Gotham Central Book One: In the Line of Duty (Hardcover)

~ Ed Brubaker (Author), Greg Rucka (Author), Michael Lark (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The first ten issues of the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series is collected in hardcover for the first time! Written by Ed Brubaker (Captain America) and Greg Rucka (Detective Comics, 52), this series pitted the detectives of Gotham City's Special Crimes Unit against the city's greatest villains – in the shadow of Batman himself.
This volume collects two cases of the Gotham Special Crimes Unit. In the first, a cop is killed by Mister Freeze, and the squad is in a race against time to bring him in without the help of the Dark Knight. In the second story–the acclaimed, award-winning “Half a Life”–Detective Renee Montoya is outed as a lesbian and finds her work environment and personal life turned upside down. Things only become more complicated when she’s kidnapped by Two-Face. This debut volume features an introduction by acclaimed mystery author Lawrence Block.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (September 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401219233
• ISBN-13: 978-1401219239
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,920 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Police Drama in the World of Costumed Vigilantes, October 28, 2008

By	David Suiter (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker team up to write a stellar police drama set in Batman's home, Gotham City. Michael Lark provides the outstanding art work for this crime drama.

There are three stories contained in this great collection. The first has the writers co-writing a plot introducing us to the night and day shifts of GCPD and the Major Crimes Unit as they take on Mr. Freeze.

Brubaker then tackles the mystery of a kidnapping and murder. With plenty of plots and twists to keep an mystery fan jumping for more.

Rucka takes a more personal look at one of Gotham's Finest, Renee Montoya, as she deals with personal issues and the revenge of a twisted perp she arrested who was released on a technicality.

One of the strongest highlights was seeing how these police officers deal with a city that is protected by the Batman. The spectre of the Batman looms over each story but Batman only makes brief appearances. Brilliant handling by the writers to ground a real world story in the world of costumed vigilantes.

I can't wait for the next volume.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Edition, April 2, 2009

By	Scott Baboyian (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

For all those that have read and enjoyed these issues in single-issue or TPB format, this book is totally beautiful and well worth upgrading to. The color is the major improvement here, and reveals this stunning artwork in a way that those gray-looking pages of the TPB just could not. The use of dead black throughout the book is unique and evocative.
The artwork takes me back to the work of David Mazzucchelli from the Year One story.
A very well done hardcover collection of a fantastic comic book series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This would make a great TV show on HBO, November 3, 2008

By	Matthew Edwards - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A great read for adult Batman fans. There's not much of the Bat, but I found that refreshing. It focuses on the cops, and their resentment toward Batman for solving the crimes they cannot. I really started empathizing with each of the characters. The art is also very nice, and evokes a Year One quality. Highly recommended. I'd love to see this made into a TV show on HBO.