There are many interesting character relationships that are detailed in the pages of Batman comics, and nearly as many have been analyzed to death by modern philosophers, literary and pop culture critics. But I have yet to see a decent analysis of the relationship between Batman and Jim Gordon.
Anyone familiar with Batman comics and the lovely locale that they inhabit will know that calling Gotham City “not a good place” is an understatement of the highest caliber. Gotham City, itself influenced by New York City, has been described by comic book author Dennis O’Neil as “Manhattan below Fourteenth Street at eleven minutes past midnight on the coldest night in November." (See footnote 1) And it’s not just the weather that’s cold. Gotham City is home to some of the most dangerous criminals and brutes to ever inhabit the printed page. And against this oncoming hoard of scum and villainy stands the stalwart police commissioner James Gordon; the only straight cop in a world of corruption. That is, until Batman came along.
It is Gordon who is usually responsible for lighting the bat-signal, calling for the Caped Crusader’s help. The public comes to Jim Gordon, and Gordon in turn looks to Batman. While in many origin stories the alliance begins with much distrust on both sides, Batman and Gordon always seem to have some sort of conversation before any given story is over. Besides his trusty butler Alfred, Commissioner Gordon is just about he only friend that Batman has.
Now would probably be a good time to bring up the notion of human kingship, specifically that God created man in the beginning to be the ultimate ruler of the created universe and that God would in turn rule over him. (See footnote 2) This specifically harkens back to God’s mandate for man to populate the earth and take dominion over it. (Genesis 1:28-30 and again in Genesis 9:1-3) It is also generally accepted that man was to become a ruler of the earth had he not fallen, and this is made the case again since Christ (the Son and Crown Prince of the High Throne) came down to make intersession for and redeem his people. Since He came back for us and didn’t simply let us abstain from our throne, we are now once again “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17)
Back to Batman: I view Batman as a sort of imperfect Christ figure. As I put forth in my previous essay, he is imperfect because (among other things) he never truly triumphs over evil, but seemingly co-exists with it. But Batman is a sort of Christ figure nonetheless. This is particularly apparent in Christopher Nolan’s portrayal of Batman in the film The Dark Knight. In the film Batman defeats all sorts of evil, but in the end must run from the very people he swore to protect… taking the fall for the crimes that so many of Gotham’s citizen have committed themselves.
Nolan, widely held to be a nihilist due to his films like Following and Memento, portrays Batman as a scapegoat, a sacrificial lamb… but in a heroic way; and the film it self became at the time the second highest grossing movie of all time. This is what we call common grace at work, my friends. (See footnote 3) And not simply content to leave Batman as a willing sacrifice, Nolan realized that his story was not finished and ultimately decided to make a third Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. (Are you seeing anymore Christ-like parallels here?) Nolan, a secular and a pagan, could not leave the hero in the dark; the nihilist could not end with nihilism. Strange, huh?
So if Batman is Jesus, then Commissioner Jim Gordon is Noah, he is Adam, he is David, he is Lot, he is us. Commissioner Gordon is the one righteous man in a sea of sin and iniquity. He strives to raise a faithful and good son, he stands up for the just, and condemns evil… no matter the price. He has been on the receiving end of both mockery and car bombs… and he simply could not do it anymore. Suddenly, without warning, and just in the nick of time comes Batman. A thief in the night, a righter of wrongs, a Knight… and Knight who takes on the Clown Prince of Crime (Prince of Darkness anyone?). He sacrifices himself to this end: to defeat evil for good, and to return to city of Gotham to the glory it once had and restore it to the good people who inhabit it.
If and when Batman won and was no longer needed, Bruce Wayne would return to his seat as king of Gotham. (Yes, I know that I am extending this metaphor pretty far.) And from his tower he would watch as Gordon and those whom he had put in positions of authority after disposing of the corrupt leaders took charge and ruled the city under him. They would have inherited Gotham after and long and bloody battle. They would have a newfound dominion over Gotham. A rule and dominion that Batman fully intended to give to them all along.
(1) O'Neil, Dennis. Afterword. Batman: Knightfall, A Novel. New York: Bantam Books, 1994. 344.
(2) For those of you who will upset by my choice of words, let me assure you that when I refer to “man” I am using it as John Frame and the entirety of the Scriptures us it: to refer to all humankind; male and female. I am not a feminist, but I do want them to read what I write. So let’s just call this clarification a compromise so that I don’t have to compromise. For a further and more exhaustive explanation, please see the preface to John Frame’s book The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God.
(3 )Reformed systematic theologian Louis Berkhof defined common grace this way: “[Common grace] curbs the destructive power of sin, maintains in a measure the moral order of the universe, thus making an orderly life possible, distributes in varying degrees gifts and talents among men, promotes the development of science and art, and showers untold blessings upon the children of men.” More simply put, this means that while not all people will be saved, all will retain some sort of common instinct of holiness and understanding of good that God placed in them… even if they choose to suppress it. For more awesome stuff that Berkhof said, check out his book called very simply: Systematic Theology.
Excellent.
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