GCPD in Batman Beyond

[Dr Nightmare]

If you've seen the new Space Police 3 (http://brickset.com/browse/themes/?theme=Space&subtheme=Space%20Police%203) LEGOs, you'll most likely have noticed that the police-vehicles look like they've been influenced a lot by the GCPD's vehicles in Batman Beyond. I got a hankering to make some Batman Beyond GCPD vehicles out of LEGOs so I've been scanning through all my DVDs and comics for reference pictures.

It's a very time-consuming process...

So, I was wondering, is there was a site where I could find GCPD reference-drawings or screenshots?

If there isn't, would there be any interest from you folks if I scan the comics and upload screenshots from the DVDs only of BB GCPD-related items? I mean, I'm already looking through all the stuff I have for this, so I might as well make some kind of database to make my time a little more well-spent, right?

Please let me know...thanks!

(also, wow, haven't been here in 4 years, how's everyone doing? :) )

[UPDATE: For anyone interested... it doesn't look like there's much GCPD media out there, so I might as well go ahead and set-up a Wordpress site to host this stuff, along with commentary as filler because of how sparse the material is, heh. Please let me know if you want to contribute GCPD-related material to the site in anyway, whether it be fanart or articles, as long as it's interesting I'll post it.]

Contributors:
Garada
DrNightmare

List of issues/episodes checked:

Comics
-Batman Beyond Vol.1 (DONE)
-Batman Beyond Vol.2 (DONE)

Cartoons
-Batman Beyond (Ep. 1-5)

[Garada]

Well, that sounds like a cool project, and I have all of the BB comics if you are missing any. I can scan and crop art if you need.

While you're at it, and will be looking through ALL of Batman Beyond, why not do a photo-guide for ALL vehicles and mechanical designs in the series? GCPD could be just one section of the thing.

Unless something like this already exists, of course!

[Dr Nightmare]

I'd love to do that, I thought of something like it when I saw one of Bruce's (Bruce Wayne, heh) limos and it looked a whole lot like the B:TAS Batmobile. I thought it'd be nifty to have a site that showcases the cars and gadgets too, like that crazy spinning blade that pops off of Terry's belt!

But I think small steps should be first, focusing on the GCPD can be the start of something greater like that, unless, like you said, it's already been done, heh.

I think the only thing I don't have is the BB Episode Guide and Return of the Joker comic, those might have some useful things in them.

I appreciate the support! I'm on issue 3 of the comics (the first 6-ish miniseries), if you really want to help, maybe you can start on the opposite side with the last issue of the second series, then we can meet in the middle?

I hope there's someone at SDCC I can ask for more reference pictures. Anyone know of someone I can email to get more info about this? Should I bother Timm and the gang? Har har...

[Garada]

Well, I checked out my copy of the ROTJ adaptation, and there is no evidence of the GCPD anywhere! I will look at issues 24 down to about 15 this evening. Don't have the 'Episode Guide' unfortunately.

If I find anything, what quality / format are you scanning them in? I would recommend 300dpi jpegs, so that's what I'll do them at unless you say different! PM me your email so I can send any files your way.

While you're going to all of this trouble, and spotlighting the GCPD, I'd like to see at least a few examples of their uniforms [don't remember if there was a difference between the regular 'beat cops' and 'SWAT' guys, etc] and non-vehicular equipment [walkie talkies, handcuffs, battering rams, sniper rifles, pistols, etc etc].

I guess what I'm saying is, you should make a comprehensive guide to the GCPD! ;) :cool:

Do the GCPD appear in Epilogue? Hmm...

[Dr Nightmare]

Yar! I noticed the different uniforms they wear (even the "normal" cops have different ones sometimes!), so I'm definitely getting those too.

The weapons too, good idea, I think it's funny that in the comic where the Royal Flush gang is up for parole, the guards all have different rifles and blasters as they run down a hall, I guess there's no standard-issue weapon, heh.

JPEGs or PNGs are fine, I just don't want each picture to be like 10 MB, har har.

My email - drnightmare [at] articulateddiscussion [dot] com
or - doc_night665 [at] hotmail [dot] com

[Garada]

Well, I went through issues 15-24 and found... well, not much.

The only GCPD vehicle in ANY of them was a GCPD 'Paddy Wagon' on page 6 of issue 24, and not even a nice shot, just the back with cheezy bar windows. I'm sure there has to be a better pic of this vehicle somewhere in the animation, but if not...

A few mildly interesting bits of GCPD stuff though:

Issue 15 - Page 6 and 17 feature some dudes in heavy armor, they could be SWAT, but honestly, I'm not even sure that they're GCPD! Pages 11+12 feature some shots of a group of GCPD facing off against a gang of Jokerz. The Cops are wielding some HUGE guns, while the Jokerz only have crowbars! :confused: Page 20 has an OK shot of some generic GCPD officers.

Issue 17 - page 13 has a rather uninspiring shot of some GCPD officers.

issue 19 - page 7 depicts what can only be described as a GCPD Traffic Officer, directing traffic. Seriously. Page 18 has a group of GCPD in Riot Gear, wielding 'stun batons' and shields.

Issue 20 - page 6... what the...? These look like '7th Precinct' GCPD or something. They different uniform colors [yellow + green], and a '7' instead of the '5' that most of the GCPD seem to have. Page 10 features some GCPD officers in the same yellow + green color scheme but with the standard '5' on their chest. The caption makes mention of an 'Anti-Gang Unit', so maybe the special colors are for them, and they exist in all 'precincts'. I know, I'm really reaching here to explain something that was probably just a coloring of drawing error... or both! :sweat: Still, fun to speculate.

Issue 23 - page 12 has what must be a GCPD 'Prison Guard'; his uniform is similar to the beat-cop version, but no helmet. Maybe he's just a state employee, not GCPD. We also get a glimpse at a bit of the Gotham Prison of the future.

-------

I can scan any or all of these if you'd like!

[Dr Nightmare]

Yar, send me the scans! I think I'll have to add commentary to the pictures to make the database a little more exciting, lol

Differentiating between GCPD members and others (like security in the hospitals or those guys in red that were protecting the lady in the beginning of the Curare-cult issue) was a problem for me too, there's just n way to tell for sure if the characters don't explicitly say they are part of the GCPD.

And same here, more uninspiring shots of GCPD standing-around and what seems like the same two male and female officers over and over (though that's due to the almost-generic animated-style, heh, please don't kill me everyone!).

I got maybe 7 solid examples of interesting GCPD gear and uniforms, and maybe 3 vehicles. :(

I like how in #15 the gray areas on the officers' uniforms seem to be glowing in the dark. And yeah, I don't know if the armored red guys are SWAT or private security...I used to think Powers's security guards were police too. Also, it looks like Barbara's gun can shoot lasers AND bullets, haha.

I'm going to focus on the cartoons now (I'm on Ep.6), I think the episode with Mad Stan being "dead" SHOULD have a lot of vehicles, they were swarming the area after all!

[Garada]

looks like you already got it covered, but I also checked out #13 & 14...

13 has a couple of decent shots of a basic GCPD Hovercruiser on page 9, and a fairly nice pic of a GCPD pistol being wielded by Barb Gordon on page 3.

14 has a hilarious scene of a GCPD 'beat cop' in a poncho / rain gear type uniform giving chase to none other than the Demon! [page 12]

I'll scan these this weekend! hmm, you have me wanting to watch some of the cartoons now!

[Dr Nightmare]

Haha, Poncho-Cop! I thought that was just a trick-or-treater, didn't think the cops still rode on horseback! It's hilarious though, it'll go up on the site anyway under "suspected GCPD officers" :p

[Garada]

Awesome.

I'm watching disc one of season 2 right now...

Gotta say, there's a great image of the GCPD in the opening credits, would look GREAT as the 'cover' of the GCPD Guide!

:cool: