INTRODUCTION
Batman and my biography
I am a person with a disability (PWD). I have cerebral palsy. Growing up, I always wanted to be someone other than me. As a child I wanted to be Superman, pretending to do all the things that he could do and be the peak physical specimen that I knew my disability robbed from me. Then, toward adolescence coming to terms with my perceived "otherness" I gravitated to the X-men, hoping that with my difference, also came special abilities (like Nightcrawler). It didn't happen no matter how I tried to convince my self it was possible.When I reached high school, I realized that I had been waiting around for a miracle, and that miracle was never going to come. That is when I let Batman into my life.
"...You've changed things...FOREVER."- Joker The Dark Knight
Before this, I was a casual Batman fan. I watched the movies get progressively worse from Burton to Schumacher (culminating in the abysmal and near un-watchable Batman and Robin), and even though my first comic books ever purchased were the self titled Batman (Issue 485), I never understood the character until that moment in high school when I realized, that I was always going to be a PWD. There was no miracle, cure, or way to get around what and who I was. There was nothing inherently special about me....just like Bruce Wayne.
BATMAN BEGINS
In my original review of the film (see link above), I stated that Batman Begins is the greatest superhero origin story, and I still stand by that. However, I did not know this going into the theater in 2005. I was relatively unaware of both the contents of this film and director Christopher Nolan. What I did know is that they were going to tell the untold story of Bruce Wayne, going back to discuss his training and how he "became Batman." As the story unfolded before me, I realized what a wonderful piece of Cinema I was beholding. I saw the film three times, each with a different family friend and/or loved one. I could not get enough.
Nolan wisely made the decision to not show Batman until an hour into the film making us care first about Bruce Wayne before he dons his symbol. This was so revolutionary that during one of my screenings someone came up to me at the beginning and asked " Is this the Batman film?" I assume they were expecting something different than an Indie Art house Batman Film.
Top 5 Favorite Scenes
THE DARK KNIGHT
The Dark Knight is one of the greatest superhero film in cinema history. After seeing the joker card at the end of Batman Begins which caused me to shout out in the middle of the theater in joyous glee, I wanted to know everything about this film. I was there for the press release announcing Heath Ledger as the Joker (I was skeptical) I was all upon the viral marketing campaign that invoked "The Long Halloween" which gave us the first images of the Joker. I read about Heath Ledger's preparation for the role ( and the rumors of the psychological toll it took) and I was in Chicago during filming in March- May 2007. I watched the news as they blew up an old Brach Candy factory that stood in for Gotham General in the film. However, when the film was released on July 18th 2008. I was in the midst of a big life changing event so I was unable to see the film at Midnight. To cope, I had asked my Brother in law (who was going to the midnight showing) to call me directly afterwards to give me his initial impressions...The verdict: Amazing. I first saw this film in IMAX, it was beautiful.
Top 5 Favorite Scenes
"Batman could be anybody"- Bruce Wayne The Dark Knight Rises
This understanding that Bruce Wayne and I shared this lack of specialness gave me hope that I could build myself into something spectacular. That through training, perseverance, and sheer force of will, I could become something more than I was, that I could "make myself more than just [a disabled] man". All I had to do was work hard enough at what I wanted. It was then that Bruce Wayne/ Batman became a member of my reference group in all aspects of my life. For me it wasn't What would Jesus do, it was "What would Batman do.".
By using Batman as a role model, I excelled in my studies at school, vastly improving with each tier from high school and on throughout college and graduate school. I wanted to understand everything and have a keen critical and analytical mind as he always seemed to. Even as I continue with my education independently reading and writing I am always chasing Batman. Pushing myself to my academic limits of understanding, I often challenge myself with new topics and new ideas that I must Master.
It is also because of Batman that I went back into the Martial arts that I had started when I was a kid. I committed myself completely to my martial arts practice and my Sensei (still am committed) achieving the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt in Isshin-ryu and a second degree Black Belt in Kyusho Jitsu. Now, again like Batman, I am currently working out my own "style" or "art" just as every martial artist has to make each technique their own. I with my disability have to take what works for me from multiple different styles ( I have incorporated some techniques from Wing Chun and KFM for obvious reasons) and leave the rest.
However, the motivation for this period of self discovery and personal achievement had to be kept secret. When this journey began in High school during a time when it was unacceptable for anyone over the age of 12 to be into comic books and superheroes. So Batman, as my fictional paragon, was also my guilty pleasure. I stopped reading comic books, and did not embrace the geek culture until, as an adult, I gave myself permission.
My Batman
Every Batman fan has Their Batman. This is the depiction of Batman in comics and other media that resonates the most with them and who they are. For some, it might be the Batman '66 television show, for others it might be the Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams run in the comics. For me, the gateway drug into the Batman Mythos was the work of Bruce Timm. Timm was creator of the famed DC animated Universe Continuity That included:
And Batman Beyond
Being so engrossed in this world shaped how I see Batman, to the point that when I read Batman comic books today, Batman's voice sounds like Kevin Conroy's portrayal and The Joker's voice is Mark Hamill's portrayal
From this great starting off point I built my personal Batman. To me, Batman is a dark, tortured character that uses the cape and cowl as a form of therapy to keep him from falling into the pit of madness that he is constantly on the precipice of. It is through the persona of Batman that he needs to exorcise his demons, some who have taken physical form ( The Joker). He is paranoid, he is alienated, he seeks to end his pain through stopping the pain of others. My Batman is a master combatant and a detective. Someone who is always prepared for any eventuality , who can out think his villains and strategize better than anyone. Unfortunately, this has become so ridiculous and outrageous over the years (in part due to Batman's loyal fandom) that it has become a parody of it's self. Many Batman fans believe that Batman can do and survive anything just because "He's Batman."
Seminal Comics work for My Batman
Frank Miller's Year One and The Dark Knight Returns (plus the animated versions are good too)
Hush by Jim Lee and Jeff Loeb
Arkham Asylum and Batman RIP by Grant Morrison
The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
Scott Snyder's Run on Batman (three arcs Court of Owls, Death of the Family, and End Game) I have yet to read Zero Year
Film
It is Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy that is my near perfect portrayal of Batman and Bruce Wayne
It is Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy that is my near perfect portrayal of Batman and Bruce Wayne
BATMAN BEGINS
In my original review of the film (see link above), I stated that Batman Begins is the greatest superhero origin story, and I still stand by that. However, I did not know this going into the theater in 2005. I was relatively unaware of both the contents of this film and director Christopher Nolan. What I did know is that they were going to tell the untold story of Bruce Wayne, going back to discuss his training and how he "became Batman." As the story unfolded before me, I realized what a wonderful piece of Cinema I was beholding. I saw the film three times, each with a different family friend and/or loved one. I could not get enough.
Nolan wisely made the decision to not show Batman until an hour into the film making us care first about Bruce Wayne before he dons his symbol. This was so revolutionary that during one of my screenings someone came up to me at the beginning and asked " Is this the Batman film?" I assume they were expecting something different than an Indie Art house Batman Film.
Top 5 Favorite Scenes
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| Sword fight on a glacier "Will is Everything!" |
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| "Where are You!".....Here. |
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| "Where were the other drugs going!" |
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| "I won't kill you. But I don't have to save you." |
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| "A taste of the Theatrical," |
THE DARK KNIGHT
The Dark Knight is one of the greatest superhero film in cinema history. After seeing the joker card at the end of Batman Begins which caused me to shout out in the middle of the theater in joyous glee, I wanted to know everything about this film. I was there for the press release announcing Heath Ledger as the Joker (I was skeptical) I was all upon the viral marketing campaign that invoked "The Long Halloween" which gave us the first images of the Joker. I read about Heath Ledger's preparation for the role ( and the rumors of the psychological toll it took) and I was in Chicago during filming in March- May 2007. I watched the news as they blew up an old Brach Candy factory that stood in for Gotham General in the film. However, when the film was released on July 18th 2008. I was in the midst of a big life changing event so I was unable to see the film at Midnight. To cope, I had asked my Brother in law (who was going to the midnight showing) to call me directly afterwards to give me his initial impressions...The verdict: Amazing. I first saw this film in IMAX, it was beautiful.
Top 5 Favorite Scenes
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| "You Think you can steal from us and just walk away?" "Yeah." |
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| "Hit Me!" |
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| "They're only as good as the world allows them to be." |
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| "It's all part of the plan." |
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| "He's the hero we deserve, but not the hero we need right now." |
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
In anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises, Batman day was created.I was deep into marketing, spoilers, the reveal of the time jump (8 years), the completion of the story and the general awesomness that ensued. Very early on, I had already decided that I would see the film multiple times in the theater on the same day in a row (3 times in a row). I ended up seeing the film 10 times in the theater, and now own multiple copies of it on Blu-Ray. As I stated in my original review, this film is unique in that it has a complete ending. It completes the story of Bruce Wayne that we started in Batman Begins. This is why this installment of the Triology is my favorite.
In a bit of eerie foreshadowing, while we were waiting for the film to begin at Midnight I leaned over to my Brother-in Law and said "What if Bane came through those exit doors right now?" " Oh, it would be over," he replied. Little did we know that at that moment in Aurora, Colorado James Holmes was preparing to massacre people in a similar theater.
Aside from the tragedy, seeing the film at Midnight with my fellow fans became like a religious experience for me. There were screams of Joy, outrage, laughter, tears and Cheers! all the way up to the end. Thank you Emotional Contagion. :) The Batman vs. Bane fight to this day gives me chills!
Top 5 Favorite Scenes
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| "The Fire Rises." |
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| "Oops" |
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| "I am the League of Shadows." |
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| "Because I'm Batman." |
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| Happy Healthy Life. |
CONCLUSION
This is the series of films that I can watch over and over without getting tired. Since the three films complete a story I can not watch just one of them. I have to watch them all. Sure I will spread them out over days maybe weeks (because who really has 10 + hrs to watch films anymore) but I need to watch them in order. I have been watching them at least once a year, and will continue to do so. Christopher Nolan gave me three Batman stories and the complete Journey of Bruce Wayne. For that I will be forever Grateful.
