If you’re a fan of the medium, then you already know that Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One is one of the all-time great graphic novels, a brilliant work that’s had more than its share of failed imitators over the years.  The story—which concerns the trials and tribulations of Bruce Wayne’s first foray into Batman-hood in an old-school Gotham City—has long been ear-marked for an animated retelling, but only recently did Warner Bros. finally decide to get the project animated, edited, and slapped onto Blu-ray discs (and DVD’s, if that’s your thing) for our consumption.  Does the Batman: Year One Blu-ray experience live up to Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One graphic novel?  Find out after the jump, folks.

Warner Premiere has released a new clip from the upcoming Direct-to-Video animated film Batman: Year One.  The clip features Lieutenant Gordon (voiced by Bryan Cranston) and his wife coming to visit playboy Bruce Wayne (Ben McKenzie).  The clip is notable for two reasons: 1) I now really want Bryan Cranston to play Jim Gordon in the next Batman movie; and 2) Bruce Wayne gives Mrs. Gordon the Basic Instinct shot.  That’s kind of great even though Tommy Cook had mixed feelings on the film as a whole.

Hit the jump to check out the clip.  The film, based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name, also features Katee Sackhoff as Sarah Essen, and Eliza Dushku as Selina Kyle/Catwoman.  Batman: Year One is now available for download on iTunes, Xbox Live, Zune, Vudu HD, and PlayStation Netwoek.  It hits Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and On Demand on October 18th.

Warner Bros. has sent over another clip from the animated adaptation of Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. If you’re unfamiliar, the story features The Dark Knight and centers on James Gordon’s first year working in Gotham. This new clip showcases a bunch of cops shooting machine guns at Batman, and a none-too-pleased Gordon. If you missed the first clip from the film, click here to check it out. You can also read Tommy’s review of the full film from Comic-Con here. Hit the jump to see the new clip.

Hit the jump to check out the clip.  The film features the voices of Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Katee Sackhoff, and Bryan Cranston.  Batman: Year One hits DVD and Blu-ray on October 18th.

Warner Bros. has sent over the first clip from the animated adaptation of Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One.  As you probably gathered from the title, the story chronicles the trials and tribulations of The Dark Knight.  The book also looks at James Gordon’s first year working in Gotham and trying to root out corruption in the police force.  Tommy caught the film at Comic-Con and felt it hewed too closely to the graphic novel.  As for this clip, Batman picks the least impressive way to inform Gotham’s well-to-do criminals that he’s got his eye on them.  And if a man dressed like a giant rodent interrupting your meal won’t set you straight, nothing will.

Hit the jump to check out the clip.  The film features the voices of Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Katee Sackhoff, and Bryan Cranston.  Batman: Year One hits DVD and Blu-ray on October 18th.

Warner Bros. has announced that New York Comic-Con attendees will be the first to see the 15-minute animated short Catwoman.  The short will be attached to the upcoming Blu-ray of Warner Premiere’s animated adaptation of Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One.  Tommy had some mixed feelings about the film when he caught it at Comic-Con, but it’s a nice bonus for fans that WP will be throwing on a 15-minute short film.  Eliza Dushku provides the voice of Catwoman in both the short and the feature.

Attendees will also get to see the first footage from Warner Premiere’s next DC Universe animated film, Justice League: Doom.  The presentations will be part of Warner Premiere’s panel on October 14th from 3:00-4:00pm.  The panel will also include the one true voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, as well as executive producer Bruce Timm and casting director Andrea Romano.  Hit the jump to check out the first image from Catwoman as well as the full press release.  Batman: Year One hits stores on October 18th.

Warner Bros’ new direct-to-video animated Batman: Year One is about as faithful an adaptation of the Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli source material as could be done – potentially to its own detriment. The problem being that the episodic nature of the comic doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the dramatic momentum needed for film. An issue about Batman getting into a fight with a bunch of pimps which in turn leads to a brawl with a pre-Catwoman Selena Kyle works on the page; on film, it halts the main thrust and drive of the film – namely that of the relationship between Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne/Batman. Year One is at it’s best when it focuses on the fraught almost Heat-like (picture Jim Gordon as Pacino and Batman as De Niro) relationship between the two. My review after the jump.

While you may or may not recognize his face, if you have any sort of affinity for Batman: The Animated Series and/or animated DC Comics films in general, then you are definitely familiar with the work of artist/producer Bruce Timm. A longtime staple in the animated DC world, Timm has worked as a producer and character designer for numerous projects including the aforementioned Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, the Justice League television series, and more.

As part of Batman: Year One‘s Comic-Con press day, I had the opportunity to participate in a small roundtable interview with Timm where he discussed a range of topics including the possibility of an R-Rated animated Batman film, The Flaming C (the superhero persona he drew up for Conan O’Brien), and the ways in which Year One is more realistic than Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. Check out the full interview after the jump. Batman: Year One gets released to Blu-ray/DVD on October 18th and, as I mentioned in my interview with Ben McKenzie, is certainly worth your time.

In Batman: Year One, Ben McKenzie takes on the iconic role of Bruce Wayne/Batman during his first year of “service” to Gotham. While doing press for the film at Comic-Con, I had a chance to participate in a small roundtable with the Southland actor who seemed genuinely grateful for the opportunity to voice the character in the animated adaptation of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s classic tale.

During the interview, McKenzie talked about learning the ins and outs of voice acting, filling the iconic shoes of both Batman and Kevin Conroy, shared stories from shooting Southland on-location, and discussed some of the baggage brought on by his tenure on The O.C.. Check out what he had to say after the jump. Batman: Year One will be available on Blu-ray/DVD on October 18^th and, after watching the film last night, comes highly recommended from yours truly.

If you thought Thursday was crazy at Comic-Con, then the schedule for Friday will make your brain break apart. There were some high profile panels on Thursday, but Friday it’s non-stop. Sony is looking to own the day with their 90-minute panel for Total Recall, 30 Minutes or Less, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, and The Amazing Spider-Man. Hall H will also be hosting presentations for The Adventures of Tintin, Raven, Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire, Underworld 4, Batman: Year One, Pacific Rim, Seventh Son, Paradise Lost, Mass Effect, and Fright Night.

The TV side is also on overdrive with a pilot screening of Locke & Key, and panels for The Walking Dead, The Big Bang Theory, Children’s Hospital, Bones, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, The River, Black Dynamite, Eureka, Bob’s Burgers, Falling Skies, ThunderCats, Robot Chicken, Ugly Americans, Warehouse 13, and True Blood. Hit the jump for a list of schedule highlights for movies and TV.

Warner Premiere, the Warner Bros. division that handles the direct-to-DVD animated superhero films, has released a trailer for Batman: Year One.  The film is based on Frank Miller’s acclaimed 1987 comic miniseries of the same name.  As if the title didn’t give it away, the film focuses on the Caped Crusader’s first year as a costumed vigilante.  The trailer looks interesting and Warner Premiere did an alright job with last year’s Batman: Under the Red Hood.  This time around, Batman will be voiced Ben McKenzie (Southland) with Bryan Cranston as Detective Gordon, Eliza Dushku as Catwoman, and Katee Sackhoff as Gordon’s love interest, Detective Sarah Essen.  While McKenzie sounds fine, I always hear Kevin Conroy (from Batman: The Animated Series) as the proper voice of the Dark Knight.  Thankfully, he’s reprising the role for Batman: Arkham City.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Batman: Year One will premiere at Comic-Con and hit stores sometime this fall.

Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, and Katee Sackhoff will provide voice work to Warner Premiere’s upcoming animated adaptation of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s acclaimed graphic novel Batman: Year One.  Heat Vision reports that Cranston will voice a young liutenant James Gordon, while McKenzie is Wayne/Batman. Dushku will provide the voice for Catwoman, and Sackhoff is Gordon’s love interest, Detective Sarah Essen.  The PG-13 feature is set to stick fairly close to the comic with executive producer Bruce Timm revealing, “It a pretty straight forward literal retelling.  Mazzucchelli’s artwork is beautifully composed and we were able to refer to the comic for about 80 percent of the camera setups.”

You can check out the first images from the film after the jump.  Batman: Year One will hit stores this fall but will make its debut at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Last night was the premiere of Batman: Under the Red Hood in Ballroom 20 at San Diego Comic-Con 2010.  Fellow writer Jason Barr and I caught the tail end of the panel discussion after the first showing of the film and some exciting news was revealed.  Producer Bruce Timm announced that the iconic Batman: Year One storyline by Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli will be made into a feature-length animated film in the near future.  Additionally, it was announced that Superman/Batman: Apocalypse will be released in September of this year.  Some of you rabid fans might yawn at this news as it has been rumored or announced before.  However, here is one to knock you off your chair: All Star Superman, the beloved storyline by Grant Morrison with artist Frank Quitely, will also be made into an animated film.

All of this was announced amidst a lively panel discussion and of course the world premiere of Batman: Under the Red Hood.  After the break you can get a brief synopsis of the film, the official trailer, and my initial thoughts.