Comparison between the currently released screen grabs and
the closest matching panel from the graphic novel.
Batman: Year One will be debuting at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con and I’m very anxious to see what those in attendance will think of it. The story, according to Bruce Timm, is a straight-forward retelling of the story, with most of the shots used in the comic panels intact. I felt compelled to go back and read the source material after having had the collection sitting on a bookshelf for a long time.
The comic, which was written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, is an interpretation which doesn’t change the basic building blocks of who Batman is or how he came to be, but instead gives it more depth. Bruce Wayne’s childhood is still cut short when sees his parents murdered by a thief. He embarks on a life-long quest to try and make a better Gotham, where what shattered his world would not happen to others. Instead, they chose to focus on the earliest point in his career.
The story begins with Lieutenant Jim Gordon’s arrival and Bruce Wayne’s return to Gotham. In spite of widespread corruption, the lieutenant has taken a job in Gotham to better support his wife and unborn child. At the same time, the young millionaire has returned after twelve years abroad. During his time away, he’s received extensive training in all areas that he felt he needed to accomplish his goals. He’s just missing that final puzzle piece. We follow the two characters as Gordon battles the extensive corruption of the system from within while Wayne leads a secret life, exposing himself to the criminal element to gain a better idea of what he’ll be up against.
It’s an excellent story. They’re unafraid to show the two main characters as flawed, but with the best of intentions. It gritty and human and once it’s read, it’s still worth reading again. So, I’m really looking forward to seeing what the team at Warner Bros. Animation is able to do with it and how close to the source material will they be? Will Gordon’s implied affair be in there? Will every bullet wound that Bruce Wayne takes be shown? One of the screen grabs floating around the internet says, “yes” to one of those. We’ll find out together!
Comparison between the currently released screen grabs and
the closest matching panel from the graphic novel.
Batman: Year One will debut at the San Diego Comic-Con this July and hit stores this fall. What are your thoughts on the upcoming release?
