Friday November 30, 2001
About all that Year One stuff from yesterday
Source: Comics2Film
This is a follow up to the information I posted yesterday. Courtesy of Comics2Film
On the Batmobile design: A source closed to the production of Batman: Year One told Comics2Film that the designs were part of a failed pitch, pointing out that if the designs were to be used in the movie, the artists would not be posting them online.
And the report from Screenwriters Utopia: Our same source also told us that other internet rumors that surfaced this week are untrue. Reports indicated that "Batman: Year One had been accepted" by the Warner Bros. and designs for Batman, Catwoman and the Joker are underway. Catwoman will not part of the Year One movie as that character is in development as its own feature.
So much for that. I guess we'll have to wait a little longer....
Thursday November 29, 2001
Year One Movie updates
Source: Screenwriters
Utopia
It appears that development has finally begun. Here is what the Screenwriters Utopia is saying
Batman Year One News (Spoilers Inside)
Hi folks, Chris here. I have not be able to confirm this, so accept
it as "rumor" only right now.
Dear Screenwriters Utopia, I have some big news regarding the upcoming "Batman: Year One". I just got back from a prelimenary work meeting with Darren Aronofsky, Frank Miller, and some designers. Anyway, we have been confirmed that "Batman: Year One" has been accepted by Warner Brothers and work is to be started right away for an early 2003 release, even though Aronofsky hopes to get the final cut done by Winter 2002. We have been asked to come up with some designs for the film, including (SPOILERS AHEAD)
*A very gothic Gotham City.
*Several designs for Batman.
*Designs for Catwoman.
*A few designs of the Joker.
*Designs for the Batmobile.
We've been told to research through "Batman Year One"
and to expect the first look at the script within a week. For me, this
is very exciting news and I hope it will be good enough for you.
-- private eyeman
And Speaking of Year One. Wizard world has an article that has information on a Batmobile design. Here is a peak
The picture was designed by artist Christian Zanier. The design for not only the film but the film's toyline as well. As for a description of the Batmobile's design
"Basically, what we were going for is the first Batmobile that Bruce Wayne built, unrefined and kinda crude. It’s part jet engine and part muscle car."
The full article and another picture of the Batmobile can be found Here. (Thanks to Elias Gutierrez for the heads up on both Y1 stories)
Dark Knight 2 tidbit: Two covers for first issue
Source: ComicsContinuum
Looks like DC is pulling out all the stops to promote DK2. They plan on releasing the first issue with two covers. One for the mass market and one for comic book stores. Here is a brief description courtesy of the Comics Continuum
The first version, which has been seen in various places, shows
the artwork with no text except for the DK2 logo. The second version
places the art in a black border and includes credits for Frank Miller
and Lynn Varley at the top, along with the full title The Dark Knight
Strikes Again and the DK2 logo at the bottom. This second cover was
designed to appeal to mass market consumers and is the only version
of the cover that will be available in the mass market.
The primary version of the cover, which will account for approximately
75 percent of initial order copies shipping via Diamond to comic book
stores. Thesecondary cover will also be provided to comic book stores,
and will make up approximately one out of every four copies retailers
receive.
"Frank Miller and all of us love the stark, minimalist design of
the primary cover for DKSA #1," said Bob Wayne, DC's vice-president,
sales and marketing. "But we also wanted to make sure that the
mass market cover would present the key information in a clear manner,
so we decided to create this second version. Unfortunately, by the time
this decision was made, the ordering cycle had long since closed, which
prevented us from showing the cover in advance.
"To avoid the perception of the mass market cover being a collectible
variant, we are filling a portion of each retailer's order with the
additional cover copies."
In related news, The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1 was not among the
books DC sent to retailers in its first look program.
.
Saturday November 24, 2001
Bruce Wayne and Smallville
Source: Comics Continuum
The ComicsContinuum is reporting that, despite an article in EW stating that Bruce Wayne will appear in a future episode, Bruce Wayne isn't slated to appear in the upcoming episodes.
Gotham Girls comic on the way
Source: Comics Continuum
Online webisodes isn't enough for these dark damsels, now they are getting their own comic. Courtesy of the Continuum again. Here are some details.
Writer Paul D. Storrie, whose first published work for DC Comics was
the recent Batman Beyond #23, is now writing a five-issue mini- series
called Gotham Girls.
The title is also the name of the webtoon produced by Warner Bros.
Storrie told The Continuum how the project came about. "As I was
finishing up my second issue of Batman Beyond, one that didn't see print
because of the book's cancellation, I started kicking around ideas for
a new DC project," Storrie said. "One day I was checking out
the DC Online website and the link to the Gotham Girls webtoon link
caught my eye. They're short Flash animation stories featuring the female
characters from the Batman: The Animated Series cartoons: Batgirl, Catwoman,
Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. I remembered watching a couple of them
when they first started up and liking them a lot, so popped over and
checked out some more. Fun stuff. So, I said to myself, 'DC should be
doing a comic like this!' Then I fired off a proposal to Michael Wright,
the Associate Editor at the Bat-Office with whom I worked on Batman
Beyond saying just that. He completely agreed."
"Only thing was, the Batman Animated books had just been handed
to Joan Hilty, editor of the Cartoon Network comics. Michael passed
the proposal on to Joan and her reaction was pretty much the same as
his -- 'Why aren't we doing a series based on this?'"
Storrie described the series as a "fast-paced caper / chase with
all the lead characters scrambling to get their hands on a very special
item."
Each issue spotlights a character, and the mini-series includes a "new"
Gotham Girl, Detective Renee Montoya.
The Full article can be found Here
Monday November 19, 2001
Dark Knight 2 Website
To continue their promotion of DK2, DC has created a website to warm people to this story. Preview pages and more can be found by going Here
A small tidbit on that Batman/Superman Treatment
Source: Superheroes at the Movies
Real or Fake? that's the question everyone wants to know about that treatment that I reported on. Well my good friend Fabio2 thinks it is the latter. Here is his take
Unfortunately, it looks as though Harry Knowles has put his foot in it once again. AICN and And a few other sites have been running with news re: a supposed WF treatment written by Andrew Kevin Walker for the film. However, as far as I can tell, no such treatment has been written as yet, and if it has, the one featured on AICN et al isn't it. As far as I've been able to figure out, it's a fake.
Thursday November 15, 2001
Batman 600 Details
Source: ComicsContinuum
The ComicsContinuum spoke to Ed Brubaker about the upcoming Batman 600. The full article can be found Here But here is a sneak preview
"All the members of Batman's hand-picked team finally catch
up with him for the first time since the events of Birds of Prey #40.
Convening in the Batcave, they confront Batman for his alleged crime,
and for evading the criminal justice system. Dick Grayson is pushed
to his limits by Batman's betrayal of someone close to him, making Grayson
an orphan once again. Batman's behavior is so disturbing that it only
adds to doubts of his innocence - resulting in Batman and Nightwing
going toe-to-toe in an amazing display of combat between teacher and
student. Will Batman make his long transition into Gotham's guardian
complete by getting rid of his closest confidante?"
In addition there will be 3 back up stories
Dark Knight 2 getting mainstream coverage
Source: Newsarama
Newsarama is reporting that DC will be running a quarter page color advertisement promoting DK2 in the November 23 issue of Entertainment Weekly. More details including a Do-it-yourself press release from comic retailers can be found Here
Batman/Superman Treatment
Source: Aint it Cool News and
Batman on Film
Both Harry Knowles and Bill Ramey have been given an early treatment of Andrew Kevin Walker's Batman/Superman movie. The treatment contains spoilers but if that doesn't bother you it can be found Here or Here. Keep in mind that there is no proof to suggest this treatment is the real deal. Consider it as rumour for now (Thanks to Elias Gutierrez for sending this in)
Monday November 12, 2001
Dark Knight Strikes Again an early success?
Comicon's Splash Website is reporting that the eagerly anticipated Dark Knight Strikes again may be the biggest success of the year. Here is their take
While other industries are bracing for a chilly holiday season,
early indications of December sales may show comics enjoying some good
cheer. The SPLASH has learned that DC’s “The Dark Knight Strikes Again,”
will be the year’s highest selling project with initial orders coming
in above 175,000 copies. At $7.95 the 80 page graphic novel installment
will generate the highest dollar share of any comic of the last five
years. So are we looking at a new hope or the fandom menace?
Dark Knight 2 promises to be an enormous cash injection for DC and will
close 2001 on a high growth note. This year Marvel has pummeled DC with
its loud dominance of the top 25, and until now, DC hasn’t done much
more than defend itself by calling attention to its retailer services
and reorder activity. The sales of DK2’s debut is a decisive blow at
Marvel’s chart dominance and demonstrates that the quiet giant has started
to compete.
The Full article can be found at the Splash Website by going Here
Sounds good to me....
Saturday November 3, 2001
More Batman Y1 News
Source: Batman on Film
Bill Ramey's got yet more information on the prequel idea that came up this past week. It looks like Bill's source is saying that Y1 will be a complete restart. The full report can be found Here but again I would like to repeat that this info is rumour (as said by Bill himself) here's the information regarding Y1
"Batman Year One is the favorite of the moment. It's seen as having the most potential for success. Trust me, it will be a total restart. It's felt around here that the prior series is really at a dead end. (A number of big villains are dead. Michelle Pfeiffer, Chris O'Donnell, and the guy that plays Alfred are now too old, the commish has become a total buffoon, and Batgirl is unneccessary.) There's just too much water under the bridge to continue. Besides, everybody here wants the Joker back at some point (but not Jack)."
and while we are at it Fabio2 has a little more of his own at Superheroes at the Movies. This is in regards to an LA Times article which referred to Y1 as a prequel. Again consider this as rumour.
Sorry, but they're wrong. This time last year, the LA Times reported that Brad Pitt would be Batman (Darren Aronofsky commented publicly how ludicrous that rumour was), and the year before that reported on how certain the "Bruce Wayne" show was. Both reports were 100% false, their track record on factual Batman news is pathetic, and this Y1 is a prequel report is just as false.
Any comments regarding this new info is greatly appreciated
(^ _^)