Louise Simonson’s BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT adapts the upcoming animated movie into a novel. However, given the film is a six-segment anthology but the book is not, why bother? It simply doesn’t gel.
Set in the world of Gotham City as envisioned in Christopher Nolan’s BATMAN BEGINS, the book follows billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne in his nocturnal duties as the cowled, caped crusader. Needless to say, there’s a lot going on for him to do, starting with a robbery high atop Aparo Tower by a frumpy, jetpack-wearing character unimaginatively named Man in Black.
But wait, there’s more! Like a mob war between the Italians and the Russians. Like a string of assassinations carried out by the mysterious Deadshot. Like the Scarecrow letting loose with his fear toxins. Like a reptilian baddie named Killer Croc roaming the sewers. Like, way too much to fit snugly into a single cohesive storyline.
Simonson’s writing isn’t bad, but the plotting is just a mess. Separating these into half a dozen short stories would have been the way to go; instead, there’s simply no arc to carry you through — just an odd, ebb-and-flow structure that does not make for a sound narrative.
Although she deserves commendation for working in characters like Commissioner Gordon and the detectives of Gotham Central, and actually giving them something to do, she also has this alarming habit of naming everything after a past creative force in the DC Comics’ Batman universe: Bill Finger Country Club, Robert Kane Memorial Bridge, Infantino Street, etc. — the effect is far more annoying than reverent.
Perhaps I’m being a bit overly harsh; after all, GOTHAM KNIGHT is a tie-in novel, so Simonson no doubt was bound to restrictions that means she can’t shoulder all the blame. It left me with a slightly bitter aftertaste, but nothing so awful that I felt the need to brush my tongue. I still look forward to the movie. —Rod Lott
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• DC COMICS COVERGIRLS by Louise Simonson
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- Essential Moon Knight: Vol. 1
- Showcase Presents The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups: Volume 2
- The Spider: Robot Titans of Gotham
- Batman: Ego and Other Tails
- Showcase Presents The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups: Volume 1
