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Joker’s Return: WHAT WE KNOW…

Comic Books, DCU, Joker, News, Preview 2 Responses »

Sep 302012

Our friends from NEWSARAMA have made a nice rummary of the facts we have about Joker’s return, and bring forth some of the worries some of us have regarding the Clown’s return. Here is a transcript, make your own conclusions:

Now that all the Batman family books have revealed their #0 issues, the stage is set for October’s start of “Death of the Family,” which brings Joker to the Bat-books in a big way.

The event, which will have tie-ins in several DC comics, spins out of a story starting in Batman #13 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. After the success of their “Court of Owls” storyline and the subsequent tie-in event “Night of the Owls,” DC is hoping this event will be even bigger.

Snyder is getting to utilize his favorite Batman rogue for his follow-up to “Court of Owls,” calling this the biggest, most impactful Joker story in years.

“This is really my big exploration and love letter to the Joker,” Snyder told Newsarama.

So what clues have we been given about the New 52 version of The Joker? How will his return impact the Bat-family characters, now that their histories have changed? And what have the Bat-writers been hinting about their tie-ins to “Death of the Family?”

Secret Identity

At the heart of the “Death of the Family” storyline appears to be the question of whether or not The Joker knows the identities of the Bat-family and, in turn, Batman himself.

The solicitations for the “Death of the Family” issues of Batman includes this question: “What must Batman do to protect his secret identity and that of those who fight alongside him?”

Scott Lobdell also revealed a similar description to Newsarama in our recent interview:

“Joker may or may not know your identity, and that is maybe the most horrifying part,” Lobdell said. “Imagine, as crazy as the Joker is, you can at least go to bed secure in the knowledge that once you take off the mask you are a little safer. But if he knows who you are….aiyeee!”

Changed Joker?

Although there have been several changes to DCnU characters thanks to last year’s reboot, Snyder indicated in an interview with Newsaramathat this isn’t a different version of the Joker.

“You will see the iconic face and the grin, and he might look a little bit different and scarier,” Snyder said. “But you’ll find that he’s still himself at his core. And he’s really here in his blood-stained clothes going to work.”

The history of the relationship between The Joker and Batman — like The Joker being his greatest enemy and the terrible things he’s done to Jason and the other members of the Bat-family — are still a part of the DCU history. And according to Snyder, they fuel this storyline.

And although The Joker has been gone from the pages of the DCnU for the last year, according to Snyder, he’s been spending that time planning and planting traps. “A year ago, Joker decided, I’m going to walk away from Gotham, I’m going to plan my revenge, and I’m going to come back in a year and bring it all back,” the writer said. “So this is what he’s been planning to do for a long time. And all of those things are set in motion.”

“Of The Family?”

While Snyder has promised that the story in Batman will be “100 percent self-contained,” the story crosses over into several other titles.

From the latest solicitations, we’ve learned that Joker’s revenge is not just aimed at the good guys. Harley Quinn apparently wasn’t involved in the planning by “Mista J,” because DC is touting their “reunion” in Suicide Squad #14 and #15. The Joker will also target a few of Gotham’s criminals in Catwoman #13 and #14, Detective Comics #15 (The Penguin), and the back-ups of the Batmantitle.

As James Tynion IV told Newsarama earlier this week, “There’s always something electric when two iconic villains are on a page with one another, and when one of those characters is The Joker, that electricity is quite a bit more deadly.”

Former Robin Dick Grayson will be confronted by The Joker in Nightwing #15 and #16. Series writer Kyle Higgins told Newsarama that Barbara Gordon/Batgirl shows up within the Nightwingstory.

“The Joker story is really a huge turning point and changes a lot of things” for Nightwing”, Higgins said. “There will be seismic shifts coming out of the Joker story.”

The Joker also gets to battle the current Red Robin, Tim Drake, in Teen Titans #15 and #16, and the current Robin, Damian Wayne, in Batman and Robin #14 & 15.

But perhaps the most anticipated reunion will be those between The Joker and the two more immediate members of Batman’s heroic family who have been traumatized by him in the past.

As readers found out in Red Hood and the Outlaws #0, Jason Todd is more closely connected to The Joker than her realizes. Joker claims that he orchestrated most of the major events in Jason’s life, from his father going to jail to his mother’s OD on a drug laced with a chemical that simulates death. It appears that The Joker built Jason up, just so he could tear him down.

This adds more gravity to their meeting — something Lobdell hinted about in his interview with us. “Joker feels a lot closer to Jason than people have realized. Giving birth to someone is a very intimate experience, but so too is taking their life. In that way, Joker feels a sort of proprietary relationship with Jason that he doesn’t with any of the other Bat-family.”

In Batgirl, readers will also finally see the resolution of Barbara Gordon’s conflict with The Joker, although series writer Gail Simone is reluctant to say it “resolves” the emotional trauma she’s been portraying within Barbara for the last year.

“‘Resolved’ is kind of a tough word, here,” Simone told Newsarama in July. “There’s definitely a feeling out there regarding this stuff that someone is fixed or not fixed, like an on/off switch. It’s not that binary, but she is facing this stuff head on. And I am pretty sure a Joker/Batgirl story is inevitable, but I can’t say more than that. Think of two trains on the same track facing towards each other…there’s nowhere for either of them to go but towards collision.

“It is the once-and-for-all confrontation between the Batgirl and the man who shot and paralyzed her. It does not go as he expected,” she said.

“This story starts in issue #14, and I have to say, it’s pretty shocking. That’s all I’ll say right now, however.”

The Mask of Joker

One of the most obvious changes to the Joker we’ll see in “Death of the Family” is that he’s wearing the loose skin of his face as a mask.

“He really is going to, obviously, have a new look. At the same time, we want it to echo his iconic look,” Snyder told Newsarama. “So it’s Joker in a much more horror movie fashion.”

In Detective Comics #1, released in September 2011, a villain called Dollmaker literally surgically removedthe skin of The Joker’s face at the end of the issue. The police ended up with the “face” and put it on ice, but The Joker himself had gotten away…. and has apparently been walking around the DCU without a face ever since.

Or perhaps he has been wearing a different face? Maybe even the face of someone close to the Batman family?

It’s doubtful, since Snyder didn’t build this story from the Detective ending. He told Newsarama his “Death of the Family” story was formulated before Detective writer Tony Daniel chose how to end his first issue last year.

Thanks to that ending, The Joker has not been seen again in the New 52 universe until just last month in Detective Comics #12, when only his eyes were shown and he said, “Time to put on a happy face.”

So what will Joker look like when he returns?

On the cover of Batgirl #15, DC revealed the basics of how the Joker will now “wear” his familiar smiling face. He has constructed a mask out of the skin of his face, using hooks and a belt wrapped around the back of his head.

But artist Greg Capullo intends to make that look even creepier than we’ve seen on that cover. “I’ve established the main look with the belt in the back and the hooks in the mouth, kind of holding everything in place, but think about that,” he told CBR. “You move in different ways, and that skin can shift on you. Maybe a hook busts loose, and part of your face is flapping free.

“I’ve even talked about the fact, with Scott, that being that the face isn’t on ice in Gotham P.D. evidence anymore, it’d start to decay, right?” he said. “And things that decay stinks a bit and attracts flies, and it might be cool for little touches with flies swimming around his head here or there. It can change is what I’m trying to say. It’ll probably look different through the story than the prototype face you’ve seen so far.”

But perhaps the most telling comment Capullo has made about the way Joker will look was in his Newsarama interview a couple months ago, when he said, simply, “it’s going to be over-the-top, over-the-edge Joker stuff.”

(Copied from original article by Vaneta Rogers for NEWSARAMA HERE)

TDKR Joker voice finally unveiled (and about time!)

Interview, Joker, News, Preview 2 Responses »

Sep 052012

According from reports by TV GUIDE and CBR, actor Michael Emerson (Lost, Person of Interest) will take on the role of voicing the Joker in the upcoming direct to video part 2 release of Frank Miller’s classic tale. (TDKR part 2 will be realesed in early 2013).

jokersvoice

According to the reports:

Michael Emerson‘s latest gig is no joke. The man best known as Lost’s über-manipulator Ben Linus and Person of Interest’s calculating Harold Finch is taking on one of pop culture’s most iconic villains, the Joker, in the upcoming animated DVD-movie Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2. In the film, a harrowing adaptation of Frank Miller’s seminal 1986 DC Comics series, the depraved Clown Prince of Crime renews his rivalry with an aging Batman, who has just reemerged in Gotham City after a decade

I have to admit, I was nerver a fan of the LOST series and don’t recall seing any of Emerson’s work before, so I had to do a little net research to grasp an idea of what this actor can bring forward to the character.

Emerson, who started as a performer in Broadway (in lighter comedic roles), made his turn in the dark side portraying a sinister serial killer for the series THE PRACTICE (2001), role for which he earned an Emmy.

Since then he has been seen in shows like THE X-FILES, LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT and movies like THE LEGEND OF ZORRO and SAW.

In 2006 he took part of the LOST series, portraying the enigmatic Henry Gale, a character who lied to the survivors. His role in the series was praised and earned him anonther nomination for an Emmy which he unfortunately lost.

I was amazed by his acting background and his turn to the darker, creepier character has definitely not diminished the quality of his work, knowing how hard it is to portray a believable, compelling heavy on TV or stage. Villains are never easy. But what most surprised me was his vision on the Joker, that he seems to understand very well as a character:

“He’s one of those great villains that an actor like me likes to play because he has layers — he has a face for the world and a face for himself,” the Emmy-winning star of CBS’s “Person of Interest” told TV Guide. “He is, in a way, a villain who is a natural actor. All of that is that is delightful and confounding at the same time.”

Playing the unbridled fervor of the Joker was a switch from some of the more emotionally controlled roles on Emerson’s resumé. “It’s freeing because of the largeness of it,” he says. “When he laughs, there’s nothing subdued about it. When he screams in rage, there’s nothing controlled about it. The amp is turned to 11 at all times.”

I think Mr. Emerson has definitely gotten a grasp of what moves the Clown to be Joker. Maybe for once we have found someone that can portray this character with the dignity he deserve and become as legendary as other actor voices befor him. I still have to hear him and see if he can transport me to that space were I can “flesh” out the Joker just by listening to him, but I have a hunch that the character might be in good hands.

Now I understand why my friend Jason Marnocha, a young talented voice actor who has had his deals with the Joker’s voice himself (very successfully I may add) was so pleased with this choice. I trust your judgement, Jason…I also aprove of this selection for the Joker’s voice…for now.

If you want to know more about Michael Emerson; you can watch this interview from PBS I am including here.

. See more fm Tavis Smiley in his site: MEET MICHAEL EMERSON

Greg Capullo warns about Joker’s new Look (and my humble opinion)

Interview, Joker, News 3 Responses »

Jul 212012

In an article written by Vaneta Rogers for Newsarama, Greg Capullo has a warning for Batman readers about the Joker storyline he’s writing. Here is the report in question…

Before reading the intense, horrific scenes in the “Death of the Family” storyline that begins in October, readers with health problems might want to check with their doctor.

Capullo is one half of the creative team behind DC’s best-selling title Batman, working with writer Scott Snyder on the book ever since it relaunched last year as part of the publisher’s New 52 initiative.

In the title’s next storyline, which begins in October, Snyder told Newsarama that Capullo gets to tweak the Joker’s look thanks to his last appearance. In Detective Comics #1, The Joker had his face removed, severed from his body, allowing the next artist to give the character a new visual interpretation.

“He really is going to, obviously, have a new look,” Snyder said. “At the same time, we want it to echo his iconic look. So it’s Joker in a much more horror movie fashion. But, without giving too much away, you will see the iconic face and the grin, and he might look a little bit different and scarier. But you’ll find that he’s still himself at his core. And he’s really here in his blood-stained clothes going to work.”

Titled “Death of the Family,” the Joker story will run for five issues beginning with October’s Batman #13. The final issue of the Joker storyline will be oversized, and Capullo’s redesign of the Joker will also be featured within tie-in comics in titles like Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Suicide Squad, Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Catwoman, and Teen Titans.

With last week’s issue #11, Capullo and Snyder just finished their debut story, “The Court of Owls.” Capullo will now take a break for one issue (as Batman #12 features guest artist Becky Cloonan), but will return for September’s Batman #0 before the Joker storyline starts.

Snyder told Newsarama in June that Batman #0 issue will tell a still-unseen part of Bruce Wayne’s past.

“[Batman #0] will give you an important slice of Bruce’s life from when he first gets back to Gotham after his travels,” Snyder told Newsarama. “It will happen within the shadows of Batman: Year One, taking place in a moment of time that you haven’t seen. And I think it will be very surprising to people and exciting. You’ll see some things that will catch you off guard and will get you excited to see what’s coming.”

In the first installment of a two-part interview with did with the Batman artist, we asked Capullo about his plans for the title’s #0 issue and what readers can expect from his Joker.

Newsarama: Greg, now that Court of Owls has finished up, you’re taking a break for issue #12 before doing issue #0, right?

Greg Capullo: Yeah, it’s the only opportunity I’ve had to take a break. I had initially wanted to do it all, but it just wasn’t feasible, so I had to make a choice. And the choice was, do I break off at #0 or do I break off at #12? And I just thought, “I really want to do this origin in #0.”

So that’s what I’m working on while someone else handles #12.

Nrama: In issue #0, what’s different about the Bruce Wayne we’ll see? He’s younger and more inexperienced, right?

Capullo: Yeah. This is definitely pre-Bat. He’s not staying in Wayne Manor yet. And we don’t have the imagery of the Bat yet.

So this issue is more like Mission Impossible or James Bond, in the sense that he’s got all the cool tech, so you get all that, but without any of the pointy ears or cloaks, you know? So that part is kind of cool, because it’s definitely a different slant.

All that is suddenly familiar, for me, drawing Batman, is gone. So that was a little bit of a challenge, you know?

But it’s kind of cool because Bruce is not the very even-keeled guy who’s methodical and doesn’t get riled. He’s not to that point yet.

Because of that, he can have a knee-jerk reaction. He’s got a lot of temper that’s not quite simmered and under control yet.

So you see some of his impetuous behavior in the book. In what I’m drawing right now, I have Bruce in a very, very bad situation. So it’s interesting to see him handle that in a little different way because it’s so early in his career.

Nrama: Have you gotten to draw earlier versions of some of the villains of that era around Gotham City? And has that been a challenge to update them for the New 52?

Capullo: Yeah, I have, and I’ll tell you the biggest challenge is drawing the Red Hood gang, and having to make some pill helmet look cool and look bad-ass. You just go, “How do I make that one tough?” You know? So that’s a big challenge.

And then there are a lot of guys wearing masks, so another challenge is portraying emotions, because emotion has to be solely relying on body language.

It’s a great exercise for young artists, if they want to figure out how to portray emotion without faces. Keep the face out of it. Then how do you sell how a guy’s feeling and thinking, just through his mannerisms and the way he carries himself.

This scene that I’m doing right now in Batman #0 is coming to a final shoot-out scene. So even though it’s early stuff in Bruce’s life, it’s still got action and is still great fun.

Nrama: Let’s talk about what’s coming up in October. When you heard you were drawing The Joker for your next storyline in Batman, what was your gut reaction?

Capullo: Well, as soon as I heard, my pants got very tight and my nipples stiffened. It was just a fabulous reaction. And I just said, “I have to do this.”

This is, like, super-exciting. Super-thrilling. I mean, what artist doesn’t want to touch The Joker? He’s just the coolest and the most badass, the most evil, the most insane, and so there’s so much to play with.

And the fact that so much has happened to the Joker prior to where we’re picking him up, with the severed face, we’re going to be able to run with that now.

Nrama: So did you and Scott talk about the best way to handle that severed face? We’ve only seen the cover, which is kind of a tease that his face is different now.

Capullo: Yeah, Scott and I are working on the details now of how we want to handle that. We’re putting together some visuals for the story now. It’s going to be very different than what people have seen with The Joker prior.

Nrama: Are you at all disappointed that he looks different? Or are you still able to portray enough of that Joker look that it’s still the character we know and love?

Capullo: You know, I’m happy to be doing this because I look at it as an opportunity to have fun. So no, this is going to be a blast.

Let’s put it this way. I would have put my own slant on the way the Joker looks traditionally anyway.

Now I can go down the road of, like, Texas Chainsaw Massacre stuff.

And I’m a heavy metal guy, so stuff like Slipknot pops in my head, you know? So I’m going, “Yeah! Something really, really dark and creepy!”

It amplifies it. We’re turning the Joker up a notch, you know? If you can turn the Joker up any higher.

Nrama: It sounds like you don’t have the exact look ironed out yet and I’m sure it’s early in the process of you drawing the story, but what can you tell us about the ideas you two have for The Joker storyline overall?

Capullo: Well, you know, Scott takes everything to 11, as do I. So it’s going to be over-the-top, over-the-edge Joker stuff.

I mean, everybody saw what we were able to do in the first Batman story. And this will be even more dark, more twisted, more violent.

I guess after so many years of doing that kind of stuff, I guess, in a way, I enjoy it a bit. So it’s going to be great to get my hooks into that stuff.

Nrama: Then before we talk about last week’s finale for Court of Owls, what do you want readers to know about the Joker story that you and Scott are doing for “Death of the Family?”

Capullo: I would say that if you have any kind of heart conditions, or any kind of medical issues that could cause seizures or what-not, that you should check with a doctor prior to buying this story arc, because we don’t want to be responsible. DC does not want to be responsible for any fatalities or hospitalization or young or old people who may encounter this story and it just simply be too much for their system.

So I would say, check with your doctor prior to picking up Batman #13.

(original article posted HERE by Newsarama staff contributor Venata Rogers July 17).

Remember Batman #13 goes on sale October 10, 2012!!!

TDKR Massacre: Editorial Note from the JOKER’S LAIR

Joker's Lair Updates, Movies, News 3 Responses »

Jul 212012

I am a Joker fan… Probably, I’m am one of the most fervent (and craziest) Joker fan in the world since I have created this site dedicated just to him, uand what happened in Aurora Colorado during the midnight view of the Dark Knight Rises has me outraged and I could not keep shut.

How in the world, James Holmes dares call himself “the Joker” and do this abominable act of violence? I find out that impossible to comprehend and I don’t have a bit of respect for this nut case. There is no excuse to hurt people. My dislike for him, has escalated to undescribable levels and his actions leaves me with a heavy weight on my soul.

WE, Joker fans are spread through out the world. We encompass every race, every creed, sexual orientation, every walk of life. We work with our communities, we might be the nurse or doctor who cares for you in the hospital, or the teacher who teaches in you school, maybe the father (or mother) that cares of her loving family, even your best friend, but you will NEVER SEE ANY OF US shooting innocent people or blowing up places, because we know what is rigth and what is wrong and above the difference between reality and fantasy.

And I want the world to understand…just because we like a character like the Joker does not make us psychos.

We understand this is a fictional character, nothing more and also understand many of the things he does are not right, but we are not any different from those fans of Voldemort or Snape from Harry Potter, Darth Vader from Star Wars, Hannibal Lecter, even Twighlight’s Edward or Hello Kitty. There are just some things about him that appeal to some of us but that does not make us bad people. And just so you know…

James Holmes IS NOT A JOKER FAN.

He is a very disturbed individual, a sociopath with no sense of apathy for his fellow men. I feel somewhat sorry for his family, for they will carry the stigma of what he did, but also ask myself…didn’t anybody saw signs of what this man was capable of doing? These guys have a great deal of difficulty dealing with the world around them. They are very angry and I can infer in Mr. Holmes’ case, he’s also hurting….from reasons I might never know and decided that others needed to hurt as much he is. And he didn’t care who it was hurting as long as they hurt too. They wanted the others to see his pain and he chose a very violent way of doing it.This does not excuse his actions, which should be punished according to law, but there should be also a lesson that this man might have been asking to be heard, long before he went as far as killing fellow people.

He is not the rule of the fandom, he is an exception.

And Finally,

The JOKER’S LAIR wants to emphasize that this place exists only the purpose of entertain, the Joker being the focus of our fandom, but in a non violent atmosphere. We do not condone violence in any way or directed to any life forms and we condemn any act of violence, especially this one that should have been avoided. The LAIR is saddened by the loss of 12 innocent lives. I, Jokerlady , moderator of this site want to say that my heart goes to the victims (fellow Batfans and maybe Jokerfans too) and their families and I really lament that a night of fun and adventure, turn into a nightmare for the acts of a disturbed individual like James Holmes. I understand your peain, and I offer you my heart in this sad moment to try and ease your pain.

To those gone, you will not be forgotten and to those that survived but were touched closely by this tragedy, receive my love and my extended hand in friendship. My thoughts are with you all in this sad moment.

DC ZERO: More DC Experimentation? WASHINGTON NEWS REPORT

Comic Books, DCU, News, Preview 1 Response »

Jun 152012

September comic book solicitations starts a new experiment from the editors at DC COMICS. DC ZERO. A series of single issues that encompass all the NEW 52 series character and will also introduce us to a few new characters to add to the series.

Just my personal opinion on this subject. When you have a super-reboot that has already produced some cancelations (don’t forget Hawk and Dove among others) with possibly more on the horizon, doesn’t the release of these issues be a reassurance of the reboot as a whole? I mean, wasn’t BATMAN #1 supposed to be the new beginning for the Dark Crusader just as ACTION COMIC #1 was supposed to be Superman’s humble beginnings retold for he new generations? Why a ZERO story? It seems to me like trying to explain a joke that was supposed to be funny the first time. It just loses the point of the joke.

Don’t know, just my humble point of view, but this could also be what the series needed. I will give them a try, like I always do, and then emit my review on the whole issue, in the meantime this all jus t makes me wonder.

Here is the report on the WASHINGTON NEWS from Monday 11, 2012: ( I’m including pics from some of the covers at the end

PHILADELPHIA — DC Comics’ heroes are going to zeroes

In September, DC Entertainment will publish a zero issue for its 52 titles, a move that co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio said will help explain the origins and effects of its rebooted characters a year after it erased decades of history and continuity to start everything from scratch.

But, the duo said, zeroing out for the month will create new plots and wrinkles for the likes of Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman, among others, and see the debut of some fan-favorite characters as well as set the stage for more ongoing stories in the months to come.

When DC relaunched its characters in September 2011 with 52 titles, the rebooted heroes and villains weren’t starting from zero.

“We started at different points for the different series,” Mr. DiDio said, adding that having every title go to zero with standalone stories helps readers, established and new, “find a level playing field and creates another jumping-on point.”

Mr. Lee said each of the books will help fill in the blanks of some characters’ origins or present a full origin story.

“We underestimated the hunger and appetite that readers would have for this backstory when we launched,” he said. “The readership has been very intrigued in finding out the backstory in the five years since the emergence of the Justice League.”

It’s also a chance to bring four new titles to comic shops, too, said Mr. DiDio, who added DC plans to keep 52 titles publishing no matter what.

“We want to keep it new and we want to keep it 52 all the time,” he said. “We’re constantly going to be refreshing the line.”

After zero, all the titles will go back to their regular numbering, though each of the 52 “zero” issues will end up in a bound omnibus edition in the fall.

Dubbed the third wave, the new titles include “Talon,” which spins out of the pages of Batman and, like it, is written by Scott Snyder; “Sword and Sorcery,” which sees the debut of 1980s fan favorite Amethyst, whose alter ego Amy Winston comes to realize she’s the lost princess of Gemworld; and “Team Seven,” which sees the formation of a team designed to counter Superman.

That title has ties to many of DC’s current comics because it includes characters including Steve Trevor, Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, John Lynch, Cole Cash, Alex Fairchild and Slade Wilson.

The fourth, “The Phantom Stranger,” shows its namesake learning more about his true origin, his ties to Pandora and his role in creating the Spectre, long a mysterious and powerful hand of vengeance.

“I always loved the mystery and horror aspects of the Phantom Stranger,” Mr. DiDio said. “The mystery works for and against him and, as a supporting character, the mysteries are really interesting.

“But as a lead character in his own series, that becomes a huge challenge — you want to know more about him and how he acts and behaves,” he said.

Mr. Lee said Phantom Stranger will become “a really pivotal part in the New 52. Not just going forward, but going back, too, in the scheme of things.”

Here you have some of the issues getting the ZERO TREATMENT:

And the official introduction of TALON, TEAM SEVEN and SHAZAM to the NEW 52:

Tumbler Tour Update 2: More dates and time updates

News 2 Responses »

Jun 032012

FRIDAY JUNE 1, 2012

City: Syracuse, NY

Time: 4pm-8pm
Where: Taste of Syracuse
Address: 2 S Clinton Square, Syracuse NY

SATURDAY JUNE 2, 2012

City: Albany, NY

Time: 8am-1pm
Where: Freihoffer 5K Run
Address: Empire State Plaza, Albany NY

SUNDAY JUNE 3, 2012

City: Buffalo NY

Time: 9am-2pm
Where: Darien Lake Theme Park & Resort
Address: 9993 Allegheny Road Darien Center NY

TUESDAY JUNE 6, 2012

City: Toronto

Time: 11-2 pm
Where:Bay Adelaide Centre
Address: 333 Bay St.. Toronto ON

THURSDAY JUNE 7, 2012

City: Toronto

Time: 7-10am
Where: 102.1 The Edge Studios
Address: 25 Dockside Dr. Toronto ON

Time: 1-7pm
Where: TBD
Address: TBD

FRIDAY JUNE 8, 2012

City: Toronto

Time: TBD
Where: TBD
Address: TBD

SUNDAY JUNE 10, 2012

City: Montreal

Time: TBD
Where: Grand Prix Circuit Guilles Villeneuve
Address: 200 Villeneuvest St, Montreal QC 2R5 Canada

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2012

City: Columbus OH

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 1221 Georgesville Rd, Columbus OH, 43228

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2012

City: Lansing MI

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 409 Marketplace Blvd. Lansing MI 48917

SATURDAY JUNE 16, 2o12

City: Michigan

Time: TBD
Where: Dew Tailgate
Address: TBD

SUNDAY JUNE 17, 2012

City: Brooklyn MI

Time: TBD
Where: Helluva Good Nascar Race Michigan Int. Speedway
Address: 12626 US Highway 12 Brooklyn MI 49230

TUESDAY JUNE 19, 2012

City: Indianapolis IN

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 7325 Keystone Ave. Indianapolis IN, 46240

THURSDAY JUNE 21, 2012

City: Nashville, TN

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 2421 Powell Ave. Nashville TN 37204

FRIDAY JUNE 22, 2012

City: Knoxville TN

Time: TBD
Where: TBD
Addresss: TBD

SATURDAY JUNE 23, 2012

City: Atlanta, GA

Time: 3-8pm
Where: Mall of Georgia
Address: 3333 Buford Dr, Suite 1000 Buford GA

MONDAY JUNE 25, 2012

City: Dallas TX

Time: 1pm-6pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 1521 N Cockrell Hill Rd Dallas TX 75211

WEDNESDAY JUNE 27, 2012

City: San Antonio TX

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 1603 Vance Jackson Rd, San Antonio TX 78213

FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2012

City: El Paso TX

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Addresss: 7101 Gateway Blvd W, El Paso TX 73325

SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012

City: Albuquerque NM

Time: 10am- 3pm
Where: Kirtland AFB
Address: 2000 Wyoming Blvd. SE Albuquerque NM

MONDAY, JULY 2, 2012

City: Phoenix AZ

Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Walmart
Address: 1607 Bethany Home Rd. Phoenix AZ 85015

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2012

City: Phoenix AZ

Time: TBD
Where: Harkins Tempe Marketplace
Address: 2000 E Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe AZ 85281

SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2012

City: Santa Clarita, CA

Time: TBD
Where: Walmart
Address: 26471 Carl Boyer Dr. Santa Clarita CA 91350

TBD JULY 7, 2012

City: Los Angeles, CA

Time: TBD
Where: Walmart
Address: TBD

(List and pictures courtesy of TUMBLERTOUR.COM)

The Tumbler and the Bat-Pod go on tour

Movies, News, Preview 3 Responses »

May 172012

WB, in an effort to promote the last installment of the Nolan Batman trilogy, has organized appearances of the Tumbler and Batpod all over the US (well, almost everywhere. Like expected, they missed FLA altogether as I’m sure they missed other important states). Anyways, here is a list of the cities that will have the two Bat-vehicles. Mind you…more cities might be added later.

The 2012 Tumbler Tour (red dates have already passed)

5/12 Bentonville, AR

5/15 Tulsa, OK

5/19 Overland Park, KS

5/21 Kansas City, MO

5/23 St. Louis, MO

5/25 Chicago, IL

5/27 Washington, DC

5/28 Baltimore, MD

5/30 Philadelphia, PA

6/1 Buffalo, NY

6/7 Toronto Canada

6/10 Montreal Canada

6/12 Purchase, NY

6/13 Columbus, OH

6/15 Lansing, MI

6/16 Detroit, MI

6/17 Brooklyn, MI

6/19 Indianapolis, IN

6/21 Nashville, TN

6/22 Knoxville, TN

6/23 Atlanta, GA

6/25 Dallas, TX

6/27 San Antonio, TX

6/29 El Paso, TX

7/1 Albuquerque, NM

7/2 Phoenix, AZ

7/7 Santa Clarita, CA

7/12-7/15 San Diego, CA

7/20-7/22 Los Angeles, CA

7/27-7/28 Orange County, CA

Petition to get Mark Hamill voice Joker for the Killing Joke

DC Universe, News 1 Response »

May 072012

I had proposed this before, Mark Hamill himself said he would gladly voice his Joker one more time for such a monumental project, fans are begging to DC to do a movie based on the graphic novel the KILLING JOKE and have Hamill voice the Joker, and one group of avid fans, have started a campaign on FACEBOOK, a Petition to have Hamill voice the Joker if DC ever decides to go on with the project.

What’s left? For DC to listen to the fans.

Please, visit them and join the petition. Click on the link below.

BATMAN LIVE coming to AMERICA

DC Universe, Harley Quinn, Joker, News, Preview No Responses »

Mar 252012

Wanna witness Gotham’s vilest vilains, led by the Clown Prince of Crime take on the Cape Crusader and his sideckick Robin in a theatrical production like no other?

batmanlive00

Well wait no more. The production of BATMAN LIVE is coming finally to America in September 5 at the HONDA CENTER in Anaheim CA. Here is the official press review (and some production stills I’ve added. To watch video summaries of the show visit my Batman Live Post HERE):

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP), DC Entertainment (DCE) and Nick Grace of Water Lane Productions Ltd (WLP) announced that BATMAN LIVE – a unique action-packed live arena show – will debut in North America on September 5 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., following a popular and acclaimed arena tour throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and Latin America. Two and a half years in the making, BATMAN LIVE is a visually stunning, state-of-the-art production, that brings Batman, a host of iconic characters, and the settings from the famed world of DC comics, live and on stage for the first time in North America.

“Batman is more than a comic book character, he’s a cultural phenomenon. We are excited to bring him and his world to the stage, live, for the very first time with this incredible arena show,” said Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “In fewer than four years, the show has gone from concept on paper to successfully touring through Europe and Latin America. It is now our very special privilege to bring this show to the United States and North America – home to Batman and Robin.”

Following Anaheim, the tour will travel to Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN; HP Pavilion at San Jose, CA; Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA; Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV; Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK; Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, NM; World Arena in Colorado Springs, CO; Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, CO; and additional cities all over North America that will be announced in the coming months.

BATMAN LIVE, produced by Nick Grace of Water Lane Productions, features impressive stunts, pyrotechnics, illusions and video screen sequences. “BATMAN LIVE is a totally unique experience – a completely new way to experience the world of Batman, and has become a must-see for fans everywhere,” said Grace. “This is not a musical but a live show with a thrilling Batman story, filled with action that appeals to adults, teenagers, kids and families. We are proud to have this opportunity to bring to life the story of one of the most popular DC Super Heroes in the world today.”

With a 42-member cast, BATMAN LIVE has a new, original storyline that features Batman, his trusty counterpart Robin, tireless butler Alfred and a host of other favorite Batman characters. Additional favorites include villains such as The Joker, Catwoman, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and The Penguin. The action takes place in several settings from the famed stories, including Gotham City, Wayne Manor, the Batcave, and Arkham Asylum.

“What is compelling about Batman is that he’s one of the rare super heroes who actually doesn’t have super powers – he’s human just like you or me,” said Jim Lee, Co-Publisher, DC Entertainment. “But through sheer determination, he has honed his mind and body to a level that makes him second to none and that’s an aspiration we can all relate to and be inspired by. To that end, this spectacular live show delivers an amazingly authentic experience which actually underscores how real Batman could be while entertaining both parents and kids alike.”

“There’s no place on earth that doesn’t know who Batman is – he’s not just one of the most iconic super heroes ever created – he is one of the most iconic characters in history – and has had more stories told about him than just about any other character, period,” said Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer, DC Entertainment. “What’s cool to me about BATMAN LIVE is that when you first come into the arena you see the three-dimensional cityscape and you hear the sounds of the city – you‘re really entering Gotham in a way you can’t experience anywhere else. You are an active participant in the story and a real part of Batman’s world.”

As audiences enter the arena, they are greeted by a 3D Gotham City landscape complete with buildings, soundscape, and video animation, setting the scene for the story to come. The magnitude of the production becomes apparent the first moment a full symphonic score is heard and a 105-foot bat-shaped LED video wall comes to life, enhancing the action on a custom-built stage. Another exciting element is the eye-catching, all-new Batmobile, designed especially for the show by legendary racing car designer Professor Gordon Murray, who’s known for designing racing cars for some of the most successful teams in the world for Formula One racing as well as the famous McLaren F1 road car.

Adapted from the DC Comics characters and stories, BATMAN LIVE focuses on Robin’s quest for justice, which leads him to follow in the footsteps of his hero – the mysterious vigilante known as Batman – much to the dismay of his protective guardian, billionaire Bruce Wayne, whom the audience knows is secretly Batman. BATMAN LIVE is, at its heart, a poignant coming-of-age story. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson must learn to overcome their own fears and forge their own family – with the help of Police Commissioner James Gordon and Bruce’s trusted butler, Alfred Pennyworth – if they’re going to survive the combined forces of Batman’s larger-than-life rogues’ gallery, some of the most famous and beloved villains of the 20th century.

Allan Heinberg is the writer of BATMAN LIVE, who found the emotional heart of the show that tells the story and celebrates Batman and Robin — The Dynamic Duo. Heinberg said, “The creative team met every expectation of how to tell this story, and surpassed it. We brought Gotham City to life in a way that I have never experienced before in any movie, or any television show, or any comic book. It is very faithful to the comic books – and it is all heightened – you are there in person – and you are sharing this experience with an enormous arena audience. It’s live and it’s happening all around you. And it’s something that people have never seen and will never forget!”

The action of the show becomes a non-stop thrill ride across Gotham City that transforms Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson into the legendary crime-fighters, Batman and Robin. The adventure transports the audience from the Big Top of Haly’s Circus to the depths of Arkham Asylum, and from the glittering peaks of the Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge to the subterranean wonders that await inside the Batcave. Acrobats suspending in the air, The Joker’s henchmen in choreographed fight sequences, and stunning scenic elements are all part of the BATMAN LIVE experience.

BATMAN LIVE Creative Director Anthony Van Laast said, “It has been a thrilling journey for myself, the creative team and the company to develop the production from the early creative seeds, to the first day of rehearsals and now to a fully touring production. It is everything I hoped the show would be – exhilarating, impressive, exciting, dynamic and yet accessible – and I truly hope that the arena-going public have as much fun watching it as we have had making it.”

The acclaimed arena tour began on July 19, 2011 in Manchester, England, and toured throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and Latin America – and the critics have been ecstatic. The Times (UK) said, “It’s a wildly ambitious show that more than fills an arena space.” The Guardian said BATMAN LIVE has “plenty to thrill and chill the audience — a two-hour extravaganza carefully crafted to delight small boys and raise frequent smiles and cheers from the grown-ups. The bat-fans roar their approval!” The Daily Telegraph said, “Kerr-pow! Batman’s a hi-tech hit. A live action drama, stuffed with dazzling special effects, retina-popping visuals and improbable feats of high-wire derring-do, all choreographed within a Catwoman’s whisper of perfection. And my two boys, aged 8 and 10, adored this show as much as I did.” And the Manchester Evening News said the show is “Mesmerizing. Entertainment doesn’t come any better than this.”

BATMAN LIVE is based on an original story created exclusively for the show. Creative Director is Anthony Van Laast and Co-Director James Powell. Production design by Es Devlin, music composed by James Seymour Brett, sound design by Simon Baker, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, video production by Sam Pattinson, costume design by Jack Galloway. Circus sequences created, produced and managed in association with Circus Space with Bryan Donaldson and Juliette Hardy-Donaldson as circus consultants.

For more information visit BATMANLIVE.COM (updates soon!)

(originally posted at DC Comics Blog)

I’m Baaaaack!

Joker's Lair Updates, News 1 Response »

Mar 252012

Hello Jokerholics of the world!

First of all let me apologize for my tardiness in posting to this blog, but my attention has been pulled away by my father’s long disease and treatment that had me hopping from doctor to hospital like a crazy jellybean for the last six months and more during the last three. And since I had to balance all that with my full time job…took the sad decision to take some time off from Jokerblogging…until now.

AND I HAVE GOOD NEWS! Since my dad is much better now, his chemotherapy is over and hopefully he’s now on remission from his cancer (will confirm in a few weeks) I feel like dedicating my life to the Clown Prince of Crime again. After all he’s the one responsible for many good things in my life too…believe it or not.

So hopefully you will see more posts and art about Joker in the upcoming days. Even will try to finish my Joker story in ff.net for a change. More Joker projects are sparking between my neurons, and I will share them with you all pretty soon.

Lastly, I wanted to thank you all for your patronage of this blog and patience with my posts. It has been a pleasure dealing with all of you and sharing your love for the Clown. You are all wonderful group and you all make my day and inspire me to continue with this project. Big HUG to all my Jokerholic brothers and sisters.

Sincerely, Jokerlady

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