Bane Co-Creator Graham Nolan Discusses THE DARK KNIGHT RISES' Version Of The Character
Graham Nolan, who can't even bear to watch Bane's incarnation in Joel Schumacher's atrocious Batman & Robin, gives his opinion on what he has seen so far.
Cine Web Radio recently nabbed an interview with comic book artist Graham Nolan, who is best known for his work on Batman, specifically Knightfall. Graham Nolan, Chuck Dixon, and Doug Moench are the co-creators of the villainous Bane. Currently Graham is working on two syndicated comics, Rex Morgan, M.D. and Sunshine State.
When asked which comic book he'd like to see turned into a film next, he said Doc Savage. Would you guys like to see Doc Savage turned into a film as well?
Could you tell us about the creation of this character?
Bane was created to be the ultimate villain capable of bringing down The Batman. He had to be intelligent, powerful and brutal. Chuck and I discussed many aspects of the character before I set pencil to paper and designed him.
Did you know that Bane would have such an impact in Batman Legacy?
We knew he would be important in to the Knightfall storyline, but had no idea he would reach the popularity of today.
In 1997, Robert Swen played the part of Bane in Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin, what do you think of his work as Bane?
To this day neither Chuck nor I have seen the movie. It's so monumentally bad, I won't waste my time. And the character in there...is NOT the Bane we created.
2012 will be Bane's year, as Christopher Nolan has decided that he would be the new villain of the next movie (The Dark Knight Rises). You may have seen the first pictures and trailers... What do you think of Bane's look?
I like what I see so far. I understand the need to change certain things for a movie. The Batman costume of film is not that of the comics either. It's more important to get the character right.
(If you have seen the prologue of The Dark Knight Rises) What do you think of Tom Hardy's voice as Bane ? (It seems that a lot of people have had difficulties to understand him!)
Yes, it is a bit difficult, but I am not going to judge the film by a pre-release clip. There is plenty of time to tweak the sound and enhance the clarity if the director decides it's necessary.
Have you been called by DC Comics or Christopher Nolan's team to work on the character with them ?
No.
What do you think of Christopher Nolan's first two Batman movies?
I am one of the few that liked the first one (Batman Begins) is better than the second.
More generally, what do you think of the super-hero movies ?
When done well like Captain America and The Dark Knight, I like them. When done like Spider-man 3, I hate them.
Thanks to Jacquotgame for the heads up
The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters July 20th 2012 and stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, Tom Hardy as Bane, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate.