GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT review

(Review by Melody Werner)
Gotham by Gaslight was the name of two one-shots from the late 80's and early 90's, considered by many to be the first Elseworlds story, published obviously by DC, and created by Mike Mignola (of Hellboy fame) and Brian Augustyn. It posed the question "How would Batman turn out if he operated one hundred years ago?". Receiving critical acclaim and receiving a sequel a few years later by the name of "Master of the Future" with art by the late Eduardo Barreto, the original one-shot has long been considered a Batman classic. So as someone who doesn't consider themselves to be a Batman fan, do I think it's it's any good? Hell yeah; it's excellent.

The art of the first one-shot is by Mike Mignola, and it's pretty damn captivating. It's not chock full of detail, but it carries itself with style and looks solid. It fits the grungy, dark tones of the story and does an excellent job of portraying the time period. It's suitably atmospheric and macabre. In MotF, the art's not as good in my honest opinion, but it's by no means bad and it also does a great job of portraying the time. Mignola is, after all, a tough act to follow. Characters are dressed in ye olde attire and the locations scream Victorian.

The story is easily what I found most captivating about both Gotham by Gaslight stories. The first I thought was stronger, as it's more subtle (it has that "you could reread it and see all of the hints" factor that everybody loves) and has great plot twists that caught me off guard. The second story's plot is, however, still strong enough if a tad bit cliched. The characters are all incredibly interesting and I love how they made Batman into this kind of obviously deranged dude who absolutely adores what he's doing. The dialogue's well written and fits the theme. You don't see people saying "it's totally radical" or whatever. It actually is a cohesive story with cohesive dialogue, and that's much appreciated, even though it should be common sense. They're both one-shots so pacing's not a huge deal, but they're both paced out well enough to tell their stories without feeling rushed or unfulfilling. It achieves the balance which, again, is appreciated.

Both Gotham by Gaslight tales are amazing stories. They're compelling, intriguing, and make great usage of a boring property. Unlike, say, Batman: Earth One, it genuinely earns the right and reason to be in a separate universe. I suggest you look into it, even if you're not a huge Bat-fan, because I'm not either (as previously mentioned and insinuated) but I got a lot out of each. And I think usual fans will enjoy it too. It's psychotic steampunk Batman. What's not to love? Both Gotham by Gaslight stories earn a 9/10.

Awesome

Summary:
Solid art, an incredible plot, interesting characters, a strong spin, an emphasis on theme, good pacing, and well written dialogue make Gotham by Gaslight deserve its classic status.