COVER TO COVER: THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS!
There's something about the end of the year, these days, that seems fitting for a review of comic books adapted for film. Never before has the tradition been quite as potent with 2008 producing a host of films including; The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Punisher: War Zone, Incredible Hulk, Hellboy: The Golden Army, Wanted, The Spirit, and a host of others, including features release direct to DVD, such as the acclaimed adaptation of The New Frontier.

Rather than try to hammer out a list of best films, we give you the C2C treatment of previous reviews on the site. Many more film reviews can be found at the bottom of the Secret Archive, but on selection here are some of my personal favourites.

While I'm reluctant to take the time to hash out a legitimate top listing of films, I can certainly look to a wide array of admirable contenders.
Batman, for all those mistakes from the sixties and mid-nineties, puts in a dominant showing with entrants like; Begins, Dark Knight, the Tim Burton installments, and the theatrically released 1993 animated feature, Mask of the Phantasm. Other worthy franchise players include Spider-man, Superman, and two of the most crucial heroes to the modern films, Blade (Blade, Blade II, Blade: Trinity) and Wolverine (X-Men, X-Men 2, X-Men 3, X-Men Origins).
Despite a few undeniably questionable chunks in the script, I am also inclined to hold Ang Lee's maligned Hulk in much higher esteem than most, overlooking the negatives to find an incredibly positive force for superhero genre filmmaking.

Niche and international films like V for Vendetta, 300, Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell 2, and A Man Called Hero, all also come to mind as worthy cinematic entrants. Then there's the tangentially related heroes, like The Shadow, whose fictional life has spanned radio drama, pulp magazine, novels, serials, and the vastly underrated (and noteworthy) 1994 film; which attempts to consolidate the differing interpretations into a single retro identity.

By my watch, 2009 forecasts a double double-header of comic/gaming calendar checkpoints:

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
Director: Adrzej Bartkowiak
Projected Release: February 27, 2009
Starring: Kristin Kreuk (Chun-Li), Neal McDonough (Bison), Chris Klein (Charlie), Michael Clarke Duncan (Balrog), Taboo (Vega), & Robin Shou (Gen)

If the recent trailer is anything to go by, this is fixing to be yet another disappointment for Street Fighter fans [RE: Ultimate Battle]. The glaring error of judgment here, at least initially, appears to be a dated fear of representing the characters in their colourful and iconic forms. What might still be a fun, stylized martial arts movie, lacks anything connecting it to the twenty-year identity of Street Fighter. Even prominent characters, like legendary super-boss, M. Bison, is stripped of his grandeur, reduced to a cartwheeling thug in an array of business suits -- none of which, as yet, are even red. Other visual faux pas include casting Black Eyed Peas' second-tier butterface, Taboo, as the vainglorious and stunning Vega, and Robin Shou, (MK's movie Liu Kang), as a less than impressive Gen.

Despite early snap judgments, this one had a sense of potential about it, but the more we've actually seen, the less that's appeared to be true. We won't have to wait long to find out for sure.

Watchmen
Director: Zack Snyder
Projected Release: March 6, 2009
Starring: Patrick Wilson (Nite-Owl), Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach), Malin Akerman (Silk Spectre), Billy Crudup (Dr. Manhattan), Matthew Goode (Ozymandias), & Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Comedian)

One of the many mantras of the Infinite Wars is that almost anything conveyed on the page can be translated to screen by the right person. Zack Snyder proved he was right for Frank Miller's Spartan epic, 300, but even Miller wonders how he'll pull off one of the most revered comic book works in history. Writer/creator, Alan Moore, describes his opus as the unfilmable comic, and he's got a veritable army of sycophants shouting the same.
A combination of CG and economically used sets look primed to prove them wrong, however, at least if initial glances are to be believed. Among the many pieces of his masterplan, the promise of converting portions of the comic series into DVD exclusive extras, viewable seperate to the cinematic experience. A good compromise between a bloated reel, and an accurate adaptation.

Having convinced a portion of the audience to believe in the so-called "impossible," Watchmen's biggest obstacle will now be the rubbing hands of money men who smell a smash hit, and claim to have a right to benefit. Fox Studios is threatening the planned release date with lawsuits relating to a 1991 licensing agreement, but most recent reports suggest talks with distributor, Paramount Pictures, are proving fruitful. Financially, no doubt.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Director: Gavin Hood
Projected Release: May 1, 2009
Starring: Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Liev Schrieber (Sabretooth), Danny Huston (William Stryker), Lynn Collins (Silver Fox), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Taylor Kitsch (Gambit), Daniel Henney (Maverick), Will.i.am (Wraith), Scott Adkins (Weapon XI), Kevin Durand (Blob)

With DC twiddling their thumbs to reconsider a flippant motion picture strategum; Marvel get a chance to relax for a year, producing only the long discussed X-Men spin-off. The success of Wolverine is said to have several potential projects riding on it, most publicly, a Wolverine sequel (featuring his years in Japan), and a WWII drama built around Magneto. Weighing heavily over the project is the mediocre reception of Brett Ratner's X-Men 3.

Trailers for the pseudo-prequel, which details portions of Wolverine's history dating as far back as his childhood in the 1800's, look slightly bloated. Like the X-Men series itself, some guest characters appear gratuitously stuffed into their roles, this time featuring many who were miraculously cut from the previous films (Blob, younger Cyclops, Storm, and Emma Frost).
Liev Schrieber as Sabretooth feels a little too subtle, trading the awkward lurch of Tyler Mane from the first X-Men film, for a touch of acting. Reynolds as a casual Friday Deadpool threatens to disappoint also, in a series that has a lot of catching up to do since it's vital 2000 debut.

Packed with backstory straight from the comics, this one could really go either way.
Will.i.am certainly looks more like his character than BEP buddy, Taboo.

Tekken
Director: Gavin Hood
Projected Release: August 7, 2009
Starring: John Foo (Jin), Ian Anthony Dale (Kazuya), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Heihachi), Tamlyn Tomita (Jun), Holly Marie Combs (Michelle), Cung Le (Law), Luke Goss (Steve), Lateef Crowder (Eddie), Nathan Jones (Marduk), Gary Daniels (Bryan), Gary Ray Stearns (Yoshimitsu), Darrin Henson (Raven), Anton Kasabov (Dragunov), Candice Hilldebrand (Nina), & Marian Zapico (Anna)

With very little to go on, gaming fans might want to give a few months before they pack up their hopes and head home. First glance suggests another uninspired and flimsy adaptation of a game with stronger source material than most realise. Casting paints a picture of the clumsy, lazy, and TV-grade, but you never know what miracles might happen. Circumstances are everything.

Abbreviated to pick up on much more recent storylines, there should be an abundance of plot to pick up on and develop, but one has come to expect little. It will be interesting to watch marketting and development progress once Chun-Li hits screens.

No doubt we'll be talking more about each release in Season 2009 of the Infinite Wars, but for the time being, reflect upon the films that paved the way for this type of fiction.

Spider-man (2002)
Raimi/Koepp Maguire/DaFoe
Whilst on excursion, High School student Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically engineered spider, altering his own DNA in a process that results in the proportionate strength, speed, agility and web-spinning of a spider!

After letting a thief get away, Peter's beloved surrogate-father, Uncle Ben Parker, is murdered by the man. Inspired by his uncle's words, Peter begins his career as Spider-man, living by the code that with great power, comes great responsibility.

His life as Peter Parker and career as Spider-man collide when his best friend's father, scientist Norman Osborn, goes insane after undergoing a treatment designed by his own organization to enhance strength. As the Green Goblin Norman comes to wage a war against Spider-man, and when he learns that he and Parker are one and the same, he inevitably goes after the ones Peter loves.

Hulk (2003)
Lee/France/Truman/Schamus Elliot/Lucas/Bana
Man's insatiable thirst for knowledge is rivaled only by his damning addiction to destruction. So comes about the research of docile scientist, Dr. Bruce Krenzler, a geneticist working with Betty Ross and Rick Jones in an effort to harness the regenerative process found in nature.

Unbeknownst to Krenzler, his own DNA hides within it the secret of a past life, and the designs of a prerendered destiny. Having been experimented on as a child by his true father, David Banner, Bruce's blood contains within it the secrets to unlocking the hidden power that lurks beneath his human facade. A twist of fate accidentally produces the keys to unlocking Banner's hidden strength when he saves the young Rick Jones from a mechanical malfunction in a nano distributor machine.

With the net of his forgotten childhood closing in, Banner finds whenever he is stressed, angered, or afraid, the green-eyed monster within bursts free of his puny prison to become the incredible Hulk! With his secret exposed, Bruce becomes the subject of suspicion and fear, but even as forces conspire to destroy the Hulk, the true villain hatches machinations decades in the making.

Batman Begins (2005)
Nolan/Goyer Bale/Neeson
Having witnessed the murder of his parents by a desperate armed robber in a theatre back alley, Bruce Wayne grows into a man of great guilt and anger.

Channeling his rage, he uses his inhereted fortune to traverse the globe, escaping his celebrity status as a Wayne to face the criminal element on it's own terms, and take it on one man at a time.

During his time abroad Bruce Wayne is confronted by a man named Henri Ducard, who promises to foster his power and hone his efficiency to become a true force of justice. Representing Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Shadows, Ducard eventually reveals a plot to use Wayne as a pawn in the destruction of Gotham; something Bruce Wayne, now Batman, will do anything to stop.

Iron Man (2008)
Favreau/August Downey Jr/Toub/Tahir
Tony Stark: industrialist, inventor, playboy, sole inheritor of the Howard Stark empire. Tony continues his father's work, developing advanced mechanics and improving upon a range of technologies exponentially, with particular success in his father's area of expertise, the weapons sector.

With the world at his feet, Stark unveils the latest war tech from Stark Industries, travelling to Afghanistan to personally oversee testing of a cluster missile called The Jericho. The visit would prove life altering as Stark's US military entourage comes under fire from militant terrorists. Using stolen Stark weapons, the Ten Rings successfully abduct the inventor, and demand he design for them a Jericho of their own.

Imprisoned with Dr. Yinsen, Stark wakes in his cave prison to discover shrapnel from the Ten Rings' attack is lodged dangerously close to his heart. With the help of the doctor he develops an advanced "arc reactor" to power technology to prevent the movement of the shrapnel that could prove fatal. This miniature super-battery becomes the lynchpin around which the pair devise an invincible suit of armor, instead of the weapons of destruction.

Under the watchful eyes of Raza and his Ten Rings terrorists, the pair do their best to disguise their true work on the ultimate escape plan - Iron Man!

The Dark Knight (2008)
Nolan/Nolan/Goyer Bale/Ledger
In a city gripped by crime, the emergence of a symbol to rattle the cages of the corrupt and greedy is a welcome rallying point for citzens besieged. The Batman is the dark knight the city requires, launching himself across the Gotham skyline in an incorruptable crusade against crime.

As he prunes away at the powers-that-be, things inevitably get worse before they get better.
A new breed of criminal, and insanity, coincides with his debut, beginning with the mad psychologist, Dr. Jonathan Crane, and his associations with the far reaching clan of eco-terrorists, the League of Shadows, led by legendary Eastern figure - Ra's Al Ghul. Their attack on Gotham City using a fear enducing toxin is a baptism for Batman, whose own past is linked with that of the League.

Though Dr. Crane escapes his reach, the Batman turns his attentions to the escalating dangers that grip a Gotham City in a vital process of change.
The Police Department begins a natural process of detoxification, struggling against a vaccum of power seized by organized crime boss, Sal Maroni, in the wake of Carmine Falcone's mental collapse. In response, a new Districty Attorney, Harvey Dent, joins the cause as a brighter counterpart to Batman, acting within the confines of a justice system in repair.

There are other personalities, however, that have come to Gotham City.
Other figures analagous to the Dark Knight himself, but dedicated to something much less specific. With a flair for theatricality, and an uncanny knack for mayhem -- the Joker has ushered in a responsive new era to the unstoppable vigilante -- equally as incorruptable, if not as purposeful. It is an ideology destined for collision course...

SMASH HITS: BUSTA RHYMES


Busta Rhymes feat. Mariah Carey - I know what you want (2003)


At first glance this track's relevance might appear a little vague, but give the video a few seconds, and you'll quickly find the first of several comic book tie-ins.

Michael Jai White is well known to fanboys for his starring roles as Al Simmons in Spawn (1997), and as Gambol in The Dark Knight. He appears early in the video as an absentee boyfriend entrusting Busta and the Flipmode gang to protect his favourite girl.

Give the video a little longer and you'll get an extra treat in between Busta making baby eyes with the camera, and Mariah Carey doing whatever it is Mariah Carey is allegedly appreciated for.
A full two years before Robert Rodriguez was able to fasttrack the Sin City film; Busta delivers everything fanboys dreamt of in brief animated segues in the movie. Appearing rendered in contrasting black and white, the clip comes packed with bold Frank Miller white silhouettes; pounding streams of rain; and dramatic shadows casting the form of the titular character. The clips bridge from - wait for it - an attractive young lady spending her time reading a comic book!

Making this clip particularly relevant - the solo directorial debut of Frank Miller with the December 25 release of The Spirit - filmed in a similar manner to the Sin City feature.

While inexplicable, the stylish animated sequences are an appreciated piece of art in an otherwise hum-drum video. Musically it's Busta-lite, if you ask me, but one of many fine examples of the rap star's fond association with pop-culture. Shame about H20...

If you're looking for more animated music videos, sappy love songs, or want to find new music to cut an H20 fan-vid to, why not march over to the Pandora Message Board!? The "music genome project" gives users (in the US) the chance to tour the music landscape without the risk of ill-placed investment - more vital than ever in today's failing global economy!
The Pandora Message Board (and Infinite Wars: Smash Hits) are sponsored by Energizer Advanced Lithium!
Lighter, longer lasting, and perfect for portable devices! Booyah!

BATMAN versus JOKER
(DC/Warner Brothers)
Where: The Dark Knight When: July 2008
Why: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, & David Goyer How: Christian Bale & Heath Ledger

The Story So Far...
In a city gripped by crime, the emergence of a symbol to rattle the cages of the corrupt and greedy is a welcome rallying point for citzens besieged. The Batman is the dark knight the city requires, launching himself across the Gotham skyline in an incorruptable crusade against crime.

As he prunes away at the powers-that-be, things inevitably get worse before they get better.
A new breed of criminal, and insanity, coincides with his debut, beginning with the mad psychologist, Dr. Jonathan Crane, and his associations with the far reaching clan of eco-terrorists, the League of Shadows, led by legendary Eastern figure - Ra's Al Ghul. Their attack on Gotham City using a fear enducing toxin is a baptism for Batman, whose own past is linked with that of the League.

Though Dr. Crane escapes his reach, the Batman turns his attentions to the escalating dangers that grip a Gotham City in a vital process of change.
The Police Department begins a natural process of detoxification, struggling against a vaccum of power seized by organized crime boss, Sal Maroni, in the wake of Carmine Falcone's mental collapse. In response, a new Districty Attorney, Harvey Dent, joins the cause as a brighter counterpart to Batman, acting within the confines of a justice system in repair.

There are other personalities, however, that have come to Gotham City.
Other figures analagous to the Dark Knight himself, but dedicated to something much less specific. With a flair for theatricality, and an uncanny knack for mayhem -- the Joker has ushered in a responsive new era to the unstoppable vigilante -- equally as incorruptable, if not as purposeful.
It is an ideology destined for collision course...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Batman 4 (Arsenal)


- After witnessing the street murder of his parents, the young Bruce Wayne's destiny was forever shaped to be one dedicated to an ideal. Having spent his formative years studying the various sciences, martial arts, and crime fighting techniques, Bruce is ultimately inspired to become the one-man war on the criminal element in Gotham City: Batman.

Perhaps Batman's greatest power is the millions inherited from his industrialist parents, and the various facilities that came with that. They prove crucial in the design and construction of his many weapons, which are typically non-lethal, and have a variety of uses.

Complimented by his keenly strategic mind is Batman's expertise in the martial arts. He is extensively trained in multiple fighting styles, and commonly regarded to be one of the greatest hand-to-hand fighters in the world.
He is also extremely proficient in general urban warfare.

- It has been claimed that he was the victim of one very bad day, which ended with a fall into a vat of chemicals that bleached his skin, dyed his hair, and twisted his face into a permanent grin. The truth of his name and origins remain unknown, but as the Joker, he is one of the most feared killers in Gotham City.

Joker is known to have an aptitude for creating and working with toxins and other chemicals, favouring trademark concoctions that induce uncontrolled laughter, facial distortion, and often, death. Joker is also a proficient strategist, who is said to regularly reinvent his identity as a part of his vendetta against Batman.
The Joker, though not a skilled fighter, is shown to have an inhuman capacity for pain tolerance and recovery.

Additional: The rivalry between Batman and Joker is one of the most famous feuds in comics. Beginning in Batman #1 (1940), there hasn't been a decade that didn't feature an epic confrontation of these two vivid personalities. In many instances, their collision is one of philosophy, as depicted in 2008's feature film adaptation, The Dark Knight. In the film, Heath Ledger's Joker describes their meeting as that of an "unstoppable force meeting an immovable object."

Batman's unwavering dedication to justice as an incorruptable symbol is off-set by Joker's contrasting pledge to anarchic destruction, and the a murderous bent toward all things anti-social, and anti-establishment. In most cases, Joker is rarely without a motivation, even if it remains difficult to understand, even for the legendary Dark Knight detective.

Due to his stern position on lethality and corporal punishment, Batman is often forced to remain reactionary to Joker's twisting plots and reinventions of personality. Only when clues are present can he follow to a physical confrontation, which almost always favours the well trained Batman.

Examples include; Batman #614, Detective Comics #781, Batman #663, Justice League of America #15, Dark Knight Returns #3, & Batman Ep.2.

History: Batman (6-0-0)
Math: Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...
Foiled in his attempts to kill an incarcerated DA Harvey Dent -- the Joker collides with Batman in the streets of Gotham, only to be captured himself by Lt. James Gordon, who had been working undercover under the veil of his faked death.

Promoted to Commissioner, Gordon enters a darkened interrogation room, now forced to probe the Joker for information on the now abducted District Attorney.
Joker casts doubt on a GPD already heavily under investigation, suggesting Gordon's own people are puppets of Boss Maroni. He taunts Gordon and asks him what it feels like to be alone. The Commissioner shows him just how alone he is.

Turning the lights on, on his way out to 'get coffee', Gordon unleashes the beast.
The Joker's face collides with the metal table in front of him as Batman steps out of the darkness. He's not the bad cop. He's not part of the system. He is the shadow-self of every law abiding civil servant in Gotham, and he's unrestrained.

Joker resists the Batman's physical influence, making light of his decision to "go for the head" first. Batman obliges, bringing his fist down like a sledge hammer on the criminal's printless fingers. Joker shows incredible restraint.

Joker's counter-attack strikes deeper, turning the spotlight on Batman's will to let the cost of his war spill onto civilian casualties. It is a strategy that will pay dividends by the end of the night, but for now, is easily ignored by the focused Dark Knight, concerned only with recovering the abducted Harvey Dent.

Unwilling to concede, the Joker splashes his philosophy around the cell, rejecting the Batman's tempered retort as borrowed phrases from the "normal" world. He professes a joy - a completion - provided only by the escalation of acceptability ushered in by the Batman himself. Joker declares his torture - his disinterest in ever killing the Batman. The Dark Knight's hollow assumptions amuse him.

The clown prince of crime further indulges himself in a philosophy built on everything low and disgusting about humanity. He forecasts the downfall of Gotham's protector, putting their tall poppy syndrome down to a basic human barbarism that would have them feeding on each other, under the right conditions. Under the Joker's conditions. Batman sees fit to disagree.

With the face-to-face revealing more of the Joker to him, the Batman resumes his narrow objective -- uncover the path to Harvey Dent.

Showing further his skill in combat, Joker remains unaffected by the strong-arming of the undeniably stronger of the two. Yanked off his feet and across the desk, Joker is shaken around and pinned to a wall, by the Batman.

The Dark Knight collides physically and verbally with the Joker, professing only one rule in his approach - never kill. Not surprisingly, this becomes the key to ending their opposition. Joker reveals a forced hand - a second hostage!

As if peering behind the mask, the Joker recalls their encounter at a charity ball for Harvey Dent. A scene where he left the Batman to retrieve Rachel Dawes from the window-borne descent he tossed her two. A task Bruce Wayne took up with gusto, driven by emotions attached to his childhood sweetheart.

Endangering Rachel Dawes a second time provokes a strong response.

Batman peels the Joker from the tiled wall of the room and slams him onto the nearby table. Pushed, Batman jams the interrogation room door shut with a chair, knowing his physicality will prove distasteful to the law enforcement watching through mirrored glass. It is the difference between him and them. The chance to go further than society allows. To be one man, incorruptable.

Batman introduces Joker's head to the mirrored glass, with force.
He fills the room with the roar of his one question -- where are there?

Physically out matched, the Joker continues to take the punishment, fighting back with delight, cackling, and juvenile taunts about Rachel Dawes. Batman growls his question, as if it were a demand, between the clubbing blows of his fist.

The Joker laughs.

Mocking Batman's strength, finally Joker agrees to reveal the location of Dent and Dawes, both. Held feebily beneath Batman's gloves fists, Joker has already won, having earnt his escape through the almost unnoticable broken glass dislodged by his head earlier. There is then the matter of the addresses given...

Though legitimate in location, Batman's hasty efforts to rescue Rachel Dawes from the gallons of feul and explosives she's strapped to, will soon learn each path leaves him to play the Joker's game again. Though dedicated to rescuing the woman he loves, his dedication will be his undoing, and mark the creation of a new foe who sees things... both ways...

The Hammer...
For the purposes of satisfying the "comic book fight club," we can declare without any doubt that Batman is the physical victory in this multi-layered confrontation. As we've seen six times in the past, the Joker, though willing to engage in physicality, is a cerebral combatant, no matter his capacity for accepting harm.

While this post is marked December, I'm catching up on the Holiday backlog. Tomorrow marks the Sixty-Sixth Annual Golden Globes, where, Heath Ledger is a red hot favourite to take the post-humous award for best supporting actor in a feature film. It's just one piece of a puzzle that started in July, where many people began forecasting their suspicions of an Oscar nomination.

After writing a lukewarm review of Iron Man, I'm somewhat reticent to admit my doubt over the validity of a Ledger win. I don't want to be that guy, but the more I ponder, the more honesty gets the better of me.

While I've come to believe nomination is a fitting must for the late actor, I remain unconvinced about the immortality of his portrayal. There can be no doubt that he inhabited the role quite well and probably brought a lot to the creation process, but I'm not sure if that was elaborate enough to warrant such lofty, pretentious acclaim. Let those of us of the right persuasion regard him forever as "the best Joker ever," but in the realm that has so long resisted acknowledging superheroes, caution the pretense of popularity.

To further sour my regard, I have to admit, I wasn't quite as taken as it seems much of the world was. Perhaps it was simply a matter of expectation. Batman Begins so specifically revealed the intentions of this generation of the brand that, coupled with familarity with the source material, it became a fairly predictable exercise. Predictable should not be mistaken for bad. In the realm of adaptation, predictable has long been sought after as the epitomy of accuracy. In this respect, The Dark Knight pays dividends, very specifically representing the comics at their best. To that end, I can only hope all involved can be persuaded to continue into a third instalment in a series, and maybe even more.

Regarding the representation of the comics, I have to say the unsung hero of the piece seems to be David Goyer.
[Christopher] Nolan has freely admitted the fanboy-cum-writer-cum-director has been his guide through the largely unfamiliar landscape of Bat-fiction. Coupled with the support of DC themselves, I don't doubt Goyer has been vital to ever creative triumph the films have provided, acting as a crucial facilitator throughout the process. Tales of the Goyer/Nolan garage think-tank seem to support this on many levels of the creation process, including design.

In fact, when I think The Dark Knight and Academy Awards, I'm inclined to think of Christopher Nolan. There are few examples of other films enhanced throughout by the presence of a director as Dark Knight. His familiar, obsessive restrain is felt throughout the picture, acting as almost as strong a presence as any of the actors or characters they portray. He was vital to Batman Begins, but it's in The Dark Knight that I think Nolan reached a new comfort with his vision and the ideas he was channeling. His influence was a triumph that deserves that level of acknowledgment, perhaps in ways rarely reflected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Both Nolan and the film felt somewhat absent from, what I would regard, as the more grounded Golden Globe awards. It was here I felt it more likely to see the film recognised in Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director formats, where the common indulgence in action might've been more likely than the Oscars.

I now hope the directorial travesty, at least, can be corrected by the Academy Awards. I also feel a Best Picture nomination might well be warranted, even if the film that defined 2008 (and set innumerable records) isn't the critical winner.

Still, in all of this would-ing and should-ing, I suppose it might be nice to communicate my feelings on the film.

If I can frame my reference through reaction, I turn to yet more common place inflections that I despise. One I've mentioned before; the misconception that making the leap from page to film is somehow conceptually restricted; jumps immediately to mind. It is in response to that that I am reluctant to refer to the Joker as a "complex" character, or a difficult character to realise on screen.

The Dark Knight presents one of the most effective versions of the character, revelling in the faith necessary to indulge the concept. It is indeed faith that this character requires, as I believe there is little to nothing that "cannot" be realised in modern cinema [something Watchmen will hopefully display to the majority].

Almost unnoticed were the changes made to this version of the Joker, the most obvious, his now definitive grin-replacing scars. Ledger physically represents little of what we know as Joker iconography. He's not especially slim, svelte, and certainly doesn't possess the exaggerated nose, chin, and grin. While some are not inclined to place weight in physical appearances, I personally feel, as is a trope of cartooning, that much of Joker's character is conveyed through those traits. That said -- we quite reasonably forego those superficial details for a depiction that captures the spirit of the Joker, as much as it innovates.

Particularly to my liking, the internal motivation of the Joker.

To go back to the common misconceptions of the unwashed (fanboy) masses, I turn my scowling brow to the use "random" in contemporary language. This is both a disagreement of semantics and philosophy, because there are indeed those who believe the Joker should act almost without motivation, but I disagree. As in The Dark Knight, I feel the Joker is at his best when he is quite specifically grounded in intentions. Intentions that, more often than not, are indeed influence by reaction, or his own thought processes.

Throughout the film the Joker exists as a reactionary force to Batman, to law, to crime, and to organization of most kinds. Continuing explorations from the comics, the film Joker is almost super-sane, more than he is crazy.
As a writer and fan, I believe Joker should never be without reasons, even if they aren't necessarily obvious to you, or I, or the characters within a story.

Bale, Oldman, and Freeman were back to do more of what they did very well in the first film. Michael Caine still isn't my ideal Alfred, which probably made his reduction to over-sized cameo all the more palatable.

Harvey Dent's role in the film surprised me, somewhat.
Aaron Eckhart (and Maggie Gyllenhall as replacement Rachel Dawes) played quite well in the film, but I was surprised to see Two-Face eventuate so abruptly. I couldn't really complain, except to say that it felt a little abbreviated by the end, undercutting the more traditional climactic conclusion of the Joker/SWAT fight.
Also, I'm not sure if I would've burnt away quite as much flesh as they did in the CG make-up process. That said, artistic choice aside, it was quite good! Eckhart and the script certainly more than made up for '95's Tommy Lee Jones-Schumacher directed farce, but let's not go there.

Keeping me from this review was the necessary meditation to reach a comfortable opinion of the film. I've watched the DVD several times since Christmas to give it as much chance as Batman Begins had to grow on me.
Ultimately, while The Dark Knight sent a message to the world of what a superhero film can be, I still see imperfections. Conceptually and functionally the film is rock-solid, but like Iron Man, it lacked a little bit of oomph to make it unforgettable. Additionally, there were moments that just felt downright beneath the film, like robotic attempts by Nolan to engage the common man (American) that felt clunky and unnecessary. The biggest, the cell phone sonar, which felt a bit overblown for my tastes, like a god awful time-based obstacle in a video game tie-in [which, incidentally, has been allegedly delayed for quality assurance, assuming it will actually happen].

Of course, for every nit-picking negative, there's a multitude of glorious nuggets of joyous subtlty. Among my favourites, Joker's burning fire engine roadblock, and graffiti "slaughter" is the best medicine. In truth, there's just so much to discuss about this film, we couldn't possibly touch upon it all in any coherrent fashion. That is why I by no means consider my score an insult, but acknowledge there's still so much more to come from superhero films - and Batman - on the screen.

Oh, and to voice one more arrogant frustration: the people who told me, before I'd seen it, that the film was close-ended with no clue to a sequel: Damn your peasant eyes! A giant playing card might not have flashed across the screen, but Jim Gordon's closing monologue and the Dark Knight's self-sacrifice more than frame a film with a spine of Batman versus the Cops action-drama.

In particular, I think of scenes from popular inspiration materials, Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, which both pit Batman in exciting struggles with the police. If those Catwoman rumors are anything to go by, maybe we'll get to see the animal-lover in Batman two-fold, as a second driving plot with Selina Kyle, and as a portion of the 'Hunt the Dark Knight' drama, in the form of punching an armored gunman through a brick wall for trying to shoot a cat.

Bloody hell! If that run-on sentence wasn't clue enough, I could just be here all day talking about the Batman films! I didn't even remember to mention that I chose this interrogation scene - of all the fist fights in the movie - because I felt it encompassed so much of what we know from the comics. It was delightful, but also leaves plenty to discuss in the future. Now shut up, I have to go. Hehahaha!

The Fight: 5.5 The Film: 6.5

"The Dark Knight" set all manner of feature film records with it's cinematic release, and continues to redefine the boundaries on home video. If for some reason you don't already have the DVD, then you simply must purchase immediately through the Amazon links provided. It is also available in a two-disc Special Edition which includes thoroughly enjoyable "Gotham Tonight" episodes with Anthony Michael Hall reprising his role from the film. Admittedly, the extras leave a bit to be desired, but do yourself a favour, and just buy one of them. Heck, you'll be doing me a favour as well, by using the purchase links provided! Yummm, themes of corruption!

QUICK FIX: JOKER vs BATMAN
Christmas with the Joker (DC)
Where: Batman Ep.2 When: September 1992
Why: Eddie Gorodetsky & Kent Butterworth How: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, & Loren Lester

THE TAPE...
Strength: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Batman 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Batman 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Batman 4 (Arsenal)

Math: Batman
Ranking: Batman (#1)

THE FIX...
It was the night before Christmas, and Joker was free,
Having escaped Arkham Asylum, he hijacked the TV!
He kidnapped some guests, for his broadcast event,
A commissioner, detective, and reporter, were present.

In a sprint across the city, the dynamic duo came,
to protect the innocent, and foil Joker's evil game.
A train and cannon, they nearly caused disaster,
but Batman prevailed, fighting toward their master!

The Joker was waiting, when the heroes arrived,
pulling at levers, to unleash his grand surprise.
Giggling, he spun a record, from Nutcracker Suite,
leaving robotic toy soldiers, for Batman to defeat.

His goons beaten, Joker pulled back the curtain,
revealing hostages dangling, whose peril was certain!
With scissor to rope, the clown prince did leer,
and a gift in hand, to spread Christmas cheer.

He tossed the package, into Batman's waiting hand,
with an order to open it, to conclude his nasty plan.
Object and discourage, though Robin did try,
the Dark Knight detective, got a face full of pie!

The Joker burst out laughing, to see such fun,
but he still cut the rope, and proceeded to run!
Batman lept into action, to save the falling few,
intercepting their path, right above a boiling stew!

Batman made pursuit, to prevent further harm,
but with Joker in custody, he fell for false arms!
The villain made haste, as he fled for the stairs,
running toward certain doom, blissfully unawares!

Taunting all the way, Joker made for an escape,
never stopping to notice, a stray rollerskate.
Joker slipped over the rail, in a scene of familiarity,
rescued from his fall, by an act of Bat-charity.
What is it about the Joker and Christmas that seems so fitting?
I figure if we're going to be running this far behind, we might as well make it worthwhile. Hence, not skipping over Christmas, which was my initial intention.

These initial episodes of the much revered animated series really don't do it justice, but there's something undeniably fun about the Joker causing mayhem during the holidays. Live on television, no less! It's this subtlety that I would pick up on in the lead-up toward our (obvious) Dark Knight review.

A commandeered television signal seems like a staple of the Joker's arsenal, and like so much in the two Nolan Bat-films, it gets a suitably logical update in the recent film as hostage tapes. It's a little detail that hadn't really dawned on me until sitting down to think about this instalment, and it's much appreciated.
We are, unfortunately, all too familiar with hostage/terrorist tapes in this era, and it makes for an elegant solution to maintaining a sense of reality within the context of familiar Joker strategums.

Thus, we leave you with this cheery thought on our late Christmas entry! Stay tuned as we continue to astound you with feats of time travel!

Fight: 4 Episode: 4
Winner: Batman

Need to catch-up on your Bat-history? Missed those early episodes? Why not treat yourself to a late Christmas gift by picking up the first DVD set, or the complete collection, via Amazon? Not only do you benefit from the convenience of their low prices and shipping, but also help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars. Hussah!

COVER TO COVER: SMASHING THROUGH THE SNOW!
A belated merry Christmas to ye all, and a happy new year!

Uncanny X-Men #143 (March 1981)
"Demon" Claremont/Byrne
It was long ago that the grounds of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters saw the sprouting of a demonic totem connecting to the world of the N'Garai -- a Cairn, the bridging gateway for these demonic creatures to spew forth into our world and wreak havoc.

Storm and her fellow X-Men were able to overcome the N'Garai who attacked them, but months later a N'Garai demon emerges once more on the grounds on Christmas eve, seeking to bring misery to the mutants of the X-Men mutant academy.

Alone in the mansion while the other X-Men spend down time with their loved ones, Kitty Pryde decides to direct her misery toward training in the Danger Room. Her session is interrupted by an alarm alerting her of the intrusion, and her investigation leads her to the greatest workout of her career -- one-on-one battle alone against a N'Garai demon!

Fantastic Four #361 (February 1992)
"Miracle on Yancy Street!" Ryan/DeFalco
It's Christmas Eve and festivities come to the Thing with mixed fortunes. His night begins with having his broken arm mechanically aligned, and set in a cement cast by Reed Richards -- but quickly turns around with the emergence of an old friend!

William "Slugger" Sokolowski was one of Ben Grimm's running buddies from the golden days of life on Yancy Street, and as Thing soon learns, things have gotten considerably darker around the old neighbourhood, with a spate of disappearances.

Concerned his son may be involved with drugs, Sokolowski turns to his friend as a college graduate success story of Yancy Street, in the hopes that his hero status will turn his son around. A good plan, that is unless young Jimmy has become one of the missing -- and the person responsible is none other than the nefarious Latverian monarch: Dr. Doom!!!

Marvel Holiday Special 1992 (January 1993)
"The Big X-Mas Blackout" Howell/Lee/Lightle/Milgrom
They say Christmas 'tis the season to be jolly, but for Electro, it's just an annual reminder of his many failings as a man and electrically charged superpowered villain.

Not content to see out the holidays without lashing out in an act of senseless violence, Electro storms Rockefeller Centre to interrupt the ceremonial lighting of the tree.
To punish the society that failed him, Electro blacks out the Centre, with the promise of more power drains to come all across New York.

With his night out with Mary Jane ruined: enter a red garbed hero with a Christmas miracle! The spectacular Spider-man's making a list to check twice, and Electro's front and centre on the naughty list, but will it be coal for the villain, or will it be an early present and lights out for the wall-crawler?

Batman: The Long Halloween #3 (February 1997)
"Christmas" Loeb/Sale
A new serial killer has emerged in Gotham City, and the Joker doesn't like it one bit!

The clown prince of crime is spending his holidays investigating the interference of the calendar killer called Holiday, who strikes only once a month, on a day of significance.

With the criminal underworld beginning to feel the hurt, and the Gotham police department in flux, the freaks are free to play, and neither establishment is happy about it.

Batman's the least of his problems as Joker takes the fight to Harvey Dent, offering the District Attorney a stern example of what it takes to be a murdering madman in the city of Gotham.

Detective Comics #826 (February 2007)
"Slayride" Dini/Kramer
Socks, ties, and underwear. Christmas with the old folks is a bore, so who could blame Tim Drake for heading out for a little patrol duty as the boy wonder, Robin?

Things are going well until a fight with a biker gang goes awry, leading a wounded Robin into the clutches of his worst enemy: the Joker!

What would a Christmas with the Joker be without a few holiday homicides, hit-and-runs, and hilarity?!
Forced to watch as events unfold out of his control, Robin gets seasoned in the seasons as he locks wits with Batman's oldest foe, and does his best to stop the madness.

SHIPPING LIST: DECEMBER 24, 2008
You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
The Independents...
OCT082266 AMERICAN FLAGG DEFINITIVE COLL TP VOL 01 $19.99
OCT082283 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #11 (RES) $2.99
OCT084344 ATOMIC ROBO DOGS OF WAR #5 (OF 5) $2.95
OCT082291 GUERILLAS #3 (OF 9) $5.99
OCT082293 INVINCIBLE #57 (RES) $2.99
OCT082299 SAVAGE DRAGON #143 $3.50
OCT082251 SPAWN #187 $2.95
OCT084404 STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #3 CRUZ CVR A $3.95
OCT080029 UMBRELLA ACADEMY DALLAS #2 $2.99

The Corporates...
SEP080113 BATMAN #683 $2.99
OCT080126 BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT #8 (OF 12) $2.99
JUL080175 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #3 $2.50
OCT080144 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #20 $2.99
OCT082432 NOVA #20 $2.99
SEP082372 PATSY WALKER HELLCAT #4 (OF 5) $2.99
OCT082443 PUNISHER WAR ZONE #3 (OF 6) $3.99
OCT080203 PUSH #3 (OF 6) $3.50
OCT080116 REIGN IN HELL #6 (OF 8) $3.50
OCT080139 SUPERMAN SUPERGIRL MAELSTROM #4 (OF 5) $2.99
OCT080199 TOP 10 SEASON TWO #3 (OF 4) $2.99
OCT080093 TRINITY #30 $2.99
OCT082453 WHAT IF SPIDER-MAN BACK IN BLACK $2.99

The Spotlight...
- OCT082402 DAREDEVIL #114 $2.99
The Hand's in town, so presumably that is why The Owl is alive, well, and hairy on the cover. Grumble, grumble. Whinging about the meaningless cycle of death in superhero comics, aside, it sounds like the Lady Bullseye action is about to kick up a notch as "everyone who can kick" is invited to a battle royal in the streets of New York. Sounds like our kind of party!

- OCT080146 FLASH #247 $2.99
Since Infinite Crisis, it's been an awful few years for Wally West.
Lumped with a couple of freak kids with no business existing and playing second fiddle to just about every other Flash that's existed, things haven't looked so good for the scarlet speedster. Final Crisis might be providing a brief moment of reprieve, but it looks like the spotlight's about to fall squarely on an unfortunately revived Barry Allen. With Flash #247 delivering the ominous possibility of Wally West's death, realistic or not, I can't help but feel it's been an unfair run. Here's hoping we aren't trading one Flash, for another. I'm still not convinced the resurrection of Barry Allen is at all a good thing.

- OCT082409 HULK #9 $2.99
It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong, but sometimes, even other guys can do it!
Maybe it's because only grabbed a couple of issues, but damn. Jeph Loeb's Hulk, even without Ed McGuinness, isn't nearly as bad as I made it out to be. Sure, don't come if you're looking for anything informative or intelligent, but as far as a parade of superhero fights goes? Man, even this Hulk/Rulk double feature split is kinda neat. Pushing it's luck a bit, but neat, and as the current home of She-Hulk and the Lady Liberators, it's that much more interesting. Damn it!

- OCT082412 IMMORTAL IRON FIST #21 $2.99
Experimentation will kill this series, and Marvel comics will be all the worse for that.
As awkwardly as I feel about the Phantom-esque legacy backstory added to the character, I like that this title is still doing things you don't typically see. I just dread the stubborn ignorance that will see the book to it's death.

- OCT082345 NEW AVENGERS #48 DKR $2.99
Billed as the first major roster change since the beginning of the series, I find myself laughing snidely. If the cover is to be believed, the addition of Captain America might be a very nice touch, particularly in the development of Bucky Barnes in the mantle. Let's just hope we can actually spend some time with this team. Time that doesn't involve an endless drag of recruitment, semi-nudity, and event-driven solo distractions. New Avengers actually remains one of the better Marvel titles, but under a brand that is all too often a misnomer. Here's hoping for some fluidity to these Avengers in 2009!

- OCT082449 SHE-HULK 2 #36 $2.99
If you felt stung by the She-Hulk cancellation, then you need to buy this issue!
As discussed at the beginning of the month [Punch-Up #36], Marvel had no reason to keep the book going. Don't like it? Send a message through sales! Or bitch about it on the internet! Or check out Hulk, which is arguably a better read right now, anyway.

- OCT080098 VIGILANTE #1 $2.99
Marv Wolfman returns with a vengeance to take a stab at yet another Vigilante series!
Not sure this one will do any better than the others, but it's nice to see DC commit.

- OCT080157 WONDER WOMAN #27 $2.99
Wonder Woman continues to contend with the threat of Libra and the Society's secret weapon - Genocide! Having just dived face-first into Final Crisis over Christmas, I'm into it, even if I'm preoccupied with wondering where in the timeline this fits. A question I quite enjoy, perhaps benefitting from reading the core series in one easy-to-understand sitting. She's finally got a respectable ranking on the site, so here's hoping Wonder Woman survives the ordeal!


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Know Your Trade...
OCT082266 AMERICAN FLAGG DEFINITIVE COLL TP VOL 01 $19.99
SEP080233 CRAYON SHINCHAN VOL 06 (MR) $7.99
OCT082519 OFF HB MARVEL UNIV A TO Z PREM HC VOL 06 $24.99
OCT082531 ONSLAUGHT REBORN TP $14.99
OCT082502 ULTIMATES 3 PREM HC WHO KILLED SCARLET WITCH $24.99
OCT082540 WHAT IF CLASSIC TP VOL 05 $29.99
OCT082538 X-MEN COMPLETE ONSLAUGHT EPIC TP BOOK 04 $29.99