by Melissa de la Cruz
Illustrated by Thomas Pitilli
Published on April 7, 2020 by DC Ink
ISBN: 9781401286248
Format: Paperback
Pages: 208
Genres: Comics, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alex and Eliza and The Witches of East End comes a reimagining of Gotham for a new generation of readers. Before they became Batman, Catwoman, and The Joker, Bruce, Selina, and Jack were high schoolers who would do whatever it took--even destroy the ones they love--to satisfy their own motives.
After being kicked out of his boarding school, 16-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What once was his family home is now an empty husk, lonely but haunted by the memory of his parents' murder. Selina Kyle, once the innocent girl next door, now rules over Gotham High School with a dangerous flair, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.
When a kidnapping rattles the school, Bruce seeks answers as the dark and troubled knight--but is he actually the pawn? Nothing is ever as it seems, especially at Gotham High, where the parties and romances are of the highest stakes ... and where everyone is a suspect.
With enchanting art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is just as intoxicating as it is chilling, in which dearest friends turn into greatest enemies--all within the hallways of Gotham High!
Mini Review
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First off, this graphic novel has GORGEOUS artwork. The colors, the details, it’s all quite lovely and made looking at the story enjoyable. Unfortunately the illustrations were all I really enjoyed about this take on the DC characters.
I’m not all that familiar with the comics, if I’m being honest. I grew up watching some of the older Batman movies and I’ve seen some of the newer movies like Justice League and Wonder Woman, but that’s the extent. So I can’t speak to how well the book holds true to the comics but if you’re familiar with the basics surrounding each character, you’re good to go.
My main issue with Gotham High comes down to how the female characters are portrayed. Where I think there was an opportunity to really give the female characters more depth, they were cast as the manipulative, self-absorbed teen girls. A stereotype I’ve never liked in real life or fiction and it made this book a tough sell.
On top of that, the story was simply lackluster. I never felt like it brought something new to the universe and relied too heavily on the tropes you might expect from a book about superheroes and villains in a high school. It just wasn’t holding my attention.
I did appreciate the diversity brought to the cast but can’t speak to the representation and whether it was done well or also relied on stereotypes like the rest of the book.
It’s a bummer. If you’re looking for fantastic illustrations and don’t mind over-the-top high school tropes then I think you’ll really enjoy this graphic novel! But much like Riverdale, I struggled with Gotham High and can’t personally recommend it.
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