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Batman

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  • The007SwedeThe007Swede
    edited July 2012 Posts: 127
    I'm relatively new to Batman (well of course I had seen Begins and The Dark Knight before and I knew who Batman was) and have picked up on all earlier movies over the last months. I had heard about all the praise for the Arkham games so bought them and was very excited about them. I have just finished Arkham Asylum and I'm stunned, loved the game, and plan to move on to AC soon. With the upcoming TDKR release this is a very good time to become a fan of Batman!

    I would also love to get into Batman comics but it feels extremely overwhelming. I have missed over 70 years and have no idea where to start... Are there any "newbie/starters Batman comics" that you can start with? :D
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    The007Swede wrote:
    I'm relatively new to Batman (well of course I had seen Begins and The Dark Knight before and I knew who Batman was) and have picked up on all earlier movies over the last months. I had heard about all the praise for the Arkham games so bought them and was very excited about them. I have just finished Arkham Asylum and I'm stunned, loved the game, and plan to move on to AC soon. With the upcoming TDKR release this is a very good time to become a fan of Batman!

    I would also love to get into Batman comics but it feels extremely overwhelming. I have missed over 70 years and have no idea where to start... Are there any "newbie/starters Batman comics" that you can start with? :D

    There's the 'Year One' trilogy. (Robin: year one, Batgirl:Year one and the infamous Batman year one.)

    BUT DC comics had a huge reboot last year so try the new 52 batman lines
  • The007SwedeThe007Swede
    Posts: 127
    Virage wrote:
    The007Swede wrote:
    I'm relatively new to Batman (well of course I had seen Begins and The Dark Knight before and I knew who Batman was) and have picked up on all earlier movies over the last months. I had heard about all the praise for the Arkham games so bought them and was very excited about them. I have just finished Arkham Asylum and I'm stunned, loved the game, and plan to move on to AC soon. With the upcoming TDKR release this is a very good time to become a fan of Batman!

    I would also love to get into Batman comics but it feels extremely overwhelming. I have missed over 70 years and have no idea where to start... Are there any "newbie/starters Batman comics" that you can start with? :D

    There's the 'Year One' trilogy. (Robin: year one, Batgirl:Year one and the infamous Batman year one.)

    BUT DC comics had a huge reboot last year so try the new 52 batman lines

    Thanks for the help @Virage! I will check them out!

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 23,544
    Just don't expect you can finish this overnight. It takes years of reading to get by. :-)

    Theoretically, the best way to begin would be to collect the 10 already released volumes of The Batman Chronicles, giving us all Batman comics as published from 1939 onwards and well into the 1940s in chronological order. However, they are not so easily digestible for most modern audiences. Their scope is small, many familiar elements and characters have yet to be established and literally every (obvious) move or thought is spelled out in balloons.

    Some of the more recent comic series and graphic novels can certainly bring you up to speed on a few essentials that seem to be playing a big part in Nolan's universe, such as Year One, The Killing Joke, The Long Halloween and Knightfall. You might find some inspiration here:
    http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/3440/last-graphic-novel-comic-book-manga-you-read/p1
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    Posts: 4,813
    @The007Swede since you're relatively new I have to say: I'm curious as to how you like any of the New52 Batman books! You would have a most unique perspective!

    After that though, my recommendations for 'must read' are Year One, Killing Joke, Dark Knight Returns, Hush, Long Halloween, and Alex Ross' War on Crime. Also in light of the upcoming movie it'd be a good idea to check out Knightfall
  • The007SwedeThe007Swede
    Posts: 127
    Thanks guys! Yes, I understand that this is not something I can expect to finish in a month and I don't need to read all the comics. I just want to go a little deeper into the Batman stories and I think comics is the next step after the movies and the games. The New52 look like a good way to start. I went to dccomics.com and conveniently there was an article for those who have seen the movies and want to start reading the comics and the comic in that article was BATMAN VOL. 1: THE COURT OF OWLS.

    So I may be starting with this one and then go on from there. Oh this is great,, having everything undiscovered ahead of you. Kind of like when I saw LALD on television and realized that there were 21 undiscovered Bond movies. Great feeling!
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    The007Swede wrote:
    Thanks guys! Yes, I understand that this is not something I can expect to finish in a month and I don't need to read all the comics. I just want to go a little deeper into the Batman stories and I think comics is the next step after the movies and the games. The New52 look like a good way to start. I went to dccomics.com and conveniently there was an article for those who have seen the movies and want to start reading the comics and the comic in that article was BATMAN VOL. 1: THE COURT OF OWLS.

    So I may be starting with this one and then go on from there. Oh this is great,, having everything undiscovered ahead of you. Kind of like when I saw LALD on television and realized that there were 21 undiscovered Bond movies. Great feeling!

    Owls haven't read it but it is apparently really good. it's also the only time the New 52 has had the whole bat family so that would actually be a good place to start.
  • oo7oo7
    Posts: 1,068
    I dont think getting complete collections of batman is entirely a wise thing. i tried this myself and although it is signed Bob Kane most of these stories are being churned out by a number of people. if you want to look at a time frame then seek the denny oneill period as it has the most regular output of good stuff. collections of stories such as year one, dark knight returns, or the long halloween are must but to try and take in all the gumph that comes from an ongoing series of comics is murder. they are afterall soap opera, designed to keep you reading.
    you might just turn to the 1992 cartoon where paul dini formatted much of oneils stuff for the 20 min. format. year one is out as a movie by wb, with rather bland performances though but peter weller shall be playing the bat in the upcoming dark knight returns
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ah, Denny. You damn codger, behind the whole dial a number to vote whether Jason Todd will live or die. Not a big fan of him.
  • Risico007Risico007
    edited July 2012 Posts: 9,770
    I had a thought David Slade (30 days of night) directing the batman reboot doing sort of a trilogy of fear exploring the more nightmarish villains like The reaper Clayface Mad Hatter Man Bat Killer Croc.... thoughts?
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    DarthDimi wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    Risico007 wrote:
    the more I think about it the more I think Mad hatter could be a strong villain for a film possibly even a primary villian the idea of mind control and manipulation... a film with him and say Dr hugo strange could make for a very dark but awesome film.

    Ah yes, I have wondered why old Hugo hasn't gotten a starring role in a Batman movie yet! After all, he is the only adversary of The Caped Crusader to have figured out that Bruce Wayne is Batman!

    In the older comics, it tended to happen more often. Also, Ra's figured it out pretty quickly during their first confrontations in '71. ;-)

    Yeah, I've got comics dating from the actual first Batman comic in 1939 all the way through 1944 I believe, and skipping a few in 1941 because I don't have that volume yet. Hugo Strange actually beat Joker out for first regular recurring Batman villain, contrary to popular belief among casual fans!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    And Joker was originally supposed to be killed off for good in only his second appearance. I don't think anyone could contemplate just how big of a villain he would come to be, and one of the best ever created.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    And Joker was originally supposed to be killed off for good in only his second appearance. I don't think anyone could contemplate just how big of a villain he would come to be, and one of the best ever created.

    Oh my goodness, yeah I have that one too. I looked into the history of that comic and a poll was created for fans to determine whether or not The Joker was popular enough to be killed off yet, and after the results came back saying to let him live, a final panel was drawn in which showed the doctors figuring out that he had lived.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    00Beast wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    And Joker was originally supposed to be killed off for good in only his second appearance. I don't think anyone could contemplate just how big of a villain he would come to be, and one of the best ever created.

    Oh my goodness, yeah I have that one too. I looked into the history of that comic and a poll was created for fans to determine whether or not The Joker was popular enough to be killed off yet, and after the results came back saying to let him live, a final panel was drawn in which showed the doctors figuring out that he had lived.

    What happened that everyone thought he was in a critical state? I am not familiar with the comic in question. Denny O' Neill did the same thing with Jason Todd. He had people call in one of two numbers to vote whether he should live or die. The people chose, and got what they wanted, horrifically. It has now become a deep part of who Batman is, so in the long run I think it was best that it happened.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    00Beast wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    And Joker was originally supposed to be killed off for good in only his second appearance. I don't think anyone could contemplate just how big of a villain he would come to be, and one of the best ever created.

    Oh my goodness, yeah I have that one too. I looked into the history of that comic and a poll was created for fans to determine whether or not The Joker was popular enough to be killed off yet, and after the results came back saying to let him live, a final panel was drawn in which showed the doctors figuring out that he had lived.

    What happened that everyone thought he was in a critical state? I am not familiar with the comic in question. Denny O' Neill did the same thing with Jason Todd. He had people call in one of two numbers to vote whether he should live or die. The people chose, and got what they wanted, horrifically. It has now become a deep part of who Batman is, so in the long run I think it was best that it happened.

    During the final duel between Batman and The Joker in this particular comic, Joker pulled a knife on Batman and lunged forward in a stabbing manuever. Batman side-stepped out of the way, and Joker's knife swing went into his chest on accident.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,544
    Denny O'Neill pretty much introduced immortality in the Batman comics as a very in-your-face concept: just dive into the Lazarus Pit and walk again. A stretch too far for me.

    I rather have the demise of characters be a bit ambiguous and see them return without much fuss. Like Blofeld's death (?) in DAF. ;-)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DarthDimi wrote:
    Denny O'Neill pretty much introduced immortality in the Batman comics as a very in-your-face concept: just dive into the Lazarus Pit and walk again. A stretch too far for me.

    I rather have the demise of characters be a bit ambiguous and see them return without much fuss. Like Blofeld's death (?) in DAF. ;-)

    Is that how Todd came back? He went in the Lazarus pit all that time ago?
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,544
    I seem to recall that Todd indeed used the pit at one point.

    Yeah it's one way to bring back dead characters. It also makes a scene in which a character dies much less dramatic, knowing there's a back door. ;-)
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    DarthDimi wrote:
    I seem to recall that Todd indeed used the pit at one point.

    Yeah it's one way to bring back dead characters. It also makes a scene in which a character dies much less dramatic, knowing there's a back door. ;-)

    Yeah, Jason Todd was dipped into the Lazarus Pit by Ra's Al Ghul for some reason I forget, though I think it was because he felt sorry for Batman's anguish over the death of Todd. In any event, he came back as The Red Hood. For any of those who have not seen the animated Batman movie "Under the Red Hood", I recommend it. It's absolutely incredible.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,544
    Under the Red Hood is indeed a great film. The animation lacks detail here and there but overall the story is well-told and the executions also rocks. Good choice there, @00Beast.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    What do you guys think of Batman: Gotham Knight?
    gZb4h7aYRDzUsziErNyrPACo8wv.jpg
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,544
    A truly superb animated film that. The opening chapter I am less interested in (basically some kids telling different tales of the same fight Batman apparently had with some foe but the applied visual style is not my thing). However, following that we get some really impressive stuff, especially with Deadshot and that superb stuff on the train. WOW! Also, I love the soundtrack, which offers a tremendous theme for Batman. The voice work is excellent (Conroy, among others) and for once, the animation is spot-on (except, like I said, in the opening chapter, IMO at least!) Timm did go to the Japanese for help and he made the right choice for who understands animation better than the Japanese...

    My favourite Batman anime right after Phantasm and on par with Year One.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7: I was a little bit disappointed with Gotham Knight. I couldn't really tell you why because I've only seen it once even though I own the DVD, haha. I guess that shows how much I wasn't into it. For newer animated Batman DVD's, I'd pick Under the Red Hood, which I'm fascinated by every time I watch it.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I am curious what people think of the 2005 movie tie in Batman game for Batman Begins. I watched it last night, still adore it, and it got me so pumped to play the game again. I used to play it so much when I was little, and was so impressed with it. The game was literally a Rocksteady Batman game prototype. You heavily use stealth and fear as tactics against enemies, and it is so much fun! I can never understand the negative criticism it gets, as I have nothing but love for it to this day. I think I will pop it in today and try to finish it between drawing some more Batman art and watching the indelible TDK. I think I will watch the TDK tomorrow night so it is fresher still in my mind.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    edited July 2012 Posts: 4,762
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    I am curious what people think of the 2005 movie tie in Batman game for Batman Begins. I watched it last night, still adore it, and it got me so pumped to play the game again. I used to play it so much when I was little, and was so impressed with it. The game was literally a Rocksteady Batman game prototype. You heavily use stealth and fear as tactics against enemies, and it is so much fun! I can never understand the negative criticism it gets, as I have nothing but love for it to this day. I think I will pop it in today and try to finish it between drawing some more Batman art and watching the indelible TDK. I think I will watch the TDK tomorrow night so it is fresher still in my mind.

    I had the game on GameCube for a little while, but I soon sold it because I didn't really like it that much. Still though, that was years ago, and my opinion might change if I pick it up again. Now I'm seriously considering doing just that! It has to be $5 or under by now.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,471
    By ways unknown, I found 'Batman Begins' on DVD in the movie closet in my house, so I'm re-watching it now, and following it up with TDK shortly thereafter.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Creasy47 wrote:
    By ways unknown, I found 'Batman Begins' on DVD in the movie closet in my house, so I'm re-watching it now, and following it up with TDK shortly thereafter.
    YES! Get pumped. Just watched Begins last night, and was shocked at how much brilliance was in it, more than I was even aware of before. I let it sit without watching it a lot I guess. But when you have a sequel like it had it isn't hard to understand why attention left it for a bit. I will type up my review later. Don't think there will be any cons...

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 40,471
    The backstory in the film is tremendous. I can't believe a film this good totally passes recognition from me, i.e. how I manage to forget so many parts of the movie, when usually I'm pretty good at that sort of thing.

    It looks like I will get to see TDKR around 2:00 PM on Friday, so this BB DVD revelation couldn't have been discovered at a better time.

    Oh, and I totally forgot that Rade Serbedzija was in this.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Creasy47 wrote:
    The backstory in the film is tremendous. I can't believe a film this good totally passes recognition from me, i.e. how I manage to forget so many parts of the movie, when usually I'm pretty good at that sort of thing.

    It looks like I will get to see TDKR around 2:00 PM on Friday, so this BB DVD revelation couldn't have been discovered at a better time.

    Oh, and I totally forgot that Rade Serbedzija was in this.

    Yes, the "coat guy". And he is the main villain in Die Hard 5 as well.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,471
    He's also the main villain in 'Taken 2.'

    Wow,
    Victor Zsasz
    is in this, too? I really haven't seen this in quite some time.
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