Batman

Who is that masked man? Briefly, the saga of Batman--subject of one of this summer's most-talked-about movies--goes like this: It is 1938, and Superman is the most popular character at DC Comics. But, they'd like another . . . Bob Kane, an 18-year-old artist who once worked for Max Fleisher Studios (home of Popeye and Betty Boop), is asked to come up with one. Kane thinks about a Leonardo da Vinci drawing he once saw, of a man wearing bat-like wings. And he recalls favorite childhood movies, "The Mark of Zorro" and "The Bat."

The Batman mask worn by George Clooney , the slinky Catwoman suit worn by Halle Berry and other Hollywood film items will be donated to a Smithsonian museum on Friday (today). In an afternoon ceremony in Washington, D.C. , Warner Bros. Chairman Barry Meyer is scheduled to turn over more than 30 artifacts from 13 of his studio's films to the National Museum of American History . The pieces are dominated by superheroes but draw on a little of the studio's past, too. Among the items being donated to the Smithsonian are the overcoat worn by Bette Davis in "Now, Voyager" (1942)

Reporting from Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey-- Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., has a long and winding roller coaster history that's filled with as many twists and turns as the amusement park's many record-breaking rides. Photos : Top 10 Six Flags Great Adventure roller coasters Great Adventure was a must-see on my road trip across America's coaster belt, in large part because of the park's three world-class rides: El Toro, Kingda Ka and Nitro.

CLEVELAND - A rattled and clueless Mike D'Antoni , asked whether this latest Lakers' debacle against a Cleveland team with only four wins was embarrassing, said: "No. "It's basketball. I hate it. I'm down. But I'm not embarrassed … that's a harsh word. I'm not embarrassed. " A few minutes later the same question was put to Kobe Bryant , and "yes," he said, he was embarrassed. "This is the toughest stretch, the most challenging stretch in my 17 years for sure," said Bryant while sitting calmly in front of his locker taking on all questions.

Paramount Pictures' "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" got off to a strong start at the box office this weekend — but how much of that had to do with the teaser for "The Dark Knight Rises" that played before the movie? The Christopher Nolan-directed Batman film, out this summer, is expected to be one of 2012's biggest box office draws — so hard-core fans might have rushed out to get an early glimpse of the Warner Bros.' superhero movie this weekend. Still, the teaser — dubbed a "prologue" — was playing on only about 40 of the 300 IMAX screens where "Mission" was playing this weekend, meaning it's unlikely the preview boosted the film's $13-million haul substantially.

DC Entertainment has asked retailers to delay the release of its comic book "Batman Inc. " No. 3 due to sensitivities in the wake of theColorado movie-theater shooting. The company behind Superman, Wonder Woman and"Watchmen" sent a letter to retailers requesting that they withhold the issue, which has already been printed and shipped with a scheduled Wednesday shelf date. "Out of respect for the victims and families in Aurora, Colorado, DC Entertainment has made the decision to postpone the release of 'Batman Inc.' No. 3 for one month because the comic contains content that may be perceived as insensitive in light of recent events," the letter stated.

For proof of income inequality in America, look no further than the take-home pay of Batman and Spider-Man . Bruce Wayne is a 1 percenter, with an estimated annual income of $102 million. And that excludes the potential extra riches to be had from stock options. Spider-Man, by contrast, can't afford a Batmobile. He's clinging to a modest $50,000-a-year salary - barely enough to cover his tuition at New York University. The figures come courtesy of a blogger at H&R Block and appear to have as much - or as little - basis in reality as the comic strips themselves.

Being the Dark Knight isn't easy on the body or soul. The job also weighs heavy on the wallet. The total cost of the Batman persona rings in at $682,451,350 -- and that doesn't include the $7-billion Wayne Enterprises, according to an infographic from MoneySupermarket.com Bruce Wayne's home, which had to be rebuilt to the tune of $600 million after being destroyed, requires $37,000 to run each year. He's got vehicles worth $80 million. The Tumbler vehicle alone, which is outfitted with front-mounted machine guns, GPS and has stealth and self-destruct capabilities, goes for $18 million.

The March 3 Video Review column refers to Warren Beatty's coming film about "Batman." Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson are starring in "Batman." Warren Beatty is "Dick Tracy." GUY APOLLO Los Angeles

The apartment of the suspect in the Colorado theater rampage was decorated with Batman items and crisscrossed with waist-high trip wires attached to more than 30 improvised grenades strewn across the living room floor, a law enforcement official close to the case said Sunday. Nearby were 10 gallons of gasoline “to enhance the thermal effect.” The suspect, James Holmes, 24, is accused of opening fire at a midnight showing of the latest Batman movie,"The Dark Knight Rises. " Twelve people were killed in the attack; 58 were injured.

It is not too much of a stretch to say the National Rifle Assn. profits from mass killings like the slaughter at the theater in Aurora, Colo., and the killings at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. The NRA is, after all, a fundraising machine that runs on fear and a sense of crisis, even when the fear is false and the crisis manufactured. A former Republican lawmaker has made public a four-page fundraising letter from the NRA's executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, that was sent out to gun enthusiasts just three days after a young man styling himself as the Joker turned a showing of the new Batman movie into a bloody massacre.

A lawyer says there could be a simple explanation for why an Ohio man allegedly armed himself to the teeth for a Saturday night screening of "The Dark Knight Rises": He wanted the protection. Scott A. Smith, 37, of North Ridgeville allegedly packed a bag with a loaded 9-millimeter Glock, extra ammunition clips and four knives for his trip to the movie theater, according to Cleveland.com. A search of Smith's home following his arrest turned up additional weapons, according to another report on Cleveland.com.

Many moviegoers forgot about"Total Recall" at the box office this past weekend, as the reboot of the 1990 amnesia classic failed to prove as memorable as"The Dark Knight Rises. " For the third consecutive weekend, the final entry in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy claimed the No. 1 position at the multiplex. This past weekend, the film starring Christian Bale as the iconic superhero took in an additional $36.4 million, lifting its overall tally to $354.6 million domestically, according to an estimate from distributorWarner Bros.

AURORA, Colo. - The spelling was a bit off, but the sentiment heartfelt: "Stay strong Colorado. Sorry for all you pepoel who got hurt and injured. Love you all. " When Aurora residents gathered in the thousands to remember the 12 people killed and dozens wounded in a movie theater massacre, 8-year-old Olivia Schultz sat on her mom's shoulders, holding aloft the sign she had fashioned in red, blue, green and purple crayon. It was one of several signs Olivia's family made for an improvised memorial that sprang up across the street from where a gunman opened fire July 20 during a midnight screening of the new Batman movie,"The Dark Knight Rises.

Being the Dark Knight isn't easy on the body or soul. The job also weighs heavy on the wallet. The total cost of the Batman persona rings in at $682,451,350 -- and that doesn't include the $7-billion Wayne Enterprises, according to an infographic from MoneySupermarket.com Bruce Wayne's home, which had to be rebuilt to the tune of $600 million after being destroyed, requires $37,000 to run each year. He's got vehicles worth $80 million. The Tumbler vehicle alone, which is outfitted with front-mounted machine guns, GPS and has stealth and self-destruct capabilities, goes for $18 million.

"The Dark Knight Rises" may have soared to the top of the box office for the second consecutive weekend, but the Batman film is still falling behind its predecessor. The final installment in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy saw its ticket sales tumble 60% to $64.1 million during its second weekend in theaters, according to an estimate Sunday from distributorWarner Bros. The film has now collected $289.1 million in the United States and Canada - roughly $25 million less than "The Dark Knight" made during the same time period in 2008 despite lower ticket prices.

So Michael Keaton has been cast as Batman/Bruce Wayne (Cinefile, by Leonard Klady, June 26)? He might have made a good Joker, but his comic style, which he seems unable to shake (but can amplify), has doomed this promised "serious" treatment of Bob Kane's character to the same tired, boring level of artificial "camp" that made the TV series a hit yet simultaneously doomed it to an early cancellation. The painful lesson of "Superman III"--when you don't treat venerable superheroes with respect the audience rejects the property--has been ignored in this cynical, opportunistic attempt to capitalize on the success of "Beetlejuice" (same director, same star)

I'm not a fearful person, but there are a few things that frighten me. Nuclear weapons. Moldy leftovers. Astronomical real estate prices. And men like Jack Thompson ("The 'Batman' Who Took On Rap" by Chuck Philips, June 18) frighten me. Thompson's virulent campaign to smother First Amendment freedoms is noteworthy not only for its vociferousness but also for its apparent success. When he says, "(God) has put the world together in such a way that government exists to point people God-ward," I become truly frightened.

Steve Nash entices the Lakers because he's a man of many talents. He can pass. He can shoot. He makes his teammates better. He makes playing basketball more fun. Nash also has enticed the Laker fan base because he's a man of many impersonations. He mimicked Christian Bale's acting in the recent Batman trilogy. He perfectly imitated Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone character in "The Godfather. " He reenacted a "Star Wars" light-saber battle with former Suns teammate Jared Dudley. And in the latest movie spoof, Nash repeats Morgan Freeman's soliloquy in "The Shawshank Redemption . " " The first night's the toughest, no doubt about it," Nash said while stuck in a dog cage.

Fans excited to see "The Dark Knight Rises" before last Friday's massacre in Colorado bought up copies of director Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," putting those two films in the top 10 DVD sales chart for the first time in years. "Batman Begins" was the No. 8 selling DVD and Blu-raydisc in the week ending July 22, according to Rentrak Corp," while "Dark Knight" was No. 9. They were originally released on disc in late 2005 and late 2008, respectively. The Farrelly Brothers' version of "The Three Stooges" debuted at the top of the DVD and Blu-ray sales chart and No. 4 among rentals.