Review Shooter: Batman Gates of Gotham #1
Dialogue: Kyle Higgins
Art & Cover: Trevor McCarthy
Three Gotham bridges are blown up by an un-known assailant. The only clue to his identity is a note he sent to the newspapers: “The families will fall by the gates of Gotham”. Now it’s up to Dick, Tim, Damian and Cassandra Cain to find the madman and stop his plot before it’s too late, while learning about Gotham’s dark history.
After hearing about the premise for this story, and the fact that my favourite DC writer at the moment (Scott Snyder) would be involved, I got pretty excited for this mini-series, and boy, my excitement was justified. Although this is the first issue so we only get a tease story-wise, it does keep a good pace and sets up what looks to be a very interesting story. Whether it’s the opening flashback or a dialogue between Dick and Gordon you’ll be invested in the book from the minute you open it until the minute you close it, there’s not a dull moment in here. Snyder and Higgins deliver a knock-out punch with this issue that’ll leave you thinking about the book until next month.
So, we’ve got some great writers spinning a good yarn, but how about the art? Quite frankly, it’s gorgeous. The only artist I can compare McCarthy’s art and still do it proper justice is Dustin Nguyen. In fact, his art is even better in some ways than Nguyen’s, which is a huge compliment.
New Reader Accessibility Rating: 4. There’s honestly not a whole lot that you need to know before reading this issue. The only thing I can think of is that since the cast includes Dick as Batman, Damian as Robin, Tim Drake as Red Robin and Cassandra Cain, you might be confused if you’re a new reader and aren’t familiar with Batman other than what the movies and T.V. shows have done. Otherwise, it’s pretty accessible; however, this might change with issue two.
Recommendation: BUY IT. If my glowing review hasn’t made it clear enough, this is a fantastic issue with very few flaws. Check it out!