Customer Reviews

BATMAN: DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (BATMAN)

5 star:		(329)
4 star:		(49)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

It's amazing how well this story, originally written as a 4-part mini-series in 1986, has held up. This story is responsible for the re-emergence of Batman not just as a superhero, but as a tortured anti-hero with flaws that make him no less obsessed than the supervillains he hunts. Not only do we get heaping servings of the dark, obsessed Batman, we also meet an him as an older man, a true "lion in winter" who must come to grips with his mortality and the unstoppable decline of age.

Miller allows us to use our hero to percieve the world around us, and in doing so The Dark Knight Returns also ends up as a critique of 20th century society (and 21st, for that matter). Batman is just a few public opinion points away from being considered no different than the likes of Two-Face and the Joker.

The relationships between Batman and those he hunts is simply outstanding work by Frank Miller. Generally, there are three types of villains. The first are everyday thugs that are shallow and meaningless both in dialogue and mentality. The second is a savage gang leader. Powerfully built, full of rage and singularly focused hate often seen in the young, this character forces Batman to confront his own mortality and, in an awesome final confrontation, turn to the experience of age for victory. But the most powerful relations come with Batman and his fights with the classic supervillains Two-Face and The Joker. In one really powerful scene, Batman realizes he is equally as tortured as Two-Face, but with one difference: Two-Face feels remorse and despair for what he has once again become (One panel has him actually jumping off a skyscraper, in a possible suicide attempt). He has recieved redemption from society as well as himself, but was unable to maintain it from either. In contreast, Batman, has accepted what he has become, and revels in his darkness. And then of course, there's my favorite, The Joker. We have here an excellent portrayal of a supervillain with no conscience whatsoever, who commits evil deeds not for any agenda or flawed goal, but simply because he enjoys doing them. His ending scene with Batman is another one to remember, and I can't imagine it happening any other way.

The supporting cast in the graphic novel are also superbly detailed. Superman is portrayed as equal parts god, innocent child, tortured soul, government flunky, dumb jock, and a lampoon of the comic industry's idea of superheroes as flawless humans. The interesting point is, Miller creates a Superman that is not to be mocked, but understood and even sympathized with. His contrast with Batman benefits the development of both characters. Other characters, including a naive yet gifted Robin, a Gordon who is more fully fleshed-out as a cop than anything you'll see on NYPD Blue or Law and Order, and Green Arrow, who has become the epitome of grizzled in a novel full of grizzled ornery old men.

By now, I think you can guess I kind of liked it. Frank Miller has published here a brilliant novel. If the Gods of Hollywood are truly kind, perhaps one day this will be converted into a movie. The excessive use of Batman-as-narrator increases the difficulty of writing a screenplay, but the plot is not only flawless, it is still relevant. Miller, in 1986 mind you, points out how America has a love affair with celebrities (including superheroes), public perception, a fascination with criminals, and how modern media loves to praise heroes (and successful people in general) only to aid in their entertaining downfall from public grace.

By the end of the graphic novel, with some of the most original artwork for it's time (notice how good the story is that I didn't even mention how it looks until now?), Miller has us realizing we have experienced a story that explains obsession, public perception, conscience, mortality, and what it truly means to be a hero better than any psychology textbook could, and I am including those textbooks with the pictures.

In a phrase, The Dark Knight returns is simply a "western." The old hero comes out of retirement to save his town one last time. On his way, he meets an assortment of old acquaintances, both friend and foe. At the end, there's a nice sunset for him to ride off into. Or is there?

Frank Miller's book is more of a character study of a retired vigilante who just can't take it anymore. Think "Unforgiven" with tights and thermite. Like Arkham Asylum, this is a story of a man and his obsession. Miller's text puts us into that moment, and also reveals his doubts about his chosen calling. Batman here is a man divided, the reluctant hero, and he behaves as such. THIS Batman even realizes that his personal moral code may be suspect. (But never for long.) And the fact that he seems to be instrumental in bringing the Joker out of a catatonic state is telling. Do we beget our own demons? The story questions this repeatedly, and leaves it to us.

Fleshed out not only with cameos, but with a new Robin, a new Commissioner, and several other characters, this is a true work of literature and art. Varley's coloring in particular electrifies this book.

Worthy of addition to any serious collection, be it graphic novel or literature.

One of the problems with writing about a genre classic nearly fifteen years after its original release is that so many will have tried to surpass it since then (mostly unsuccessfully). Such is the case with Miller's Dark Knight Returns. In the wake of superior product like Alan Moore's The Killing Joke and From Hell, inferior product like McFarlane's insipid Spawn series, and middling product like Miller's own Sin City limiteds, it's hard to understand what a splash was made by The Dark Knight Returns on its original release. Even in light of Miller's work on classics like Ronin, Elektra: Assassin, and the great Wolverine limited series, Dark Knight was something special, something so dark and twisted and mature, it all but demanded that the rest of the genre mature toward its standard, and almost literally forced establishment critics to take the genre seriously at last. No small feat, especially when considering the character Miller chose to work with -- after all, Batman to most people meant Adam West hitting Cesar Romero with a resounding POW! Not exactly the best way to reenergize a medium, right?

Except Miller did it -- boy, did he ever. Dark Knight was and is one of the most powerful pieces of comic art it's ever been my privelege to own. From the Miller/Janson team's gritty illustrative style, expertly suited to the material, to Lynn Varley's exquisite sense of color and mood, to Miller's expertly-written story, Dark Knight is everything a graphic novel should be.

Take as just one for-instance the story: It's a brilliant reimagining and reinterpretation of the entire Batman mythos, bridging the gap between every era of the Masked Manhunter's long career, from the dark noir of the early days, through the "Boy Scout" period of the forties and fifties, and even a little of the "science fiction" and tv-era Batman (though thankfully not much of either), and on to the modern Darknight Detective period. Miller takes Bruce Wayne into his mid-fifties, retired but still troubled in his heart, and sets up a chain of circumstances which force Batman's emergence from that retirement, even as Jim Gordon is being forced out of his job, Two-Face is supposedly "cured" by self-aggrandizing doctors, and the deadly Mutant gang, a "purer breed" of criminal, practically owns the streets of Gotham. Miller ties all of these disparate elements together in unique ways, and weaves from them a story so enthralling, and so full of mythical echoes, that few have been able to equal it, even today.

As one example of the mythical resonances in Dark Knight, have a look at Miller's dramatic depiction of Batman's old pal Superman. Here the "big blue schoolboy" (as one of the characters hilariously describes him) is shown as Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster always meant him to be: an earthbound god among mortals. One panel in particular is key to this image: Superman holding the tank up over his head (with the memorable caption, "We must not remind them that giants walk the Earth."), a very dramatic (and very deliberate) redrawing of the cover of Action Comics #1. The panel is meant to remind us of the basic difference between DC's two primary exponents: Batman is a mere costumed crimefighter, but Superman is, well, Super, man! From Part 3 on, the conflict between the two characters seems inevitable, and promises to be spectacular.

Then there is the Batman himself -- and here Miller has done something so astounding it beggars description. For example, consider Bruce Wayne's intensely-rendered flashback to his parents' murder, done in a series of still-frame-like panels, with no dialogue, narration or sound effects, just the horrifying images: a finger tightening on a trigger, Thomas Wayne's huge hand falling away from his shocked son, the strand of pearls splitting apart as the gun is fired again -- this is a dark sort of visual poetry, so immediate and visceral it makes you understand at last just why Bruce Wayne was so damaged in those fleeting, horrifying moments. Similarly, the HUGE bat crashing through Bruce's window (symbolizing the futility of resisting destiny, the second coming of Batman, the spirit of "the finest warrior, the purest survivor" and about a half-dozen other things), takes Bob Kane's original idea and expands it once more into the realm of myth -- this is not just a bat but a Bat, the soul and spirit of someting bigger than Bruce Wayne, Gotham City, or even Superman himself. This is the stuff, as Alan Moore once noted, of legend.

There's so much else in this rich tale, from brilliant caricatures of David Letterman, Ronald Reagan, and Dr. Ruth (not to mention a totally undeserved slam at Harlan Ellison -- "eating our babies for breakfast," indeed!), to Miller's brilliant reimagining of Robin (no longer a boy wonder but a girl wonder!), that 1000 words simply can't shower Dark Knight with enough praise. If you're a Bat-fan, this volume should definitely be in your collection. If not, it will make you see what you've been missing. In any event, what are you sitting around reading this for? You could be reading Dark Knight instead! Waste no more time!

I've been a comic book reader for many years, and to this day I cannot recall another single work of comic book art that is quite so brilliant as Frank Miller's Dark Knight. Certainly Cerebus, Sandman, Cages and From Hell are to be lauded for their genuine genius, but Dark Knight remains my all-time favourite creation. Frank Miller has written a gripping story of tragic heroism and bitter social commentary. His Batman is truly a larger-than-life, tormented hero, brilliantly conceived with his many flaws and perverse obsessions intact. Miller plays with the comic book universe beautifully, realising a world wherein the so-called "super-hero" does exist, and exploring the ramifications of this fact. Batman's final confrontation with Superman at the end of this graphic novel is bar-none the most cunningly conceived battle in comic book history. It is achingly poignant to see the two old warriors confront one another at last: Superman with his compromised good-guy! agenda and Batman with his twisted, demoniac fixation. Batman loathes the figure that Superman has become, while Clark Kent pities the poor, lost soul who has sacrificed his very existence for that which he pursues with a vengeance. "You Bruce, with your obsession..." Miller has created in Dark Knight a vividly real and passionately affecting tale of Heroes and Madmen, riveting from start to finish.

Frank Miller's groundbreaking 1986 comic book series still packs a punch today. (I first read it only a few years ago.) This was the story which proved superhero comics can be powerful drama and social commentary. This tale of a middle-aged Bruce Wayne returning one last time to fight crime as the Batman is an original and interesting mixture of ironic frivolity and serious themes. It is the themes in the subtexts of the story that most make this work intersting. These themes include the issue of pure justice (as typified by the Batman) versus the corruptible system, and whether the power of justice best belongs in the hands of the legal system or to individuals. Miller offers scathing satirical sketches of spineless politicians, vacuous mass-media, and criminal-coddling pop psychology. Miller's fascinating portrait of Batman as a complex, tortured, and three-dimensional human being cannot be soon forgotten. The Dark Knight Returns is a compelling story of of a troubled hero in an unheroic world.

Frank Miller may not have set out to make comic book history when he first created this legendary tale, but that's what he did. Much of the broad genre of 'modern' comic storytelling was inspired by this one story. Here is where Batman first truly earned the title 'Dark Knight'.

This story, originally issued as a four-part mini-series, begins with the fact of Batman's retirement, and the ever-increasing wave of crime that has risen in his absence. A storm is brewing in Gotham, and with rumbling clouds and eventually with searing lightning bolts, the Batman returns to his city. Over the course of the four issues, he takes on the city's gangs, and the Joker, and eventually even Superman, who has become a tool of the State, charged with either bringing Batman in, or taking him down. The cover of the fourth issue is one of the greatest pieces of comic art I have ever seen, and I've been reading comics for a looong time. Batman is armed and armored to the teeth; he has to be--he's facing off against Superman. Even with all the armor, you just know Superman is going to clean his clock, and Batman has to know, too. Even so, Bats is still going to throw down with Big Blue.

Part of what makes this story great is that it's not fed to the reader like pablum. The story is often told in the form of TV news reports about what's happening, and the reader must discern for him- or herself what is really going on. The dialogue is filled with dark, biting satire, spewing forth from the mouths of the ever-present "talking head" experts. It is not an easy story to follow, and was seen at the time as extremely violent. But it is worth the investment of time and thought. It is a comic book for adults, if you will, and was among the first comic books to treat it's reader as a mature, thinking individual. At the time, such an approach was virtually unheard of. Those who read and enjoy today's comics, which are almost all aimed squarely at mature readers, may realize how large a debt is owed to this seminal work.

When many of today's most popular comic writers and artists are asked what inspired them to enter the field of comics, they point to this work. Stephen King said of it, "....Probably the finest piece of comic art ever to be published in a popular edition." You must have heard something about this book if you are here, reading this review. Buy this book, and read the story. It is, arguably, the greatest comic book story ever written.

The Dark Knight Returns is perhaps the finest comic book graphic novel of all time. This four issue series almost single-handedly invented graphic novels as a medium for serious artistic and literary expression, opening the door within a few years for Maus: A Survivor's Tale, among others. The Dark Knight was the first series to popularize offset printed on high-quality papers, rendering it closer in form to a museum catalog than a newsprint comic book. First of all, the images are stunning. Frank Miller's series also represents a critical exploration of the hero icon--here we see an older character on the verge of physical and moral collapse, wrestling with his mortality, limitations, and the dark obsession that has that has been his life. As such, it is also closer by far to Poe or Conrad, than to Jughead or Wonder Woman.

Along with Alan Moore's 'Watchment,' this is the work that put the graphic novel on the literature shelf. While it doesn't have Moore's literary ambitions, it is altogether more successful at achieving its own goals.

The Dark Knight returns takes an important and rich pop culture figure, The Batman, and treats him in a serious manner - all the layered and ambiguous nuances in the character that Tim Burton failed to deliver in his movies are in this book. The story posits a middle-aged Bruce Wayne, obsessed with the legacy of The Batman, and pushed to don the outfit once more by the cess-pool of Gotham City. Along the way he picks up a new Robin, struggles against the Joker one last time, and stages the all-time superhero fight: Batman vs. Superman. Beautifully written and paced, finely illustrated [except for the third section], this is a gripping and satisfying story.

As dark as Batman was ever intended to be. An intense tale of renewal and retribution. Batman has been gone for a decade, and Gotham is under siege of a young generation seemingly gone mad. The entire world is holding it's breath while a crazed Reagan prepares for nuclear war in South America. Then, like a dark Christ, Batman reappears to reclaim his city, and in the process saves the whole world. Millers words and art are as perfect as this art form gets. Batman here is a chunky, aging warrior refusing to be hampered by age. He uses intutition, intelligence and malice to carry the battle for Gotham right to the bad guys and gals. This is one of the true classics of the comic book world, but also an important piece of American political satire. It savages the political and cultural landscape of the eighties. This is not a child's story, it is not a tale of heroism and absolutes, it is a work that prods the mind and astounds the senses at the same time. What more can one ask for in these days of compromise and duplicity? Nothing more than the ultimate Batman, and here you will get it.

This was the origin of my experience with comic books. I picked up The Dark Knight Returns (first issue) at a comic book store. I instantly recognized that it had style, but, unlike most of my collection, I love it more so now than I did then. I hastened to find and read all of the remaining books and had a blast that has yet to be truely rivaled. You'll be hard pressed to find a better graphic novel for Batman, I guarantee.

The story is among the elite Set in the future, when the Batman was supposed to have given up his crime fighting, we see his internal conflict of guilt, for not ridding Gotham of its crime. When his cacoon finally bursts, he transforms into one of the darkest interpretations we've yet seen, and accordingly goes all out on the evil doers of Gotham. The theme of extremist qualities that pervaded Apocalypse Now, is now set in the Batman world.

Of course, the usual bad guys are portrayed, including the Joker and Two-Face, but the main nemesis are now gangs. The Mutants and S.O.B.s mostly. It is very interesting, however, to discover how the arch-villians lived their lives out. Joker became sedated without the Batman's regular appearances while Harvey struggled to discover if he could go back to his former life after all he'd been through as Two-Face. A truely dramatic masterpiece by Mr. Miller and his crew.

Besides my fascination with the story, much should also be said for the artistic style. Drawn with gritty flair, it accents the story perfectly, which is what illustrations should do.