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Batman '89 and Superman '78

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  • Batman '89 and Superman '78

    DC announced the digital first series Batman '89, by Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones, and Superman '78, by Robert Venditti and Wilfredo Torres.


    Continuing the twisted adventures of DC’s Dark Knight from Tim Burton's seminal classic Batman movies, Batman ’89 brings in screenwriter Sam Hamm (Batman, Batman Returns) and artist Joe Quinones (Dial H for Hero) to pull on a number of threads left dangling by the prolific director. The gothic mentality behind the world, while still rooted in a sense of realism, helped inform many of DC’s global fans’ first impressions on the Dark Knight's Gotham. In the new Batman ’89 comic, Hamm and Quinones will help usher in the return of Selina Kyle/Catwoman and will debut a new Robin! Plus, Quinones has a vision for Harvey Dent/Two-Face that is as close to movie magic as a comic can get!

    And in the vein of DC’s plans for Batman ’89, Rob Venditti (Hawkman) and Wilfredo Torres (Batman ’66) will collaborate on Superman ’78 to tell stories set within the world Richard Donner and Christopher Reeves created in Superman: The Movie. In Superman ’78, bystanders are surprised and delighted by Superman’s abilities, and Lois Lane doesn’t (yet!) know that Clark Kent is secretly Superman. The sheer thrill of seeing a man fly, leap, or stop a bullet will be reflected in this environment where Superman has just been introduced! Inspired by Donner’s classic, timeless style of superhero storytelling, in Superman ’78 Venditti and Torres will show fans that a man can truly fly.
    Getting the impression that they'll ignore Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, Superman III and Superman IV (Supergirl?). In which case, I'll probably give these a pass. Not because of some deep love for those movies, but if these two comic series are supposed to be continuations of the Burtonverse and Donnerverse, have them be a continuation of said universes (or universe, if they'll be depicted as inhabiting the same). None of this "oh, we're going to ignore X, Y and Z. And only ackowledge 'approved' parts of this franchise" crap.

    And what's to "ignore" anyway? From BF and B&R... that Dick Grayson/Robin exists and there is a Barbara Wilson/Batgirl? Does this offend people? If the writer doesn't want to use them, then develop them. Have Dick Grayson established to have become Nightwing (maybe moved to Blüdhaven), and introduce one of the other 5,000 Robins as his new replacement. The name Batgirl's said like once in B&R, with Batman instantly shooting it down (suggesting that she goes with "Batperson" or "Batwoman" instead). Do the same with Barbara Wilson, as with Dick Grayson, if they don't want to use her. Give her an upgraded identity, and establish a move to another city. If all the neon and bright colors is a problem, just remove them. Throw in a line, establishing it as having been a bad idea, by local government to try and make the crime-ridden city more appealing to turists (that didn't work and have since been dropped). You didn't like Bane? No problem. Have Antonio Diego be an early prototype. Someone managed to get their hands on John Glover's research and created a new and improved Bane. Assuming there is even any point of having bane in it.

    With the Donnerverse, I'm even more unsure about what is so vital to "ignore". That Lana Lang is a single mother, who lives in Metropolis and works as Perry White's secretary? That there is a Supergirl? What is it in Superman III, Supergirl and/or Superman IV, that is so heavily impactful on continuity (in a negative way), that it HAS to be retconned out, for this comic book continuation to work?

    No, build on the universe. There are good examples and bad examples of this type of continuations. Wonder Woman '77 was a bad one, because it failed to bring back established supporting characters and villains. It didn't properly feel like that universe. Wonder Woman '77 Meets the Bionic Woman was a good one, because the writer respected the continuity of the show. Brought back noteworthy guest characters like Drusilla, Eve Welch, Joe and Elena Atkinson, Amadonna, Carolyn Hamilton (who is shown to have moved to Paradise Island and become Nubia). And villains like Dr. Solano, Gloria Marquez (who is shown to have become Dr. Cyber), Orlich Hoffman and Captain Radl. As we see with Carolyn, Amadonna and Gloria. It didn't just bring back old characters, but further developed them.

    Have Superman encounter Supergirl. Have Lana be Perry's secretary, if they want her in it. They could do something with her son, if they want to. Have Vera Webster (who was turned into a cyborg, in the climax of Superman III) be revealed to still be alive (can't remember if she was shown alive, and turned back to normal, afterwards) and become a version of Brainiac. If they don't want to do that, then don't have Vera come back. Lacy Warfield was shown to survive in space. There is a possible plotline right there. How could she possibly have survived that? Is there more to Lacy, than meets the eye? Could she be hiding a secret of her own? Could her close interaction with Nuclear Man have mutated her in some way (causing Lacy to now have developing powers of her own)? Either of those two scenarios would be interesting to explore.

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    • #3


      With Bruce's graying hair, I could see this taking place near the present (rather than in the 1990s).

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      • #4


        And that's a sequence from the Donner cut of Superman II. So this will be in continuity with that (rather than the theatrically released actual Superman II)? How much of a niche audience are they going for? It connects to an alternate cut of Superman II, made by a different director, that the reader may or may not have seen (or liked). Rather than the Superman II, that they most likely have seen (and the subsequent three films in this series, counting Supergirl).

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