Bat Don't Shiv: 5 Reasons Why You Should Cop "The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1"
Among hardcore comic book fans, there are few tales as memorable and iconic as Frank Miller's 1986 contribution to the Batman mythos - The Dark Knight Returns. After Batman: Year One's successful release, you can tell from this film's trailer that audiences will be offered a glimpse into the aesthetic and tone of Batman different than what you've seen before.
The project, which became available on Sept. 25, finds Bruce Wayne retired from a life of caped crusading, and struggling to place his footing in a new Gotham era. Most of the world's best superheroes have hung up their cape or started working for The Man. As our hero tries to find the balance within his life, a new nemesis arises in the form of The Mutants. Led by the sinister Mutant Leader (voiced by Gary Anthony Williams), the Dark Knight returns to bring new hope to a desolate Gotham City, and instantly becoming a target of law enforcement and evil doers alike.
Without giving too much away, yet still wanting to emphasize just how cool of a moment this is, we're going to let you in on 5 Reasons Why You Should Cop The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1</strong> right now, as in this very second.
Don't forget to follow us @VIBEMagazine to get the latest updates on the web.
The project, which became available on Sept. 25, finds Bruce Wayne retired from a life of caped crusading, and struggling to place his footing in a new Gotham era. Most of the world's best superheroes have hung up their cape or started working for The Man. As our hero tries to find the balance within his life, a new nemesis arises in the form of The Mutants. Led by the sinister Mutant Leader (voiced by Gary Anthony Williams), the Dark Knight returns to bring new hope to a desolate Gotham City, and instantly becoming a target of law enforcement and evil doers alike.
Without giving too much away, yet still wanting to emphasize just how cool of a moment this is, we're going to let you in on 5 Reasons Why You Should Cop The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1</strong> right now, as in this very second.
Don't forget to follow us @VIBEMagazine to get the latest updates on the web.
1. Peter Weller as Batman —
#Section80s babies should remember this name from their favorite sci-fi action movie. The man known around the globe as Robocop dons the cape and cowl once again in hopes of stopping Two-Face from returning to a life of crime. After 10 years out of the limelight, Weller's vocals add the right elements to bring Frank Miller's story to life. You hear the well of anguish and age in Bruce Wayne's voice, as well as the tormented satisfaction he gets as scaling rooftops at night as the Caped Crusader.
Hear Peter Weller in action in this scene from The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 below:
2. Uncle Ruckus Takes His Talents To Gotham City —
Gary Anthony Williams is a talented actor who is best known as the outrageous Uncle Ruckus from The Boondocks. His role in this Frank Miller classic is that of the Mutant Leader, and you can hardly tell that it is the same guy who tried to hit Rosa Parks with a brick. The former improv comic manages to hold his own against the Bat both on the field of combat and in the vocal booth. Williams pulls double duty in The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, as one of the newscasters reporting on all the calamity Batman's reappearance has caused Gotham City.
Can you guess which one he is? You can check out Uncle Ruckus' talents in the clip below:
3. It's A Proper Cinematic Telling Of A Frank Miller Classic —
Director Jay Oliva manages to adapt the most captivating moments and plot devices from Frank Miller's 1986 classic and make them come alive on screen. Countless millions know this very iconic shot above, yet you will be impressed by how it invokes some strong nostalgia. There are easter eggs littered throughout this production that are rip for the picking. Equally compelling is the fact that the one, the only Andrea Romano cast 33 different voice actors with many doing more than two different characters at a time.
Without giving too much of the plot away, sit back and press play to see just how much of Frank is in The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1:
4. Will Tide Fans Over Until "The Dark Knight Rises" Hits DVD —
When we spoke with Andrea Romano at the New York premiere of The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, she explained how the film would help satisfy bat-fiends waiting for Christopher Nolan's final hooray to hit stores. "The piece itself is such a strong source material, and is extremely impressive. If anyone is a fan of Batman then they're going to enjoy this. Plus this one manages to tease Part 2, which finds The Joker once again dueling his arch-rival in combat, but now they're both considerably older."
True heads will remember the origins of this clip, yet you'll be surprised how this is done in The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1:
5. The Fight Scenes Are Worth The Price Of Admission —
In Part 1 of this animated tale, there are quite a few moments where the 50-plus-year-old Batman gets to struck his stuff. Director Jay Oliva manages to keep these moments full of frenetic energy that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, while never losing pacing with the story. When the tale reaching the third and final act, you're racing towards a climax that sets up Part 2 with all the "boof, baps and bams" that bat-fans enjoy.
You can see why this DVD is a must-have for bat-collectors by pressing play on the clip below:
