In the early nineties, two events changed how people looked at comics. In the Death of Superman and Batman: Knightfall, DC Comics replaced its marquee superheroes with substitute characters that more closely resembled the Image and Marvel comics of the time. Sales for the events were stratospheric. Readers were introduced to new characters like Superboy Kon-El, Jean-Paul Valley’s Azrael, and villains like Doomsday and Bane. While Doomsday was the unstoppable force that could kill Superman, Bane was introduced as the anti-Batman. A brilliant tactician, he could match Batman in brains. And, thanks to a drug called Venom enhancing his strength, match Batman’s brawn as well. Both storylines would be adapted roughly into films like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Dark Knight Rises, but fans were happy to see Knightfall would be getting its own full 3-part animated adaptation from Warner Animation. The first of the R-rated films was released to good word of mouth and strong reviews. Now we’re getting our first look at Part 2: Knightquest.
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After releasing all of the criminals from Arkham Asylum, Bane wore Batman down and left him broken atop his own Bat-signal. That’s where the trailer for Knightfall Part 2: Knightquest kicks off, as Batman must select who will carry the mantle of the bat and wear the cowl in his stead. Check out the trailer now to get a closer look at Two-Face making a ruckus, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum finding out the hard way they’re way over their matching heads, Azrael not being mentally fit, and an iconic Bat-uniform that even made Marvel’s The Punisher envious when they crossed paths. Yes, we finally get our first look at Az-bats in action.
Finally, the Az-bat on Film
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises amalgamated multiple comic storylines like Knightfall and No Man’s Land into its sprawling epic. Unfortunately, the director just didn’t have the running time to introduce a psychotic assassin to stand in for Batman while he healed and climbed his way out of a pit. WB Animation has prided itself on hewing the animated films as close to the source material as possible, resulting in some of the best adaptations of series like Watchmen, Batman: Year One, and the aforementioned Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen. With Knightquest, readers will finally get to see Az-bats go past any limits Bruce had for Batman. While it would be hyperbole to say these films are in danger, the executive who has shepherded the DC direct-to-video animated movies recently announced his retirement from WB. The Knightfall Trilogy is the final set of films from executive producer Sam Register, who announced he was leaving the studio the day Knightfall Part 1 was released.
James Gunn has already made it clear that future DC animated projects will be more closely connected to the DCU, sharing voice actors and a bigger world. He has not directly addressed whether they plan to continue direct story adaptations. If Knightfall is the last of this kind of direct adaptation, at least they’re going out on a banger. Preorders for Knightfall Part 2: Knightquest are available now, but there is not yet a firm release date.
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