Short Review: Gotham Academy #1

I had no real expectations going in. I'm glad DC is promoting this but it kind of ticks me off that they haven't given other books this much attention. Anyway onto my thoughts about the book.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I'm a fan of the artwork which gives the book a cartoon vibe. Reading this via the digital version with the glided option on made this feel like an animated series. The layouts, character designs and backgrounds are the best I've seen in a long time.

Apparently the series will focus around different characters although this issue/arc has a girl named Olive as it's lead. She's changed since the summer and isn't thrilled with her life at the moment. Some might see this as typical teen angst but this is Gotham. The drama seems to be linked to her mother and Batman. Olive doesn't care for the dark knight and curiously he's aware of who she is. Despite wanting to break up with her boyfriend Kyle and keep away from his younger sister Maps, Olive decides to hang out with the girl. Something that draws a little too much attention by the books' end.

Overall: Okay I didn't spoiler a lot but the mysteries it has have me interested. Olive and Maps are both interesting characters. Maps especially is a lot of fun. The school has an element of danger to it that's a little creepy. It's refreshing to see the city from the POV from a normal person in Gotham. I'll be following this one for awhile.

Questions Raised?: Is Gotham Academy a boarding school as the dorms imply or can the students return home? I ask because it's been revealed that Bruce Wayne was briefly enrolled. Given the ages of the students it means he'd have to be a teen. It's hard to imagine Bruce doing well during this time away from Alfred although it seems to have meant something to him.

So the school is teaching it's students about the Peguins' family being corrupt and he hasn't tried to stop it?

Did You Notice?: No one censored the girl flipping off Olive. It was done in a stealthy way.