Sarah Essen

Sarah Essen Gordon
Sarah Essen Gordon as seen in Batman #406 (May 1987). Art by David Mazzucchelli.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Batman #405 (March 1987)
Created by	Frank Miller David Mazzucchelli
In-story information
Full name	Sarah Essen Gordon
Team affiliations	Gotham City Police Department

Sarah Essen Gordon is a fictional character in DC Comics.

Sarah Essen Gordon first appeared in Batman Vol. 1 #405 and was created by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli.

She first appears in Batman #405, part of the Batman: Year One storyline. Then simply Sarah Essen, she is a detective partnered with then-lieutenant James Gordon. Her exact age is never revealed, but it is later revealed in Greg Rucka's novelization of the "No Man's Land" storyline that she is 12 years younger than Gordon. Sarah's detective skills are shown during her attempts with Gordon to catch the Batman; she guesses (correctly) that he is Bruce Wayne by virtue of Bruce's history and the money needed for Batman's arsenal. She and Gordon, who was married at the time, start a brief affair. But when the corrupt Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb attempts to blackmail them, Gordon ends the affair and confesses his actions to his wife Barbara. Sarah leaves Gotham City for New York City soon afterwards.

Editor Denny O'Neil later chose to revive the character as both an investigator and a love interest for Gordon. When she returns in Batman #458 (January 1991), it is explained that Sarah had married a New York cop who was killed in a drug bust. Gordon had long since divorced, and the two begin a serious relationship, eventually resulting in Gordon's proposing to her on a night when the police station is under attack by a trio of supervillains with electric powers. The two get married in Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #2 (1992).

When James Gordon is demoted by Mayor Armand Krol in Batman #519 (June 1995), Sarah is given the job in his stead. Gordon later resigns from the Gotham City Police Department in the same issue. She takes on Gordon's collaboration with Batman and Robin, but does not like the job. Later, Sarah herself is fired from the GCPD by Krol, who is now a "lame duck" after recently losing in the mayoral election against Marion Grange. Essen is replaced as Commissioner by Andrew Howe, a close friend of Armand Krol. Grange later re-instates James Gordon as Commissioner, and also re-hires and promotes Sarah to serve as liaison between the GCPD and the mayor's office.