James Gordon (comics)

Commissioner James Gordon
Commissioner Gordon in Batman vol. 3, #3 (July 2016); art by David Finch.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics #27 (May 1939) As Batman: Divergence #1 (June 2015)
Created by	Bill Finger Bob Kane (credited, but involvement is disputed) Lawrence Donovan Henry Ralston John Nanovic
In-story information
Full name	James W. "Jim" Gordon
Team affiliations	Gotham City Police Department United States Marine Corps
Supporting character of	Batman Robin Batgirl
Notable aliases	Batman (2015-2016)
Abilities	Military and police training Criminology training

Commissioner James W. "Jim" Gordon is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with Batman. The character debuted in the first panel of Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), also Batman's first appearance. The character was created by Bill Finger, but credited to Bob Kane. Gordon'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. Commissioner Gordon made his debut as an ally of Batman, making him the first Batman supporting character ever to be introduced.

In most incarnations of the Batman mythos, Jim Gordon is the police commissioner of Gotham City. He shares Batman's deep commitment to ridding the city of crime. In Golden and Silver Age Comics and on the 1960s Batman television show, he fully trusts, and is even somewhat dependent on Batman. In most modern stories, he is somewhat skeptical of Batman's vigilante methods, but nevertheless believes that Gotham needs him. The two have a mutual respect and tacit friendship. Gordon is the father or adoptive father (depending on the continuity) of Barbara Gordon, the first modern Batgirl and the information broker Oracle. James also has a son James Gordon Jr. who first appeared in Batman: Year One.