Batman

CHICAGO – It’s been some time since there was an exciting downloadable title after a wave of them a few years ago that included the incredible “Braid,” “Limbo,” and even “Joe Danger.” Since then, it’s been a bit dire, seemingly hitting bottom with the horrendous “Amy” last month (a game that you should avoid at all costs).

CHICAGO – Holy exploding football field Batman! The new trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” has officially been released from Warner Bros., and let’s just say there is a lot to look at. Unlike the teaser trailer that premiered before Harry Potter last summer, this new trailer gives us a full look at the cast of characters and some of the unbelievable sequences Christopher Nolan has ready for us in his third and final Batman film.

CHICAGO – The unassuming gentleman at a table signing books at last weekend’s Chicago Comic Con was none other than “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” executive producer Michael Uslan.

CHICAGO – The Wizard World Chicago Comic Con was another huge success this past summer, gathering together comic and pop culture fans. One of the highlights of the event was the reunion of Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman) from the 1960s Batman TV show.

CHICAGO – Superman and Batman return to follow-up on the success of September 2009’s “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies,” one of the most popular DC Universe Animated Movies, with this year’s “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.” Where does the ninth film in the franchise fall compared to other DC Universe flicks and does it say anything about the future of this hit-and-miss series of releases?

CHICAGO – It’s rare to find a tie-in of any kind — whether it be to a film, television show, comic book, or just a line of toys — that works as well as the surprisingly-fun “Batman: The Brave and the Bold: The Videogame.” Where most tie-ins miss the elements that work about their source, “Brave and the Bold” works by perfectly building on what fans love about the popular cartoon.

CHICAGO – With easily the darkest subject matter and most intense level of violence to date in the DC Universe series of PG-13 animated film, “Batman: Under the Red Hood” is far from your typical Saturday morning cartoon. This is morally complex material much closed to “The Dark Knight” than “Batman & Robin,” and it’s a smash success for the franchise, resulting in easily the best installment in years.

CHICAGO – Comic book fiction has a long history of parallel world and alternate universe stories and it only seemed a matter of time before the popular DC Universe series of straight-to-DVD animated films got around to making one. After the so-so “Wonder Woman,” the less-than-good “Green Lantern,” and the slight improvement of “Superman Batman: Public Enemies,” the series has returned to what they do best - team heroics - with the entertaining “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths”.

CHICAGO – All of you fans of “The Dark Knight” and the amazing new game “Batman: Arkham Asylum” should mark your calendar for the next promising release in the legacy of Bruce Wayne, DC Universe’s latest straight-to-DVD release, the highly anticipated “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies,” landing in stores on September 29th, 2009.

CHICAGO – “The Merry Gentleman” is enhanced by an unusual police detective character.