Jim Gordon

Publication history

Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Gordon debuted in the first panel of “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate” in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), in which he is referred to simply as Commissioner Gordon. The character's name was taken from the earlier pulp character Commissioner James W. "Wildcat" Gordon, also known as "The Whisperer", created in 1936 by Henry Ralston, John Nanovic, and Lawrence Donovan for Street & Smith.

The post-Crisis version of the character is introduced in the 1987 storyline Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller.

As part of DC's "One Year Later", Gordon is once again Gotham's police commissioner.

In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Jim Gordon is the commissioner of the GCPD as well as a former Marine. He is married to Barbara Kean, with Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) their biological daughter.

In June 2016, the DC Rebirth event relaunched DC Comics' entire line of comic book titles, in which Jim Gordon has a continued role in Detective Comics and the third volume of Batman. In December 2017, DC Comics ended the Rebirth branding, opting to include everything under a larger DC Universe banner and naming, and Gordon continues to be featured in Detective Comics and the third volume of Batman.

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

Early in his career, Gordon kills two robbers in self-defence without realising that their young son is watching. Traumatised by his parents' deaths, the boy dedicates his life to taking revenge upon Gordon and other representatives of the law.

When Batman begins operating in Gotham, Gordon initially resents his interference in police affairs. Although Batman fights crime, his disregard for ordinary police procedure causes tension between them, while his success in solving cases and apprehending criminals embarrasses the police by comparison. Gordon eventually recognises that Batman's abilities and resources can assist the department.

Although Gordon regularly socialises with Bruce Wayne, his first face-to-face meeting with Batman does not occur until Batman approaches him to propose cooperation. Batman persuades Gordon that they can protect Gotham more effectively by cooperating. Gordon accepts the proposal and begins sharing information with him during investigations. He subsequently deputises Batman and permits him to work as an agent of the law, although Batman continues to operate independently and conceals his civilian identity.

As their partnership develops, the Bat-Signal is installed on the roof of police headquarters, allowing Gordon and the department to summon Batman when his assistance is required. Gordon becomes Batman's principal contact within the Gotham City Police Department and regularly consults him during major investigations. Despite their close professional relationship, Batman continues to withhold his secret identity from Gordon.

Twenty-five years after Gordon kills the two robbers, their son returns to Gotham as the masked criminal known as the Wrath. Using methods and equipment resembling Batman's, the Wrath targets Gordon and attempts to murder him on the anniversary of his parents' deaths.

Gordon's daughter Barbara Gordon later creates the identity of Batgirl after intervening in an attempted kidnapping while attending a masquerade ball. She begins fighting crime independently and initially conceals her activities from both Gordon and Batman.

Barbara later decides to reveal her identity to Gordon before abandoning her activities as Batgirl to seek election to the United States Congress. Gordon tells her that he had already deduced her secret and had remained silent because he believed that she would eventually disclose it herself. Barbara subsequently wins election to Congress and later resumes operating as Batgirl.

Post-Crisis

After serving in the United States Marine Corps, James Gordon starts his law enforcement career in Gotham. As a young cop, he shoots and kills a corrupt cop and his wife in self-defense in front of their son. Gordon's transfer to Chicago is arranged by Captain Gillian Loeb, in an attempt to keep himself and his fellow corrupt cops from being exposed. Loeb threatens the child's life in order to force Gordon to comply with the transfer.

During Gordon's tenure in Chicago, he struggles with his wife over conceiving a child while taking night classes in criminology. He becomes a minor celebrity after a foiling a late-night robbery attempt. When he decides to investigate a corrupt fellow officer, however, the officer and his cronies assault him, and the police department discredits him in order to cover up the scandal. Gordon uncovers evidence of rigging in the city council election and brings down two of his fellow officers, which leads to his commander transferring him to Gotham.

Gordon is transferred back to Gotham City after spending more than 15 years in Chicago, discovering his wife is pregnant with his son shortly after. A man of integrity, Gordon finds that Batman is his only ally against the corrupt administration, which is in league with mob boss Carmine Falcone. Gordon's relationship with Batman is kept out of the public eye whenever possible. He retaliates against an intimidation attempt by corrupt fellow officers with equal violence. He has an extra-marital affair with a fellow detective, Sarah Essen. Gordon breaks off their affair after being blackmailed by police commissioner Gillian B. Loeb. Falcone sends his nephew Johnny Viti to kill Gordon's wife and son; Batman saves them, however, and helps Gordon expose Loeb's corruption. After Loeb resigns, Gordon is promoted to captain.

While still a lieutenant, Gordon convinces Loeb's successor to implement the Bat-Signal as a means to contact Batman and also to frighten criminals. It is around this time that the first Robin, Dick Grayson, becomes Batman's sidekick. Gordon initially disapproves of Batman recruiting a child to fight dangerous criminals, but soon grows to not only accept the boy but trust him as much as he does Batman.

Gordon quickly rises to the rank of commissioner after he and Batman weed out corruption within the department. After the death of his brother and sister-in-law, he adopts his niece, Barbara. Soon after he adopts Barbara, he divorces his wife, who returned to Chicago with their son James Gordon Jr., while he retains custody of Barbara, who eventually becomes Batgirl. Gordon quickly deduces the heroine's true identity, and attempts to confront her about it, going so far as to search her bedroom for proof. However, he is partially dissuaded from this belief, when Batman has Robin dress up as Batgirl while Barbara is on the roof with her father. Gordon continues to believe his daughter is indeed Batgirl, but does not confront her about it.

Other versions

The Dark Knight Returns

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. This version is retired and aware of Batman's secret identity.

JLA: Earth 2

On the Anti-Matter Earth, where the evil Crime Syndicate of America live, Commissioner Gordon's counterpart is a crime boss named Boss Gordon, an ally to Owlman. Boss Gordon is the city's leading crime boss until his empire is toppled by Batman and commissioner Thomas Wayne.

Batman: Gotham Noir

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Gotham Noir. This version is a private detective who left the police force following a failure to solve the disappearance of a judge.

Batman: In Darkest Knight

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Batman: In Darkest Knight, Jim Gordon is an honest cop who distrusts Green Lantern (Bruce Wayne) because of his near-limitless power. Later on, Gordon changes his mind and starts investigating, but is killed by Sinestro.

Vampire Batman

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in the Batman/Dracula trilogy. He is captured by Dracula as bait to lure Batman into a trap after Batman's allies- rogue vampires led by Dracula's former bride Tanya- sacrifice themselves to destroy Dracula's "family". With Batman having become a vampire himself, he realises that there are still vampires left in Gotham, now led by the Joker in a coordinated campaign to turn the city's crime families, Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth gathering a team of cops to stake the vampires in daylight. Ultimately, Gordon and Alfred have to ally with Two-Face and Killer Croc to stop Batman after he succumbs to his thirst for blood, Gordon noting that even if Batman is currently killing criminals the man they lost would never have killed, all parties aware that Batman will start to feed on innocents if he isn't stopped now. The story concludes with Gordon being crushed by debris from the Batcave roof after explosives are planted to destroy it, thus exposing Batman to sunlight and allowing him to die.

Earth-8

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Lord Havok and the Extremists. This version is a flesh-hungry zombie who is kept in line by Bat-Soldier using a large chain.

Flashpoint

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Flashpoint event. This version is Gotham's chief of police. When Gordon locates Martha Wayne (this continuity's version of the Joker) in old Wayne Manor, he goes in without backup and ends up being killed by Wayne.

Earth One

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Earth One. This version is a broken man who has given up on fighting corruption until the emergence of Batman. Gordon is later promoted as police captain after arresting his corrupt predecessor.

Batman: Damned

An alternate universe version of Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Damned.

Dark Multiverse

Various versions of Gordon appear in the Dark Multiverse depicted in Dark Nights: Metal:

In the world of the Dawnbreaker, where Bruce Wayne received a Green Lantern ring after the deaths of his parents, Gordon attempts to confront the Dawnbreaker about his use of lethal force on criminals, but the Dawnbreaker kills him.

In the world of the Batman Who Laughs, Gordon's death contributed to Batman's final confrontation with the Joker, which led to Batman being contaminated by his foe's blood and transformed into The Batman Who Laughs.

In the world of the Grim Knight, where Batman's use of guns and lethal force led to him turning Gotham into a police state, Gordon was eventually able to determine Batman's secret identity with the aid of information from Alfred, who became unable to countenance Batman's use of lethal force on all criminals, allowing him to arrest Bruce Wayne.

Earth 3

Following the "Infinite Frontier" event, Earth 3 was rebooted. Like the version seen in JLA: Earth 2, Jim Gordon operated as a crime boss. After his son Jimmy Jr. was killed by criminals Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, Boss Gordon sent his minion Harvey Bullock to kill them which also led to Harvey also killing Bruce and leaving Thomas Wayne Jr. alive. Thomas Wayne Jr. in the identity of Owlman would later learn of this motive when he captures Harvey Bullock years later.

Earth-89 (Batman '89)

In the universe where the films Batman (1989) and Batman Returns is set, it is retroactively established in the comic book miniseries Batman '89 that Pat Hingle's iteration of Gordon was the patrolman who found and comforted Bruce in the alley where his parents were murdered. He is later killed by Billy Dee Williams's Harvey Dent after the character becomes Two-Face. In the follow-up book, Echoes, his daughter Barbara becomes Captain of the GCPD and decides against prosecuting Bruce after discovering her father had learned Batman's secret identity at some point after the events of the first film but refused to disclose it.

Absolute Universe

An alternate version of James Gordon appears in Absolute Batman. This version is a former police commissioner and mayor of Gotham City. He loses support when the Party Animal cause chaos in Gotham and is later voted off in favor of Hamilton Hill.

In other media

Television

Jim Gordon appears in Batman (1966), portrayed by Neil Hamilton.

Jim Gordon appears in Gotham, portrayed by Ben McKenzie. This version is an idealistic rookie detective and a war veteran of the United States Army.

Jim Gordon appears in The Batman/Superman Hour, voiced by Ted Knight.

Jim Gordon appears in the Super Friends franchise, voiced by Danny Dark in Challenge of the Superfriends and Robert Morse in Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.

Jim Gordon appears in The New Adventures of Batman, voiced by Lennie Weinrib.

Jim Gordon appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by Bob Hastings. Following his introduction in Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, Gordon makes guest appearances in Superman: The Animated Series and Static Shock. Additionally, Gordon appears in a photograph depicted in the Batman Beyond episode "Black Out".

Jim Gordon appears in The Batman (2004), voiced by Mitch Pileggi.

Jim Gordon makes non-speaking appearances in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Additionally, a similar character, Chancellor Gor-Zonn, appears in the episode "The Super-Batman of Planet X!", voiced by Corey Burton.

Jim Gordon appears in the Best Friends Forever series of shorts.

Jim Gordon appears in Teen Titans Go!, voiced by Eric Bauza.

Jim Gordon appears in Young Justice, voiced by Corey Burton.

Jim Gordon appears in Beware the Batman, voiced by Kurtwood Smith. This version is initially a lieutenant who distrusts Batman. In the episode "Nexus", Gordon becomes police commissioner after Commissioner Correa is killed by the League of Assassins.

Film

Jim Gordon appears in Batman and Robin, portrayed by Lyle Talbot.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: The Movie, portrayed again by Neil Hamilton.

Jim Gordon appears in the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Batman film series, portrayed by Pat Hingle.

Jim Gordon appears in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, portrayed by Gary Oldman.

Jim Gordon appears in Justice League, portrayed by J. K. Simmons. Simmons appeared as Gordon in the 2021 director's cut Zack Snyder's Justice League, and was to reprise his role in Batgirl prior to its cancellation.

Jim Gordon appears in The Batman (2022), portrayed by Jeffrey Wright.

Jim Gordon makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Justice League: The New Frontier.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Gotham Knight, voiced by Jim Meskimen.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Under the Red Hood, voiced by an uncredited Gary Cole.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Year One, voiced by Bryan Cranston.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, voiced by David Selby.

Jim Gordon appears in Lego Batman: The Movie - DC Super Heroes Unite, voiced by Townsend Coleman.

Jim Gordon appears in the DC Animated Movie Universe films Son of Batman, Batman: Bad Blood and Batman: Hush, voiced by Bruce Thomas.

Video games

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Vengeance, voiced again by Bob Hastings.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, voiced again by Bob Hastings.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: Dark Tomorrow, voiced by Ron McLarty.

Jim Gordon appears in the Batman Begins tie-in video game, voiced by Gavin Hammon.

Jim Gordon appears in the Batman: Arkham franchise, voiced by Tom Kane and Rick D. Wasserman in Arkham Asylum, David Kaye in Arkham City, Michael Gough in Arkham Origins, Jonathan Banks in Arkham Knight, and Mark Rolston in Arkham Shadow.

Jim Gordon appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Ken Webster.

Jim Gordon appears in The Dark Knight Rises tie-in game, voiced by Oliver Wyman.

Jim Gordon makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Injustice: Gods Among Us.

Jim Gordon appears in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman: The Telltale Series and Batman: The Enemy Within, voiced by Murphy Guyer.

Jim Gordon appears in Lego Batman: The Videogame, voiced by Keith Ferguson.

Jim Gordon appears in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Townsend Coleman.

The Dark Knight Trilogy iteration of Jim Gordon appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.

Miscellaneous

Jim Gordon appears in the Batman OnStar commercials, portrayed by an uncredited actor.

Following the portrayal of Gordon's heart attack, DC Comics partnered with the American Heart Association to create a public service announcement to raise awareness of the danger of tobacco smoking and how it would threaten one's health.

Jim Gordon appears in Holy Musical B@man!, portrayed by Lauren Lopez.

Jim Gordon appears in the Saturday Night Live segment "Commissioner Gordon Learns Batman Has No Boundaries", portrayed by Steve Buscemi.

Jim Gordon appears in Batman Black and White, voiced by John Fitzgerald.

Jim Gordon appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2015), voiced by Tom Kenny. This version is a forensics teacher at Super Hero High School.

Jim Gordon appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic. He, Harvey Bullock, and Renee Montoya join forces with Batman's Insurgency to fight the Regime shortly after Gordon is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Gordon takes two of the super pills to save Barbara Gordon from Cyborg, which accelerates his cancer and ends up killing him.