The conclusion of a viral marketing contest eventually led fans to the above picture of Tom Hardy as Bane in Chris Nolan’s upcoming The Dark Knight Rises, which started principal photography on Monday.  I would’ve covered the contest more closely before now, but viral marketing is for assh*les.

Bane, the chemically created brute who first appeared in the comics in 1993, is a “younger” villain for Nolan’s Batman mega-franchise, which has most prominently featured the Joker (who first appeared in 1940) , Two-Face (1942), Ra’s Al-Ghul (1971) and the Scarecrow (1941). But don’t let Bane’s relative newness fool you; the muscular juggernaut once broke Batman’s back in the comics. [LA Times]

And luckily, Brett Ratner wasn’t directing, or else he would’ve shouted “I’m the juggernaut, bitch!”   Anyway, Tom Hardy’s okay, I guess, if you like muscular, super-handsome yet masculine Brits who act really well.  Pff, whatever, man.

[Full sized, high-res version]