A Queens councilman is pushing to have Gotham City designated as New York City’s chief nickname to capitalize on the summer release of Batman: The Dark Knight.
The Village Voice’s Runnin’ Scared blog reports that City Councilman — and Batman fan — Hiram Monserrate thinks the moniker would be a perfect tool for attracting tourists, who would be encouraged to “Come visit the real Gotham City.”
Of course, Gotham has been one of New York’s many nicknames since 1807, when Washington Irving compared the city’s residents to those of Gotham in Nottinghamshire, England.
Batman’s base of operations originally was identified as New York City. In 1941, the setting was changed to the fictional Gotham City, which editor Dennis O’Neil once said “is Manhattan below Fourteenth Street at eleven minutes past midnight on the coldest night in November.”
New York magazine’s Vulture blog, with tongue in cheek, argues against the proposal: “Gotham City is not New York! The differences are legion.”
March 27th, 2008 at 9:07 am
So… He wants NYC to be associated with massive corruption at the highest levels of city government and rampant street crime?
That’s not to say that corruption and crime don’t exist, on at least some level, in NYC… But to advertise that? Hilarious.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:08 am
yeah because New York has a terrible time attracting tourists…
March 27th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Kudos to Councilmen Monserrate for getting us all to talk about this, but I highly doubt such a move would do anything for tourism. When people can afford gas and protect their homes from foreclosure, then we might see a boom in tourism. It bugs me when politicians spend their time on gimmicks rather than doing the jobs they’re actually paid to do
OK, I’ve climbed down from my soapbox.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I can’t see that it’s worked for the Gotham in England. Although, if you do visit that Gotham, please note that it’s pronounced “Goat-um”.
March 27th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
The Gotham City in the comics is dirty, corrupt and prone to crimes committed by costumed psychotics.
I don’t think that’s something a real city wants to be associated with.
March 28th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Shaun, he’s already associated with massive corruption and crime. This is the dude that broke into his own office and blamed it on his opponent. He’s scum of the highest order