Batman: Not Ever Released

Maybe one day Frank Miller will finish his Holy Terror, Batman! project. Maybe not. An interview conducted in May last year had the project about two-thirds complete. It's slated for release later this year. I'm not holding my breath. Holy Terror depicts Batman battling al-Qa'eda in Gotham City - an intentional nod to 1940s propaganda strips that saw Captain America et al duffing Nazis.

Miller's on record (in a doc on one of the Batman dvds) stating his admiration for the rough 'n' ready approach Columbia Pictures took with their 1940s Batman serials - the first of which had a portly lo-fi Batman battling Japanese spy Dr. Daka. Racial slurs and snides abound as Bats does his bit for the war effort, narrowly escapes lethal falls, and plays tricks on his butler. Not that I mean to suggest that Miller's a Johnny Foreigner demonising bigot, just that he seems to find a special kind of joy in seeing costumed supermen battling intangible despotism. Miller's spoken about his project as being a gut reaction to living in New York during the 9/11 attacks. A vocal supporter of the war in Iraq, Miller has compared the World Trade attack with Pearl Harbour, and cited sixth century barbarism and fascism as chief among our abstract enemies' traits. Although I don't find anything Miller's been saying particularly agreeable, I do admire his gumption. Holy Terror should be a cultural artifact du jour.

Until Holy Terror rears it's head, here's a natty little parody piece that popped up not long after the books announcement. Unfortunately I have no idea who produced this little winner. It helps if you're au fait with Miller's (then) recent output - particularly The Dark Knight Strikes Again (a piece that is awash with political caricatures and asides).