INCEPTION: In Which We Defend Our Earlier Supposition

It's been one of those weeks where our previous comicsblog ambitions didn't quite get realized as we'd intended them to Sunday. But instead of focusing on our excuses for not hitting the blog, let's jump right in and get back to Christopher Nolan's Inception. The esteemed director of The Dark Knight may just be shopping for a few excuses of his own this Holiday season....

Take it back a few days and you'll remember that we made it rather clear that the first teaser to be released for Nolan's next film, Inception, isn't even a stone's throw from resembling the now iconic Dark Knight teasers featuring the late Heath Ledger as The Joker. From camera perspective to storm-clouded skies, or flooded street to the steel and concrete jungles both promos use as background, the similarities between Nolan's two teasers can't be missed. And if fans aren't oblivious to the posters' parallels, there's no way Nolan and producing studio Warner Bros would have somehow missed the obvious.

Abbracadabbling's brave and bold answer to the nagging Why both posters so closely resemble each other took us out on a limb: the intentional similarity of the Inception and Dark Knight teasers could very likely mean, we concluded, that Nolan will indeed be focusing on the next Batman sequel once Inception's put to bed.

Considering the design of both teaser posters would have been under Nolan's control, for him to sign off on if nothing else, then he certainly knew of the parallels Inception's poster drew to The Dark Knight. More than likely, this had always been the plan. We did consider that perhaps Nolan's posters paralleled each other as a sort of Nolan-esque 'trademark' of sorts, or perhaps that similarities to Dark Knight might boost Inception's box office. The second possibility suggests a lack of confidence on Nolan's part for in his second film, and this doesn't seem very probable. Moreover, drawing even vague comparisons between DiCaprio and Ledger, who posthumously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime, doesn't hit as us something Leonardo would appreciate. Also, as the Inception teaser already states the movie's by the creator of the Dark Knight, anything more seems superfluous, even if subliminally so.

While any of the above might be true, we decided to frame an optimistic argument, one ever faithful to Nolan's prowess as a superhero cinema director. A little over two weeks ago (we know, it seems like two months ago!), we profiled fellow comics blogger Robert Goodin's site, Covered. His comicsblog offers artists of any background to use their own artistic styles and redo an existing and usually iconic comic book cover from the past, not as parody but as an exercise in juxtaposed styles and artistic commentary. Or, phrased another way, as an homage.

Dave Cockrum's X-Men #100, covered by Andy Ristaino

Homage isn't Covered's intent. But more often than not, the site's numerous submissions, usually submitted by artists taking their best shot at portraying one of their own personal comic cover favorites, are true homages nonetheless. (To read up on what Covered's looking for in submissions, click here).

As any dedicated comics reader and certainly any collector will know, cover homages are a mainstay of the comic book industry. Conveniently, over on his comics blog Comics Oughta Be Good, comics blogger Bully has featured several of these cover homages in his recurring blog feature, 'Separated at Birth'. We've re-blogged two of Bully's 'Separated at Birth' sets to save you the click...

Left: Detective Comics #345 (Nov 1965)

Art by Carmine Infantino & Joe Giella

Right: Impulse #62 (July 2000)

Art by Ethan VanSciver & Wayne Faucher

Left: Superman #243 (Oct 1971)

Art by Neal Adams & Dick Giordano

Right: Jonah Hex #91 (June 1985)

Art by Neal Adams & Mark Texeira

Both pairs of DC Comics covers above are just two examples of many, many covers created by industry artists and their editors to pay tribute, poke fun, draw parallels, mark special events or anniversaries, offer a special treat to longtime fans, or even to serve as special incentives for collectors or comic shop retailers. In the examples above, Detective Comics as "covered" by Ethan VanSciver for Impulse #62 is done with tongue well in cheek. While the legendary artist Neal Adams, responsible for both the cover of Superman #243 in 1971 and Jonah Hex #91 fourteen years later, may also have recreated his own cover for the sheer fun of it, chances are there was more to his decision to recreate his own work than just Neal's sense of humor. Collectors probably enjoyed Adam's own nod to one of his earlier covers, both from two of DC's lesser series (at the time they were published) and from which Adams isn't well-associated. There's probably a few good stories there, but then again, there doesn't have to be. The point being, cover homage in comics happens.

The New Teen Titans #30 (1983)

Introducing Terra - by George Perez

A great example of this intertextual comics cover homage was published very recently by another of comicdom's most notable and longtime pencillers, George Perez. Along with writer Marv Wolfman, Perez is arguably best known as co-creator of The New Teen Titans, both the team and the title of the comic series in which they starred. Launched in 1980, Perez and Wolfman's new Titans featured slightly aged versions of the superhero sidekicks from the original 1960's-era Teen Titans, Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, and Speedy, and introduced new members Changeling, Cyborg, and Raven, among others. Titans excelled through characterization and by pushing thematic envelopes into a mature realm otherwise unbreached by DC's superhero fare. Until Perez departed the series in 1985 to tackle the monumental Crisis on Infinite Earths, The New Teen Titans exemplified dramatic storytelling and became DC Comics answer to Marvel's Uncanny X-Men, also in the midst of perhaps its most historic run to date.

The Titans history course we just gave you doesn't do much to forward our Inception argument, but having an understanding of the series' import and Perez' role in the Titans phenomenon of the early 80's should help to clarify why, like Adams, Perez' recent homage to his own cover art received press attention last October. 'The Judas Contract', a four-part storyline that ran through The New Teen Titans #42-44 and its first Annual, culminated with a reveal that left both characters and readers' heads spinning, and brought to a head plot points that had appeared as early as the series' second issue. Considered the pinnacle of the Wolfman/Perez series, 'Contract' also introduced Terra, who became a member of the team only to betray them before 'Contract was over.

Terra died at the climax of 'The Judas Contract,' but her affect on the team has been felt ever since. Now, thanks to the logic of DC Comics' currently ongoing mega-series Blackest Night, in which dead heroes and villains are re-animated by a malevolent universal power so that they may wage war against their still-living former allies, Terra has returned to The Titans after a 25-year absence. And George Perez, to commemorate this event, recreated his cover of New Teen Titans #30 to appear on the third issue of Blackest Night: Titans.

Blackest Night: Titans #3 (2009) - Variant Cover ed.

Terra, as a zombie, is back - Art by George Perez

We have yet to see similar homages appear in superhero cinema, and perhaps Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros via the newly-formed DC Entertainment, are taking the first stab in that direction. As we've shown, homages in comics may be inter-related, as with Perez' Titans, or merely the self-referential work of the same artist, as in Neal Adams' case. The latter more closely parallels the similarities between Nolan's two teaser posters, while serving the additional purpose of possibly suggesting his next course of action as the director of the Batman franchise.

Were Nolan to embark on Batman 3 following Inception, the next Silver Screen adventure of the Caped Crusader would arrive in theaters in 2013, around the same time as Marvel's 'shared-universe' Avengers motion picture. Warner Bros has yet to announce any projects that could be considered worthy opponents for the Marvel blockbuster, and Nolan's Batman fits the necessary parameters to be just that. We'll be watching closely, and we'll let time prove how close we've come (or not!) to predicting what in all likelihood may be the biggest superhero showdown of the coming decade.

Our thanks to Bully and his wonderful blog, Comics Oughta Be Good, for the assist with the comics book covers 'Separated at Birth'. For an even deeper look into comic book cover art and homage, you'll find all of Bully's entries on the subject just by clicking on the link! [link]

Coincidental...or Subliminal?? INCEPTION's Intention Is to Make Leonardo A Joker

While we've already mentioned Christopher Nolan's Inception has its shares of ties to The Dark Knight, we were talking about its cast -- and, of course, the legion of Batman fans waiting for word of his next project. We hadn't taken into account Inception's marketing campaign -- and although the movie's first teaser was made public just days ago, something about it seemed a little...familiar. Maybe too familiar. So we did a little digging, and here's what we found:

Coincidence? We don't think so. The similarities between Heath Ledger's Joker at the mouth of Gotham's steely maw and Inception's Leonardo DiCaprio standing poised at the orifice of its fraternal twin - and from almost the exact same perspective - are too striking to dismiss. If similar imagery were to be used by any other director or studio to promote their project, we're certain that comparisons would be quickly drawn and disputed. Warner Bros, if not Nolan himself, along with the media and the aforementioned legion of Batman fans, would settle for nothing less than a cease and desist. But since the same folks are responsible for the marketing campaigns of both movies, the only questioning voices will be those of media - and the comics blogosphere.

It's impossible to even entertain the notion that Warner Bros and Nolan wouldn't have noticed the similarities between the two, because no one else has can help but to notice it. Thus, the decision was an intentional one. And that intentionality then begs the question as to why the similarities exist. Abbracadabbling isn't the only place this query is being pondered today, but as far as we're aware, no one's come up with - or been given - an answer.

Needless to say, we've derived one of our own. But before we support our claim that Warner Bros purposefully intended one movie's promo poster to mirror the other, we couldn't help but wonder what part, if any, would Christopher Nolan have played in bringing both visuals to market. After all, if a movie's poster work and ad campaigns are created outside the auspices of a film's director, the overall 'picture' of this predicament does somewhat skew.

Movie Maker, a site geared toward film industry professionals, has a very interesting 2004 article by David Konow entitled The Art of The Poster, in which he interviews three illustrators about the declining state of movie poster art. Drew Struzan, one of Konow's interviewees and the artist responsible for several of the Star Wars posters, answered our question right off the 'bat'. Not only does Struzman offer great insight into the development of a film's advertising and promotional campaign, he removes any and all doubt that Nolan wouldn't have been involved with Inception's. Konow's entire article on this subject is worth your time; if you'd like to read it in full, go here.

Knowing now that both Nolan and Warner Bros must have been involved and also knew what they were doing with Inception's teaser is one thing; why they did is another. There's a third lingering question as well, and that's Does It Matter? Should we care that Inception's first teaser seems like its a recycled image from Dark Knight?

We think we should, if only for the fact that it's obvious that Warner Bros and Christopher Nolan cared enough to parallel the two films in the first place. Beyond that, any of us should care only to the extent that we care if Christopher Nolan will be returning to Wayne Manor post-Inception. This being a comicsblog and all, not to mention the aforementioned, aforementioned legion of Bat-fans frenetically waiting on that very news, it's pretty darn obvious that people do care -- a lot.

Abbracadabbling contends that Nolan and Warner Bros have taken their first subtle, subliminal step to address their hungry Batman fans. So as to why their two teasers bear more than just a slight resemblance to each other -- Christopher Nolan's next project is going to be Batman 3. That's why.

And that's one hell of a teaser.

Dabblers, are we completely out of our minds or do you think our conclusions here would make even the Dark Knight Detective proud of us? Do you think these parallel posters really are just a coincidence, or is there something else at work? If so, what do you think it is if it's not Batman 3??? We'd love to hear anything and everything you've got say about Inception's possible deception. Leave us your Back Issues tonight -- and get every Bat-fan you know involved in the discussion, too. We've got a feeling that things have only just begun!

Coming Attractions: Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION

We're thinking that's a pretty sweet lookin' logo for Christopher Nolan's next movie, and coming from the man who brought us the Dark Knight, we would expect nothing else. Although most of fandom would appreciate the director or his Syncopy Film Studios tell them anything else, just something about INCEPTION.

Inception, which is set to open mid-summer on July 16th, stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead and a supporting cast right out of his last Batman film. Both Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth) and Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow) join DiCaprio, as well as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, and actresses Marion Cotillard and Ellen Page. And while Dark Knight devotees may be thrilled to see a few Bat-aulmni on screen once more, neither Nolan nor producing studio Warner Brothers have leaked much else about what to expect with Inception.

What is known has been gleaned from the movie's short teaser that played before very select showings of Inglorious Bastards earlier this Fall. From what we've seen and heard, DiCaprio's character Jacob is a CEO-type who becomes embroiled in a blackmailing scandal. That, and that Inception is being described as “a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind” don't give folks too much to go on.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons fans are anxious about Nolan's next film, especially since one the director wraps post-production on Inception, word of his next project should follow soon after. In other words, what's up with Batman 3? Speculation and rumors have already been building as to the villains, returning actors, and even the verity of a possible viral marketing campaign now circulating the blogosphere. Stay tuned to abbracadabbling for all the info, dynamic dabblers!

Inception's first official teaser poster just hit the net this week, too, and its been making its rounds since the big debut just 24-hours ago. We've got it and the film's Inglorious trailer for you below. Are they enough to keep you interested in Inception, or are your Bat-curiosities your motivation for closer inspection? Sound off with your Back Issues and keep us informed!!