Harvey Bullock (DC Animated Universe)

Harvey Bullock is a Detective of the Gotham Police department in Batman: The Animated Series. He is a staunch opponent of Batman, and has something of a gruff, tough guy exterior with a strong Italian-American accent. Bullock tends to alternate slightly in his role and nature from episode to episode. At times, he is nothing more than an oafish, incompetent comic relief character, while other episodes show him in a more serious context as a capable detective. Many episodes blend both of these aspects, thus giving more dimensions to the character. Despite his somewhat corpulent appearance, he is shown in a few episodes to be a capable fighter.

History
He was featured prominently in the episode "P.O.V.", in which he and two other officers were questioned about how and why an important bust ended in colossal failure. In his recounting, the voice over contrasts with what happens on screen, the clear implication being that what we see is what really happened, while Bullock's voice over tells quite another story, one in which he is painted in a much more positive and competent light. The effect given in the series is that of an honest, if not exactly by the book, cop who "looks" like the stereotypical corrupt officer.

Although he dislikes Batman at first, Bullock develops a grudging respect for the Dark Knight when Batman saves him from a shark in "The Laughing Fish". It is also revealed that Bullock knows the existence of the Batcomputer, but how Bullock learned of it is unrevealed. It's possible though he just might have been referring to a computer used by Batman as a "Batcomputer" akin to the 1960s TV series habit of everything having a bat- prefix. Bullock, along with Commissioner Gordon, Mayor Hill and Carl Rossum, is saved again by Batman in the two-part episode "Heart of Steel", when he and the others are abducted for H.A.R.D.A.C.'s master plan to create robotic duplicates out of Gotham's Officials and take control of the city. The android Bullock has a notable fight scene against Batman in said episode, although Batman defeats the duplicate by pushing him off a building and onto the Bat-Signal. Bullock earned the scorn of ex-wrestler and criminal kingpin Killer Croc after Bullock sent him to prison for killing a trade union member. Croc swore revenge on Bullock, and attempted to frame him for murder in the episode "Vendetta". When Batman suggests there could be a possibility of Bullock's guilt, Commissioner Gordon defends Bullock by stating that while he is gruff and hard to work with, he is an honest officer and Gordon will defend Bullock until guilt can be proven.

In "A Bullet For Bullock", directly adapted from Detective Comics #651, Bullock teams up with Batman to find out who is behind several attempts on his life. At first, it appears to be a Mob Boss, Vinnie "The Shark" Starkey, behind it, but it is later revealed that it was actually his own landlord, having been driven crazy by Bullock's attitude towards him, meaning Bullock's personality had generated enemies in the unlikliest of people. Despite their mutual dislike for each other, Bullock does show genuine regret when he hears of Batman's supposed demise in "The Man Who Killed Batman".

Appearances

 * "On Leather Wings
 * "It's Never Too Late
 * "Joker's Favor
 * "Pretty Poison
 * "Nothing To Fear
 * "P.O.V.
 * "Vendetta
 * "I Am the Night
 * "Moon of the Wolf
 * "Christmas with the Joker
 * "Heart of Steel Part II
 * "Off Balance
 * "The Laughing Fish
 * "Harley and Ivy
 * "The Man Who Killed Batman
 * "Shadow of the Bat Part I
 * "Shadow of the Bat Part II
 * "Baby Doll
 * "Harley's Holiday
 * "A Bullet for Bullock

Other Appearances
In the comic based on the animated series, Bullock was forced to resign after The Penguin became mayor. As with the DCU version, he became a private detective.

This version of Bullock later made small guest appearances in Superman: The Animated Series and Static Shock. Bullock's counterpart on the Metropolis police force appears to be Daniel Turpin, who was similarly gruff at times, but was less overweight and maintained a neater appearance than Bullock.