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Jeez their really taking their time with this Batman Returns line aren't they? There has been nothing, no new announcements for months and months. They refuse to answer queries. On the companies official Facebook page people keep asking where on earth are they (and some of those people aren't even Batman fans, merely collectors of cool movie stuff). Yet Hot Toys continue to unleash photos of wave after wave of Iron Man and Avengers based figures. It's all getting very frustrating.

Do Hot Toys only announce new projects their currently making or before they actually get started on them? It's looking more likely this series will never see the light of day which is a massive shame after their excellent work on the 1989 movie. I'm really happy I chose to nab my Nicholson Joker when I did. Hot Toys did recieve some sort of special award from I think Warner's for their work of adapting movie projects (and I'm pretty sure it was solely for the job they did on the Batman 89 line). Why they wouldn't want to follow that up with the sequel is just very strange.

Is Batman's "Thing's Change" moment the signature scene in all of Batman Returns? I believe so and I remember the marketing people sure as hell played that moment on clips shows to death in '92. You would think it a moment that they would've had under lock and key and yet I think it was that one clip that got excitement brewing the most. You don't really get scenes like that anymore in superhero pictures where the filmmakers signpost the excitement of having these characters as real flesh n blood people meeting on screen for the first time.

The interesting thing about this scene that took me years to notice frankly is that it's the only time all 3 leading characters actually meet. And there is just a very quick shot (the department store exploding) in which their all in the same frame. Never again does Batman face Catwoman and The Penguin in the same scene. I like to think this formula may have inspired Nolan's way of handling the "double threats". In Batman Begins although we're told Ra's al Ghul and The Scarecrow were in cahoots (based on a lie mind you) we never saw them together. And in Dark Knight Two-Face and The Joker have just a single scene together (the excellent hospital discussion).

To me writing the villains this way can be almost be more interesting. Seeing them interact is fun and essential too but I wouldn't ever want them challenging Batman at the same time. Schumacher fell into this trap in Forever where Two-Face just stood around The Riddler's throne room and you barely notice he's there. Believe it or not Schumacher improved this in Batman and Robin where he wisely split up Poison Ivy and Mr Freeze for the finale and you have this nice double whammy of differing showdowns. Batman Returns goes two steps further first getting rid of The Penguin and only then bringing in Catwoman for a second showdown. And I remember as a kid being greatly surprised when The Penguin rises up again from the depths and you think hang on, this battle's still not over yet lol

Some people hate the whole having two or more villains thing in movies but I love it and think the Batman movies played a massive part in establishing that method. I do think it works better and more intelligently with Batman having to face the challenge of two villain subplots rather than them teaming up and launching a single campaign against him.

Just wanted to ask if anyone owns any Cinefex magazines on the Batman films? Are they any good? Never bought Cinefex myself. I'm considering buying an old issue featuring a Danny Devito Penguin cover. How many pages long is it and does it feature things like photographs e.c.t? Thank you.

In Joel Schumacher's The Lost Boys there is a scene in the Frog Brothers comic store in which Sam Emerson feels the need to educate them on how to display their Man of Steel titles in numerical order. My favourite gag scene in the movie ("Where the hell are you from?...Krypton?!").

Just wondered what issue numbers those Superman titles were? They do recieve a close shot but not enough to read the publication info. They are great covers and I've always been on the lookout for those particular issues at conventions.

It's quite fun as a comic nerd trying to spot the numerous titles that pop up in that store throughout the movie. At one point Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars can be seen and The Dark Knight Returns poster ad. I've even managed to spot a Dr Who comic magazine.

I could be about to open a can of worms here and cries of "Quit moanin, get used to a different Superman movie" but I have to say I'm pretty furious Superman's cape will be created through CGI. What I haven't heard yet is does this include dialogue scenes or merely action? Either way it's pretty upsetting. I do not understand how in the 80's they had Chris Reeve wearing an actual cape and still manage action and flying scenes yet now they can't. What gives?

Green Lantern I think could be a look at the future in which things are done less physically in a comic book movie. Ryan Reynolds had a pretty atrocious CGI Lantern costume which was one of many fun sapping aspects of a film best forgotten. Could we however see a day in which production crews simply animate a Batmobile rather than spectacularly building one at a large cost? This was even attempted way back on Batman Forever until Joel Schumacher chose wisely against it. Nolan is often regarded at introducing real tangible devices in his Batman films but this praise is massively overrated as I'm sure we all know on here. Batman movies have always done things for real from building real Batcaves to Batsuits and even Gotham Cities. CGI has been used but never on a vast scale and certainly not as a means of creating character wardrobe. I hope this will continue to be the case. The thrill of seeing Batman's world brought to life in physical objects is always a better deal to me than animating it on a laptop.

What do you think? Are the times are a-changin for the best(worst)

I expect somebody on here already has plans for something like this but with a new Superman movie fast approaching (and with a recent stab at the Flash Gordon movie adaptation) how about a comic to movie comparison for the Christopher Reeve movies in the style of the Batman articles? Or at least Superman and Superman II for the time being? While this would be an usual place I think the quality of them should be by the same guys who made the Batman pieces. So on here seems to be right. What do you think?

On another note I have another idea for the Batman articles, a kind of sequel series. How about showing how the comics have reflected each of the movies and their ideas? We know they adopted Harley Quinn from the cartoon and surely some movie elements too. I hit on this idea when reading a Batman story called "Terror" drawn by Paul Gulacy. It features Catwoman and The Scarecrow and Catwoman especially looks a damn sight like Michelle Pfeiffer. There's even a panel at the end of Part 3 which looks like a spitting image of the memorable closeup of Pfeiffer saying "I am Catwoman...hear me roar!". Plus the Batman of that story has a dash of Keaton about him and a Batmobile with a definte homage to the Anton Furst design.

I own a 1986 anniversary issue of Batman in which horror master Stephen King wrote a special introduction into his liking for the Batman comics since he was a kid. The man has impeccable taste to say the least. Not only is he an avid fan of rock band AC/DC (another favourite of mine) he also roots for Gotham's Dark Knight which I always had a feeling he may be a fan of. As with Tim Burton he no doubt saw the horror imagery present in Batman and perhaps it served his imagination for his own works later in life.

Having read this I was wondering why can't King write a one off Batman comic as he would envision it? I think it would be great seeing his versions of the classic characters. He's also had experience in the comic field in adapting his novels into comic books and even I believe worked on a special X-Men book. So it strikes me as peculiar nobody at DC has ever offered him the chance to work briefly on his favourite character.

Batman has even drawn on a subconcious level from King. Batman Returns Penguin is more Stephen King's IT (sewer dwelling creature, a hand in child killings, twisted circus henchmen) than Bob Kane/Dick Sprang incarnation. Part of me wonders if Returns, with it's horror inspired imagery, is King's personal favourite Batman movie even.

Does anybody have the complete catalogue of t shirts produced for the first two Batman movies? If you remember them you'll know how cool they were. Batman Returns sported comic book styled movie images. I've noticed so many variations including one featuring the Batskiboat. Just wondered what the rest looked like from both movies. Looking to buy a few of them before they become too vintage.

Here are a few examples: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_em9PV-558pA/TOk7cQoC59I/AAAAAAAAEMM/Hs0O7y6sjaI/s1600/DSCN4290.JPG

http://www.defunkd.com/public/upload/images/product_images/big/hermosavtg_16571326601004.jpeg

http://www.batmanytb.com/toys/apparelandrelatedaccessories/tshirts/batmanreturns.jpg

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vtg-90s-THE-PENGUIN-T-Shirt-Batman-Returns-Film-Purple-Movie-Vintage-/00/s/NzMxWDgwMA==/$T2eC16Z,!ysE9sy0i2wQBQqV2GeE%28!~~60_35.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0cQtvq1K9M/UCPtlfHkW_I/AAAAAAAAHTA/bjLNkuOyHtI/s1600/DSC_0203.JPG

http://img0.etsystatic.com/006/0/6042043/il_fullxfull.355181628_heqx.jpg

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/VINTAGE-BATMAN-JACK-NICHOLSON-THE-JOKER-T-SHIRT-ORIGINAL-VTG-MOVIE-TEE-1989-M-/00/s/MTYwMFgxNDk1/$%28KGrHqN,!lkFBshCjNkEBQrBWSzUKg~~60_35.JPG

A scene from Batman Forever that always confused me has to be the small moment in which Robin returns to the Batcave, takes his circus suit from the costume vault and then pushes his bike along and out the Batmobile exit tunnel.

Where was he going anyway? It looks to me like a plot hole as it leads nowhere when he later returns in full Robin getup.

Interesting article you might like to read:

http://www.policymic.com/articles/24182/dark-knight-rises-sequel-could-be-a-futuristic-rendition-of-batman-beyond

I have to say I despise Batman Beyond (or Batman of the Future as it's named here in the UK). Never liked seeing another Batman with Bruce Wayne merely as a supporting star or even cameo role. Let alone a teenage Batman. This show to me is basically "Kid Batman" (ala Kid Flash). And I thought the villains kind of sucked too. Did they ever use classic Bat villains, ever? The only time I was impressed was the "Return of the Joker" movie which had some ties to the original animated series. Annoyingly Batman The Animated Series hasn't been shown on British tv in over 10 years. Sky 1 last broadcast it on weekday mornings at 8am back in 2002. Since then it's vanished and without the dvd's I probably wouldn't see it. Batman Beyond however is constantly shown and boy is it irritating.

I don't think this idea will go anywhere personally. However thinking it over I found myself deciding that it could make an interesting movie. For one thing it would give us back a fantastic looking Gotham City albeit a futuristic kind. On the other hand I'd never want a series of films on the subject. But doing just a one off is something I think I'd get into for it's difference. Could this be a key for bringing back a fantastic comic booky style for Batman movies? I don't think I could handle Bruce Wayne on a zimmer frame for a whole trilogy though.

Was interested if Chris Nolan has ever commented on any of the previous Batman movies? Any quotes of his referring to them perhaps drawing inspirations and such? Cheers.

Some articles from 1992 located from a website. All focusing on that famous Batman Returns issue: a violent twisted film promoted by Happy Meals.

The articles viewpoints are bullsh*t of course but I thought their illustrations were amusing. Very "Mad Magazine".

http://bigglee.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/recalling-bat-backlash-over-batman.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+BigGleeTheAlbertBryanBigleyArchives+%28Big+Glee!+The+Albert+Bryan+Bigley+Archives%29

Video I just came across from 1989 commenting on the differences between Adam West and Michael Keaton. Features a hilarious song about the Batman tv show vs the "Mr Mom" Batman. I'd love to hear the full version of this. Does it exist?

I guess there was a great deal of unhappiness at the time from fans of the tv show. Feel sorry for them but glad Warners and Burton persisted with what we all know and love today.

If anyone else can find video footage of that then infamous Michael Keaton controversy I'd love to see more.

While reading Michael Singer's official movie book of the making of Batman Returns I discovered something that some fans perhaps are not aware of. It looks like there were two writers who worked on the sequel. Daniel Waters of course who wrote the quirky black comedy "Heathers" but also a guy named Wesley Strick who performed a re-write of Waters draft.

After doing research I also found Strick's name attached to severeal memorable films that also happen to be favourites of mine. He wrote "Arachnophobia", a film I regard as the scariest thing I've ever watched lol If you have my fear (the hints in the title folks) you'll agree with me on that one. He also wrote one of my favourite psychological thrillers "Cape Fear", the remake version starring Robert De Niro. I like to think it was this project (released in 1991) that got him the job on Batman's 2nd cinematic outing.

Unusually he never recieved screen credit for Batman Returns. Why was this? Does anybody know what he altered or added to in the story?

Just read an Amazing Spider-Man issue from about 1993 (back when Mark Bagley drew an incredible Spider-Man and before Marvel killed off their own flagship franchise by stupidly killing Peter Parker off to replace him with...*gasp*...f***ing Dr Octopus!). They claim it's "dra...ma" anyway...?

In the story Spidey battles a futuristic team of mercenaries called The Jury who are after the blood of Eddie Brock/Venom for his crimes. During a big battle sequence Spidey irritates his enemies with his trademark humour by suggesting they rent out some movies on VHS for fighting tips. He fires a webline into a wall behind a Jury thug and yanks the wall away to smash into him from behind. All the while triumphantly yelling: "BATMAN RETURNS!" lol

Clearly him and MJ have been renting "The Bat, the Cat and the Penguin" at some point previously. 

I'll never understand why various fans despise Batman Returns simply because of it's portrayl of The Penguin. This often appears to be the main reason why so many hate Tim Burton. In short what is the big f***ing deal?

Returns has often been granted the uncredited title of "Tim Burton's Batman Returns". This wouldn't be far from the truth in honesty. It's his version of Gotham City and it's populace. And you know what, what on earth is the problem there? Frankly it works contrary to some geeky opinions. As Stan Winston says on the dvd the "Beetlejuice-like" face make up (white skin with black marks around the eyes) works perfectly for the character and also gives him that required creepy tone. It's ironic that years later we got a Joker as imagined by Nolan that also had great big black splodges around his eyes in almost a Tim Burton tribute. Now I don't know about you but I never recalled the Joker having such perdy eyeliner before. I never disliked however and was willing to accept it. Slight changes to a character never bother me as long as their esscence remains (it is the same with Bane and that snazzy coat they added rather greatly). I find it bemusing however that fans can single out The Penguin of 1992 and praise this rather radical (and bizaare) new look for The Joker however.

Fact is certain things in a comic do not always retain their impact when translated to screen. Burgess Meredith's 100% translation of The Penguin worked because the tone of that tv series was right for it. Take that version and slap it into Batman Returns (as some fans believed should have been the case) and you'd have a very poor follow up to Jack Nicholson's Joker.

The origin story of The Penguin in the comics I've always found crap. How many comic villains have been bullied at school and decide to use their cruel nicknames as their modus operandi? Scarecrow, Marvel's Dr Octopus ect. It's a total cliche. Frankly that story of a kid with a love for birds and the need to carry an umbrella is such a poor concept for a film script. It's nowhere near as edgy or scary as an Alan Moore Joker origin or Sam Hamm's iteration of The Joker as always being a raving lunatic. Fact is the filmmakers needed a strong follow up to Jack Nicholson's Joker and with The Penguin in an unsatisfactory shape they made him a stronger character while still keeping his esscence. Daniel Waters (and uncredited writer Wesley Strick's) ideas for the sequel were a vast improvement to me. Making him literally "The Penguin" added a much need scare factor and obvious sympathy, both traits found in villains in stories like The Killing Joke? I still found myself having a little chuckle when Batman clearly towers over Cobblepot in their final battle but his mutant form also gave him a much needed threat-factor against the Dark Knight. The filmmakers clearly added elements of the popular "Mutant Leader" from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.

The thing which really should have been incorporated into the comics was the idea of The Penguin's parents and their wealthy backgrounds. Having them as a dark and twisted version of the Wayne's wouldv'e made for some interesting stories. I wanted to know more about Esther and Tucker Cobblepot and DC totally wasted a creative well there I think. It further goes back to the popular idea of having villains with a strong connection to Batman/Bruce Wayne. It even helps with that attitude of The Penguin feeling he truly belongs amongst high society. Where else would there be a reason for that monocle, umbrella and cigarrete holder? It's a pitty the concept of Max Schreck as Penguin's brother was dropped. That too may have given Christopher Walken's character a entry into the comic world. One of the plot holes for me of Batman Returns is where did the Cobblepot's fortune go after their deaths? The Penguin would certainly be entitled to that (for once!). Having Schreck as the brother would have clearly resolved this and built up further an antagonism between them.

Changing characters around is done so often these days it makes this Penguin criticism look absolutely bloody stupid. Especially when they are sometimes praised for their efforts. What about Alfred Molina's Dr Octopus, complete with his tragic wife Rosie and those sentient robotic tentacles (who are more the villains of Spider-Man 2 than Ock himself is)? Then there's Ra's Al Ghul who not only steals the identity of another comic character (Henri Ducard) but also lacks any Lazarus Pits to make him the demonic, immortal threat fans know and love? A villain more outlandish and demonic in fact on the page than anything put on screen in Burton's Penguin. Or how about Bane clearly lacking that venom enhanced strength? Might make punching through a concrete pillar that much more difficult (still he goes and does it toward the end of Rises). I could go on and mention the drastic changes made to Marvel's Doctor Doom but I won't. That clearly didn't work so the idea of changing a character isn't entirely successful. But for The Penguin it did. Isn't about time we let go of all this daft criticisms therefore and grant credit where it's due?

Trying to get my hands on the expanded Batman Returns score from La La Land and it's a pain in the ass frankly. Not an easy bugger to find now obviously. Anyone having a similar headache? What are the chances of La La Land putting out a reissue as they did with the popular animated series. Is there a demand for those who missed the boat? It appears slightly on ebay but at ridiculous prices.

I was lucky enough to nab Elfman's original Batman expanded score which in all honesty is a better deal than the sequel. Still, would want to hear the alternate cues and full movie score for Cobblepot and friends. Especially that excellent version of "Superfreak"!

What stores in the UK are selling this new Batmobile magazine series collectible? Thanks.

An interesting bit of Batman/Burton related trivia I found on a website dedicated to rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. Some cool Batman Returns stuff on here including old VHS covers and press releases about the then upcoming soundtrack. If interested check out the album section "Superstition".

The trivia that caught my eye was this relating to the music video for the theme song:
"Tim Burton was originally penciled in to direct the video.  Editing duties with Batman Returns made this impossible.  A number of characters that Burton had created for 'Face To Face' video eventually made their way into his film The Nightmare Before Christmas".

So my question is who were these "characters" exactly that ultimately ended up in Nightmare before Christmas? I'm assuming most guys on here have glimpsed a couple of other Burton films. I think the character Sally is a likely candidate with her stitched together body (a look from a statue that also inspired Catwoman's outfit). Also she wears a multi-coloured patchwork outfit in the film (a costume also seemingly worn by band members Steve Severin and drummer Budgie in the video as Penguin goons). Have no idea who the others might be....

20 years ago at the release of Batman Returns fans and critics complained about the lack of screen time for a certain caped crusader. It was all The Penguin and Catwoman they said.

20 years later it's The Dark Knight Rises, a film raved about as being a "classic" and a "masterpiece". A true celebration to the spirit of Batman some Nolan devotees would say. Done so much better than anything that Burton guy did. It even had a few tributes to Batman Returns such as nicking a costume ball scene straight from Burton's into their own. But it had one other thing in common: it would seem Batman all but vanished from his own movie once again.

So here's a fun task I'll be trying myself, sure some already have. Let's count and compare the screen time of Batman in both movies and come up with a result. And Bruce Wayne doesn't count. You wouldn't include Anakin Skywalker in with the man in the black suit if you were devising this for Darth Vader, would you? So I'm talking about the Batsuit itself. The BATMAN of the Batman films. None of this "the true hero is inside the costume" nonsense lol From the looks of things Wayne suits up in the new one a mere three times. A shocking number for a movie that is third in a series (seventh if like me you include the previous films). I'm sure the result will be interesting and perhaps we can put an end to the silly controversy of 1992 in light of recent events....