Let's face it - adaptions are hit and miss.
Things are cut out and missed in film adaptions because there just isn't enough time in the movie to include every awesome detail that the books had.
What about comic adaptions of already existing movies though?
In case you haven't watched Batman Beyond... go and watch Batman Beyond. And then come back.
Anyway, Batman Beyond is set in the 21st century Gotham City and features a new Batman - former bad boy turned hero Terry McGinnis who is reluctantly mentored by original Batman Bruce Wayne.
This says a lot about him because Batman Wayne has always been extremely strict with his Batgang and who can represent him and his symbol, even if he is too old to be the Batman himself anymore.
Terry is enjoyable to watch and seems genuinely suited to the role of Batman. I am personally disappointed in the way he spells his last name, but I guess that's not exactly his fault.
What we're going to talk about today is the comic adaption of the straight to video movie based off Batman Beyond titled Return of the Joker.
For me, you can't beat the movie version (preferably uncut of course) but the comic adaption is pretty faithful and strangely enough includes some bits that were originally cut for stupid 4kids-like dub reasons and paranoia about Columbine.
Seriously, it was a tragedy but everyone searched absolutely everywhere they could for a reason for it apart from where they really needed to look and blamed Manson and vidjagames instead.
Anyway, a common theme in the series in the Jokerz - a bunch of wannabe crims who idolise the Joker and dress clownish while they do their crimes. It's pretty well done because it's not unreasonable there would be some copy cat crims after the Joker was safely out of the picture - and it's another way Bruce/Gotham can't escape their past.
The movie features a particular set of Jokerz.
Delia and Deidre Dennis (the Dee Dee twins) Chucko - a heavy clown thug, Woof - a gene splicer (something else touched on in the TV series) and Ghoul - tweenage scarecrow.
The intro to the movie was one of the best scenes in the movie - it set the scene and jumped into the heist/vigilante action straight away. Batman picks up that they're not doing the usual Jokerz stuff but can't figure out what they're up to.
Unfortunately, the comic largely cuts out the Dee Dee's completely which is a shame because these gymnast twins were two of the most ruthless in the Jokerz gang despite acting like they weren't... hmm, does that sound familiar?
There's an amazing 360 degree fight scene where Batman fights two heavies, a wolf hybrid and a scarecrow knockoff and does pretty well against them but is completely caught off guard with the seemingly scared and fragile looking twins... who then proceed to use him for a brutal ballet recital. It's an amazing piece of animation which again, was cut for stupid reasons.
I appreciate it's a lot harder to capture this sort of thing in printed media sometimes.
So while pages like this are again - incredibly faithful to the uncut version and basically word for word and shot for shot - because they're not allowed to have enough time for the background characters we don't get to see them as pants-crappingly scared as they were when the Joker shot Bonk right in front of them and had them clear up the corpse.
Thugs as they are, they're still kids. As much as they get into dangerous antics, they're still full of arrogance and don't believe in their own mortality.
This is a huge moment for them as they realise how deep they're in.
Another issue is that due to the length I'm assuming they were allowed to go to print with - somethings do get overlooked.
Case in point: here's a section that was originally cut from the film. Terry is forcibly separated from his high tech Batsuit and is following Bruce as he goes back to the remains of Arkham Asylum.
First point - it's not immediately clear where Terry is in relation to Ace the Batdog. Ace is with the Wanye-mobile and if Terry is trying to shadow the classic Batman - he'd do much better to NOT park his bike right next to the car.
Second point - the very next page has Bruce at home sorting out his anti Joker venom but you could be forgiven if you thought he was doing this AT Arkham Asylum.
Reason being.. it's not super clear that Bruce is leaving the asylum.
As always... you can't beat the creepy flashback where Batman and Batgirl hunt down Robin's whereabouts inevitably leading them to Arkham Asylum and the eerie children's song performed by Harley Quinn.
Then despite what nightmare Batman might have been expecting.. they enter into a cheery parody of a 1950's nuclear family complete with a lovey dovey Joker and Harley Quinn.... and their new son.
A lot is missed out here as well which sucks because this is honestly one of Joker's most evil schemes and it really gets to Batman. The comic unfortunately doesn't allow much time to delve into that.
The Joker is nothing if not theatrical and he is committed to this act, feigning surprise, kissing Harley Quinn, doing the slow reveal of Robin's fate and even sending Batman an invitation to the event.
It's also a bit horrifying because you realise the depths that Harley Quinn will go to for her Puddin'.
Look at how severely the normally fairly reserved Batgirl attacks Harley Quinn for her part in this. (Also look at how terrifying her blob of hair is)
That's a hatred usually reserved for Joker and something Harley normally escapes out of the Batgang's pity for her. Batgirl asks how Harley could help Joker do this - turns out Harley had plans to make things alright.. as in make an actual family with Joker and Robin not realising that for Joker it's all about Batman.
Even though Harley fights back she ends up plummeting to her presumed demise down a convenient ravine.
Well, you know comic characters and their 'deaths' - this sort of thing is like breaking a nail to them.
Meanwhile, Joker has also met with his presumed death (and actually got a burial) and Batman/Batgirl take the damaged Robin home for several years of therapy and avoidance of purple suits.
Still being I guess a comic aimed at kids they do skimp out on Joker's death scene and Tim's utter break down.
The ending is kept but no mention of Nana Harley posting bail for her two bratty granddaughters.
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| Cut version |
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| Uncut version |
Anyway, she survived because Dini was like hell no, Timm! You can't make me kill her off! He then proceeded to use puppy eyes, which I presume were highly effective. As well as making it a happier ending, it's nice because one of the villains who had the smarts and mindset to go legitimate and legitimately MAKE IT was Harley Quinn.
A reminder that she never entered the crime business for herself or for profit, but for her misguided love. If her love was removed from the picture - and I presume she was at least injured somewhat from her hefty fall - then she's had time to think, time to recuperate and then move on. She made a new life, a new family and beats the heck out of her grand daughters due to their Jokerz association even though they were probably inspired by her antics or seduced by the same crowd she was.
Both of these versions are worth checking out, the adaption does a good job but it would have been better if they had more pages to work with. The exceptionally good thing the comic did in cutting out the Dee Dees was the creepy 'pretend to be bad guy's girlfriend' bit which..
Yeah. If you can mistake your adult girlfriend for a tweenage Raggedy-Anne themed thug even if she is partially in the dark you're probably the kind of guy to sail into international waters before doi- OHHHH.
And come on, like he doesn't recognise the outfit of one of the goons he hired.
On that note.. booty shorts and go go boots? Geez. At least they're co-ordinated colour wise.
It's also disturbing that the stick thin Dee Dee managed to grow some curves for this scene alone.
I mean, their pointy knees and elbows are probably far more dangerous than their kicks or weapons!
Getting past that - definitely check out this movie if you can. Like a lot of DC's animated features, they hold up so much better than their movies.
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