Like a lot of other people, I’ve been using this extra time at home to read some series I passed on when they were published. Recently, I read all thirteen issues of Gotham By Midnight and I have to say it’s really great. The Spectre is one of my favourite DC concepts, and while nothing will ever surpass the Ostrander/Mandrake run from the 90s I really liked this fresh approach to Jim Corrigan and his relationship with the all powerful spirit of vengeance. The premise of the series is that GCPD has a unit that investigates weird/supernatural cases, and while Corrigan is the lead each member of the team is interesting and brings something unique to the story. It’s got an X-Files meets HP Lovecraft feel and would make a great DC Universe original series.
If I have one complaint, it’s that Ben Templesmith only does the artwork for the opening arc. His style is so perfect for the material, so while Juan Ferreyra’s work on the remaining issues is very solid I wish Templesmith had drawn the entire series.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a cool horror mystery title and/or you’re a fan of The Spectre, do yourself a favour and check out Gotham By Midnight.
9 Likes
This is on my list, I love supernatural stories in Gotham.
4 Likes
It’s a very interesting little run, spinning out of one of my favorite runs in the n52, Batman Eternal. I actually quite liked Ferreyra’s work a lot, but I’ll freely admit I’m not big on horror.
4 Likes
Good series. But I truly dislike Templesmith’s art style and try to avoid anything where he does the art. GBM was the exception as it was quite good in its storytelling to the point where I tried to overlook the art in the first arc. The rest of the series was much better.
Art enjoyment is, of course, uniquely individual. Templesmith’s stylistic form is just not my cup of tea. The opinion of others will differ.
Yes, a series with style to burn and those covers stood out on the racks.
3 Likes
I’m a fan. I came across it a while back. Definitely worth reading imho.
3 Likes
This is one of those late New 52/DCYou runs that I always recommend. Such a great concept, and so well executed. The characters are perfectly written. Of course, I will agree that Templesmith should have stayed on the whole series, but Juan Ferreyra does a serviceable job on the back half.
3 Likes
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Here is a link to read on DCU:
Gotham by Midnight (12-part Series)
Thank you for recommending Gotham by Midnight @mrmiracle! I truly enjoyed this series. While Batman is out dealing with mortal criminals on Gotham nights, this team is tackling the supernatural!
The Midnight Shift team is well fleshed out and I became attached to them all. I loved Jim Corrigan - he reminded me of a cross between John Winchester and John Constantine. Lisa Drake is another awesome character, also possessing a unique “secret power”. Dr. Tarr, as the driven-for-answers scientist, is a lot like Dr. Egon Spengler from Ghostbusters. The storytelling, alongside the illustrations, provide a nearly cinematic experience for each “episode”.
I didn’t love Ben Templeton’s style at first but quickly adjusted, finding that it seemed to suit the gritty moodiness of Precinct 13 and its creepy cases. The color palette and overall design reminded me of old Madeline books.
An Interview with Ray Fawkes mentions that Ben Templeton would be the only artist on the entire series. It’s interesting that it did in fact change artists just a few issues in.
Juan Ferreyra also did a fantastic job but I found myself wondering at times how it might look had they stuck with the original team.
I wish that it was still ongoing comic line, but appreciate having this little collection and look forward to revisiting in the future (and maybe one day adding to my collection)!
1 Like
