Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a classic enigma. The film was a stand-alone continuation of the successful Batman: The Animated Series but at the last minute, it was released in the theaters instead of direct-to-video. Although it was a box-office failure, it received high praise from critics and fans for its story which served as both a stand-alone story of Batman versus a murderous vigilante dubbed The Phantasm but also as a tragic origin story for this iteration of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Although the film was released over 30 years ago, fans continue to hold the animated film in high regard, with forms of admiration shown in cosplay, literature, conversation, and of course, artwork.
DC artist Bruno Redondo recently posted online an illustrated tribute to Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Redondo is a penciler, inker, and cover artist who is known for his work on such DC Comics titles as Teen Titans, Earth 2: Society, and Justice League. Some of his most recognized work has been in collaboration with writer Tom Taylor on the successful Injustice: Gods Among Us series and its tie-in sequel Injustice 2 and the current Suicide Squad series.
In the film, Bruce encounters a former lover and it brings back memories to a time when his decision to be Batman had yet to be cemented. Bruce found himself distracted with the budding romance between him and Andrea Beaumont. When his early attempts at vigilantism fail, Bruce decides to abandon those plans when he proposes to Andrea. However when he later receives her engagement ring and a letter stating that she cannot marry him before mysteriously disappearing with her father Carl, Bruce channels his heartbreak, anger, and disappointment into his original plan. In the scene wonderfully referenced by Bruno, Bruce stands in the dark wearing his Batman outfit for the first time. Surrounded by the beautiful but grim walls and stalagmites of his Bat Cave, Bruce contemplates his last but final act. In his hands, he holds the forfeiture of that simple yet happy life he almost had with Andrea. Once he dons that iconic cowl, his transformation is complete, to the horror of his surrogate father and confidant Alfred Pennyworth. He is no longer Bruce Wayne, he is now Batman.
Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm received two novelizations, one co-written by Mask of the Phantasm writers Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, and Andrew Helfer and the other by science fiction writer Geary Gravel, and one comic book adaptation written by Kelley Puckett and illustrated by Mike Parobeck. One can imagine that Bruno's artwork may have fit in nicely within any of them but it is a beautiful tribute to a pivotal scene from one of the most beloved films in the DC animated library. It is hard to not view such work and not hear Danny Elfman's classic theme song or Shirley Walker's soundtrack for the film playing in the background of your mind. Batman: Mask of the Phantasmis one of those unique films that manages to be dated and yet timeless while its story, artwork, and performance continue to entertain and inspire generations of fans decades later.
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