Gotham Girls
Encyclopedia
Gotham Girls is an American
Flash animation series about the females of Gotham City
, created and produced jointly by Warner Brothers and Noodle Soup Productions in 2002. Episodes starred Harley Quinn
, Poison Ivy, Batgirl
, Catwoman
and Zatanna
in short stories of varying length about the daily lives of the characters (from the DC Comics
universe).
It is also the name of a related comic book series.
) enables the animation to appear undistorted and unpixellated at any resolution
. However, the episodes do not tend to show the Symbols (the pieces used to create the flash) outside of the intended viewing area. For example, in Season 1 Episode 1 while the light beam on Harley continues off screen, her body is only drawn for the dimensions of the intended viewing area.
Each episode features a mini-game or puzzle which can be played while the clip downloads, as well as an interactive feature which allows viewers to help a character make a certain decision.
Other features of the website include downloadable trailers (1, 2), screensavers, desktop backgrounds, internet chat buddy icons, as well as biographies of the characters (additional bios can be viewed by clicking on the occasional flapping bat image appearing in the bottom-right corner while watching the show itself at certain points) and an online version of the classic game Othello (aka Reversi) featuring the Gotham Girls. The screensavers, desktop backgrounds and internet chat buddy icon sites, however, no longer work, and simply redirect to the Warner Bros. website. The Gotham Girls website also does the same.
The series lasted for three seasons (10 episodes each), with each episode released month-by-month. While the first two seasons featured primarily comedic episodes, the third season attempted to make the show more serious. These episodes linked directly to Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
. Dropping the magician Zatanna
from its lineup and adding a host of new characters to the cast, including Detective Renee Montoya
, each episode from this series tied into the next, forming a collective thirty-minute whodunit
. The storyline also dealt with issues not seen since Batman: The Animated Series
, such as the corruption of the Gotham Police Force, Poison Ivy's environmental crusade and Commissioner Gordon
's wavering faith in costumed superheroes. It's also heavily implied that the series takes place in the DC animated universe
. One significant aspect of the third season is the appearance of Det. Selma Reesedale, a character revealed early on to be a male-to-female transsexual.
The series finale, "Cold Hands, Cold Heart" aired in 2002, wrapping up the mystery and ending the website. The final episode was dedicated to the memory of Hilary J. Bader, script writer for numerous DC Animated series, and who had died in 2002 of cancer. GothamGirls.com is no longer online, but the individual flash files themselves remain on the Warner Brothers server and can still be accessed at the links below.
DC Comics produced a five-issue Gotham Girls comic book miniseries
in 2003, written by Paul Storrie. It starred Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, Batgirl, and Renee Montoya, with each issue spotlighting one of these characters to a certain degree. The story, which took place in the DC Animated Universe
, involved a vial of chemicals that the three villainesses fought over, as they also tried to avoid capture by Batgirl and Detective Montoya. A three-issue miniseries, Batman: Harley and Ivy, followed the continued misadventures of Harley and Ivy, with Catwoman joining the mix in the monthly series that follow, Gotham City Sirens
.
, released by Warner Home Video on July 15, 2008. On the DVD the animated episodes are presented in a linear fashion, with the interactive, decision-making option omitted.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Flash animation series about the females of Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
, created and produced jointly by Warner Brothers and Noodle Soup Productions in 2002. Episodes starred Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...
, Poison Ivy, Batgirl
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
, Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
and Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
in short stories of varying length about the daily lives of the characters (from the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe).
It is also the name of a related comic book series.
Flash animation series
Gotham Girls is one of the few series of Flash animations made by a professional publisher of mainstream cartoons, and features professional voice-acting by the same actresses and actors as those who voiced the television series. Its use of Flash (and also vector graphicsVector graphics
Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
) enables the animation to appear undistorted and unpixellated at any resolution
Image resolution
Image resolution is an umbrella term that describes the detail an image holds. The term applies to raster digital images, film images, and other types of images. Higher resolution means more image detail....
. However, the episodes do not tend to show the Symbols (the pieces used to create the flash) outside of the intended viewing area. For example, in Season 1 Episode 1 while the light beam on Harley continues off screen, her body is only drawn for the dimensions of the intended viewing area.
Other features of the website include downloadable trailers (1, 2), screensavers, desktop backgrounds, internet chat buddy icons, as well as biographies of the characters (additional bios can be viewed by clicking on the occasional flapping bat image appearing in the bottom-right corner while watching the show itself at certain points) and an online version of the classic game Othello (aka Reversi) featuring the Gotham Girls. The screensavers, desktop backgrounds and internet chat buddy icon sites, however, no longer work, and simply redirect to the Warner Bros. website. The Gotham Girls website also does the same.
The series lasted for three seasons (10 episodes each), with each episode released month-by-month. While the first two seasons featured primarily comedic episodes, the third season attempted to make the show more serious. These episodes linked directly to Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero is a 1998 direct-to-video animated feature film based on Batman: The Animated Series and is a sequel to the episode Deep Freeze. It won the Annie Award for Best Home Video Animation. It was produced by Warner Bros...
. Dropping the magician Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
from its lineup and adding a host of new characters to the cast, including Detective Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992....
, each episode from this series tied into the next, forming a collective thirty-minute whodunit
Whodunit
A whodunit or whodunnit is a complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the puzzle is the main feature of interest. The reader or viewer is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator of the crime may be deduced before the solution is revealed in the final...
. The storyline also dealt with issues not seen since Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
, such as the corruption of the Gotham Police Force, Poison Ivy's environmental crusade and Commissioner Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
's wavering faith in costumed superheroes. It's also heavily implied that the series takes place in the DC animated universe
DC animated universe
The DC Animated Universe is a fan term that refers to a series of popular animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these series are adapted from DC Comics properties...
. One significant aspect of the third season is the appearance of Det. Selma Reesedale, a character revealed early on to be a male-to-female transsexual.
The series finale, "Cold Hands, Cold Heart" aired in 2002, wrapping up the mystery and ending the website. The final episode was dedicated to the memory of Hilary J. Bader, script writer for numerous DC Animated series, and who had died in 2002 of cancer. GothamGirls.com is no longer online, but the individual flash files themselves remain on the Warner Brothers server and can still be accessed at the links below.
Season 1
- "The Vault"
- "Lap Bat"
- "Trick or Trick (Part one)"
"Trick or Trick (Part two)" - "A Little Night Magic"
- "More Than One Way"
- "Precious Birthstones"
- "Pave Paradise"
- "The Three Babes"
- "The Gardener's Apprentice"
- "Lady - X"
Season 2
- "Hold That Tiger"
- "Miss Un-Congeniality"
- "Strategery"
- "Baby Boom"
- "Cat -n- Mouse"
- "Bat'ing Cleanup"
- "Catsitter"
- "Gotham Noir"
- "Scout's Dis-Honor"
- "I'm Badgirl"
Season 3
- "Ms.-ing in Action"
- "Gotham in Pink"
- "Hear Me Roar"
- "Gotham in Blue"
- "A Cat in the Hand"
- "Jailhouse Wreck"
- "Honor Among Thieves"
- "No, I'm Batgirl"
- "Signal Fires"
- "Cold Hands, Cold Heart"
Voice cast
- Adrienne BarbeauAdrienne BarbeauAdrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
– Selina Kyle (CatwomanCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
), Renee MontoyaRenee MontoyaRenee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992.... - Arleen SorkinArleen SorkinArleen Sorkin is an American actress, screenwriter, presenter and comedienne. Sorkin is known for portraying Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of our Lives and for voicing Batman DC comic supervillainess Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series and the many animated series and...
– Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Harley QuinnHarley QuinnHarley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...
) - Diane PershingDiane PershingDiane Pershing, born and raised in Queens, New York, is a romance novelist, television writer and voice actor.She wrote episodes for the television series The Love Boat and What's Happening Now!!...
– Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley (Poison Ivy) - Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
– Barbara Gordon (BatgirlBarbara GordonBarbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
), Elizabeth Styles - Stacie RandallStacie RandallStacie Randall is an American actress, best known for her roles in Puppet Master 4, Trancers 4 and 5, and Excessive Force 2: Force on Force. Her genres include Action, Science Fiction, Comedy, and Horror.-Actress:-External links:...
- ZatannaZatannaZatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4... - Jennifer HaleJennifer HaleJennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
– Dora Smithy, Acting Commissioner Caroline Greenway, Detective Selma Reesedale - Bob HastingsBob HastingsRobert "Bob" Hastings is an American film, radio, and television character actor. He has also provided voices for animated cartoons....
– Commissioner James GordonJames Gordon (comics)James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane... - Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
– WGBS Anchor, Rogue Cop, Additional Voices - Dee Bradley BakerDee Bradley BakerDee Bradley Baker is an American voice actor. He is noted as his long-running-role as Klaus Heissler in American Dad! and other various characters including Squilliam Fancyson in the hit TV series SpongeBob SquarePants, Nightcrawler in X-Men: Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance...
- Additional Voices
Comic series
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
in 2003, written by Paul Storrie. It starred Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, Batgirl, and Renee Montoya, with each issue spotlighting one of these characters to a certain degree. The story, which took place in the DC Animated Universe
DC animated universe
The DC Animated Universe is a fan term that refers to a series of popular animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these series are adapted from DC Comics properties...
, involved a vial of chemicals that the three villainesses fought over, as they also tried to avoid capture by Batgirl and Detective Montoya. A three-issue miniseries, Batman: Harley and Ivy, followed the continued misadventures of Harley and Ivy, with Catwoman joining the mix in the monthly series that follow, Gotham City Sirens
Gotham City Sirens
Gotham City Sirens is an American comic book ongoing series written by Paul Dini, with art by Guillem March, and published by DC Comics. The series features some of the most popular female characters that inhabit Gotham City, including Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn...
.
DVD release
The complete Gotham Girls series was included as a bonus feature on the DVD release of the Birds of Prey TV seriesBirds of Prey (TV series)
Birds of Prey is a television drama series produced in 2002. The series was developed by Laeta Kalogridis for The WB and is loosely based on the Birds of Prey DC Comics series...
, released by Warner Home Video on July 15, 2008. On the DVD the animated episodes are presented in a linear fashion, with the interactive, decision-making option omitted.
See also
- CatwomanCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
- Harley QuinnHarley QuinnHarley Quinn was first introduced as a villain on September 11, 1992, in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books. As suggested by her name , she is clad in the manner of a traditional harlequin jester...
- Poison Ivy
- BatgirlBarbara GordonBarbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
- Renee MontoyaRenee MontoyaRenee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992....
- ZatannaZatannaZatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...