The Dark Knight Rises lands in theaters this month, and it features characters we've seen on film before -- namely Catwoman and Bane. While many are anxious to see what Team Nolan do with these characters, it begs the question, "What might have been?"
In modern Bat-films, there have been three directors, each with a unique take on Batman and his world: Tim Burton gave us a Gothic wonderland, Joel Schumacher gave us neon and an over-the-top flair, and Christopher Nolan has given us a Batman grounded in a world similar to ours.
Each director can also lay claim to uniquely using certain characters in their films. Where the Joker, Catwoman, Two-Face, and Bane have been shared among directors, the following three have not.
Burton's take on the Penguin was radically different from the interpretation of Oswald Cobblepot in the comics. It fit with the bleak, Gothic take of Burton's Batman, and distinctly has the director's spin.
While still considered the same continuity as Batman and Batman Returns, the world of Joel Schumacher's Bat-films is very different, illuminated by neon and loaded with camp.
Jim Carrey's Riddler was a different kind of villain for the franchise; he had the madman factor, but he also played for laughs. He was still conniving and brilliant, and carried the narcissistic beats of his comic book counterpart.
We all know what happened after Batman Forever. The worst parts of that film were placed under a magnifying glass and run on screen for two hours in Batman & Robin, and Batman movies were all but dead for nearly a decade.
Enter Christopher Nolan, and his more grounded take on Batman as a man who very well could die doing what he does every night. To kick it off, Nolan gave us two villains who had never been on-screen before: Ra's al Ghul and the Scarecrow.
This minimalist, almost basic take on the character turned the Scarecrow from a man who dressed in straw and rags into a man who literally used a burlap sack mask as a way to inspire fear.
Knowing how each director used these characters, our challenge this month is to redesign the Penguin, Riddler or Scarecrow for a director that didn't use them in their films. What might have been? How would Nolan interpret the Penguin or Riddler? How would Schumacher work the Penguin or Scarecrow into his narrative? What dark, fantastical path would Burton take the Riddler or Scarecrow down?
For this contest, we'll allow up to three submissions, one for each director. In your submission email, please indicate which director(s) you've intended your redesign(s) for, and how your take would fit into their narrative. This contest will also be guest-judged by Andrew Asberry, comic reviewer for Batman-News.com, who did a write-up of the contest here.
Submissions are due Tuesday, July 24 by 6:00 PM MST. Be sure to adhere to the applicable submission guidelines. If you have any questions, please send them to us at superheroofthemonth@gmail.com
After the jump, click for a special announcement!
Read more »
In modern Bat-films, there have been three directors, each with a unique take on Batman and his world: Tim Burton gave us a Gothic wonderland, Joel Schumacher gave us neon and an over-the-top flair, and Christopher Nolan has given us a Batman grounded in a world similar to ours.
Each director can also lay claim to uniquely using certain characters in their films. Where the Joker, Catwoman, Two-Face, and Bane have been shared among directors, the following three have not.
Burton's take on the Penguin was radically different from the interpretation of Oswald Cobblepot in the comics. It fit with the bleak, Gothic take of Burton's Batman, and distinctly has the director's spin.
While still considered the same continuity as Batman and Batman Returns, the world of Joel Schumacher's Bat-films is very different, illuminated by neon and loaded with camp.
Jim Carrey's Riddler was a different kind of villain for the franchise; he had the madman factor, but he also played for laughs. He was still conniving and brilliant, and carried the narcissistic beats of his comic book counterpart.
We all know what happened after Batman Forever. The worst parts of that film were placed under a magnifying glass and run on screen for two hours in Batman & Robin, and Batman movies were all but dead for nearly a decade.
Enter Christopher Nolan, and his more grounded take on Batman as a man who very well could die doing what he does every night. To kick it off, Nolan gave us two villains who had never been on-screen before: Ra's al Ghul and the Scarecrow.
This minimalist, almost basic take on the character turned the Scarecrow from a man who dressed in straw and rags into a man who literally used a burlap sack mask as a way to inspire fear.
Knowing how each director used these characters, our challenge this month is to redesign the Penguin, Riddler or Scarecrow for a director that didn't use them in their films. What might have been? How would Nolan interpret the Penguin or Riddler? How would Schumacher work the Penguin or Scarecrow into his narrative? What dark, fantastical path would Burton take the Riddler or Scarecrow down?
For this contest, we'll allow up to three submissions, one for each director. In your submission email, please indicate which director(s) you've intended your redesign(s) for, and how your take would fit into their narrative. This contest will also be guest-judged by Andrew Asberry, comic reviewer for Batman-News.com, who did a write-up of the contest here.
Submissions are due Tuesday, July 24 by 6:00 PM MST. Be sure to adhere to the applicable submission guidelines. If you have any questions, please send them to us at superheroofthemonth@gmail.com
After the jump, click for a special announcement!
Read more »
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