Tag: Batman

Catwoman’s Greatest Cuts – Updated

 

courtesy Warner Brothers

  Anne Hathaway is winning huge praise from director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale for her performance as Selena Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan even said Hathaway’s Selena Kyle deserved the opportunity to star in a Catwoman solo film. Bale reportedly said that Hathaway “has the toughest job on the film because the Catwoman role has been defined previously.”

Catwoman: Nine Lives of Femme Fatale Poster by Brian Bolland courtesy DC Comics

  Catwoman is one of the most iconic female characters in comic book history. I was inspired to collect some of Catwoman’s greatest “cuts” as the world waits to see how Christopher Nolan and Anne Hathaway will portray her in The Dark Knight Rises.

  Television: As a little kid I raced off the school bus so I didn’t miss a moment of the Batman television show. I loved Julie Newmar as Catwoman. The dramatic purrs on words were part of the show’s camp but Newmar embodied the conflicted bad girl you hope would change her ways for Batman. Eartha Kitt only played Catwoman three times but what an impression. Kitt played Catwoman with a harder, dangerous edge. That cat would do a lot worse than scratch!

  Movies: Michelle Pfeifer’s Catwoman was a deadly kitten with a whip in Batman Returns. Tim Burton’s origin for Selina was very different from the comic books but Pfeiffer made it work. This secretary turned feminist avenger was a deadly mix of empowerment and sex appeal.

  Comics: Bob Kane created The Cat as a socialite turned catburglar villain for Batman. Selina Kyle developed into an antihero with love/hate romantic relationship with Batman. In the 1990’s writers took Selina’s character into dark territory. Modern creators interpretted her disguise and life of crime as a response to a history of abuse. Selina became an avenger of women on the streets of Gotham City.

Catwoman: The Dark End of the Street courtesy DC Comics

  The Dark End of the Street, Crooked Little Town, Relentless, and Wild Ride show Catwoman as a vigilante antihero in modern crime noir tales. During this era Selina takes in an ex-hooker and junkie as a protogee in her war on crime. The look in these collections are similar to the style Anne Hathaway has in photos on the set of The Dark Knight Rises.

  Trail of the Catwoman marked Selina’s return to her infamous persona after a long absence with a new costume. Selina hunts a serial killer targetting the streetwalkers of Gotham City.

  When in Rome is Catwoman versus the Falcone crime family. This is a sexier colorful tale of the cat burglar on a mysterious adventure in Italy.

  Hush is one of my all time favorite Batman epics. The Dark Knight and Catwoman’s twisted relationship is at this most romantic and intense during this year long mystery in which a new villian uses Batman’s greatest enemies as pawns in a mind twisting game. Jim Lee’s Catwoman is perfect.

Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes courtesy DC Comics

  I have to give Adam Hughes praise for his portraits of Catwoman. Cover Run includes many of his iconic DC covers starring the femme fatale.

 DC Comics The New 52 Catwoman title has been the target of praise and controversy. Legendary scribe Ann Nocenti is set to take over from Judd Winnick. Nocenti is famed for her powerful femme fatales in other books so this could be a continued era of greatness for DC’s most infamous anti-heroine.

  Yes, I left out the Catwoman movie starring Halle Berry. Great actress. Unique take on the character. Nuff said.

By Editor

The Dark Knight By Bryan Hitch

Batman #12 variant courtesy DC Comics

  DC Comics shared this look at Bryan Hitch’s variant cover to Batman #12. This issue by Scott Snyder and guest artist Becky Cloonan is an epilogue to The Court of Owls storyline and begins the next arc: the return of the Joker!

  I love this cover by Bryan Hitch who recently ended his decade long Marvel exclusive deal. I’d like to see Hitch take on more of DC’s icons. Hitch is also working with Jonathan Ross on America’s Got Powers from Image.

Batman #12 arrives August 8th.

Top 5 Comics for 7/11/12 Batman, Bloodshoot, Walking Dead and More

Avenging Spider-Man #9 The all-new Captain Marvel debuts! Spider-Man teams up with Carol Danvers in her high flying new role.

Batman #11 courtesy DC Comics

Batman #11 The conclusion to the Court of Owls epic is here! The mastermind behind the secret society and its army of assassins is revealed. The final chapter of The Fall of the House of Wayne backstory reaches into the tragic past of Bruce’s family.

Bloodshot #1 A new series and new mission for the ultimate soldier reborn from military necessity cutting edge technology. A broken hit man is revived with nanites in his blood and revenge on the brain.

The Massive #2 Survivors of a global disaster sail the world in search of their missing crewmates. The Kapital crew make a resupply run to the new city that’s risen up from the sunken debris of Hong Kong. This is socially conscious sci-fi that thrills.

The Walking Dead #100 A milestone issue for the epic series that inspired the hit AMC series. Rick Grimes and his fellow survivors have fought zombies and the worst in humanity in a world gone to hell. This issue promises one of the darkest chapter in Rick’s life and one of the most violent acts in the series history.

 

 

A Big October for Batman Family

  The Joker returns. A new creative team on Detective Comics. October is a big month for the Batman family of books. DC Comics revealed previews today for the Bat-titles.

Talon #1 courtesy DC Comics

  Talon #1 is a new series in the aftermath of the Court of Owls epic. Calvin Rose returns to Gotham City to investigate the fallout. Are his evil masters finally defeated and is he truly free? Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV write the new series with Guillem March on art.

  October also features the first New 52 meeting of Catwoman and Barbara Gordon in Batgirl #13 by Gail Simone. The Catwoman/Batgirl crossover continues in Batgirl Annual #1.

 

Batgirl Annual #1 courtesy DC Comics

  Wonder Woman guest stars in Batwoman #13, Ann Nocenti takes over Gotham’s most fearsome feline in Catwoman #13, and Lady Shiva makes her New 52 debut in Nightwing #13!

 

Batman Incorporated #5 courtesy DC Comics

  Batman Incorporated #13 takes us back into the future world Grant Morrison created in Batman #666 in which Damian is the Batman and Bruce is the warden of Arkham Asylum?

By Editor

New Joker Image for Batman #13

Batman #13 courtesy DC Comics

  A new image of the Joker getting ready for his return to DC Comic The New 52. Last week it was announced the clown prince of crime would return in Batman #13 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.

  The villain has been missing for a year since the finale of Detective Comics #1. Only his carved off face was left nailed up in a cell of Arkham Asylum. This new image by Capullo on DC Comics The Source shows the face back on and Joker readying his trademark look -blood red lips.

  Batman #13 arrives October 10th.

By Editor

New Detective Comics Team Revealed

Detective Comics #13 courtesy DC Comics

  DC Comics revealed writer John Layman (Chew) and artist Jason Fabok (Batman Annual #1) as the new team on Detective Comics and shared Fabok’s cover featuring the Penguin.

  “Obviously, this is a happily surreal and exciting turn-of-events for my career,” Layman tells THE SOURCE. “Not only is this my first work within the DC Universe, but I get to work on one of DC’s undisputedly coolest and highest-profile characters. I’m going to take a look at the role of criminal organizations within Gotham City, hopefully from a perspective that does not get considered very often (if at all). From the symbiotic relationship a master criminal must have with Gotham in order to survive, to the lowly, often faceless criminal underling hoping to rise up the ranks. All that, plus Batman’s gonna play with a bunch of crazy new toys and kick all kinds of butt.”

  Fabok impressed with this Batman/Mr. Freeze/Court of Owls story in Batman Annual #1.

  “First, I want to express how thankful I am to have this opportunity. I am humbled that DC Comics would entrust me with one of their greatest titles,” continues Fabok. “To work on a Batman title has been the number one goal that I set for my career and I am honored to have this opportunity to make my dream become a reality. I’m really hoping to deliver a dark, epic Batman with hints of the art deco stylings of the old animated series and the more modern take seen in recent incarnations. I am hoping to let my influences gush out onto the page and create something that is familiar, classic and yet my own. As for working with John Layman, I couldn’t be more excited. John is a great visual storyteller and he packs every page with meaningful panels that bring the story forward and add incredible depth. Together we hope to deliver a quality Batman tale, filled with mystery, twists, turns, shockers and most of all, fun!”

  Detective Comics #13 with Layman and Fabok arrives October 3rd.

By Editor

The Joker Returns in “Death of the Family”

 

courtesy DC Comics

  The Joker, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. You could call it a dream team. Call it Batman’s nightmare. The most infamous villain in comic book history is back.

  DC Comics revealed the Joker is back this October. When The New 52 launched last September the Joker met a horrific fate at the end of Tony Daniel’s Detective Comics #1. The Joker’s face was carved off and he hasn’t been seen since.

  October’s Batman #13 by Snyder and Capullo kicks off the “Death of the Family” storyline. DC teases the classic villain will be used in “dark, horrifying, unnerving” way and the return will affect Batman, the Bat-family and Gotham City.

  “Joker is my favorite villain of all time,” Snyder revealed today on The Source. “Not just in comics. In everything – film, books, TV. He’s the greatest, hands down. So this story is something extremely important and personal to me – something I’ve been building in my head ever since I started working in Gotham.”

  “When Scott told me that he’d written a Joker story for our next arc, I couldn’t contain my excitement,” added Capullo. “Talk about a dream come true! For me, the Joker is the ultimate rogue and the villain I most wanted to draw. I gotta tell you, after hearing what the story is about, this isn’t a dream come true. It’s a nightmare! A macabre and bloody, flesh crawling nightmare. We hope you’ll have the nerve to face what’s coming. Warning: It ain’t for the faint of heart!”

  Given the cliffhanger of Detective Comics #1 could the classic villain be sporting a new face?

  “Wait ’til you see him,” Snyder said. “Greg’s sketches literally gave me chills. Point blank: This is Joker like you’ve never seen him before. He has a mission. He has a secret. And he has a serious axe to grind with Batman. It isn’t going to be pretty, but it’s going to be a wild ride.”

  This will be the first major story with the Joker in the relaunched DC continuity. The story title makes you think of  the classic “Death in the Family” story in which the Joker killed Jason Todd. There’s no official word on if the Joker’s return will mean a crossover with other Bat-family titles like Night of the Owls. With a title like “Death of the Family” could the Joker’s new plot be to destroy Batman’s alliances with the other heroes of Gotham City? Could the Joker have been masquerading as another character this past year in the New 52?

By Editor

Christopher Nolan on “The Bat” in The Dark Knight Rises.

 

The Dark Knight Rises courtesy Warner Brothers

  Batman amps up his arsenal to fight Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. “The Bat” is Bruce’s plane/chopper hybrid debuting in Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film. The director spoke with SFX Magazine about Batman’s crime fighting tech.

  “Batman has always been the most grounded of superheroes because he is just a man whose only identifiable superpower is extraordinary wealth, really. He has resources through Morgan Freeman’s character, Lucius Fox, and his control of Wayne Enterprises, to have all kinds of technology at his disposal. In this film, we explore some interesting new gadgets – some quite startling things, I think. But, at the same time, we tried to never lose of sight of the balance between the technology he uses and his basic humanity – the drive and commitment to justice that comes from him as a man.”

Thanks to Flicks and Bits.

By Editor

The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20th. You may have noticed on the sidebar of this site that you can buy tickets early via Fandango (top of sidebar) and collector gift cards (choose from Batman, Catwoman or Bane) for your Bat-friend (bottom of sidebar.)