A Real Life Hero.

You have to love the outpouring of compassion and attention from the cast and crew of "The Dark Knight Rises" to the victims of the Aurora Colorado shooting.

It wasn't long before Christopher Nolan responded to the tragedy with a heartfelt and eloquent message.

“Speaking on behalf of the cast and crew of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' I would like to express our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community,” he wrote. “I would not presume to know anything about the victims of the shooting, but that they were there last night to watch a movie. I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime.”


He continued, “The movie theater is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me. Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families."

 

Joseph Gorden Levitt also reacted swiftly to the shooting in Aurora.

"My most sincere sympathies go out to the families of the victims in Aurora." 

There was also this from Anne Hathaway who plays Selina Kyle in the movie.

“My heart aches and breaks for the lives taken and altered by this unfathomably senseless act.  “I am at a loss for words how to express my sorrow. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” she added.

And now this from Christian Bale.

As you can see from the topmost picture, Bale has dropped everything to visit the victims in their hospital rooms.  (You can learn more about this visit here at Eonline.)  My heart broke a little more when the wounded fan made sure his Red Sox cap was front and center.  Many thanks to all of those involved in the Dark Knight Rises for their love and concern.  Warner Bros. themselves has contributed a sizable sum of money to the relief fund.

You also can contribute at this link.

A Dark Night in Colorado

Like many others I woke up to the news Friday morning that there had been a shooting at a midnight movie screening in Aurora, Colorado.  I immediately surmised that it had taken place during the "Dark Knight Rises" premier there and sadly my suspicions proven correct.  How horrible.

The actions were that of a deranged lunatic that needed an excuse to do grievous harm to those who were simply enjoying a night out.   I am sickened and appalled by this terrible tragedy.  My first thought was to encourage people to go and see the movie and stand up to those who would ruin the normalcy of our daily lives. Upon further consideration, I thought my reasoning selfish.  As a fan of Batman, I naturally wanted to see the latest movie succeed.  What I should have encouraged people to do was keep each other close and go about their lives and not let those who would do us harm change the way we do things.

Now I'm learning that people are using the movie to defy the evil that was inflicted on those poor souls in Aurora.  How courageous and how like the symbol of the Batman to raise our spirits and fill our hearts with hope.  People can use any method they want to honor those that have fallen in Colorado but if they use the same inspiration as the character of Batman does then what better way to counteract the evil that would seek the ruination of our lives.

My thoughts are with those people in Aurora, Colorado.  If you want to contribute and assist those victims of that terrible night a list of charities have been compiled by Giving First and you can reach it by following the link.

Courage.

The Return of the Joker

On July 2nd DC Comics announced the return of the Joker in "Batman" issue #13 due out October 10.  The Joker's storyline will be referred to as "Death of the Family" and it marks the return of the most infamous of all of Batman's arch enemies.  (To read more of this announcement check out the DC Blog: The Source.)

The significance of this announcement is not just the return of the "Crown Prince of Crime" after a long and mysterious absence but the success of the Batman comic without him.  Scott Snyder and his artist/penciller, Greg Capullo have brought us the mesmerizing "Court of the Owls" series and with it they have opened a whole new chapter in the Bat family legacy.  One scarcely missed the Joker!  But you can't keep a good fiend down and with the resolution of the Owl series nigh it was only a matter of time before "Mr. J" made his nefarious return.

What intrigues me is what take will Scott and Capullo have on the Joker?   The last time these two gave us the Joker it turned out to be Dick Grayson in disguise and Batman was using this charade as means to quelling an Arkham Prison riot.  (See above illustration.)

We should make no mistake now that the real Joker is making his return and below is the teaser to issue number 13 of Batman.

Capullo likes to feature his Joker with an aquiline nose that accentuates the overly toothy grin that accompanies his Joker's maniacal eyes.  It seems Scott and Capullo prefer their Joker with a frothy bit of over the top instability.  In the above illustration the Joker is no less unhinged as despite his evil machinations he takes the time to adjust his lip gloss.  Perhaps this has something to do with whatever happened to the Joker in the pages of "Detective Comics" this year as seen below.

We've heard of "Two Face" in Batman lore but "No Face"? There is nothing worse than an angry Joker and no doubt whatever happened to him in the Detective series must carry over to the Batman series.  Or will it?  Scott and Capullo have their own book and they have the success of the "Owls" series behind them.  The question is,can they top it?  Now that they have the Joker to play with they can vent any criminal lunacy they care to and I'm guessing there will be no restraint.

As for the very top illustration, it was taken from an old silent film era character that is often cited as the inspiration to the Joker.  It's a little quiz for the readers of my Fringe blog.  So the query is, what is the relation to the "Man Who Laughs" and Fringe?