Batman franchise media

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Adaptations of Batman in other media
Created by Bob Kane
Bill Finger
Original source Comics published by DC Comics
First appearance Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)
Print publications
Novel(s) Batman: Dead White
Reference book(s) Batman: The Complete History
The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual
Films and television
Film(s) Batman (1943)
Batman (1966)
Batman (1989)
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Begins
Television
show(s)		 Batman (1966)
The Batman/Superman Hour
Batman: The Animated Series
The Batman (2004)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Theatrical presentations
Musical(s) Batman: The Musical
Audio presentations
Radio show(s) The Adventures of Superman
Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome
Batman: Knightfall
Games
Board game(s) HeroClix
Video game(s) Batman (1986)
The Adventures of Batman & Robin
Batman: Vengeance
Lego Batman: The Video Game
Batman: Arkham Asylum

Since his first appearance in 1939, Batman has been adapted into such media as film, radio, television, and video games, as well as numerous merchandising items.

Contents

Theatrical films[edit]

Main article: Batman in film

A number of Batman theatrical films have been made. There have also been several attempted projects during the hiatus between Batman & Robin and Batman Begins.

Radio[edit]

Beginning in March 1945, Batman and Robin made regular appearances on the radio drama The Adventures of Superman on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Efforts were made to launch a Batman radio series in 1943 and again in 1950, but neither came to fruition.

In 1989 an original radio drama, Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome, was produced by Dirk Maggs for BBC Radio 4.

A second Maggs production aired on BBC Radio 1 in 1994, this time adapting the comic book storyline Batman: Knightfall. It was adapted, produced and directed by Maggs—with music composed by Mark Russell—who had also made Superman: Doomsday & Beyond on BBC Radio 5. This show, however was not commissioned of its own, but rather to be three-minute episodes on the Mark Goodier Show. This meant it was written with a sense of immediacy; having to make an instant effect and each three-minute segment contains a major plot development or sound effect stunt and ends on a cliffhanger. DC acknowledged the effort in an issue Shadow of The Bat by having villains jump past a sign reading "Dirk Maggs Radio". Michael Gough reprised the role of Alfred Pennyworth from the Burton/Schumacher film series.

Television[edit]

Live action[edit]

Bruce Wayne[edit]

In 1999, Tim McCanlies wrote a pilot script and series bible for a planned series called Bruce Wayne to be produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions. Taking place in his teenage years, the series would cover his passage into young adulthood, training, and development into becoming Batman. Other characters would include Alfred, Sergeant Jim Gordon, law school student Harvey Dent, and a seductive young Selina Kyle. Planned to run for five to six seasons, it would show how he acquired his martial arts skills, his equipment, and detective abilities he would use in his war on crime. It would also focus on topics such as corruption within the board of Wayne Enterprises (an element which found its way into the movie Batman Begins, to some extent) and police affiliation with the mafia. Bruce Wayne was nearing pre-production when Warner Bros. movie division felt it would conflict with the planned Year One movie and scrapped it. The result was Batman Begins and Tollin/Robbins Productions later went to create Smallville, a series about a teenage Clark Kent.

Animated[edit]

The title card has the show title at the top and Shaggy, holding a flashlight, and Scooby-Doo in the lower left. To the right, in the light from the flashlight, is shown Batman and Robin.
Title card for The Dynamic Duo's guest shots on The New Scooby-Doo Movies in 1972

Direct-to-video[edit]

Newspaper[edit]

Main article: Batman (comic strip)

From 1943 to 1946, Batman and Robin appeared in a syndicated daily newspaper comic strip produced by the McClure Syndicate. Other versions appeared in 1953, 1966, and 1989. The original run is collected in the book Batman: The Dailies. One more comic strip series ran briefly after the success of the 1989 film.

Books[edit]

Batman appears in a novel by cyberpunk/horror novelist John Shirley, entitled Batman: Dead White from Del Rey. Many other novels and short story collections featuring Batman have been published over the years, including novelizations of each of the recent movies (such as Batman and The Dark Knight Rises) and many of the comic book arcs.

There are also several more scholarly works, aimed at either Batman's history or art, such as Les Daniels' Batman: The Complete History or Will Brooker's Batman Unmasked: Analysing a Cultural Icon. and compilations such as Batman: Cover to Cover : The Greatest Comic Book Covers of the Dark Knight. In 2004, The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual, written by Scott Beatty was published by Quirk Books (ISBN 1-59474-023-2). Written in the same style as The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series, the book explained the basics on how to be Batman. Amongst the skills included in the book are "How to Train a Sidekick", "How to Execute a Backflip", "How to Throw a Grappling Hook", and "How to Survive a Poison Gas Attack". Finally, there are of course countless sticker, coloring, activity, and other children's books featuring the Dark Knight.[3]

Foreign comics[edit]

Novelty singles[edit]

Several musical singles featuring cast members of the television show singing in-character were released in 1966: Burgess Meredith as the Penguin in "The Capture" and "The Escape", Frank Gorshin as the Riddler in "The Riddler", and Adam West as Batman in "Miranda". In 1976 West performed a pair of novelty songs, "The Story of Batman" and "Batman and Robin", for Target Records. All six of these recordings (sans the b-sides to Gorshin and West's singles) were later included on the 1997 compilation, Batmania: Songs Inspired by Batman TV Series.

In 1966, Burt Ward also recorded a limited "disc jokey only" release with Frank Zappa called "Boy Wonder, I Love You".

Also in 1966, British novelty group The Scaffold produced a single called "Goodbat Nightman" (lyrics by Roger McGough, who "has written several poems" about Batman and Robin).[4]

Audio drama[edit]

Following the popularity of the Adam West television series, a pair of LPs were released in 1966 on MGM's "Leo the Lion" label. Each contained three dramatizations, including stories adapted from Batman comic books:

  • The Official Adventures Of Batman And Robin:
    • The Legend of Batman and Robin
    • The Penguin's Plunder
    • The Joker's Revenge
  • More Official Adventures of Batman & Robin:
    • The Marriage of Batman and Batwoman
    • The Fake Boy Wonder
    • When Batman Became a Coward

Throughout the 1970s Batman was the subject of a number of Power Records Book-and-record sets, as well as records unaccompanied by books:[5]

45 rpm book and record sets:

  • Batman: Stacked Cards
  • Batman: Robin Meets Man-Bat

7" 33⅓ rpm records no comic:

  • Batman: If Music be the Food of Death
  • Batman: The Scarecrow's Mirages
  • Batman: Catwoman's Revenge

33⅓ rpm 12 book and record sets:

  • Batman: Gorilla City & Mystery of the Scarecrow Corpse
  • Batman (Collects Stacked Cards, The Scarecrow's Mirage, Challenge of the Catwoman, If Music Be the Food of Death)
  • Batman (Collects Robin Meets Man Bat, Gorilla City, Mystery of the Scarecrow Corpse, The Catwoman's Revenge)
  • A Super Hero Christmas (segment Batman: Christmas Carol Caper)

The 1980 mini-series, The Untold Legend of the Batman was available in a special "MPI Audio Edition." Each of the three issues were accompanied by an audio cassette containing a performance of the text of the issue, with musical cues.

As part of its DC Superheroes collection, in 1982 Fisher-Price released Batman: The Case of the Laughing Sphinx, an audio cassette accompanied by a hard back illustrated book.

In 2007, the audiobook publisher GraphicAudio licensed DC Comics properties to adapt as audiodramas. They have produced three adaptations of Batman novels: Batman: Dead White by John Shirley, Batman: Inferno by Alex Irvine, and Alan Grant's Batman: The Stone King. Batman also appears as a supporting cast member in the GraphicAudio's adaptations of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis and JLA: Exterminators.

Video games[edit]

Main article: List of Batman video games
Batman is shown at the left side of the screen, ready to fight. The target is a prone figure on the other side of the screen.
Screenshot from the Batman Begins video game

Several Batman video games were created:

Screen shot showing a level boss from The Revenge of Shinobi that uses a bat motife and costume that is very similar to Batman's

Batman appears in the Justice League Task Force Super Nintendo fighting game, a pair of Justice League games for Game Boy Advance, and an arcade game based on the Tim Burton film. He appears in the Justice League Heroes game for PS2, Xbox, and PSP and has appeared in the crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.[8] A game adaptation of the 2008 film The Dark Knight was planned, but was ultimately cancelled after the bankruptcy of the Pandemic studio working on it. Batman has also appeared as a non-player character in the MMORPG DC Universe Online. He is one of the three available "mentors" for the player, choosing him as a mentor will open an exclusive storyline and exclusive missions. Batman can be unlocked to use in Legends PVP matches with two available appearances: the normal Batman or Future Batman, wearing a grey plated armor instead of a suit, and a helmet instead of just a cowl.

The Revenge of Shinobi features a non-authorized Batman as a boss. The 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System game Final Fantasy features "Badman", a character with strong resemblances to Batman, as one of the enemies of the final area.

Musical theatre[edit]

While a parody of a Batman musical was featured in one of the most recent series' comics, in 2002, Jim Steinman, David Ives, and Tim Burton had worked on a theatre production called Batman: The Musical although it was ultimately cancelled. Steinman has revealed five songs from the musical. The first is the opening theme for "Gotham City" and the entry of Batman with his tortured solo "The Graveyard Shift"; followed by "The Joker's Song (Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys?)", "The Catwoman's Song (I Need All The Love I Can Get)", "We're Still The Children We Once Were" (the climactic sequence) and "In The Land Of The Pig The Butcher Is King", sung by the corrupt blood-suckers ruling Gotham, covered on the Meat Loaf album Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. These songs can be heard at the Batman: The Musical memorial site, Dark Knight of the Soul

A Batman musical is also parodied in the animated series Batman Beyond. The episode "Out of the Past", (first aired October 21, 2000) opens with Bruce Wayne and Terry McGinnis attending a performance of (a fictional) Batman: The Musical, featuring caricatures of prominent members of the Rogues Gallery (the Joker, the Penguin, Two-Face, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn). Series creator Paul Dini, who wrote the episode in question, also wrote a song for the fictitious musical entitled Superstitious and Cowardly Lot.

An episode of the sketch comedy show MADtv also featured a Batman: The Musical parody called Batman V: Out of the Cave which starred Tommy Tune as Batman, and Ben Vereen as Robin.

A live stage show was also created, called Batman Live: World Tour. The show is a unique fusion of live action theatre, magic, stunts, digital projection and music from an 85 piece orchestra and choir. The tour began at Manchester, UK in Summer 2011 and is set to tour arenas throughout the UK and Europe before arriving in North America by Summer 2012.

In 2012, the Internet theatre troupe StarKid Productions created a musical titled Holy Musical B@man!, which went on YouTube on April 13. It was performed in Chicago from March 16–25, and because of copyright laws, tickets were free. Batman is portrayed by Joseph (Joe) Walker.

Games, action figures, and other toys[edit]

Main article: Batman action figures

Hundreds of Batman action figures, die-cast models, and other items have been released. Many companies have acquired the rights to make Batman merchandise, including:

Batman has appeared as a HeroClix figure along with other Batman characters in the following HeroClix sets:

For April 2006, Lego introduced a Batman line which also includes characters such as the Joker and Two-Face, at American International Toy Fair.

Web shows[edit]

Theme park attractions[edit]

Main article: Batman amusement rides and stunt shows
the central, metal laticework spire of the Batwing Spaceshot ride.
The Batwing Spaceshot tower is 61 metres (200 ft) tall.

Several Six Flags theme parks, formerly owned by Warner Bros., opened live-action "Batman Stunt Shows" as the movies increased in popularity. The now closed Six Flags Astroworld in Houston, Texas was home to a standing roller coaster known as Batman: The Escape. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas is home to two roller coasters called Mr. Freeze, and Batman: The Ride. Six Flags México in Mexico City, Mexico has also a looping, suspended roller coaster named Batman: The Ride (Six Flags St. Louis has the same ride, as does Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois) as well as twin roller coasters named Batman and Robin: The Chiller. On the latter attraction, riders may ride on either the Batman or Robin versions of the coaster. But unfortunately in the 2007 off-season, the ride was removed after a long history of technical difficulties and occasionally breaking down. Six Flags Over Georgia contains a Gotham City area that contains the same Batman: The Ride and also features a looping coaster called The Mindbender that was adapted to fit the color tone of the Riddler after Batman Forever came out to fit the Gotham City section of the park it shares with Batman: The Ride. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California has two Batman-themed coasters, the suspended coaster Batman: The Ride, and The Riddler's Revenge, a stand-up type roller coaster. This Six Flags park also features an entire themed area called "Gotham City" complete with architecture to match that of the fictional Gotham City. Warner Bros. Movie World in the Gold Coast, Australia, also has two Batman-themed rides. Batman Adventure – The Ride, revamped in 2001, is a motion simulator style simulator ride while Batwing Spaceshot is a vertical free-fall ride.

In 2008, The Dark Knight Coaster opened in Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Great America. Based on The Dark Knight film, they are Wild Mouse roller coasters, indoors, heavily themed, and give riders a feeling that they are being stalked by the Joker. Six Flags New England was originally going to receive this roller coaster; however, due to problems with building permits, the park scratched the project and then sent the coaster to Six Flags México.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fitzpatrick, Kevin (2010-07-23). "Comic-Con 2010: Young Justice Goes Under Cover". UGO Networks. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
  2. ^ Harvey, James (2011-10-04). ""Beware The Batman" CGI Animated Series Coming For 2013, "DC Nation" Updates". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  3. ^ "Fansite For Batman Comics, Toys, Figures, News and more!". Batman YTB. 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2010-06-30. 
  4. ^ Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry, page 1359; edited by Richard Ellman and Robert O'Clair; published 1973 by W.W. Norton and co.
  5. ^ "The Power Records Pages • Discography". Runstop.de. 2006-09-30. Retrieved 2010-06-30. 
  6. ^ Gareth Knight (2002-06-17). "A500 Batman Bundle". Amigahistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-06-30. 
  7. ^ Game Informer features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "LEGO Batman: Character Gallery", Game Informer 186 (October 2008): 92.
  8. ^ "News: Batman in new Mortal Kombat - fatalities OUT". ComputerAndVideoGames.com. 2008-04-18. Retrieved 2010-06-30. 
  9. ^ "Death Battle! Episode: Batman vs Spider-Man". ScrewAttack. August 10, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-09. 

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