BATMAN: The Radio Drama Adaptation

[johnnygobbs]

Yeah, Falcone will be the logical choice. It'll be good symbolism of The Joker literally killing the mob and paving the way for criminals like him. The Mob is the big time before Joker's fall into the vat of chemicals and by the sequels, they're small timers.

Good idea.  Of course, in the sequel the mobsters will have been usurped by a seemingly 'legitimate businessman', Max Shreck, or in this case, Rupert Thorne.

It'll be difficult to get Chip in there with the major reworkings the adaptation for Batman Returns will endure. Going to work on a different climax that doesn't involve penguins with bombs on their back and attempting to kill off all of the first borns. The Penguin still will be a candidate for mayor and get the tables turned on him by exposing his true words.

I definitely agree you need something more credible than the rocket-wearing penguins at the end, and you'll probably need to find a different way of exposing the Penguin's duplicity as opposed to Bruce scratching a CD. 

It would be great if you could find a way to incorporate Chip in there some how, but it's a shame there are no characters particularly analogous to him in the comic-books.  I wonder if there's a way to change him to Roman Sionis/Black Mask whilst still retaining him as Rupert Thorne's son.  I could see Chip as the foolish, entitled cocky heir who invests and loses his wealth on a failed cosmetics venture.  But I think it makes sense for Thorne to have a spoiled son who he can attempt to pass his legacy on to (his motive for trying to develop a new power-plant, or its equivalent here, and trying to murder Selina).

Sounds good about Flass and he'll be the one who takes Napier's bullet sounds good. Perhaps Bullock is on the Mob payroll as well, but wises up, like he did in the comics.

I like that idea.  Maybe Flass and Bullock are partners and Flass blackmails Bullock for going too far in interrogating a suspect, or trying to enact justice in some other over-zealous capacity, after Bullock later discovers that Flass is in the payment of the mob (Flass could have some incriminating pictures/recording that proves Bullock nearly killed a suspect which he plans to use against Bullock unless the latter keeps quiet about his dodgy activities).  Actually, this storyline could work just as well if not better with Bullock and Jim Corrigan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Corrigan).

The way I picture Julie "The Ice Princess" Madison in this version will be very like what you described, a Paris Hilton type and how Bruce Wayne feels about her. A fuel of rage Selina Kyle will have for the character is knowing what she is to Bruce Wayne, since she gets to see the real him and not the public persona.  Really think we should preserve that point of The Ice Princess getting killed, since it's a main point of framing Batman. Catwoman does express her regard to the murder when she says, "You said you were going to scare The Ice Princess," so it works. The novelization has a beautiful scene between Batman and Dent where Dent states that he will clear him of all what he was accused of as long as he keeps him protected and his hate for him is fueled largely by him thinking he betrayed him, so that's definitely going to be our adaptation.

This is excellent!

Also, maybe the Ice Princess, or Julie Madison, could be so-called because she is a 'diamond heiress', and maybe she and Bruce are referred to in the press as 'Brulie' because they're always seen together as a couple.  Perhaps the Penguin/Oswald could have a personal reason for killing her in addition to framing Batman.  Maybe he lusted after her because of her wealth and glamorous beauty but she publicly laughed at his advances and called him an 'ugly bird-man with fish-breath' in ear-shot.  It would add to his contempt for her and the handsome Bruce, and if there's a trend in the comics right now it's for the Penguin to be treated as a very bitter. twisted guy with a chip on his shoulder and a long, vengeful memory for even the most casual slight.  There would be an added irony because Bruce never really cared that much for her (he thought she was shallow, stupid and spoiled), and was effectively using her for public appearances, whereas Oswald at least lusted after her for the superficial things she represented.  Nevertheless, Bruce would feel immense grief when he realised that he was partly responsible for her death, however much he thought she was a bimbo.

If she's from a wealthy background her death might also have most of Gotham including a powerful family on Batman's back which would make Dent's defence even more heroic and incredible, and Batman's basis for owing his liberty to him that much greater.

Alexander Knox just rings better for a reporter's name, since reporters are quite obnoxious and that was a good name for a character like himself. I liked a piece of fan art that stated "When News Knox." That would be a great way to show his rise in Gotham City, always getting the scoop on these "War of the Freaks."

I like Knox too.  I'd like to see that fanart.

If Dent is going to have some of his lines perhaps he and Knox can share a similar type of friendly banter to Knox and Vicki, albeit without the sexual element.

No good girl for this first outing, since it would get in the way of his duties as Batman. Think of Andrea Beaumont from "Mask of the Phantasm." That's what we should aim for and it makes Selina Kyle more out to be that one woman for him.  Wanting to keep that notion of St. Cloud coming between Falcone and Napier. Going to have to work out and change some details to keep her connections a secret from one and the other. Perhaps looking at the Tom Mankiewicz screenplay would help as well. Hoping for a scaring for Dent at the end of the second film or even told in flashback in the third would work just fine.

Maybe the prologue of the third drama can set-up Dent's scarring and transformation (instead of the whole "I'll get a drive-thru" sequence  )  If it comes straight after the second film perhaps it can be related to Thorne and it's his surviving hot-headed son, Chip who throws acid at him partly out of fury over his father's death, partly over an investigation into his businesses.

Gilda Gold would show up in the second, so we can have him flirt a bit with St. Cloud before Wayne takes the make. Not as familiar with Query & Echo, but I like what you proposed about having familiar henchwomen and henchmen for that matter pop up.

I get the impression that Gilda is quite a quiet, demure presence in the comic-books which would make her an interesting contrast to the type of women Harvey, and Bruce, are usually attached to, such as Silver St. Cloud.  Gilda could be the first woman Harvey truly falls in love with, rather than simply dates, and maybe their loving relationship makes Bruce a little jealous (in a non-nasty way) because he lost that opportunity with a similarly substantial woman, Selina Kyle.

Perhaps in this story, Bruce and Harvey could be long-time friends and Harvey was the working class scholarship kid who ended up at the same prestigious college as Bruce.  Perhaps Harvey occasionally helped cover for Bruce who was too consumed with grief over his parents' death to focus on his studies, and Bruce helps Harvey out financially.  Knox could have a similar conversation with Dent to the one he has with Vicki in 'Batman' about the 'rich people being able to afford being odd' with Dent good-naturedly defending his close but mysterious buddy.

By the way, this is Query and Echo: http://www.comicvine.com/query-and-echo/4060-55971/

I don't know about you but I think Sugar and Spice look a little like them, and were more than likely inspired by them.  I could see Drew Barrymore as Deirdre Vance and Debi Mazar as Nina Damfino (Mazar plays a lot of Italian-Americans in films and TV).

Bob will be more of a yes man. Otherwise, having him repeat Joker makes him out to be someone like Otis from Superman I & II. The whole Joker being the Waynes' killer is good for a one-off film, but not so much for an ongoing series, so that'll have to go as well.

I agree.  I guess you could have him occasionally say "Yes Boss" to indicate his presence.  The fact that Jack Napier/the Joker also addresses him by name quite a bit helps too.

Are these ideas helpful?  I love your concept and don't want to push my ideas on you, but I hope and think most of these ideas could easily tally with what you're going for. 

[Kamdan]

Yeah, these all sound great. Just gotta fit in time to do it.