What if Bruce Wayne made his way back to Gotham a little sooner than everyone thought? What if he and the Joker were actually school mates? Maybe even friends? Long before falls into chemical plants, military grade bat suits, and longstanding criminal records, the well known heroes and villains of Gotham City were teenagers, just like everyone else. With pressures both at home and in school, Gotham High presents a retelling of classic Batman story lines through a lens with as much adolescent angst as there is innocence.
After an altercation at his boarding school, Bruce Wayne is forced to return home where he attends Gotham High and finds out that life as he left it is drastically different. It isn’t long before Bruce investigates a series of kidnappings, underground gambling, and new romantic feelings for the girl next store, Selina Kyle. The lines of good and evil are blurred as the reader discovers the origins of some of the most notorious villains of Gotham City.
In addition to offering a new origin story, the graphic novel also includes more diversity and cultural background to its characters, which ultimately makes them more relatable and provides them with more agency. While this version may not exactly line up with the stories some readers may be more familiar with, the inclusion ultimately offers a unique take on what a hero’s story can be, and allows for it to be more receptive to a wider audience.
This graphic novel does include more mature content, and while the characters are portrayed in their youth, it is recommended for older teen readers.
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