Batman

When we last left our hero, he was reeling from the apparent guilt of his friend, Comissoner Gordon, in the collision of two subway trains, which cost massive casualties. GCPD newcomer Jason Bard came into town just in time to be in on the arrest of Gordon for the crime. As we join Batman and Gordon in this issue, the former is visiting the latter in a holding cell and things are looking increasingly troubled.

I know this blog of mine is mostly for reviewing Japanese animation, and frankly I don't even review Japanese comics much, but we all know how much I love Batman (don't we?), and I figured I'd start giving reviewing some comics a chance. I bided time until I could review something Batman-related from the beginning of a story arc or a new book, but with Snyder's Batman still on "Zero Year" and Tomasi's book doing something I want to wait to see pan out, I was a little concerned when I would have a chance.

Oh, Bruce. You say that to all your future meat shields... I mean, partners.

I'm glad they're finally doing a Flash storyline for one of these animated movies, even if it's the one that gave us the confusing New 52 status quo (seriously, how was Damian Wayne ten if Bruce Wayne has only been Batman for six years?). Kevin Conroy is Batman (just, uh... not the one in this trailer), Dana Delany is Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion is Hal Jordan, and Tim Daly's son Sam is Superman (you'll understand when you see). Oooh, and Ron Perlman is Slade/Deathstroke! Cary Elwes is Aquaman! Oh, and Cyborg's in it (who gives a fuck about Cyborg?). 

Batman: Year One
 

****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Billionare Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City after being gone for years. Meanwhile, Jim Gordon arrives in Gotham, becoming a police lieutenant in the corrupt force. Wayne trains himself to fight crime, donning a bat suit to strike fear in criminals. When Gordon is blackmailed for having an affair, he has to admit it to his wife. Mobsters and policemen alike try to take down the Batman, but he avails, and Wayne even saves Gordon's son. Batman forms a bond with Gordon.
 

The Usual Suspects: Who's Next In The Bat-Parade?

So, most of us (if not all of us) have by now seen The Dark Knight. If you haven't, please do so. Go on. I'll wait. Done? Good. Now that we've all seen it, I'm sure that we've already been wondering which of Batman's colorful rogue's gallery will be the featured villian in the next in Christopher Nolan's series. Now, remember, while Batman has a lot of different villians, the Nolanverse seems to stress a commitment to the believable (that is, if you can accept the premise of Batman existing). And while it may be a stretch to think that a tortured rich man swings from roof to roof dressed in a Bat outfit every night, there are some villians which break even this thin standard. So, while Batman has a lot of enemies, some are much more likely to be featured than others.

Tuesday afteroon I saw the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, at a local theater. Pre-movie, I scoped out the trailer to Christian Bale's next no-doubt-blockbuster, the fourth Terminator movie (which means now there'll be two too many). I also sat awkwardly through the trailer for the upcoming movie adaptation of Alan Moore's Watchmen, directed by Zack Synder, who also directed the adaptation of Frank Miller's 300. While it does seem like it might make interesting watching, I still think some comic stories are best left on page. Watchmen deconstructed the superhero comic genre, the movie isn't going to do anything so bold. I can see it going over people's heads, that is, even if they do it justice. But hell, who am I kidding? I'll go see it. Sorry, Mr. Moore. Really, I am.