Long before Justice League fell flat at the global box office, Zack Snyder delivered Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, a cinematic feast that brought together three of the biggest names in comic book history.
We are, of course, referring to Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent – played by Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, respectively – while Dawn of Justice also served as a springboard for Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) ahead of her own standalone Wonder Woman movie.
And though some felt that the Immortal Warrior threatened to steal the show from her superpowered allies, Batman V Superman was really all about its titular duo and their historic feud, one which played out on the biggest scale imaginable. It’s also one that mined inspiration from Frank Millar and his seminal comic book series, The Dark Knight Returns. And thanks to the folks over at CBM, a newly-unveiled gallery of concept art for Batman V Superman draws attention to the connective tissue between Millar and Snyder’s respective properties.
There’s also fresh looks at Doomsday and the Dark Knight, who can be seen looking over Gotham City from afar. Turns out Zack Snyder and his team originally considered a different approach to Ben Affleck’s Caped Crusader, replete with long, old-school ears and a more minimalist costume. The same can also be said about Batman’s mech suit, which looks as though it’s wandered straight out of Frank Millar’s Dark Knight Returns.
Elsewhere, the gallery also includes alternate takes on the demented Man-Bat – a figment of Bruce’s imagination – and Robin’s suit, which was so cruelly defaced by Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime, thereby connecting Batman V Superman with the world of Suicide Squad.
All in all, it’s a fascinating retrospective on Zack Snyder’s imperfect DC masterclass, and fans can at least take solace in the fact that Justice League is prepped and ready for its home video release on March 13th (pre-order here).
