Batman Goodies: The Dark Knight Rises on Blu-Ray/DVD

By now, all Bat-Fans are probably aware that the The Dark Knight Rises will be released on Blu-Ray® and DVD on December 4, 2012. Engadget.com has all the scoop over here,

We've also seen the trilogy combination pack making its rounds on the internet. Note that this is the UK version, but I thought it looked pretty neat.

Image and more information about the UK trilogy release here at Collider.

Now, the question we will all have to ask ourselves -- which version to get? Regular? Limited? Wait for the US trilogy release? I have to confess, that my obsession with The Lord of the Rings trilogy have moved me to purchase every single DVD and Blu-ray release versions that ever came out. It's a sickness. I doubt I can collect from two different trilogy films though and I will have to make a decision this time around.

The cowl is pretty damn cool though. 

Which versions are going to get?

Bane Graphic Novel - Why it Needs to Happen

Insights into The Masked Man

bane [beyn]
noun

1. a person or thing that ruins or spoils.

2. a deadly poison.

3. death; destruction; ruin.

Coming fresh of the hype of The Dark Knight Rises, Bane has seen a resurgence in popularity. Relegated to a simple brute in the god-awful Batman & Robin, Bane is finally relevant again.

He might not be a "household name" like The Joker or Catwoman, but dedicated Dark Knights know he's the real deal. I mean, this is the guy who broke Batman's back. I remember when that issue came out (Batman #497). There was a huge poster behind the comic book store counter. It was a bigger deal to me than the death of Superman.

Now that Bane is more of a household name again, thanks to the movie, it's a perfect time to do a one-off graphic novel reinterpretation (similar to what DC did with The Joker). I personally liked Graham Nolan's art the best, but we can go for a completely fresh look here.

Why it should be done 

Bane is a badass villain, among the top 5 in Batman's rogues gallery, in my opinion. However, the comics he appeared in were, to put it bluntly, mediocre. Plus, there are not enough of them. I've read Knightfall, Vengeance of Bane (Bane's origin), and the Bane of the Demon series. I wanted more Batman and Bane.

How it should be done

The thing I love about the world of comic books is that there are many ways to tell a similar story, or reimagine a character. However, there are things about Bane that I think should be kept consistent:

• I like the idea of him being born in a prison. His country of origin, I don't think is as important (can you read accents in comic book panels?)
• He's much cooler/mysterious/threatening when his mouth is covered. It doesn't need to be the Lucha Libre inspired mask, though.
• He needs tubes to feed him the venom. It doesn't matter how, but they need to be visible.
• Bane is smart, calculated, and two steps ahead of Batman. Do not reduce him to an [over-sized] thug.
• Size-wise, Bane shouldn't be too big. He needs to be slightly more imposing than Batman, but not The Hulk. A grittier way to go is to make him like normal human on steroids and growth hormone (Venom is not so subtly based on that phenomenon, anyway). He doesn't need to be a model of human physical perfection; Tom Hardy's bear-like street brawler physique worked really well for the character.
• I loved his romantic interest in Talia al Ghul, and the tie-in with Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins.
• Whereas The Joker is the chaos to Batman's order, the Yin to Batman's Yang, the unstoppable force vs. the immovable object; Bane is more of Batman's equal, both in terms of physical capabilities (i.e. hand-to-hand combat) and genius-level intellect.
• Bane is an expert strategist, but he doesn't necessarily need to remain cold all the time. He doesn't need to ham it up, either, but there is definitely room for verbal displays of quick wits.

Do it, DC! 

I would love to see a new graphic interpretation of Bane (Arkham Asylum Bane doesn't do it for me, sorry). A DC animated feature with Bane as the primary antagonist would be priceless, as well! I'm sure many fans of the character would be pleased.

Book Review: "Joker" (graphic novel)

The Joker is arguably a more interesting character than Batman. The graphic novel Joker, written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Lee Bermejo, focuses on the Clown Prince of Crime through the eyes and narration of his enthusiastic (but green) henchman Jonny Frost.

Set in a dark and bleak Gotham City (yes, even more so than the one you know), Joker leaves Arkham Asyllum and wants to take back control of his city. Blood is certainly shed and laughs are had, even if only by Joker.

It took a while for me to warm up to the style of artwork--with its sharp edges, extreme texture, muted color palette, and blend of painted realism; but when you read the story, Bermejo's artwork really conveys the emotion and impact that Azzarello intended.

It's not a story for weak stomachs, its gruesome violence startles the reader in extreme Joker fashion. The part where the strip club owner's skin is ripped off was a bit over the top for me, but when Joker casually robs a bank and comes back with a blood-marked photo of the bank president's daughter and then tosses it out the car window, it effectively makes you really hate Joker.

My favorite part about the book are its character designs. In particular, Killer Croc (referred to as "Croc") is not immediately recognizable but is done in a more practical manner. He's the muscle but appears to simply possess a genetic skin condition (which is based in reality). Harley Quinn's aesthetic doesn't change much, her costume being her stripper gimmick (HQ being a stripper might rub some people the wrong way); but she is taller and doesn't say much at all (again, this might leave a bad taste in some people's mouth).

Even Joker's look is more similar to Heath Ledger's in The Dark Knight, and instead of the iconic and theatrical purple trench coat, he wears a jacket similar to one Bane wears in The Dark Knight Rises:

Other characters that appear are Harvey Dent/Two-Face, Riddler, Penguin, and of course, Batman. The characters as well as their designs are grittier and they're not necessarily referred to by their common names, ala the Nolanverse; but you know it's them right away.

Overall, it's a worthwhile read, and the [very detailed] art keeps your eyes busy. I read it in one sitting--it's not too long, which is good, because it keeps your interest. While it's probably not the greatest Joker story ever told (that goes to The Killing Joke), it belongs on the bookshelf of any Joker fan.

 

**** (out of 5)

The Dark Knight Rises Easter Eggs: Part I

I geeked out at some of the not-so-subtle Batman Universe references at the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, so I'll share them here. It's not an exhaustive list; just my personal favorites.

1. John Daggett/Roland Daggett

If you watch Batman: The Animated Series "Feat of Clay" episodes, Roland Dagget is a corrupt and powerful businessman, and adversary of Batman, very similar to John Dagget in TDKR. He is the president of Dagget Industries, a pharmaceutical company that develops a face cream that allows the user to mold their face to their desire. The addictive qualities of the face cream ultimately leads to the creation of Clayface. In the movie, John Dagget owns a construction company and pours concrete over Gotham City (that Bane has laced with explosives) instead of clay.

2. Giant Alligators

Okay, I know my taxonomy and that alligators are different from crocodiles, but the whole scene in the sewers and officer Blake's line about giant alligators gave me a sliver of hope at the possibility but improbability of Killer Croc. Side note: Bane beats up Killer Croc in The Animated Series.

3. Bane as Red Hood

"Rookie, lose the helmet, we need faces for camera."

Bane in a red helmet and motorcycle suit getting away from the cops on motorcycle, while the police chase down Batman just made me lose it!

 4. Bane's Coat

One word: HUSH.

5. Judge Crane/Scarecrow

Okay, so I'm a big fan of The Animated Series (it's listed as the 2nd best animated series of all time behind The Simpsons on IGN, c'mon).  In the episode, "Trial", Batman is accused of "creating" all of the criminals, freaks and monsters of Gotham City and is taken to court in Arkham Asyllum, which is presided by none other than . . . Judge Joker! (it sounds better when Harley Quinn says it). Some say that if Heath Ledger was still alive, he should have been the judge in TDKR instead of Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy), but I honestly don't think it would have been as fitting.

6. Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb.

I encourage everyone to take a day off, order a pizza, and watch the 1966 Batman: The Movie. There is a hilarious scene where Adam West's Batman is running around trying to dispose of a live Bomb, but has a very hard time. When he finally brings it to the water (off-screen) and it explodes, Robin presumes that Batman went with it. Much like Blake and the rest of the city assume that Batman dies when he flies the nuclear bomb over the bay.

7. Liam Neeson is a foreshadow for everything

Ra's al Ghul (from Batman Begins): "If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them, and stab them in the heart."

This is exactly what Miranda Tate/Talia does to Batman!

To be continued . . .

PODCAST: Episode 5

The Bat and the Cat wraps up with a complete overview of The Dark Knight Rises, delving into the last third of the movie. If you haven't seen the movie -- first of all, why not? -- there are definitely a lot of SPOILERS on this episode.


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