Batman faces many enemies: crazy clowns, aliens, or a giant crocodile. The greatest detective in the world had to confront a serial killer over 100 years ago, who is still known by almost everyone today.
The author Brian Augustyn and editor Mark Waid faced a problem in the late 1980s. Waid was granted an Annual. This is a longer issue with double the pages that is intended as a special and usually does not belong to the story of the monthly releases. So he had to come up with something special.
Since he had already written many stories, Mark came up with a brilliant idea: alternate stories. So well-known heroes in new situations or eras. This led to the creation of Batman: Gotham By Gaslight in 1989, together with artist Mike Mignola, known from Hellboy. In this story, Bruce Wayne is still Batman, but he exists in a Gotham of the 1890s, and his opponent is none other than the legendary Jack The Ripper.
Batman – Gotham by Gaslight and other stories (Deluxe Edition)
was sent to MeinMMO by Panini as an editorial review copy.
Same Motivation, Different Time
What happens in Gotham by Gaslight? The story begins with a flashback that Batman fans know all too well. Bruce is out at night in a carriage with his parents. Suddenly, they are disturbed by a robber. The parents die, but Bruce survives.
The following years Bruce spent abroad, training his mind and body. As an adult, he returns to 1890s Gotham and becomes Bat-Man
to fight crime at night. While doing so, a well-known serial killer lurks in Gotham: Jack The Ripper. The killer no longer operates in London and instead starts killing prostitutes in Gotham.
The public is uncertain whether Bat-Man
is the killer, and an uneasy atmosphere develops in the city. However, Commissioner Tolliver, Gordon’s boss, has a man in his sights. Bruce Wayne is often absent, and a bloody razor is found in his villa. In a comparatively unfair trial, he is sentenced to death.
Desperate, Bruce tries to find out who has done this to him. An old picture of his father gives him a clue: an old comrade is Jack The Ripper. Bat-Man confronts him and learns that he killed his parents. The reason: Martha Wayne, Bruce’s mother, rejected and laughed at him. This made Jack obsessive and started his killing spree. Bruce was supposed to be the last victim of his revenge.
The special thing here is that a potential murderer of Batman is shown in a comic. This happens rather rarely, and if it does, then mostly in films (like in Batman from 1989). Overall, it is rare because it does not matter for Batman stories.
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is a really good Batman story because the style fits the hero perfectly.
Batman and Gothic Horror are a Perfect Match
What does MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes say about Batman – Gotham by Gaslight? Panini sent us the Deluxe Edition of Batman – Gotham by Gaslight and other stories as an editorial review copy. Every Batman fan should read the main story by Augustyn and Mignola, even if it is an alternate universe.
Authors and artists have often borrowed elements from the gothic (horror) genre for Batman stories. After all, it fits perfectly. Batman is a dark figure who spreads fear and terror among criminals at night. Even his costume reminds one of Dracula.
Gotham By Gaslight leans completely into it. The relatively simple story is still exciting, and especially Mike Mignola was a superb choice as the artist. His work with shadows and the presentation of Bat-Man
is strong. He operates in the dark, and one usually only sees silhouettes. Bat-Man
is like a gothic horror monster, only he aims to be that for villains.
Connecting Bruce’s backstory with Jack The Ripper was just as brilliant a move because Batman is also known as a detective, and who else should he have as an opponent if not the most infamous serial killer in the world.
The Deluxe Edition also contains other Batman stories. The continuation of Gotham by Gaslight (Batman: Master of the Future) is indeed quite fun, but it cannot compare to the wonderful illustrations of Mike Mignola. The other stories, while entertaining, are not particularly special. The story about Clayface, in particular, does not fit in well with the others and feels rather out of place in the Deluxe Edition.
Overall, this new Deluxe Edition, released on September 16, 2025, is especially exciting for collectors. The hardcover binding is nice, and Bryan Augustyn’s foreword adds great context to the creation of the comic.
How can one read Batman – Gotham by Gaslight? If you want a current German version, the new Deluxe Edition is a good choice, especially if you enjoy collecting comics. In English, you can find Batman-Gotham by Gaslight at a lower price, sometimes even used or as a Kindle version. If you want to experience the story only in black and white, there is the so-called Batman Noir
version.
In 2018, an animated film based on Batman: Gotham By Gaslight was also released. However, the film only captures the basic idea of the work and adds other characters and a different course of the story. You can find an iconic Superman story here: One of the most powerful heroes died 32 years ago, and his death remains one of Superman’s most important stories
