The Dark Knight Rises one sheet courtesy Warner Brothers
As we count down to the release of The Dark Knight RisesChristopher Nolan made a big revelation about how his Batman Trilogy could have been very different. According to The Playlist Nolan said Heath Ledger was one of many actors he interviewed for the role of Bruce Wayne for Batman Begins.
“He was quite gracious about it, but he said, ‘I would never take a part in a superhero film.’ ” Nolan said. The filmmaker said he thinks Ledger changed his mind eventually because, “I explained to him what I wanted to do with ‘Batman Begins’ and I think maybe he felt I achieved it.”
The story goes on to report that because of Batman Begins Ledger signed on the play the Joker in The Dark Knight without a completed script. Nolan gave his star A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and books on the paintings of Francis Bacon to prepare for the role of the Joker.
I have always believed what makes Christian Bale so good as Bruce Wayne is that he would also be perfect as the Joker. If you saw Bale in his pre Batman Begins roles in American Psycho, The Machinist and Reign of Fire (even the Shaft remake) you could see the man knows how to tap into rage and madness.
Batman: The Court of Owlswas just the beginning! Bruce Wayne defeated the sinister society and their army of assassins. Calvin Rose is the only servant of the Court to break free and it’s payback time in this week’s Talon #2.
Calvin is the ultimate insider. He’s one of the Court’s assassins. In the premiere issue Calvin found a new partner in his mission to bring down the Court forever. This week they invade one of the Court’s most powerful fortresses and discover another of its most twisted mysteries and tragic victims.
Writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV are plotting out like story like a seductive trap worthy of the Court’s most devious minds. Calvin’s heist turns into a life or death fight with another Talon with a sick connection to the mysterious organization. Calvin strikes a powerful blow to the Owls – and they’re ready to strike back.
What’s even more deadly than a Talon? The Court unleashes a different kind of killer from their Tomb of the Unworthy and sets the stage for a vicious showdown in upcoming issues. If you love the twisted mystery of the Court of Owls epic in Batman then check out Talon to uncover more of the cabal’s secrets and root for a new DC anti-hero.
When the Batman movie franchise begins again – producers should definitely consider the Court of Owls for a movie – it’s that good!
Will Joseph Gordon-Levitt join the Justice League?
In Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film it appeared Gordon-Levitt’s character John Blake (Robin) could be assuming the role of the Dark Knight in Gotham City.
Warner Brothers is moving forward with a Justice League movie. Man of Steel director Zach Snyder has hinted that Henry Cavill could reprise his Superman role in a Justice League film. Nolan produced the Man of Steel.
HitFlix reports that Gordon-Levitt has already signed a deal to play Batman in the Justice League movie.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has had an amazing year (The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, Lincoln) and I watch the guy reading a phone book in a movie. Still no word on which other DC heroes would appear in the Justice League film.
All-New X-Men #2 New mutants are popping up across the world. Cyclops has gone full-blown revolutionary. An X-Man travels back to a key point in the team’s history in hopes of saving the mutant race. How will the original five students of Xavier (including Jean Grey!) react upon seeing their future?
Arrow #1 Brand new adventures of DC’s crusader from the creators of the hit CW series and legendary Green Arrow comic creator Mike Grell.
Batman Incorporated #5 Bruce Wayne’s son is now the Batman? Bruce is in Arkham Asylum? Grant Morrison takes you back to the dark future he created in the modern classic Batman #666.
FF #1 Meet the new Fantastic Four? Medusa, Ant-Man, She-Hulk, and She-Thing take the place of Marvel’s First Family in a brand new adventure by Matt Fraction and Mike Allred.
Uncanny Avengers #2 The Red Skull committed one of the most shocking and heinous acts I’ve seen in comics – and now he’s more powerful than ever with a freakish new army and bizarre new weapon. Can Captain America, Thor, Havok, Wolverine, Scarlet Witch and Rogue stop more mutant acts of terror?
The Joker is one twisted, sick freak but Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are taking the arch villain into new depths of depravity, madness and cruelty in Death of the Family. In the first two chapters the Joker revealed his plan to Batman and now Snyder is teasing what’s ahead in the crossover but first…
SPOILER ALERT!
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BATMAN #13 AND #14 YOU MAY NOT WANT TO READ ANY MORE
SERIOUSLY
OK HERE IT COMES
Batman #15 courtesy DC Comics
The Joker has kidnapped Alfred and claims to know the identities of Batman and his allies. What’s more terrifying? The Joker will kill Batman’s friends and allies. I wanted to share some key highlights of what Scott Snyder told Comics Newsarama was coming up next in the Joker’s insane plan and his declaration that he knows all the secret identities of his allies.
“For us, that’s part of the driving horror and mystery of the story. They were afraid that this is the claim that the Joker is going to make, and now he made it. He’s saying, “I know everything about you. I’ve been in your house. I’ve been under your bed. I’ve been in your closet. There’s nothing that I can’t kill in your life or hurt to break you.” And it’s sort of your worst nightmare.
If that’s true, and what he says is true that Bruce essentially is at fault for that somehow, that’s going to drive the conflict. The question of whether or not what he’s saying is true all around is part of the driving conflict, or is the driving conflict of the story, when it comes to the family and Bruce.
So Joker is playing a game with them, where he’s saying, “I know it, and wait until you see how much I know.” He’s saying, “Wait until you see. I’m going to prove it to you. But I’m not just going to come out and say your names, because that would be too easy. I’m going to show you little by little that I have irrefutable evidence that I know exactly who you are.
And as that evidence mounts, the tension really ratchets up between the family and Bruce. What Joker said in #14 is that it’s Batman’s fault, because he wants this to be the way it is. He wants me to come after you deep down.”
Batman #13 courtesy DC Comics
The Joker declared that it’s Bruce Wayne that will kill his friends and allies. Snyder teases the final chapters of the crossover:
“So the stuff coming up in #15 is the aftermath emotionally and what happens between the Bat-family.
And issue #15 has a really big secret, also, that’s going to come out.
Issue #16 and #17 are just completely bat-sh!t crazy, in terms of what he has planned for them, in terms of the psychological, emotional and physical horror of the story.
And I would just say that The Joker has already said that he’s planning something of a celebration at some point. So I can promise you that it’s going to be the craziest, most twisted thing we could possibly do in this book.
So I’m really excited. I just finished it, actually. I just finished #17. It has my favorite ending that I’ve ever done. So I’m really, really excited about it.
And I promise you that the best stuff is still coming in this story.”
Batman #14 became nearly uncomfortable as you imagined how the Joker was torturing Alfred. Bruce could only listen. Snyder and Capullo are creating a horrific masterpiece!
Not even the rogues of Gotham City are safe from the Joker! The insane villain is going after Batman’s friends and allies in Death of the Family. The Joker plucked the Penguin in a back story in last week’s Batman #14. This week the joke is on Selina Kyle in Catwoman #14 by Ann Nocenti and Rafa Sandoval.
I can’t wait to see what the Joker orchestrates for Selina but she knows how to play cat and mouse perhaps better than anybody in Gotham!
In this week’s Batman #14the Joker told Batman his deadly endgame! Bruce’s friends and allies are all marked for death. Only one of Batman’s friends knows what’s happened to Alfred (for now.)
DC Comics revealed this image from inside Batman #15 by Greg Capullo. Barbara, Dick, Jason, Damian and Bruce are gathered in the Batcave to learn the horrible truth of Alfred. As Death of the Family continues it appears friendships and alliances are staring to break and crumble.
Which ally will die? Will a member of the Family break Batman’s rule and kill the Joker?
The Joker’s is attacking and shocking Batman’s allies in Death of the Family but in this week’s Batgirl #14 Gail Simone crafts a killer revelation I didn’t see coming. Barbara’s mother has been kidnapped in a way design remind the heroine of last life changing encounter with the Joker. The villain’s creeps come after her but this is a very different Batgirl. After a year of fighting damaged enemies Barbara sees a chance to really let loose on the kind of criminals that choose to follow a madman – and it’s sweet to see her in action.
I love this issue’s waves of action and emotion. Barbara is crushed by a mysterious caller and flashes back to her worst nightmare but rallies to face the Joker. Barbara’s goodbye to Alysia is symbolic of the end of her life as we know it.
Barbara is no longer a victim but will she take a dark turn in her showdown with the Joker? Could she kill him? Could this be the real meaning of Death of the Family ?
As Batgirl confronts the Joker she learns the real enemy that set her up. This is a huge reveal for fans of the series. Simone takes this long running plot thread, wraps and tugs hard. The biggest twist comes in the form of a sick move by the Joker in the final panel.
