Subverting Superhero Story Arcs in “Gotham Central”

The first story arc of “Gotham Central,” titled “In the Line of Duty,” knowingly subverts expectations of a “traditional” superhero story. A comparison with a more traditional story arc, in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #6, underscores this subversion. 1/10

Most traditional superhero stories have an initial conflict involving a threat to the socio-cultural status quo (bank robbery, threat to take over the world, etc.). In Spider-Man Annual #6, 6 villains band together to get revenge, kidnapping both Aunt May and love interest Betty Brant. 2/10

To build tension, this initial conflict is often followed by an initial setback, such as the hero losing the first fight. In Spider-Man Annual #6, Spidey seems to lose his powers, making it seem unlikely he’ll ever be able to rescue Betty from the clutches of his 6 deadliest foes. 3/10

Interpersonal conflicts or “b-plots” often contribute additional tension. In Spider-Man Annual #6, it’s partly Spidey’s fault May & Betty have been kidnapped; when a despondent Peter Parker skips school, May goes looking for him, which is why she and Betty end up encountering the Sinister Six. 4/10

Most traditional stories climax with a specular, violent conflict in which the superhero emerges victorious. Spider-Man Annual #6 performs 6 victories as Spider miraculously regains his powers to defeat each of the Sinister Six in a series of memorable splash pages drawn by Steve Ditko. 5/10

The first story arc of Gotham Central fulfills some of the expectations of a traditional superhero story. There is an initial conflict in the form of a kidnapping and a violent encounter with the supervillain Mr. Freeze. 6/10

There is also an initial setback, but compared to the brief setback in Spider-Man Annual #6, this setback has brutal, irreversible consequences. At least one police officer is brutally killed by Mr. Freeze; when backup arrives, his frozen body is scattered in pieces around the room. 7/10

Interpersonal dynamics again heighten tension; Detective Driver is particularly eager to take down Freeze after the murder of his partner. But in Gotham Central, this is a central focus; most of the story involves watching the GCPD & their loved ones respond to the aftermath of brutal violence. 8/10

But the biggest difference between Spider-Man Annual #6 and Gotham Central is how each story stages its climax. Where the former celebrates Spidey’s heroic victory in 6 big splash pages, Gotham Central shunts Batman’s battle with Freeze off-panel, so that we never actually get to see it. 9/10

Gotham Central’s first arc ends in anticlimax: Freeze is stopped but the kidnap victim dies. Driver swears at Batman & drives off despondent. It’s a perfect setup for a different kind of superhero story, centering consequences of the violent spectacles the genre typically takes for granted. 10/10