Ben Affleck as Batman? Why Not?

I found the furor surrounding the recent announcement that Ben Affleck will portray Batman/Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Superman/Batman film to be completely silly. I remember the reactions when Michael Keaton was cast as Batman for the 1989 film (and again in 1992's Batman Returns). The fanboys were not happy, to say the least, but Keaton proved that he was a solid choice for the role. Affleck, like Keaton, is a talented and sometimes underrated actor and I suspect he will prove his worth in the iconic and coveted role. Of course, having a great screenplay and director would also help, so I am cautiously optimistic about the upcoming film, which is scheduled to be released in 2015.

New Series Spotlight: "Beware the Batman"

The latest animated series to feature The Dark Knight, Beware the Batman, premiered this past Saturday on Cartoon Network, as part of the DC Nation block. The new series is a computer animated effort and it certainly looks contemporary and realistic. The focus is on the early days of Batman/Bruce Wayne, so mistakes are made that may startle some viewers, but Bruce is still honing his craft as a crime fighter. In addition, new twists on the legacy of the titular hero, including a different look for Alfred and contemporary villains (many from the Batman comic books), make Beware the Batman stand out from its predecessors. The first episode features relative newcomers Professor Pyg and Mr. Toad, but at least one classic villain, Ra's al Ghul, will be a part of the landscape in future installments. The debut episode was enjoyable and well crafted, although getting used to the updated look and new mythology may take some time for long time fans of Batman. Regardless, I plan to be a regular viewer, at least in the short term.

"Beware the Batman" airs Saturday mornings at 10:00am ET on Cartoon Network.

"The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector'​s Edition" arrives on Blu-ray September 2​4th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

All Three Films, New Special Features, and Memorabilia

 

Burbank, Calif. – Christopher Nolan’s reimagining of the Batman franchise beginning with 2005’s Batman Begins enjoyed phenomenal critical and box-office success. Now on September 24, Nolan’s three Batman films – Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises – will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The six-disc set will feature all three films with their existing extra content, two new featurettes and exclusive new collectible memorabilia. This must-own collection for fans of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader is available in premium packaging and will sell for $99.97 SRP.

 

About the Ultimate Collector’s Edition (UCE):

  *Disc 1 – Batman Begins Feature and Special Features

  *Disc 2 – The Dark Knight Feature

  *Disc 3 – The Dark Knight Special Features

  *Disc 4 – The Dark Knight Rises Feature                    

  *Disc 5 – The Dark Knight Rises Special Features

  *Disc 6 – Bonus Disc of New Special Features (details follow)

 

NEW Special Features:

• The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy - The inside perspective on the fascinating story behind the creation of one of the most celebrated franchises and how it changed the scope of movie making….forever.  Full of never-before-seen footage, rare moments, and exclusive interviews with  Guillermo Del Toro, Damon Lindelof, Michael Mann, Richard Roeper, Zack Snyder and others.

·         Christopher Nolan & Richard Donner: A Conversation - For the first time, Directors Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) and Richard Donner (Superman) sit down to discuss the trials and triumphs involved in bringing the two most iconic superheroes of all time to the big screen, and how Superman influenced Nolan when developing Batman Begins.

 

·         IMAX® Sequences: The Dark Knight; The Dark Knight Rises - See your favorite scenes as they were intended in the original IMAX^© aspect ratio

 

Exclusive NEW Memorabilia:

·         Premium Mattel Hot Wheels Vehicles: Batmobile, Batpod and Tumbler

·         Newly commissioned collectible art cards by Mondo featuring Scarecrow, Joker, Bane, Harvey Dent, and Ra's al Ghul

·         48-page hardcover book featuring production stills and behind the scenes images from all three movies

 

 

About The Films

 

 

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight’s emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents’ murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

 

The Dark Knight (2008)

The follow-up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger), who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Oldman, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.

 

Dark Knight Rises (2012)

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.

 

But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane. Christian Bale stars, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman.

Batman and Superman Join Forces in Kevin J. Anderson's "Enemies & Allies"

The first meeting between the world's finest team of Batman and Superman is depicted during the Cold War era in Enemies & Allies (It Books) by Kevin J. Anderson. The paperback edition of the book was recently released and features two parallel storylines centering around Bruce Wayne/Batman's struggle to regain control of Wayne Enterprises and Clark Kent/Superman's struggle to find his humanity and fend off the ongoing threats from Lex Luthor. In fact, Luthor plays a role in both stories, as he has his eye on Wayne Enterprises and is using his vast influence to obtain technological secrets that play into his scheme to control the escalating arms race, with world domination as his end game. 

The initial encounter between The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel does not go well, but the common threat from Lex Luthor, his Soviet allies, and the discovery of kryptonite eventually places them on a collision course and forces them to work together peacefully. In addition, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen travel to Area 51, where Clark hopes to discover if there are other aliens that may be inhabiting earth. Apparently, Superman is having difficulty fitting in with the human race and wants to find someone more like himself. Meanwhile, Lois Lane and Perry White assume supporting roles, with the intrepid Lane once again throwing caution to the wind, especially where Luthor is concerned. Back in Gotham City, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's majordomo, tackles various roles, as he helps Bruce in his ongoing quest to fight crime, while also using his influence on Wayne board members who may be in league with Luthor. As usual, Alfred helps to keep Bruce/Batman in check by telling him the truth at all times, no matter how unpleasant it may be. 

Enemies & Allies features many references to the Cold War era of the 1950s and drops many familiar historical names along the way. Of course, this is a work of fiction, so liberties are taken with certain events and famous figures. Kevin J. Anderson taps into the "aw-shucks" demeanor of the times, which fits well with Jimmy and Clark's personalities. As readers might expect, Batman is more uptight and serious. Both of the principal characters receive about equal time, but there are more well known characters from Superman's world represented. Much of Batman's time is spent alone, which is appropriate and expected. 

The author captures the feel of the 1950s and appears to have a solid understanding of Superman and Batman. Fans of the iconic heroes and their exploits will likely enjoy reading about their adventures in another time, when some things were simpler, but serious dangers were still in abundance. Of course, without today's 24-hour news cycle, viewers were not subjected to the constant feed, so there was a detachment of sorts. History enthusiasts may be intrigued with Anderson's spin on world affairs and some of the major players of that time period, too. While reading Enemies & Allies, I could not help but remember the old World's Finest comic book, from DC Comics, which featured monthly team-ups between The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel. I suppose that makes this effort a retro treat times two. 

Paperback Spotlight: "Wayne of Gotham" by Tracy Hickman

Batman is featured in the book Wayne of Gotham by Tracy Hickman, which is now available in paperback from It Books. Click here to read my review. See below for additional information.


Behind every mask is a real man. 

Two men joined by blood but separated by murder: Thomas, the rebellious doctor and heir to the vast Wayne empire, and Bruce, his son, whose life is forever altered when he witnesses the brutal death of his parents. 

The slaying of Thomas and Martha Wayne is the torturous point on which Bruce turns to become the mysterious crusader Batman—the genesis of a simple mugging gone horribly wrong. The Dark Knight's file on the case has long been closed, the foundations of Bruce Wayne's secret life secure. But these foundations are shaken when an unexpected guest invades the grounds of Wayne Manor, raising questions about the event that ended the lives of the mother he loved and the father he worshipped, and sparked his unquenchable drive to protect and avenge. 

To discover his true family history, Batman must face down old foes, confront his only confidant, invade the evil heart of Arkham Asylum, and shoulder the terrible new burden of a dark legacy.

Holiday Gift Ideas from Insight Editions: Batman, Looney Tunes and Johnny Cash

Here are three of my favorite books that I had the pleasure of reading in 2012, from Insight Editions. Click on the title of each book to read my review.

For the Batman and superhero fans on your list, The Dark Knight Manual is a clever and unique gift idea.

For the Looney Tunes fans on your list, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons will bring back cherished memories.

The legendary Johnny Cash is profiled in House of Cash by his son, John Carter Cash.

Holiday Gift Ideas from It Books: Archer, Batman, Jeanne Cooper and Heart

The four books featured below are some of my favorites from 2012 and are all published by It Books, a division of Harper Collins. Click on the title of each book to read my review.

For fans of adult oriented humor, How to Archer turns the spy genre of its ear. Based on the FX animated hit series.

For the superhero fan, Wayne of Gotham features an older and weary Dark Knight. 

For fans of The Young and the Restless, Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor) tells all in Not Young, Still Restless

For the classic rock fan and the Lovemongers in your life, Ann and Nancy Wilson reveal their eye opening story in Kicking & Dreaming.


Also from It Books:

The Burning House
Talking Pictures