By Mandy Curtis
Written by Melissa de la Cruz and illustrated by Thomas Pitilli, Gotham High stars characters you know by name, like Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, and Alfred Pennyworth, but it puts a different twist on their lives.
At Gotham High, teenage billionaire Bruce Wayne begins studying at the high school that gives the graphic novel its name after being expelled from Gotham City’s Arkham Boys High School for fighting (or, actually, protecting a classmate named Richard Grayson). ). There he befriends the girl next door (literally) Selina Kyle, and Jack Napier, a totally joking guy. Soon, the rich kids begin to be kidnapped and Bruce entrusts himself with the mission of discovering what is really going on.
Let’s break it down.
The cover of Gotham High
It’s the cover colors that really stand out – the lime green over the bright turquoise really stands out, and the title treatment is eye-catching with its hand-drawn style. There’s something dangerous about the trio, which says a lot about the story it contains, and I love the little nods to the characters they might one day become.
The history
Selina Garcia Kyle and Bruce Wayne used to be friends as kids, thanks in part to the fact that they lived next door to each other in the richest part of Gotham. But after Bruce’s parents were murdered and his uncle, Alfred Pennyworth, sent him to boarding school, the two grew apart. While Bruce has gotten rich, thanks to his uncle’s smart asset management, Selina barely makes ends meet counting every penny she has earmarked for her father’s care. (He has Alzheimer’s disease, and his money is tied up in a trust that he cannot access until he is 21).
When Bruce starts going to Gotham High School after being expelled from his luxurious school, he soon returns to the life of Selina, and that of his best friend Jack. The latter is related to a rather dubious group, but Bruce gets along with Jack by showing him that he is not another rich kid who can be easily fooled.
Then a fellow Gotham High-Harvey Dent- is kidnapped and Bruce realizes that someone is looking for more than just fun… and both Jack and Selina could be involved.
Let’s talk about art
Thomas Pitilli is the illustrator for the comics adapting the Riverdale television series, which explains why his art lends itself so well to a school drama full of beautiful people and a mystery to be solved. I mean, everyone in the book is pretty. (In one scene, Bruce is lying on his bed in a tank top and his muscles are in tip-top shape. But they are also impressively diverse, which I found really unique for a graphic novel featuring some of the most famous comic book characters in the world. the story. (And it’s a big change for the youth demographic.) The colors interwoven with shadowy panels also give it a very Batman-like feel, although Bruce – sorry spoiler! – never dons the hood.
Melissa de la Cruz has written many youth novels, so she knows how to write teenagers who act like they are much older than her age. He also knows how to add to the heartache, which Gotham High has in abundance, and the drama, which the Bruce Triangle, Selina, and Jack easily provide. Selina is the narrator for much of the book, her cheekiness and self-confidence coming out in full force, while Bruce’s melancholy is evident from the moment we meet him. No one is equal to his DC Universe counterparts, but De la Cruz infuses a lot of their known personalities into his thoughts and conversations.
What would I most like to ask the characters?
I’d like to ask Jack what he sees in Selina, what made him like her so much. She seemed very nice, sure, but there are many things we do not know about their relationship, and although we noticed that they are best friends, we never get to know why. Was there a time when the two of you came together against a common enemy? Did you bond for the love of a movie or a book? I want to know your backstory.
The last word
Although it is never expressly stated that any of the characters is going to be a more familiar version to those who know them through the comics, Gotham High could perfectly be a contemporary alternate universe story (AU in which there are no superheroes, supervillains, or anti-heroes). Rather, guys are just that, growing up to be more “normal” members of Gotham society. As someone who loves AU fanfiction, I’m all for it! It’s fun to read about these characters as if they were a little bit more. dramatic and prone to gray behavior.
When Mandy Curtis isn’t reading books by Leigh Bardugo or Sarah J. Maas, she dreams of catching bad guys with Wonder Woman – if Steve Trevor is there too, he’s not complaining – and writes about youth fiction and pop culture in Forever Young Adult . Follow her on Twitter at @mandyannecurtis.
Via DCComics.com
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DC Adventures – Gotham High
From Melissa de la Cruz, the # 1 New York Times bestselling writer, author of Alex and Elisa and Blue Bloods, comes a new take on Gotham for a new generation of readers.
After being kicked out of boarding school, 17-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What was once his family home is now an empty shell and, though lonely, haunted by the memory of his parents’ murder. Selina Kyle, formerly the innocent girl next door, now rules Gotham High School with a dangerous charm, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.
When a kidnapping shakes the school, Bruce looks for answers like a dark and tormented knight … or is it the pawn? Nothing is ever what it seems, especially at Gotham High, where parties and romance are the highest stakes… and where everyone is a suspect.
With evocative art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is as intoxicating as it is chilling. And where the dearest friends become the greatest enemies… all within the corridors of Gotham High!
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