part 3: Source Material Stray: How faithful
is Batman Begins to the source?
The following is a look at the faithfulness of Batman Begins to the source. It should be noted that like Alan Burnett and Bruce Timm, Christopher Nolan has created his own Bat-universe by taking aspects of Batman lore from both pre and post crisis. Unlike Spider-man or most Marvel characters, DC characters have often been revised and rewritten over the years especially after 1985 when DC decided to restructure their timeline.
Here is the scale that will be used to judge the changes
1:Minor Change, little to no effect
2:Not in the film but would have been nice to have
3:Neutral: Doesn't matter either way
4:Major change from the source
1. Bruce Wayne has a childhood friend in Rachel Dawes who
along with her mother lived in the manor
Verdict: 3-Neutral.
In the past few years Jeph Loeb introduced a childhood friend Tommy Elliot in
his story "Hush" and Ed Brubaker had Bruce being friends with Lew Moxon's
daughter a few years back. As far as Rachel and her mother living in Wayne
Manor, it is a very minor change.
2.
The Waynes go to see an opera on the night they are killed
Comics version: They go to see The Mark of Zorro
Verdict: 2:Not in the film but would have been
nice to have: Since the editorial of Denny O' Neil, it
has long been established that the Waynes went to see The Mark of Zorro and this
is quite popular with many
fans. It is a little disappointing they didn't use this since many fans are
quite aware of it
3. Bruce Wayne leaves
Gotham at the age of 20
Comics take: He leaves at the age of 14
Verdict: 1:Minor Change, little to no effect
4. Bruce meets Ra's during his journey abroad
Comics take: Bruce meets around his fourth or fifth year
Verdict: 4:Major change from the source
In the comics, Ra's meets Bruce as he has been observing him for sometime.
Obviously with what Ra's has in mind, he needs a more mature and experienced
Bruce.
5. Joe Chill knows Falcone and
is killed by his lackey after Chill agrees to testify against him
Comics take: Chill and Falcone never met.
Verdict: 3:Neutral: Doesn't matter either way. Chill has gone through many changes in the comics, in one version he was killed by his fellow hoodlums when he tells them he is responsible for the existence of Batman. Later he was portrayed as a hitman working for crime boss Lew Moxon. He is killed by the Reaper in Batman: Year Two
6. Gordon doesn't appear to be from Chicago and is a sergeant
when Batman starts
Comic Take: Gordon is lieutenant and has transferred from Chicago under
mysterious circumstances
Verdict: 1:Minor Change, little to no effect.
Gordon does become lieutenant in the end of the film.
7. Harvey Dent is no where in sight.
Comic Take: Harvey is assistant D.A when Batman starts
Verdict: 2:Not in the film but would have been nice
to have. Perhaps Harvey will appear in the sequel where he'll be Rachel's
assistant (speculation wise) if Harvey does appear then, it would fit in
perfectly along Batman: Year One where Lieutenant Gordon and a young Batman team
with Harvey.
8. Jonathon Crane is a
professor who experiments on inmates at Arkham
Comic Take: Crane did the same but at Gotham University
Verdict: 1:Minor Change, little to no effect.
Crane's modus operandi and characterization are true to the comics. Perhaps he
did work at Gotham U and came to Arkham after he was fired?
9. Bruce is 29 when he becomes Batman
Comic Take: According to Batman editorial, Bruce is in his early to mid 20's
when he starts. Batman: Year One pegs it at the age of 25
Verdict: 1:Minor Change, little to no effect. Four
year difference shouldn't be too much. A lot better than him starting at the age
of 35 as in Batman
10. Lucius is
a demoted exec at Wayne Enterprises
Comic Take: Lucius is an intelligent individual with Business smarts
Verdict: 1:Minor Change, little to no effect.
Lucius' character is still in spirit to the comics and he does end up running
Wayne Enterprises.
11. Batman glides
with a special cape
Comic Take: Batman swings and runs across rooftops
Verdict: Neutral. This decision is made for two reasons a) he has used gliding
tools before and b) Even though he's been doing it longer, film audiences are
more use to seeing Spider-man swing across the city and might perceive Batman
doing as copying Spider-man
12. Flass is fat out of shape boob
Comic Take: Flass is a tall built former marine
Verdict: 1:Minor Change. It appears that casting
changes resulted in Flass looking different
13. Commissioner Loeb is black/Alfred, Thomas Wayne and
Carmine Falcone don't look like their comic counterparts/Scarecrow doesn't have
a costume
The reason I grouped all these characters together is because their appearances
are not like those in the comics and to some people, characters who don't look
like their comic counterparts aren't considered "right" Look at it this way, Does
Kirsten Dunst look like Mary Jane? What about Gene Hackman or Kevin Spacey as
Lex Luthor? Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane? Not all characters will resemble their
comic counter parts but as long as one or two are done right (In this case,
Batman, Gordon and Ra's) this isn't much of a problem.
It should be noted that this list isn't meant
to undermine or put down Batman Begins but to show that even good comic book
films have some changes that very few people may notice. Superman: The Movie and
Spider-man are also not entirely faithful to their sources but yet are
considered great films.