The story begins with a bang
The story begins with blowing up three bridges. Another tragedy befell Gotham and – as it has happened more than once – even Batman could not prevent this catastrophe. Initially, the heroes have trouble discovering the bomber’s motivation. Until they find out that originally these structures bore the names of the city’s founders. For this reason, two narratives are conducted in parallel. In addition to watching the actions of superheroes, we also watch the birth of the city of Gotham. Thus, we meet, among others, the ancestor of Bruce Wayne. In addition to the main story, consisting of five parts, the volume also includes a comic by Kyle Higgins about the genesis of the Parisian Batman, i.e. Nightrunner.
A new enemy
The main character is Batman, but this time Bruce Wayne is not hiding behind the bat mask, but Dick Grayson. He is assisted by Red Robin, Cassandra and also Damian, the son of Bruce. Well, as it is in the family, there are some skirmishes, but it is known that in order to achieve a goal you have to work together. The more that they have to face a completely new antagonist. The architect stands out above all because of his steampunk jumpsuit. While his motivation is rather simple, his skills and weakness for explosives do not make him a very original, intriguing villain. In my opinion, he is better suited as a secondary villain (for example, he has a successful performance in Eternal Batman) than the main antagonist around whom the whole plot revolves. The same applies to Nightrunner – just another disguise, but without an interesting past.
Dark corners of Gotham
Unfortunately, the comic does not impress with its graphic design. The line is simple, although some frames can impress with detail or dark atmosphere, but others seem too simplistic, and therefore ugly and bland. It is definitely worth emphasizing that Batman and the Architect look very good. This steampunk outfit makes an amazing impression. I also appreciate that the cartoonists have skillfully separated the scenes taking place in the dark present and the past, where bright colors dominate for a change. However, I have no objections to the release. It is only appropriate to mention the alternative covers at the end of the volume, as always it is a nice addition.
Is it worth knowing the genesis of Nightrunner?
Although I did complain a bit in the review, overall I liked the Builders of Gotham very much. The most interesting thing about this comic book is the interweaving of threads from the past and the present. It really was an interesting history lesson for me. The origins of Gotham were intriguing, especially the history of the main architects responsible for the design of most buildings and bridges. The genesis of Nightrunner added to the comic book is nothing more than just a nice addition. I spent a few pleasant moments with this comic, because I got caught up in this story. Although I didn’t like everything, it’s a solid seven for me.
