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There's a new player in Gotham City. Bane, who was raised
on a super-steroid called Venom, is not only immensely strong,
but intelligent. He realises that if he wants to take over
as the new crime lord, the only person he needs to defeat
is the Batman. He watches as the Dark Knight works himself
into a physical and mental stupor cleaning-up the city of
criminals, before hatching a plan to attack Arkham Asylum
to release all the psychos the Batman has worked for years
putting away. A shadow of his former self, the masked vigilante
struggles against lower-league thugs, until Bane steps in
and defeats him. Reduced to a wheelchair, Bruce Wayne sees
the city he has always protected go to hell, and is reluctantly
obliged to send out the untested new Robin with Azrael as
the new Batman. But mental conditioning is taking over, causing
Azrael to become increasingly violent and unstable. Bruce
Wayne has to find a way of returning to the mantle of the
Bat, and that leads to the investigation of Doctor Kinsolving's
kidnapping, and ultimately to his retraining...
I
have had the distinct pleasure of keeping in touch with and
speaking to Dirk
Maggs [this audio drama's writer/adapter/director]
on several occasions about his numerous projects over the
years. He therefore knows that I consider Batman: Knightfall
to be his very best achievement. It's fast-moving, emotional,
violent and funny, with superb performances (Bob Sessions,
sadly no longer with us, is particularly strong in the title
role) and extremely realistic sound effects, used to shocking
purpose. I reviewed the original twin-tape version in-depth
on my
own website, alongside many other Maggs audio dramatisations
(or "audio movies", as he likes to call them). So,
I know it's good... and now you do too, but how is this release
any different from that one?
Well,
this is Knightfall's first release on CD, and it hasn't
simply been copied over to a new medium from the 1994 tapes,
but instead has been completely remastered in the studio,
with reedited scenes and added effects sequences that further
enhance the best Batman story ever told. Also, there is an
excellent outtakes track (with the naughty bits removed),
and the pre-restoration opening sequence comparison. All of
this is beautifully presented in a 3-CD set, with eye-catching
artwork and a booklet incorporating notes on the Batman character,
as well as Dirk's own notes on this production.
One minor quibble is that on the original version the Broken
Bat sequence came at the end of one side. Intense, shocking
drama followed by stunning silence. Here it is followed directly
by another scene, thereby diminishing some of its impact.
However, this is one single nit-pick from an otherwise monumental
release. Forget rattling tea cups, this is one of the best
action adventures you'll ever hear.
I
didn't think it was possible to improve upon perfection. I'm
glad to be proved wrong.
 
Ty
Power
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