Gotham Times: Batman News from Legions of Gotham

A Peak At the Aardman Dc Nation Batman Animated Short!

2012-01-30T12:36:00.001-06:00

Phil Morris reprises role of immortal villain Vandal Savage for "Justice League: Doom"

2012-01-30T10:48:00.000-06:00

Smallville star Phil Morris reprises villainous role of Vandal Savage in JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM

Actor to attend bi-coastal premieres of all-new DC Universe Animated Original Movie

It’s a busy time for Phil Morris.

Easily recognizable to sitcom viewers as the hilariously slimy lawyer Jackie Chiles on Seinfeld, and renowned throughout the fanboy realm as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter on Smallville, Morris is splitting his time this February celebrating his latest triumphs.

Morris is a NAACP Image Award nominee in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Love That Girl! While he prepares for the awards ceremony and all of its requisite celebrity gatherings, Morris is also making time to attend both the New York (2/13) and Los Angeles (2/16) premieres of Justice League: Doom.

The consummate nice guy, Morris shifts to a darker, villainous approach for Justice League: Doom as he reprises his Justice League animated television series role as the immortal Vandal Savage. Morris is one of nine actors returning to the booth to record their original roles.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, PG-13 rated Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains – orchestrated by Vandal Savage – discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel,” and scripted by the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Morris is more than just an actor with a tendency to perform in fanboy-centric productions – he is a devout fan of the genre and its comic book origins. His comics collection exceeds 20,000 and includes gems like a 1948 “Captain America,” issues 1-18 of “Silver Surfer,” the first 20 Barry Windsor-Smith issues of “Conan,” and many of the original run of the “Fantastic Four.” “It goes back pretty far,’ Morris says. “I collect to this day.”

Prepping for the onslaught of reporters’ queries on the red carpets on both coasts prior to the premieres of Justice League: Doom, Morris welcomed the opportunity to answer a few questions about Vandal Savage, comics collecting, and the possibility of someday voicing his Smallville character Martian Manhunter in an animated form. Read on …

QUESTION: What’s the mindset of Vandal Savage, and what’s been the joy of playing this role?

PHIL MORRIS: Vandal Savage is an immortal who has been around the human species for all time. He’s extremely intelligent – he’s incredibly evolved because of contact with a meteor that landed in his village. And he’s always trying to overthrow the world. His vision is that the world should be his, as many of these despots feel. But he feels that because he’s lived so long, he’s entitled.

I love Vandal. I played Vandal for the Justice League series a few times, but this is a little bit of a different take on Vandal. Back on the series, he was more of a smooth criminal – he was more nuanced, he had more style. Now, I guess, he’s just had it. He’s kind of approaching things as if to say “I don’t have time to play with you.” He has no more guile left in him. He’s straight, no chaser, which makes him much more dangerous, much more evil, and much harder edged, especially in my vocal performance.

And I love this script. Dwayne (McDuffie) really made it a walloping good romp for the Justice League players. And then Vandal is a bit like the Lex Luthor of the show – it’s his mastermind, his ideas, his design that almost or does bring the world to its doom. You’ll have to watch to see. Vandal is very much the thrust of the evil of this show. That’s fun to play.

QUESTION: What’s it like for you to be recording with all these original voices from the series again?

PHIL MORRIS: It’s great to have these actors back in these roles, but that’s the magic of these animated projects. I think one of the things the DC/Warner Bros. people do very well is get the right people for the job, from the top down. From Bruce (Timm) and Andrea (Romano) all the way down to the cast – and they take pains to make sure that everything is as accurate as possible because they know that, as fans, we’re watching and we’re listening and we need to be served. And they serve us very, very well. They give us some of the greatest vocal talent in the business.

QUESTION: You say “we” – and that collection of 20,000+ comics at home attests to your love for this genre. This is more than just work for you, right?

PHIL MORRIS: It feels as though I’ve been doing homework on these characters since I was 7 years old, and I loved being able to tell my mother that I’m finally making my comic book collection pay off. Actors use whatever reference material is at hand to flush out their characters, and in that I have been a comic collector for so long, I don’t have to go too far to relate to the process of the villain or hero in this universe of comics. I feel like I am one of the rank and file who has gotten lucky enough to embody these characters. It’s a pleasure and an honor.

QUESTION: Which way do your comic book tastes venture these days?

PHIL MORRIS: It’s interesting because they always ask the question: “Is it DC or Marvel?” If you’re a real comic book fan, you had to pick a side. You couldn’t go down the middle. As a younger comics reader, I liked Marvel a lot, because Marvel reflected African Americans sooner than DC did. I think that gave me a little bit of an affinity for them. But now in my more mature years, it’s all about good story telling, and I find DC tells great stories and has great, solid characters. They have probably my favorite character in Batman. So I’m much more interested in the continuity of the universe – I was an artists guy before, relating to the pictures and the artistry. That really thrilled me. Now it’s about the concepts and the writing. I’m always looking for a good yarn.

I like reading Garth Ennis, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Waid, Jeff Loeb … guys like that. The writers have become fantastic – they have taken what society is and spun it on its ear. It’s not really kid stuff anymore. Kids can still invest and enjoy the books, but so can adults. Mark Millar. Ed Brubaker. There are a lot of great comic writers out there right now, and the world of comic books is much better for it.

QUESTION: You played J’onn J’onzz /Martian Manhunter on Smallville. Would you like to transition that role to voiceover for animation?

PHIL MORRIS: Carl (Lumbly) did one helluva job as Martian Manhunter for the Justice League series, and he hasn’t lost a step for this film. I don’t think he’s going to give up the role without a fight, and I have a total respect for Carl and his performance. It would be wonderful to do J’onn J’onzz as an animated character, as I did on Smallville. We’ll see. They keep me busy over here.

QUESTION: You’ve recorded a full library of characters for animation, including many in the super hero realm. What character does your inner geek still crave to voice?

PHIL MORRIS: I’ve been doing a voice for the Black Panther, but I’m not playing the Panther. They got Djimon Hounsou, and he’s terrific. But I would love to play the Black Panther. I wanted to play Green Lantern in this film. I’m an African American actor, but I don’t want that to matter at all. I think you should be able to close your eyes and voice any character, whether he’s African American or Anglo or Latino or Asian. That’s what I love about these great characters. I’d love to do the Silver Surfer, too. But for DC, I’d love to do a version of the Batman. I know Kevin Conroy IS Batman, and I love Kevin to death. But I think every actor who knows comics and loves comics would jump at the chance to do Batman. I think each of us would want to bring his own take to that darkness, to that inner turmoil that is Bruce Wayne. So it would be Batman. Kevin, I love you, but give me a one-off!

QUESTION: You frequently work in both the live-action and animated worlds. What’s your favorite part of doing voiceovers?

PHIL MORRIS: The best part of working in voiceover is the people you work with. I was very surprised when I first came into this world that the actors were so talented. They weren’t just people who did funny or clever voices. They are very intelligent, well-read, well-spoken, funny actors, and you get into that room and they cut it up – and THEN they go to record and they’re suddenly the most evil or heroic person on the planet. Then in between takes they’re jokey, jokey, jokey. Their wit and their imagination is unparalleled. I really have a great time working with whomever I work with from the voiceover community.

The Dark Knight Rises Merchandise Archive!

2012-01-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

Legions of Gotham is doing what we do best and archiving the product that is leaking out for the Dark Knight Rises. Check out our Dark Knight Rises Merchandise Archive for the latest! If you come across anything online or in person, please drop us a line to let us know!

The Dark Knight Rises Merchandise Starting To Leak....

2012-01-30T09:26:00.000-06:00

A few items have shown up online..including a lunchbag..

EXCLUSIVE: Kurtwood Smith Talks Beware the Batman

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

The following story is courtesy of Movieweb.

I recently had the chance to speak with Kurtwood Smith for Dead Poets Society, which makes its Blu-ray debut January 17. The actor also spoke about his role voicing Lieutenant Gordon in the upcoming Cartoon Network series Beware the Batman, which will premiere in 2013. The show will be a part of the network's new DC Nation animation block, which also includes Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Here's what Kurtwood Smith had to say about the show.

"We just started. We've only recorded two, before Christmas. I like the general thrust of the show. It's early in the Batman story. Commissioner Gordon isn't even Commissioner yet, he's just Lieutenant Gordon. He doesn't trust Batman, even though they kind of end up helping each other out on an early case. Batman, in a lot of ways, is learning his way, and the relationship between he and Alfred is developing. It's fun and it's kind of straight in that regard, as opposed to being campy. I think it's going to be good, but it won't be out for at least a year or so."

The show will center on Batman, his samurai warrior sidekick Katana, and his gun-toting butler Alfred solving crimes together, although it isn't known who is voicing any of those roles yet. When the show was first announced back in October, executive producer Sam Register said the show would explore lesser-known villains such as Professor Pyg and the Circus of the Strange.

We'll be sure to keep you posted with any further details on Beware the Batman as soon as we have more information.

Mimoco To Launch Micro-Justice League Flash Drives!

2012-01-27T10:20:00.002-06:00

Mimoco (www.mimoco.com), renowned makers of the MIMOBOT® line of character-based designer USB flash drives, has unveiled a new product line of fashionable personal data storage devices called MIMOMICRO™. The MIMOMICRO™ product line can best be described as a smaller, more versatile evolution of the MIMOBOT® collection. Not only can MIMOMICRO™ be used as a USB flash drive with interchangeable microSD memory cards, but it also functions as a microSD card reader to transport data between mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, digital cameras, and mp3 players to one's computer.

MIMOMICRO™ boasts three dimensional sculpted characters and the first in a series of vehicles. MIMOMICRO's cap-free design with flip-out USB plug also includes a built-in keychain and LED indicator light. Measuring a mere 1.6" H x 1.0" W in its compact form factor, MIMOMICRO™ lives up to its name.

Launching in March, the first two MIMOMICRO™ collections include a crop of designs from Star Wars, including Darth Vader, Yoda, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and the Millennium Falcon along with characters from DC Comics including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

"As the pioneers in the licensed flash drive marketplace, Mimoco is excited to unveil our first new product line to build upon the success of our popular MIMOBOT platform. MIMOMICRO leverages compatibility with both USB and microSD enabled memory devices and taps into the growing usage of mobile memory solutions," said Evan Blaustein, CEO of Mimoco.

"We're thrilled to introduce our new co-branded product alongside licensing partners Lucas Licensing and Warner Bros. Consumer Products," Blaustein added. "MIMOMICRO gives our customers the ability to select and upgrade their favorite characters' memory capacity and an easy way to transfer data from mobile devices to computers."

MIMOMICRO™ will be available for purchase in March 2012 at select retailers worldwide and at Mimoco.com.

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Icon Statues by Dc Direct

2012-01-26T10:00:00.001-06:00

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Busts by DC Direct!

2012-01-26T09:00:00.002-06:00

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Action Figures....by DC Direct!

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

The First Clip from Justice League: Doom!

2012-01-24T13:45:00.002-06:00

Kevin Conroy, Phil Morris, Andrea Romano featured guests at World Premiere of Justice League: Doom in New York

2012-01-24T13:44:00.000-06:00

Kevin Conroy, Phil Morris join Warner Home Video & MTV Geek for the World Premiere of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM February 13, 2012 in New York at The Paley Center for Media

Event is Sold Out; MTV Geek and Justice League: Doom Facebook page to offer additional opportunities for fans to win special VIP tickets; Media Invited to Red Carpet Interviews & Screening

The key voices of the film’s hero and villain – fan favorite Kevin
Conroy as Batman and NAACP Image Award nominee Phil Morris as Vandal
Savage – will grace the stage alongside eight-time Emmy Award winning
casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano when Warner Home Video, MTV
Geek and The Paley Center for Media proudly present the World Premiere
of Justice League: Doom in New York on February 13, 2012.

The event is completely sold out, and fans winning tickets via the
RSVP email have been notified of their good fortune. However, a very
limited number of VIP seats will still be made available to fans
through MTV Geek, as well as the Justice League: Doom Facebook page.
Fans should keep their browser focused on those two pages for details
of the giveaways.

Conroy, Morris and Romano will attend the event for red carpet media
interviews and a post-screening panel discussion. Conroy set the
standard for the voice behind the Dark Knight in the landmark Batman:
The Animated Series. Morris is best known for his roles on Seinfeld
and Smallville, and is currently nominated for a NAACP Image Awards in
the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Love That
Girl!

Red carpet interviews will commence at 5:30 p.m., and the film will
roll at 6:30 p.m. A panel discussion will follow the screening. The
Paley Center for Media is located at 25 West 52nd Street, New York,
NY.

In the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe
Animated Original Movies,

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green
Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a
team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s
“contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The
story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

The cast also features the voices of Nathan Fillion (Castle), Tim Daly
(Private Practice), Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In), Susan
Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse), Carl Lumbly (Alias), Bumper
Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated), Olivia d’Abo
(The Wonder Years), Alexis Denisof (Angel), Carlos Alazraqui (Reno
911), Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files), Claudia Black (Farscape,
Stargate SG-1) and David Kaufman (Danny Phantom).

The filmmaking team is led by executive producer by Bruce Timm,
director Lauren Montgomery, producer Alan Burnett and dialogue/casting
director Andrea Romano. Justice League: Doom is the final DC Universe
film script from the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros.
Animation, the all-new Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012
from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and
for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an
UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy.

The New DC Comics Logo(s)

2012-01-19T23:30:00.000-06:00

Its that time again...logo time! They switched it up on us a few years back and now they're going for a completely new look. What do you think?

Talia Al Ghul Confirmed In The Dark Knight Rises!

2012-01-19T13:43:00.000-06:00

Young actress Joey King leaked in a recent interview that she will be playing a young Talia Al Ghul, laying much speculation to rest!

The Batwing in The Dark Knight Rises - Officially called "The Bat"

2012-01-18T23:15:00.002-06:00

....or so says documents filed by Hot Wheels with the FCC for their upcoming remote control vehicles..

A First Look at The Dark Knight Rises Toys by Hot Wheels!

2012-01-18T23:14:00.000-06:00

Hot Wheels filed info on their remote control vehicles to the FCC. Enjoy!

Warner Home Video, Los Angeles Times present Justice League: Doom west coast premiere

2012-01-17T12:35:00.000-06:00

Warner Home Video & Los Angeles Times present the West Coast Premiere of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM February 16, 2012 in Los Angeles at The Paley Center for Media

Media Invited to Red Carpet Interviews & Screening; Limited Free Tickets Available to Fans on First Come, First Served Basis

Warner Home Video, Los Angeles Times and The Paley Center for Media proudly present the West Coast Premiere of Justice League: Doom, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies, in Los Angeles on February 16, 2012. Filmmakers and members of the voice cast will attend the event for red carpet media interviews and a post-screening panel discussion hosted by The Times’ Hero Complex writer Geoff Boucher.

A limited number of free tickets are available for the general public. Fans in the Los Angeles City area wishing to receive free tickets to the LA event on Feb. 16 must RSVP via email to JLDoomLA@yahoo.com. Email RSVPs must include the fan’s first and last name, and a valid email address.

Tickets to the event will be distributed on a “first come, first served” basis. Los Angeles Times will also be giving away special seating for the event to a number of lucky Hero Complex readers.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

The film features the voices of Nathan Fillion (Castle) as Green Lantern, Tim Daly (Private Practice) as Superman, and a grand reunion of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited, including Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg. The cast features three villainous alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah. David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice League role of Jimmy Olsen.

The filmmaking team includes executive producer by Bruce Timm, director Lauren Montgomery, producer Alan Burnett and dialogue/casting director Andrea Romano. Justice League: Doom is the final DC Universe film script from the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Voice cast members and filmmakers will be announced as confirmed for the event. The Paley Center for Media is located at 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy,

On This Day In 1966 Batman Premiered On TV for the First Time!

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

Happy 46 year Anniversary to the 1966 Batman TV show. The show, starring Adam West and Burt Ward, premiered on ABC 46 years ago TODAY! You can watch re-runs on the HUB network, but the show has yet to make it to DVD, due to disagreements between rights holders. You can find out more about the show at the Legions of Gotham 1966 Batman TV show page.

The 2012 Dc Superheroes Batman Lego Sets!

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

We've put together a look at what is out there this time around for Batman Lego! Our Lego product page is updated, as well.

Entertainment Weekly takes you to the set of 'The Dark Knight Rises'

2012-01-11T22:19:00.000-06:00

Entertainment Weekly takes you to the set of 'The Dark Knight Rises'

In a year crowded with some of the most anticipated movies in years (The Hunger Games, The Hobbit, The Avengers, and The Amazing Spider-Man, to name just a few), The Dark Knight Rises might be the most anticipated of them all. The third and final installment in Inception director Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Bat-flicks — which will once again star Christian Bale as the caped crusader and introduce Thomas Hardy as the brilliant, brutish terrorist Bane and Anne Hathaway as the purrrrfectly mercurial Selina Kyle — will swing into theaters on July 20, four years after The Dark Knight ignited a cultural sensation, grossed $533 million, and earned Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar. The new issue of Entertainment Weekly – our annual Forecast issue, which previews the pop culture year looming ahead — goes to the Rises set and offers some insight into how Team Nolan hopes to match their previous success. “I can tell you the truth because I’m done with it: I felt immense pressure,” Christian Bale tells EW. “And I think it’s a good pressure, because you owe it to the films — and the people’s expectations — to make great work.”

Full story on EW.com: http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/01/11/this-weeks-cover-dark-knight-rises-forecast-2012/

The Lastest Batman Target $1 Section Finds!

2012-01-09T11:05:00.000-06:00

Target has done it again with their great dollar section! The finds include a few new offerings, like the magnets, stickers, oversized coloring book and a few others. There are some recycled options from last year, like some rolling stamp markers, board books and coloring books.

Guest Article: Catwoman Through The Years

2012-01-05T12:16:00.001-06:00

Catwoman Through the Years

As do all comic book characters that have been around for longer than five years,

Catwoman (otherwise known as the civilian Selina Kyle) has been reinvented countless times by different writers, directors, and animators. She's gone through costume changes, name changes, various origin stories, but at her core, it's always the same idea. Just like Batman is always going to be a man who dresses like a bat and tries to catch criminals, Catwoman is always going to be a beautiful woman, dressed up like a cat, who is search of (depending on what's going on at the moment) revenge, jewels, or just a good time. She was originally designed, in fact, to be an opposing female Batman of sorts, someone who could compete with him physically and mentally, and who would also bring a little sex appeal (or a lot of sex appeal) to the series.

Catwoman first appeared in Batman #1, published in the spring of 1940. Along with the Joker, she was one of Batman's first villains, which makes it appropriate that they are now two of the series' most recognizable characters. She's introduced as a femme fatale who's able to outwit Batman, and their attraction to each other is established almost immediately. She appeared regularly in the comic series for four years, but disappeared in 1954, due to the Comic Code Authority. Because early comic books had created a moral panic in America, the CCA was established to ensure that nothing that might corrupt young minds made its way onto the printed page. This included depictions of excessive violence, glamorous depictions of crime, anything supernatural, and anything overtly sexual. This last one was Catwoman's downfall, as a single woman wearing a skintight costume and flirting with the lead character was far too scandalous for the average reader. Eventually she returned in 1966, and picked up right where she left off. Since then, her story has been expanded upon, beginning from her childhood, spent partially in and orphanage and partially on the streets), her time as a prostitute (and her departure from that lifestyle), and her relationships, both with Batman and Bruce Wayne.

Since her introduction, Catwoman's costume has remained fairly simple. She started out with no disguise at all, then played around with a few dress designs, but eventually settled on the catsuit that has since become her trademark. It's almost always purple or black, and is usually accompanied by either a cowl with cat ears attached, or by a domino mask with separate ears. Depending on which incarnation of the character you're looking at, she can also have a tail or gloves with retractable silver claws on them. Catwoman's other defining feature is, of course, her whip, although in earlier years, she was shown using a variety of weapons.

The first actress to play Catwoman was Julie Newmar, who was in the first two seasons of the 1966 Batman TV show. She was replaced in season three by Eartha Kitt, who, despite the fact that she was African-American and Newmar was not, wore the same costume and picked up right where Newmar left off. Newmar was also unavailable for the 1966 movie adaptation of the TV show, so Catwoman was played there by Lee Meriwether. All three actresses embodied Catwoman's deviousness (she had a seemingly endless list of ways to foil Batman and Robin up her sleeves), but also her sexuality and her flirtatious/antagonistic relationship with Batman himself, and helped to establish the way that most people see and think of Catwoman today.

The next time Catwoman appeared on screen, she was portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer in the 1992 movie, Batman Returns, directed by Tim Burton. The birth of Catwoman in the movie universe takes place when Max Shreck, a Gotham businessman who's planning to steal electricity from the city, attempts to assassinate his secretary, Selina Kyle, when she learns of his scheme. Luckily for Selina, she survives the fall and is revived by a group of stray cats, which helps form the basis for her new identity, Catwoman. As always, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle fall for each other, both privately (as Batman and Catwoman) and publicly (as Bruce and Selina). At the end of the film, Batman has been led to believe that she's dead, but the final scene reveals to the audience that she is indeed alive. The sequel to Batman Returns, Batman Forever, briefly mentions Catwoman, but she doesn't actually appear.

Catwoman, the 2004 film starring Halle Berry, is only tangentially related to the Batman franchise, and has nothing to do with any previous versions of the character. Berry's character is named Patience Phillips, who (like Selina Kyle) is murdered by corporate bigwigs when she attempts to stop their wrong-doings (this time, it's a cosmetic company knowingly producing a product that has dangerous side-effects). Somehow, she ends up being brought back to life by a cat serving as a messenger of the Egyptian goddess Bast, and she makes the decision to use her new cat-like abilities to seek revenge on those who had her killed. The rest of the plot has little to do with anything, which has led to the Catwoman's reputation as one of the worst films in recent memory. Luckily, since it never had any connection to anything else in the Batman universe, it's easy to just pretend that it never happened.

Christopher Nolan, director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight has since taken on the task of redeeming Catwoman's character. Thus far, all that's known is that she'll be played by Anne Hathaway, and that it will be Selina Kyle, not another character going by the Catwoman name. Although the movie has not been released, there have been some leaked pictures of Hathaway in her Catwoman costume, seen here.

Looking back, Catwoman is a character that has been driven by a few simple things over the years: sexuality, fun, and revenge. We’re hoping that Hathaway’s character stays true to Catwoman’s basic qualities, but can provide a fun, new twist on the kitty-character that we know and love.

This article was written by Sophia Anderson of BuySupeheroCostumes.com, which has great Batman costumes and Catwoman costumes if you’re planning on dressing up for The Dark Knight Rises. Because, why wouldn’t you?

Gotham City Impostors News

2012-01-05T12:16:00.000-06:00

Today Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment confirmed that the launch of Gotham City Impostors has been moved to February.

Gotham City Impostors is a download only title that will be available in the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®Network and Windows PC. Fans can go to www.GothamCityImpostors.com for updates and news.

Gotham City Impostors is an original download-only first-person shooter where up to 12 players battle for control of an unhinged Gotham City overrun by Impostors inspired by the DC Comics characters Batman and The Joker. Gotham City Impostors is an online multiplayer game unlike any other, giving players the opportunity to engage in unconventional urban warfare as they personalize their own Impostors. Gamers will create their very own version of the Bats or the Jokerz characters using unprecedented customization options including insane costumes, homemade gadgets and a wide range of traditional and inventive weapons. The game will feature maps and modes inspired by DC Comics’ Batman license.

New Lego Batman Comic from Lego Club Magazine!

2012-01-05T10:50:00.000-06:00

The January-February issue of the Lego Club Magazine that just went out has a cool Lego Dc SuperHeroes comic book insert! We've scanned it for you below. Enjoy Bat-Fans.

The Comic:

The Insert:

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces LEGO® BatmanT 2: DC Super Heroes

2012-01-05T08:53:00.000-06:00

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT, TT GAMES AND THE LEGO GROUP ANNOUNCE LEGO® BATMAN™ 2: DC SUPER HEROES

The Highly-Anticipated Sequel to the Best-Selling LEGO® Videogame of All Time Returns with
Help from Super Heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern

Burbank, Calif. – Jan. 5, 2012 – Batman is back to save Gotham City and the action will only build from here! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The LEGO Group are teaming up once again to announce that LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes will be available beginning Summer 2012 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system, and Windows PC, as well as the Nintendo DS™ hand-held system, Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system, and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system. The game is the sequel to the best-selling LEGO® Batman™: The Videogame, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide.

LEGO Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes complements the brand new, recently released LEGO® Super Heroes: DC Universe toy collection. The line includes five construction sets, such as The Batcave and three buildable, detailed action figures.

In LEGO Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin join other famous super heroes from the DC Universe including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to save Gotham City from destruction at the hands of the notorious villains Lex Luthor and the Joker. Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humor as players fight to put the villains back behind bars.

“LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes builds upon the action and cooperative gameplay experience established in our best-selling LEGO video game to date, LEGO Batman: The Videogame,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “We’re offering fans a rich and expansive Gotham City environment filled with cool characters, great customization options and plenty of surprises that families, young gamers and DC Universe fans can enjoy together.”

“LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes further extends and combines both the Batman and LEGO videogame experiences to create very fun gameplay,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Fans of all ages are going to enjoy the action and light hearted humor that TT Games and LEGO provide.”

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes allows players to explore all new areas of Gotham City utilizing a variety of vehicles including the Batmobile and Batwing. In addition, they’ll be able to fight for justice by mastering new gadgets and suits, such as Batman’s Power Suit and Robins’ Hazard Cannon, and using all-new abilities including flight, super-breath and heat vision.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is being developed by TT Games and will be published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. For more information, please visit www.videogames.LEGO.com.

About TT Games
TT Games, wholly owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment Group, is the combined publishing and development group behind the hit games LEGO® Star Wars™, LEGO® Batman™, LEGO® Indiana Jones™, LEGO® Pirates of the Caribbean™ and LEGO® Harry Potter™. Incorporating renowned UK developer Traveller’s Tales, TT Games has a distinctive focus on console, handheld, mobile and PC games of the highest quality, aimed at young gamers and their families. For more information, please visit www.ttgames.com.

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group (www.LEGO.com) is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for children. The company is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities through its products, which can be purchased in more than 130 countries. Visit www.LEGO.com

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.

LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES software © 2012 TT Games Publishing Ltd. Produced by TT Games under license from the LEGO Group. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and the Knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. © 2012 The LEGO Group. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Batman and all related characters, and elements are trademarks of DC Comics © 2012. All Rights Reserved.
WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.(s12) Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

Some Batman Humor....

2012-01-03T11:45:00.002-06:00