Reviews@24Panels: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)

Calling The Dark Knight Rises ambitious is an understatement. Christopher Nolan’s final chapter in the Dark Knight Trilogy is epic in length, far-reaching in scope, complex and literary in its themes. Picking up eight years after the events in The Dark Knight, Batman has not been seen since the night Harvey Dent died. Yet, a new threat emerges in Bane (Tom Hardy), a terrorist determined to overturn the social classes of Gotham and make the wealthy confront their sins. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is coaxed out of a self-imposed exile by sexy cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway). Plus there’s stuff involving beat cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and wealthy industrialist Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard).

One Episode at a Time: The Secret Origins of the Comic Book Film

[Check it out: The following is a revised version of a paper I gave at the 2011 Carleton Communication Graduate Caucus on Neglected Media.]

Given the resounding critical and financial success of 2012's superhero films - The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man, and The Dark Night Rises - it's safe to say that films based on comic books have reached the point of ubiquity, and have firmly solidified the genre as a staple of contemporary American cinema. However, in the exploration of the comic book film, scholars and critics all but ignore one of the most important developments in not only the genre, but film history itself: the motion picture serial. These serials, immensely popular during their time, have not been adequately explored in critical or academic discourse. Likewise, comic book serials are at best relegated to simply a footnote, but are more often ignored or dismissed. Nevertheless, these film serial adaptations of comics have heavily influenced groundbreaking television shows like Adventures of Superman (1952-1958) and Batman (1966-1968), as well as on the modern incarnation of the comic book film. Though the 1941 serial Adventures of Captain Marvel marks the true origin of the comic book film, my focus primarily on arguably the two of the most popular comic book characters and recognizable cultural icons: Superman and Batman.

They’ll Never Film That (But They Should): BATMAN: VENOM

In an age which can be considered the Golden Era of comic book cinema, it might look as if the sky is the limit for comic book stories to be adapted to film. Who ever thought we’d see an Avengers film or the “Phoenix Saga” from the X-Men comics? Granted, they botched the latter, but still, who even thought we’d see a bad film based on that storyline?

But some stories are just too odd, too dark, and/or too controversial to put to film, at least as far as comic books superheroes go. Then again, these are stories which are also too good not to film. In other words, these are the comic books which filmmakers will never film…but they should.

Batman: Venom

Episode 31. BATMAN BEGINS (2005)

Dru and Dave are back in Nolan's Gotham City to see how it all began with Batman Begins, just in time to see how it all ends in this summer's The Dark Knight Rises. And so ends our series on series being continued, restarted, and finished this summer. Stay tuned to the 24 Panels blog while we're off, and we'll be back in August with more episodes! Until then, always remember: never turn left on Albequerque. 

Episode breakdown:

0:00 - 16:45: Intro banter (Upcoming series announced, WB's Justice League movie)

16:45 - 17:37: Batman Begins trailer

17:37 - 1:11:24: Main discussion

1:11:24 - 1:17:21: Closing remarks (Prometheus)

Addenda: 

Dru, circa 2008, with Tumblr. Notice the oblivious security guard, right.

Dru smiling like a fool between the Tumblr and the Bat-Pod.

Send all feedback to twentyfourpanels@gmail.com. Stay up to date with our blogs at 24panelspersecond.blogspot.com and 24panels.tumblr.com. Follow Dave on Twitter @24panels and Dru @violetbooth. Like us on Facebook. And don't forget to subscribe (and review us) in iTunes!

Next time on 24 Panels: Ghost World...

Episode 28. THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

Is there anything left to say about Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight? Dru and Dave think so. And with The Dark Knight Rises on the immediate horizon, 24 Panels Per Second is definitely the podcast you deserve, and the one you need right now. (Does that line make any more sense here than it does in the movie? I doubt it.) Andrew Kannegiesser is truly a "white knight" for sitting in with us once again.

Episode breakdown:
0:00 - 6:16: Intro banter (Facebook problems)
6:16 - 6:49: The Dark Knight trailer
6:49 - 1:44:07: Main discussion: The Dark Knight
1:44:07 - 1:47:34: Closing remarks

Send all feedback to twentyfourpanels@gmail.com. Stay up to date with our blogs at 24panelspersecond.blogspot.com and 24panels.tumblr.com. Follow Dave on Twitter @24panels and Dru @violetbooth. Like us on Facebook. And don't forget to subscribe (and review us) in iTunes!

Next time on 24 Panels: Men in Black I and II...