Holy Improvised Christmas Special Batman!

The holidays are here and you know what that means, office Christmas parties. But what if your office is a cave and your work involves a cape and cowl? Comic Book Live at the iO West has answered that question with their Bat Man Holiday Special performance. Chris Gore of the PodCrash podcasts and G4 played Batman and appearances by many of the Bat Rogues and sidekicks on stage this past Saturday made for a hilarious take on a caped crusader party.

For those that do not know, the Comic Book Live group performs a comic book related improvisation show every 2^nd Saturday of the month. The group’s past shows have included the Avengers and Marvel Zombies. The shows Comic Book Live put on are like normal improv shows, they do not prepare or script their shows, except for they don costumes and assign roles beforehand. The costumes are not finely tailored stage outfits but definitely portray the character they are on stage.

For Batman, Chris Gore brought much of his own collectibles for this show including a Batsuit, RC Tumbler, and large Bat Signal. He also channeled a mix of Adam West and Christian Bale for his take on the Bat. Robin, Batgirl, Commissioner Gordon, butler Alfred, and the other billionaire vigilante (Green Arrow) joined Batman ranks for some Batnog at the party while the Joker, Two-face (the Billy Dee Williams version fans never saw), Bane, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn spent the night trying to get an invite/break into the party.

This show was for hardcore fans and rookies alike. Serious fanboys would catch the little inside jokes and facts that were so hilariously snuck into the show. New fans would find the references to the recent Dark Knight Rises film relatable and equally funny. Alfred was played as a neglected, sometimes sad storytelling old man who had the audience laughing and crying throughout the show. Fans who remember Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent in Tim Burton’s Batman movies would know how robbed fans were when Williams did not get to take on the Two-Face persona in the Joel Schumacher sequel, Batman Forever. Thanks to Comic Book Live, a version of what William’s Two-Face might have been like took the stage. Chris Gore’s Batman was spot on for an improv show. The cast kept the show funny and transitioning smoothly with a variety of plotlines and small joke bits. Overall, the show was hilarious and reminiscent of an old superheroes party sketch on Saturday Night Live (YouTube). Add a audience in cosplay and bar in the lobby and it truly was a special Bat Man Holiday party night!

The Comic Book Live group will next perform on January 12, 2013 at the iO West on Hollywood Boulevard. Their next show will tug at the heartstrings of fanboys and fangirls everywhere – Star Wars Episode 7: Phantom Hope. Check out their Facebook page for a video intro of the Bat Man Holiday Special and to get updates on their future shows. You can also find Comic Book Live and Chris Gore on Twitter: @ComicBook_Live and @ThatChrisGore.

Also check out the Forbidden Panel podcast, PanelCast for an interview with Chris Gore (Batman) and Patrick Ian Moore (Green Arrow) after their show.