'Long Halloween' Artist Thinks Batman and Robin Should Reunite
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Warner Brothers, Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
Batman fans know that The Dark Knight borrowed heavily from Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's graphic novel, The Long Halloween. In an interview with Flavorwire, Sale suggested that if Christopher Nolan was looking for a story to inspire a third Batman film, he might want to look at their Halloween sequel, Batman: Dark Victory.
The one catch for Nolan and Christian Bale? On its edge, Dark Victory is a Robin origin story -- but Sale points out that he was as resistant to the idea of including the Boy Wonder as Nolan is. "Jeph had to drag me to the idea of Robin kicking and screaming, but then I started living with a single mom, and she had an 8-year-old boy who over the years became more Robin-ish. Jeph based Bruce and Dick's relationship on mine with the boy, that push-and-pull. Dark Victory shows the change of Gotham from a town overrun by gangsters into a town that is governed by "freaks" (Jeph's term). His creation of triumvirate of Batman/Dent/Gordon - what they saw happening to their city and how they were going to address it - pushed the story farther than before. In many ways I think it is some of my best drawing. Not necessarily my best work, but my best drawing."
Dark Victory would be a great stepping stone for a third Batman film -- it's already a favorite of Bale's. Through the series, our bat-clad hero struggles with doubt, fear, working alone (refusing the help of Commissioner Gordon), and losing touch with his own humanity. Robin's intrusion into Batman's life helps center Batman, who begins treating him as something close to a son. If you are going to ever introduce Robin into the Nolan-verse, this would be the way to do it, since he's a far cry from the versions we've been subjected to onscreen.
The one catch for Nolan and Christian Bale? On its edge, Dark Victory is a Robin origin story -- but Sale points out that he was as resistant to the idea of including the Boy Wonder as Nolan is. "Jeph had to drag me to the idea of Robin kicking and screaming, but then I started living with a single mom, and she had an 8-year-old boy who over the years became more Robin-ish. Jeph based Bruce and Dick's relationship on mine with the boy, that push-and-pull. Dark Victory shows the change of Gotham from a town overrun by gangsters into a town that is governed by "freaks" (Jeph's term). His creation of triumvirate of Batman/Dent/Gordon - what they saw happening to their city and how they were going to address it - pushed the story farther than before. In many ways I think it is some of my best drawing. Not necessarily my best work, but my best drawing."
Dark Victory would be a great stepping stone for a third Batman film -- it's already a favorite of Bale's. Through the series, our bat-clad hero struggles with doubt, fear, working alone (refusing the help of Commissioner Gordon), and losing touch with his own humanity. Robin's intrusion into Batman's life helps center Batman, who begins treating him as something close to a son. If you are going to ever introduce Robin into the Nolan-verse, this would be the way to do it, since he's a far cry from the versions we've been subjected to onscreen.
And maybe, just maybe, they're softening up to the idea of working Robin into the Nolan films -- according to Variety, Warner Bros axed its small screen plans for The Graysons, saying that it didn't fit with its plans for the Batman franchise at the present time. Or maybe they just really hate Robin.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-12-2008 @ 6:00PM
BobMikki said...
I've read both the Long Halloween, and Dark Victory, and the Dark Knight borrows heavily from Long Halloween. In my opinion borrowing the third movie's story line from Dark Victory would be perfect, it would tie up alot of the loose ends that the Dark Knight left such as the fate of Two face. Also the way Robin was handled in Dark Victory was perfect, he was portrayed as a much younger mirror to Bruce, and the only tie to humanity he had left.
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11-12-2008 @ 6:45PM
Clark Parker said...
Well... I'm sold.
I've never really been against Robin and Dark Victory certainly makes for a great spring broad to launch him into the series. Some would argue that Robin would not work in Nolan's world, that he conradicts the Batman they created and I agree... Which is exactly the point. Besides, the series has been painted itself into a bit of a corner, with the death of Harvey and the all too real loss of Heath, so dragging Bruce through the darkness and having Dick there to lift him back up is a great idea. It certainly has a lot more potential then that Grayson's idea ever could.
My only request is that they keep him young and hire an unknown.
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11-12-2008 @ 7:11PM
Mr. R said...
The memory of Batman and Robin skating on ice is just too painful. Sorry, Robin is just not a cool character. The gay idea that Batman suddenly would drive around with a teenager in the Batmobile at the same time that Bruce Waine appears in public with a teenage adopted son is preposterous and would give it away. The Dark Knight is the embodiment of loneliness, the lone crusader no one understands, it's his character in the Nolan universe. Get him laid with a hot woman this time. Robin would make it so cheesy!
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11-13-2008 @ 3:35AM
Tom G said...
I think it would be a trick bringing Robin and keeping the tone. But I think it can be done. I think Robin is an essential part of the Batman mythology. Because for a man who fancies himself a loner I think its telling that he surrounds himself with a surrogate family who are all adopted. Alfred: father, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl: kids, Huntress: misguided niece, and one might even throw in Creeper as autistic cousin or something.
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11-13-2008 @ 3:41AM
Marc said...
The idea of Dark Victory sounds perfect, the gangsters dont run the town anyone its just freaks created by the chaos of the joker. Personally two face would make perfect sense as the image of the freaks now running the town and would be a mirror image of batman now outcasted by society for "killing" the dent they loved.
As for robin i think its a very fine line because its great to have in a movie but then your forcing the franchise to bring him back every movie, just like the last franchise then they decided to add bat girl and the franchise corners itself with creative freedom. All in all i think follow nolans idea and dont add him for 10 movies.
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11-13-2008 @ 10:25AM
Brant said...
It could work, maybe, as long as Robin didn't actually put a costume on until the last 20 minutes of the movie.
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11-15-2008 @ 1:53AM
Ransh said...
I don't know about having Robin in there just because of previous movies and the tv series.
Maybe just show Grayson and have that as a sub plot of why he became Robin, with Bruce telling him it's not a good thing throught the movie and towards the end he'll find out Bruce is Batman.
They should do it in a similar way to the two-face story in the dark knight, where we see how the villian was created instead of him being there. This is what made Batman Begins great, the story of a superhero being created (it's also the reason the first season of Heroes was good)
I trust Nolan not to make it cheesy, and hopefully even if he leaves the franchise at some point WB won't replace him with some cheesy director.
11-14-2008 @ 12:29AM
Joe said...
I dont like the idea of Robin either.. but maybe adding Dick Grayson only as Dick Grayson would work in to the storyline.. meaning that you actually never see him become Robin.. Only giving the possibility that he might follow in batmans shadow at the end.. which would kinda be a wink wink for fanboys but at the same time not take anything away from a complete batman story.
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11-15-2008 @ 4:26PM
Bob Anthony said...
I think Batman needs Robin in the thrid film. Robin is part of the Batman story, and I think it should be there.
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11-25-2008 @ 9:31AM
Xander said...
I don't think there should ever be a Robin in the Nolan/ Bale version of Batman. It's the wrong Batman for a partner. This is the Dark Knight the way he should be. Dark and brooding, and he should remain that way.
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11-25-2008 @ 9:29AM
Xander said...
This is the wrong Batman for a Robin, or a Dick Grayson. He is the Dark Knight, and it should stay that way. If you want a Robin story, get Joel Shumacher to direct it, not Chris Nolan. I think the Nolan/ Bale version is too good to mess up with a Robin.
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12-16-2008 @ 1:56AM
RICK COKE said...
I've been scarred by how the last experiment with Robin turned out, although with Chris Nolan at the helm matters might improve. But I'm all for it just remaining Batman vs his adversaries.
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