I'm Batman

[Extraintrovert]

Speaking of great Batman animations, have you seen The Batman.

I saw it on midday Sunday cartoons recently because... well, I don't like people, when I found it. I was seriously expecting to hate it but I found it amazingly well written, well acted and exciting. The dialogue sometimes fell a little short but DAMN, Batman can handle the concept of time travel extremely intelligently.

I watched the first series or so, and I wasn't impressed by it. It was good, I suppose my expectations were just too high. I didn't get to watch any of the later episodes though, which is a shame because even TV Tropes says that it gets much better later.

Also,

Spoiler: No, I am the Batman

Oh sweet merciful crap, I laughed so hard I cried...

 

[WINDOWCLEAN2]

I still would have preffered Christian Bale as the Villain in 'Batman Begins' and had Laim Neeson as Batman.
He could have completley changed how people see Batman.

(Also his voice would have been so much better than Bale's throat cancer impression of a voice).

For me the best Batman so far is how he portrayed in the Frank Miller graphics. An older, wiser man that comes out of retirement to be Batman.

 

[Boba Frag]

I think it depends on what you are looking for in the Batman. I think Christian Bale was an excellent choice, as was Michael Keaton for his time.

But you can't beat Adam West. Why? Because he's Adam West, that's why.

I can beat him with this large stick with nails in it....

His Batman makes me want to claw my eyes out.

Still, people enjoy the camp thing, so it's part of the pantheon! I'd actually watch Adam West's show rather than ever sit through Batman and Robin ever again, though!

I have to say, you're really on to something there- Nicholson's Joker was, to my mind, the closest we'll get to a pure, delightfully crazy, yet insanely fun Joker.

Ledger's interpretation was amazing, chilling, frightening and no less than astonishing, but for sheer fun? Nicholson all the way!

Keaton I think made a great Bruce Wayne, actually giving the character a confident businessman/ connected socialite philanthropist spin. He was really likeable in the role, especially when sitting poring over a stack of files looking for connections.
Doing some detective work like Batman should!

Personally, though, while I'll always love Keaton's work, Bale is my choice for Batman, although I'd prefer to give them both first place.

Bale taps into the driving motivation- deep seated pain driving unstoppable rage, which turned Batman into this stoic, ice cold denizen of the night into the half glimpsed terror of the night that Bale's Batman becomes to the criminal underworld.
His Bruce Wayne is a man with a playboy facade, but masking a deep and troubled man touched by horrifying tragedy who feels the need to exercise his demons by doing something right.

He's also a detective, but also an innovator- he has the imagination to put technology to different uses; ie, the Sonar vision in the Dark Knight, the Nomex survival, the carbon fibre mask, the harness turning into a utility belt, and the bat ears housing listening devices.
His mastery of combat makes him more thrilling to watch in action than Keaton, this is true, but in fairness to Keaton, the man had to wear an immensely heavy suit in comparison to the one Bale used.

His Bruce Wayne is also more connected to Alfred as his surrogate father, and the character of Rachel Dawes serves as his moral compass until her death. It'll be interesting to see what Bale does with Batman in the next movie!

Great thread, by the way!

 

[Boba Frag]

Spoiler: Batman ain't dull, fo!

Though I agree that he's very uninteresting in the films.

I showed this photo not only because it's badass, but because it tells you that Batman has gone through tons of hardship simply to get where he is now. None of the movies have showed that. They showed his origin, they showed him train a little, then he was Batman. But Batman never stops training. He doesn't just upgrade his toys, he upgrades his body, his mind.

He's also a deep character as Bruce Wayne. He hates having to pretend to be some Playboy, and he's actually very awkward around the subject of love. One might even go so far as to call him insecure. In the films though, I never got the feeling of that. In the Burton ones he's more boring than anything, and in the Nolan films I was never under the impression that his playboy side was a ruse. Bruce was always some playboy, Batman was always some unbeatable hero. They don't show the other sides.

Ok, you HAVE to tell me what comic that's from... looks familiar but my head is drawing a blank....

Great points, I must say.


EDIT

I'm not involving Conroy The Great purely because we're dealing with the movies here.

And I have to say i think Bale should tone the snarl down a bit.

 

[Daedalus1942]

Batman is just a dull character, even in the books. It always amazes me that he's so popular, I always put it down to having a cool logo, and being the easiest superhero to film on a tight budget, especially in the early days.

For the best, I'd have to say... none of them. They're all pretty dire.

Who would I have as Batman? Someone dark and violent. Batman would work better as a flawed character, a sort of antihero, like Marvels "Moonknight". Maybe Tim Roth? Bit out of the leftfield there...

I'm guessing you people that say he's boring and one-dimensional haven't read the comics.
If you had, you'd know his character development goes far beyong just "brooding for his dead parents"
Later on, he comes to the stark realization that in many ways he's no better than the villains he fights and that alot of them wouldn't exist if "The Batman" didn't exist. He also discovers he;s the reason why loved ones die around him. In the true sense, he is an Anti-hero, but it's him actually discovering this which makes the plot so good.
Try actually reading the damn comics is all I'm going to say.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Spoiler: Batman ain't dull, fo!

Though I agree that he's very uninteresting in the films.

I showed this photo not only because it's badass, but because it tells you that Batman has gone through tons of hardship simply to get where he is now. None of the movies have showed that. They showed his origin, they showed him train a little, then he was Batman. But Batman never stops training. He doesn't just upgrade his toys, he upgrades his body, his mind.

He's also a deep character as Bruce Wayne. He hates having to pretend to be some Playboy, and he's actually very awkward around the subject of love. One might even go so far as to call him insecure. In the films though, I never got the feeling of that. In the Burton ones he's more boring than anything, and in the Nolan films I was never under the impression that his playboy side was a ruse. Bruce was always some playboy, Batman was always some unbeatable hero. They don't show the other sides.

Ok, you HAVE to tell me what comic that's from... looks familiar but my head is drawing a blank....

Great points, I must say.


EDIT

I'm not involving Conroy The Great purely because we're dealing with the movies here.

And I have to say i think Bale should tone the snarl down a bit.

That scene is from Batman R.I.P.

 

[Valkyrie101]

Batman isn't a three-dimensional character, but he doesn't have to be. Sometimes, it's good to have an icon, an infallible symbol instead, as long as the secondary characters are up to snuff. Portraying him with internal conflicts and angst wouldn't work.

 

[Eren Murtaugh]

I think a good Batman was... Probably Michael Keaton. And am I an idiot or did George Cloony once play Batman?
And to play Batman, I would use... probably Mathew Lillard. I know a lot of people don't remember him but rent 13 Ghosts with Tony Shaloub and Mathew Lillard. Dude is amazing in a serious role and I think he'd finally give Batman that "Human" touch. but that's just me.

 

[Charisma]

Watch Batman: The Animated Series. Then watch Justice League. Then Justice League Unlimited. Then finally Batman Beyond. There you shall find the best portrayals of Batman I have ever and likely will ever witness. He isn't dull or unemotional or anywhere near perfect, he is a fascinating and incredible character with his own problems and triumphs, while still maintaining his strength and composure. The villains are still more interesting than him (I personally consider Mark Hamill to be the best Joker of all time), but that is a compliment for the series, not a negative.

^

I just got finished watching the Batman TAS again. So god damn good.

 

[SilverHammerMan]

Nicholas Cage as Big Daddy in Kick-Ass was the best Batman, you know it, I know it.

In terms of an actual Batman actor, I'd have to say Michael Keaton, not because he was all that mind blowing, but whenever he was Bruce Wayne I got the impression that he wasn't really comfortable in his own skin unless he was Batman. Christian Bale on the other hand isn't a great Batman in my opinion, the movies are good, but Bale isn't good.
Bale's Bruce Wayne just seems too smarmy, and I never really got the impression that he was really Batman and Bruce Wayne was the act, as is the generally accepted comic interpretation. I also prefer my Batman a little crazier, like he's just as insane as his villains but he manages to do good in spite or even because of it. Bale's Batman just seems too noble and goody-goody for my taste, I'd like someone more like Frank Miller's Batman. (Not circa All Star Batman & Robin though.)

 

[darktau21]

I don't know why but Batman seems to always be written as such a dull person. Granted, I've never read the comics, but Batman never really goes through any further development after his origin story. Why? Well Batman is a very emotionless character because he's perfect. He doesn't let his emotions get the better of him and while he often makes tough decisions, he does what he thinks is right, whether it is or not. And that's where we go wrong...

Your statement saying that batman always has a cool head is very wrong. he often looses his temper and sometimes he almost kills someone. the fact that you say that he has a dull personality is for a reason. he keeps calm to scare his enemies. but often what can happen is the "bad guy" will do something to piss him off.

 

[Verlander]

Batman is just a dull character, even in the books. It always amazes me that he's so popular, I always put it down to having a cool logo, and being the easiest superhero to film on a tight budget, especially in the early days.

For the best, I'd have to say... none of them. They're all pretty dire.

Who would I have as Batman? Someone dark and violent. Batman would work better as a flawed character, a sort of antihero, like Marvels "Moonknight". Maybe Tim Roth? Bit out of the leftfield there...

I'm guessing you people that say he's boring and one-dimensional haven't read the comics.
If you had, you'd know his character development goes far beyong just "brooding for his dead parents"
Later on, he comes to the stark realization that in many ways he's no better than the villains he fights and that alot of them wouldn't exist if "The Batman" didn't exist. He also discovers he;s the reason why loved ones die around him. In the true sense, he is an Anti-hero, but it's him actually discovering this which makes the plot so good.
Try actually reading the damn comics is all I'm going to say.

Comic fan of over 20 years, and I stand by my statement. I've tried many times with different writers and still got nothing from him. As a character he has no appeal to me, and I feel no connection or relevance to him. I can't relate. He may be better if the Marvel "rich boy with too much money" (Iron Man) wasn't such a better character. Tony Stark is a ****, but maybe that's why he's better to me. The character you described up there still isn't deep to me, many other characters have gone down that road. Maybe it's because I'm a cynic who likes to observe the world, that I relate better to other characters. I'm not a person who thinks of themselves as dark, or who spends time dealing with emotional issues.

Either way, an opinion is an opinion and is individual. I also got bored through "The Dark Knight Returns", which is supposed to be one of the best Batman books around

 

[Boba Frag]

Spoiler: Batman ain't dull, fo!

Though I agree that he's very uninteresting in the films.

I showed this photo not only because it's badass, but because it tells you that Batman has gone through tons of hardship simply to get where he is now. None of the movies have showed that. They showed his origin, they showed him train a little, then he was Batman. But Batman never stops training. He doesn't just upgrade his toys, he upgrades his body, his mind.

Ok, you HAVE to tell me what comic that's from... looks familiar but my head is drawing a blank....

Great points, I must say.


EDIT

I'm not involving Conroy The Great purely because we're dealing with the movies here.

And I have to say i think Bale should tone the snarl down a bit.

That scene is from Batman R.I.P.

Thanks for that!

Really enjoyed RIP, although it was a bit crazy here and there... Personally, I want Grant Morrison to leave him alone for a while after he's brought back in The Return of Bruce Wayne.

He's not my favourite writer and his constant metafiction.... it's gotten a little stale for me.

But back on topic- I agree with all of your insights.
Batman is a great character because he's in constant evolution.

His writers have always managed to make that evolution natural and fluid and what I like about Nolan's films is that they do it in such plausable ways without going over the top.

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

You got me there, I don't think I have liked any of the Batmen. I guess I could say I liked Michael Keaton, but he was a bit too goofy at times for me. (i.e. "You want to get nuts?! Let's get nuts!") The rest sucked. Kilmer was meh, Clooney phoned his role in, and I can't stand Bale. Kevin Conroy was OK and occasionally great, but I'm thinking along the lines of the movies.

Yet, I couldn't decide who would be a good Bruce Wayne/Batman. He's a very complex and emotional character that is very hard to pull off. I cannot think of any one who could pull that emotional side off and also look like him. It seems you can only get one or the other.

 

[DonMartin]

Dont know about batman.. However, the best Joker, in my humble opinion, is Mark Hamill.