Sunday 20 May 2012

Batman as Transmedia

A character I've had a massive interest in since a very young age has definitely been Batman. I grew up with the 1990's animated series, but never really pursued my interest until I started reading comic books seriously, which was roughly when the Nolan films were released.

I have also become a massive fan of the Arkham series of Batman games, and as such I have come to realise how effective Batman is as a transmedia character.



Batman has been featured across many different mediums, most notably the comic books, but the other media has allowed for the character to be explored in many different styles. Each version gaining its own following.



The animated TV series, Batman Beyond, which ran from 1999 - 2001 presented the Batman story in a unique way to most incarnations of the character. This time it was about Bruce Wayne's successor to the Batman name. This version was the most influential to my love of the character.






Arguably the most well known incarnation of Batman, and one of the earliest on-screen portrayals of the character is the 1960's TV series with Batman portrayed by Adam West. This version is noticeably different to most comic and film versions of Batman, such as the most recent Christopher Nolan film series, in that it follows a camp style and aesthetic.



The most recent Film run of Batman is Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy, comprised of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. These bare a stark distinction from other Batman stories in that they aim for a far more realistic feel. The films also present the darker aspects of the Batman mythology, creating a stark contrast to the Adam West TV series.

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