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Gotham might be off the air until Jan. 5, but devotees of the Fox series don’t have to find themselves bereft of James Gordon, Renee Montoya or Selina Kyle until then. With more than 75 years of Batman comic book material to draw on, The Hollywood Reporter has come up with a list of recommended reading for you to spend the next few weeks digging through, with enough Falcone crime family and GCPD drama to tide you over until the new year.
Batman: Earth One
In many ways the motherlode when it comes to inspiration for the show, Batman: Earth One not only features a badass Alfred Pennyworth that Sean Pertwee would be proud of, but it also centers around the growing friendship between Jim Gordon, newly arrived in Gotham City, and Harvey Bullock, who settled into corrupt, slovenly ways some time ago. As the title suggests, Batman is in here as well, but otherwise this is pretty close to Gotham as you see it on a weekly basis.
Available in digital and print format.
Batman: The Long Halloween
For those who enjoy the crime family element of the series, this year-long story (written by Jeph Loeb, current head of Marvel Studios’ TV division) should be a destination. It takes place early in Batman’s career, when the Dark Knight works with Gordon and a pre-Two-Face Harvey Dent to prevent a crime war between the Maroni and Falcone families. Featuring a who’s-who of Bat bad guys — including Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and the Joker — this might offer some closure if you’ve been waiting for all-out crime family showdown on the show.
Available in digital and print format; also available as Batman: The Long Halloween Nos. 1-13 digitally.
Gotham Central Book 1: In the Line of Duty
If the police procedural aspect of the show is what turns your crank, then the entire Gotham Central series is a must for you, starting with In the Line of Duty. The series centers around two shifts in the Gotham City Police Department, with the show’s Bullock, Montoya and Allen playing substantial roles as the cops — nowhere near as corrupt as the ones in the show — and dealing with cases from the everyday to the super-powered. Think Law & Order but with costumed perps, and you’re halfway there. It’s a wonderful series, and highly recommended.
Available in digital and print format; also available as Gotham Central Nos. 1-10 digitally.
Catwoman Vol. 2: No Easy Way Down
While the childhood of Selina Kyle is one that’s been left relatively unexplored in the comic books, this collection of Ed Brubaker’s career-defining run on the character offers up enough drama to fulfill the expectations of any Selina fan from the show. As another plus, this collection sees her up against Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, from the show’s “The Mask” episode.
Available in digital and print format; also available as Catwoman (2002-2008) Nos. 10-24 and Catwoman Secret Files No. 1 digitally.
Gotham Academy
A wild card choice, this current comic series is a young adult-focused, set in a prep school (partly funded by Bruce Wayne) that centers on a group of students and their potentially haunted surroundings. Beyond just being a good read, what might make this worthwhile for Gotham fans is the fact that the series is increasingly delving into the background of the Cobblepot family, suggesting that they have roots that go back to the very beginning of Gotham City itself. Who knew that Oswald’s family had such social standing…?
Available in digital and print format.
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