Batman (1989)

Partly inspired by seminal comics The Killing Joke and The Dark Knight Returns, the first instalment in the Warner Bros.' film series ditched the campiness of the classic 60's TV series and set the benchmark for the modern day superhero genre.

Without Tim Burton's film, Batman: The Animated Series wouldn't exist.

It's as simple as that.

Kicking things off, an alternative beginning.

Gotham City, a well known crime capital, has been ruled by violence and death for many years.
A fact that billionaire playboy and vigilante Bruce Wayne plans to change. At the centre of the problem is Carl Grissom, who controls all the major criminal activity in the city. When his gang learned of Wayne's plans, they took immediate action. 

Sometime in 1989...

(Phone rings).

Hello, Bruce Wayne, here.
Hee hee hee, Mr. Wayne. So pleased to make your acquaintance.
I believe you know who I am. Don't hang up! 
Your lover for your cooperation.
What?! What's happened to Vicki? Who is this?!
Not so fast, Bruce. Turn on your TV.

You son of a...
What have you done to her?

Nothing yet... but I'd enjoy the opportunity of rubbing her rhubarb...
Just let us do as we please or prepare to dance with the devil by the pale moonlight.
(MANIACAL LAUGH).

Lieutenant! Vicki was kidnapped!
Vicki?!

My sweetheart since childhood. Who can't be killed, she who drinks blood.

I say, you're full of shit, Knox. Oh, uh, you can quote me on that.

Video games

Selection follows.

C64

Loading screen is a superb recreation of the cover to official comic adaptation (with the cute addition of film strip).

Amiga

Bat Brain and Mr. Joker look good.

Ruined by.

As he's making his escape in the helicopter, clothes have miraculously changed colour.

If they got his clobber right in the title screen, then why not do the same with sprite?

(Rolls eyes).

Arcade (1990)

Batman's gangly kick is extremely similar to a shot of Keaton defeating alleyway ninja.

However, I remain skeptical.

Throughout game, we get a series of digitised publicity stills (and voice samples).

High score screen makes absolutely no sense.

A few more endings.

PC Engine

The most obscure version got the final shot of film correct, but rather than light, 'signal' is erroneously fixed against the moon.

Maybe programmers confused shit with this.

(Shrugs shoulders).

Mega Drive

Spot on.

NES

Plot bears little resemblance to film, but what a great game.

Legacy

Joker (2019)

During the Joker's Smylex commercial, he says "So remember... put on a happy face."

30 years later.

The meat of phrase becomes Arthur's motto and is written on the mirror of his dressing room, just before Murray Franklin gets what he fucking deserves. 

At the Flugelheim Museum, Thomas Gainsborough's The Blue Boy is one of several famous paintings ultimately defaced.

Guess what's hanging in his apartment?

Yeah.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Keeping shit simple, Heath Ledger was heavily based on the works of Francis Bacon.

Joker stops Bob from destroying Figure With Meat, as he 'kinda likes this one'.

Lovely stuff.

Confronting the mob, Joker murders one of Gambol's men by making his pencil 'disappear', famously dubbed a 'magic trick'. 

'Uncle Bingo' kills Vinnie Ricorso by throwing a pen (in reality, a quill) into his throat.

More, more, more.

The Joker encourages Batman to run him down with the Batpod, which is the same principle as Jack Nicholson urging Batman to shoot him in the Batwing.

When Batman throws the Joker off the high-rise building, he finds the prospect of death hilarious, until he's rescued by the grappling gun.

I'm sure this is pure coincidence, but instead of screaming, Craig Shaw Gardner's novelisation has Joker laugh insanely when he falls from the helicopter.

Aliens (1986)

Acton Lane Power Station was decommissioned in 1983.

James Cameron needed an alien nest, and after coming across the disused building in West London, the production team stripped it down, painted it silver, and voila.

Set was still intact and recycled for Axis Chemicals.

When the marines are first approaching Hadley's Hope, Apone says: "Ten seconds, people. Look sharp."

Exactly ten seconds later, they exit the APC.

What's this?

Before the Joker enters the cathedral with Vicki, he requests 'transportation for two' in ten minutes, which between them entering and the helicopter arriving, action unfolds in real-time.

While nothing to do with either film, Dark Horse did their thing.

Batman/Aliens (March-April 1997)

Batman/Aliens II (December 2002-February 2003)

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008)

Whether intentional or not, the final entry developed and released by Midway contains a few interesting nods to Joker.

Extendable boxing glove gun

Bang

Mortal Kombat (2011)
Shang Tsung's fatality was the same, just more violent.

Next time, I'll be looking at what happened before Batman Returns.

Joker/Batman

Rather than spamming endless media, I spin my own web of innovation.

Joker

Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, the greatest supervillain of all time debuted in the first issue of Batman, way back in April 1940.

Distinctive grin was inspired by Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs (1928).

The Dark Knight (July 2008)

Why so serious?

Appearance

Apart from Sid Vicious and Malcolm McDowell's Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange, Christopher Nolan has said Heath Ledger was heavily based on the paintings of Francis Bacon.

Also, due to monologues promoting chaos and mayhem, he's very much like the ghost of Rudolf Klein-Rogge from The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933).

While all that shit is true, check out another iteration wearing a Glasgow smile.

Joker (October 2008)

Lee Mermejo's art throughout Brian Azzarello's comic is absolutely stunning.

Daredevil - Season 2 (2016) vs Poster

Burning skull and bat?

Homage?

And because I can.

Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)

(Ahem).

Promo poster shows Joker holding a Batman playing card.

Time to introduce a little anarchy to upset the established order.

Narcos - Season 2 (2017)

Gray Matter - 2010 German version

Strangest of all.

Funnyman (1994)

WHAT?

Batman

The Caped Crusader was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane and debuted in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939).

Their inspirations include The Shadow, The Phantom and Dick Tracy.

While Batman (1986) was his first computer game, he infamously appeared in a Mega Drive classic.

The Super Shinobi (1989)

When discount Spider-Man takes enough hits, he becomes...

HA HA HA!

Joe Musashi also fights Rambo, Jackie Chan, The Terminator and Godzilla, described as a 'flame-spewing Brontosaurus'.

When released as The Revenge of Shinobi in Europe and North America, sprites (in whatever version) were modified to avoid copyright infringement.

Miscellany

Aliens vs Predator: Requiem - PSP (2007) vs Batman/Aliens #1 (March 1997)

The same principle extends to:

Batman: The Joker War Zone (2020)

Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)

Poison Ivy is consumed by her plant.

Boss encounter is a blatant rape of Salazar in Resident Evil 4.

Batman: Arkham City (2011)

Cover art vs Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Things get more interesting.

At the beginning of Catwoman's missions, a fictitious painting depicting Cain and Abel is there for all to see.

Foreshadowing...

Batman carrying Joker's corpse.

Both are surely a nod to:

Batman: Hush #7 (April 2003)
Batman carrying Jason Todd.

Batman: Death in the Family¹ - Francesco Mattina vs Mad - Zeen Chin

Background looks rather similar, yes?

¹Interactive film explores alternate outcomes of 1988 story arc A Death in the Family.

Finally.

The Batman Who Laughs (May 2017) vs Judge Death (January 1980) - Judge Dredd

Drokk me!