Batman Day – Best Batman Movies

DC Comics has dubbed today Batman Day. The Dark Knight has been fighting crime and serving justice for his 75th year since the 1939 debut of Detective Comics #27. Batman has been a big part of our lives, and was responsible for making us into the comic book fanatics we are today, whether it be through comic books and toys or television and movies. To show our appreciation for the man, the myth and the legend, we have compiled a plethora of Bat-themed lists. We hope that we can inspire you to read more about Batman and his legacy, or even give us some feedback if you agree or disagree with the lists. Sound off below! And click on the picture below to take you to all of our Batman Day articles.

Top 10 Batman Movies

Batman has been around for 75 years, but is movies are his newest form of media.  How well do you know the movies? Check out our list!

10.) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

One of the biggest questions throughout Batman Beyond was, “What happened to the Joker?” There are so many clowns running around who want to carry on the Joker image, but those punks don’t know what the Clown Prince of Crime was really like. Mark Hamill reprises his role as the Joker, who is just as terrifying as ever. We also get a scene of the animated series that had not previous been released. Years ago, when Tim Drake was Robin, he was kidnapped by Harley and the Joker, and molded into the image of their child. Traumatized, Robin was able to turn the tables on the Joker, electrocuting him to death. It was horrifying and twisted, but that was the end of the Joker. Or was it? The Joker somehow lived on, and was reeking havok on Gotham. Terry McGinnis learns what a real villain can do.

 

9.) LEGO Batman: The Movie

When Batman and Superman decide to switch costumes, and there is a scene of Batman holding Superman’s legs while he stands in his own underwear, we knew this movie was instant gold.  The story is a lot of crossover for all the Justice League members.  When Lex Luthor runs for President and realizes his numbers are low, he breaks The Joker out of Arkham Asylum to help.  As you can imagine, chaos ensues.  Batman and Superman have their hilarious usual banter about who is the better hero.  Even better, there is some very clever use of the LEGO pieces, including a piece of fried chicken LEGO that falls in some debris.  The plot is believable and the dialogue makes for an enjoyable flick for Batman fans of all ages.

 

8.) The Dark Knight Rises

The Christopher Nolan trilogy goes out with a dang in this giant production. Tom Hardy plays Bane, who in the comic books was one of Batman’s most dangerous and cerebral villains. Bane uses Batman’s own carelessness against him, robbing him of his fortune, stealing all his Tumblers and taking over the city. Bane also critically injures Batman by breaking his back over his knee, forcing him to watch from a cell as Bane takes over Gotham city by rudely interrupting Hines Ward’s touchdown celebration. Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman is extremely sexy, and she plays the fence until she sees a way out. The movie is full of plot holes, but what the hell – this is the Dark Knight on the grandest scale he’s ever been on.

 

7.) Batman: Year One

Based on Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s graphic novel of the same name, Batman: Year One is the gritty story of the parallels of Commissioner James Gordon and Bruce Wayne, both in their first year of their defining life path.  Commissioner Gordon is fresh to Gotham after being transferred from Chicago; Bruce has returned to Gotham after training for 12 years.  Both men want to see a change in the crime-ridden city and plan on changing that, but in their own ways.  The movie is honestly one of the best animated features, and one we highly recommend to anyone.  It also doesn’t hurt that Bryan Cranston is the voice of Commissioner Gordon and Eliza Dushku is the voice of Catwoman.

 

6.) Batman Begins

When the world was still trying to forget about Joel Schumacher’s Batman movies, Christopher Nolan stepped up to the plate and delivered a home run with Batman Begins. Starting out with villains Ra’s al Ghul and Scarecrow, the story was much more introspective and displayed the transformation of Bruce becoming the Batman the best of any movie. We got to see Bruce: deal with his parents death, train oversees wit hthe League of Shadows, create the gadgets that he so famously uses. Exploring his defunct R&D department with Lucius Fox was even more exciting. It’s also the film that spawned people screaming “WHERE IS HE?” for no apparent reason. After the success of The Dark Knight, a lot of people forget just how good this film was.

 

5.) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Based strictly off the Frank Miller graphic novel of the same name, The Dark Knight Returns was one of the best translations that DC Animated has done. Clocking in at nearly 2-1/2 hours long, the story has been the only film to be broken down into two separate parts in its animated version. The movie packs a surprising amount of content and story-telling into it, especially considering the original story was based off a four-issue run in 1986. The animated film is just as gritty as the book, and anybody who is unfamiliar with the classic book will have their mind blown when they watch this. Where else can you see Batman pummel Superman with Kyrptonite gauntlets?

 

4.) Batman

Trying their hand at Batman for the first time since the Adam West series, Warner Bros. recruited Tim Burton after the success of Beetlejuice. Batman got off on the right foot by casting an All-Star cast: Michael Keaton as Batman, Jack Nicholson as The Joker, Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale. The film took on a much more Gothic theme, which was perfectly complimented by Danny Elfman’s theme song. Batman’s suit and Batmobile were outfitted with an industrial look, illustrating the change of the times. Jack Nicholson’s Joker is classic, especially when outfit with the patented top hat. Batman is a pure Batman vs. Joker encounter, and a great way to kick off this generation of Batman movies.

 

3.) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

The year is 1993 and Batman: The Animated Series is just a baby. Mask of the Phantasm was essentially a made-for-DVDVHS film that Warner Bros. decided to release as a box office movie. Lack of foresight and an 8 month release schedule meant pretty much no marketing, and it was a commercial failure. Critically, though, it was widely acclaimed. The story centers around Andrea Beaumont, a long lost love of Bruce’s that returns to Gotham. Bruce was ready to end his career as Batman to marry Andrea, but she broke off the engagement and vanished. Around the same time she reappears in Gotham, a hooded figure starts murdering thugs around town. It’s a thrilling ride the whole way through, and showed the potential of The Animated Series.

 

2.) Batman Returns

Batman Returns (1992) is the direct sequel to Batman (1989).  Batman battles two of his nemeses, Penguin and Catwoman.  Set during Christmas, it could be argues that Returns is the second best Christmas movie of all time (the first is Die Hard, duh).  The movie takes a twist on Selina Kyle’s origins in Catwoman, making her somewhat of a real cat; she even has nine lives.  Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman and Selina to purrfection (see what I did there?), giving her the perfect mixture of sexy and evil, yet the audiences don’t exactly dislike her.  She redeems herself a little at the end of the film.  And let’s not forget Batman.  His most heroic moment in the films happens in Returns because he saves all the first born sons of Gotham from The Penguin.  That’s right, Batman saves all the babies.  Batman FTW!

 

1.) The Dark Knight

Hands down, the best Batman movie is The Dark Knight. The tremendous acting by the late Heath Ledger accounted for a new, grimy version of the Joker. Watching him do his thing on screen was as pleasant as it was terrifying. TDK is all about transformation and chaos. While Gotham’s rising star, Harvey Dent, is on the verge of eliminating police corruption and putting hundreds of criminals in jail, the Joker aims to make a mess out of everything. He isn’t just crazy; he’s extremely cunning, managing to fool the police and even Batman. The Joker is such a force in the movie, that a majority of The Dark Knight consists of others reacting to him, and Batman is constantly stretched and unable to overcome the Joker for most of the movie. Thanks to some amazing story-telling, acting and ingenuity, The Dark Knight is a timeless film that you can enjoy no matter how many times you see it.

all photos belong to DC Comics

Batman Day – Best Collectibles

DC Comics has dubbed today Batman Day. The Dark Knight has been fighting crime and serving justice for his 75th year since the 1939 debut of Detective Comics #27. Batman has been a big part of our lives, and was responsible for making us into the comic book fanatics we are today, whether it be through comic books and toys or television and movies. To show our appreciation for the man, the myth and the legend, we have compiled a plethora of Bat-themed lists. We hope that we can inspire you to read more about Batman and his legacy, or even give us some feedback if you agree or disagree with the lists. Sound off below! And click on the picture below to take you to all of our Batman Day articles.

 

 

 

Top 20 Collectibles

Not only does Batman have the best gadgets, but he also is the driving force behind the best collection of action figures, statues and replicas out. Whether it’s an affordable item that you add to your display case or just something to ogle at because nobody in their right mind would spend money on it, there are some great collectibles out there. There was absolutely no way to complete this list without missing a fair share of great items, so here are 20 of what I consider the coolest collectibles to add to your collection. Are there any toys, replicas or eye that I’m missing? Let me know in the comments below.

 

20.) The Dark Knight Rises Bane vs. Batman Statue

 

19.) Tim Burton’s Batman Mime Joker

18.) New52 Box Set of Court of Owls and Death of the Family

 

17.) Sideshow Collectibles Harley Quinn statue

 

16.) Batman Hush Action Figure – DC Artist Signature Series

 

15.) Life-size Batman Statue

 

14.) The Dark Knight Rises Cowl BD Set

 

13.) Lifesize Bat-Signal

 

12.) Capullo Designer Series Figures

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

 

 

11.) Harley Quinn-Joker Mad Love Two-Pack

 

10.) Eagle Moss Batman Chess Set

 

9.) Green Lantern Batman

 

8.) Arkham City Riddler Trophy

 

7.) Kotobukiya ART FX+ Statue

 

6.) Batman vs. Killer Croc Statue

 

5.) Nightwing Arsenal Set from Arkham City

 

4.) Batman vs. Superman: The Dark Knight Returns statue

 

3.) Batman: A Call to Arms from The Dark Knight Returns

 

2.) Batman and Catwoman: Kissing the Knight Statue

 

1.) Batman: Black and White Statues

Bob Kane, first appearance

Arkham Asylum

Dick Grayson as Batman

Ed McGuinness

Neal Adams

Alex Ross

Scott Snyder

Lee Bermejo

Jim Lee New52

Frank Miller

Bruce Timm’s Batman

Batman Beyond

Bruce Timm’s Harley Quinn

Batman Day – Best Batmobile

DC Comics has dubbed today Batman Day. The Dark Knight has been fighting crime and serving justice for his 75th year since the 1939 debut of Detective Comics #27. Batman has been a big part of our lives, and was responsible for making us into the comic book fanatics we are today, whether it be through comic books and toys or television and movies. To show our appreciation for the man, the myth and the legend, we have compiled a plethora of Bat-themed lists. We hope that we can inspire you to read more about Batman and his legacy, or even give us some feedback if you agree or disagree with the lists. Sound off below! And click on the picture below to take you to all of our Batman Day articles. 

 

 

Top 20 Batmobiles

When I was a teenager, there was no feeling like driving the coolest car in the neighborhood, taking it for a stroll to meeting up with friends and get into trouble. I would frequently imagine that my 1989 BMW was the Batmobile. Not only is Batman’s personal automobile his most important mode of transportation, but it’s one of his most trusted resources. Usually outfitted with gadgets and loaded with Bat-tech, these babies don’t come cheap. The models have changed and the accessories have been modernized through the years, but the Batmobile was always a reflection of the best in its time. Batman can’t fly, but these hot rides are not a bad consolation prize. Check out the many Batmobiles that gave the world car envy.

 

20.) Batman Reborn

Damian’s first stab at a Batmobile is kind of ugly, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. At just ten years old, the son of Batman created a Batmobile that can fly and work underwater for himself while dad was out busy being dead/traveling through time or whatever. The gigantic red bat on the top looks like a kid designed it, but its functionality lets us know that a genius built it.

 

19.) The First Batmobile

Back in the day, before the gadgets and flying and stealth mode, Batman drove around Bruce Wayne’s car. It was a 1939 Cord 812, and the only distinction it had as a Batmobile was the subtle hood ornament of the Bat-symbol. Years into the legacy of the Batman, the Batmobile first appeared in Detective Comics #48. It served its purpose well enough, even though Bruce Wayne could only afford a model that was three years old. Pfft.

 

18.) Gotham’s Strangest Race

Nothing shows its age quite like the Batmobile from the 1955 Detective Comics #219. Batman and Robin get themselves involved in Gotham’s Strangest Race, where he takes the helm of a 1905 Marmon, favoring a throwback look for a classic car convention. Whether or not the Batmobile in this issue ran off steam or gasoline is unknown, and it’s an odd choice for a racecar in the mid-1950’s, but you can’t deny there is some charm to it.

 

17.) Batman and Robin movie

Joel Schumacher may be responsible for the worst Batman movie ever made, but that doesn’t mean his Batmobiles weren’t totally awesome. Inspired by the Jaguar D Type. The last movie to feature a classic-style Batmobile, Batman and Robin‘s vehicle had much more pizzazz, equipped with a bladed grill and sharper fins at the rear. It might be a bit gaudy – at 30 feet long, it remains the largest Batmobile thus far. The big kicker here is that it’s only a one-seater.

 

16.) Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Brave and the Bold‘s version of the Batmobile is a conglomeration of past designs. It has the body shape of the modern sports car, the grille of the 1960’s style Batmobiles, and the detailing of Adam West’s Batmobile. Not only did it look rad, but it had the ability to transform into a plane and a submarine, as well as a Stealth mode. This animated follow-up to The Batman was a neo-retro show that had a completely appropriate Batmobile.

 

15.) Batman Beyond

This thing looks like it belonged to an alien overlord much more than it did the Batman. The near future, according to the show, has flying cars, and although Bruce Wayne may have retired from crime-fighting, we sure didn’t stop working. This monstrous Batmobile acts as a mobile Bat-computer, and has all the features of a high-tech military aircraft. Even though Batman Beyond’s suit has rocket boosters on the bottom of his feet, eliminating much of the need for a Batmobile in this world, it doesn’t make this incarnation any less awesome.

 

14.) The Dark Knight Returns Tank

An curmudgeonly man named Bruce Wayne gets so angry at the youth and the pit of despair Gotham has become that he decides to take up his old hobby of breaking the bones of bad guys. It’s only fitting that an old bat like Bruce would have a freaking tank as a Batmobile. Intimidation factor: 100. As he rides up on the mutants with this bad boy, all but their leader cower in fear. This tank is not a looker; in fact, it’s likely the the ugliest Batmobile of the lot. Maybe a built-in medic bay and a nearly-indestructible exterior will change your mind.

 

13.) Detective Comics #601

Not to be one-upped by Back to the Future, the late 80’s marked a time of change in the Batmobile’s technology. This sporty little number, and the various versions it inspired, was used in comic books throughout the mid-90’s. The large wheel covers give off the illusion that the car is hovering above the ground, while the gnarly spoiler compliments a body shaped like the Lamborghini Diablo of that time. It wasn’t just its looks, though. This Batmobile was one of the first to integrate the Bat-computer technology into the dash, as well as a few other useful resources.

 

12.) Christian Nolan’s The Bat

I know, technically this isn’t a Batmobile, but if you’ve seen The Dark Knight Rises, you know that this vehicle had to make the list. No, this isn’t Star Wars; this was Wayne Enterprises R&D dollars hard at work. Adjusting the concept of the Batwing for a modern approach, it’s easy to get awe-struck by the new jet. Aside from having enough firepower to take out his own Tumblers, word on the street is that it even saved Batman’s life when he installed an auto-pilot feature. And yes, it comes in black.

 

11.) The Batman series first Batmobile

With Batman Beyond ending in 2001, the animated world had to search elsewhere for their Batman solo stories. Enter ..er… The Batman. This 2004 show boasted a car that looked straight out of Fast and the Furious, which might have been due to the craze of the Need for Speed: Underground series. Everything on it was custom-bought, to “protect his identity.” Something tells me Brucey got into the import business, as well. Like most racers at the time, it looked far better than in performed, evident when Gearhead (voiced by Terry McGinnis himself, Will Friedle) was able to leave him in the dust in S3E5, “RPM.” With enough cash, it’s very feasible to dress a Honda Civic SI as this Batmobile. Just don’t try fighting crime in it.

 

10.) Hanna Barbera’s Batmobile

This design is heavily based of the 1960’s TV series and adapted for the animated series and Super Friends. It had a very chic design, with the blue took a lot of the flash out of it, but it translated very well to the the small screen. This simple design took Batman on numerous adventures with the Super Friends, and Scooby Doo, too. Before all the doo dads and technical add-ons, the Batmobile was just a really cool looking car that Batman drove around. When the Super Friends ended in 1977 (becoming the Challenge of the Super Friends), they switched to a more sporty look, but nothing can take the place of the Futura model.

 

9.) The Tumbler

Speaking of the Tumbler, the tank-like Batmobile from the Christopher Nolan reboots was a behemoth compared to the more petite versions of the past. This initially was met with conflict – that is, until it started steam-rolling squad cars in Batman Begins. It has been the biggest departure from the traditional Batmobiles, strong enough to withstand gunfire and small explosions, but agile enough to speed through Gotham. One of the neatest features was the ability to lock in a target using ballistics in some type of fighter-pilot mode. Also, when preparing to self-destruct, the Tumbler could split apart and essentially give birth to the BatPod.

 

8.) Arkham Asylum

The award-winning video game series didn’t give players a whole lot of exposure to Batmobiles, but when we did get to check it out, it was quite the beauty. Inspiration from Batman: The Animated Series was all over the place. Even the cast was basically a nostalgic nod to the 90’s cartoon. Unlike the B:TAS series, this Batmobile had much more detail, giving it the vibe of a bulky hot rod – and a build that looked like somebody could actually drive it. You likely won’t get to see this version again, as Rocksteady plans on going with a more Tumbler-like vehicle in Arkham Knight that will be drivable.

 

7.) Capullo’s Zero Year Batmobile

The New52 has been home to some hit or miss comics, but Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman has hit the bullseye every month since the relaunch. After Joker ruined everything in Death of the Family, they dove deeper into Batman’s past, exploring when Bruce Wayne first became the Batman. Batman’s first Batmobile via the relaunch debuted in Batman #25, and is inexplicably a Plymouth Prowler with a vintage Batmobile feel to it. This Batmobile doesn’t just run, it can also hide. With some assistance from the Batcave, it can launch itself into the air, and drive along the ceiling. Goodbye, traffic.

 

6.) BatPod

Batman’s car fetish doesn’t just stop at planes, boats and hot rods; he also has a thing for motorbikes. There’s the classic two-seater, which I’m sure Robin loved, the Tron-like one in the relaunch, and the BatPod from The Dark Knight trilogy – my favorite. Batman had this sucker tucked away inside the Tumbler, and blasted out on the magnificent bike when Joker disabled the Tumbler. Also, not that I need to remind you, he also let Catwoman borrow it in The Dark Knight Rises, leading to a great view of the horizon as she left. The revolutionary feature on the BatPod was the use of a gyroscope axle, allowing Batman to take dangerously fast turns with ease.

 

5.) New52 Batmobile

We’ve only got a glimpse of the Batmobile that Greg Capullo cooked up for us, and that was in Batman #9. This design from the former Spawn artist had a good deal of inspiration from the Hellspawn. There are some callbacks to the old designs, like the Bat-face on the grill of the car, also acting as headlights, but this design is highly futuristic, and thanks to the fact that it looks like Spawn’s cape flowing over the Batmobile, it’s even more frightening than usual. Once Zero Year is over, we will see if Capullo continues with this design or favors the Tumbler version that was used in Jason Fabok’s Detective Comics #20 a year later.

 

4.) Burton’s Batmobile

Have you ever wanted a car that took care of you instead of the other way around? Tim Burton’s Batmobile did just that. Gone was the Bat-face on the front, replaced with a jet turbine engine! When Batman fired it up at full blast, it exuded flames from the exhaust, leading to some not-so-fun times for thugs trying to sneak up on him. When in danger, the Batmobile could form a complete set of armor around the body. Other neat gadgetry included the ability to completely rotate itself 180 degrees by use of grappling hooks and a heavy-duty platform that dropped to the ground and rotated the car, as well as other neat tricks pertinent to the story.

 

3.) Adam West’s Batmobile

If I had one of these, I don’t think I would go about 10 mph. I would need to make sure that everybody saw me driving one of the classiest Batmobiles in history. Unlike the other movie vehicles, this car is already street legal. The 1955 Ford Futura, a concept car with a powerful V8 engine inside, was the model of choice. The fact that it is drivable makes it seem that much cooler, especially when you take into account that it had a phone in the car, along with sonar detection and a plethora of other tech familiar with the likes of James Bond at the time. You can find various replicas at comic book conventions, where people (suckers like me) will pay good money just to stand next to it and take a picture.

 

 

2.) Batman Forever

The first of Joel Schumacher’s babies, the Batmobile from Batman: Forever, is as unique and flamboyant as it is incredible to look at. The entire chasis lights up as it rolls along, and the long fins make it looks like a punked out Burton-mobile with a giant mohawk. An instant classic with Hush, neither the movie nor the Batmobile lasted too long, as it was destroyed less than half-way through the movie.

 

1.) Batman: The Animated Series

Nothing embodies the spirit of vengeance, the night, and Batman more than The Animated Series. People have tried to replicate this beast in real life and failed. It is not meant to be a real-life model. The fact that the front of the car is three times the size of the rest of it isn’t a design flaw. The perspective of animation used makes the Batmobile look like it goes on forever, like a specter watching over the streets of Gotham. Not much detail is needed to create the perfect Batmobile, which has lasted over twenty years as the Best Batmobile.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 Review

When Part 1 of DC’s animated version of The Dark Knight Returns was released in late September last year, fans were pretty upset that they would have to wait four whole months for the second half to drop. Well the wait is finally over and the entire story is now on DVD for your eager minds to digest. For those of you new to comics, the films are based off of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, a 1986 story arc set in a futuristic 1980’s Gotham where government control is almost as bad of an issue as the youth’s grammar is. Bruce Wayne had been retired as Batman for ten years when some punk group of degenerates called the Mutants force him to pull a Michael Jordan and come out of retirement to kick some serious ass.  In short, Part 1 ends with Batman defeating the Mutants and bringing attention to himself in a major way; the media, the President, newly appointed Commissioner Ellen Yindel, and unfortunately, the Joker.

This story arc is widely considered one of the greatest of comic books ever – and it is not without reason. Considering that comics up to that point (at least mainstream comics like DC and Marvel), were for the most part very happy-go-lucky and very politically correct. They just wanted to stay in their little bubble – tell their story, catch the bad guy, get the girl. Rinse, lather, repeat. Frank Miller comes along and uses one of the most loveable characters in comic history to entertain the idea of fighting the government. It’s paramount to the Batman mythos that we follow today and asks us to question whether authority is just or not. One of my favorite quotes from this movie (and believe me, there are quite a few quotables and inspirational speeches in this one) is “You say you answer to some sort of authority. They only want me dead because I’m an embarrassment. Because I do what they can’t. What kind of authority is that?” That’s a damn good question, Batman. Part 2 is not only the more introspective of the two parts, but the most action-packed, as well. Not only does Batman battle the Joker in this movie, but he also takes on: Gotham City PD, a chaotic Gotham City, the United States government and their tool of a soldier, Superman, and untimely arthritis. The Superman part, to me, was the most intriguing. This back-story of an “agreement” for superheroes to cease being is one that I always wanted to see in full and I wish they could go into more detail (Note: For more stories exploring the government regulation of heroes, try DC’s “Kingdom Come” or Marvel’s “Civil War”). Miller also comments quite a bit on the human condition. Through a series of telecast interviews, it is pretty apparent that just about everybody in Gotham is a total asshole! Even Batman gets his Donald Trump on by repeatedly threatening to fire Robin. Half the people in the interviews make you feel like punching them in the face, and it’s a good reason the world is “going to hell in a handbasket (that quote is via Adrian).” Hopefully, both will be read and reflected upon. Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns has really changed the game in comics and helped turn them from children’s books to being some of the most cerebral works of literature out there.

As far as comparing the movie to the graphic novel, director Jay Oliva and writer Bob Goodman have done a terrific job of figuring out which pieces of the book need to be cut out or elaborated on to really captivate what Frank Miller was trying to get across. You can tell that he and his team really appreciate the source matter. What seems to impress me most is how the team was able to take a four-chapter novel and turn it into a 2½ hour long film while not really adding anything unnecessary or leaving out anything vital. One of my biggest gripes about DC Universe Animated Original Movies’ last Batman adaptation (Batman: Year One) is that it too close to the source material. This is unfortunate because it keeps fans new to comics from really enjoying the comics as much as they could have. The Dark Knight Returns: Part II does not have this issue; I feel that somebody could watch both parts to TDKR and still thoroughly enjoy the novel as a new experience. One of the biggest pieces missing from the animated show is the internal thought-process that Batman has. One of the biggest recurring themes of the novel is that Batman is no longer the bulletproof God that he once was. Every panel is full of  “stupid old man” this and “senile fool” that. It really helps build the concept that Batman is a true hero, and there is no sure bet that Batman will emerge victorious.

Animation-wise, the visuals are very clean. They somehow manage to take Frank Miller’s art, which has very unique and manic style, and make it into something that translates into a strong animated movie. The fight scenes are incredible – drawn out in the interest of brutality. Both of the epic battles, one against the Joker, and one against Superman, are terrifyingly exciting and either match or exceed the impact of the ones in the original. The voice-acting is also superb, with the one exception being Michael Emerson’s Joker. As far as voice-acting goes, the bar is set at Mark Hamill every time and the performance of the actor playing Joker is based on how close to the bar he can reach. I believe that Emerson tried hard, but is cursed with sounding too much like Seth McFarlane’s Roger from American Dad. However, Peter Weller’s old man Bat’s was perfect for the image Frank Miller painted him in, and Mark Valley’s Superman was very reminiscent of the Animated Series.

Overall, my recommendation is to go out, buy both parts of the movie, and the graphic novel. It’s a special piece of history put into a format that the masses can truly appreciate it. The great thing is, you don’t need to be a comic book whiz to appreciate it. With all the small details that Miller and Oliva alike put into the final product, fans new to Batman comics will find themselves wanting to dig deeper in the catalog. Trust me, you need to give this a go!

TRIVIA:

– Dave Endorcrine, the show host that guest stars the Joker at the beginning, is a parody of Dave Letterman, and is played by Conan O’Brien.

– Corto Maltese, the island that the Russians try to invade through the movie, is actually based off a1960’s Italian comic book of the same name

 

SCORECARD:

Category	Explanation	Score
Plot	This movie is full of plot twists and surprises! The film goes by so quickly due to the superb pacing of the story, sectioned off in multiple parts.	10/10
Voice-acting	Although the Joker sounds like a Seth McFarlane character, the rest of the cast more than make up for it, as fans could probably name most of the characters with their eyes closed.	9/10
Representation of Source Material	Jay Oliva and crew do a great job of portraying Frank Miller’s vision, knowing what to keep and what to cut out or expand upon. However, it would have been nice to get the internal monologue that Batman and Superman had throughout the novel.	9/10
Animation	TDKR Part II excellently portrays the gritty, 80’s style art that Frank Miller originally had. There is an obvious difference in animation between The Dark Knight Returns and the other DC animated movies.	10/10
Sound Effects and Music	Every bone-jarring punch, every slice-n-dice stab, it’s all in there. Background music also helps build suspense and intensifies emotion.	10/10
Captivity	I found myself glued to the screen for the entire film. Also, the characters really grow on you. You easily find yourself loving and hating a few by the end.	10/10
Overall awesomeness	The action and fight sequences were really enjoyable. Batman really goes all out against his foes.	10/10
Creativity	Gotta dock a point just for the fact that it’s a remake of a book. That aside, the creative team does a good job keeping the movie and the source material distinctly different.	9/10
Replayability	This is the type of film you can watch over and over. Especially when coupled with the first part, it makes for one, long entertaining show, again and again.	9/10
Special Features	Where these DC movies really make it or break it for me are the Special Features.  This movie is packed with goodies: When Heroes Collide examines the fascination of a Superman-Batman showdown, a documentary about the Joker’s character, and a good explanation of scenes that differed in the movie from the novel.	9/10

 

 

 

IF YOU LIKED THIS, CHECK OUT THESE MOVIES:

Batman: Year One

Superman-Batman: Public Enemies

Batman: Under the Red Hood

 

NEXT FOR DC ANIMATED:

Superman: Unbound follows Geoff John’s Brainiac storyline. We’ve attached a trailer below.

Written by Sherif Elkhatib

The Dark Knight Rises Review

Genre: Action/Drama/Comics
Director: Christopher Nolan (Momento, The Dark Night, Inception)
Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway
What’s special about it: The epic conclusion to the Nolan Batman saga, Anne Hathaway in tight leather
Check it out if you liked: Anything Nolan, Sin City
SCORECARD:

Plot – 8
Acting – 9
Representation of Genre – 9
Cinematography – 8
Effects/Environment – 9
Captivity – 8
Logical consistency – 6
Originality/Creativity – 7
Soundtrack/Music – 8
Overall awesomeness – 9

It’s very difficult to write this review, considering all that happened last night. We are still in the process of reaching out to those we know who were there and trying to make sense of this event. I cannot shake the gravity of this situation and we will address it in a separate letter.

I will try my best to get through this review without letting the events at Century 16 in Aurora influence it, but it is nearly impossible to separate the two events. I’ll also do my best not to spoil anything about the plot or character development.

The Dark Knight Rises is Christopher Nolan’s third and final Batman movie, and a terrific conclusion to the trilogy. Rises takes place eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, where Batman took the fall for the murder of Harvey Dent AKA Two-Face, and thereby ruining Batman’s name and keeping Harvey Dent a hero. This allows the Dent Bill to be passed, keeping all organized crime members off the street and in prison. Nobody struggles with this decision more than Commissioner Gordon, bearing this truth by himself and forced to lie about Dent’s true ugly side (no pun intended). Batman, and therefore Bruce Wayne, have been “retired.” However, as Catwoman states it, “a storm is coming.”

In terms of acting, this is the best of the series. My Cocaine (imagine Michael Caine saying his name in his own voice) did a terrific job as Alfred, bringing a lot of emotion to the role, in addition to his subtle, dry, British humor. Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman performed expectedly well as their former roles as Bruce Wayne, Lucious Fox and James Gordon, respectively. However, it was newcomers Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway who stole the show.

Levitt plays a beat cop, John Blake, who shares a similar past with Bruce Wayne, an orphan who shares Wayne’s constant anger and pain. His role is one similar to Dick Grayson in the comics – a poor, well-meaning and strong orphan who always sticks up for the little guy. Tom Hardy plays a very convincingly scary Bane. His story is similar to his comic book origin. He was born in a prison, a hell. He is very intelligent and brutal. My only gripe on his character is that I genuinely felt his image was as important as his character. The luchador mask, Venom addiction and Mexican accent was vital to his character. So, to hear this gentlemanly British voice was almost comical to me. Anne Hathaway did an amazing job as Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman. Her previous roles as a princess were soon forgotten after her first scene. The chemistry between her character and Batman was played very well. Oh, and the cat ears I thought were ridiculous actually serve a technical purpose; they’re pretty rad.

The story was very dynamic in Rises. Instead of focusing on Batman’s development and struggles, the film spreads the love between all the main characters and we really get to see how the Batman and the terror that is plaguing Gotham affects everybody, from the President to the orphan paupers. Comic book fans will also be satisfied by the amount of homework Nolan does; TDKR feels like a compilation of Knightfall, The Dark Knight Returns, No Man’s Land and, dare I say, even a little hint of Batman, Inc. The Dark Knight Rises also threw a lot of plot twists to keep even the keenest comic book fans off Nolan’s scent. However, a lot of these twists were so predictable that you guessed wrong because it was “too predictable.” I’ll cut Nolan some slack, though, since, being a definitive movie with a definite ENDING, there aren’t too many other options for an epic conclusion.

While saying that Nolan had a political agenda may be stretching it, to say there were no political themes in the movie would be just plain ignorant. From “The Star-Spangled Banner” to the tattered American flags, all evidence pointed in the direction that Nolan was trying to say something. It could be a lot of things. In a conservative viewpoint, it could be the representation of the 99% becoming the 100%, the symbol that Bane could be the leader of the Occupy movement and that instead of pushing for equality, the Occupy movement would be a dismantling of the system. More liberally, it could be a scream for gun control. The issue of guns and armed violence is bought up repeatedly throughout the movie. More realistically, it may be a representation of the idea that money does not make a person just; we should not let money have power over us and it is the actions we take that define who were are as people. To me, this movie laid the foundation, and the subsequent massacre at Century 16 has cemented it, that truly terrorism succeeds when the people become oppressed. As a people, we must decide that this will not be tolerated.

Overall, this movie was a roller-coaster of emotion. From the heart-wrenching story to the terrific acting by the entire cast, Christopher Nolan does a great job of putting the viewers directly in the fire. It’s a fitting end to the best trilogy ever made (I see you, Star Wars) and there is absolutely no way you should let the actions of one keep you from seeing this inspiring film.

written by Sherif Elkhatib

Using Fear to Prey on the Fearful

“Speaking on behalf of the cast and crew of The Dark Knight Rises, I would like to express our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community. I would not presume to know anything about the victims of the shooting but that they were there last night to watch a movie. I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me. Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families.”

Christopher Nolan released this statement earlier yesterday about the “Aurora Batman Shooting,” a phrase that will come to describe the events that unfolded at the Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colorado – and will ultimately ruin anything with the words “Aurora” and “Batman” in the same breath. In a neighborhood we grew up in, in a movie theater we have frequented since we were getting rides from our parents to sneak into movies they would not approve of, our city’s safety and well-being were violated by a gunman who shot 71 people, killing 12, in pre-meditated act of cruelty in Theater 9.

That night, the Hush Comics (Adrian Puryear, Panama Soweto, Evan Lowe, Sara Elkhatib, a couple other friends, myself) family were excitedly awaiting the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. We had decided on the Arapahoe Crossings Chinese Mann theater, choosing it over Century 16 because Fandango would not allow me to buy tickets for Century. The reality is that we were very close to going to that theater and it is a fact that I am very grateful for. Unfortunately, we all had friends in the theater and many of them will be scarred for life, physically and emotionally.

People inside, and outside, of Aurora always joke that Century 16 is and always has been the “ghetto” theater. Being the most heavily populated black community, those jokes are always thrown around. We said it when my parents had their catalytic converter stolen from under their 4Runner in broad daylight a few years back. We definitely said it eight years ago when I, a scrawny 16 year old at the time, was stabbed and robbed of my car after a midnight showing of Aliens vs. Predators by a group of desperate kids. But this, this was much worse. This hit so close to home. I think what makes me feel the sickest about it, is that it wasn’t just a group of desperate kids, nor a rise of testosterone. This was a planned attack on a movie theater full of young people. This coward walked into a dark room, trapped and killed defenseless members of our community while wearing full ballistics armor. A 24 year-old PhD neuroscientic, James Holmes goaded police officers with his master plans as if he were Jonathan Crane. Oh, and by the way, asshole, the Joker has green hair.

To add insult to injury, the response I get from everybody is, “well yeah, it’s Aurora.” This kind of this should never happen in Aurora, never anywhere. When I went places today, it was business as usual. No empathetic looks, no common courtesy; it’s like the whole world has been numbed to tragic violence. There needs to be more to this than Facebook statuses and news coverage. There must be real substance in our reaction as a society, not just a gilded excuse to push gun control and political agendas.

In time, our wounds will heal. Just as New York City has with the terrorist attacks of September 11th, Aurora will become hardened from the scars left. After that night, 8 years ago, when my sense of security was violated, my parents forbid me to go back. Understandable from their point of view, but I needed to face my demons. If I allowed my demons to keep me from feeling safe in my own hometown, how much longer would I go on running from things that scare me? It was very similar to taking the same route home from school as a kid, even if it means the school bully was waiting for me every day. To sum it up, I will not allow anybody to make me feel weak, and I implore the city of Aurora to stand behind this landmarked theater, instead of allowing it to wither into a frightening reminder of that night.

I am pretty sure now that, although a superior movie, The Dark Knight Rises will not outsell The Avengers. I can only predict that somebody will trick the ignorant into believing that Batman somehow caused this massacre (much like the way he is accused of causing the sociopaths of Gotham to exist in the comics). I also would like to point out that, at the time of writing, I have not seen any Marvel social media that has raised any awareness of the situation, losing my money and support for quite a while. DC Comics and Warner Bros., however, have been very understanding in the matter, canceling shows, supporting blood drives, as well as showing an overwhelming amount of support from writers, artists and publishers through various social media outlets. What we should take this as is a wake-up call. We have been fooling ourselves, thinking that we can disappear into a digital world, in effect disconnecting ourselves from our community with this bullshit “not my problem” mentality and expect those in power to take care of us.

I will take it one step further to infer that from the ashes those bullets laid at our feet to say that we need a Batman to rise from the pit of despair we find ourselves in. We cannot let Aurora become Gotham City. To give in to the fear is to stop believing in Batman.

written by Sherif Elkhatib

Gotham Rogues Hines Ward Action Figure

It seems like the exclusives keep piling on for The Dark Knight Rises. Adding to the already long list of cool figures, statues and other memorabilia, Seth McFarlane and McFarlane Toys is releasing a Hines Ward action figure with him in a Gotham City Rogues uniform to immortalize the part in the film where he runs for a touchdown and looks back to see that the entire field has been imploded by Bane. It’s a must have for anybody who loves Batman, the Pittsburg Steelers or is a collector. So far, the figure is set to retail at $15, which is normal for figures like this. However, you can bet that once these run out on store shelves, which will be very quickly, you can expect prices to shoot up online.

The figure is not expected to go on sale until October 2012, but you can pre-order the figure through McFarlane Toys here.

written by Sherif Elkhatib