then get a done in one called Lights Out, which ties into the then-ongoing Bat-Event War Games, and manages to be extremely powerful whilst setting up a new status quo for the GCPD with regards to the Batman.
Next comes the two part titular On The Freak Beat, which pits Josie Mac against Catwoman and reveals a shocking secret about Josie herself which I certainly didn't see coming but has been seeded since her first few appearances.
Finally, we get Gotham Central's version of a crossover, as Montoya and Allen head to Keystone City when one of The Flash's Rogues causes problems in Gotham, which lead to some very personal events for some of the Gotham Police force. I think again it's interesting to note that the fact that Batman appears in this story arc actually makes the final few issues weaker than the preceding few - this may be a Gotham book, but Batman doesn't make it better, if you ask me.
Throughout this volume we get stories pencilled by Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, and Jason Masters, whose grim and gritty art brings a great atmosphere to this intimate, street level series.
Overall, this is an exceptional volume of a superb series, and you should most definitely read it.
May 21, 2015
Pretty decent stories in this one. The first was one of the stronger stories with Montoya and her partner arresting a couple shooters and then Montoya getting a couple rounds in her vest from an assassin the shooters were there to take out and being saved at the last second when her partner shoots and kills the assassin. Montoya then goes after a dirty cop involved in covering up some related evidence using her fists to beat him up in front of his friends on the force. A choice that will have significant consequences later.
The final story about a beat cop laying down his life to rescue a kid and then being caught in a supervillains trap was an interesting twist as Gotham police officers travel to Keystone city to interview one of the Flash's rogues in jail and bring him back to Gotham in a desperate gambit to save the officer's life. Probably the best story in this book.
The final story about a beat cop laying down his life to rescue a kid and then being caught in a supervillains trap was an interesting twist as Gotham police officers travel to Keystone city to interview one of the Flash's rogues in jail and bring him back to Gotham in a desperate gambit to save the officer's life. Probably the best story in this book.
September 4, 2015
These poignant vignettes brought me some true feels! The road to redemption gets a good deal shorter for Renée Montoya. Josie Mac is handed some hard advisement about trust and honesty from *gasp* Selina Kyle as her alter ego. Dr Alchemy..oh my. All while the Commissioner burns his bridge with The Bats!!! Geez I love this trés noir look at Gotham. I'm a tad sad to have reached the beginning of the end.,...
October 9, 2010
Still compelling, though seems to be missing something the previous volumes had.
September 27, 2020
Brubaker and Rucka continue to switch off between storylines in this terrific anthology series. It's been amazing to rediscover this run all while I'm working my way through Ed McBain's 87th precinct books. While there is little in common between Gotham's MCU "freak beat" and Carella's beat, all the interplay between detectives, the tension between the detectives and the street cops and the niggling demands for overtime are there in both precincts.
Montoya is a terrific character and her dynamic with her partner Crispus Allen is the heart of this book... a heart which is going to get broken wide open.
Montoya is a terrific character and her dynamic with her partner Crispus Allen is the heart of this book... a heart which is going to get broken wide open.
May 3, 2020
Okay, here’s where I give Greg Rucka his props that I’ve been deigning to give, not for any other reason than I forgot. His writing has really shined through in these trades and provided with some really really cool stuff on this run. I give Ed too much credit at times both of them have been amazing on this.
I’ve just read lots of Ed and this is very in the vein of that but Greg was doing work with Detective Comics before this and wrote Montoya better than anyone I’ve ever seen before.
Just A++++ stuff.
I want to read war games now.
I’ve just read lots of Ed and this is very in the vein of that but Greg was doing work with Detective Comics before this and wrote Montoya better than anyone I’ve ever seen before.
Just A++++ stuff.
I want to read war games now.
August 20, 2020
Nää sen kun paranee. Aidosti tulee The Wire mieleen monessa kohtaa.
GCPDn ja Batmanin välit on särki, kukin instanssi pärjäilee friikkien kanssa yksin. Jengit sotii, kytät ja sivulliset ottaa samalla osumaa. Hahmoista huomaa oikeasti välittävänsä. Albumin loppu on samalla pohjattoman surullinen sekä toiveikas. Teemoja rakennetaan useilla tasoilla ja piirrosjälki on edelleen ilmeikästä ja helposti luettavaa.
Siis ihan perhanan hyvää sarjakuvaa. Enpä juuri muista olleeni näin fiiliksissä mistään rämän genren tuotteista, ikinä. Ja Watchmenit yms on kyllä luettu. On kova.
GCPDn ja Batmanin välit on särki, kukin instanssi pärjäilee friikkien kanssa yksin. Jengit sotii, kytät ja sivulliset ottaa samalla osumaa. Hahmoista huomaa oikeasti välittävänsä. Albumin loppu on samalla pohjattoman surullinen sekä toiveikas. Teemoja rakennetaan useilla tasoilla ja piirrosjälki on edelleen ilmeikästä ja helposti luettavaa.
Siis ihan perhanan hyvää sarjakuvaa. Enpä juuri muista olleeni näin fiiliksissä mistään rämän genren tuotteista, ikinä. Ja Watchmenit yms on kyllä luettu. On kova.
August 29, 2024
Gotham Central, Book Three: On the Freak Beat collects 8 more issues in the chronicles of detectives Montoya and Allen of the GCPD. In this one the GCPD deals with a gang war (the best storyline in the collection, in my opinion), removes the Bat-Signal, investigates a murdered televangelist, and get involved in a scuffle with Dr. Alchemy, and a newly minted meta human. Cat Woman makes a cameo in the middle of the book.
This is simply more of what I expect from Brubaker and Rucka. Good stuff.
This is simply more of what I expect from Brubaker and Rucka. Good stuff.
June 10, 2017
Could've been better. I liked the story and more of detective Renee Montoya is always great but it was resolved far too easily. I felt like it needed at least one more issue to settle everything so we had a satisfactory ending.
October 2, 2022
Super fun. Not about Batman but how Major Crime Unit works in response to Batman doing his bat stuff.
February 4, 2022
The G.C.P.D.'s trust in the caped crusader is at an all time low after a gang war (involving Black Mask) leaves the city reeling with tragic losses. With the bat signal taken down from the roof of police headquarters, it becomes clear that Batman and the Gotham police are officially on the outs. Now the M.C.U. must face the "freaks" without the help of Batman, leaving them to grapple with new challenges both from within and without. Corruption and mayhem are simply another part of the job for Gotham's finest.
September 17, 2014
A noir Marvels? A superhero NYPD Blue? A Batman book without Batman? GCPD takes a concept so brilliantly simple that you'll kick yourself for not thinking of it first and spins a delightfully rich series of whodunnits and vignettes on the human condition.
If that sounds pretentious, it isn't. It's a detective story set in the most miserable fictional city ever, following police trying to solve crimes whilst Batman slinks around in the background and... well, kind of gets in the bloody way. Or saves the day. You're never really sure what the bugger's up to.
And irrespective of the fact that the dialogue crackles, the plot grips and the characters are all plausibly flawed, this layman's view of a superhero comic is what makes it stand out.
The difficulty with superheroes is that you're never entirely sure what they might be capable of. Batman's endless gadgets and supercomputer could probably come up with a solution at some point. Police, on the other hand, you can generally understand in that they're human, warts and all. Their triumphs, minor and major, are understandable, relatable things. You care for them, rather than venerate them.
GCPD is entirely worth your time. It's recognisable but fresh, and undoubtedly qualifies as a first rate pageturner if nothing else. More please!
If that sounds pretentious, it isn't. It's a detective story set in the most miserable fictional city ever, following police trying to solve crimes whilst Batman slinks around in the background and... well, kind of gets in the bloody way. Or saves the day. You're never really sure what the bugger's up to.
And irrespective of the fact that the dialogue crackles, the plot grips and the characters are all plausibly flawed, this layman's view of a superhero comic is what makes it stand out.
The difficulty with superheroes is that you're never entirely sure what they might be capable of. Batman's endless gadgets and supercomputer could probably come up with a solution at some point. Police, on the other hand, you can generally understand in that they're human, warts and all. Their triumphs, minor and major, are understandable, relatable things. You care for them, rather than venerate them.
GCPD is entirely worth your time. It's recognisable but fresh, and undoubtedly qualifies as a first rate pageturner if nothing else. More please!
January 8, 2017
With each Gotham Central book, the art and writing seem to grow more in sync. The story builds more smoothly and with more intrigue, the characters show more of their dimensions, and everything works together seamlessly.
To be perfectly honest, my love for Renee Montoya may have me skewed toward enjoying the arcs that involve her more than the others, but that doesn't mean the rest of the stories are by any means subpar. In fact, everything here is high quality storytelling. I just have a soft spot for Renee. She's so flawed and has so much personality, I can't help being compelled by and drawn to her.
Art-wise, the quality remains consistent and a perfect match for the mood of the series. It's not flashy. It's understated and draws attention to details. Truth be told, I didn't like the art style when I first opened Gotham Central, but it grew on me, and now I love it. I can't say enough about the colours, either. Oftentimes I'd stop to admire the palettes chosen for a page or a whole spread, at the way they play off each other and add to the mood. It's exceptional.
If you're looking for an amazing crime-solving book, or some remarkable character work, this is your book. If you're looking for realistic LGBTQ+ representation that's also positive, this is your book. If you love the world that is Gotham City, this is your book. I can't recommend it enough.
To be perfectly honest, my love for Renee Montoya may have me skewed toward enjoying the arcs that involve her more than the others, but that doesn't mean the rest of the stories are by any means subpar. In fact, everything here is high quality storytelling. I just have a soft spot for Renee. She's so flawed and has so much personality, I can't help being compelled by and drawn to her.
Art-wise, the quality remains consistent and a perfect match for the mood of the series. It's not flashy. It's understated and draws attention to details. Truth be told, I didn't like the art style when I first opened Gotham Central, but it grew on me, and now I love it. I can't say enough about the colours, either. Oftentimes I'd stop to admire the palettes chosen for a page or a whole spread, at the way they play off each other and add to the mood. It's exceptional.
If you're looking for an amazing crime-solving book, or some remarkable character work, this is your book. If you're looking for realistic LGBTQ+ representation that's also positive, this is your book. If you love the world that is Gotham City, this is your book. I can't recommend it enough.
June 24, 2014
I have really enjoyed reading the Gotham Central collections. The first two I read a few months ago, and now have the final two in front of me.
The third volume here does a pretty good job of keeping the focus on the GCPD's MCU top detectives. Detective Renee Montoya seems to be the primary character in this volume, and perhaps the most interesting over all. We get plenty of her personal life, but also her fine skills and the way she can maneuver in the seedy Gotham underworld.
The super-villains who appear in the book do not overshadow the personal drama, but add a lot to the complicated narrative of Gotham City. The appearance by Catwoman was great, although seeing the Flash villain Dr Alchemy was not quite what we've expected.
Still, loved this volume. Script, art, and coloring are superb throughout. This is Law & Order SVU for Gotham.
The third volume here does a pretty good job of keeping the focus on the GCPD's MCU top detectives. Detective Renee Montoya seems to be the primary character in this volume, and perhaps the most interesting over all. We get plenty of her personal life, but also her fine skills and the way she can maneuver in the seedy Gotham underworld.
The super-villains who appear in the book do not overshadow the personal drama, but add a lot to the complicated narrative of Gotham City. The appearance by Catwoman was great, although seeing the Flash villain Dr Alchemy was not quite what we've expected.
Still, loved this volume. Script, art, and coloring are superb throughout. This is Law & Order SVU for Gotham.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews