Batman Week (The Dark Knight Rises)

As you may know, the conclusion of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, is to be released in theatres this Friday, July 20. The film premiered today and the embargo on reviews was lifted this morning so spoilers have been flying fast and furious on the Internet. I went into blackout today, which means avoiding certain websites, but I'm still trying to get in on the hype. The Dark Knight is probably my favorite superhero movie and I've been eagerly anticipating TDKR since I saw the first trailer before Harry Potter 8, this weekend last year.

Hence, Batman Week.

Today I hung out with my brother playing Arkham City and watched a bunch of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which is a hilariously self-aware cartoon that finished a few years ago. Tomorrow, we're watching Batman Begins, the first of the Nolan trilogy, followed by TDK on Wednesday. In case you're not aware of The Dark Knight Rises, you can read all about it and watch the trailers with Empire's Dark Knight Trilogy feature page. Or just watch the latest trailer.



Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this and am hoping for great things. Anyone else planning on seeing it opening day (I already have my tickets) or rewatching the previous films this week?

Alternatively, if the Batman films are too dark for your taste, watch the Pee-Wee Herman version (by way of late-night comedian Jimmy Fallon).

If you are having a Batman fenzy Eldo I do recommend tracking down for a read the graphic novel Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison and with simply incredible art from Dave Mckean.


And the killing joke by Alan Moore and with immaculate line work by Brian Bolland.

Thanks for the suggestions, Petty. I've borrowed a couple Batman comics from my brother; I remember Year One and The Dark Knight Returns off the top of my head, but I haven't read those two. I'll see if I can find them this week.

I talked to my brother and it turns out that he bought both of those when he went on a Batman comic-buying spree a year or two ago. I'll report back with my thoughts after reading them.

Apparently at a private screening for critics, the whole audience gave a standing ovation at the end, which gets me REALLLY excited!

Another graphic novel for your readinglist Eldo- be suprised if your brother has this one- though you never know.

Judgement on Gotham- Batman/Dredd crossover



Not a necessary read, not a deep meaningful read, not a ground breaking read- but really funny and some great Bisley artwork to look at.

I heard somewhere and I dont know if its true, but that there will be a new Hobbit trailer at the start of the new Batman film, its probably just gossip and not to be taken seriously.

Tin - I heard a lot of good things right before I went on blackout, so I'm excited too.

Petty - I doubt he has that one since he's not familiar with Judge Dredd, but it looks pretty good.

Mrs Figg - I heard that rumor too, but then PJ said the next trailer isn't out until September, so sadly I think it was just a rumor. I'll be sure to report back one way or another though.

Check out the comic thread Eldo.

To be totally honest, I'm almost totally underwhelmed by all the Batman Movies. (Loved the Adam West Batman though. ) I don't care much for super heroes. Give me Tolkien 'little' heroes every time.

NANANANANANANANANANA BATMAN!


(tell me if it's good)

It's great Norc

So I read The Killing Joke tonight. My brother seconded Petty's recommendation and said it was his favorite Batman story, plus it's from Alan Moore, so my expectations were cranked up. And it definitely delivered. I'm not sure how I feel about showing Joker's life pre-transformation since I think any explanation that removes the mystery is bound to be disappointing, but Joker said he wasn't sure what was the truth anyway. The falling in chemicals thing was always a bit goofy to me, but I guess you have to take that with comic books.

I really loved the Joker's and Batman's interactions in this though. Really great stuff. Gordon was good too. An interesting thematic take on the characters, although it felt a bit muddled how they tried to condemn Joker's viewpoint by capturing him "by the book" when Batman is intrinsically not in the book. But my complaints are all just quibbles, I enjoyed this. Rather disturbing but still entertaining. On to A Serious House on Serious Earth next.

NB It's good Norc, especially since his coat sort of looks like a cape in that pic.

I was actually refering to the movie, but hell yeah it's good!

Ive never understood why noone has tried too do the Killing Joke- its very filmic in how its done as is.
I rather liked the low-key nature of the Kokers life prior to his transformation- he wasn' some big criminal, or a genius. He was just a put upon, slighly unpleasant, very desperate man.

Serious House is a different kettle of fish altogether.

Yeah, the whole "one bad day" theme that runs throughout various incarnations of the Joker has always interested me.

I'm told (by Wikipedia) that The Killing Joke was one of the inspirations for The Dark Knight. To be fair, I was looking for similarities, but I could see a few. Joker's attempts at driving Gordon insane was similar to his plan to corrupt Dent in TDK, and his uncertainty about his past was present in both. Obviously it wasn't a straight-forward adaptation though.

Norc wrote:I was actually refering to the movie, but hell yeah it's good!

There's about 37 hours left until my showing (Friday morning matinee) begins! I'll be sure to post my thoughts shortly afterwards.

sounds great!

lol. this is silly. but I had to. it's his birthday afterall. july the 18th 2012 he attended the european Batman premiere.

He has good taste.

Orwell - I assume you have seen the Nolan Batman films? I raelly dont like the other batman films much. Just turned it to a circus of stupity in my opinion.

The new films I think are really good. Although at points it gets a little silly (I hate the bit when he drives his bike half up a wall and the seat spins the other way for example), I think Nolan has tried to make it much more realistic and gritty.

Not sure when I will go, bt definitely going to be seeing this one!

Eldorion wrote:He has good taste.

in clothes, yeah *u*

Looks really good, but havent seen any of the Batmans in this series. On my to-watch list.