Batman rocks. This much is fairly undisputed, and in seventy years of Comic Book existence the Dark Knight has racked up a fair few classics. Director Christopher Nolan is obviously aware of this, as he has has cited some of them as a direct influence on the upcoming Dark Knight movie. Smart man- with material as strong as some of these outings, it's no wonder The Dark Knight is being hailed as the greatest Batman movie yet.
So for those as yet uninitiated in Batman's comic book career, we've compiled a list of the top ten stories that must be read.
10. A Death In The Family
1980's Batman readers had a serious problem with Jason Todd, AKA the second Robin. With the character being widely denounced as 'lame', the writers of the series found themselves under pressure to do something about it. In an eerie premonition of the recent Simon Cowell television reign, readers of the comic were given the power to call a telephone line and vote as to whether Todd lived or died.
Cue one horrible death, and a massive surge in the popularity of the series.
The shocking thing is that a marketing stunt spawned one of the defining moments in Batman's history. The Dark Knight being emotionally destroyed by the loss of his young apprentice, and thirsting for revenge he for the first time seriously considers murder as an option.
The Batman is supposed to be dark, and this incident steered the series firmly away from the direction of garish colors and lighthearted romps. Oh, and it also featured the Joker getting a job working for Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran. Weird.
9. Gotham by Gaslight
Seventy years is a long time for anyone to be knocking around, so it's inevitable that at some point someone's going to start really thinking outside the box. Hence the 'Elseworlds' series, a number of stories in which Batman and other DC heroes are taken out of their usual surroundings and placed in alternate universes or timelines.
The first of these innovative stories was surely born from one of those amazing three word pitches that usually get thrown about in the wee hours after too much coffee and/or booze: 'Batman vs Jack the Ripper'. Bear in mind that this is no Alien vs Predator scenario- Bats is the greatest detective in the world, so this is a proper Victorian mystery. And it's illustrated by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, so full of purdy pictures.
8. The Man Who Laughs
The Man Who Laughs takes its name from the 1928 silent film starring Conrad Veidt which inspired the look of the Joker (check it out on youtube here- creepy stuff).
Based around a race against time to end a brazen killing spree, a rookie Dark Knight is horrified and disturbed by a challenge far removed from your basic 'thugs with guns'. The plotline of the one-shot story is taken directly from Batman #1, adding dark modern elements to the classic first meeting of Batman & The Joker. So a hefty bodycount and a great example of just how demented The Joker can get. It's regarded as a natural followup to Frank Miller's Year One, and thematically the closest you can get to Alan Moore's The Killing Joke. More on them later.
7. Arkham Asylum
Considered by many to be one of the darkest Batman stories out there, this short graphic novel stands out mainly because of its unbelievable artwork.
Illustrated by Dave McKean, famous for his Sandman covers & children's stories with Neil Gaiman (Mirrormask, Coraline), whose distinctive and iconic imagery is lent to a tale of the inmates taking over the asylum.
Just check out the page pictured above (click to enlarge), and head out to buy it.
6. The Cult
In The Cult Batman comes up against Deacon Blackfire, a crazy Charlie Manson type who may or may not be several hundred years old. In a rare case of 'didn't see that coming', Bats gets abducted and forced to join Blackfire's growing legions of mindless slaves. With her protector out of action, and only Robin (pssh) to rely on, Gotham city goes to hell quite quickly as the shit hits the fan big time.
Notable for the display of weakness from our hero, who when he gets a chance very nearly turns tail and buggers off. And as was the thing with Batman in the 80's it pulls no punches with the ol' ultra-violence. Which is fun.
5. Birth of the Demon
You'd be forgiven if until seeing Batman Begins you had no idea whom Ra's Al Ghul was, but aside from the Joker he's probably the Batman's greatest nemesis. A seven hundred year old terrorist and sometime assassin, Ra's is no loon, but a calculating genius who has a beef with humanity and a desire to see it wiped off the face of the earth. Not pleased with Bruce Wayne's persistent thwarting of his plans, or impregnating of his daughter (oh Bruce...), Ra's indluges on many an occasion in beating the Bat to within an inch of his life.
This story by Dennis O'Neil and Norm Breyfogle tells the tale of how humanity earned Ra's' hatred, and throws in a classic showdown between himself and Batman for good measure. Twisted and epic with fantastic artwork, this is a one-stop shop for appreciating the fact that Ra's Al Ghul is a vastly superior villain to the Penguin, the Riddler and most of the better known faces in Batman's rogues gallery.
4. Batman: Year One
Batman was created by Bob Kane, but special mention must go to Frank Miller for reinventing the character not once but twice. In Year One Miller gives us his account of (guess) Batman's first year of crimefighting, and to fantastic effect. The short 4-part story hit the nail on the head to such a degree that it has become the accepted 'true' origin of Batman, despite the fact that it was written nearly fifty years after the character first appeared.
With striking no nonsense artwork and a powerful take on the relationship between Batman and Jim Gordon, it's a great read, and one of the few Batman comics that is universally regarded as essential.
3. The Long Halloween
An epic, meaty read, The Long Halloween is the kind of story Batman was created for. Set over the course of a year, this sprawling murder mystery features a host of villains, with readers kept guessing as our hero sifts through clues and suspects aplenty. Writer Joseph Loeb has here played to all Batman's strengths as a detective, while Tim Sale's cinematic artwork perfectly accents all the noir elements of the story.
This story arc is notable for being the definitive telling of Harvey Dent's journey to becoming Two-Face, a tragedy which is expertly played out as a contrast to the bog-standard 'radioactive toxic waste' origin stories of lesser comic books.
The Long Halloween is one of two Batman stories which has been singled out by Christopher Nolan as a source of inspiration behind the Dark Knight, so we can expect Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent to be a million miles removed from Tommy Lee Jones' offering. Which, clearly, is a good thing. Shame on you, Joel Schumacher.
2. The Dark Knight Returns
The rebirth of Batman, DKR is the moment where Frank Miller returned Batman to the shadows, lending a psychological edge to the series that had been absent for too long. In graphic novel format, this offering deserves to be counted alongside Watchmen as a truly great work of literature.
Set in the near future, an aging Batman has retired and the world is without superheros. Superman is a government patsy, and Gotham is terrorised by a gang of cyber-punks called Mutants. Events conspire to bring the Bat out of retirement, and our hero returns to struggle against the Mutants, his own age, and cold-war politics.
It's a vast piece of work, original and fresh- offering an unparalleled take on the character of Batman, and painting the world of Gotham & Metropolis as an ominous vision of our own.
On a cerebral scale there's nothing quite like DKR in the Batman world. And on a sheer comic-book-fun scale: it features an almighty showdown between Batman & Superman. Enough said.
1. The Killing Joke
The Killing Joke is possibly the greatest Batman story ever told. Written by the most acclaimed comic-book writer of all time, Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell...), this single issue story pits Batman against the Joker in a match that is both enthralling and chilling. The Joker has never been more twisted, and the battle between the two characters is tinged with madness and violence before reaching it's climax. At the same time, Moore takes the reader through the tragic origins of Batman's arch nemesis in a telling that, like Year One, has become the generally accepted version of the story.
With stunning artwork by Brian Bolland, and writing from Moore that's second to none, The Killing Joke has all the right ingredients to create a Batman story that's as close to perfect as you're gonna get. Thankfully, this is the version of The Joker that Christopher Nolan has chosen to bring to the screen for the Dark Knight: a demented and unstable murderer; and if Heath Ledger's portrayal is in any way close to the mark we're sure to be treated to an unforgettable incarnation of one of the Comic-Book world's greatest villains.
10 Batman Comics That Must Be Read
whats your top ten ???
just curious really to see what peoples top ten most played track are on there ipod or respective mp3 players so heres mine
1.Adebisi Shank - Horse
2.Caribou – Melody Day
3.cLOUDDEAD – Dead Dogs Two
4.Why? – Mutant John
5.Sunset Rubdown – The Mending of the Gown
6.Other Men – Strapped
7.Subtle – Falling
8.Hymie's Basement - 21st Century Pop Song
9.Chrome Hoof – Tonyte
10.Boom Bip – Snook Adis
so no cheating and what ive done is take the top song from a band and then not shown the rest other wise my list would be mostly Adebisi Shank,cLOUDDEAD and Why?.
if you want to post yours post it in the comments. (love to see what people are listening to)
Vampires, Vampires Everywhere...
Tara & I went to see '30 Days Of Night' last night, and while having one or two nifty little moments, it pretty much sucked. Waaaaaayyy too much stupidity involved. So it made me think- what are the greatest vampire movies ever? Fuck knows. But here are my favorites:
10. Dracula (1931)
First of 3 Dracula entries (he is the greatest vampire character of all time). This one's Bela Lugosi. Classic. Set a lot of precedent's for future vampire movies.
Trivia:
Several famous elements often associated with Dracula are not visible in this film. At no point does Dracula display fangs. Also, the famous vampire bite mark on the neck is never shown either.
9. Salem's Lot
I must have read the book ten times it was so damn scary. Tobe Hopper did a damn good job with this made for TV adaptation, creating an image of a vampire that has become iconic in it's own right.
Trivia:
The movie was almost directed by Zombie king George A. Romero.
8. Dracula (1958)
Christopher Lee & Peter Crushing as Dracula & Van Helsing- a casting wet-dream, this is the stuff that classics are made of.
Trivia:
In the United States the title was changed to "Horror of Dracula" to avoid confusion with the classic 1931 version. This was a real concern since the Bela Lugosi version was still being booked into theaters when this was released.
7. Blade 1 & 2
I couldn't decide which one of these two to pick, so I've been lazy and put em both in. They rock, for several reasons: the occasionally amazing action sequences; excellent design (eg- the reapers in 2); and that ever desirable shit-cool-ocity that only the best films possess.
Trivia:
When the original film was first being developed, David Fincher was supposed to direct. He later dropped out to pursue other projects.
6. Nosferatu
Again classic, and shit scary, particularly impressive for a silent film.
Trivia:
Director F.W. Murnau found lead actor Max Schreck "strikingly ugly" in real life and decided the vampire makeup would suffice with just pointy ears and false teeth.
5. Near Dark
Vampires + Cowboys + Ultra Violence = Very, very good movie.
Trivia:
Unusually for a vampire movie, the word "vampire" is never mentioned.
4. From Dusk Til Dawn
This movie oozes with the shit-cool-ocity i mentioned earlier. Mostly down to one man- George Clooney, who seems physically incapable of uttering anything other that the most insanely quotable of lines. The flick also draws excellence from the fact that it starts off as regular Tarantino fare, action-thriller-kidnapping, then about halfway through the film, suddenly out of nowhere- VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!!! Brilliant. Just brilliant.
Trivia:
Before George Clooney was cast, Tim Roth, John Travolta, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken were all offered the role of Seth Gecko. All passed because of scheduling conflicts. (Thank jeebus..)
3. Interview With The Vampire
Tara and I disagreed on whether this film romanticizes vampirism. I reckon that people are likely to watch this movie and think, hey, being a vampire's pretty sexy.. but that said, I can see how a lot of that could probably just be put down to Brad Pitt & Tom Cruise. This is one of those brooding, tortured vampire flicks, where the protagonists aren't being chased by vampires, but are the vampires themselves, so it plays to the sexual element that is present even in the likes of Dracula. Aside from all that, it's a superbly made film (Wicklow, represent) that's both engaging and terrifying.
Trivia:
Tom Cruise was placed on an elevated platform during some scenes to reduce the height difference between his character and other vampires (Moo ha ha).
2. The Lost Boys
80's vampires- sweet! Kiefer Sutherland at the height of his powers, both Corey's, and Joel Schumacher in the director's seat, it's a wonder this movie went so right. But we only have to look at one line to see why: "One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach, all the damn vampires."
Trivia:
Reference city- the names of the Frog brothers are Edgar and Alan, a reference to Edgar Allan Poe; and the movie's title is a nod to Peter Pan's troupe of boys who never grew old.
1. Bram Stoker's Dracula
This gets number one for me because in my mind it's everything a vampire movie should be. Lavishly designed, over the top, scary as hell, conscious of the history and tradition of the genre, and as 'Gothic horror' as it gets. And god damn does Gary Oldman deserve to be counted amongst the likes of Lee & Lugosi, turning in not one, two, three, but four different visions of the classic character in the one movie, all uniquely effective & terrifying. It's just a shame that the same praise can't be heaped on Keanu Reeves' performance...
Trivia:
Prince Vlad's scream after he drives his sword into the cross is not the voice of Gary Oldman. Lux Interior, lead singer of punk band The Cramps, recorded the scream and it was dubbed in.
(Trivia from IMDB.)
Scary Movies
Here's a list of 'Overlooked Scary Movies' from 'Scene Stealers'. Apart from the obvious seasonal value of this list, I've always been a huge fan of scary movies, and have recently found decent ones annoyingly hard to come by. Hopefully some of these will be worth checking out.
Off the top of my head, here's my top 5 scary movies (in no particular order):
Scream
I remember seeing this in the cinema and being a nervous wreck after the first scene. Brilliant.
The Haunting
A true classic. Watch it on your own, late at night, with the volume up. But make sure you don't rent the Liam Neeson remake. That's a different kind of terror.
The Shining
Probably the greatest horror movie ever made. But Kubrick only made 'the greatest...' movies. Eerie, beautiful and a complete mindfuck.
Ringu
This scared the SHIT out of me. At the movie's pivotal moment (completely mishandled in the remake) my blood actually ran cold. Brilliant.
Don't Look Now
All about atmosphere. Venice will never be the same again. Creates a feeling of unease in the viewer then completely exploits it all the way to it's demented climax.
Damn, 5 is never enough! What about 'The Wicker Man'?
Anything else I'm missing?
2006 Recap: Top 10s Are Fun
Albums Of The Year: 2006
Having not been able to stop listening to 'The Flying Club Cup', and knowing that it'll more than likely be on my end of year honors list, I figured I'd do a recap of last year's top albums.
Here they are (in order):
10. ISLANDS- 'Return To The Sea'
This album is a total gem- any band that can make a chirpy feel-good pop song about conflict diamonds deserves credit.
There are at least four standout tracks on 'Return To The Sea', ranging in style from recorder led pop, to dark rap-rock, to the downright unclassifiable.
Listen:
Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone
Saw what you will about the Arctic Monkeys, the fact that this album is packed to the brim with smart, catchy & edgy pop songs is undeniable. This record stayed in my stereo for months after it came out.
Listen:
The View From The Afternoon
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- 'Show Your Bones'
I'm truly a shameless pop whore. My criterion for good music include pop-sensibilities as an essential. Yeah Yeah Yeahs took the character and visceral energy of their debut and to this added the pop that I so love. 'Show Your Bones' was the result, and damn was it good.
Listen:
Cheated Hearts
7. Final Fantasy- He Poos Clouds
Apart from having the album name of the year, 'He
Listen:
This Lamb Sells Condos
6. Fujiya & Miyagi- 'Transparent Things'
This genre-bending album from the Brighton three-piece is the best electro-funk-indie-chillout-dance album I've ever heard.
Enough said.
Listen:
Photocopier
5. Cansei De Ser Sexy- 'CSS'
Every once in a while an album comes along that is destined to become a staple of parties everywhere (Thriller, As Heard On Radio, Danse Macabre, Crossroad..), CSS is such an album.
It's as dancy as it is rocky, and it has eleven tracks of non-stop wholesome goodness- no fast forwarding needed.
Listen:
Off The Hook
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'Stadium Arcadium'
It's often said about this album, but this is a band on the top of their game. To produce an (almost) flawless two disc album at this stage in their career says only one thing: the Chilis are in this for the long haul. This collection has nods to their earlier 'funky monk' stage (Animal Bar, Storm In A Teacup), the standout hit singles the band have become known for (Dani California, Tell Me Baby) and a handful of songs on which the band digress from the formula to tread relatively new ground. For me, it was this latter category which proved most rewarding. Tracks like '21st Century' and 'Strip My Mind' promise a lot from what I hope will be a very long future for the Chili Peppers.
As long as they don't get Navarro back.
Listen:
Strip My Mind
3. TV On The Radio- 'Return To Cookie Mountain'
To hear an album full of as many original ideas as 'Cookie Mountain' is a rare and precious thing. From the arrangement to the production, TVOTR have painted a wild and vivid picture that sucks you in from the get-go. It's hard to pick a highlight, as different songs seem to resonate with different moods, but as a lead single and a first plunge into the world of TVOTR you could do much worse than the thumping, howling 'Wolf Like Me'.
Listen:
Wolf Like Me
2. Joanna Newsom- 'Ys'
'Ys' could be a folk opus; it could be a classical suite; it could be an epic poem. It is certainly unique, and it is certainly a overpowering masterpiece. These five tracks are woven tight with layer upon intricate layer of strings composed by the legendary Van Dyke Parks, held together by Newsom's precise plucking of harp strings, and a voice so much more mature than on her previous effort. I can honestly see this album being studied in years to come, or being sought out on vinyl and played with the reverence that's right now reserved for the likes of 'Dark Side'. An absolute classic.
Listen:
Cosmia
1. Cursive- 'Happy Hollow'
With 'Happy Hollow' Cursive have delivered everything that you could possibly want in an album. The concept allows for Tim Kasher's lyrics to explore small town ignorances and hypocrisies through the most cutting and insightful compositions of his career. Reading these words alone sent shivers down my spine, only to be repeated tenfold when they were put to music. From the first passionately urgent chord, Cursive have the listener is in the palm of their hand. Personally, I must admit I wondered where the band would go after the departure of Cellist Gretta Cohn. She had without a doubt contributed to the dynamic of the fantastic 'The Ugly Organ' and I worried about hole she would leave. Fortunately that hole has been plugged with passion, Wizard Of Oz fueled dementia, distortion and a messed-up brass section. Oh, and when this record rocks it fucking rocks. If you don't already own this, get on it.
Listen:
Dorothy At Forty
Notable Mentions:
Knife: 'Silent Shout'; Broken Social Scene: 'Broken Social Scene'....more? Probably....
Click here for 2007 albums of the year list
Top 10 Banned Books of 20th Century
Folk have probably seen this list before, but here it is again:
click me
I've read four- all amazing; including No.1, which is one of the most amazing things I've read in my life. Anyone who hasn't yet read it should get on it now! Now that I think about it, I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Harry Potter books wound up on a list of this nature. At least their in (very) good company...
Top 10 Must-See Upcoming Gigs
Seeing as there are quite a few gems coming up I figured I'll knock together a 'High Fidelity-esque' Top 10. Then I realised I forgot one, so it became a top 11. Deal with it.
11. Radio Soulwax- Ambassador, 26th Oct.
At this stage everyone should know what Radio Soulwax is: 2Many DJs, mash ups, dancing and general merriment. For some odd reason despite the fact that 2many DJs seems to play here every 20 mins or so, I've still never seen em. Hopefully this time round. It's one of several gigs on this list that'd be perfectly matched with a crazy night out on the tiles.
10 Messiah J & The Expert- Crawdaddy, 21st Nov.
Messiah J is an anomaly. An Irish MC rapping about (amongst other things) Irish stuff, and not being a complete disaster. Far from it in fact- MJ&tE's recent album 'Now This I Have To Hear' is sample-iciously good. I saw the guys perform in Whelans in support of it's launch and they put on a great show. Something different from the Irish scene, and definitely something worthwhile. Here's the video for the 1st single from the album, 'Something Outta Nothing'. Enjoy.
9. Hot Hot Heat- The Village, 11th Nov.
There was a period of time for me when going out was just not as crazy unless preceded by listening to HHH's 'Make Up the Break Down' in full. It's exciting jumpy rocky guitar pop at it's very best. Checking these guys out in the Village is gonna be sweet, and I'd imagine, a rare opportunity for me to get my mosh on. Here's 'No, Not Now'.
8. Les Savy Fav- Crawdaddy, 27th Oct.
This is a Ste Foy tip, which makes it reliable. These guys are insane, and quite good too, which helps. They're promoting their third album 'Let's Stay Friends' which I haven't yet heard, but am very much looking forward to. Here's them being odd at the McCarren Park Pool Fundraiser (imagine this kind of carry-on in Crawdaddy...):
7. CSS- Olympia, 10th Dec.
One would think with the pure unbridled greatness of Cansei De Ser Sexy's debut album AND the fact that this December show will be their 3rd in Dublin this year that everyone in their right mind will surely have seen them live at this stage. One would be wrong. Mercifully, the Brazilian funk-rockers are gracing us with one last show in 2007 so these early non-believers can wipe the egg off their faces. Another entry that falls under the 'Party' category, if you're going make sure you check out the after-show shindig, which rocked last time.
6. Vic Chesnutt Band- Button Factory, 1st Dec.
Vic Chesnutt is a paraplegic alt-country musician whose backing band includes members of Fugazi, Godspeed You Black Emperor and The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra. Wow. How is it going to sound? I don't know. Quite good, I'll bet. Imagine this kinda thing:
crossed with this kinda thing:
5. The Good Life- Crawdaddy, 2nd Dec.
The Good Life is a Saddle-Creek band (one point) and a side project of Cursive's Tim Kasher (ten points). I love it when Saddle Creek bands come to town, as they're responsible for some of the best performances I've seen on Dublin stages. Also, Kasher is a bit of a genius; and although The Good Life's material is less (pause) 'intense' than Cursive's, it's no less kickass. I will be there with bells on. Here's a taster:
4. Dan Deacon- TBC, 29th, 30th Nov, 1st Dec.
Pure madness from Eletro-Punk DJ with stellar live reputation. Previous holder of the 'damn I wish I'd been to that gig' award. See here for my more detailed recent post on this series of shows.
3. Fujiya & Miyagi- Button Factory, 16th Dec.
'Transparent Things' is easily one of the albums of the year. It ticks so many boxes on the 'what's required to make a great record' form that one might reasonably start to question how exactly they managed it. But who cares, the bottom line is that it's blissful. Their show at Electric Picnic was fantabulous, so it's not unreasonable to expect the same again. It's also stinkin cheap. Do it!
2. Justice- Big Top, Phoenix Park, 1st Dec.
Justice are this decade's Daft Punk. At least that's what it says on the promo stickers for the album.....and it's not far off. Apart from the fact that it's a fairly lazy comparison (dj's, french, two of em) it's kinda on the ball. The production values are equally amazing, the beats phenomenal, and the poppy glee is there in spades. If the big top turns out to be even a half decent venue then this is THE dance gig of the year.
1. Arcade Fire- Big Top, Phoenix Park, 24th Oct.
Big surprise at number one. Arcade Fire initially made a name for themselves by being a mindblowing live act, and thanks to Ireland's exemplary network of touting scumbags it's thusfar been damn near impossible to get to any of their shows. The Big Top gigs and their increased capacity have finally turned fantasy into reality, and for the first time I can say that I will be there. Nobody needs to be told of how amazing this band is. It's so undisputed over all levels of society that it has become a scientific & mathematical fact (Arcade Fire=Great). I'm more than a tad excited. Here's them with David Bowie, who clearly has good taste:
PS...just as a heads up- there is one particular show that as of yet is still in the 'rumor' department, but if confirmed will jump straight up the list to number one with the greatest of ease. Anyone paying attention will know what I'm talking about. Fingers crossed. I'll keep you informed...
