The Dark Knight Strikes Again is Frank Miller's follow-up to his hugely successful Batman: the Dark Knight Returns, one of the few comics that is widely recognized as not only reinventing the genre but also bringing it to a wider audience.Set three years after the events of The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again follows a similar structure: once again, Batman hauls himself out of his self-imposed retirement in order to set things right. However, where DKR was about him cleaning up his home city, Gotham, DKSA has him casting his net much wider: he's out to save the world.The thing is, most of the world doesn't realize that it needs to be saved--least of all Superman and Wonder Woman, who have become little more than superpowered enforcers of the status quo. So, the notoriously solitary Batman is forced to recruit some different superpowered allies. He also has his ever-present trusty sidekick, Robin, except that he is a she, and she is calling herself Catwoman. Together, these super-friends uncover a vast and far-reaching conspiracy that leads to the President of the United States (Lex Luthor) and beyond.The Dark Knight Strikes Again is largely an entertaining comic, but much of what made The Dark Knight Returns so good just doesn't work here. Miller's gritty, untidy artwork was perfect for DKR's grim depiction of the dark and seedy Gotham City, but it jars a bit for DKSA, which is meant to depict an ultra-glossy, futuristic technocracy. Lynn Varley's garish coloring attempts to add a slicker sheen, but the artwork is ultimately let down by that which worked so well for DKR--this time around, it just feels sloppy and rushed. The same is true of the book's denouement, which happens so quickly that it leaves the reader reeling and looking for more of an explanation. Moreover, DKSA is packed full of characters who will mean little to those unfamiliar with the DC Comics universe (e.g., the Atom, the Elongated Man, the Question).Perhaps the book's biggest failing is that where The Dark Knight Returns gave comic book fans a base from which to evangelize to theuninitiated, The Dark Knight Strikes Again is just preaching to the converted. Comic book superhero fans will find much to enjoy here, but others would be better off sticking with the original. --Robert Burrow
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
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The Dark Knight Strikes Again is Frank Miller's follow-up to his hugely successful Batman: the Dark Knight Returns, one of the few comics that is widely recognized as not only reinventing the genre but also bringing it to a wider audience.Set three years after the events of The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again follows a similar structure: once again, Batman hauls himself out of his self-imposed retirement in order to set things right. However, where DKR was about him cleaning up his home city, Gotham, DKSA has him casting his net much wider: he's out to save the world. The thing is, most of the world doesn't realize that it needs to be saved--least of all Superman and Wonder Woman, who have become little more than superpowered enforcers of the status quo. So, the notoriously solitary Batman is forced to recruit some different superpowered allies. He also has his ever-present trusty sidekick, Robin, except that he is a she, and she is calling herself Catwoman. Together, these super-friends uncover a vast and far-reaching conspiracy that leads to the President of the United States (Lex Luthor) and beyond.
The Dark Knight Strikes Again is largely an entertaining comic, but much of what made The Dark Knight Returns so good just doesn't work here. Miller's gritty, untidy artwork was perfect for DKR's grim depiction of the dark and seedy Gotham City, but it jars a bit for DKSA, which is meant to depict an ultra-glossy, futuristic technocracy. Lynn Varley's garish coloring attempts to add a slicker sheen, but the artwork is ultimately let down by that which worked so well for DKR--this time around, it just feels sloppy and rushed. The same is true of the book's denouement, which happens so quickly that it leaves the reader reeling and looking for more of an explanation. Moreover, DKSA is packed full of characters who will mean little to those unfamiliar with the DC Comics universe (e.g., the Atom, the Elongated Man, the Question). Perhaps the book's biggest failing is that where The Dark Knight Returns gave comic book fans a base from which to evangelize to theuninitiated, The Dark Knight Strikes Again is just preaching to the converted. Comic book superhero fans will find much to enjoy here, but others would be better off sticking with the original. --Robert Burrow
From Publishers Weekly
This revision of an iconic character, the sequel to Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, has been one of comics publishing's most anticipated events. As installments of the DK2 comic appeared, controversy mounted. Much sloppier and gaudier, the strip didn't really resemble Miller's earlier book, and in the wake of September 11, Miller's in-your-face confrontation with authority figures upset some readers. The collected book edition makes it easier to appreciate why he'd take such risks. Miller sees Batman as an extremist, pushed to the verge of insanity because he can't compromise his beliefs. In this continuation, he's convinced today's world is controlled by powers even crazier and more ego driven than he is. And he's right. Lex Luthor and Brainiac have imprisoned, enlisted or intimidated Earth's superheroes; but the only one they can't control is the hero with no super powers, just furious moral rage. Superman, the ultimate voice of reason, tries to calm Batman. Instead, all hell breaks loose, in pages full of bursting shapes, digitized Day-Glo colors and jagged continuity. Intense as the reading experience is, it's less disturbing than Batman's assault on the masters of America and their accomplices. Miller peppers the book with caricatures of current politicians and pundits rubbing shoulders with outrageously cartoonish goons as they defend a computer-generated president and the Freedom From Information Act. If the masters of power are engaging in terrorism, this work suggests, why shouldn't rebels use terror in return? But how does a successful rebel avoid becoming a fascist leader himself? These are the questions Miller asks in this serious, important comic, a work that's intentionally disturbing in many ways and on many levels.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
130 of 159 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I used to be a hardcore fan of Frank Miller. I mean, growing up through the 80's and 90's, I would just buy anything with the guy's name on it cause you could always trust that it would be great. Longtime comix fans know what I'm talking about. You didn't even have to flip through the pages of a new Frank Miller book at the store to see if it was worth buying. You could just bank on it. A new Frank Miller book was ALWAYS worth buying. Great writing. Great, powerful artwork. He was a modern master of the form. For years and years, this was true. But... the first time I remember thinking "Ooo, Frank - You dropped the ball on this one." Was about halfway through his book "That Yellow Bastard", around 1995 or 96. The artwork looked rushed and hacked-out. Since then, the quality of his work has only continued to decline. It is to the point where I can no longer justify spending my money on his material. I am convinced that the man has either developed a serious alcohol/substance abuse problem, or he just doesn't care about the quality of his work (or entertaining his readers) anymore. There's just no other explanation. If you think I am being unfair, go back and compare the artwork in "To Hell and Back" with the artwork in the first "Sin City" novel. Talk about your stylistic inconsistencies. It's impossible to believe that this is even the work of the same man. Well, "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" is, for me, the final straw. Look at it. It's a mess. Can you imagine a newcomer to the comics field turning material like this in to their editor? They would never work again. I'm guessing the only reason DC Comics went ahead and published "DKSA" is because they know it will sell based on Miller's (and Batman's) name value, and because they had to make back the money they paid Miller to do this job. Sorry to be so blunt, but as a professional illustrator myself, I can recognize the difference between the work of an artist trying out a zany, experimental new style, and someone who just slopped something out to get it done and over with. This is clearly an example of the latter. Frank, if it's health problems, please try and take better care of yourself. And if you are just bored or sick of writing and drawing comics, please get over it or retire. This is unacceptable.
41 of 51 people found the following review helpful
By "roaddog379"
Format:Hardcover
Frank! What have you done to the legendary Dark Knight of myth? I read the original "Dark Knight" Returns in the 80's when it came out in its 4-book series, and whoa, it blew me away. It is hard to believe the same author wrote this piece of ... Instead of the classic and twisted Batman villians we get two Superman chumps and Robin. The original DK was a profound statement of justice vs. the law, government vs. vigilantism, pop psychology vs. common sense, and many other themes. There was no supervillians; the villians were more a symptom than a disease. This ham-handed cop out deserves nothing more that a funeral in my toliet, suitably adorned with some ... material. Oh for the days of "Sin City", Daredevil "Born Again". Frank, you let us down.
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Sequels s@*%!" in the words of a character in the movie "Scream 2." And while that statement was intended to describe the usual track record of movie sequels in failing to meet the standard of their predecessors, it can just as easily applied to any other medium of entertainment -including comic books.
Unfortunately, it can also be applied to the "The Dark Knight Strikes Again," Frank Miller's follow-up to his classic four-part "Dark Knight Returns" series of graphic novels.
Let's get one thing straight, Miller's original tale of an aging Batman coming out of retirement wasn't just a groundbreaking classic, it was a seminal event in comics history. Published roughly 15 years ago, it's impact cannot be overstated. Not only did it redefine Batman, changing the way the character's comics were written and drawn, but it also changed the comics medium period.
The graphic novel format, generally used only in occasional experiments prior to "Dark Knight," soon became an industry standard after it hit the stands. Comics themselves became darker and more mature following "Dark Knight." It not only paved the way for harder edged revamps of characters like the Punisher, The Spectre, and the Question but also for D.C.'s mature readers imprint Vertigo which recently prompted Marvel Comics' Marvel Knights and Max imprints.
The impact of the original "Dark Knight" was felt even beyond comic books. One could argue that Tim Burton never would have been handed the reins of the Batman movie franchise if Miller's series hadn't shown that audiences were willing to spend their dollars on a Batman that wasn't of the Adam West, "Biff, Bang, Pow" variety. And the success of that first film clearly paved the way for a new wave of cinema superheroes that continues to this day.
Bottom line, "Dark Knight" wasn't just a great comic book series. It was a series that changed the medium it operated within in the same way that Michael Jackson's "Thriller" changed pop music or "Star Wars" changed moviemaking.
This being the case, it was almost impossible to expect that the sequel "DK2" would meet the standards set by its predecessor. But could any fan have expected that it would be a disaster of colossal proportions?
Simply put, "DK2" isn't just bad. Its' a train wreck.
To list everything that is wrong with it would be almost impossible but let's start with the highlights or in this case, lowlights:
1) The Plot - has to do with Batman coming out of retirement to thwart a government conspiracy to take over the world masterminded by old Superman archenemies Braniac and Lex Luthor. The obvious question this raises is why nemeses of another hero are placed front and center in a Batman storyline. This isn't a bad thing in and of itself. The problem is that the plot is so sketchy and so poorly executed that it just doesn't stand up even for three issues as opposed to the original series' four.
Certain story elements are introduced and either discarded or never fully fleshed out. Others, like the reemergence of the original Robin, come out of the blue in a way that is completely unnecessary.
Furthermore a running theme of interjecting television news style commentary and narration throughout the series is ultimately just distracting.
Bad writing, Bad art - Even though major players from the original series returned for this project, most notably Miller and Lynn Varley, neither the writing or the art are up to snuff here. The writing is scattershot as hell and the artwork lacks the detail and richness that made the "Dark Knight Returns" such an oft duplicated but never replicated classic. Shading on many panels is virtually non-existent and the use of so many bright, lurid colors isn't at all consistent with what we've come to expect from Batman storylines.
Too little Batman - though his work clearly paved the way for the Batman film series, you'd think Miller would have learned from the critical mistake the movies made - namely making Batman a supporting character in his own story. In the same way that the movies crowded Batman out of the frame in favor of villains and sidekicks, Miller has done the same here by cramming this series full of other superheroes.
The involvement of Luthor and Braniac pretty much guaranteed that Superman would get major facetime. But is the involvement of a new Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, the Atom, Flash, and Captain Marvel, just to name a few, really necessary. Given the number of costumes here, a better title for this series would have been, "The Justice League Strikes Again."
Continuity problems abound - Given that the original "DK" took place in a DC universe that had yet to be completely reshaped and retooled by the "Crisis on the Infinite Earths(that's another piece of seminal eighties-era reading for those of you not familiar with DC history)it was inevitable that a sequel wouldn't completely square with what we now know to be the DC Universe.
But the continuity flaws here raise obvious questions that you wish somone had thought of in the editing process. For example, if this series takes place in a universe where the Crisis never occurred why is Captain Marvel around when anyone familiar with DC comics history knows that, pre-Crisis, Captain Marvel lived on a parallel earth, Earth S?
This obviously suggests that maybe the series does take in place in current continuity. But if so, that raises even more questions like Why is Silver Age Flash Barry Allen still alive? Why does the bottled Kryptonian City of Kandor still exist?
One suspects that all flaws aside, the powers that be at DC let an inferior product like this hit the stands for one reason and one reason only: Commerce.
For years Hollywood studio heads have green lighted movie sequels that they knew wouldn't hold a candle to the original movies. They knew and still know that a large portion of the public will still show up at their local multiplex with cash in hand regardless of how good or bad these movies area. With "DK2", the DC brain trust has essentially done the very same thing with the comic-buying public.
The hard truth is that this series is an insult to the memory of the original "Dark Knight" series and everyone involved with it should be ashamed. This series gets one star and that only because there's not a "no star' option.
Unfortunately, it can also be applied to the "The Dark Knight Strikes Again," Frank Miller's follow-up to his classic four-part "Dark Knight Returns" series of graphic novels.
Let's get one thing straight, Miller's original tale of an aging Batman coming out of retirement wasn't just a groundbreaking classic, it was a seminal event in comics history. Published roughly 15 years ago, it's impact cannot be overstated. Not only did it redefine Batman, changing the way the character's comics were written and drawn, but it also changed the comics medium period.
The graphic novel format, generally used only in occasional experiments prior to "Dark Knight," soon became an industry standard after it hit the stands. Comics themselves became darker and more mature following "Dark Knight." It not only paved the way for harder edged revamps of characters like the Punisher, The Spectre, and the Question but also for D.C.'s mature readers imprint Vertigo which recently prompted Marvel Comics' Marvel Knights and Max imprints.
The impact of the original "Dark Knight" was felt even beyond comic books. One could argue that Tim Burton never would have been handed the reins of the Batman movie franchise if Miller's series hadn't shown that audiences were willing to spend their dollars on a Batman that wasn't of the Adam West, "Biff, Bang, Pow" variety. And the success of that first film clearly paved the way for a new wave of cinema superheroes that continues to this day.
Bottom line, "Dark Knight" wasn't just a great comic book series. It was a series that changed the medium it operated within in the same way that Michael Jackson's "Thriller" changed pop music or "Star Wars" changed moviemaking.
This being the case, it was almost impossible to expect that the sequel "DK2" would meet the standards set by its predecessor. But could any fan have expected that it would be a disaster of colossal proportions?
Simply put, "DK2" isn't just bad. Its' a train wreck.
To list everything that is wrong with it would be almost impossible but let's start with the highlights or in this case, lowlights:
1) The Plot - has to do with Batman coming out of retirement to thwart a government conspiracy to take over the world masterminded by old Superman archenemies Braniac and Lex Luthor. The obvious question this raises is why nemeses of another hero are placed front and center in a Batman storyline. This isn't a bad thing in and of itself. The problem is that the plot is so sketchy and so poorly executed that it just doesn't stand up even for three issues as opposed to the original series' four.
Certain story elements are introduced and either discarded or never fully fleshed out. Others, like the reemergence of the original Robin, come out of the blue in a way that is completely unnecessary.
Furthermore a running theme of interjecting television news style commentary and narration throughout the series is ultimately just distracting.
Bad writing, Bad art - Even though major players from the original series returned for this project, most notably Miller and Lynn Varley, neither the writing or the art are up to snuff here. The writing is scattershot as hell and the artwork lacks the detail and richness that made the "Dark Knight Returns" such an oft duplicated but never replicated classic. Shading on many panels is virtually non-existent and the use of so many bright, lurid colors isn't at all consistent with what we've come to expect from Batman storylines.
Too little Batman - though his work clearly paved the way for the Batman film series, you'd think Miller would have learned from the critical mistake the movies made - namely making Batman a supporting character in his own story. In the same way that the movies crowded Batman out of the frame in favor of villains and sidekicks, Miller has done the same here by cramming this series full of other superheroes.
The involvement of Luthor and Braniac pretty much guaranteed that Superman would get major facetime. But is the involvement of a new Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, the Atom, Flash, and Captain Marvel, just to name a few, really necessary. Given the number of costumes here, a better title for this series would have been, "The Justice League Strikes Again."
Continuity problems abound - Given that the original "DK" took place in a DC universe that had yet to be completely reshaped and retooled by the "Crisis on the Infinite Earths(that's another piece of seminal eighties-era reading for those of you not familiar with DC history)it was inevitable that a sequel wouldn't completely square with what we now know to be the DC Universe.
But the continuity flaws here raise obvious questions that you wish somone had thought of in the editing process. For example, if this series takes place in a universe where the Crisis never occurred why is Captain Marvel around when anyone familiar with DC comics history knows that, pre-Crisis, Captain Marvel lived on a parallel earth, Earth S?
This obviously suggests that maybe the series does take in place in current continuity. But if so, that raises even more questions like Why is Silver Age Flash Barry Allen still alive? Why does the bottled Kryptonian City of Kandor still exist?
One suspects that all flaws aside, the powers that be at DC let an inferior product like this hit the stands for one reason and one reason only: Commerce.
For years Hollywood studio heads have green lighted movie sequels that they knew wouldn't hold a candle to the original movies. They knew and still know that a large portion of the public will still show up at their local multiplex with cash in hand regardless of how good or bad these movies area. With "DK2", the DC brain trust has essentially done the very same thing with the comic-buying public.
The hard truth is that this series is an insult to the memory of the original "Dark Knight" series and everyone involved with it should be ashamed. This series gets one star and that only because there's not a "no star' option.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not As Bad As People Say
Batman returns. Again. Lex Luthor finally won and took over and it is up to Batman to free Superman and other heroes and fight. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Juan C. Depaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good seller great book
Honestly i think if you're looking at this book you probably don't need a review to help decide to buy it, but GoHastings did a good job the book came in great condition for being... Read more
Published 12 days ago by Nick Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic!!
A Classic that must be read and read again and again!!
Miller is always fantastic and batman is always Fantastic to immerse in!
Miller is always fantastic and batman is always Fantastic to immerse in!
Published 1 month ago by Guilherme
2.0 out of 5 stars
It just left me a bad taste
I don't think this is the sequel that The Dark Knight Returns deserved. After the magnificent story that Miller told us in TDKR, this book feels like a joke. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Amilcar Collazo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miller is Brilliant
Frank Miller delivers the second installment to an already amazing story. The Dark Knight's relationship with superman seems to improve a bit here in this book - despite another... Read more
Published 1 month ago by christopherdbuchanan
3.0 out of 5 stars
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Alright, Frank Miller mellowed out a lot as he grew older. But it's good to see him back writing Batman. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Dan Gonzalez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dont listent o the negative reviews
I actually have the unique perspective of having read this book first many years ago. I picked it up on a whim at my local library n read it during my break time at work and my god... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Doel A. Perez
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth reading it...
The story is really bad, I wanted to read about batman but instead I end up seeing a weird story about many superheroes... I doesn't really add up. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kenneth Rivera
1.0 out of 5 stars
Destroys the great work of its predecessor.
After the Dark Knight Returns I looked forward to this book, had no idea the horrifying tale I exposed my eyes to. Read more
Published 3 months ago by La violencia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Batsman' s declining years
The story telling is fantastic just as the first volume was. However the artwork seems to suffer greatly in this one....horrible feet porportions
Published 3 months ago by docsavage98
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