Category Archives: GOTHAM CITIZENS

On Harvey bullock – part 1

Posted on December 19, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Harvey Bullock is one of the most beloved supporting characters in Batman’s cast, probably because he is such a fun counterpoint to the Caped Crusader: a cigar-chomping, donut-munchin’, overweight, unkempt police detective with a penchant for flashy ties and massive … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Adrian Tomine, Alan Moore, Chuck Dixon, Don Newton, Doug Moench, GCPD, Gene Colan, Graham Nolan, Harvey Bullock, noir, Paul Kupperberg, Rick Veitch | Leave a comment

Other detectives in Gotham City

Posted on April 4, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Back in January, I wrote about Slam Bradley, one of several detectives who share Gotham with the Dark Knight. I don’t mean police detectives – I’m talking about the many private investigators whose cases have brought them into contact with … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Grant, Joe Potato, Kelley Puckett, Norm Breyfogle | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Slam Bradley

Posted on January 25, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

The Dark Knight isn’t the only detective in Batman comics. In fact, having finally read last year’s six-part mini-series Gotham City: Year One, my mind has been on the astounding significance gained by one of the oldest detectives around: Slam … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Adam Hughes, Clayton Cowles, Darwyn Cooke, Ed Brubaker, Eric Gapstur, Gotham City, Greg Capullo, Howard Sherman, Jerry Siege, Jim Aparo, Joe Shuster, Jordie Bellaire, Len Wein, Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, Mike W. Barr, noir, Paul Gulacy, Phil Hester, politics, Scott Snyder, Slam Bradley, Tom King | Leave a comment

On Blackgate Penitentiary

Posted on April 14, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

Prison stories are basically their own genre, what with the dangerous, claustrophobic environment, the parallel rules of life in a world of outlaws, full of both comradery and suspicion, and the occasional trope of elaborate escape plots (which are kind … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Adrienne Roy, Alan Grant, Bane, Blackgate, Brian Azzarello, Chuck Dixon, David Roach, Doug Moench, Ed Brubaker, Eduardo Barreto, Frank Robbins, Gotham City, Graham Nolan, Greg Rucka, James A. Hodgkins, Jim Aparo, Joe Staton, John Kalisz, John Ostrander, Karl Story, Pat Garrahy, Peter Tomasi, Scot Eaton, Scott McDaniel, Steve Gerber, Tim Sale | 3 Comments

Yet another long post about Batman’s humorous villains

Posted on February 11, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

Gotham Calling’s 400th post! This is the kind of benchmark I usually celebrate by spotlighting oddball members of Batman’s rogues gallery who don’t get enough love. While the Dark Knight has some of the most popular rogues out there, Gotham’s … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alvaro Lopez, Batman '66, Batman TV series, Batman: The Animated Series, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Charles Paris, Chuck Dixon, Craig Rousseau, Dick Sprang, Gotham City, Grant Morrison, Javier Rodriguez, Jeff Parker, Jim Mooney, Joe Giella, John Broome, Kevin Smith, Lee Loughridge, Lilah Sturges, Marcos Martin, Matthew Sturges, Paul Dini, Randy Rogel, Scott Peterson, Sheldon Moldoff, Terry Beatty, Tim Levins, Tony Avina, villains | Leave a comment

On the periphery of Batman’s rogues’ gallery

Posted on January 23, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

This is Gotham Calling’s 300th post! I usually take these occasions to celebrate the richness and weirdness of Batman’s extensive rogues’ gallery, which includes all sorts of odd criminals, ranging from iconic characters like the Joker and the Penguin all … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Adrienne Roy, Alan Grant, Batman's personality, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Calendar Man, Chuck Dixon, Crazy-Quilt, Doug Moench, France Herron, Gene Colan, George Roussos, Grant Morrison, Jack Kirby, Jerry Robinson, Jim Mooney, Joe Giella, Kevin Smith, Len Wein, Mike Deodato, Mikel Janín, Pat Broderick, Paul Dini, Rick Hoberg, Robert Kanigher, Ryan Benjamin, Scott Snyder, Sheldon Moldoff, Silver Age, Tim Sale, Tom King, Tony Daniel, villains, Walt Simonson | 2 Comments

Places to visit in Gotham City

Posted on May 30, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

If you happen to be passing by Gotham City and are only around for a day or a night, make sure you use your time wisely. There are plenty of monuments worth checking out, but among the most original ones … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Moore, Garth Ennis, Gotham City, John McCrea | 1 Comment

The despicable pre-Crisis Man-Bat

Posted on May 8, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

Man-Bat isn’t one of the most inspired concepts in Batman comics. Taking to the extreme the notion that great villains are an inversion of the heroes, Man-Bat’s name is a literal reversal of Batman’s… As for his origin, it’s just … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Bob Haney, Chuck Dixon, Dick Giordano, Don Newton, Doug Moench, Flint Henry, Frank Robbins, horror, Jamie Delano, John Bolton, Kelley Jones, Man-Bat, Neal Adams | Leave a comment

On prison breaks

Posted on April 18, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

Part of the general appeal of superhero comics is seeing how different creators face the challenges posed by the tight formulas. Some writers and artists manage to work their way around genre restrictions, others hang an amusing lampshade on them, … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Arkham Asylum, Brian K. Vaughan, Chuck Dixon, Devin Grayson, Devin K. Grayson, Doug Moench, Jim Balent, John Lowe, Rick Burchett | Leave a comment

On giant cash registers

Posted on April 16, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

To celebrate eighty years of stories featuring the Caped Crusader, each day of this week I’ll be highlighting something I find especially neat about Batman comics. Today, let’s look at over-the-top action scenes set among giant props. Batman #185 Batman … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Davis, Brent Anderson, Dave Cockrum, Dick Sprang, Ed Brubaker, Gotham City, Jim Mooney, Joe Giella, Lew Schwarz, Max Allan Collins, Mike W. Barr, Rick Burchett, Sheldon Moldoff, Sholly Fisch, Silver Age, Will Pfeifer | Leave a comment