Batman

News and Notes

/ / News

Joseph Gordon-LevittHitFix is reporting that Warner Bros. is in talks with Joseph Gordon-Levitt to play Batman in the proposed Justice League film tentatively slated for the summer of 2015. If true, it’s unclear whether Gordon-Levitt would play the same character of John “Don’t Call Me Robin” Blake from The Dark Knight Rises (hopefully not) or would take over the mantle of Bruce Wayne as well in a true reboot that would still slyly acknowledge Christopher Nolan‘s films (hmmm….?)

Deadline is reporting Chevy Chase has finally parted ways with Community even though many of the show’s upcoming Fourth Season episodes have yet to be filmed

Ace Showbiz is reporting that Lenny Kravitz has been cast for the role of Marvin Gaye in Midnight Love, the new biopic of the Motown singer from director Julien Temple

Entertainment Weekly is reporting Sherlock won’t return until late 2013 and the Third Season may not air in the United States until 2014

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Batman #14

/ / Comics

batman-new-52-14-coverWriter Scott Snyder’s Batman #14 is problematic as it seems to suggest, but carefully never directly prove, that the Joker has far more knowledge about the true identities of the men and women who are part of the Bat-Family than has ever before been stated. Is this simply the writer toying with us, or is Snyder about to implement yet another major New 52 deviation that I simply can’t get on-board with?

The classic take on the Joker is a villain obsessed with Batman who doesn’t want to know the Dark Knight Detective’s secret identity, as that would ruin all the fun. This is exactly what happens in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker when the Clown Prince of Crime admits that he wished he had never peeked under the cowl.

Snyder is careful by giving us an alternative explanation for the Joker’s abduction of Alfred as well as the Joker never naming names when he “reveals” he knows Batman’s secret identity. I’m hoping for a huge bait-and-switch. But seeing how the New 52 has given me very little of what I actually want, I’m not too hopeful. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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Batman and Robin #14

/ / Comics

batman-and-robin-new-52-14-cover“Death of the Family” continues (albeit without the Joker) as Batman and Robin #14 concludes the story from last month by focusing separately on both Damian and Batman fighting with the army of hungry zombies kidnapping citizens for food. Even putting aside my dislike of zombies in general, I’ve got to say this is one of the most uninspired comics I’ve read so far this year.

Most of the comic focuses on Damian actually acting like a hero and fearful and irrational Batman needless berating him, first over the comms and later in person, before a 180-degree so fast it will give you whiplash.

Aside from Damain actually doing some justice to the Robin name (and not being the complete tool the New 52 has been so focused on delivering month after month) there’s almost nothing worthy of notice. The story is completely forgettable and the mix of both Patrick Gleason and Tomás Giorello’s art makes the comic look and feel uneven at best. Pass.

[DC, $2.99]

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Batman Adventures / Scooby Doo Halloween Fest

/ / Comics

bataman-scooby-halloween-freeOne of the free Halloween comics this year Batman Adventures / Scooby Doo Halloween Fest reprints stories from both comics. From Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #2 we get the Scooby Gang investigating the appearance of aliens at the Grand Canyon.

We also get a pair of short Batman stories from Batman Adventures #1 featuring a short origin of the hero and Batman taking down the Cavalier and Batman outwitting Hassan, a member of the League of Assassins, into revealing the location of Ra’s al Ghul from part of that story originally printed in Batman Adventures #4.

If you can still find this it’s worth picking up. The Batman stories work better for me than the Scooby-Doo one which feels a little forced with Velma’s lecturing about the importance of the Grand Canyon. However, I do give it credit for staying true to Scooby-Doo’s original premise that all bizarre happenings have a real-life (not alien or mystical) cause. Worth a look.

[DC, FREE]

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Batman and Robin #13

/ / Comics

batman-and-robin-new-52-13-coverAlthough the issue mentions the Joker‘s return Batman and Robin #13 doesn’t really tie-in with “The Death of the Family.” Instead we get some pretty good father/son bonding as Batman takes Damian into space to work on a cloaked communication satellite experiencing problems during the current solar eclipse.

This, not the boy who stuck his fingers into Nobody’s brains, is the Damian I want to see more of. There’s a short conversation between father and son about Bruce’s feelings for Talia as well as Damian’s appreciation for sharing the experience in space with him that come off as quite genuine.

At the same time we see the more dangerous version of the character as his dispatches another assassin sent by his mother and the recklessness of his youth which leads him into danger in the stories final pages as he’s caught in a mob of zombies. Honestly, I could have done without the zombies, but the rest of this issue works well. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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