Maybe I’m not the artsy-fartsy type. Perhaps I have a hard time with metaphors and such. It could be that I just don’t understand legitimate theater.
But Batman Live (or is it Batman… LIVE!) does not speak to me. I found this video of the upcoming show over at iFanboy. This isn’t what I think of when I think of Batman. In fact, I think I would describe it as the complete opposite of last week’s Detective Comics #878. With that said, this is clearly for the family set—if it gets more kids to read comics, then bully for DC Comics.
The Batman Live show focuses on Dick Grayson’s ascension from orphan to Boy Wonder—just like Batman Forever (which this appears to take some notes from). The show kicks off in the UK in a few weeks and then shoves off to Ireland. It should make its way to the States by 2012—just in time to compare it to The Dark Knight Rises!
Well if you’re going to make a big, splashy, loud production based on a comic book character it sounds like it should be more akin to what Warner Bros. is working on with its Batman Live show, and a lot less like Broadway’s Spider-Man behemoth currently grabbing headlines almost weekly with stories of injuries, script problems, and delays.
Batman Live appears to be more of an entertainment show with all kinds of aerial feats and spectacular live effects, and not so much a musical romp through a vaguely familiar story. In fact, the producers have hired three comic book heavyweights to bring the show to the stage—with a story and characters that stay true to the source material. Allan Heinberg (Young Avengers), Stan Berkowitz (The New Batman/Superman Adventures) and Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series) are working on a story involving the origins of Robin, from the death of his parents to his rise to the crime-fighting Boy Wonder.
Dear Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
DC Entertainment announced their audacious stage show Batman Live today—an original program featuring the Dark Knight and some of his most famous co-stars. Batman Live promises to have everything a thrill-seeking audience could want: costumed heroes, a famous gallery of Batman’s rogues, high-flying stunts, an enormous set (both physical and digital), an original soundtrack, and no singing.
For singing, you’ll have Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
Batman Live is an original story that features Batman taking his young ward Dick Grayson under his wing as Robin as they face off against his most famous villains: Joker, Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin. Arkham Asylum, the Batmobile, the Batcave, and GothamCity will all be featured in the show is said to be light on dialogue and heavy on awe-inspiring feats.
Batman Live goes on sale next week for its opening in July 2011 Manchester, England. The show is set to tour across Europe before landing stateside in the summer of 2012 (which coincidentally is when the Dark Knight follow-up The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters).
