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This sometimes happens with Jim Gordon. A longtime cop (one of the few good ones in Gotham), he frequently aids Batman in his crime-fighting exploits. It stands to reason he would get to flex his own heroic sleuthing skills from time to time. After all, he’s been doing this job for far longer than Batman.
7 Batman: Hush
This comic has plenty of twists and turns. One such instance comes when Batman finds his friend’s body with the Joker standing over it. He then flies into a blind rage, nearly killing the clown before Gordon steps in. It’s a good thing he does, too.
There’s more to this than satisfying one’s revenge. Batman must maintain his moral and ethical code of no killing. It’s essential to his legitimacy as a hero and, thus, not worth sacrificing over a scumbag like the Joker.
In addition, the momentary reprieve gives Batman pause for thought. The whole scenario is too neat as if it was all arranged. Further investigation leads to the real culprit. Both of these positive outcomes stem from Gordon’s intervention.
6 The Long Halloween
This seminal mystery sees a cryptic killer plaguing Gotham, executing criminals every holiday. All the while, Batman, Gordon, and attorney Harvey Dent attempt to bring down the Falcone mob family. None of them can decipher the murderer’s identity, which weighs on them both mentally and emotionally.
Gordon eventually proposes Dent as a suspect, but Batman immediately rejects the idea. He doesn’t want to accuse his friend, but that mindset clouds his judgement. Falcone has slips out of every legal trap they fashion; even the most stalwart law enforcer would tire of such rules. Not to mention, Dent isn’t entirely stable, especially once Falcone starts gunning for him. He clearly has the motive and opportunity. True, the heroes unmask his wife at the end, but it’s still naive not to entertain Harvey as an option given the clues.
5 The Dark Knight
In Christopher Nolan’s second Batman film, the Joker’s rampage tests many characters. The Caped Crusader’s attempts to stop him all end in failure. One such attack results in Gordon’s death. Eventually, Batman resolves to give himself up. Before he can do so, though, Harvey Dent makes himself a target, giving the Dark Knight a chance to catch the clownish crook.
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Despite this, it’s Gordon who collars the criminal, saving Batman in the process. Faking his death solves two problems. First, it puts his family out of danger. More importantly, it means the Joker never sees him coming. That’s more than Batman can say through the whole movie.
4 Batman: Arkham Knight
The third mainline Arkham title strains Batman’s relationship with his allies, and no character exemplifies this more than Gordon. When his daughter, Barbara, is kidnapped by the Scarecrow and the titular Arkham Knight, Jim learns the hard way that his little girl works for the Caped Crusader. Obviously, he feels immensely betrayed by his friend, causing him to cut himself off from both Batman and the police. This means he vanishes from much of the game.
That is, until Batman finally narrows down Scarecrow’s location. He hears that Gordon has found the villain’s base and infiltrated it on his own. Granted, the Dark Knight must still save him, but it doesn’t change the fact that Jimbo beat him to the punch.
3 Black Mirror
To be fair, this story doesn’t involve the mainline Batman. Instead, Dick Grayson assumes the mantle, which explains why he’s not quite as sharp. It only makes sense for a seasoned cop like Gordon to be better at spotting danger, especially when it comes from his own son.
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The tale sees the return of James Gordon, Jr. He supposedly conquered his psychotic tendencies and comes seeking friendship. His act certainly fools Batman, who cooperates with him on several occasions, but Jim, Sr. doesn’t buy it. He runs a blood test and discovers his son’s anti-psychotic drug is actually amplifying his mental issues. It’s an amateurish oversight on Dick’s part, one which gives Batman a bad name.
2 Gotham
In a show about Gordon’s younger days on the force, he obviously does most of the detective work. Sure enough, he’s as capable and driven as fans would expect, rounding up the city’s crooks and crazies with shocking efficiency. It’s especially admirable considering both the rampant corruption and the efforts by a preteen Bruce Wayne to undermine him. This wouldn’t be a huge issue if the kid wasn’t such a prominent part of the show.
Unfortunately, the writers repeatedly force little Wayne into conflicts that he’s utterly unfit to tackle. It then falls on Gordon to pick up the pieces and rescue the idiot. If this good cop wasn’t there, Bruce wouldn’t have lasted two days, let alone made it to his cape-and-cowl phase later on.
1 The Killing Joke
Few are tested in this twisted tale more than Gordon. The Joker cripples his daughter and then assails the distraught father with obscene pictures of her. The maniacal jester means to destroy any rules Gordon has fashioned in his mind and drive him insane, thereby proving his point that one bad day can demolish any foundation of sanity. Thankfully, it doesn’t work.
Gordon still insists Batman bring the Joker in “by the book.” This is especially potent given the Caped Crusader’s conflict here. His perpetual battle with the Clown Prince of Crime shakes his normally ironclad faith in the justice system. It’s Gordon who reminds him of their duty. These two detectives solve crimes, not to kill criminals, but to uphold the law. This is partially why Batman maintains old Jim as an ally. Not only does he value their friendship, but the veteran cop keeps him on the righteous path. The fact that he retains that righteousness after enduring such trauma is all the more impressive.
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