Gotham Central, Book 2: Jokers and Madmen

If you're a comic fan, you've heard people rave about Gotham Central, the book that focuses on what it would be like to be a normal cop in Gotham City. The praise for the book has been pretty universal and I'm definitely adding to it. The Joker story in this trade is easily in the top 10 for my favorite Batman stories ever. I would caution, however, that others could feel differently and feel the story wanders across the line of decency in light of some of the recent events such as the Aurora theater shooting (which occurred long after this book was published) or even the DC sniper. I personally have no problem with works of fiction mimicking real-life tragedies as long as it's not done in a tawdry way, but I think it's only fair to give that warning. I think that Rucka and Brubaker craft the story not for shock value or exploitation, but to explore the fear and terror that go along with the feelings of helplessness when events like this occur. Ultimately, I think it's a fantastic read and that this is the best trade in the series. Highly recommended.

Brubaker does it again! He's just such a fantastic writer, and this volume was even better than the last. However, it seems like Ed always pairs up with the WORST artists. Generally, because I enjoy his storytelling so much, I can ignore the deplorable drawings...but it really started getting to me this time around. It was painful to behold in too many ways to mention for a quick review. Terrible!!! PLEASE start using better artists for Brubaker stories. Hell, even a barely decent artist would be a HUGE step up. Give us someone that adds to the work and doesn't practically nullify it.

If this (not to mention various other Gotham central stories) never get adapted to screen then there is no justice in Hollywood Normally I read comics for the cool artwork but the character driven noir that if Gotham central, despite its comparative drabness, is just out of this world. We get lots of insight into Gotham and its cops. There's a mixture of super villains and ordinary murderers that make for some good guessing throughout each story. There's a certain amount of tragedy and senselessness that you'd expect in noir but Greg ruckus characters make it worth plowing through. Even the Major crimes unit itself can feel like a character as demonstrated by how the detectives who start a case may not be the ones who close it, but the reader doesn't feel cheated whenever that happens. Moments like a frantic lieutenant probson racing to the roof to light the bat signal once the presence of a major rogue is revealed, the banter between veteran detectives crowe and Davies, marcus driver testifying at the trial of mr freeze and more make for a volume that I literally couldn't put down to go to bed. Whoever gave Gotham central the axe after just three years made a blunder big enough to rival the infamous cancelation of firefly after one season a must read for any and all DC comics Fans (except maybe those who only like the kid friendly material).

Honestly this felt like a great Police Procedural series with just the right amount of Batman’s villains that reminds you that you are in Gotham. Very solid volume, I liked it better than the first one.

Ed Brubaker just keeps knocking it out of the park

Great ,great great writing. Love the art and the gritty look and feel. In the writing the dialogue and all the art. I just love the concept and then the characters they show us are all a different type of cop but so believable and again the writing and art really stand out along with the dialogue I have to say make the series. Highly recommend

An improvement over the first volume, 'Jokers and Madmen' keeps everything I loved about the previous and kicks everything up a notch. In the second edition of Gotham Central, all the characters who were stuck mainly doing cameos and filling up space in the previous volume take there turn at getting developed. With Brubaker and Rucka writing, everyone has such great personality, something to many other comics lack. But the real reason this is better that the first may surprise you: less Batman. Yes, while Batman is great, having him come in and resolving the situation can get annoying at times, so having the GCPD do a better job of handling their cases themselves worked great. Long live Gotham Central.

As others have written, this is not a Batman story, although he makes a couple brief appearances. It’s a great take on the people working in the Gotham police department. If you like noir-style stories, get this.

In the second volume we are given a chance to get to know the members of the SCU in Gotham City as they deal with the Joker's first appearance. He assassinates the mayor, a school superintendent, takes a news reporter hostage, and then allows himself to be captured. Also a cold case involving the Mad Hatter that the detectives sink their teeth into following a hostage situation that provides a small lead to pursue.

Luego de leer el anterior la calidad y potencia siguen muy bien por lo que vale la pena leerlo , recomendable

Pour l’instant mon préféré de la série. Les histoires mettent en scène de nouveaux personnages côté police et nous présente à travers leur regard la difficulté d’une vie à la merci de fous à lier comme seul Gotham sait en produire.

Ed Brubaker & Greg Rucka have woven another wonderful chapter amidst the annals of Gotham. The unique perspective of the Gotham Central series creates a wonderful experience for the 'Bat-fan'. 'Jokers & Madmen' does masterfully what its predecessor accomplished by showing you the lives of the GCPD in the wake of Jim Gordon's retirement. It analyses how they cope with being undermined by a masked vigilante, as well as the post-traumatic stress of dealing with criminals that cause them to lose limbs due to frost bite or macabre mutilation at the demented and malevolent hands of various Arkham escapees; which the courts cannot keep incarcerated due to their unstable mental health. 'Jokers & Madmen' is as gritty and dark as it is human, without the synthetic chic which some of the other Batman comics tend to have oozing from themselves in spades. Rather than making the protagonists 'super men and women', the detecetives of the GCPD are merely flawed human beings with insecurities and secrets which they wish to keep hidden from a community which they serve, protect... and fear. A community which has seen men like Oswald Cobblepot become a respected and successful entrepeneur, and a city where the Joker can cause mass panic and widespread fear, all the while the last hope of these men and women of the law, is a dark and hooded figure whom operates outside of it. 'Jokers & Madmen' delves into the dark secrets of Gotham, of its heroes and its villains, its detectives and its antagonists. This tome uses characters old and new & blends them together in such a way that is as organic as it is entertaining, creating a fresh perspective of Gotham and its Dark Knight. A must for any true 'Bat-fan' who enjoys solid character development, dark realism and alternative perspectives on the Dark Knight, while exploring the usual more periphery heroes of Gotham City; the Detectives of GCPD, those that have to gather the evidence at a crime scene, face the fury of Arkham's attendees and after battling with the likes of Two-Face and Joker must write up the police reports of this dark city's Jokers & Madmen.

Oh, Mann, es ist so ein schöner Comic. Hier in der zweiten Volume wird in einigen Arcs Michael Lark von anderen Zeichnern abgelöst, deren Artwork aber ebenso brilliant ist. Ich hatte mich zwar im ersten Buch an das total krass realistisch gezeichnete Gotham von Lark gewöhnt und verliebt, doch zum Glück bleibt der Look weiterhin schön schmutzig. Es wäre wirklich toll, wenn DC noch weitere Batman Comics in diesem Stil mit ähnlich erwachsenem Inhalt herausbringen würde. Klar sollten auch die Ongoings mit Storys und Bildern für Kinder und Jugendliche Weitererscheinen, aber wie man sieht, sind auch die anspruchsvolleren Ausgaben sehr erfolgreich. Der Spirit von Frank Miller lebt also noch, Gott sei Dank.