Gotham City
Gotham City (/ˈɡɒθəm/ GOTH-əm), also simply known as Gotham, is a fictional city in the Eastern United States that serves as the primary city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It was best known as the home of the superhero, Batman, and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the city was first identified as Batman's place of residence in Batman #4 (December 1940) and has since been the primary setting for stories featuring the character. In most of its incarnations, Gotham is depicted as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world.
| Gotham City | |
|---|---|
| Batman location | |
Shot of Gotham City in Batman (vol. 3) #14 (March 2017) by Mitch Gerads | |
| First appearance | Batman #4 (December 1940) |
| Created by | Bill Finger (writer) Bob Kane (artist) |
| Genre | Superhero |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | City |
| Locations | Ace Chemicals Arkham Asylum Batcave Blackgate Penitentiary Gotham City Police Department Iceberg Lounge Wayne Enterprises Wayne Manor |
| Characters | List
|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
Gotham City is traditionally depicted as being located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Gotham's look and atmosphere was primarily influenced by New York City. Architect Hugh Ferriss’ designs also influenced the look and emotional feel of Gotham City, particularly in its later depictions. Bill Finger said that he chose the name "Gotham", and not New York, so that all readers in any city could identify with it.
Locations used as inspiration or filming locations for Gotham City in the live-action Batman films and television series have included St. Louis, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, London, Glasgow, Hong Kong, Detroit, and Liverpool.