Reviews - Novelization
Street Date: May 27th, 2008
Language: English
Publisher: Ace
Pages: 288 |
Synopsis: Ushering in a summer of Batman...
The Caped Crusader returns in this prequel to the Warner Bros.
blockbuster film—The Dark Knight. After Wayne Manor is burned to the
ground, Bruce Wayne establishes a new base of operations, and— as
Batman—refines his personal vigilante mission, encountering foes both
old and new.
Review by James Harvey
What I always find interesting about movie novelizations is how they
add details, or switch things around just a teeny bit. Or, in most
cases, that the scripts the authors work from are usually changed after
the author has started working on the novelization. But this doesn't
seem to be the case here for Louise Simonson's novelization of the
upcoming direct-to-video Batman: Gotham Knight animated feature.
Instead, Simonson has completely taken a different approach to the Batman:
Gotham Knight story and has presented something that's both unique
and a real page turner.
From the heart of Gotham City and set in the time period between Batman
Begins and The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne continues his war on
crime as the costumed vigilante known as Batman in Batman: Gotham
Knight. With the unlimited resources of Wayne Enterprises at his
disposal, Batman has access to the advanced tools and technology that
have become his weapon in his battle against the underworld. New allies,
enemies, and challenges await Batman, but he must also deal with old
dangers and loose threads. Not everyone is thrilled that there is a
Batman to protect Gotham City, and there are many who want to take down
the mysterious masked crime fighter. As Batman fights his never-ending
battle to protect those he loves and clean up his great city, he will
grow closer to becoming a legend and fulfilling a destiny he never
imagined.
Now, what I found unique about this novelization is how it's not exactly
a direct adaptation of the movie. Instead, it perfectly compliments the
movie and, seemingly, only after reading both will you actually get the
full experience of Batman: Gotham Knight. Now, the book isn't an
essential read, but I believe that this novelization goes hand-in-hand
with viewing the actual animated feature. Here we get a host of new
scenes, new events, and a pile of new characterization that really fills
in the gaps of the actual animated movie. On top of that, these new
scenes help to better bridge the gaps viewers will likely come across
when watching the direct-to-video Batman: Gotham Knight animated
feature. This novelization not only ties six segments of the movie
together, but also "picks and chooses" what it wants to keep, and what's
irrelevant.
And not only does it "pick and choose," but the novelization also moves
around events, and merges separate stories into one. Toward the end of
the book, when Batman is searching for Killer Croc, the book flashes
back to Bruce's time in India. Now, in the movie itself, it's an
entirely different situation which caused the flashbacks. It was a bit
jarring, but, as the novel progressed, it made sense why Simonson chose
to combine some events into one and it's actually really effective and
gives added tension to the Killer Croc sequences because it adds
resonance and weight to it. This novel also firmly plants itself in the
Batman Begins continuity. There are direct references to both
Ra's Al Ghul and the events of the first movie, as well as a few set-ups
for the next film in the franchise. Surprisingly, the novel also sets up
the appearance of a character who has yet to appear in the Batman
Begins film continuity, a character who I was very surprised to see
referenced.
Before I go any further, let's take a quick look at the author's
herself. Louise Simonson has had a long career in the comics field. In
the early 80's she was an editor for Marvel Comics. She then became a
full-time writer and worked on such titles as The New Mutants and
The X-Factor. In the 90s she moved to DC Comics, where she wrote
Superman: Man of Steel. Now a freelancer, she does writing for
Marvel, Dark Horse, and DC Comics. Additionally, she has written
thirteen comic-related novels and children's books featuring DC Comics
characters and did the text for the Rizzoli coffee-table book, DC
Comics CoverGirls. So, based on this, it's obvious she's no stranger
to the work of comics, particularly to DC's Greatest Heroes. So, that
considered, she really does have a handle on Batman's character, and
what makes him tick, which, in effect, helps to fill the gaps in this
story. Given that she's an accomplished storyteller, she also knows when
to take risks and how to strengthen weaknesses. While I don't agree with
all the changes she's done here, she really does add a lot to this book
to really fill out the story and bring everything together nicely.
However, there is a drastic change which might catch people off guard,
and that's how the novelization deals with the Deadshot storyline. I
love that Simonson adds a lot of background to it and, in fact, has it
drive nearly the entire novel, only momentarily taking the backseat to
the Killer Croc/Scarecrow story. However, when it reappears near the end
of the book, some aspects of it have been changed. It's nothing major,
just fans that read this novelization and then see the movie in July
will notice that a lot has been changed, particularly the location of
Batman and Deadshot's final duel. Now, I can understand why Simonson
choose a new venue. It makes sense and works considerably well, although
I can't vouch if it was absolutely necessary or not. Simonson also drops
a guns-related subplot from Deadshot sequence and reworks it into a few
bits earlier in the book.
Simonson also approaches a lot of other aspects of the movie from a
completely different angle. The characters from "Have I Got A Story For
You" are used, as are some of the scenes that involve them, but here,
it's just completely different. But, at the same time, the book stays
true to the movie itself. It uses scenes from the movie, but just adds a
lot of context to it. It's a really interesting mix which, for the most
part, pays off. If there's any complaint, it's that, by really
connecting all the segments into one cohesive hole, it does seem like
there's a lot going on at times. It doesn't really hinder the story in
any fashion, Simonson does have to keep it moving, but it seems like
Batman really has a handful with all of these threats, new and old, to
deal with at one time.
One thing I really like is how she further develops the relationship
between Detective Renee Montoya and Detective Crispus Allen. Their role
is substantially larger than it is in the movie itself, and it actually
adds weight to not only their partner relationship, but the dramatic
shoot-out sequence we see both here and in the novel. I don't want to
spoil it, but Allen and Montoya find themselves pinned inside a car when
they are literally caught between two warring mob factions. It makes for
a tense read, and Simonson handles the overwhelming danger of the
situation perfectly.
I found this book to be a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down. I
was equally fascinated with the story itself and how Simonson
interpreted it. Having already seen Batman: Gotham Knight, it was
easy to place the dots, to see how Simonson adapted the movie itself
into this new tale, but it was also easy to see why. Batman: Gotham
Knight works fine as a series of short stories, and that is the
perfect avenue for an animated feature. However, as a novel, to tell a
complete story, Simonson had to make changes, had to fill in the blanks
herself, to make it seem like a cohesive story. While I don't agree with
everything she did, such as the alterations she made to the final duel
between Batman and Deadshot sticking out the most, to me. For fans
looking for an exact retelling of the upcoming direct-to-video animated
feature will be disappointed. However, fans looking for a great read and
an alternate take of how Batman: Gotham Knight could have been
should really check out this novel. Like I said, it's a perfect
compliment to the animated feature and may give fans the complete
they'll be looking for. The Batman: Gotham Knight novelization is
well-crafted and a tense page-turner, and definitely comes
Recommended.
The Batman: Gotham Knight novelization is published by Ace
Mass Market Original and will be on shelves May 27th, 2008.
|
|