SUN SETS ON NOLANS KNIGHT

By Gina Joseph
gina.joseph@macombdaily.com; @ginaljoseph

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES OPENS IN THEATERS JULY 20

hat direction will Christopher Nolan take this time with the caped crusader? How will things end for Batman? Will we see him again? Some of these questions will come to light on July 20 with the opening of The Dark Knight Rises. Who knows what the future will bring, said Michael Uslan, executive producer of the Batman franchise of motion pictures. This is the man who took the Pop! Wham! Dork! Batman character that TV audiences had come to know (and joke about) and restored it to its identity as a darkly serious

creature of the night, stalking criminals from the shadows. Its certainly the completion of the Christopher Nolan trilogy, Uslan said in a telephone interview from his New Jersey home. Nolans first direction of the Christian Bale Batman that younger generations have come to know and emulate was Batman Begins, followed by The Dark Knight which is the second highest grossing films of all time. Nolans ensemble of Bale, Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox), Gary Oldman (Jim Gordon) and Michael Caine (Alfred) is together again, joined this time by Marion Cotillard (Miranda Tate), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (John Blake), and Anne Hathaway (Selina Kyle/Catwoman). Also in the cast is Tom Hardy, who plays this storys villain Bane, a terrorist leader intent on destroying Gothams finest forcing the

return of the Dark Knight, eight years after taking the fall for Two Faces crimes. Its a tough role, not just because his character speaks through a muzzle but because hes the new villain. Still fresh in everyones mind (and nightmares) is Batmans last enemy, played by the late Heath Ledger, whose lunatic performance as Joker earned him an Academy Award. But, if theres one thing Uslan is sure about, its Nolans choice of actors. His casting is so genius, and unexpected, Uslan said. Prior to Dark Knight Heath Ledger would not have been on most directors radar, let alone a choice for Joker. (Yet)... it was a performance of a lifetime, Uslan said. Ledgers dark and serious interpretation of the Joker was so real, it was terrifying. Gary Oldman is another example of Nolans ability to see what others cannot. (Oldman) has always been known in the industry as the altering chameleon, and for him to be the perfect human element, is incredible, Uslan said. For the generation that grew up in the 1960s, Gordons character was a silver-haired senior citizen, who panicked at every turn. In Nolans trilogy, he is noble and strong, Gothams most incorruptible cop, who takes on villains whether Batman has his back or not. Uslan credits Nolan for creating such great characters onscreen, yet it is really his vision audiences are seeing.

Director CHRIS NOLAN during the filming of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures action thriller THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
When I bought the film rights to Batman in 1979, no one wanted to make a Batman movie, well, not a good one, anyway, said Uslan, in a report released to the press. First, the president of DC Comics tried to convince me not to buy the film rights. He told me that no one wanted to make a Batman movie, but I made the deal anyway. As discouraging as it was for Uslan, the guy was right. For 10 years, Uslan banged on doors in Hollywood, pitching the idea of restoring Batmans image. I was rejected by every studio in town, multiple times, before I was able to convince people that Batman would be viable as a serious interpretation and not as a comedy, said Uslan. He attended Comic Con-like events when they were held in fleabag hotels rather than posh arenas and shares the angst of his quest in the newly released memoir, The

TM and DC Comics

Boy Who Loved Batman (Chronicle Books). What we proved with the Dark Knight was that we could use comic book-based material to transcend the genre and simply make a good movie, period. Could Batman earn an Oscar? Maybe, but more important to Uslan is what Batman means to the world. This includes young people like the students at West Point, who named the Dark Knight as the character that most represents the honor of cadets. Upon accepting the award Uslan told the young men and women headed off to fight real villains, You are Batman! And to this they replied in unison, I am Batman. The Dark Knight Rises, opening July 20, is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
Online: www.thedarkknightrise.com

Batmans journal released to public

By Gina Joseph
Gina.joseph@macombdaily.com; @ginaljoseph

Batman photo contest winners

f Bruce Wayne had kept a secret journal it would look just like The Batman Files ($100, Andrews McMeel Publishing). Its meant to be something that Batman could pass on to his children or successors, said Matthew Manning, comic book writer, historian, husband, father, and as readers will find out, keeper of the files. Its as if he said, Im always going to be here and this is what youll need to know about me. Mannings passion for comic books fueled his determination to become a writer. After high school, he headed to New York City to further his education and gain the opportunity to meet other like-minded comic book people. The move landed him work as an intern for DC Comics and after filling in for one of the Justice League editors and proving hes capable of wearing the writers cape, he rose

MANNING
quickly through the ranks. Over the course of his career, hes written many comic book titles for Marvel and DC including Batman, Batman Strikes! Iron Man: The Ultimate Guide to the Armored Super Hero, and (news flash) an upcoming creator-owned DC Comics sci-fi miniseries (set in New York

City). Theres also a matter of his collection of comic books: 11,000 DC volumes and 5,000 Marvel. No wonder Manning was entrusted with the secret journal produced in conjunction with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment and Andrews McMeel Publishing. As readers are told, When Matthew K. Manning stumbled upon an unmarked box enveloped in nondescript brown paper wrapping left on the front steps of his Mystic, Conn., home, he had no idea it would prove to be one of the greatest journalistic discoveries in recent history. Upon carefully opening the suspicious package, Manning discovered a large book adorned only with the emblematic batsymbol. One of the worlds foremost historians on Batman lore, Manning soon realized he held in his hands the infinitely mysterious and previously unknown secrets of the Batman. Of the assignment, Manning said it was more fun than

writing a history book, but at times exhausting. You have to remember I was writing as Bruce Wayne, which can be a dark place to live, said Manning. Even more difficult for Manning was creating the outline for the book. I wanted it to be as thorough as possible, said Manning. For him that meant including obscure characters from the 40s, 50s and 60s, people might not remember like Ten Eyes Man, whose optic nerves were transferred to his fingertips; Clay Face, a guy who can change his appearance; or Man Bat, a scientist who botches an experiment using a Bats sonar system to cure his deafness and becomes half-bat and half-man. He has none of the coolness of Batman, or his toys. Still, they are unique. I really love these ridiculous characters, Manning said, adding that many of them would be cool to see on the big screen.
For more on the work of Matthew Manning visit www.matthewmanning.com.

The Batman Files by Matthew K. Manning ($100, Andrews McMeel Publishing).

Winner of the Oakland Press Batman-inspired photo contest is Bela K. of Rochester, who submitted this image taken at his daughters spring dance competition two years ago. From left are mom Stacey, daughter Wade, son Jed, and dad, Bela.

Jim H. of Royal Oak earned top honors for the Daily Tribune, with this picture of his son Nathan. The youngster is wearing the very first (costume) I bought for him myself. Hes been a Batman fan since he was born!

Andrew E. saves Mothers Day. This photo, submitted by mom, Andrea, who works in Mount Clemens, took first prize for The Macomb Daily.