We spoke with current Detective Comics writer and future Batman #1 writer, Scott Snyder about how he feels about the various incarnations of the Dark Knight, as portrayed by film and TV. Then, after that, take a first peek at some exclusive art from Greg Capullo on the upcoming Batman relaunch.
5/6. Val Kilmer in Batman Forever, George Clooney in Batman & Robin
These I'll lump together b/c they sort of represent the opposite of what I think batman should be. I am not a campy Batman fan. The closest I get is Brave and the Bold, which I love and watch with my son, but that's more of a silver-age tribute than a campy take on Bruce. The comedy isn't at the expense of the bat-world. It's just playful with regard to all superheroes. These, though, with the nipples on the bat-suit, Arnold in that silver facepaint… to me they run antithetical to what batman is about. Sorry studio guys!
4. Christian Bale in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight
Because these movies are incredible and give me huge hope for the future. Out of everything on the list, these are closest to my style, what I aspire to do. They're hugely insprirational to me. I'm only putting them down here b/c the Batmen above them played a big part in my formative years, which is the criteria for the ranking here
3. Michael Keaton in Batman and Batman Returns
I LOVE these both. I waited in line with my dad (with a commemorative BK glass I dropped – dropped! and had to get out of line to get again). This was like the Batman I'd been waiting for. A man whose whole city seems like a twisted projection of his own mind. A guy fighting demons in this wild, darkly imaginative and wholly realized world. I'll admit – I was a completely non-believer before seeing Batman in Michael Keaton, but in the end, he won me over.
2. Adam West in Batman
Man, I used to watch this religiously on channel 11 WPIX here in NY every afternoon in reruns as a little kid. I loved it! The funny thing is, I didn't realize it was campy – I was too young to get that aspect of it. So for me, it was just an awesome Batman show – first time I saw Batman in live-action too. Made me believe he could exist in the world. Now, it's a bit far out of my wheelhouse, but there's always time to watch the Bat-tusi one more time.
1. Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy) in Batman: The Animated Series
I adored this series. I was in high school when it began and it was the early 90's – a time of big, explosive, colorful comics. This series, the stories Paul Dini told, the art design, the gothic/art-deco feel to Gotham… the complete sincerity and seriousness with which the creators took the character and world of Batman – it was something that kept me really invested in comic story-telling even as I was outgrowing some titles I'd come up reading.
And as promised, here's your look at just a wee bit of Greg Capullo art from Batman #1 in September.
For more on the DC relaunched titles, check out our Definitive Guide to the DC Reboot.
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I love Greg Capullo.
That Gordon is amazing. So expressive. Things like that drawimg are why I love comics.
I was scrolling down, thinking “Surely Kevin Conroy isn’t number one? That’d be too perfect.” But he is! Hooray!
CAPULLO!!!!!
Kevin Conroy is Batman.
Great art for sure. I missed the ground floor of Snyder’s current Detective Run so I’m glad this relaunch gives me a second chance to jump on.
Also, I’ve really dug iFanboy’s DC relaunch coverage. These have been a nice change of pace from the typical interview where the writer can’t say much anyway (and I wouldn’t want them to). This way we get a little glimpse into the creators’ approaches. Keep ’em coming!
I could hear Kevin Conroy’s intro to Batman TAS for as long as I live. Christian Bale’s Batman voice, mostly in Dark Knight, not so much.
Boy, that some very 90’s looking art for the sneak peek. Hmmmm. I’ll buy it because of the writer, but the feel of a 90’s throwback and saying its modern and fresh doesn’t jibe. What I liked in the 90’s was Vertigo because the superhero stuff looked bad. Giant pin ups, poor sense of the figure, etc etc.
Even though it’s just the pencils, I’m a bit confused by the transition in that panel. The cowl on the right side takes up so much room I can’t tell which direction Batman is looking at.
I trust Synder when it comes to batman
1. Kevin Conroy- Easily the most influential Batman ever.
2. Christian Bale- People get too hung up on the voice. No other live action performance captures Bruce Wayne like he does.
3. Adam West- Influential as well, though not my cup of tea (for the most part).
4. Everyone else- Keaton is just bored, and the other two are self-explanatory.
Even though I was 6 when Keaton’s Batman came out, I never saw it until years later. The 1966 Batman was the first I ever saw, so while I loved it as a kid Batman Forever was the first “modern” Batman movie I ever saw. For that reason I don’t think Val Kilmer was bad at all. Of course, I think Keaton and Bale are much, much better, but I don’t think Kilmer was nearly as bad as people make him out to have been. Still haven’t ever seen Batman & Robin.
The Bat-tusi never gets old! And I always loved how the crooks hideout was always tilted! They should bring that back!
Already a big fan of Snyder, but it brought a smile to my face that he put the Dini/Timm animated series at the top of his list. Looking forward to his run on Batman.
These are right on – I must be close in age to Scott as I waited in line for Batman with my dad and also watched BTAS in high school (now own it on DVD).
I can’t believe we lived in a world at one point where Tim Burton’s Batman movies were considered “Dark and gritty.” Oh, to return to those innocent times!
Perfect list. I agree with every example. Better yet, I identify with them. Thank you, sir. And Capullo’s art RockS ! Can’t wait for September.
Jay
@JohnVFerrigno You live in a world where the Burton films aren’t dark?