![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
starwolf_oakley posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scans_dailyThere are some interesting things about the Joker in the DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. He has white instead of red lips, he doesn't wear his "traditional" purple suit, and he doesn't laugh insanely or even smile *that* much. Anyway...
I've wondered if the deep voice John DiMaggio uses for the Joker in "Under the Red Hood" would work for this cooler, or colder, Joker. And Miller does seem to be giving the Joker a Jack Nicholson-esque look, three years before Tim Burton's Batman movie.
10 pages from a 45 page story in DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #3
As I've said before, Dr. Bartholomew Wolper looks remarkably like F. Murray Abraham. Some of the stuff he says sounds downright idiotic, which was probably part of the point.
The idea of "costumed crazies" wanting to try their luck against Batman (threatening Gothamites in the process) has some merit. It's the reason Bane first came to Gotham City. A deleted scene in "Batman Forever" has a reporter (named Kenneth Frequency) comment on it as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEGl8FJ99sg
It's a little tricky to follow, but I'm guessing Batman is fighting Yindel's SWAT team on the roof of the studio in the next few pages.
That last panel has Superman, commenting a lot on "us" (superheroes) vs. "them" (regular people). Most of Superman's thoughts in issue #3 go on about how Bruce "was the one they used against us."
Batman has similar thoughts in issue #4, thinking, "You sold us out, Clark. You gave them power that should have been ours." Now, Batman having contempt for "regular people" is *very* interesting.
A Batman who resents the "normal" people of Gotham City but can't stop himself from beating up criminals. Hmm. Would that be a joke?
Selina Kyle has thoughts about how the world has changed and Batman just doesn't realize that. As this was done before BATMAN: YEAR ONE it must be the first time Frank Miller used his "Catwoman was a prostitute!" idea.
Via one of Selina's girls, the Joker gets one Congressman to shout for a nuclear strike on Corto Maltese before jumping/falling to his death. It's not like the Joker to get all "political," even if you ignore the whole "mind control lipstick" element.
"And it would never be enough." Sheesh. Is the Joker a homicidal maniac who is obsessed with Batman, or is he a homicidal maniac *because* he's obsessed with Batman?
Years if not decades later, and that Irving, CA kid still cracks me up.
The Joker's "This is too weird" line means that Batman isn't acting like himself. After all, Batman did lodge a batarang in the Joker's eye.
I'm also adding a page as I'm a little confused over the "fight" between Robin (Carrie Kelly) and Abner (the fat guy who builds the Joker's stuff).
For years I've been uncertain what happens to Abner here. For a while I thought the track turned sharply and he lost his balance. Now it looks like another section of track hit him and sent him flying. Any ideas?
The last two pages are the Joker's spine going like celery.
I've wondered if the deep voice John DiMaggio uses for the Joker in "Under the Red Hood" would work for this cooler, or colder, Joker. And Miller does seem to be giving the Joker a Jack Nicholson-esque look, three years before Tim Burton's Batman movie.
10 pages from a 45 page story in DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #3
As I've said before, Dr. Bartholomew Wolper looks remarkably like F. Murray Abraham. Some of the stuff he says sounds downright idiotic, which was probably part of the point.
The idea of "costumed crazies" wanting to try their luck against Batman (threatening Gothamites in the process) has some merit. It's the reason Bane first came to Gotham City. A deleted scene in "Batman Forever" has a reporter (named Kenneth Frequency) comment on it as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEGl8FJ99sg
It's a little tricky to follow, but I'm guessing Batman is fighting Yindel's SWAT team on the roof of the studio in the next few pages.
That last panel has Superman, commenting a lot on "us" (superheroes) vs. "them" (regular people). Most of Superman's thoughts in issue #3 go on about how Bruce "was the one they used against us."
Batman has similar thoughts in issue #4, thinking, "You sold us out, Clark. You gave them power that should have been ours." Now, Batman having contempt for "regular people" is *very* interesting.
A Batman who resents the "normal" people of Gotham City but can't stop himself from beating up criminals. Hmm. Would that be a joke?
Selina Kyle has thoughts about how the world has changed and Batman just doesn't realize that. As this was done before BATMAN: YEAR ONE it must be the first time Frank Miller used his "Catwoman was a prostitute!" idea.
Via one of Selina's girls, the Joker gets one Congressman to shout for a nuclear strike on Corto Maltese before jumping/falling to his death. It's not like the Joker to get all "political," even if you ignore the whole "mind control lipstick" element.
"And it would never be enough." Sheesh. Is the Joker a homicidal maniac who is obsessed with Batman, or is he a homicidal maniac *because* he's obsessed with Batman?
Years if not decades later, and that Irving, CA kid still cracks me up.
The Joker's "This is too weird" line means that Batman isn't acting like himself. After all, Batman did lodge a batarang in the Joker's eye.
I'm also adding a page as I'm a little confused over the "fight" between Robin (Carrie Kelly) and Abner (the fat guy who builds the Joker's stuff).
For years I've been uncertain what happens to Abner here. For a while I thought the track turned sharply and he lost his balance. Now it looks like another section of track hit him and sent him flying. Any ideas?
The last two pages are the Joker's spine going like celery.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 10:44 am (UTC)No, but it /is/ like the Joker to have his victims do or say something ludicrous before jumping to their deaths because it'll horrify the onlookers even more (and because he'd think it funny).
Besides, Corto Maltese is the banana republic island that's the focus of a cold war staredown between the US and the USSR, so everyone's really tense about the place.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-16 04:49 am (UTC)Indeed. The Corto Maltese subplot seems a little dated, Cold War-wise, even by 1986 standards.
It seems the country was in DKR since Miller was a fan of Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt. Corto Maltese was mentioned in the 1989 Batman movie and the Corto Maltese diamonds are in the LEGO Batman video game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corto_Maltese