The Doom That Came to Gotham – H.P. Lovecraft-Inspired Batman Film
Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham was released to streaming services on March 28th, and was shown at Wondercon in the Anaheim Convention Center the weekend before.
May 2, 2023
The Batman franchise has been going on for years. Whether it be from its origins in the DC comics or the new animated feature-length films that get pumped out every few years, Batman fans are always excited for a new rendition of their favorite vigilante. Wondercon 2023 announced the release of the newest animated Batman film, alluding to its storyline being inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The film is based initially on a comic mini-series created by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace, Troy Nixey, and Dennis Janke. While the animated Batman features tend to be a hit or miss, is The Doom That Came To Gotham worth the watch? How do the writers tie in H.P. Lovecraft elements without changing the entire plot of Batman’s story? Short answer: It depends on who you are.
If you’re a hardcore Batman fan, meaning you know everything there is to know about Batman and all his sidekicks and villains, this may not be your favorite film. The storyline contains familiar characters, such as Dick Grayson (aka Nightwing), The Penguin, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and more, which makes the film a little confusing for long-time fans. Since this movie was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft lore, finding a way to fit these fan-favorite characters into a story that doesn’t suit them must have been tricky. Cesar Diaz (12), an experienced DC fan and Batman enthusiast, states, “The movie was okay overall. It would have been much better and less confusing if they had used completely new characters instead.” Including characters that already have their own unique stories and background made the plot less enjoyable, making it hard for devoted fans to enjoy the film as much as they would have liked.
If you’re like me and know only the bare minimum about the DC comics and Batman, you might like the film more than others. When I watched this movie, I had no idea who anyone was (besides Bruce Wayne and Alfred, of course), and I found myself enjoying the story a lot more than the avid DC fan I was sitting next to. Being a fan of H.P. Lovecraft helped me enjoy the film, as many famous creatures were used in the plot, with Cthulhu being the main evil of the story. Seeing the works of H.P. Lovecraft elements mixed into modern stories is always a treat, so seeing something with all original characters in this storyline would have made the movie much more universally enjoyable.
Whether you love it or hate it, the creators of the comic and the film worked very hard and overall achieved the goals they were hoping to reach. The movie is definitely geared towards an older audience, as the imagery and monsters may be too explicit and may scare young children. If you’re looking for a good mind-bending DC movie, this would be a good one to go for. The animation is smooth, voice acting is excellent, and the plot overall is very intriguing. It challenges everything you know about the DC universe, whether it’s a good thing or not. It’s worth the watch if you have an open mind; you might be pleasantly surprised!
