Gotham High: 05/14/20

Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz is a "reimagining of Gotham for a new generation of readers." For older readers it's a what if scenario. What if Bruce Wayne and his future rivals all went to the same high school? It's a similar set up to Under The Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Myracle and Isaac Goodhart (2019) but how the characters are imagined is different, as is the scenario.

In this one, Bruce Wayne is sent to Gotham High after being expelled for getting into another fight. He was protecting Dick Greyson — here imagined as a Black teen. In the public high school he falls in with the wrong crowd: Jack Napier and Selina Kyle. Napier and Kyle are running a gambling ring that syphons off money from the rich kids in town. Bruce is their latest mark.

Mixed into the present day plot, there is of course Bruce's backstory. The events are the same but the details and consequences are different. First and foremost, Martha Wayne was Chinese, from Hong Kong. Alfred's loyalty to Bruce is given a familial explanation; he's now Martha's brother. To keep his name Pennyworth, he's given a husband.

While Bruce and Selina do have a history here, they've fallen out of touch while he's been in Hong Kong with his uncle. His return to Gotham is a recent one. Selina's family in the meanwhile has fallen on hard times and she's struggling to take care of her father while still being a full time student.

In the middle of all this, there are two kidnappings. Bruce, while not yet Batman, has the interest and the means to investigate. He also feels responsible because he knows both victims. How the mystery unfolds is satisfying and in keeping with a typical Batman adventure.

Five stars

Comments (2)

Comment #1: Friday, May 15, 2020 at 10:36:20

Freda Mans-Labianca

Thankfully I read this one so I have my own opinions of it, but I came here to read yours. I feel like I got a description of the story, like page for page, but you really didn't tell readers what you thought of it till the very last line. Satisfying, yay.

Comment #2: Thursday, Friday 15, 2020 at 18:48:00

Pussreboots

I'm trying to entice people to read the book and form their own opinions of it. I'm not writing for people who have already read the book.