what is it about batman?

[lumar]

i often see batman pop up in various works on the concept art forums.. am i insane or is there a fair few batman's or batmen.

what is it about batman that makes people here like the character?

not that i dont like him, im intrigued is all

[VirusArtist]

i think its because the character of batman just screams "gothic". creating a batman pic is a good chance to see how well you handle anatomy, composition, lighting etc. one cant imagine batman having a barbecue on a finely mowed lawn on a sunny day.

a batman pic HAS to be dramatic, dark, moody and so on. maybe its also a quest for finding a pose or depicting a situation batman hasnt already been seen in (quite a challenge if you ask me).

in the end I think it just comes down to the fact that a lotta artists like to create dark, gothic scenarios and batman is THE posterboy for that topic ;)

[dfacto]

Batman's one of the only tight wearers who isn't a pussy.

[Interceptor]

Batman is a unique superhero.. i think he appeals to people because he's not some guy with crazy powers. He's just the epitome of physical conditioning and applied knowledge.

[stoph]

Batman is a unique superhero.. i think he appeals to people because he's not some guy with crazy powers. He's just the epitome of physical conditioning and applied knowledge.

much like me. i dont wear tights though.. well, sometimes.

[John]

If you ask me, it's the iconic design. If you want to he is just a big black blob with pointy ears on top and a white cutout for the mask. You can just leave out the anatomy if you want. Good for action poses.

God i like Batman.

[lumar]

yeah, this all makes sense.
and actualy the point on an iconic look espeically rings true to me...thanks bitches

[Magic Man]

I like Batman as a character because he represents the dark side of our better selves, the part of us that, if we had nothing to lose would kick the absolute shit out of drug dealers, pimps, robber, criminals and those who make us feel helpless. He's the guy who cuts through the red tape and inflicts upon the criminal world what should be dealt upon them.

[Carnifex]

to quote frank miller:
"don't you know who i am? i am the goddamn batman"

:D
(and what everyone else said,though i personally like spiderman better)

[Blue]

Batman is a unique superhero.. i think he appeals to people because he's not some guy with crazy powers. He's just the epitome of physical conditioning and applied knowledge.
exactly. Anyone here can be batman if they put their mind to it.. he doesn't rely on radioactive spiders, secret government testing, weird radioactive outerspace accidents, or the color of our sun. Batman just kicks ass. I'm not even a particular batman fan, i can just recognise the massive appeal behind him and why. For my money, wolverine always takes the cake, but thats just me. :)

[jackenstein]

For me, his appeal not only comes from him as a character, but also from the people who make him: his Rogue's gallery. Heroes are usually defined by their villains, and he has the coolest Rogue's gallery ever, and conceptually, it really works. For the many, we like concepts that have an edge and that explore a different facet of superherodom, and Batman was the original badass.

[magicgoo]

Isn't he also supposed to be more than a little eccentric? Like a crazy mofo who barely deals with his emotional issues? Just asking.

[jfwalls]

He's basically a ninja, and everybody loves ninjas. Except pirates.

[DSillustration]

Batman's one of the only tight wearers who isn't a pussy.
please...
the guy is a pampered billionaire who beats up poor people.

[Taj]

This is just random events segregating non-randomly.

You just think your seeing a lot of batman.

[Mr. Visions]

please...
the guy is a pampered billionaire who beats up poor people.

THAT'S HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!! but I still love the character -

Thanks for the laugh, Dan.

- Visions

[Elwell]

This is why I'm an artist today.

[asoir]

Frank Miller made him an idol for me...

[Denart]

Elwell! Is that Neal Adams?
And did he also draw the John Byrne, Superman: Man of Steel?

:bashful:

[Elwell]

Elwell! Is that Neal Adams?

Sho' is. It's from this issue.

[N D Hill]

I think the appeal of batman for me has to do with the strange thematic balance between the dark and broody with the silly and ridiculous. That tension makes for some pretty oddly compelling characters and stories. Frank Miller really captured this in Dark Knight returns with his mix of unapologetic, over-the-top pulp violence mixed with comedy. The good Batman stories are always filled with push and pull to both extremes. A lot of this is inherent with the character. No matter how dark and frightening writers try to get with the character, he’s still a grown man dressed up like a bat carrying all kinds of funny bat-gadgets. The same formula works for the villains as well.

Oh. btw, here are my favorite contributing artists.

Kelly Jones

http://www.monitorduty.com/images/imgs26/batcrotch2.jpg

Frank Miller

http://batman.manyfacesof.com/art/11bat6.jpg

And of Course Dave McKean...

http://www.simonfinchart.com/images/large/morrison.jpg

...For the single best rendition of the Joker.

http://www.republiquelibre.org/cousture/bd/images5/BATMAN92.JPG

[N D Hill]

Oh. And for the record, I'd have to say that Jim Lee is the single worst thing that ever happened to the character. Hush was simply the worst, most blatant 'monster mash' and an absolutely pathetic attemt to "modernize" the mythology with derivitive character redesigns and a shallow story... Something you'd expect from Image.

[GriNGo]

Batman just rocks.. and he kicks the nasty poor people up, which is a plus for me. Ever have some one try to mug you or rip you off, at knife point? if you haven't, then you don't know what it's like to want to be like batman. Spiderman comes a close second.

[Faxtar]

this is why...

[Denart]

http://www.simonfinchart.com/images/large/morrison.jpg
woaa, what comic is that from?



j.c leyendecker does batman too (j/k)
http://www.alexrossart.com/galleries/batman/full/batman7.jpg

[Slash]

Aw faxtar... I WANTED TO POST THAT!

[jackenstein]

http://www.simonfinchart.com/images/large/morrison.jpg
woaa, what comic is that from?


Only the greatest Batman One Shot ever, Arkham Asylum: Serious House on Serious Earth

My god Faxtar, that's just more incentive NOT to read that tripe...wow, that was bad.

[blanquish]

Technically batman isnt a superhero, because he doesnt have superhero "powers", just nifty gadgets.
I think we like him, for the fact that he is an anti-hero. I think people relate with dark people more than goody two shoes, brown nosing superheroes.
Batman doesnt give a damn about your opinion, hes just doing his business, kicking your ass..

[Mr Man]

I think the films of batman have really put him to shame, the old viagra stuck down his throught look gets abit annoying.
Im not a batman lover at all, but I respect that he is a popular character.
I do like his enemies though like joker, twoface, penguin etc.

Superman on the other hand..I hate is freaking guts.

[squidmonk3j]

"Taking it in its deepest sense, the shadow is the invisible saurian tail that man still drags behind him. Carefully amputated, it becomes the healing serpent of the mysteries. Only monkeys parade with it."
- c.g. jung

Jungian psychology and the ability to induce projection / identification = the key to popular success!

[BlackGuy]

Oh. And for the record, I'd have to say that Jim Lee is the single worst thing that ever happened to the character. Hush was simply the worst, most blatant 'monster mash' and an absolutely pathetic attemt to "modernize" the mythology with derivitive character redesigns and a shallow story... Something you'd expect from Image.


I disagree completely with this. I DO agree with you that it was a blatant monster mash, but I don't see an attempt to modernize the mythology at all in this one. I think Jeph Loeb did a fantastic job of getting inside Batman's head and showing his analytical side. And I think it's great that he didn't portray Batman the same way as Frank Miller, because I think with this new Batman & Robin thing that Miller's working on, he's pushing Batman a little bit too far. In one scene, Batman almost starting beating up on Alfred for feeding Robin, and that just made me stop believing that the character was Batman at all. And honestly, I can't take Batman saying "Because I'm the goddamn Batman" seriously. That just screamed cheesy and out of character to me.

Also exo, a lot of the flaws you're talking about are writing flaws, so I don't understand why you associate all that with Jim Lee, who did the pencil work. And it's D.C, not Image.

[dogfood]

As an aside, how many successful images are there of Batman without any black in them?

[guggemmaneuver]

.....

[Carnifex]

i think my eyeballs just returned to the 80s.
my eye sockets are bleeding.

[dogfood]

80's?

Try 60's.

[asoir]

lmao, even the 80's wasn't that ridiculous.

[talbot]

These guys have inspired me to draw...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/PlanesofTheHead/BraveandBoldArtofJimAparo.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/PlanesofTheHead/BATMAN_THE_CULT_TP.jpg

[Slash]

http://ualuealuealeuale.ytmnd.com/

[fixx]

Batman gives me warm fuzzies :P

[NoSeRider]

Batman appeals to people because he's a pissed off mudderphuker due to son of bitches reeking havoc and injustice against the innocent and the wholesome of this world.......kinda like me?

Yeah, another delusional comment.

[VirusArtist]

slash you just killed me.. had a 2 minute mental breakdown from laughing too hard!

[dfacto]

please...
the guy is a pampered billionaire who beats up poor people.

I though beating up on the poor was manly? :er:

Anyways, what I mean is that he's one of the superheroes with a dark side, and it comes through quite a bit more than with the majority of other heroes. Like wolverine he has a hard edge, whether his alter-ego is a rich wimp or not.

[Carnifex]

80's?

Try 60's.
well,i happened to see him in the 80s...maybe when i was about 3-5 years old ;)

[Staz Johnson]

Because it's nice to think that there's something out there that the bad guys are scared of.

That, & the fact that he works no matter what spin you put on him, no matter what setting or time frame.

All Batman, all different, none wrong...

[Elwell]

All Batman, all different, none wrong...
Damned straight.

[Carnifex]

though some of these are on the edge of being very very wrong...

now the next question: what is it about robin? :D

[Staz Johnson]

though some of these are on the edge of being very very wrong...

now the next question: what is it about robin? :D

Whooa!...Can of worms....:D

[CCThrom]

Hey look, Robin's a girl! (at least in one of those pics...)

[Uziel]

'cause he could make these amazing sound imitations.


And I loooove the Tim Burton Movie

[piratemasque]

Well, I think Batman (and Bruce) are hot. XD

Probably for me it's the no-superpower thing and how he can manage to fight crime and get into all these insanely dangerous situations and still pull out more or less in one piece.

[dfacto]

All Batman, all different, none wrong...

Sorry dude, Gonna have to disagree with you there.

http://www.batmannews.de/gotham_city_central/batcave/pics/suit_freeze.jpg

[Simon.Rain]

The thing about Robin is at some point since all the readers were young boys, they wanted to put a younger sidekick so the kids could fantasyse being him. (fantasyse about fighting crime beside Batman that is...)

I dont remember if they were the first one to do it or they copied Marvel with that other Superhero who got his own young sidekick...

Sorry for being so vague... for all the hard core fan, if I m wrong just tell me since I saw this on TV a long time ago...

[Carnifex]

maybe batman felt lonely...i'll only say "boy wonder" :D

[Mr. Visions]

Sorry dude, Gonna have to disagree with you there.

http://www.batmannews.de/gotham_city_central/batcave/pics/suit_freeze.jpg

hehehe - touche. George Clooney even apologized. Anyway, I still have to do a batman piece myself -

- Visions

[Lady Medusa]

All Batman, all different, none wrong...
I really liked that first pick there. Anyone know who made it?

[Staz Johnson]

Sorry dude, Gonna have to disagree with you there.

http://www.batmannews.de/gotham_city_central/batcave/pics/suit_freeze.jpg

...& I have to disagree with you. Ok, so the Clooney movie wasn't yours or my cup of tea, but you're probably judging it against your image of Bats as a dark vengful crime fighter... but my daughter, & lots of her friends love that movie, & considering it was a movie designed to sell toys, it's hardly surprising that it has a strong appeal for young kids. The point I was making is that not all versions will have universal appeal, but on some level, they all work for some viewers/readers. Peronally I can't stand The Dark Knight Returns, but I accept that it is the ultimate Batman story to some people.

[Staz Johnson]

I really liked that first pick there. Anyone know who made it?

That's a Jim Lee.

[vigostar]

Staz- who made that crazy inked out Batman on the lower right handside?? Do u have a full shot of that?? Im a sucker or good ink jobs.

[Staz Johnson]

Staz- who made that crazy inked out Batman on the lower right handside?? Do u have a full shot of that?? Im a sucker or good ink jobs.
Sorry mate, havn't got a clue...

My best guess would be Bernie Wrightson, or maybe Kelly Jones, But I'm probably way off.

[Layil]

i have to disagree: i thought HUSH was brilliant. how often to you see someone fit an entire Rogues gallery into a cohesive storyline? and the oneliners! oi!

so good... arkham asylum was brilliant too... so many good batbooks......

[Interceptor]

My favorite DC series recently was Identity Crisis. I remember each month my pals and I discussing a new issue for hours, trying to figure out the cuplrit. GREAT interior artwork, too.

[fixx]

The thing about Robin is at some point since all the readers were young boys, they wanted to put a younger sidekick so the kids could fantasyse being him. (fantasyse about fighting crime beside Batman that is...)

I dont remember if they were the first one to do it or they copied Marvel with that other Superhero who got his own young sidekick...

Sorry for being so vague... for all the hard core fan, if I m wrong just tell me since I saw this on TV a long time ago...


:) Robin the Boy Wonder was created in 1940. Before Marvel's Captain America (1941) and i presume, Bucky (I've never read CA so I know..little) and about 20 years before the X-Men. Robin is essentially the first official superhero-sidekick. (Ah, yes, im a dork). He was indeed created to attract a younger audience, but also to lighten up the mood of the Batman comics, which were dark pulp stories, and to act as a counter to the dark and broody Batman.
Yes, so many good Batman comics, like the Long Halloween, and Dark Victory. And now, the One Year Later storylines, where Paul Dini is writing Detective (Dini from the BTAS) and Grant Morrisson writes Batman.
They have Ninja Man-Bats!! (Thats man-sized bats with legs and arms who are also ninjas!)

And Batman Black and White 1+2! Such great books.
Okay, geekout over.

[P E N Ricklund]

He's dark mysterious and has a face hard as stone.
And Jim Lee only made him more wonderful in my eyes :D The Dark Knight.

lovely thread.


Hugs!

[sve]

So Agent 007, which I prefer :). Are you sure, you, guys, didn't just get caught in very smart advertising of the character? :). It was very big money spent to make several generations of people to grow up with this image. It is kind of implanted in your minds :).
Still James Bond is much more sophisticated, in my opinion. And I like Mission impossible too. And Zorro. And French Jean-Paul Belmondo characters. And Rocky.

[Staz Johnson]

So Agent 007, which I prefer :). Are you sure, you, guys, didn't just get caught in very smart advertising of the character? :). It was very big money spent to make several generations of people to grow up with this image. It is kind of implanted in your minds :).
Still James Bond is much more sophisticated, in my opinion. And I like Mission impossible too. And Zorro. And French Jean-Paul Belmondo characters. And Rocky.
Huh? Sorry, am I missing something, but what, exactly, has this got to do with Batman?...

[sve]

hehehe. You like him so much. They are all characters, that's what I meant. Guys, I never want to offend in my comments. I'm just asking if you can separate your sentiment with any other emotion. It was some of the best memories for you growing up with Batman comics. :).

[Qitsune]

The main difference between the 2 is: While Bond is as widely known, I can draw batman with a 7 point bezier curve and ppl will recognize him, I can't do that with bond. He's known but not iconic.

[Molly]

He's sexy, mysterious, dark, and Christian Bale in a Batman suit is the main most recent reason why I like Batman...:teeth:

Mx

[sve]

Hmm, good point, Qitsune. That means very smart design of the character. Recognisable features.
James Bond had much more lovers, Molly :). Maybe, it means, he is sexier? :).

[Molly]

Hmm, good point, Qitsune. That means very smart design of the character. Recognisable features.
James Bond had much more lovers, Molly :). Maybe, it means, he is sexier? :).

oooOOOOooh, of course, a guy with plenty of lovers just has to be sexier!
So, does that mean Peter Stringfellow is sexier? I dont think so....:teeth:

[Layil]

batman is a mad ninja monk on one side and a glamorous billionaire socialite on the other. he is a complex character with a good history and cast, and empodies enough archetypes that he will be eternally popular. He is a classic antihero with a tragedy that defines him, and while it is his weakness it has also caused him to overcome his mere humanity to achieve the status of a real hero. (im sure being born a gazillionaire didnt hurt either.) his look is also iconographic enough to make him a good candidate for visual exploration, hence the many representations of him. i also like that despite batmans tragedy, the extremity of it shows the dangers of taking things too seriously, a fact consistently emphasized by his being surrounded with troups of clowns, circuses, the joker, mad men and freaks of all kinds. robin, the child prankster is included in these as well, as are the other orphan children batman adopts along the way. they are the mirrors of the darkness in his mind, having lost the ability to laugh at himself, and the eternal hope that he can stop other children from losing their families as well.

:up: comic book geek
:bashful:

[Staz Johnson]

Aaaaagh! Molly!....my eyes, they're burning....Stringfellows arse in a thong, how can you do this to your friends??

[sve]

Lol, Layil, did you breath in between? :).

Molly, Batman is a local celebrtity, James Bond is International spy, :).
Peter Stringfellow is getting old, James Bond is getting younger with every movie :). :teeth: :P 8)
And btw yeah, money is sexy for some. Saw Indecent proposion with Robert Redford?

[Molly]

Lol, Layil, did you breath in between? :).

Molly, Batman is a local celebrtity, James Bond is International spy, :).
Peter Stringfellow is getting old, James Bond is getting younger with every movie :). :teeth: :P 8)
And btw yeah, money is sexy for some. Saw Indecent proposion with Robert Redford?

Ya, I have seen Indecent Proposal with Robert Redford......Im not even going to finish replying ...this threads about Batman

Mx

[StylesDavis]

have another one from Travis "the shit" Charest...enjoy...

http://groups.msn.com/travischarest/shadesofgrey.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=83

[lumar]

personaly i find it pretty funny that my first post on CA.org was a question about batman and it turned into a 2page discussion..

awesome

[Carnifex]

time for you to post some art then :)

[nicolas]

batman is a mad ninja monk

even though this might sum it up nicely.....THAT JUST SOUNDS WRONG!!!

mad
ninja
monk

3 words I never want to hear in combination with bats....

"dark bad ass motherfuckin, takes a lickin but ALWAYS keeps on tickin, nightmare private dick" sounds much better..... imo

[Carnifex]

most of all the monk part. how the hell is he supposed to hook up with catwoman being a monk? (plus i always think of the "monk" tv series when i hear that word,and that is something you really wouldn't want batman to be)
i agree with nicolas description :D

[lumar]

haha a posted a hand somewhere while crying for help on how to do it better, my art is no good yet dude

edit: but ill start a sketchbook once exams are over probably, for criticism

[rorke]

For me Batman is all about the chicks... I think the serries has sported some of the most hotest and cunning female villains I can recall.

http://www.alexhorley.com/Images/poison_ivy.jpg

http://www.virgin.net/movies/galleries/superheroines/pix/08_main.jpg

http://www.albigley.com/harley.jpg

And I would just like to add that the Catwoman movie with Hally Berry sucked asssss. *shakes head*