Every bat-fan worth his weight in utility-belt gadgets knows that The Dark Knight's predecessor, Batman Begins, was based in several ways on Frank Miller's comic-book tale Batman: Year One, while TDK continues to take its inspiration from the dark and gritty Caped Crusader realized in Miller's work. Director Christopher Nolan has said that the earliest comic appearances of the Joker also informed the new film, while the miniseries Batman: The Long Halloween has also been credited as a source.

This devotion to the original comics certainly keeps the fans happy, but it also raises a question: Once Nolan and star Christian Bale are done with what is reportedly going to be their Batman trilogy, where will the big-screen franchise go next? Presumably Warner Bros. will want whatever new creative team that comes aboard to take their cue from the comics just as Nolan did, but exactly which comics and graphic novels will become the next bat-inspiration? Our suggestions, of course, follow…

The Dark Knight Returns

- DC

One last time: Bruce versus Clark

Perhaps, aside from his bloody origin tale, the most famous Batman storyline ever told, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns doesn't even feature the mainstream DC universe version of the character. The powers that be at the comics company have determined that this dark, sociopathic, mean mutherf--ker of a Batman in actuality resides on what is called, in fanboy speak, Earth-31.

But really, that's neither here nor there, for this is one of the most fascinating takes on Bruce Wayne and his alter ego ever written. Published in 1986, the story takes place in a dystopian future where Batman, haunted by the death of Robin, has been in retirement for years and most of the superheroes (and super-villains for that matter) are long gone. In their place are freakish child gang members who plague the streets, but of course the Caped Crusader can't stay out of the action forever and soon this older, even more kick-ass Batman is back on the streets with a new (girl!) Robin, fighting old enemies such as Two-Face and the Joker.

These battles are different, though, as Batman is truly playing for keeps now. His never-ending dance with the Joker, who sat in a catatonic state for years while his enemy was dormant only to reawaken upon the Bat's return, finally reaches a gruesome crescendo. And Bruce's give and take with his old friend Clark Kent also comes to what seems in this context to be an inevitable conclusion, with the two duking it out in a no-holds-barred contest between the eternal company man and his shadow-haunting counterpart.

All of this is highlighted by the unique and stylized art of Miller (and Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley) which would be amazing to behold if recreated 300 style on the big screen. Of course, such a movie would be a star-studded affair in terms of its cast of characters, effectively giving us the Batman Vs. Superman film that never happened a few years back while also providing an R-rated Batman that would have Right-wing types shaking in their bat-boots. Which is ironic, because this Bat actually has a great deal in common with them. Alas, such a film will probably never happen.

- DC

The Dark Knight Returns' Batman and Robin

Every bat-fan worth his weight in utility-belt gadgets knows that The Dark Knight's predecessor Batman Begins was based in several ways on Frank Miller's comic-book tale Batman: Year One, while TDK continues to take its inspiration from the dark and gritty Caped Crusader realized in Miller's work. Director Christopher Nolan has said that the earliest comic appearances of the Joker also informed the new film, while the miniseries Batman: The Long Halloween has been credited too as a source.

This devotion to the original comics certainly keeps the fans happy, but it also raises a question. Once Nolan and star Christian Bale are done with what is reportedly going to be their Batman trilogy, where will the big-screen franchise go next? Exactly which comics and graphic novels will become the next bat-inspiration? Our suggestions, of course, follow…

All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder

- DC

That godd--n Batman...

This book, which launched in 2005, returned Miller once again to the world he created with Year One and The Dark Knight Returns, picking up the story around the time of the origin of the first Robin, slick Grayson. But unlike the Batman/Robin interplay many of us remember from the Adam West era, there are very few "old chum" bon mots here. You do get plenty of doses of "godd--n Batman," however.

This Batman, released some 20 years after Dark Knight Returns (which ironically enough is how far into the future that tale was set), is an even darker, more psychopathic version of the character. The first issue of the comic focuses on the fateful day that slick Grayson's parents were killed right before his eyes, but as Batman takes the future boy wonder under his wing, it is certainly not with a gentle hand. "What, are you dense?" yells our hero at the boy mere minutes after the murders. "Are you retarded or something? Who the hell do you think I am? I'm the godd--n Batman." Shortly after that, when Grayson witnesses the apparent death of some corrupt cops at Batman's hands (or rather, the batmobile's tires), the bleak reality of his own parents' fates starts to set in. So the kid's new boss slaps him silly for fretting about it.

In fact, the book is widely reviled by fans, seen as a joke by many and a complete misstep on Miller's part by others. But when taken in the context of The Dark Knight Returns and its far less noteworthy sequel The Dark Knight Strikes Again, this mean and brutal Batman kind of makes sense. He's treating Grayson as a raw recruit in his war on crime, and he's using the basest feelings the boy has to fuel the drive he'll need to become a warrior -- fear, anger, hate. Of course, considering what happens to Grayson in the future world of The Dark Knight Strikes Again -- he's become a raving lunatic and a villain -- perhaps Bruce's methodology here could be ill-considered…

As for a movie version of All Star, this is another one that seems unlikely to ever happen, though since so many fans seem dead-set against Robin's inclusion in any post-Nolan film, perhaps the dark undercurrent of this title would be the only way to keep said readers happy and bring the Boy Wonder back into the cinematic mythos.

- DC

Forced conscription in Gotham City
Every bat-fan worth his weight in utility-belt gadgets knows that The Dark Knight's predecessor Batman Begins was based in several ways on Frank Miller's comic-book tale Batman: Year One, while TDK continues to take its inspiration from the dark and gritty Caped Crusader realized in Miller's work. Director Christopher Nolan has said that the earliest comic appearances of the Joker also informed the new film, while the miniseries Batman: The Long Halloween has been credited too as a source.

This devotion to the original comics certainly keeps the fans happy, but it also raises a question. Once Nolan and star Christian Bale are done with what is reportedly going to be their Batman trilogy, where will the big-screen franchise go next? Exactly which comics and graphic novels will become the next bat-inspiration? Our suggestions, of course, follow…

Batman & Dracula: Red Rain

- DC

Batman rises from the grave in Red Rain.

A complete switching of gears by Warner Bros. would be in effect if the studio chose to pursue this 1991 Elseworlds tale. Written by Doug Moench and drawn by Kelley Jones in his uniquely gothic style, Red Rain was actually the first part of what would eventually become a trilogy (Bloodstorm and Crimson Mist were the sequels to the original). In it, Batman battles Dracula and ultimately turns into a vampire himself in order to defeat the legendary villain.

When Drac shows up in Gotham along with a growing cadre of vampiric followers, Batman must join forces with a renegade vampire to that he can take on this new foe before his beloved city truly goes batty. And certainly the bat-through line of both the Caped Crusader and Dracula mythologies makes the pair naturals to face off against one another (and they have on several occasions beyond this trilogy, from a weird old Andy Warhol film to The Batman animated series). When Bruce Wayne begins growing wings in Red Rain, however, the bat conceit truly takes on new dimensions.

- DC

The blood, the blood...

When Batman becomes a full-fledged vampire himself, he is able to control his bloodlust for the most part and continue to wage his war on crime. But eventually it all becomes too much for him and he starts sucking the life -- quite literally -- out of all his old foes. This isn't very gentle-bat-manly of him, though, and it soon falls to Alfred and Commissioner Gordon to take out their old ally.

This big-screen variation on Batman would make for a much more horrific film than most comic-book movie fans might expect, which seems like a great reason to embark on such a project in and of itself. Bruce Wayne's descent into vicious villainy in particular would be fascinating, and let's not forget that The Dark Knight costar Gary Oldman has already appeared on screen as Dracula in Francis Ford Coppola's version of the tale. A dual role for Oldman and plenty of gore and guts? Sounds like a bloody recipe for a bloody good Batman movie.

- DC

Batman: the horror movie?

Tags: The Dark Knight Iterations

Bookmark: