My experiences and knowledge of Batman extends only to the media produced for a wider audience, and I am shocked at how much inspiration may have come from this comic book. Since this book predates any of the Batman films (with exception to 1966’s “Batman” starring Adam West) it is safe to say that the darker tone of most of the films can be attributed to Miller’s take on Batman. In “Batman Begins,” the same explanation of why bats were chosen as Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego is used (pg 18-19). The dark tone can be seen as far as the most recent Batman video game. The line on page 39, “The last ones usually lose it. So I let him. And let him come to me,” can be used to describe how most of the enemies are programmed in the game. If the last enemy in the room realizes that he is trapped alone, with Batman nowhere to be seen he will become terrified and start shooting at anything that startles him, such as a radiator in the room. But the most direct adaptation of Miller’s version of Batman can be seen in an episode of the 90’s animated series (episode “Legends of the Dark Knight”), in which some kids talk about how they think Batman is, including a direct remake of events in the comic which have direct quotes, shots taken straight from the panels, and even the fight choreography from Batman’s first fight with the mutant leader (pg. 72-81).
The episode can be found in two parts on YouTube, starting here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26ZVuMsRx3c. You can skip to part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-eZdMN4Udo) if you want to go straight to homage to this comic book.
That episode is probably my favorite one. Followed closely by “Mad Love.” It is based on Batman #250, “The batman nobody knows.” That episode also had a hilarious scene where, in front of a SHOEMAKER shop, the boys discussing their takes on the Batman make fun of a fairly effeminate kid named “Joel” for having an obsession with a rubber bat suit. The director of the terrible “batman forever” and even worse “batman and robin” was named Joel Shoemaker… and hes the one who decided to put nipple on the bat suit.
The story is retold in the 2008 production “Batman: Gotham Knight” where, similar to the Animatrix, several animation studios made shorts in the world of batman. Studio 4 C (the guys who did Tekkon Kinkreet, Cat Soup and Mind Game) did a short called “Have I got a story for you” where 3 boys relate their takes on the Batman as they saw it. All varying drastically. (Rashomon effect to the extreme!)
As far as Batman: Arkham Asylum goes, I agree with your statement but I will take this opportunity to whine that when you use the ability to string henchmen up by their feet, why does the Bat not take a moment to knock them out or otherwise incapacitate them? A glide kick from across the room in all it’s ostentatious cinematic glory does not call the attention of other henchmen, but as soon as you use that predatory string up move which by comparison is quite ninja, the whole room has you in their targets. Neither of these comments are useful to anyone but serious nerds, but I will have my say says I.
I realized that my previous comment basically said nothing other than kind of adding background and detail to what you already said.
I can’t help but notice the lack of actually referencing any specific aspect of the graphic novel itself in your post other than the “dark tone.”
The “dark tone” of TDKR has indeed been revisited in many Batman stories in the years since the publication… Though I should note that originally bats was using guns and outright killing people. Someone may see that as dark, but I will admit it was depicted with almost whimsical…
It may be true that as far as a direct adaptation goes, Legends of the Dark Knight includes a story told about batman and mutants, with a girl telling the story and taking the role of Robin,… but if you’re going to talk to about dark tone, Legends is actually a fairly lighthearted, kid friendly, affair. It’s pretty funny. A darker example from the animated series would be “Heart of Ice” which actually won an emmy for writing. It’s about Mr. Freeze and is quite sad. Also if you count Miller’s “Batman: Year one” as “miller’s version” than I would argue “The Mask of Phantasm” is equally faithful, at least in part.
I kind of wish we could talk a bit about the differences in Legends and the mutants in TDKR. Too bad not many of us have seen it, everyone should watch it at the link above!!
Whoa, I had never seen Legends of the Dark Knight before, and I’m aghast at its remake of The Dark Knight Returns. What an impoverished rendering of Miller’s story, that loses all of Miller’s ambivalence. When I read in interviews with Miller how he curses what DC has gone on to do with his revision of Batman, I can now understand why.