Forbes

Forbes
Biological Information
Species	Human
Status	Deceased
Universe Information
Home universe	Earth-1
Current universe	Earth-Prime
General Information
Occupation	Police commissioner
Affiliation	Original multiverse Gotham City Police Department New multiverse Gotham City Police Department
Family	Unnamed (wife) Steven Forbes (son)
Actor	Cameron McDonald

"It's an elected position, sweetie. You don't like me, run."

—Forbes to Jordan Moore^[src]

Commissioner Forbes (died 2021) was the police commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department. He was the husband of an unnamed woman and the father of Steven Forbes. Eventually, he was killed by the False Face Society at the behest of the Black Mask.

Biography

Original multiverse

Early life

Forbes was born in Gotham City and as an adult, joined its Police Department, eventually becoming Commissioner. At some point in his life, Forbes married a woman and had a son, Steven.

Using the Bat-Signal

In 2018, Forbes supervised the transportation of the Bat-Signal back inside the Gotham Art Museum after the ceremony to permanently turn it off. During the event however, he was ambushed by Alice and her gang.

Months later when the Executioner attacked, Forbes ordered the police to put up and turn on the Bat-Signal again to ask for Batwoman's help, showing his trust in her.

Arresting Jacob Kane

Forbes arrets Jacob Kane.

After Catherine Hamilton-Kane's death, Forbes received an anonymous call informing him Jacob Kane was in the parking lot of the Orpheum Theatre. He led a squad of police there in order to arrest Jacob for Catherine's murder.

Anti-Monitor Crisis

During the Anti-Monitor Crisis, Forbes as well as everyone in the multiverse except for the seven Paragons, was killed in an antimatter wave by the Anti-Monitor on December 10, 2019, only to be restored a month later, after the Paragons and the Spectre created a new universe.

New multiverse

Commissioner

Forbes became commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department some time after Loeb presumably retired.

Conflicting views on Batwoman

After Forbes' son, Steven, and Mayor Akins' son, Bryan, were kidnapped by Mouse, Forbes refused to turn on the Bat-Signal to ask for Batwoman's help. When he was interviewed by Dana Dewitt about said choice, Forbes quickly dismissed her questions, implying it was out of political reasons due to his (or others') personal views regarding Batwoman's recent public coming-out.

After Kate Kane's plane crash, Jacob called Commissioner Forbes, who was intent on declaring her dead, to offer more of his men to help continue the search for her.

Death

On his way to a GCPD budget meeting, Ford spoke with Dana Dewitt in an interview about stopping the distribution of Snakebite while mentioning that his police department has worked with vigilantes in the past. He was then confronted by Jordan Moore regarding his department's disproportionate murders of black men, to which Forbes simply replied she should run for commissioner then. That night, Forbes killed in a drive-by shooting caused by the False Face Society, which was witnessed by Jordan.

Legacy

Although Angelique Martin was the driver of the get-away van, but not the actual shooter, she confessed to the commissioner's assassination.

When Angelique tired of being in jail, she told the ADA who the killers were, but they were already killed by Black Mask.

Personality

Forbes was a gruff, no-nonsense and blunt individual; he very strict regarding the codes and protocols of Gotham City Police Department, rarely listening to what a suspect had to say when under arrest. Forbes also seem to dislike the press, especially when they question his job.

Although seemingly very open-minded regarding vigilantes, Forbes was implied to harbor prejudice against homosexuals since he refused to turn on the Bat-Signal after Batwoman publicly came out as lesbian, despite having previously done it and even if his own son's life was in danger.

Appearances

Batwoman

Season 1

• "Pilot" (mentioned)
• "I'll Be Judge, I'll Be Jury" (mentioned)
• "A Mad Tea-Party"
• "An Un-Birthday Present"
• "Off With Her Head" (mentioned)

Season 2

• "Whatever Happened to Kate Kane?" (phone call)
• "Rule #1"
• "Time Off for Good Behavior" (mentioned)

Behind the scenes

• In DC Comics, Jack Forbes is a corrupt major of the Gotham City Police Department who missed the days when the police were treated like kings and costumed criminals were gunned down. As a result, he agreed to work for the mobster Carmine Falcone, eventually being appointed Interim Commissioner in James Gordon's absence.
• Forbes being the Commissioner could be a reference to Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes from The Vampire Diaries, another show Caroline Dries was involved in.