The Dark Knight Nolan on picking Jonah to write TDK

[silentflute]

Well, actually. Jonah was only telling what got him into the character in the first place. And that was The Dark Knight Returns. He didn't flat out say "that's how Batman is going to be in TDK." It's like how Ledger mentioned he liked to wear masks, whenever the opportunity comes along. Then suddenly it's misinterpreted as if Ledger said Joker was going to wear a mask. When that was from the case. He meant it metaphorically. Not literally. Like Jonah's comment.

I think you're in for a surprise:If DKR and Year One were what got Jonah into Batman to begin with,it would be almost impossibleto accept any other interpretation of the character.Miller's work is so distinct, that if it was your first taste of Batman (and you loved it) then all other interpretations would fall short in comparison.Everything post Miller is a watered down version of his work, and everything pre-Miller wouldn't count much(with a few exceptions),because it was there for years but Jonah never paid attention.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

It's like the ASBR thread all over again......

 

[silentflute]

It's like the ASBR thread all over again......

Only if you make it....

 

[fabman]

silentflute: BS... Batman's right!

 

[Anita18]

I think you're in for a surprise:If DKR and Year One were what got Jonah into Batman to begin with,it would be almost impossibleto accept any other interpretation of the character.

I disagree. My first superhero comic was DKR, just last year, and my next one was Year One. Since then, I've read TLH and DV, and I like TLH even better than Y1. (For the time being I'm saving up a bit before splurging on more comics, LOL)

DKR is rather over-the-top I admit, but it's got great guts (if that makes any sense...) They're different interpretations of the character, but in my eyes they're both completely valid.

If I were to choose one interpretation for TDK, I'd choose TLH, since it's following more into the gangster and noir style of BB, which I loved. I also can't wait to see the Bats-Gordon-Dent team, and how it all changes once Two-Face enters the picture.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I like Year One......but it's just more of a Jim Gordon book than a Batman book. Still, a good book.

 

[Thespiralgoeson]

I like Year One......but it's just more of a Jim Gordon book than a Batman book. Still, a good book.

THANK YOU! I've been saying this for years, and everyone I say it too tells me I'm nuts.

Personally, I think Year One is a very good, but quite overrated. More than anything I think it was just too short. When I picked it up, I was expecting quite a bit more. I don't think it measures up to TDK, which IMO is a masterpiece.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Every time I see this thread I think it says "Nolan picking on Jonah to write TDK," which strikes me as rude. "Oi, yer lazy SOB, write me bloody script! I swear, dat our mudder wud gee me such a no good louse of a brudder. Well, what's keepin yer? ROIT SOMMAT, DAMN YA!"

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Oh yeah... and Year One is TOTALLY more of a Gordon book than a Batman book. My old pal The Guard doesn't agree with me on that, but, I agree with me, and taht's what counts here.

 

[Revovler]

IMO I believe Year one to be a masterpiece. It set up the history of Batman and allows tails such as TLH and DV. Also even though it has a lot of Gordon this shows an outside view of Wayne/Batman as society sees him.

 

[Thespiralgoeson]

IMO I believe Year one to be a masterpiece. It set up the history of Batman and allows tails such as TLH and DV. Also even though it has a lot of Gordon this shows an outside view of Wayne/Batman as society sees him.

I didn't have a problem with it being more of a Jim Gordon book than a Batman book per se, that is, the story being told mainly from Gordon's perspective. But to me, it just seemed like it was missing something. Personally I was hoping, and thought that the book would go much much deeper into Bruce's pre-crime fighting days (like Batman Begins did actually)

 

[Keyser Sushi]

IMO I believe Year one to be a masterpiece.

It is.

It set up the history of Batman and allows tails such as TLH and DV.

Yeah, that's... not such a selling point. I'd feel better about Jeph Loeb if I knew he could build a plot structure that didn't involve the entire DC Universe, and did involve... you know... some actual meat.

Also even though it has a lot of Gordon this shows an outside view of Wayne/Batman as society sees him.

Yeah, that's absolutely true. The trouble is, a lot of people, when they pick up a book that says Batman on the front... expect it to be about... well, you know... Batman. From the perspective of, errh... well...

Batman.

 

[Anita18]

Personally, I think Year One is a very good, but quite overrated. More than anything I think it was just too short.

I agree as well. The climax seemed to come too soon, IMHO. With DKR, the story was allowed to build and build...

Though I didn't mind the Jim Gordon slant really...I wasn't familiar with the Gordon character at all beforehand, and Y1 was a nice introduction to Bruce and Jim's dichotomy.

Even though I felt TLH was really good, the fact that all of Batman's rogue gallery had to have a cameo cheapened it a bit. The gangster aspect of it was totally awesome though.

 

[Cinemaman]

I liked YO, but TLH is much better comic book IMO.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Well, that's the thing....Year One is basically a Jim Gordon tale. Isn't that the joke people make, calling it JIM GORDON: YEAR ONE?

There's a ton of Gordon in the book. Probably the most is in the second half of the book, even though we get just enough of Batman to make it a Batman book. But, If I had to choose....I would have wanted much more Batman in there. Hell, I'd had made it all about Batman....I guess if it would have been a longer story, they could keep the Gordon stuff. But, still....it's a good book. And really, it did alot for Batman. Corrupt Gotham City being stand out, I think.

 

[Cobblepot]

It's a Batman book nonetheless. It establishes the mythos around him and creates the relationship between Gordon and Batman.
It also goes deep into the psychology that makes up Bruce's mind and how he made the desision to become "Batman".
Year One actually explaines a whole lot more about that than it does about Gordon.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Well, the beginning did feel very 50/50 for me. We seemed to get a great amount of both men, and yeah....it did go deeper into his psyche about what he went through BEFORE he became Batman.

But, there is so much Gordon though. I think it might be b/c of what Jimbo was really going through, where Bruce seemed to find his place kinda once he became Batman. Jim was really going through some really tough stuff.

And, I wonder....anyone feel a little unsatisfied with the end? Not the rooftop meeting, but how it all ended with Bruce showing up to save James Jr. not dressed as Batman. I kinda hoped we would have gotten a Batman scene there instead.

 

[ultimatefan]

Well, the beginning did feel very 50/50 for me. We seemed to get a great amount of both men, and yeah....it did go deeper into his psyche about what he went through BEFORE he became Batman.

But, there is so much Gordon though. I think it might be b/c of what Jimbo was really going through, where Bruce seemed to find his place kinda once he became Batman. Jim was really going through some really tough stuff.

And, I wonder....anyone feel a little unsatisfied with the end? Not the rooftop meeting, but how it all ended with Bruce showing up to save James Jr. not dressed as Batman. I kinda hoped we would have gotten a Batman scene there instead.

Well, to me it´s kind of what is cool about that scene, first, cuz it shows what Bruce would have to do if he had to do Batman action during the day, and it leaves it open if Gordon knows his secret identity or not in a clever way.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

THANK YOU! I've been saying this for years, and everyone I say it too tells me I'm nuts.

Personally, I think Year One is a very good, but quite overrated. More than anything I think it was just too short. When I picked it up, I was expecting quite a bit more. I don't think it measures up to TDK, which IMO is a masterpiece.

I agree, thats not a Batman Year One story it's about Jim and it is overrated IMVHO!

 

[BatJeff7786]

Oh yeah... and Year One is TOTALLY more of a Gordon book than a Batman book. My old pal The Guard doesn't agree with me on that, but, I agree with me, and taht's what counts here.

How can anyone NOT agree? Gordon is in that story waaaaaay more than Batman is.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

How can anyone NOT agree? Gordon is in that story waaaaaay more than Batman is.

Well, The Guard did an independent study and the numbers he came up with show that Batman and Gordon pretty much are split 50-50 on the face-time they have in the book.

What tips the scales against Batman, IMO, is that we seem to get a stronger sense of Gordon's character in that book than we do Batman's. If The Guard were here now, however, I suspect he would say something along the lines of, "How so? Batman narrates his scenes, we are clearly made to understand his motivations, etc..."

See, I don't even need him here to debate with him anymore.

 

[Cobblepot]

"What tips the scales against Batman, IMO, is that we seem to get a stronger sense of Gordon's character in that book than we do Batman's."

I don't get that vibe at all, Gordon is in the book to show that Gotham needs a Batman. Because he (Gordon) pretty much caves in when he sees the amount off corruption and realises that he can't do a damn thing about it.
And we do get a better look at Bruce's psyche than into Gordon's head.
And at the end it's Bruce who saves the day not Gordon, I'm not saying that's the deal breaker but is has to count for something.

 

[silentflute]

Well, the beginning did feel very 50/50 for me. We seemed to get a great amount of both men, and yeah....it did go deeper into his psyche about what he went through BEFORE he became Batman.

But, there is so much Gordon though. I think it might be b/c of what Jimbo was really going through, where Bruce seemed to find his place kinda once he became Batman. Jim was really going through some really tough stuff.

And, I wonder....anyone feel a little unsatisfied with the end? Not the rooftop meeting, but how it all ended with Bruce showing up to save James Jr. not dressed as Batman. I kinda hoped we would have gotten a Batman scene there instead.

Typical.I actualy prefer the fact that he showed up not in costume.It also happened during the day-the costume would have looked silly.

 

[silentflute]

"What tips the scales against Batman, IMO, is that we seem to get a stronger sense of Gordon's character in that book than we do Batman's."

I don't get that vibe at all, Gordon is in the book to show that Gotham needs a Batman. Because he (Gordon) pretty much caves in when he sees the amount off corruption and realises that he can't do a damn thing about it.
And we do get a better look at Bruce's psyche than into Gordon's head.
And at the end it's Bruce who saves the day not Gordon, I'm not saying that's the deal breaker but is has to count for something.

Amen.

 

[Revovler]

I second that.