The Alternate Reality Game (ARG) for The Dark Knight Rises has launched and has revealed the first look at Bane.  Much like for The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. is using games and puzzles to promote the upcoming movie.  Generally referred to as ARGs, this type of marketing forces the consumer to complete tasks or puzzles, often working with others, to get teases about the products.  The previous Batman films featured and it’s been used by bands like Nine Inch Nails, a pioneer in this type of promotion.

When you head to the movie website you are greeted by music and a black screen.  One member of the Superherohype Forums then discovered in the spectrum the music says #thefirerises.

That hashtag tipped off people to this Twitter account, http://twitter.com/thefirerises.  That Twitter account then took you to a link with this photo.

That’s a photo of actor Tom Hardy who plays Bane in the movie.  What’s even neater is the photo is made up of the icons of the Twitter and Facebook users who have partaken so far.  This has just started and looks to be as fun as the “I Believe in Harvey Dent” political campaign that was run.

Here’s a clearer picture of Bane.