The Dark Knight Comic Book Influences (SPOILERS)

[BatmAngelus]

Thanks greggbray.  And the crowbar scene was awesome- "Ah, you made it, I'm so thrilled!"

[DarkVengeance]

TDK had SO MANY really good comic infuences which is why its so good!

[Joker81]

Why are people saying that TDK is more closer to the comics when this forum has proved Batman 89 is more closer?

[DarkVengeance]

I dont think 89 is closer at all, I think that TDK is way closer to the comics. That dosent mean that I dont like them both equally. 89 looks more like a comic book, where TDK has more TRUE elements of the characters in them, though modified still very true and pure.

TDK thrives off of the graphic novels, where as Burtons films ( or just Batman I should say) thrive off of the earlier comics before graphic novels were as prominent.

[Joker81]

But, why are people saying that TDK is more closer to the comics when this forum has proved Batman 89 is more closer?

[DarkVengeance]

But, why are people saying that TDK is more closer to the comics when this forum has proved Batman 89 is more closer?

you act like this forum is comprised of every true and hardcore batman fan in the entire world, so they all must be right (YEAHHH RIGHT!!!). This forum didnt prove anything, everyone has their own opinions, theres not one true fact on the matter.

[batass4880]

Here is how I see things--The Burton/Schumacher films were Batman of Earth-2(golden & silver age) and Nolan's films are Batman of Earth-1(bronze age+). That's how it should be summed up. It all depends on which one(s) floats your boat.

[Silver Nemesis]

I thought I?d add a few possible comic book influences to the list. I?m afraid I don?t have any screen shots to accompany the comic art, but hopefully the film will be fresh enough in your memories that you?ll know the scenes I?m referring to.

The scene in The Dark Knight where the Joker dresses up his hostages as clowns is quite similar to a scene from No Man?s Land where the Joker tricks Petit into shooting his own men by dressing them in Joker-outfits (Batman #574, 2000).




The scene where one of the Joker?s men gets an electric shock while trying to remove Batman?s mask seems to have its basis in Hush.
Batman is lying unconscious in an alleyway when a group of vagrants approach him. One of them tries to remove his cowl, triggering a self-defence mechanism that shoots gas in his face. A second one attempts to bludgeon Batman with a pipe, but a secondary defence device stuns him with an electric discharge (Batman #609, 2003).



There's a scene in Night of the Reaper (Batman #237, 1971) where Robin stumbles across Batman?s corpse pinned to a tree. Upon closer inspection he realises it is not in fact Batman, but merely somebody who was dressed as him and who has fallen victim to the mysterious Reaper. The scene where Brian Douglas? body is left hanging in front of the City Hall in The Dark Knight reminded of this story.




Another possible influence on this scene might have been Sign of the Joker! (Detective Comics #476, 1978), which features a rather disturbing image of a dead Batman with a grotesque Joker-grin on his face. But as with Night of the Reaper, its not the real Batman.



Alternatively, this scene could be a reference to Dark Victory, a book that most definitely had an influence on Nolan?s films. The serial killer in this story is known as ?The Hangman?, so called because his modus operandi involves stringing up his victims by the neck and pinning clues to his identity on their corpses.



While I?m on the subject of Dark Victory I thought I?d post this picture. It just struck me as quite similar to the scene from The Dark Knight where the Joker?s lorry crashes and he?s sent sprawling out onto the street clutching his machinegun.



As BatmAngelus mentioned, there's the scene in The Dark Knight where Gordon, Dent and Batman meet on a rooftop beside the Bat-signal, similar to how they do in The Long Halloween.



The scene where Gordon is apparently shot dead at Loeb?s funeral is quite similar to The Long Halloween?s subplot about Dent pretending to have been killed in a mob attack, only to return later on as part of a cunning strategy to outfox the enemy.



Then there's the scene towards the end of the book where Gordon and Batman manage to lure out the villain by transferring a prisoner in their custody and using him as bait. I don?t want to give away any spoilers for people who haven?t read this book, especially regarding the identity of the killer. Suffice it to say that the scheme involves one of the good guys disguising himself as a member of the armed escort and then surprising the killer at the crucial moment.

I know some people have complained that the Dent in the comics was disfigured with acid, and not an explosion as depicted in the movie. But in Two-Face Strikes Again! (Batman #81, 1954) his face was surgically healed, only to be damaged again when he was caught in the blast of a bomb planted by some robbers.



Interestingly, the Dent from Batman: The Animated Series was also burned in an explosion while chasing down a criminal.

[DarkVengeance]

Here is how I see things--The Burton/Schumacher films were Batman of Earth-2(golden & silver age) and Nolan's films are Batman of Earth-1(bronze age+). That's how it should be summed up. It all depends on which one(s) floats your boat.

you got some good thought there batass!

[Joker81]

But, why are people saying that TDK is more closer to the comics when this forum has proved Batman 89 is more closer?