Buzz
Drawing inspiration from renowned works like Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Year One, it's no surprise that DC's latest blockbuster has garnered such positive feedback.
Note: This article contains spoilers for The Batman.
Easter eggs have become a staple in modern superhero films. With a runtime of up to 3 hours, The Batman is packed with intriguing details related to DC's Batman comics.
What sets The Batman apart is its incorporation of not just one or two primary story arcs, but a multitude of comic books and various film and television projects, resulting in one of DC Films' most outstanding blockbusters in recent years. Below are the sources of inspiration that have shaped a very different, very fresh Batman under the direction of Matt Reeves and the performance of Robert Pattinson.
Batman: Ego (2000) by Darwyn Cooke
Batman: Ego delves into the inner conflicts of Bruce Wayne as Batman. It's a psychological battle between two selves within the same body, constantly questioning whether his 'superhero' actions are truly righteous. The Batman somewhat successfully portrays these conflicts, ultimately helping Bruce realize: Like in Ego, he is both a symbol of hope and a manifestation of fear.
Batman: The Long Halloween (1996 - 1997) by Jeph Loeb, illustrated by Tim Sale
Arguably one of DC's finest Batman comics, it follows Bruce alongside Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent as they hunt down the criminal known as Holiday, who massacred the Falcone family on Halloween. The Batman borrows this concept, cleverly turning it into Riddler's elaborate plan to eliminate corrupt officials in Gotham within a week of Halloween.
Furthermore, the film also explores the early relationship between Bruce and Jim Gordon, before developing into an unbreakable friendship. Lastly, the detail of Thomas Wayne saving Carmine Falcone's life is also inspired by Batman: The Long Halloween.
Batman: Year One (1987) by Frank Miller, illustrated by Dave Mazzucchelli
Batman: Year One is a reboot for Batman after Crisis on Infinite Earths - an event that reshaped DC's entire history. The Batman draws significant inspiration from this comic in developing the character of Selina Kyle/Catwoman, both in appearance and personality.
Batman: Earth One (2012) by Geoff Johns, illustrated by Gary Frank
Batman: Earth One explores the details of the Wayne's death, intertwined with political elements as Thomas Wayne considers running for Gotham Mayor. This comic also portrays Alfred Pennyworth more as the head of Wayne Security rather than just the Wayne family's butler. Finally, Batman: Earth One also provides inspiration for the Riddler, a serial killer with a strange obsession with Batman.
Batman: The Telltale Series (2016), a game by Telltale Games
Batman: The Telltale Series stands out for its portrayal of Thomas Wayne as an accomplice of Carmine Falcone, forcing Bruce to uncover the truth about his father and his ties to Gotham's criminal families. Additionally, it delves deep into the relationship between Batman and Catwoman. The scene of their confrontation towards the end of The Batman seems to draw inspiration from the climax of Telltale's first installment.
Batman: Zero Year (2013 - 2014) by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, illustrated by Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, and Rafael Albuquerque
Batman: Zero Year serves as a major inspiration for Riddler's endgame: to drown Gotham in a flood. Additionally, it reveals Batman's existence to the people of Gotham, transforming him into a symbol of hope rather than just consumed by vengeance after his parents' death.
Batman: Year Two (1987) by Mike W. Barr, illustrated by Todd McFarlane and Alan Davis
Batman: Year Two thrusts Batman into a precarious situation, forcing him to align with Gotham's criminal underworld to thwart the villain known as the Reaper. Beyond sharing a timeframe (the second year since Bruce became Batman), this comic delves into Batman's internal conflicts as he constantly questions his decision to collaborate with villains like the Penguin or Catwoman to stop a greater evil. However, unlike the comics, Robert Pattinson's Batman remains true to his principles and steadfastly rejects firearms.
Sal 'Boss' Maroni
First appearing in Detective Comics #66 (1942), Sal 'Boss' Maroni is the gangster who threw acid in Harvey Dent's face, indirectly leading him to become the villain Two-Face. In later comics such as Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween, Maroni becomes a prominent figure heading many of Gotham's major crime families, second only to Carmine Falcone. The Batman also explores a similar relationship between these two crime bosses.
“I Am Vengeance”
In The Batman, Bruce Wayne identifies himself as the avenger. This line first appeared in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series in the episode 'Nothing to Fear,' when Batman first encounters Scarecrow. Under the influence of his enemy's toxin, Bruce begins to hallucinate and confronts his greatest fear: being deemed a disgrace by his father, Thomas Wayne. Despite it all, he overcomes that nightmare and leaves behind one of DC's most famous lines: 'I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!'
Tim Drake (Red Robin)
You may not know this, but Jay Lycurgo, the actor portraying Tim Drake (the third Robin) in Titans season 3, also appeared in The Batman's opening minutes, nearly killing someone to join a criminal gang. Tim completed all his scenes in The Batman before joining Titans. It's unclear whether this is a mere coincidence or if DC has deeper plans for the future of the Batman-centric cinematic universe.
The Birthdate of Jim Gordon and Batman
In the scene where Batman is summoned to the crime scene of Mayor Don Mitchell's murder, Jim Gordon is seen assigned to oversee district 39 of Gotham City. This is an easter egg related to the time milestone of 1939, when Batman and Gordon first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (5/1939).
Famous Landmarks of Gotham
The Batman brings forth many familiar locations within Gotham City, including the residential district of Gotham Heights, Adams Port, and Grant Park. However, the Batcave in this film resides beneath the secret basement of Wayne Tower instead of Wayne Manor, resembling the Bronze Age era of DC comics. Additionally, we also have the Penguin's Iceberg Lounge and the prison on Blackgate Penitentiary Island.
Adam West's Batman
The Batman revolves around the early days of Bruce Wayne's crime-fighting career, when his tech gadgets were still quite primitive and not very diverse. In one scene, Batman is seen using a grappling gun to descend straight down from the rooftop of a tall building. This detail harkens back to the Batman (1966) movie starring Adam West, where he and Robin (Burt Ward) constantly relied on ropes to climb down.
Martha Wayne/Martha Kane/Martha Arkham
In most Batman comic versions, Bruce Wayne's mother, Martha Wayne, comes from the Kane family - one of the five families that built Gotham. However, like in Batman: Earth One, The Batman completely alters this detail, turning Martha into an Arkham relative and a woman plagued with mental issues.
The Villain Hush
To prevent the press from exposing Martha's illness, Thomas Wayne asked Carmine Falcone to 'smoothly' dismiss the reporter named Edward Elliot. However, Falcone misunderstood his friend's intention and ruthlessly killed him. Based on the video clips released by the Riddler, along with phrases like 'hushing up,' it seems like DC is laying the groundwork to introduce the villain Thomas 'Hush' Elliot into its new cinematic universe in future projects.
The World's Greatest Detective
When mistakenly captured, Penguin sarcastically referred to Batman and Jim Gordon as 'the world's greatest detectives.' In the comics, this is actually one of Batman's aliases, alongside other famous monikers like the Dark Night or the Caped Crusader.
Selina Kyle's Background
One of The Batman's most surprising twists is that Selina Kyle is the daughter of Carmine Falcone. This detail draws inspiration from comics like The Long Halloween, as well as sequels such as Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome. However, her battle with Falcone is more based on Batman: Year One, especially the scene where Selina uses her claws to scratch his face.
The Venom Toxin and the Future Appearance of Bane
In the final battle, Batman used a strange green drug to 'revitalize' himself, but it also caused him to lose control and nearly kill a member of the Riddler's gang. Some fans speculate that this drug is similar to Venom, a compound often used by the villain Bane to enhance his strength. However, in the original story, before Bane's debut in 1993, Batman was already addicted to a strength-enhancing drug in the comic Batman: Venom (1991).
The Bat & The Cat
In the final scene of The Batman, Selina Kyle referred to herself and Batman as 'The Bat and the Cat.' This detail likely indicates her embracing her identity as Catwoman, while also honoring the author Tom King, who frequently explores the relationship between these two characters and refers to them as 'Bat' & 'Cat.'
Blüdhaven
Upon parting ways with Batman, Selina Kyle mentioned that she would go to the city of Blüdhaven. In the comics, this is the new home of Dick Grayson (Nightwing) since the Nightwing comic series (1996) until now.
Joker
In the final scene of The Batman, Riddler forms an alliance with another inmate at Arkham Asylum, a man with a sinister grin that many fans immediately recognized as the notorious crime prince, Joker.
As per ScreenRant
