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by Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey    Writer- Denny O'Neil Penciller- Steve Erwin Inker- Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez Colorist- Tom McCraw Letterer- John Costanza Cover painting- Dave Dorman Assistant Editor- Scott Peterson Editor- Jonathan Peterson Batman created by Bob Kane SynopsisBruce and Selina discover each other's secret identities at Max Shreck's costume ball, which Oswald Cobblepot crashes to reveal his nefarious plan for the first-born sons of Gotham. A fatal four-way ensues between Batman, The Penguin, Catwoman, and Shreck, resulting in two deaths and the end of Bruce and Selina's romantic relationship. Dave One of the things that has dawned on me, and probably the reason why this story has been such a breakneck paced story, is the sheer number of sub-plots and relationships between these characters. First, you have the Max Shreck and The Penguin sub-plot, second, Penguin and Catwoman in cahoots for a while, third, Batman and Catwoman, and fourth, Bruce and Selina. So the jumping around all these elements is probably why it is going so fast. In the first ‘Batman’ it was really just Batman vs Joker and Bruce and Vicki, with a little bit of Vicki and Knox flung in, but there were less relationships to explore, which kept the pacing at a good speed. More central characters tend to create more relationships dynamics. Kev That's always been the Batman movies' problem, hasn't it? They tend to just add more and more characters in each film, until they crumble under their own weight. Unless, of course, you're the '66 movie and you just chuck the entire rogues gallery in from the get-go. Dave Too many cooks spoil the broth, so to speak. Kev Indeed. Dave As I'm reading this Shreck ball scene; I'm noticing differences to the film with Shreck addressing his guests. And, once again, it jumps relentlessly in the just one page. Kev Yeah, I love how Shreck is the corporate Santa Claus, exemplifying the capitalist, mass consumerism of Christmas, the US, and Batman as part of the entertainment/multi-media/licensed I.P. industry, all in one. Ha,ha! Dave Yeah, he's quite a unique villain. A master manipulator, constantly pulling the strings. Kev Definitely. It's almost like they didn't feel like anyone could fill The Joker's shoes as the antagonist, so they loaded their bases with villains. Dave To be fair, The Penguin has his own schemes as well, so it's really two antagonists. I do like that panel of Selina and Bruce, with both of their faces shaded out, as she delivers her "killing Shreck" speech.  Sound like a leader of your country, by any chance? Kev Catwoman has her own schemes as well, kind-of. Yeh, Erwin's choice to cover both Bruce's and Selina's faces in shadow in the first panel of page 45 is fantastic. It's such a simple device, but it tells you everything you need to know about what's happening, as well as what is about to happen with these two characters. This is an excellent rendition of the scene between Bruce and Selina, actually. As we've said before; when this adaptation gets a chance to slow down just a bit, catch its breath, and let the moments breathe, it really shines. Although, I prefer the unspoken realisation from the movie, when it comes to it dawning on them just who the other is. Though I'm not sure it necessarily would've worked without the, "You're... her?" "You're... him?" exchange on the page. Dave I think the dialogue was probably necessary, as the film relied on the talents of Keaton and Pfeiffer to let that realisation slowly unfold. Maybe one panel wouldn't have been clear enough to show this. Kev Yep. I agree. Dave That's an interesting little interaction between Gordon and Alfred as well, on that page. I like that little addition to it. And at the same point, where all is not quite as it appears, at least from a distance, with Selina and Bruce. Kev Yeh, that's a nice little beat. It looks like a couple of people falling in love, but in reality, their relationship is just beginning to fall apart. Dave And also, the image of The Penguin emerging from the explosion, with the smoke and his shadow, is another neat little panel as well.  It's The Penguin In The Hat. Kev Yeh, that's a nice panel. "I've always liked his line about the party goers, "...you could dress up like jerks, get juiced, dance badly." Dave A good, well said, statement indeed. Kev Pretty much sums up how I feel about every party or night out that I'm at. The Penguin's plan is very King Herod. Dave I have never been too sure about the giant yellow duck that The Penguin turned up in. It kind-of seems a bit of a throw back to the 60's and, quite frankly, would suit The Joker more. It's like a giant bath toy he's travelling about in. Kev Ha, ha! It really is actually, yeh. Definitely. It doesn't suit this so-called "dark" version of Batman. I honestly think that they were struggling with knowing how to write a villain that wasn't The Joker. There are some good panels of the Penguin's lair on pages 48 and 49 though, particularly the first on 48 and the sixth on 49. Dave The Penguin's plan is pretty dark really, perhaps one would say a bit OTT. Kev True. Biblically dark. Although, it's New Testament dark, so it's not quite up there with the Old Testament stuff. Dave I do like those panels of the first born kids being taken. Those 8 panels are another example of how this adaptation shines at times. And that first panel on 48 is excellent. Kev Yeh, those are some good panels. Again, eight of them being squeezed into the bottom half of a page, probably isn't ideal though. Dave Yeah. The 6th one on page 49 is really good as well. Those ones needed to be done to show the sheer size of his hideout. I was thinking they could have been done even bigger as well. Kev Yep, they would have made good splash pages. Dave Also, panel 7, the close-up of The Penguin is actually really good too. Kev Yeh, Erwin is really capturing the essence of DeVito's Penguin here. Dave He really does capture his look from the movie well. Kev He's managed to convey a great deal of the "character" of The Penguin in these panels. Again, sorry to harp on about the pacing, but is it just me, or does this last act seem less rushed? The pages seem less crammed with panels, which is giving O'Neil's storytelling a break and Erwin's art more of a chance to shine, too. Dave Yeah, it doesn't seem so crammed, probably because it's the final act, so its more just tying up the loose ends. The sub-plots are no more, so it can just concentrate on this set piece now. Kev That's a good point, we have wrapped-up a lot of the subplots by this point, haven't we? Dave I know I mention a lot about the colours, but I'm really liking the mixture of the colours in these pages that we have been looking at from 48 onwards. Kev Yeh, Tom McCraw's colour work has been excellent throughout on this. Dave And those bottom two panels on page, of 50 of Batman and Alfred speaking to each other on their comms, has cleverly got them facing each other's direction, even though they are in separate locations. Another fine example of Steve Erwin putting his own signature on this.  After a hard week at work, Bruce and Alfred love getting together on a Friday night to play co-op 'Call Of Duty.' Kev Yeh, Erwin has used that mirroring panel device to fantastic effect on more than one occasion during the course of this adaptation. It works so well. Dave It's been used a lot and it's a great little touch to the art of storytelling through visuals. Kev Absolutely. There is literally an army of Penguins in this. When people still claim that this was a darker, grittier take on Batman, I struggle to agree with that, in retrospect. We are in Adam West territory here, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, IF that's what you're aiming for. Although that's 46 year old Kev saying that, whereas adolescent, 14/15 year old Kev wouldn't have agreed. He would have still wanted his precious fights-in-tights comics, and the comic book adaptations of their movie adaptations, to be taken seriously as grown-up, adult fare. Jeez, there is an element of the snake eating its own tail with these movie adaptations, isn't there? Dave Yeah, and it does start to go into camp territory here, with waddling penguins and the demented villain. I suppose though, this Penguin has more of a freakshow look, so I suppose it does add to the darker elements of the story, but it still has those camp moments. To be fair, the ‘89 movie was just as dark, but in terms of how it was filmed, Burton must have been put on his creative leash a bit, whereas this sequel appears darker because it has a more gothic look to it. Dave I would actually argue that the first one had more brutality in its killings than this one. Kev Me too. Burton's "dark" is that camp, goth, art school kid, dare I say, poser dark. Dave Haha! Note the Greek style statues on page 51, as the Penguins march through Gotham, as well. Kev Erwin's panels of those penguins really are fantastic. Kev And THAT, ladies, gentlemen, and those who use they/them, is how you know Max Shreck is the real villain of this piece; he reneged on a deal he made with a monkey. What a dick! Dave Haha! Indeed show a bit of respect for the monkey. Has this man no morals? Even the monkey looks shocked on the last panel of that page.  Big business.  The little people. Kev No wonder he looks shocked, he's just been scammed by an arsehole in a loud suit. I suppose, "Max Shreck didn't get where he is today by giving anything away." Spoken like any rich person ever. Dave I think, visually, 'Returns' was great to look at. The first movie was certainly more grainy looking. I always mention how 90's films started having that polished, glossy look. Kev There's definitely a film stock change, or something. My favourite era for film and TV aesthetic is mid-70s to mid-80s. That could just be because those were my formative years, of course. Dave Each of us have our own favourite era of film and TV aesthetic. Kev What is your favourite era for that stuff? Dave Not too sure at the moment. I did like the ‘90's for how it started the glossy look. I used to love going to the cinema from around ‘94 to ‘98, and I went very regularly. I always thought it was a great era to see films on the big screen in. Kev I like the grain, man. I think that's why I love that mid-70's to mid-80’s era so much. Dave I loved the grain as well. It's really hard for me to decide, because I also liked the whole quick shot/editing look which came in the later 90's as well. Kev That's a good shout, man. Dave That panel of the penguins all marching back to the zoo, somehow reminds me of the Oompa Loompas from 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'  Candy Coloured Rockets With Penguin Wings. Kev YES! It definitely has a Willy Wonka look about it. Decades before Burton did that remake. Dave If there was dialogue on that panel, that would be great, a synchronised "Oompa Loompa!" That whole Bat-Ski Boat/giant toy duck chase scene kind-of pulls out of the story there, it's starting to look really ludicrous, yet on the next page, the last five panels of the Batman/Penguin showdown pulls me back in. Kev Yeh. I get that Batman is an inherently ridiculous concept anyway, but the tone is starting to veer all over the place here, isn't it? Kind-of like 'Gotham' the TV show, in my opinion. Dave This could have easily made it onto ‘Gotham.’ I don't think there was any filter for something being off limits in that show. What did you describe its tone as again? Kev Oh, I can't remember. It was wildly inconsistent though. Dave "Erratic!" That was it. That was a great description of its tone. One that this adaptation is now starting to fall into. Kev Jeez, man. Your memory of what I've said in the past is way better than my own. Ha, ha! I feel that this adaptation is just following the movie itself, in that respect. Dave Well yeah, it’s cramming in a hell of a lot from a two hour-plus film. Kev It certainly is. Dave When it slows down a bit and allows a scene to unfold, such as the Batman and Penguin showdown, it starts to find its pacing again, which I like. And also, that 3rd panel down on page 56 is another great panel.  The Penguin pleads for his "babies" lives, whilst Bats is about to blow them to Kingdom Come. Kev Honestly, man, any time the pace has slowed down, even ever so slightly, this adaptation has really, really, shone. It's been frustrating to see it impacted by just how crammed it all is. Dave That's probably why it has been a bit of a head-burster to read and review. I get that they don't want to make it too long an adaptation, but some scenes should have been paced a bit better. Luckily adding their own touches to this adaptation has really helped elevate it. Kev Yeh, it really has. I agree. Erwin is really making that movie screen Batsuit work for a comic book page. Those fifth and sixth panels on page 55 are a perfect example of that. I've gone from comparing his work unfavourably (and unfairly perhaps) to Ordway's in the previous adaptation, to singing its praises here. Go figure. I don't know if that's a positive thing, in that it shows that I'm open to change and willing to grow, or if it just means I'm a judgemental, hypocritical prick. Dave Haha! I’m just laughing at Catwoman sticking the head on Batman (no filthy pun intended). Again, adding their own take is necessary for an adaptation, and it works well. Kev It's a headbutt that our Glasweigan brothers and sisters would be proud of. “Mistletoe can be deadly, if you eat it. But a (Glasgow) kiss can be even deadlier, if you mean it.” Dave Indeed. Could you imagine their domestics if they lived together? Kev Ooofffttt! They would be “spicy,” as the kids say. These two are doomed lovers. There's no way in hell they could actually coexist in anything even remotely resembling a healthy relationship. Dave That would be a ‘Jerry Springer Show’ week-long special for those two. Kev Yeh, but Jerry would've solved all their problems with one of his legendary "final thoughts" though. Dave Even when they are declaring their love for each other, I wonder if that was really necessary, or is it to give it away to Shreck who they actually are. Kev It seems like it might be there purely to inform Shreck of who they are, yeh. It does feel clunky, and a bit overcooked here in the comic, there's no doubt about that. Dave And Batman got shot in his ear. Not his bat ear, thankfully. Then the next page has slowed down again, and has produced some great panels, like the first panel of the Bat-signal shining over Gotham, and the last four panels of The Penguin, menacingly emerging from the water. And I like the added dialogue here as well. It’s keeping the interactions and the humour going, in a dark way. Kev Yeh, that bottom tier on page 62, of The Penguin emerging from the water, is superb. As is the top tier, of the Gotham skyline being plunged into darkness.  Not convinced by mayoral candidate Cobblepott's policies on climate change. Dave Yeah, they are really eye-catching, indeed. Kev I like Shreck's "...a big ball of string," line. This interaction between Shreck and Batman, is better served in the movie, I think. I prefer, "Shut up! You're going to jail," that's in the movie, as opposed to the, "First you're gonna shut up. Then you're gonna turn yourself in," that Batman utters here as well. And we see the break-up between Bruce and Selina, Batman and Catwoman. Their relationship in this reminds me of the dynamic between Daredevil and The Punisher somewhat. I'm not daft on the "house cat" exchange either. The film seems to have had a dialogue polish at some point before, or during, shooting. Less is definitely more where Batman is concerned, I always think. It aids the suspension of disbelief. In saying all that, I love Selina's, "I just couldn't live with myself!" You go, Girl! You live your life. Well, nine lives. And I think that exchange between the three of them and Shreck starting with, "Selina Kyle You're fired!" is just sublime. Walken's delivery of those lines always cracks me up. As does Pfeiffer's delivery of "He IS Batman, you moron," too. Plus, Catwoman's and Shreck's death scene in this is so good. "Four...NGH!...Five...Still alive." Dave And the whole of page 64 has no dialogue, just visuals to tell this scene. Kev Yeh, I always thought that the penguins giving their boss/dad a burial at sea, so to speak, was quite poignant and touching. It makes The Penguin feel like a bit of a tragic character in the end. Although, the dialogue in this final scene between Batman and The Penguin isn't as good as the movie either. That, "Hey, you--you wouldn't blow away an endangered bird, would you?" is very reminiscent of the Joker's line, "You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses," from the previous film. In fact, the flipper hand disappearing under the water, is kind-of the inverse of the scene with The Joker's hand coming out of the water after he's been flushed out of Axis Chemical in 'Batman.' Come to think of it, there's a lot of pollution, and toxic waste in these Burton Batman movies. Dave Yeah, the theme of the film was really about outcasts and damaged, tortured souls, with a tragic end looming over each of them. Kev Yeh, I will give Burton credit where credit is due on that front. He does stories about outcasts and damaged, tortured, souls as good as, or arguably better than, anyone else in Hollywood. Dave I’ve probably mentioned before that in the first movie, Bruce was the detached soul, but in ‘Returns’ he's about the most normal person in this story. Not including Alfred. Kev That was always the problem with the Burton Batman films in a lot of people's eyes. He clearly found the rogues gallery more interesting, and had little, if any interest in Batman himself, or any of the supporting characters, and I find it a difficult take to disagree with, if I'm being honest. Dave Even Gordon in the film was dumbed down a bit, "thanks for saving the day Batman.” In the first movie, there was more character exploration of Gordon, but he was more of a secondary character in the second film. At least, in this adaptation, he is getting a bit more character depth written for him, which I do like. “Think he'll ever forgive us?" That's quite a poignant panel, that one. Kind-of going into Nolan Batman territory here, before Nolan did Batman.  "I forgive, and I let go, because I love you."  "I forgive, and I let go, because I love me." Kev True. That is a nice touch. See? It doesn't take much, does it? That's one line in a single panel, and already we've given Gordon, and the relationship between him and Batman, more depth, and made it infinitely more interesting. Dave In fact, I prefer these last couple of pages to the closing of the movie. Bruce is showing his mourning for Selina, even though she wasn't actually dead, and was probably due to pop-up in one of the sequels, until they went under the helm of Schumacher. Kev Yep. It was all change for the next movie really, wasn't it? Dave Just a bit. We thought this one was verging into camp, then ‘Batman Forever’ and (especially) ‘Batman and Robin’ emerged. Kev Yeh, by ‘Batman and Robin,’ we really were back in '60's, Adam West territory. Only without the laughs. Dave There are no words to describe how bad that film was. Well, there are, actually. Quite a lot of them! Kev Ha, ha! Do you ever fancy reviewing them, and/or their adaptations? Dave Not sure my blood pressure could take reviewing them. Kev Mine neither. It's already a little too high as it is. Middle-aged man problems, and all that. Dave Especially ‘Batman and Robin.’ I think I would have to fork out money on a new TV the next day. Kev Ha, ha! Yeh, it's pretty rough. Dave To be fair, I still think ‘Batman Forever’ is watchable. I actually thought it was okay. Kev I always think that, Then I rewatch it, and realise I still think it's as bad as I thought it was in the first place. Dave Yeah, in saying that; I haven't watched ‘Batman Forever’ in quite a while. Kev That last page is superb, and that last panel is cracking. It really sells the scope and scale of Gotham as a city, how towering, and vast it is. A perfect environment for a man to fly around dressed as a bat. Dave Again, another clever artistic touch, as we see, what's composed to look like three panels, all on the right side, merging into one on the last page. There’s so much attention to detail in that.  "Woah, Man!" Kev Yeh, it's so well composed and executed. Although, I do miss Catwoman raising her head into the frame at the sight of the Bat-Signal. Dave Yeah, that was a great closing shot in the film. So, how did you find this movie adaptation after re-reading it? Kev I found it to be more enjoyable than I remembered it being, particularly Steve Erwin's art, but the pacing was a problem throughout. It's tough to get past that. Dave It was certainly a constant thread throughout, yeah. If I wasn't so familiar with the story, I’m pretty sure I'd have to keep going back to re-read some pages. Some of the close up panels were ace though. Erwin's really good at drawing close-up interactions. Kev Yeh, I totally flip-flopped on Erwin's pencils. I went from saying they weren't as memorable as Ordway's on the ‘Batman’ adaptation, to really liking them by the end of the 'Returns' one. Which is what I get for not judging them on their own merit in the first place. Dave I think, due to how cluttered the issue was, and the pacing of the story (it went full-on Formula One at times), those standout panels were less easy to spot. You’ve got to give credit where credit is due though, that was not an easy story to adapt into such a limited number of pages. Kev Yeh, it definitely seemed like a bit of a thankless task. Perhaps even a bit of poisoned chalice. Those panels certainly had less real estate on the page because there were just so many of them, that's for sure. Dave Yet they still managed to develop their own take on this, and still keep it faithful to the story. Could you imagine if they had gone any off script with this one? Kev Jeez, it could've just ended-up being utter chaos. Dave Indeed. The end. (D) & (K) 
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