Gotham City 21 Review & Critique

“It had only been a week since the collision, but everything had changed. A cataclysmic merger had fused the “Marvel” and “DC” universe together, in an explosion that cost the lives of millions and put meta-humans who had never been aware of each other’s existence into contact…this is the story of the 21 men and women who will team up to fight for the future, grim as it is. These are the origins of the Gotham City 21”

This is the premise of SpideyIvyDaredevilFan26’s fan fiction. I am about to read it and review. All stories located here: http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-library-1505728/#14

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Chapter #1: Agent Venom: http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-1-agent-venom-1494638/

My Rant: Okay we need a grammar and spell check, probably on all of them so I’ll get my pedantic rant done here and now. Writing on a word doc BEFORE posting will solve half the problems of spelling & grammar eg: Flash took a deep breathe? Jason pulled the saftey of the sidearm back.

Storywise: Flash Thompson, the new Venom who strikes me as Marvel going “Why don’t we make a Spider-Punisher?” invades a Regime building. I feel the description of the world collapse and merging would’ve been a better place to start but we jump right into the action with gunplay and an insta-team up with Red Hood (Jason Todd) and also Rorschach. The stage begins to get set.

Rating: As an opening chapter it’s a B-

**

Chapter #2: Banehttp://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-2-bane-1498620/

My Rant: Okay the formatting is, well so far in the two chapters its very blocklike. Personally I prefer this kind set up:

As he approached the aging clerk, he handed him a card containing a logo of Bane’s signature mask.

“I’m surprised you didn’t join up with the other villains…”

Bane nodded, “Those men have no honour.”

Distinct breaks instead of blocks of texts.

Storywise: Formatting aside, Bane as the lethal protector always works and to see him now teaming up with Daredevil is quite a good plan. But the idea that Bane DOESN’T know that Batman was Bruce Wayne? That’s just, well that doesn’t sit well.

Rating: C mainly for formatting & spelling reasons, a little bit for lack of Bane knowledge in my opinion.

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Chapter #3 Captain Americahttp://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-3-captain-america-1499124/#1/

My Rant: Similar typo & formatting issues BUT then towards the end BOOM, it changes to the way I like it! Smiley face! But I feel there is some rushing for no reason which draws away from the world that is trying to be created.

Storywise: I love the idea of heating up Cap’s shield and then throwing it around at people so it hits & burns!

Rating: Back to a B

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Chapter #4 Ghost Riderhttp://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-4-ghost-rider-1499808/

My Rant: I think this chapter was misnamed, should’ve been called Sinestro as he is the centre of the chapter and the reason for it.

Storywise: Abomination! Deadshot! Ghost Rider! Sinestro! DOOMSDAY! The idea of Deadshot with a yellow lantern is fantastic and needs exploration.

Rating: B- mainly due to the lack of Doomsday smashing & killing

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Chapter #5 Gorilla Grodd http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-5-gorilla-grodd-1500339/#0/

My Rant: As we go along I fell there should be a whole chapter of The Regime that is mentioned and the actual HOW they took advantage of the merge.

Storywise: I’ve always liked Grodd but in this universe he seems hampered, not his usual brutal telepathic monkey self. Also the “random” appearance of Carnage when Spider-Man comes recruiting is, I know its story telling/make believe, but its just too convienet

Rating: C

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Chapter #6 Harley Quinnhttp://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-6-harley-quinn-1501749/#2/

My Rant: Honestly, the constant pairing of Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy is wearing a little thin. I know they have good chemistry, a comic book friendship and history, but for once I want them to be enemies.

Storywise: So far this is the weakest chapter. A bad fight only to have them team up is all very clichéd. Also the lack of who is actually talking towards the end. Occassionally two maybe three lines of dialog you can work out who said what but six? Even an Emma said or Spider-Man replied.

Rating: D, this isn’t the best chapter and almost easily skipable

**

Chapter #7 Moon Knighthttp://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-chapter-7-moon-knight-1503772/#1/

My Rant: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Spider-Man, Gorilla Grodd & Moon Knight could easily take Scarecrow & Typhoid Mary. This chapter could’ve ended the story here!

Storywise: A bit more of the Regime is unfurled here, bout time. Harley does make fun of Moon Knight in excellent fashion and enter Captain America!

Rating: B-

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Gotham City 21 United Chapter 1http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-united-chapter-1-genesis-1506221/#0/

My Rant: 7 chapters of assembling the team we kick off. Now having Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Bane be amazed by the Batcave…they’ve all fought him before and seen the constant update array of toys and gadget Batman always had. So that bit again writing against type.

Storywise: This is almost a recap issue of the previous 7 but hints of a possibly Poison Ivy-Spidey romance is kinda cool.

Rating: C

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Gotham City 21 United Chapter 2 http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-united-chapter-2-scarecrow-s-counci-1511035/

My Rant: I read comics so I can believe a lot; but having Mephisto & the Anti-Monitor mind controlled to serve Scarecrow just makes no sense! Lex is clever I’ll give him that but unless he got the Infinity Gauntlet I call bu!!$h!t on that! Also more typos

Storywise: Nice to see Dr Octopus being the voice of reason and finally some more Regime info.

Rating: B-

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Gotham City 21 United Chapter 3 http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-united-chapter-3-fear-itself-1513407/

My Rant: Similar block writings as mentioned before.

Storywise: Sinestro, Ghost Rider & Abomination Vs Doomsday! Honestly Doomsday should win this hands down but its quite a cool fight (I blame the mind control for lack of total destruction). And the kidnapping of Harley Quinn mid battle to let Poison Ivy give of a patented comic book, on the knees “NOOOOOOOOO!” is nice.

Rating: B

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Gotham City 21 United Chapter 4http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-united-chapter-4-venom-poison-and-s-1515484/#1/

My Rant: Nothing except my usual format/typo rant

Storywise: The team falls apart due to emotion but the twist with a possible reaapparance of the Joker makes this chapter.

Rating: B

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Gotham City 21 United Chapter 5 http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-united-chapter-5-love-and-fear-1516756/

My Rant: Too many characters. Sure they have different names but now they’re all very similar in motivation, speech and action. A culling may be in order to keep better story telling.

Storywise: He’s back! And better than ever before! Joker with Batman & Superman DNA splicing makes for one dangerous opponent. Also Poison Ivy lip locks Spider-Man, which I think may kill him

Rating: B-

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Gotham City 21 Civil War Chapter 1 http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-civil-war-chapter-1-a-family-torn-a-1521978/

My Rant: Captain America getting upset at Rorschach for killing in a war is baffling! Also how does Rorschach kill someone who just went toe-to-toe with Martian Manhunter?

Storywise: Super-Bat-Joker Vs Martian Manhunter is the highlight of this chapter and way too short. Also the splitting of the group (good idea, easier to write) I didn’t see coming but works really well.

Rating: B+

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Gotham City 21 Civil War Chapter 2http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic-8/gotham-city-21-civil-war-chapter-2-calm-before-the-1524252/

My Rant: Hmmm. Captain America getting all melancholic whilst downing JD?

Storywise: Cap getting all soulful, Poison Ivy & Spider-Man getting cosier, Harley mouring the second death of her puddin’ and Venom joining the Sinestro Corp.

Rating: B

**

Overall: Asides from the typos and the blocks of text, the story moves along though it does lack a few things that would really make it pop.

1) Clarification on the Regime

2) Distinct characterisations of different characters or maybe even losing a few

The idea is solid and with a tidy-up Gotham 21 will be an excellent series, possibly ongoing. There are 7 or so more chapters but at the moment I am only contrqctually obligated to review 14, will do the remainder when we work out a deal J

SpideyIvyDaredevilFan has put in a lot of time and effort, well worth a read.

Rated on an average of B across all the chapters.

1) Setting this up for a prequel series in the future, which is why the world building and merging was left out. May team up with someone to work on it

2) Yeah, the Bane not knowing Batman was Bruce Wayne was a mistake on my part. I did kind've screw up there

5) Yeah, sacrificed a little of Grodd's brutality to make him more of a hero. He's more of a wise leader now. As for a chapter on the Regime's origins, you're right. I REALLY should have done that.

8) I tried to have the ex-villains be more impressed with the Cave istelf than the weapons...Guess I didn't make that as clear as I wanted.

9) Yeeeeeah, I overpowered Scarecrow a LOT. But I wanted to make him a bad motherlover, and I think I succeeded

12) Poison Ivy's poison kiss is manual though, right? So, she can turn it off when she wants to. Besides, read an issue where when she kisses twice there is an antidote effect. Besides, it can be assumed she gave all the GC21 members her poison immunity like she gave Harley

13) He was pissed cause he killed an unarmed opponent who didn't pose a threat.

Overall, nice review and i GREATLY appreciated it.

@spideyivydaredevilfan26: You don't have to explain in infinite detail about the how, plus it had only been a week as you said since the world went to hell in a handbasket but it has only been a week so this Regime plan, well someone had it planned for a while.

But how is Scarecrow the bad mofo? Does he have the Ultimate Nullifier? If it's just fear gas Lex could replicate that in a lab and then blow Crane's head off from the safety of his sealed battlesuit. You have glossed over some details that do need some explanation, or if you're keeping it a mystery you need to hint at WHY and HOW are normal human psychiatrist with a bag on his head has Mephisto under his thumb!

Assumption...unless you tell me Poison Ivy can turn her kiss "off" or gave the anitdote to everyone, which after reading all the chapters thus far was never even close to happening, I have to presume. That kinda need even a throw away line eg:

Pamela handed Spider-Man a vial, the wallcrawler looked at it curiously with the word: Antidote on it.

"If you're and your friends are going to hang around me, you'll need this," she said as she sauntered off.

See?

@spideyivydaredevilfan26: I'll go have a look shortly

Bumped

@spideyivydaredevilfan26: Remember....