Pietro's Book Review: THE DARK KNIGHT MANUAL - TOOLS, WEAPONS, VEHICLES & DOCUMENTS FROM THE BATCAVE
The Dark Knight Manual is a "vault" styled book containing tons of interactive material from blueprints to faux memos and even a stack of Joker Cards, all enhancing a comprehensive look at all three films in director Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. This may sound gimmicky but it's not, at all. Creator Brandon T. Snider's attention to detail is impeccable, and in this book he offers the most comprehensive and entertaining movie tie-in material I've ever read.
Funny enough, I am not a big fan of Batman. Although there are several comic runs I hold in high regard and Tim Burton's 1989 film is one of my favorite pieces of pop culture cinema, DC's most popular hero has never been very interesting to me. Enter Nolan's Batman trilogy, which is the most talked about and well liked addition to the longstanding character's mythos in years. I appreciate them for being solid and enjoyable films, but they never struck a chord with me; mostly because they ignored my favorite aspect of Batman: his skills as a detective.
This is where The Dark Knight Manual shines. Not only is the book packed with an abundance of information detailing Bruce Wayne's journey from playboy to vigilante, but it's in the form of a police report. From the investigation of the murder of Wayne's parents, to hints at what happened to The Joker and why Bane and Catwoman from The Dark Knight Rises are so dangerous, this book delivers the does a wonderful job expanding on the story set forth in the films in a way that honors the World's Greatest Detective. Thoroughly engaging from cover to cover, every hardcore Batman enthusiast and casual fan alike needs to have this on their shelf.
The Dark Knight Manual is the first in-world exploration of Christopher Nolan's Batman. This fascinating manual contains key sketches, diagrams, notes, case files, and other top-secret documents gathered by Bruce Wayne as he came to embody and serve as Gotham's Dark Knight. Every defining moment is detailed here, from his collaborations with Lucius Fox, to his alliance with James Gordon at the GPD, to his handwritten memos to and from faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth.
Featured are more than two dozen removable documents, including the design and capabilities of the famed Batsuit, blueprints revealing the inner workings of the Batcave, the specifications for Batman's amazing arsenal of weapons and gadgets, and much more.
Look for hidden bonus content and exclusive images from the final film in Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises.
Brandon T. Snider is a New York-based writer and actor who has penned books featuring Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern, in addition to fiction for The Official Smallville Magazine and humor for The Huffington Post. Brandon has also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Chappelle's Show, and Law & Order: SVU, as well as in commercials, stage productions, and short films.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and all related characters and elements are trademarks of © and DC Comics.
