Gotham Academy
Pottering about Batman’s beat
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Publisher: DC Comics Writers: Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher Artists: Karl Kerschl, Geyser and Dave McCaig
The New 52 is
not so new anymore, and DC’s last three years have featured multiple mess- ups with its female characters, alongside a general sense that dark, gory and extreme stories are the only ones that really matter. As a result, it’s a huge surprise that DC’s latest new Batman- related release is not only a genuine all- ages comic, but also one of its best titles since the 2011 relaunch.
The story is set at the titular academy, a sprawling, high- class institution for educating the children of Gotham’s brightest and best. This being Gotham, there are a variety of dark and spooky mysteries lurking in the shadows, and students Olive Silverlock and “Maps” Mizoguchi are soon investigating them. But Olive has some secrets of her own, like what happened to her over the summer, and her mortal dread of anything relating to Batman…
Co- writers Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher have jam- packed the first three issues of this Harry Potter- esque school saga with eccentric charm and likeable, interesting characters, giving the comic its own distinct identity while sowing the seeds for plenty of upcoming plot threads. What pushes this from engaging, accessible fun into unmissable territory is the stunning artwork from Karl Kerschl ( backed up by lush colours from Geyser and Dave McCaig). The gorgeous, mangaesque visuals make this feel like the animated DC movie spin- off you never knew you wanted. Hopefully Gotham Academy will be livening up the world of Batman for many years to come. Saxon Bullock The first comic Becky Cloonan read was issue one of The Silver Surfer: The Evolutionary War, when she was eight years old.