Gotham: Dawn of Darkness - Softcover

Starr, Jason

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1785651455 ISBN 13: 9781785651458

Publisher: Titan Books, 2017

Synopsis

A break-in at Wayne Manor. The death of a masked intruder. Amid the seething crime and corruption of Gotham City, Thomas Wayne fights to protect his family and his company from forces unknown. While detective Harvey Bullock investigates the incident as a simple burglary, Wayne discovers that the threat may come from his own dark past. 

Peeling back layer upon layer of secrets, this is the official prequel to the hit television series.

About this title

From the Author:

WRITING THE OFFICIAL GOTHAM NOVEL
By Jason Starr ©
    When I signed on to write the first official Gotham novel, I knew it would be a difficult book to write. While I was already a fan of the show and had written Batman comics for DC, I knew that in order to write a full-length novel based on an existing hit TV show I'd have to know the characters and plotlines inside-out. Also, since the novel would be a prequel, it would be a challenge to create suspense when devoted fans of the show know what ultimately happens.
    While I'd written many thrillers and crime novels, I'd only written one previous tie-in novel--Ant-Man: Natural Enemy, 2015 (published by Marvel to coincide with the release of the Paul Rudd film). Writing Ant-Man had its own challenges, but the project didn't have as many constraints as Gotham. My Ant-Man novel was a standalone story, not directly related to the events of the film. For Gotham, I would have to create a story that would lead directly into the show, without giving away any secrets to readers who may never have seen an episode. So the book would have to simultaneously work as a cool, exciting story for existing fans, and an entree into the world of Gotham for newbies.
    As I began to plot the novel, I decided that the first scene of the pilot episode of the TV show would be the last scene of my book. As fans know, the series begins with the killing of Bruce Wayne's parents, which sets Bruce on a journey to find the killer. So rather than working forward with my plotting the way I normally do, I had to work backwards. In effect, I was deconstructing the series and building it back up at the same time.
    I discovered that thinking about the plot in this way, created some very cool opportunities for suspense and intrigue. Sometimes mysteries aren't all about "who done it". Sometimes "why done it" or "how done it" can be just as thrilling. Also, the TV show resolves many mysteries, but leaves many questions open, so I had a chance to expand on these plotlines, and in some cases create them. For example, Alfred's back story--I dramatized how he began working for the Waynes, and his early relationship with Bruce. The show alludes to details of the past, but the novel gave me a chance to really bring this relationship to life. Since Thomas and Martha Wayne are alive in my novel, I had the chance to create their relationship, as well as their relationship with young Bruce. I was also able to write about Cobblepot (before he becomes The Penguin),  Nygma (before he goes psycho), and Fish (in particular, her past "relationship" with GCPD Detective Harvey Bullock). Since my novel predates Jim Gordon working for the GCPD, Bullock has a new partner in my novel. I included many other characters from the show (yes, Jerome is in this book too), and I was able to create some cool new characters who have pivotal roles.
    I watched every episode of the show, some multiple times. Warner Brothers, the producers of the show, sent me scripts of future episodes. They had me sign a confidentiality agreement, so I knew how season two would end well before the season finale aired on TV.
    When my outline of the proposed plot--a twelve page document--was completed, it had to be approved by my editor at Titan Books, as well as executives at Warner Brothers, who in turn consulted with members of the writing staff of the TV show. I got notes from everyone involved and did two or three passes on the outline before I got the go-ahead to begin writing.
    Whenever questions came up, I consulted with my editor and, in some cases, conferenced with the studio executives and the staff writers on the show. There weren't any major hiccups, but issues came up here and there. For example, my timeline for Alfred's employment with the Waynes didn't jibe with the events on the show, so I had to rewrite this portion of the book. Also, during my revisions, I wrote a few versions of the ending (I wanted to make sure I was showing this pivotal moment from the right point of view).
    In the end, writing Gotham: Dawn of Darkness, and having the opportunity to create the back story for young Bruce Wayne, didn't even feel like work--it felt like pure pleasure.
    I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it!
    - Jason Starr 
      NYC, January 2017

About the Author:

The internationl bestselling author of the first original novel ever published in the prestigious Vintage/Black Lizard line (Hard Feelings), Jason Starr has won raves for his work from publications ranging from The New York Times to Entertainment Weekly, which compared him to Jim Thompson and James M. Cain. He has won the Anthony Award for mystery fiction twice, as well as the Barry Award. He also writes comics for Marvel and DC, and original graphic novels. His latest novel is the paychologcal thriller Savage Lane. He lives in New York City.

About this edition

• Publisher: Titan Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1785651455
• ISBN 13: 9781785651458
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 320