Places to visit in Gotham City

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 is this Swamp Thing statue:

Swamp Thing (v2) #55

The statue is all the more remarkable because it was commissioned shortly after this godlike elemental being practically destroyed Gotham by engulfing the city in wild vegetation when the local authorities arrested his girlfriend, who at the time was being prosecuted for having sex with a plant (yes, it’s an Alan Moore comic). Although the statue doesn’t show up very often (it’s unveiled in Swamp Thing #55 and it can be seen in the background in Neil Gaiman’s and Dave McKean’s Black Orchid mini-series), I love the fact that it’s part of the history of Batman comics, as it demonstrates Gotham’s sense of fair play. By celebrating a brief period when the city seemed especially in touch with nature and publicly acknowledging Swamp Thing’s rightful motivations, this is ultimately a monument to sexual tolerance and unconventional love in the shape of an ugly vegetable monster.

As far as statues go, there is an even odder tribute in the Cauldron, Gotham’s Irish neighborhood and the setting for Garth Ennis’ and John McCrea’s beloved dark comedy series Hitman. One of that series’ running gags concerned a delusional alcoholic who went by the name of Sixpack and, dressed in a ragtag costume, believed himself a superhero. In typical Ennis style, what started out as a tasteless caricature was given a surprisingly dignified – yet hilarious – payoff towards the end of the series, as Sixpack eventually did save the day by impressing an evil interdimensional Lovecraftian being with his misguided determination in the face of hopeless odds. His sacrifice was suitably honored:

Hitman #52

(Speaking of Alan Moore, I’m pretty sure this splash page is a nod to the opening of Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?)

But of course cultural life in Gotham City isn’t just about parks and monuments. If you’re lucky, while you’re visiting you’ll be able to catch one of the city’s many eccentric festivals and annual events…

Detective Comics #483

Or you can go to a museum. If you do, however, bear in mind that the place is likely to be robbed while you’re there.

Decades of comics about themed villains have firmly established that, on the one hand, Gotham City seems to have an endless supply of imaginative exhibitions (with huge props) and valuable collections and, on the other hand, no object is too weird to be stolen at some point:

The Brave and the Bold #70

Likewise, sport events are frequently interrupted by heists, terrorist attacks, or lively chases. Thus, if you go to a game, the main excitement may be cheering for a local team (the Knights, the Gotham Giants, the Gotham Goliaths) or it may be turn out to be a live-threatening experience.

That said, even when things go bad, you can still have a fun time at the stadium, especially if you enjoy slapstick and puns:

Batman #411

Then again, perhaps you’d rather do some shopping instead. In that case, you could do worse than drop by Costume, a cult clothing store with a quintessential Gotham twist:

Gotham Knights #44

Another obligatory touristic activity: I would highly recommend checking out some of Gotham City’s Bulletin Boards, which the Caped Crusader uses to covertly communicate with his informants:

Detective Comics #465

You can try to decipher hidden messages and imagine what oddball story is taking place in the Gotham underworld at the time.

Or perhaps you’ll actually find a useful service or a second-hand tool at an inviting price.

Or – who knows? – maybe you’ll even bump into Batman dressed as an old lady:

Detective Comics #465

At the end of the day, you can make the most out of Gotham City’s notorious night life. Sure, it’s dangerous, but it’s also very likely to have whatever you are looking for, no matter how kinky…

Gotham Nights #2

Just make sure you watch you’re back, though. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there is kind of a problem with street crime in Gotham…

Detective Comics #667

Someone should do something about this sort of thing, I suppose.