Bruce Wayne: The Boy Wonder

I've only caught one episode of GOTHAM so far. But I actually liked it. A lot more than I thought I would. Good cast and an interesting take on how Bruce Wayne would ultimately decide to become Batman.

Robin Lord Taylor's performance as Oswald Cobblepot, the man who would ultimately become that fowl... I mean... foul fiend The Penguin is a particular favorite of mine. I also really enjoy Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth.

The series has some of the grittiness of the Christopher Nolan trilogy without being too "real". One of the things I think was a weak spot in the trilogy for me... that and the Christian Bale Batman voice. I missed many of the villains like the Riddler and the Penguin which were apparently too "lightweight" for the Nolan films.

Its also nice to see the series focusing on the origins of some lesser utilized Batman villains like Hugo Strange. A character I really like and someone I'm surprised none of the films have featured in some capacity.

The series focuses on Jim Gordon before he was the commish and a Bruce Wayne barely out of Jr. High School. Along with a few vigilante type character that came before the Batman. I does make me wonder if they might go in this direction.

Bruce Wayne becoming the first Robin: The Boy Wonder.

Some of you out there might not be familiar with one of the older continuities in the DC Universe which introduced Bruce Wayne as the very first Robin. 

It was originally used in a Batman story from the 1950's and later recounted in THE UNTOLD LEGEND OF THE BATMAN illustrated by John Byrne and Jim Aparo (seen above) in the early 1980's. Bruce would create the costume in order to meet Harvey Harris, detective he idolized, and learn the basics for detective work. It should be noted to Bat-Fans out there that the color scheme and domino mask of Robin's costume were actually originally intended for Batman.

Yep! If you didn't know that before, you read that right!!

The purpose for the secret identity was so Harris learning Wayne's true motives (avenge his parents death most likely) which could potentially lead to the detective discouraging Wayne from pursuing this obsession. Wayne ends up saving  Harris's life in the process of trying to meet him and in gratitude for the good dead, the detective agrees to train the lad and even gives him the moniker Robin since his costume resembles a robin redbreast. 

Many years later when Bruce Wayne would become the Batman, he would pass the Robin guise to his ward Dick Grayson.

This continuity has long since been retconned. Which I think is kind of a shame because I feel the whole idea of a young restless Bruce Wayne donning a mask long before he was Batman is a great idea.

Actually, I think it would work really well in the context of the series GOTHAM. Mock me as you may, but I think it would be great. Especially considering they are creating this bond between Wayne and Jim Gordon. Perhaps it's time to dust off that old story-line and substitute Jim Gordon for Harvey Harris...

...the detective Wayne idolizes.

Batman (1943)

There is a misconception of the 1943 Batman movie serial starring Robert Lewis that it is terrible and the worst adaptation of Batman ever made.

 

This is actually false. That dubious honor belongs to the 1949 follow up serial Batman and Robin which starred Robert Lowery as the Caped Crusader.

 

Batman creator Bob Kane seems to misremember the films stating that the second serial was the better of the two and Lewis Wilson being out of shape in the role of Batman.

 

As a matter of fact it was Robert Lowery who was completely unsuitable in the role of Batman. Apparently, he was so out of shape that they actually had to give him oxygen between takes.

 

As a matter of fact, the 1943 serial is the only time on film or on television where the actor playing Robin the Boy Wonder is actually relatively close to the age the character was in the comic book. Douglas Croft was 16 when he played Robin.

 

Johnny Duncan was 26, Burt Ward was 19 and Chris O'Donnell was 25 when they played the character in their respective adaptations.

 

It's true the 1943 Batman has the dubious honor of being racist and very politically incorrect by today's standards with the key villain being Japanese stereotype. But you have to keep in mind when this film came out it was at the height of WWII and not too long after Pearl Harbor.

The film is very low budget. So don't expect to see mind-blowing special effects or acting of Shakespearean caliber. Heck! There's not even a Batmobile in the film. Then again, Batman doesn't actually have a "Batmobile" in his first comic book appearance.

But we forget that films weren't created to be realistic. They were created for people to escape reality. There was a great deal of bad stuff going on in the world at that time, so you'd save up your pennies and escape into the world of fantasy that Hollywood created.

It really has only been in the past few decades this push for gritty realism in both the subject matter of the movies as well as the special effects.

At that time the country was both getting out of  the Great Depression and there was a war going on across the pond. Films had to be made quickly. And as cheap as possible.

Movie serials satisfied both needs.

 

That aside, it may not be Christopher Nolan or even Tim Burton. But it's a fun watch. This is less the brooding Dark Knight style Batman but more of the swashbuckling action/adventure style version of the character.

 

Which is actually something I wouldn't mind seeing the character return to. Maybe not as low budget as the serials. But maybe something a little more of a James Bond with a cape and less of the tortured soul.

 

If you're a fan of Batman or a film history buff, I would definitely give this film a try. Despite the low budget and production flaws, you might find it to be a lot of fun to watch.