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Dear Warner Bros.,

Here we are on the cusp of a new year. Justice League (Jl) is still struggling at the box office, trying to recoup the heavy financial losses, while fans are left wondering what will happen next. WB and DC use to be at the top of the superhero genre with such great classic films like Superman (‘78) and Batman (‘89), each of which had a successful sequel...and not so successful proceeding films. If anything can be learned from these past films, chasing possible viewer trends is risky, and putting nipples on the batsuit was a horrible idea. However, as we move forward into a new year all I have to say is, hold on! Even though Jl is not the box office hit you hoped it would be there are plenty of silver linings to be found within the catalog of DC characters and the Dceu as a whole.

Jensen Ackles as Jason Todd?

We can see it. As a matter of fact, we’ve already heard it, as the Supernatural mainstay initially voiced the role for Batman: Under The Red Hood back in 2010. But even now, seven whole years later, DC fans are still calling on Warner Bros. to cast Jensen Ackles in a live-action interpretation of Red Hood.

And though it may never come to be, a DeviantArt user by the name of ‘Wandambatha’ has produced a dark and gloomy poster for Deathstroke, the recently-announced spinoff movie that has Gareth Evans (The Raid) and Joe Manganiello attached to direct and headline, respectively.

If the stars align, Manganiello’s Slade Wilson is primed for a big, big future in the DC Extended Universe, though Justice League‘s middling box office performance will surely have Warner Bros. thinking twice about future instalments in its shared franchise. Either way, this...

Inspired by the the one-shot Elseworlds tale by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, Batman: Gotham By Gaslight puts Batman against the real world serial killer, Jack the Ripper. Take a look at the trailer below as well as additional information about the upcoming DC and Warner Bros. Animation film.

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight takes place at the turn of the century as America’s continued industrial revolution is to be showcased at a World’s Fair hosted by Gotham City. But while the world prepares to witness the glittery glory of Gotham’s technological advances, there is a killer loose in the city’s darkest shadows. Preying on the city’s women, this killer is as precise as he is cruel. As Police Commissioner James Gordon tries to calm the fears of Gotham’s citizens regarding the butcher called Jack the Ripper, the masked vigilante Batman enacts his own detective...

We finally have a release date for Batman: Gotham By Gaslight and those waiting for a physical copy will be able to snag the film beginning February 6th. It is possible to get the film sooner, but that's only for the crowd who wants to own it digitally. Those who don't have a problem with that can pick it up January 23rd.

For those who clicked having no clue what this is, think Batman in the time of Jack The Ripper with a bit of a steampunk vibe. You can see the trailer for the feature below, or find the original comics by doing a quick web search! Here's some additional information on the film from the press release:

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight takes place at the turn of the century as America’s continued industrial revolution is to be showcased at a World’s Fair hosted by Gotham City.

Burbank, CA (June 28, 2017) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC Entertainment celebrate a decade of heroic animation with the release of the DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection, a comprehensive box set of all 30 films, 5 animated shorts, new special features and exclusive collectible items coming November 7, 2017 to Blu-ray™. The entire 30-film set will also be available on Digital starting August 15, 2017.

Launched in 2007 with the landmark release of Superman Doomsday, the DC Universe Original Movies are based on or inspired by storylines and/or characters from within the ever-expanding DC library. Produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the stories range from films based upon iconic DC Super Hero stories (Superman Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Killing Joke) to films inspired by themes from within DC history (Batman vs. Robin was inspired by “The Court of Owls,” Superman vs. The Elite was...

Warner Bros. is putting together one monumental box set in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the DC Animated Universe! Find out what all is included!

While Wonder Woman may be putting the DC Entertainment Universe back on track, there is DC content that Warner Bros. and DC have never had a problem with, the animated DC Original Movies. In fact, their movies have been touted as being better than Marvel's, which is no small feat.

As a way of honoring the success of the DC Animated films turning 10, this year, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has created a box set the likes we never could've fathomed.

On November 7, 2017, WB will release the DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection on Blu-Ray. The collection includes all 30 Animated movies, 5 shorts, new special features, and exclusive collectible items. The Digital version will release much earlier on August 15, 2017.

Unfortunately, a price point has not been issued yet,...

Dick Grayson isn’t just part of the Teen Titans. He’s leading the Teen Titans.Young Justice (2010)

Lately, we’ve been blessed with an overabundance of good comic news. First, 20th Century Fox releases dates for Deadpool 2, New Mutants, and Dark Phoenix. Now an interesting announcement from Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment.

Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment announced that they are launching a “digital streaming service” at an undisclosed time in 2018. They were obtuse on the details, but the gist is that this streaming service is an “immersive experience designed for the fans.” The service will host a live-action Teen Titans show called Titans and the third season of Young Justice: Outsiders.

Young Justice: Outsiders is the much demanded third season of the Cartoon Network show Young Justice. Young Justice was fantastic: it was spiritually faithful to its source material, beautifully animated, and well voice acted. Following...

Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment announced today that the return of their animated Young Justice series will be called Young Justice: Outsiders and that it will premiere in 2018. They've also announced a new live-action series that they are developing called Titans. The two series will air on a new DC digital service that will “deliver an immersive experience designed just for DC fans.”

In Young Justice: Outsiders, the teenage Super Heroes of the DC Universe come of age in an animated world of super-powers, Super-Villains and super secrets. In the highly anticipated new season, the team faces its greatest challenge yet as it takes on meta-human trafficking and the terrifying threat it creates for a society caught in the crossfire of a genetic arms race spanning the globe and the galaxy. Equally praised by critics and viewers for its impressive visuals and rich storytelling, Young Justice reached...

A few months ago we learned that Suicide Squad director David Ayer was taking on Gotham City Sirens with Margot Robbie returning to the role of Harley Quinn. We’ve known the film will also include the DC Femme Fatales Poison Ivy and Catwoman. Now it looks like we know who the villain might be.

From out of nowhere, Ayer posted a piece of comic art on Twitter featuring the character Black Mask. No text was included with the image, but it came from the comic Batman: Under the Red Hood.

pic.twitter.com/sfkjNeSIHW

— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) February 27, 2017

Ayer could just be in the midst of doing some research and found a cool image to post. Or maybe it’s a character he actually plans on using for Gotham City Sirens. It definitely seems like a character that fits Ayer’s style.

Black Mask is a ruthless Gotham mob...

Simon Brew Brendon Connelly Feb 14, 2017

Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker have producer credits on nearly 40 Batman films – but they only really worked on one, it seems…

If you stick around for the end credits of The Lego Batman Movie, you might notice the names of two people credited as executive producers on the picture. They are Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker. Nothing odd there, apart from the small matter of them having absolutely nothing to do with the film. To the best of our knowledge, they had no conversation with director Chris McKay and his team at any time before, during or after the production. But they did pick up a cheque and a credit for their troubles.

Having people listed as executive producers who are ‘hands off’ is nothing particularly fresh, and we looked at just what an executive producer does in this article here.

But what’s interesting...

Still Nobody’S Sidekick

Warner Bros. Animation Begins Production Onseason 3 Of “Young Justice,” Based Onthe Iconic DC Super Heroes

Burbank, Calif. (November 7, 2016) — The Team is back and it’s “business as usual.” Warner Bros. Animation has begun production on a third season of all-new episodes of the acclaimed hit, action-animated series “Young Justice,” based on the characters from DC Entertainment. Season three promises new twists, turns and dangerous new threats for the team, but most importantly, the opportunity for fans to finally continue the adventures of some of their favorite Super Heroes. Further details about the new season — including premiere date and network partner — will be announced at a later time.

Heralded by Entertainment Weekly as one of the “9 Best Animated TV Series Drawn from Comics,” “Young Justice” has been equally praised by critics and viewers for its impressive visuals and rich storytelling. The series reached more than 25 million unique...

Warner Bros. Animation has confirmed that production on a third season of the popular animated TV series "Young Justice" has started, offering viewers "...new twists, turns and dangerous new threats for the team, but most importantly, the opportunity for fans to finally continue the adventures of some of their favorite Super Heroes...":

Producers Brandon Vietti ("Batman: Under the Red Hood") and Greg Weisman ("Star Wars Rebels") will be returning to the series.

The news comes as Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment continue to develop a live action adaptation of DC Comics' "Young Justice", with a gaggle of comic book superheroes to star.

"...with characters to be showcased on 'Arrow', 'The Flash', 'Legends Of Tomorrow' and 'Supergirl', 'Young Justice' will eventually be a live action teen drama/romance series with a superhero twist, based on the 'Young Justice' cartoon, games and...

Check out the embedded video below for a supercut of all the times The Joker takes a life in Batman 1989, The Dark Knight, Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths,  Batman: Under the Red Hood, The Dark Knight Returns,  Batman: Assault on Arkham and Batman: The Killing Joke. Also be sure to subscribe to Mr Sunday's YouTube channel,, youtube.com/mrsundaymovies. If you want.  No pressure.  ...

Burbank, CA (July 6, 2016) — Batman will need the help from several of his Super Hero pals — Green Arrow, Nightwing, The Flash and Robin – to take down a crew of Super-Villains on a scale he’s never seen before in Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants. Produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, this thrilling new addition to the Batman Unlimited animated film trilogy comes to DVD ($19.98 Srp) via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on September 13, 2016 and on Digital HD on August 30, 2016 via purchase from digital retailers.

The Dark Knight is back doing what he does best – protecting the citizens of Gotham City – in the third installment of the Batman Unlimited series, Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants. When evil scientist Mr. Freeze activates his latest invention on two of Gotham City’s most formidable criminals – Killer Croc and Bane – things go from bad to worse. Turning them into super-sized mutant monsters,...

If you've ever wanted to see Batman suit up in a giant robot (along with Green Arrow) to fight a city sized monster Voltron style, then it looks like the new Batman Unlimited direct-to-dvd movie, Mechs vs. Mutants, is exactly what you need. Come inside to check out the first details and trailer on the upcoming animated adventure!

When Warner Bros. announced that Batman Unlimited would be bringing a new series of animated 'movies' for fans, they promised it would be a way to play around in the Batman universe and offer new ideas for young kids to enjoy that would be a little different. Our first details and look at Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants (which comes to DVD on September 13th) is definitely something different.

It's kind of a neat idea, though it feels like any other giant mecha/monster cartoon idea out there. The biggest different here,...

DC/WB is currently in reconstruction mode, launching their new DC Film Division under Geoff Johns, who wants to bring “hope and optimism” back to the Dceu. Therefore, this is a good time to look back on one of DC/WB’s recent missteps and how they could have benefited from an examination of their earlier, lighter projects. We’re going to examine how Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice could have been improved by studying the 1997 animated film The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest.

The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest began as a 3-part episode of Superman: The Animated Series. It was released on DVD as a combined one-hour film in 1997. This excellent story has a strong 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as opposed to the pitiful 28% score that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice received. World’s Finest was written by Alan Burnett, who wrote many of DC’s best animated movies, including Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Superman Unbound, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and others. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was directed by Zack Snyder, who made Watchmen, Sucker Punch and Man of Steel.

So why is World’s Finest better than Dawn of Justice and what can it teach DC during their revamp period? First of all, the makers of World’s Finest realized that the key to a great Batman and Superman story is to focus on their differences. They don't physically fight but the drama comes from contrasting their opposite natures, techniques and viewpoints.

The two heroes have often been described as “two sides of the same coin”. They are both brave costumed super heroes but in most ways, they are opposites. This does not merely refer to the fact that Superman has unlimited strength and numerous super powers while Batman is just an incredibly well-trained and brilliant human man. They also have different skills. For instance, Superman's senses enable him to read information directly from machines and, with careful usage of his heat vision, he can even reprogram machines. Batman is a genius polymath, as well as being a detective, escapologist, linguist, tactician and master of disguise.

Their greatest difference is in their outlook and attitude. Superman is traditionally optimistic and positive, inspiring hope to the world. He sees the best in people and tries to be an example, always motivated by the desire to help people and prevent tragedies. Batman is a dark and grim hero with a deeply personal vendetta against criminals. Although he has a great love for humanity, his life is rooted in the dark side of human nature. He understands the evil inherent in the human mind in a way Superman never could. In essence, Superman sees the victims while Batman sees the criminals.

When the 1990s versions of Superman and Batman look at each other, they see what they try hard to avoid in their own lives. Superman sees a man so locked into his obsessive behavior that he has no real connection to the world; Batman sees an overconfident man with great power but no plan (Superman reacts but does not plan.) However, they also see what they are personally missing. Superman admires Batman’s self-made abilities while Batman sees Superman’s amazing powers, which could certainly be handy in his quest to save Gotham city from its epidemic of crime. Each has a certain amount of envy toward the other.

In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the differences between the two are not very clear. Both are grim, glum, angst-ridden figures who see their heroic roles as a burden. They will both kill. Neither is trusted by the people or by the government. Neither ever smiles. They are both easily manipulated and overly quick to fight. There isn’t much difference between them at all. Add to that the fact that Zack Snyder decreed they shouldn’t talk much because “Guys in super hero costumes trying to act serious looks ridiculous”. The result was all action but no drama, characterization or interesting interactions.

Another good aspect of World’s Finest is that Lois Lane was utilized so much better. She adds an extra layer of competition between the two heroes when she develops a crush on Bruce Wayne. Although she is in love with Superman, she realizes that he will always have to put the good of the world ahead of her. Thus, when handsome Bruce Wayne arrives and shows an interest in her, she quickly becomes drawn to him. This Lois displays an attraction to Alpha Males, like the mighty Superman and the rich and powerful Bruce Wayne. Bruce begins by using Lois as a source of information to learn more about Superman but he comes to actually like her fiery, feisty personality and beauty. Clark has to watch while his rival romances the woman he secretly loves. In Dawn of Justice, Lois really has no purpose. She’s there because she’s expected to be there. Her investigation in the movie leads to nothing. When she stupidly tosses the Kryptonite spear into the well, it’s only done to put her in peril at an inopportune moment.

The villains are also much better in World’s Finest. Lex Luthor is written as cool., classy, authoritative and insidious. The Joker is wild and funny, creating chaos for both profit and for fun. The battle between their sidekicks Harley Quinn and Mercy is a fun moment. In Dawn of Justice, Lex Luthor is portrayed as a combination of Luthor and the Joker. He is rich and influential but also demented and sadistically psychotic. Mercy is killed off before she gets a chance to make an impression, and Doomsday is wasted in the final half hour of the film. The “Doomsday/Death of Superman” storyline could have been a whole movie by itself but instead it’s squeezed into a subplot. The villains in World’s Finest get sufficient screen time and remain true to their source material.

The story holds together much better in World’s Finest. The plot is linear and logical and makes sense. The bad guys have clear agendas and their actions jibe with what they want. Even the Joker, crazy as he is, remains consistent. In Dawn of Justice, Luthor’s plans and motivations seem to randomly change scene-by-scene. Unlike World’s Finest, which is trying to tell a story about the meeting of two heroes, Dawn of Justice is a two-and-a-half-hour composite trailer, interested in World Building and setting up future Dceu films, rather than being a coherent movie.

World’s Finest is about heroes learning a lesson. The duo quickly realize that their pointless competition is not useful and that each of them has something useful to offer in a partnership, even a temporary one. They learn the lesson that the villains could not learn. Luthor and the Joker are too petty to ever get along and eventually turn on each other. Superman and Batman learn to respect each other and start to work together. They even display some teamwork. Clark and Bruce part on good terms. In Dawn of Justice, Batman and Superman spend most of the movie in a contrived blood feud, which abruptly ends when they realize that their mothers have the same name. Then they join Wonder Woman in fighting Doomsday and Superman dies. There is no logical build or dramatic narrative that leads to any development in their relationship. Its ultimately unsatisfying and hollow.

World’s Finest gets it all right, including the tone, which is sufficiently hopeful while still being serious. Burnett’s script has heart and soul. The characters are handled properly and the narrative is well structured. Both the villains and supporting cast are fully-formed characters, not caricatures. Everything is done so much better than in Dawn of Justice.

If Geoff Johns and the new DC Film Division want a blueprint to look at for how they should set up the Dceu, they could do a lot worse than studying The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest. It’s everything Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice should have been, but wasn’t. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth the effort to find.

BATMANSUPERMANBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeDC ANIMATIONzack snydersuper hero moviesCOMIC Book Movie...

Burbank, CA (June 3, 2016) – Continuing a decade-long tradition, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) will host the World Premiere of its latest DC Universe Original Movie – this time, the highly anticipated Batman: The Killing Joke – on the Friday night (July 22, 2016) of Comic-Con International in San Diego.

The premiere will spotlight the first public exhibition of the eagerly awaited film and a post-screening panel discussion among available members of the core cast and filmmaking team. The celebrity-laden cast is led by Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League) and Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series, Star Wars franchise) as they reprise their seminal roles as the voices of Batman/Bruce Wayne and The Joker, respectively, as well as Tara Strong (Teen Titans; Batman: Arkham games) as Barbara Gordon and Ray Wise (Twin Peaks, RoboCop) as Commissioner Gordon. Batman: The Killing Joke is directed by Sam Liu (Justice League vs. Teen Titans...

If you're one of the many that is going to be attending the annual San Diego Comic-Con (not me, though, womp womp womp), Warner Brothers has a present for you. Let me clear that up: no, this isn't something crazy like a teaser trailer for Justice League or Green Lantern or something, although that could happen on a different day. Instead, fans who attend the con on Friday will be able to sit down for a full blown premiere of the animated film Batman: The Killing Joke.

Check out the press release below:

Continuing a decade-long tradition, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) will host the World Premiere of its latest DC UniverseOriginal Movie – this time, the highly anticipated Batman: The Killing Joke – on the Friday night (July 22, 2016) of Comic-Con International in San Diego.The premiere will spotlight the first public exhibition of the eagerly awaited film and a post-screening panel...

When 2x Academy Award-winner Ben Affleck was first cast as Bruce Wayne, the Batman, in Warner Bros.' Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, many fans were up in arms with the casting choice. However, after watching him in action last week in the highly controversial and critically panned Zack Snyder-directed film, fans found some solace in his performance and were fairly unanimous in declaring him the best live-action Batman to ever grace the silver screen.  It's been rumored ever since Affleck signed on that a solo Batman movie, tentatively titled The Batman, was definitely in the works with Affleck collaborating with DC Comics Cco Geoff Johns on the script, but an expected release date and/or any details on the plot, outside of it being possibly based on the Batman: Under The Red Hood story arc, were few and far between.  The Hollywood Reporter, in an interview with Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell,...

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Ben Affleck's Batman may well do battle with the Red Hood in his first standalone movie...

This piece is rumour-based, but inevitably may contain a spoiler or two.

Ben Affleck debuts his take on Batman on the big screen next year, in Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. But after that, he's set to have a Batman adventure to himself, with the suggestion remaining that Affleck may well direct too.

But which direction will a Ben Affleck-fronted solo Batman movie take? Well, according to a new rumour posted over at Joblo, the film is likely to focus on the Red Hood (there's a strong animated movie, Batman: Under The Red Hood that's well worth getting hold of, incidentally). The Red Hood would then pretend to be Batman, leading people to label him a criminal (again), and setting up a showdown that also includes The Joker.

Sneak Peek the comic book origins of DC Comics' character the 'Red Hood', on the news that "Gotham" creator Bruno Heller will include the character in the critically-acclaimed 'Batman' prequel TV series:

"There's going to be an episode that involves the 'Red Hood'," said Heller, "which picks up that strand...the 'costume strand'..."

The 'Red Hood' debuted in "Detective Comics" #168, when a criminal going by that alias, claiming to be a lab worker, intended to rob a chemical plant of $1,000,000 and retire. But he and his men were dispatched, then suddenly cornered on a catwalk by 'Batman'. 

Left with no alternative, Red Hood dives into a catch basin for the chemicals and swims to freedom, surviving because of a special breathing apparatus built into the helmet. But the toxins in the vat permanently disfigured him, turning his hair green, his skin white and his lips red. Changing his primary...

If you’re anything like me, you can’t wait to feast your eyes on the newly-announced Lego Batman movie, which will spin off this year’s incredibly successful The Lego Movie. While that particular project may not assemble its way to theaters until 2017, DC Comics and Cartoon Network are making the wait more bearable and airing a Lego DC Comics special later this month.

Titled Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered, the project isn’t nearly as polished as what we saw from The Lego Movie and is more akin to some of the straight-to-dvd films that spun-off of the Lego Batman games, but it still looks like a fun DC special made more enjoyable by its Lego makeover.

Batman Be-Leagured will tie into the upcoming Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham videogame and will air on Cartoon Network on October 7th, 2014 at 6:00 Pm. It was written by Jim Krieg...

On July 23, comic book stores everywhere will celebrate Batman Day as part of DC Comics’ yearlong celebration of the Caped Crusader’s 75th anniversary. In anticipation of the big day, EW conducted separate interviews with DC Comics co-publisher Jim Lee and Batman the Animated Series creator and producer Bruce Timm, asking each to pick the most memorable and significant Batman stories of the past 75 years.

Both Lee and Timm have be heavily involved with Batman throughout their careers. Apart from being co-publisher of DC (alongside Dan Didio), Lee has illustrated several Batman comics including Batman: Hush with writer Jeph Loeb...

DC Comics

Over the years, comic book cartoons have populated television networks with wonderful imagery and storytelling. Maintaining styles that are visually similar to their literary counterparts, these cartoons have gone on to receive awards and multitudes of fans, all thanks to their clear sophistication.

To celebrate the medium, here is a list of the 15 greatest comic book cartoons of all time. Whilst there has been a few stinkers in the history of these adaptations, there’s still a wide variety of cartoons that are remembered for their many achievements.

15. Young Justice

DC

Unforgivably cancelled after its second season, Young Justice had a fantastic animation style, and it boasted some superb storytelling. It focused on a team of young protégés who were determined to establish themselves as superheroes, whilst they dealt with the turmoil of teenage life. The cartoon was created by Brandom Vietti (Batman: Under the Red Hood) and Greg Weisman (Gargoyles,...

Some of the strongest content I.ve seen come from comic adaptations has been made into DC animated films. A good example would be Batman: Under The Red Hood which holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 88% from film viewers which may not mean much to you, but I think it.s pretty damn good for an animated flick. Batman: Year One was a good watch as well though didn.t really touch on the greatness of Red Hood. The next Batman animated flick from DC is Son Of Batman. The story is based on the...

Among my peers, I am the Batman fan. A lot of the time, however, I am also the only Batman fan (or comic book fan in general). So taking things to the Internet instead of driving my friends crazy allows for great discussions to occur with other Gothamites – though, unfortunately, there’s no escaping the venomous conversations there, either. Batman fans can quickly become mama bear if and/or when their perceived notion of Batman is challenged. Take the casting of Ben Affleck as precedence, and how the news quickly rose to the top of the Twittersphere.

It doesn’t end with Ben Affleck, of course – there are lots of notions that Batman fans tend to get antsy about. Here are the top 10 most sensitive Batman-related arguments amongst Batman purists, many of which a lot of fans seem to have got totally and utterly wrong…

10. Batman Voice Acting

Firstly,...

In many versions of their origin tale, the Justice League came together to thwart an alien invasion, and thereafter pledged to work together to defend Earth. For the DC Comics “New 52″ reboot a few years back, that origin story was retooled for modern times, hinging on DC supervillain Darkseid’s attempted conquer of Earth, and the League rising up to send him packing.

That Justice League relaunch story – penned by DC Creative Chief Geoff Johns and drawn by legendary comic book artist Jim Lee – is now the subject of DC Universe’s latest animated feature, Justice League: War - but have some major changes to the storyline and voice cast doomed this film to mediocrity?

Besides the epic action and anime-style visuals by director Jay Oliva (Batman: Under the Red Hood), you may have noticed that the first big upset in this interpretation of the New 52 Justice League ...

Click to...

Although Marvel currently rules the superhero cinema landscape with their stable of superheroes, DC keeps pumping out animated feature films based on popular graphic novels or storylines from the comics. Most, such as Batman: Under The Red Hood or Superman vs. The Elite, have been fairly loose adaptations of the source material while some others have been direct or close to direct adaptations, the most notable probably being Batman: Year One. With next year’s slate of animated features already set, being Justice League: War, Son of Batman and Batman: Arkham Assualt, perhaps it is time to start speculating on what 2015′s features will bring.

Considering 2015 is the highly anticipated Batman/Superman film, no doubt DC will once again piggyback off that film to promote one or more of their new animated features.

WhatCulture writer James Garcia wrote an article a few weeks ago titled 10 Batman Stories That Should Be Adapted Into Animated Films.

Though Marvel Studios may be leading the superhero box office on the big screen, there’s no denying that DC leads the animation front. There have been 17 feature-length, direct-to-video releases since 2007, with two or three made per year. They’ve collectively grossed $88.8 million and have been met with acclaim from both critics and audiences.

Five of these films have featured Batman, and have been adapted from some of the character’s most iconic storylines: Gotham Knight (set between the events of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight), Batman: Under the Red Hood (adapted from A Death in the Family and Under the Hood), Batman: Year One, and The Dark Knight Returns, which was split into two parts.

DC announced at San Diego Comic-Con this year that two new Bat-centric projects were in development, titled Son of Batman (from Grant Morrison’s Batman and Son storyline) and Batman: Assault on Arkham...

Orlando Bloom, seriously?

Ever since the announcement was made at this year's Comic Con that the follow-up to Man of Steel would see Superman paired with - and in all likelihood, battling against - DC Comics compatriot Batman, speculation has been rife as to who might play the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder's sequel...

With everyone from Ryan Gosling to Josh Brolin to Jeffrey Dean Morgan to old hand Christian Bale being linked to the part, the Week in Geek has chosen to produce a follow-up of our own, to a feature first posted upon Man of Steel's release.

Our sequel to June's 'Superman on TV' blog is the imaginatively titled 'Batman on TV' - join us for look at the best and worst of the Dark Knight on the small screen.

> Week in Geek - Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi and why it's good that Steven Moffat lies...

Hey, Warner Bros., no need to begin a casting search for your Batman/Superman movie you announced at your Comic-Con panel, we've got you covered. Yes, geeks are already foaming at the mouth for any news on the Man of Steel follow-up, which will once again star Henry Cavill as Superman and co-star Batman, and Supernatural star Jensen Ackles wants it to be known that he is totally ready to tackle the role of Bruce Wayne! Not only does the actor have ties to the iconic DC superhero (he voiced Red Hood in the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood), he rocked a Batman t-shirt at Comic-Con 2013! We chatted with Ackles after Supernatural's panel at the Con, where he showed off his shirt with pride, asking fans,...

...yes it is! I won't lie to you. In general, I'm not a huge fan of these types of animated movies. They just don't appeal to me all that much, and the last one I watched - Batman: Under The Red Hood - failed to live up to the superb comic book series it was based on in my eyes. For that reason, I was extremely reluctant about Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Why? Well, it's probably my favourite DC event book for a start! However, the latest animated movie from Warner Bros. not only adapts it faithfully, but adds and subtracts enough from it to make an arguably confusing and convoluted story (at least to those not well-versed in DC continuity) easy to understand and even easier to thoroughly enjoy Without dumbing it down. In fact, it's extremely surprising just how adult this film is. It deals with a...

I’m probably one of the last guys you’ll ever see actually reading any comic under the Marvel umbrella. To be completely honest it’s just personal preference. I was introduced to DC Characters first with Batman: the Animated Series and Lois and Clark on the television; while being introduced to Richard Donner’s take on Superman and Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher’s helm at the world of Gotham City later on. I cherished those films and television shows.

Even when I got into comics my first graphic novel to complete was the much celebrated Watchmen. That’s not to say I hated Marvel. On the contrary, I grew up spending my Saturday mornings watching the animated series of Spider-Man, X- Men, and the Incredible Hulk. Even my mom can tell you I did an impression of the Incredible Hulk as a child. When X-Men first came out...

Comic-Con is releasing its daily schedules over this long holiday weekend and the schedule for Saturday, July 20 has just come out. The day features panels on TV favorites like How I Met Your Mother (at the Con for the first time!), True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries as well as upcoming shows like Dracula and The Originals, and much more. Many of the major film panels are Saturday, including a look at the upcoming Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the Marvel panel, which will feature the Thor and Captain America sequels, and WB and Legendary’s panel featuring Godzilla, and Gravity.

DC Comics have announced a mini-series starring the (supposedly) dead Damian Wayne, set for release later this year, according to an exclusive at the NY Post.

Back in February this year, Damian Wayne, the latest Robin and Batman/Bruce Wayne’s biological son, was killed in the pages of Grant Morrison’s Batman Incorporated #8, an event that was reported on major news networks around the world. Fans of the character mourned the loss and DC ran a brief remembrance series in their Bat-titles called Requiem.

But the old rule of comics that no one stays dead except Uncle Ben has come true once again as DC have announced they will be running a 4-issue miniseries starring Damian, written and drawn by Andy Kubert, later this year.

Damian: Son of Batman will be set in the future where an adult Damian is the Batman, in a series that appears to be...

So many things give me concern about the upcoming prequel entry to the excellent, Rocksteady-produced Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City (which I loved for their embrace of Batman: The Animated Series' voice cast) but every now and then they release some images that quell my worries. Am I disappointed that Batman: Arkham Origins isn't being produced by the same company that hit the first two out of the park? Sure, but it sounds as if they've done quite a bit of advising on the new installment. Am I sad that Batman voice acting mainstays Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill won't be onboard this time as Batman and Joker, respectively? Sure, but we've had plenty of movies to get used to it, (with Batman: Under the Red Hood having the most memorable substitutions of Bruce Greenwood as Batman and Futurama's John Dimaggio as Joker...

Quiz Starts At: -12:30pm Pacific -1:30pm Mountain -2:30pm Central -3:30pm Eastern If you're not in the U.S. and need help figuring out time zones, go Here. The Theme: The questions tonight will come from Batman comics And movies. The Prize: A DVD copy of Batman: Under The Red Hood. The Rules: -Galactus asks the questions, User/Players answer the questions. -First user to answer the question correctly wins the point. -User with the most points at the end wins the prize. -If the answer requires specificity, such as proper spelling, the host will relay that prior to the question being asked. -Should there be a tie, a final question will be asked in which only the tied users will participate! The user who gets the correct answer first wins. -The host (Galactus) is the final arbiter. His rule is law. -Troublemakers...

Recently, Hu joined the voice cast of Nickelodeon's new Tmnt as Karai, the daughter of Shredder. She also was the voice of Cheshire on Cartoon Network's Young Justice and portrays DC Comics villainess, China White on The CW's Arrow. These are but a few of the action oriented roles in her long career which has included stints on The Spectacular Spider-Man, Afro Samurai, X2, The Scorpion King, Batman: Under The Red Hood, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and many more similar projects. Below, you can read a portion of her interview with MTV Geek where she touches on the cancellation of Young Justice and on what attracts a former Miss Teen USA to the action genre. On learning of the cancellation of Young Justice and the development of her character, Cheshire. Kelly Hu: "It was such a disappointment, because it was such a fun show and really well written...

Get More: MTV Shows Get More: MTV Shows Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 is set to hit DVD and Blu-Ray today, January 29th. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a two-part animated superhero film, an adaptation of the 1986 comic book story arc "The Dark Knight Returns" by Frank Miller and a sequel to the 2011 animated film Batman: Year One. It was directed by Jay Oliva, who worked as a storyboard artist on Man of Steel, Batman: Year One and Batman: Under the Red Hood. Several other Batman veterans were also involved in the film. Part 1 was released September 25, 2012, and Part 2 is scheduled for release January 29, 2013. It is the 15th film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series. Related Content: 10 On-Hold/In-Development Projects Hopefully Greenlit In 2013 How It Should Have Ended: The Dark Knight Rises First Teaser For CG Beware The Batman From Cartoon Network...

Get More: MTV Shows Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 is set to hit DVD and Blu-Ray January 29th. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a two-part animated superhero film, an adaptation of the 1986 comic book story arc "The Dark Knight Returns" by Frank Miller and a sequel to the 2011 animated film Batman: Year One. It was directed by Jay Oliva, who worked as a storyboard artist on Man of Steel, Batman: Year One and Batman: Under the Red Hood. Several other Batman veterans were also involved in the film. Part 1 was released September 25, 2012, and Part 2 is scheduled for release January 29, 2013. It is the 15th film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series. Related Content: 10 On-Hold/In-Development Projects Hopefully Greenlit In 2013 How It Should Have Ended: The Dark Knight Rises First Teaser For CG Beware The Batman From Cartoon Network...

Today's Titles: Batman: Under The Red Hood, Batman: Year One, Coen Brothers Collection, Drive, The Expendables, The Hurt Locker, Gangs Of New York, The Godfather Collection, No Country For Old Men, Red Dawn, Serenity, Spider-man, Spider-man 2, and Total Recall (Schwarzenegger). There are hundreds of movies released every year, and hundreds of Blu-Rays and DVDs that soon follow. Not to mention all of the collections and special editions and re-releases and remasters and whatever else the...

Cast: Peter Weller, Ariel Winter, David Selby, Gary Anthony Williams, Wade Williams, Michael Emerson Director: Jay Oliva Running Time: 1 hr. 16 min. Rating: PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and action Release Date: September 25th, 2012 Rating: One of the most critically acclaimed Batman graphic novels of all time is Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, which sees an older, retired Bruce Wayne forced to don the cowl once more when a major threat hits Gotham City. Comic book fans have been wanting to see a film adaptation of the graphic novel for years (plot elements from the story have been used for this summer's The Dark Knight Rises). Now, as an answer to the prayers of many, DC Animation releasing a two-part adaptation of this particular story. Known for usually crafting excellent direct-to-video projects (such as Batman: Under The Red Hood, Justice League: Doom, and another Frank Miller adaptation,...

The Wrap have learned exclusively that due to the current downturn of the home entertainment industry, Warner Bros. has shut down its direct-to-video label Warner Premiere this summer. "Given the continuing decline in the direct-to-video film market and shifting business models in the production of digital series, the decision was made to close Warner Premiere," the studio said in a statement to TheWrap. The site goes on to report that the division will finish production on its remaining film and digital series slate this Fall. Since 2007, Warner Premiere has released Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, Batman: Gotham Knight, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse and most recently Superman vs. The Elite. This announcement won't effect The Dark Knight Returns: Part 1 but your guess is as good as mine on whether...

Batman has the most spin-off books of any of DC Comics' iconic characters. Many of the Dark Knight's sidekicks and villains received their own titles at one point or another over the years. One of the newest characters branching out on his own from the pages of Batman, Incorporated is Batwing. Batwing Volume 1: The Lost Kingdom collects the first six issues of this great series. 

Batman recruits Officer David Zavimbe of the Tinasha Police Department to be his "presence" in Africa as part of his new global initiative. Zavimbe keeps tabs on all the criminal activities during the day and pounces out of the shadows at night to defeat the scheming crooks as Batwing. A new masked villain in town calling himself Massacre is brutally slaying police officers and the members of a retired African crime fighting team called the Kingdom. Who is this mysterious butcher and why...

The Sketchy crew has an in-depth discussion of 2010′s “Batman: Under The Red Hood.” Later, the guys discuss Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, predictions for “The Dark Knight Rises,” and play a Batman-themed “Name Game” at the end. Enjoy!

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Holy Franchise, Batman!

Written by Gary Collinson | Published by Robert Hale Books | Format: Paperback, 256pp

“Since the Caped Crusader first made the leap from comics to silver screen in the early 1940s, generations of audiences have been captivated by the screen adventures of Batman, establishing the celebrated comic book hero as a true icon of popular culture. Now, Gary Collinson traces the entire screen history of Bob Kane’s Dark Knight Detective, providing a fascinating insight into one of the most successful media franchises of all time.

Beginning with the early movie serials of the 1940s, Holy Franchise, Batman! charts the development of Batman’s many exploits across both live-action and animation, presenting a comprehensive overview of his illustrious screen career. From the classic 1960s television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward to the hugely successful blockbuster feature films from directors Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher and Christopher Nolan, as...

Arguably the greatest comic hero of all time, Batman has an impressive track record that quite frankly would be too long for the Internet to handle. So with The Dark Knight Rises release growing ever so close, we have put together some of our favorite Batman movie moments from all of the feature films. Do you have a favorite moment that didn’t make the list? You probably do, so let us know about it in the comments below. *Spoilers Herein*

Check out Part 1

The Riddler Joygasm (Batman Forever – 1995)

Jim Carrey as the Riddler in a Christopher Nolan Batman movie today would be pretty great I think, this younger and more hyper version was still a lot of fun to watch as a kid. When Riddler goes mental in the Batcave, it was enough to make my blood boil that’s for sure. It’s easy to see that Jim Carrey...

Tim Burton’s Batman wasn’t a movie, it was an event. It spawned a tidal wave of merchandise, video games, roller coasters, an animated series, a ridiculous music video, etc… He dropped that movie on the world like a bomb, and in many ways it could be considered the high point of his career. His artistic approach was finally paired with mainstream material, and his success there has propelled him to being one of the go-to money making directors in Hollywood. But, as an 8-year-old fan that was blown away by the gritty comic book take on the character that was developing throughout the 80s, the release of Batman is forever marked by me as a day of huge disappointment. I hated that boring, goofy movie. It was lamer than that show from the 60s I watched back when I was 6. Pathetic. Batman: Under the Red Hood was a straight to video cartoon that kind of...

Chicago – The DC Universe brand of straight-to-dvd PG-13 films have had a remarkable array of quality. Some are absolutely brilliant, must-see films (“Justice League: The New Frontier,” “Batman: Under the Red Hood”) while others are kind of a mess (“Wonder Woman.” “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights”). In other words, you never know what you’re going to get when you pop in a new entry in the hit franchise. The 13th film, “Justice League: Doom.” is not a lucky one.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Loosely based on “Jla: Tower of Babel” by Marc Waid, a multi-episode arc that was released in 2000, “Doom” is easily the most disjointed and inconsistent DC Universe film yet. The voice talent is spectacular, featuring a number of all-time favorites when it comes to DC animation (Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Nathan Fillion, Michael Rosenbaum), but that’s where the praise ends. The story doesn’t resonate and the visuals are mediocre.

Welcome back to our weekly look at the new podcasts available at our “partners in podcast crime” the GeekCast Radio Network. As usual here’s our weekly look at the podcasts from Gcrn, This Week in Geek and the latest toy review videos from Baltmatrix, with descriptions and links to each and every podcast.

Tele-Cast – Episode 27 – Land of the Lost

OptimusSolo continues his look at the more bizarre shows on Season 1 of the Tele-Cast by going on a routine expedition to The Land of the Lost! You may be familiar with the Will Ferrell movie from a few years ago but this is the original 1970s kids show that started it all. So, join OptimusSolo, Marshall, Will & Holly as they plunge into the world of the Pakuni and the Sleestacks..and don’t forget about those dinosaurs!

Tele-Cast – Episode 28 – ABC Weekend Specials

OptimusSolo continues his look at the more unique...