Is Batman a little TOO dark

[LeotheLateBloomer]

http://www.tv3.ie/xpose/article/entertainment-news/219965/Movie-Batman-is-too-dark-for-TV-Caped-Crusader-Adam-West

I know Adam West played a portrayal based on the Silver Age but I can sort of see where he's coming from. There was a certain point where Batman did have a bit of balance.

I refer back to thr 1989 film and TAS. Batman was dark but he knew when to have a sense of humor at times. He smiled while acting cool in the 89 film. In a few episodes of TAS, he traded a few jokes with Alfred (like Alfred compared him to Man-Bat), laughed at a joke some guy played on Joker, smiled while deciding to save Joker from falling, and amused when Alfred was having trouble with a kid.

I know he is dark at his core but I sort of miss those times where he had those moments. He had balance to me. He was cool and calm but knew when to be serious. Now it feels like he needs to be very dark and angry for the sake of people seeing him as the cool superhero.

He is a dark figure but I feel he lost a bit of balance.

What do you guys think?

[CyberCubed]

For the movies the tone is exactly right, Batman doesn't need to crack jokes.

But for the cartoons, that's why B:TAS Batman is my favorite:

https://67.media.tumblr.com/0f99479c81cb0f65d85e935afbcb47e8/tumblr_nd01mrmn0P1s2wio8o1_500.gif

[Splinter the boss]

No I find him just fine. I like his dark attitude, that's what makes him the bat. He is his best in darkness.

[turtlefanforever]

http://66.media.tumblr.com/87ffcccc0715e03842f976aaf7e8db8a/tumblr_n1cr8e2pww1ql4e6oo4_250.gif

[plastroncafe]

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

This.

Also, I find the campy Batman a much greater crime than dark Batman.

[plastroncafe]

This.

Also, I find the campy Batman a much greater crime than dark Batman.

I would totally agree with this, but I'm kind of in love with Brave and the Bold.
Also his portrayal on Teen Titans GO!

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

You've summed it up pretty well.

[THGhost]

I'm with Cubed, the tone fits fine for the movies.

[Wesley]

I agree. I didn't like The Dark Knight film (the only film that I've watched from Nolan's trilogy), as I thought it was too realistic and didn't care much for the acting. I preferred Batman 1989, as I felt it struck the right balance between being lighthearted and serious.

[plastroncafe]

If anyone is "too dark" in this newest incarnation of the DC universe, it's Superman.

Though, bias upfront: I've only seen Man of Steel, and so can't speak to Affleck's portrayal of Batman.

[myconius]

I don't think it's the darkness that makes a bad Batman story, but whether or not he's a character or a caricature. There are writers that confuse edgy for character, and that's just not the case.

^ this man speaks the truth!!! :thumbsup:

[Leofan26]

Maybe I'm one of the Batman fans that was in the era where Batman's always been dark, it seems right to me.

I loved that those films the best personally.

[myconius]

i've never minded a dark themed Batman comic or movie, but only if it's genuine.
when it feels forced, or like it's trying TOO hard cuz they think it'll be "Cool" or "Edgy", then it just becomes laughable to me.

[ProactiveMan]

I don’t know if Batman is too dark, but he’s too sad. I like it when he is a little more sure of himself, and not completely emotionally wrecked. I thought Beware the Batman had an interesting interpretation – that Batman is likable, but he’s kind of a swaggering d!ckhead too. Ben Affleck plays it along those lines, although he becomes a rage monster at times, which is a little off-putting. That rings truer to me than the emotional train wreck portrayed in the Dark Knight series.

As for Adam West – there is a huge distance between ‘too dark’ and whatever it was he was up to in the 60s. I’d say the happy medium is nowhere near half-way between those.

[myconius]

one of my favorite versions of Batman in comics was hat Grant Morrison did with Batman in JLA.

and not the Mark Waid story that everyone confuses with Grant.
Morrison had already left the JLA series before Tower of Bable came out.

[MontanaMax1982]

What do you think of Frank Miller's Batman?

[plastroncafe]

Prior to him drinking his own kool-aid, his Bat stories were awesome.
Post....not so much.

[MontanaMax1982]

Prior to him drinking his own kool-aid, his Bat stories were awesome.
Post....not so much.

And do you think some people took the wrong lessons from The Dark Knight Returns and Year One even Alan Moore's Killing Joke without understanding what made those stories stand out?

[myconius]

And do you think some people took the wrong lessons from The Dark Knight Returns and Year One even Alan Moore's Killing Joke without understanding what made those stories stand out?

Scott Snyder definitely did!

the Joker has his own face cut-off and wears it like a mask just BECAUSE!


(ooooooOOH! so edgy!)
http://us.cdn4.123rf.com/168nwm/yayayoy/yayayoy1004/yayayoy100400020/6867958-thumb-up-emoticon.jpg

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Scott Snyder definitely did!

Aw, man, how can you say that!? You can't drop that bomb on me without examples! :trazz:

EDIT: Ah, you went back and added the "Joker cutting off his own face" as an example. That's legit, but I look at it this way. Joker is demonstrating that he HAS no mask. Cut off his face, it's just more Joker. No Bruce Wayne or Dick Grayson or Barry Allen under the crazy, just. more. Joker.

I liked the point of that story.

Any other examples, though? 'Cause we BOTH agree the RoboBatGordon story was the worst. (But Bloom was awesome.)

[myconius]

Aw, man, how can you say that!? You can't drop that bomb on me without examples! :trazz:

see my edit :)

but please don't mind the sarcasm at the end. i added that before i saw your reply.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

see my edit :)

but please don't mind the sarcasm at the end. i added that before i saw your reply.

Nah, I get the dislike for it. It works for me, but it definitely clashes with a lot of the different Joker interpretations.

Oh, and Zero Year was kinda... eh. I liked it for what it was, but as the "new Year One", it sucked. More overcomplicated and technological than it needed to be, ESPECIALLY for the first Batman story.

[myconius]

Snyder also threw in WAY too many unnecessary scenes of Batman betting tosses out windows, blown up, stabbed through his guts, beaten to a pulp, drown, crudely electrocuted back to life from hypothermia, etc... ALL in his very first story arc!!
as i was reading it as it was coming out in monthly issues it was VERY exhausting!!!!
it got me WELL past the point of "well i just don't give a damn anymore!"
it was depressing!!!

[myconius]

Nah, I get the dislike for it. It works for me, but it definitely clashes with a lot of the different Joker interpretations.

Oh, and Zero Year was kinda... eh. I liked it for what it was, but as the "new Year One", it sucked. More overcomplicated and technological than it needed to be, ESPECIALLY for the first Batman story.

i definitely agree with your assessment of zero year/year one.

zero year just felt like a year one/no man's land 'mash-up' but not as good.

but one thing i was say about ALL of the issues that Capullo drew, i can look at that Gorgeous art ALL DAY!!!! :thumbsup:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Snyder also threw in WAY too many unnecessary scenes of Batman betting tosses out windows, blown up, stabbed through his guts, beaten to a pulp, drown, crudely electrocuted back to life from hypothermia, etc... ALL in his very first story arc!!
as i was reading it as it was coming out in monthly issues it was VERY exhausting!!!!
it got me WELL past the point of "well i just don't give a damn anymore!"
it was depressing!!!

Well, going up against the Court of Owls was pretty awesome; for that storyline to carry as much "punch", Bruce NEEDED to have his ass handed to him in ten different pieces. :tlol:

But yeah, it was brutal, wasn't it?

i definitely agree with your assessment of zero year/year one.

zero year just felt like a year one/no man's land 'mash-up' but not as good.

but one thing i was say about ALL of the issues that Capullo drew, i can look at that Gorgeous art ALL DAY!!!! :thumbsup:

Oh man, I completely forgot how much "No Man's Land" was in it, too.

The funny thing is, I really liked the Red Hood Gang stuff and Doctor Death. But definitely not my favorite Riddler origin or favorite "Year One" story.

[myconius]

Well, going up against the Court of Owls was pretty awesome; for that storyline to carry as much "punch", Bruce NEEDED to have his ass handed to him in ten different pieces. :tlol:

But yeah, it was brutal, wasn't it?



Oh man, I completely forgot how much "No Man's Land" was in it, too.

The funny thing is, I really liked the Red Hood Gang stuff and Doctor Death. But definitely not my favorite Riddler origin or favorite "Year One" story.

i think i was also comparing many similarities of the 'Owls' story to the 'Black Glove/R.I.P.' story that had came out a year or so earlier. MANY similarities!


yeah, No Man's Land is GOLD!!! :D

i did really LOVE the whole Red Hood Gang story! it got a bit too wordy for me in parts, but overall i enjoyed the HECK out of that part!!!
the Riddler stuff , not so much! :lol:

[justforapic]

The great thing about Batman is that if one version isn't your cup of tea, just watch a different Batman. Me? Tim Burton movies. :tsmile:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

i think i was also comparing many similarities of the 'Owls' story to the 'Black Glove/R.I.P.' story that had came out a year or so earlier. MANY similarities!


yeah, No Man's Land is GOLD!!! :D

i did really LOVE the whole Red Hood Gang story! it got a bit too wordy for me in parts, but overall i enjoyed the HECK out of that part!!!
the Riddler stuff , not so much! :lol:

Eh, I prefer Snyder to Morrison any day. :twink:

[justforapic]

I read a Batman comic once. It had Bane in it, thankfully not the movie version. I don't know which one is worse, 1997 or 2012 movie Bane.

[myconius]

Eh, I prefer Snyder to Morrison any day. :twink:

hahahaha!!! that's cool! :lol:

me i just preferred a competent cool Batman who was always outthinking his opponents 1000 different ways from next Tuesday!! :D

Batman even have a 'back-up' personality that would take over if his mind was ever compromised!!! :D

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

hahahaha!!! that's cool! :lol:

me i just preferred a competent cool Batman who was always outthinking his opponents 1000 different ways from next Tuesday!! :D

Batman even have a 'back-up' personality that would take over if his mind was ever compromised!!! :D

Oh man, I hate that story. I HATE THAT CONCEPT. :tlol: :tlol: :tlol:

But hey, glad somebody out there liked it! :twink:

[myconius]

Oh man, I hate that story. I HATE THAT CONCEPT. :tlol: :tlol: :tlol:

But hey, glad somebody out there liked it! :twink:

one of my favorite parts was when the agent of The Black Glove poison's Bruce's tea and is gloating his final farewells to him,
Batman turns around with his- "you blinked. i switched cups. force of habit." :lol:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

one of my favorite parts was when the agent of The Black Glove poison's Bruce's tea and is gloating his final farewells to him,
Batman turns around with his- "you blinked. i switched cups. force of habit." :lol:

THAT was a great scene. I did love that. :tcool:

[myconius]

THAT was a great scene. I did love that. :tcool:

i can just hear Conroy's voice saying that line :D