Michael Keaton – Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Michael Keaton — Batman Redux

March 15, 2024 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Michael Keaton is trending this week because of the Oscars “Batman” moment between him and Arnold Schwarzenegger/ Danny DeVito this past Sunday.

Many of the comments discuss Keaton being the “best” Batman.

Now, as I’ve said previously, I never loved the way his face looked in that original cowl. That’s partly the fault of the costume, and perhaps partly Keaton’s face shape. And the resulting style guide art was… not great.

That said —

Keaton is still the most enjoyable version of Bruce Wayne on screen. By far.

Keaton’s Wayne is both charming and offbeat. He’s very self-aware, has a sense of a humor and charisma, but still on the edge — likely bordering on psychotic. He provides many, many shades to the Wayne persona. His main scene with Bassinger and Wuhl is one of the great moments from the first film.

And hilariously, the whole “Keaton is the best Batman” thread is one of the most ironic critiques in entertainment history.

Why? Because even without the Internet and social media, the trolls managed to make so much negative noise about Keaton cast as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 feature.

“The guy from Beetlejuice? Seriously?”

The long knives were out for Burton, Warner Brothers, DC, and pretty much anyone and everyone associated with film prior to release.

Seriously, I don’t how the casting would have survived if social media had existed in 1988.

Which reminds us of the late, great William Goldman’s classic comment:

“Nobody knows anything.”

Except, at least in this case, Tim Burton.

Bruce Wayne At The Movies

March 31, 2022 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Forget about The Batman for a moment, who is the best cinematic Bruce Wayne?

*Michael Keaton’s hairstyle might be a bit off, even for 1989, but his Bruce Wayne interpretation is otherwise compelling and terrific.*

Irony.

Even without the Internet and social media, the trolls managed to make so… much… noise.. about Michael Keaton cast as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 feature.

The long knives were definitely out for Burton, Warner Brothers, DC, and pretty much anyone and everyone associated with film prior to release.

And you know what?

Keaton is still the most enjoyable version of Bruce Wayne on screen.

Not to take anything away from Christian Bale, who, overall is terrific and definitely has his Bruce Wayne moments, there’s both a charm and weirdness to Keaton’s Wayne. (And who wouldn’t be weird, dressing up as a bat and fighting crime at night? But we digress.)

And Pattinson might turn out to be a terrific Bruce Wayne. But we didn’t see much of him as Wayne in The Batman so the jury is still out.

Keaton’s Wayne is very self-aware, less brooding, has a sense of a humor and charisma, but still — on the edge, and likely psychotic. He provides many shades to the Wayne persona.

He might not be the best-looking Batman in a cowl (I specifically never warmed up the style guide art based on his Batman likeness) but as Bruce Wayne, just a blast.