- "Gotham has always had a reputation as a city plagued by gang violence, drug trafficking, vandalism, and arson. Many years of "the Batman" has curbed that problem, but at what cost? Are the people of Gotham willing to live in a city where fear is a substitute for order?"
- ―Luis Pascual[src]
Gotham City is a large city located on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, in the federated state of New Jersey, across the bay from its sister city, Metropolis, Delaware in the District of Metropolis. It is also the birthplace and residence of the fearsome vigilante known as the Batman.
Always a literal cesspool filled with criminals, corruption, pollution and vermin infestations, Gotham is considered by some to be the most dangerous and criminally corrupt city in the world. By day, an attractive and alluring tourist location, while by night, every decent persons' worst nightmare.
History
Foundation
Founded centuries ago in 1635 by a Norwegian mercenary, Gotham City grew to become one of the world's leading economic hubs and a center for history, technology and the arts.[1]
20th century
Gang Violence
In the 1970s, Gotham experienced a period of extreme civil unrest and gang wars. These conflicts forced the businesses in the city's famed Clocktower to exit.[2]
Murder of the Waynes

Thomas and Martha Wayne were gunned down by Joe Chill after leaving the Aragon Theatre.
In 1981, eminent philanthropists Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered by mugger Joe Chill after watching The Mask of Zorro at the Aragon Theatre. The crime left their only son Bruce the last remaining member of the Wayne Family, who witnessed the murder of both of his parents at just 9 years old.[3]
Legend of the Batman
- ""Crime Wave in Gotham." Other breaking news, "Water... wet.""
- ―Perry White to Clark Kent[src]
In the mid-1990s, a vigilante known as "the Batman" waged a one-man war on crime. Armed with a prototype high-tech armored suit, numerous gadgets and a custom combat vehicle, the vigilante went on to take down both the Falcone and Maroni crime families,[citation needed] as well as other extremely formidable criminals, ranging from the flamboyant psychopaths Joker and Harley Quinn, to the mercenary Deadshot, and cannibalistic metahuman Killer Croc.[4]
Bertinelli Massacre

Stefano Galante watched on while Victor Zsasz, Happy, and Carlo Rossi gunned down the Bertinellis.
To further fund his criminal empire, Roman Sionis placed a hit on the Bertinelli Crime Family, once the most powerful crime family in Gotham City. He ordered some of henchmen and members of the Galante Crime Family to obtain the Bertinelli Diamond. The entire crime family was massacred with only Helena Bertinelli surviving. She would later become a crossbow wielding assassin to kill the people involved in the massacre to avenge her family.[5]
21st century
Assault on Arkham Asylum
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Capture of Deadshot
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Capture of Firefly
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Assault on Wayne Enterprises
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Chase of Joker and Harley Quinn
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Lex Luthor's campaign
Chase for the kryptonite
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Duel at Gotham Port
Two years after the Black Zero Event, a grizzled and cruel Batman came to the conclusion that Superman was a threat to humanity, and must be destroyed. He fashioned three kryptonite gas grenades and a kryptonite spear, and arrived at the abandoned Gotham Port, where he set up traps and put the kryptonite spear in place. When all was ready, Batman activated the Batsignal and waited for Superman to appear.
Superman arrived and attempted to explain how they were being manipulated by Lex Luthor, however Batman refused to listen, and claimed he already understood the situation. Superman demonstrated his strength to Batman while Batman, knowing that his odds could only improve if Superman was placed into a weaker state, used a kryptonite gas grenade to weaken him. Batman bested Superman and tackled him down into a building where the two battled it out. However, just as Superman gained his strength and invulnerability back, Batman reloaded his grenade gun and fired another kryptonite grenade, giving him an even greater advantage. Batman grabbed his kryptonite spear and sliced it across Superman's face as Superman pleaded with him to save "Martha", just as Lois Lane arrived and explained that coincidentally, his own mother was named Martha. Finally realizing that Superman's existence on Earth was never a threat and by obsessing on Superman turning evil, he himself became the embodiment of this evil himself, and threw his spear aside.
Rescue of Martha Kent
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Battle against Doomsday
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Layout

Map of downtown Gotham City.
Downtown Gotham City is comprised of many smaller neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods
- Amusement Mile
- Bowery
- Bristol
- Burnley
- Chelsea
- Chinatown
- Corktree
- Coventry
- East End
- Financial District
- Gotham Heights
- Little Bohemia
- Little Odessa
- Lower Gotham
- Lower East Side
- Lower West Side
- Midtown
- Old Gotham
- Park Row
- Robbinsville
- Somerset
- South Gotham
- Tricorner Yards
- Upper East Side
- Upper West Side
- Warehouse District
Locales
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- 10/6
- 27 Tek
- Ace Chemicals factory
- Alice's Antiques
- Aragon Theatre
- Archie Goodwin International Airport
- Arkham Asylum
- Arkham Island
- Balthazar's
- Bertinelli mansion
- Big Belly Burger
- Black Mask club
- Blackgate Penitentiary
- Blades Arena
- Blue Heron
- Bristol Country Club
- Bryant Chemical Works
- Buford Building
- Castleland Mall
- Ciao Bella
- Circo Roma
- City Hall
- Hall of Records
- Mayor's Office
- Clocktower
- Club Vesuvius
- Crystal Palace
- Courthouse Alley
- Davenport Tower
- Davenport Center
- Diamond District
- Doc's Place
- Egyptian
- Ellsworth Building
- Empire International Airport
- Excelsior Motel
- Falcone's
- Fashion District
- Father Knickenbocker Wax Museum
- Finger Foods
- Founders Pier
- Fox Gardens
- Gramercy Loft
- Globe Theater
- Gotham City Cemetery
- Gotham City Arms Hotel
- Gotham City Gas warehouse
- Gotham City General Hospital
- Gotham City Imports Office
- Gotham City Museum of Antiquities
- Gotham City Museum of Natural History
- Gotham City Olympus
- Gotham City Opera House
- Gotham City Police Department
- Gotham City Public Library
- Gotham City Stock Exchange
- Gotham City Yacht Club
- Gotham City Zoo
- Gotham Heights
- Gotham State University
- Haley's Circus
- Harbor Light Motor Lodge
- Harborgate Towers
- Harry's Revue
- HMS Tar
- Hotel Aventine
- Hotel Parvenu
- Hyde Towers
- Iceberg Lounge
- International Museum of Financial History
- Janus Cosmetics building
- Jazzland
- Jitters
- Kane Art Museum
- Kingston Square
- Krankzz
- Kremlin Klub
- La Jeste Clown College
- La Scala Theater
- Luigi's Pizza
- Maxie's Casino
- Marin Hotel
- Mecha Sushi
- Midtown Arena
- Midtown Mall
- MM Good Donuts
- Murray's Exotic Animals
- Neo-Eden
- North Central Hospital
- Official Gotham City Information Center
- Orchard Hotel
- Orpheum Theater
- Pamela's Café
- Paora
- Paradise Club
- Paz Rudi
- Peregrinator's Club
- Powers Hotel
- Powers Stadium
- Red Lotus
- Richland Mall
- Riverside Lounge
- Robinson Park
- Robinson Station
- Rosemont Theater
- Sal's Bodega
- Sionis Below
- Slaughter Swamp State Park
- St. Bernadette's Orphanage
- Taco Dirty to Me
- Tap Room
- Theater Row
- Docks
- Narrows
- Palisades
- The Booby Trap
- Tobacconists Club
- Tricorner Park
- Tricorner Yards
- Up All Night
- Ventriloquist Club
- Victorian Parlor
- Von Gruenwald Tower
- Wayne Aerospace Hangar
- Wayne Botanical Garden
- Wayne Enterprises
- Wayne Manor
- Wayne Medical Center
- Wayne Tower
- Zatara's Magic Shop
Organizations
- Ace Chemicals
- Birds of Prey
- Fuller & Form
- Gotham City Fire Department
- Gotham City Gas
- Gotham City Police Department
- Gotham Free Press
- Gotham Times
- Gotham City Wireless
- Janus Corporation
- Wayne Enterprises
Gotham Organized Crime
- Black Mask's criminal organization - Inactive
- Golden Lions - Inactive
Gotham City Crime Families
- Bertinelli crime family - Defunct
- Galante crime family - Defunct
- Falcone crime family
- Leo crime family
- Maroni crime family
- Gotham City Hunters
- Gotham City Sirens
- Harley Quinn and Associates
- Joker's gang
- Lords of the Avenues
- Mercedes gang
- Sprang Bridge Soldiers
Known inhabitants
Current inhabitants
Former inhabitants
Visitors
Note: Some Visitors end up becoming inhabitants of Gotham after spending an extensive amount of time within the city. This includes "foreign" i.e. Lex Luthor; villains who are incarcerated in either Blackgate or Arkham.
Currently in Gotham
Note:
u This individual will come to Gotham at some point in future content
Formerly in Gotham
Note:
No symbol indicator This individual was born and/or grew up in Gotham
º This individual came to Gotham and remained there, either by making it their home, as part of a mission, or having been incarcerated
†: This individual is deceased
^ This individual left Gotham willingly
i This individual left Gotham unwillingly
x This individual came to Gotham unwillingly
u This individual will come to Gotham at some point in future content
- The current status and/or whereabouts of this individual are unknown
References
- ↑ Wallace, Daniel (February 16, 2016). Time Out Shortlist Gotham and Metropolis (Gotham City). United States: Time Out Group. p. 8.
- ↑ Wallace, Daniel (February 16, 2016). Time Out Shortlist Gotham and Metropolis (Gotham City). United States: Time Out Group. p. 33.
- ↑ Goyer, David S., Terrio, Chris (writers) & Snyder, Zack (director) (March 25, 2016). Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
- ↑ Wallace, Daniel (February 16, 2016). Time Out Shortlist Gotham and Metropolis (Gotham City). United States: Time Out Group. p. 63.
- ↑ Hodson, Christina (writer) & Yan, Cathy (director) (February 7, 2020). Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).