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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 11:41:15 GMT -5
Post by avon on Nov 2, 2011 11:41:15 GMT -5
Just wanted to start a general Batman thread.
Discuss whatever Batman-related things you want. Comics. Movies. Cartoons. Video games. Whatevs.
I'm not a huge comic fan, but I love Batman. I've always thought of his in-universe to be the most interesting of supheroes/villains. I mean, it's basically about a guy who got fucked over early and life and becomes a vigilante. Who hasn't wanted to be that person?
I think what's always fascinated me is that Batman is probably the most realistic of all comic book stories. You don't really find space aliens or mutants or people born with extraordinary powers. There are some, of course, but the bulk are just psychologically fucked up people. Barring the crossover shit, Batman is purely about moral ambiguity and inner struggle. I've always liked that.
When I see shit like Superman and X-men, it's cool and all but it's basically about who has the bigger gun. Superman pretty much has every power. Boring. The bad guys just keep getting crazier and crazier. Superman has to exploit some Achille's Heel or all of a sudden has new powers and voila.
Batman's not like that. He's a super smart rich dude who invents shit and gets by with not killing people. Joker's not like that. He's a dude who's super evil that has some physical deformities. He attacks Batman with super elaborate schemes. He doesn't attack him with laser vision. That would be too lazy. And the way Joker fucks with Batman and makes him realize they need each other, GTFO! So awesome. And that creates bigger moral dilemmas such as whether or not Batman can really see the greater good (like what the Al Ghuls preach about) and whether or not Batman is altruistic or is a vigilante because he needs to be.
Anyway, I've been on a non-stop Batman kick for over a year and can't stop.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 12:46:57 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Nov 2, 2011 12:46:57 GMT -5
Still wanna see the Year One movie. The graphic novel is so perfect. And I don't care what anyone says about The Riddler being like The Joker, he's one of my favorite villains. Can't wait to finally get my PS3 this weekend, so I can do the Riddler side-quests in City. I still remember playing Batman(for the first movie) on my Gameboy like, 4 times a week when I was younger. It was just such a fun game!
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 12:57:59 GMT -5
Post by avon on Nov 2, 2011 12:57:59 GMT -5
The Batman movie game for NES was so fucking awesome.
I don't think The Riddler is too too much like Joker. Like, they're both kind of comic relief type villains. But The Riddler seems to be in it to show off how much of an intellect he is. The Joker just seems to be an asshole who specifically targets Batman.
And how awesome is Scarecrow? What a great villain. He's like if Freddy Krueger was more interested in psychology than being a pedophile. His scenes in Arkham Asylum are brilliant. The part where Bruce Wayne's parents start talking to him (Batman) in the morgue. So fucking excellent. That has to be one of my all-time favorite video game moments. Still haven't seen Batman Begins. I still want to just because of Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 12:59:44 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Nov 2, 2011 12:59:44 GMT -5
I haven't played Asylum yet. SPOILER ALERT!
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 13:07:07 GMT -5
Post by Mr. Keichi on Nov 2, 2011 13:07:07 GMT -5
Ugh I love Cillian Murphy and I love that he was Scarecrow.
My dad has always been fairly into comics so I grew up with them, though not necessarily reading them? Batman has always been one of his favorites though so it is one of mine as well, hahahah.
The Penguin in the movie creeped me out haaaaardcoooore when I was a kid. Oh man and when The Joker is wrecking the museum.
And to be honest I genuinely enjoy the 'horrible' movies, hahahahha. Even if they made a joke out of Bane.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 13:15:24 GMT -5
Post by avon on Nov 2, 2011 13:15:24 GMT -5
I didn't spoil anything, Aaron. Don't worry. The way it's done is what makes it my all-time favorite not the plot of it or anything.
I watched part of Batman Forever last night. Haha. To be honest, I thought they made more of a joke out of The Riddler and Two Face than Bane.
PS> I accidentally typed BANE instead of Bane. Hahaha.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 14:31:43 GMT -5
Post by Mr. Keichi on Nov 2, 2011 14:31:43 GMT -5
They're all p. campy, hahahhah. But they're fun.
A few months ago I was visiting the parents and my dad put on an episode of the original series and was telling us about how much he loved it as a kid and it was p. cool, hahaha. Again, campy, hahahah. But it was an episode with The Riddler so it was neat.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 20:09:20 GMT -5
Post by Cei on Nov 2, 2011 20:09:20 GMT -5
The part where Bruce Wayne's parents start talking to him (Batman) in the morgue. So fucking excellent. That has to be one of my all-time favorite video game moments. Seriously, that moment was so awesome. Such a quality game all up.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 20:41:35 GMT -5
Post by Clit Eastwood on Nov 2, 2011 20:41:35 GMT -5
Best Batman cartoon ever:
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 20:55:33 GMT -5
Post by Terp Torp on Nov 2, 2011 20:55:33 GMT -5
Motherfucking Batman '66 is the greatest movie of all time.
There are versions of Batman that can be really interesting. I think the barely concealed gay subtext of 50s and 60s Batman is awesome and should really be confronted in a modern context. Actually, it has, in Frank Miller's Dark Knight Strikes Again which a lot of people think is horrendous but I LOVE IT. Also a big fan of supernatural Batman, in Peter Milligan's story Dark Knight, Dark City, he's fighting the spirit of a demon summoned by Thomas Jefferson and he has to GIVE A BABY A TRACHEOTOMY which remains my absolute favorite sequence in the history of Batman.
Howard Chaykin described him as "A guy who had a bad day when he was 9 who decided to use his fortune not to actually eliminate crime by developing the private sector but to buy really cool toys that let him beat up people he doesn't know," which is pretty great.
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 20:59:49 GMT -5
Post by Super Nintendo Chalmers on Nov 2, 2011 20:59:49 GMT -5
Or, to quote Yahtzee's review of Arkham City: "Hordes of poverty-stricken, impressionable young people having all their arms and legs broken by an extremely rich business man."
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 21:14:16 GMT -5
Post by Terp Torp on Nov 2, 2011 21:14:16 GMT -5
Like, even Frank fucking Miller understood that problem with the character. In Year One he beats up those kids stealing a tv and then goes "waiiiiit maybe this isn't how you do this."
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Batman
Nov 2, 2011 22:32:35 GMT -5
Post by avon on Nov 2, 2011 22:32:35 GMT -5
I think that's the best part of the story is that even the bad guys call Batman out on that bullshit and moral gray areas are seriously discussed. Like is Ras Al Ghul much worse then Batman? Isn't that why they make such great foils? And most of the characters were tortured as little kids so it's like, what makes them any different? They all think they can do what they want above the law. Arkham City spoiler: pretty much the guts of Arkham City's story!
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Batman
Nov 6, 2011 15:02:32 GMT -5
Post by Nick Taxidermy on Nov 6, 2011 15:02:32 GMT -5
Superman is cool if you have the right person writing him. Grant Morrison gets what makes Supes cool. read All-Star Superman, you'll see.
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Batman
Nov 6, 2011 21:08:35 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Nov 6, 2011 21:08:35 GMT -5
I recently came across the valentine Katerz sent me of a drawing of me serenading Batman. Thought I'd share that.
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Batman
Nov 6, 2011 21:10:01 GMT -5
Post by Mr. Keichi on Nov 6, 2011 21:10:01 GMT -5
I so vaguely remember that hahhahahah. But I'm glad you hung on to it <3.
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Batman
Nov 6, 2011 21:11:56 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Nov 6, 2011 21:11:56 GMT -5
I have every letter/card sent to me from the past 3 years, thank you very much.
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Batman
Nov 7, 2011 10:51:26 GMT -5
Post by avon on Nov 7, 2011 10:51:26 GMT -5
Beat Arkham City. Now I'm finishing up all the side missions.
I want to see Freeze fight Fro-Zone.
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Batman
Nov 13, 2011 14:33:52 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Nov 13, 2011 14:33:52 GMT -5
The Batman movie game for NES was so fucking awesome. I don't think The Riddler is too too much like Joker. Like, they're both kind of comic relief type villains. But The Riddler seems to be in it to show off how much of an intellect he is. The Joker just seems to be an asshole who specifically targets Batman. And how awesome is Scarecrow? What a great villain. He's like if Freddy Krueger was more interested in psychology than being a pedophile. His scenes in Arkham Asylum are brilliant. The part where Bruce Wayne's parents start talking to him (Batman) in the morgue. So fucking excellent. That has to be one of my all-time favorite video game moments. Still haven't seen Batman Begins. I still want to just because of Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow. Just got past this part. I'm at Bane right now. Game is so fucking good! Also! I love the interview tapes sooooooo much! I get so excited when I find one! The Riddler's tapes are ridiculous.
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Batman
Nov 15, 2011 12:02:10 GMT -5
Post by Nick Taxidermy on Nov 15, 2011 12:02:10 GMT -5
just read Morrison's Batman and Robin, great series, worth looking into.
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Batman
Feb 15, 2012 14:22:41 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Feb 15, 2012 14:22:41 GMT -5
Sarah got me the Year One dvd for v-day and we watched it this morning. I really enjoyed it! I'm gonna buy some of those Batman Chronicles collections right now too. Plus, I've been playing Arkham City. I think I'm on a Batman kick, haha.
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Batman
Feb 15, 2012 14:51:13 GMT -5
Post by Terp Torp on Feb 15, 2012 14:51:13 GMT -5
Those Chronicles books are fun but you will get tired of them. I tried to read every issue of Batman from the beginning over a summer and I just couldn't take it after like the first 10.
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Batman
Feb 15, 2012 15:28:17 GMT -5
Post by Mr. Keichi on Feb 15, 2012 15:28:17 GMT -5
I want to see Freeze fight Fro-Zone. Team Frozone.
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Batman
Mar 2, 2012 1:09:01 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Mar 2, 2012 1:09:01 GMT -5
Been reading them and been enjoying them well enough. Just finished the issue with Hugo Strange. The best part is the original Bat-mobile was just a red Buick. Also, I'm still trekking through Arkham City. Beat Ra's and now I'm making my way back to Freeze.
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Batman
Mar 2, 2012 10:23:33 GMT -5
Post by Terp Torp on Mar 2, 2012 10:23:33 GMT -5
Is that the monster men one? Matt Wagner did two of "covers" of really early Batman stories, Batman and the Monster Men and Batman and the Mad Monk, and they're both great looking re-imaginings of those.
The best Batman comic, to me, is Dark Knight Strikes Again. It's so insane and garish that it's more fun to read than probably any superhero comic other than maybe Nextwave.
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Batman
Mar 2, 2012 12:21:47 GMT -5
Post by avon on Mar 2, 2012 12:21:47 GMT -5
Aaron, reading your post made me remember Arkham City's ending and I got all giddy!
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Batman
Mar 2, 2012 13:38:40 GMT -5
Post by mandate of heaven on Mar 2, 2012 13:38:40 GMT -5
I wrote my final paper last quarter on the evolution of Batman in cinema. Best paper ever.
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Batman
Mar 2, 2012 14:12:23 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Mar 2, 2012 14:12:23 GMT -5
Aaron, reading your post made me remember Arkham City's ending and I got all giddy! All this hype is getting me more stoked to finish! I fought Mr. Freeze last night and that was definitely a kick ass boss fight. Is that the monster men one? Matt Wagner did two of "covers" of really early Batman stories, Batman and the Monster Men and Batman and the Mad Monk, and they're both great looking re-imaginings of those. Nah, it was the first appearance where he captures Batman and whips him.
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Batman
Mar 10, 2012 15:38:27 GMT -5
Post by Nick Taxidermy on Mar 10, 2012 15:38:27 GMT -5
recently read Batman: Gates Of Gotham. rare for me to enjoy anything "steampunk."
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Batman
Mar 11, 2012 2:01:29 GMT -5
Post by Pillars of Aaron on Mar 11, 2012 2:01:29 GMT -5
Was watching some of Batman Returns tonight and that movie hasn't held up for me after all these years. Oh well.
Currently climbing Wonder Tower to stop Strange and Protocol 10.
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