The Complete Frank Miller Batman [Hardcover]

Frank Miller (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Longmeadow Pr (December 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068140969X
• ISBN-13: 978-0681409699
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 6.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #388,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Frank Miller is one of the seminal creative talents who sparked the current gigantic sub-industry of motion pictures featuring comic book- initiated product. A sub-industry which had become a super-industry. This most profitable aspect of this millennium's film production, now producing an annual flow of box office profits in the Billions of dollars, was launched when Frank Miller's graphic novel re-take on the classic comic book hero, Batman, resulted in an entertainment industry-wide reconsideration of the genre in the deeper and darker vision Miller brought to it.

Miller re-defined the presentation of comic book characters and heroic fiction with his grand-daddy of graphic novels, "The Dark Knight." This revolutionary work
not only kicked off the series of Batman films based on his redefinition, but a craze for such material that has thrown dozens of such heroes into multiple film franchise heaven. Certainly chief among these has been Miller's uniquely classical take on superheroic narrative, "300," and his "Sin City" books, each of which entered motion pictures with historic successes, and each now in Miller's creative phase of achieving its highly-anticipated sequel. Miller's co-direction of "Sin City" has made him one of the hottest
directors... as well as a guiding creative force...for the new genre. Or one might say "super genre."

Miller's latest graphic novel, Holy Terror, is his first original graphic novel in ten years. Join The Fixer, a brand new, hard-edged hero as he battles terror in the inaugural release from Legendary Comics.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true "Collector's Edition", April 9, 2002

By 

Zack Davisson "japanreviewed" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Frank Miller Batman (Hardcover)

It was a strange time for comics, that this collection could be made. Sold at the height of the 80's collectors boom, "The Complete Frank Miller Batman" is a luxury edition of the type usually reserved for "Moby Dick." Leather-bound and silver lined, the book smells of quality. High paper quality and good inks contribute to a comics experience rarely seen elsewhere. Truly, it is the luxury car of comics.

The stories inside deserve this level of presentation. "The Dark Knight Returns," available in many other collected editions, is one of the premier works of art produced by the comics medium. "Batman: Year One" is a gem of equal quality. The third piece, "Wanted: Santa Claus-Dead or Alive" is not written by Miller, and lacks the drama of the other stories. He is the artist, only. Still, it is a nice single issue Batman story, representative of that era.

Also included in this edition are introductions by comics resident genius Alan Moore, as well as Richard Burning and a little introspection by Frank Miller.

Definitely worth picking up.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have for the Comic Collection, March 10, 2001

By 

K.H. - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Complete Frank Miller Batman (Hardcover)

Frank Miller revolutionized comics in America, and quite possibly the world. With sophisticated plots and asorbing artwork, the reader becomes intangled with the charaters as much as he or she would with any play, movie, or novel. This collection, has two of Miller's greatist works: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One. The third story is cute and works well in the collection as a bridge between the other two stories.

"Batman: Year One" is the first story in the collection (actually the last one of the three written) and it is a story that many Batman fans had hoped the fisrt Batman movie would have been based on. It is well told, and the major players in the Batman saga are introduced: Batman, Gordon, Alfed and Selina Kyle (Catwomen). It is a well written story and as good as any in the last 20 years of any genre.

The second story in this special is "Wanted: Santa Claus-Dead or Alive." This is a quick piece and doesn't involve too much, but does show a caring and revernt Batman.

The last is Miller's magnum opus, "The Dark Knight Returns." This four chapter story is spectacular and a great piece of work: both in story telling and various artist expression. This psychological drama deals with an aging Batman, who at the age of 55, comes back to fight crime after a ten year absence. Miller insightfully deals with many subjects now addressed by our popular media. For example, the idea of a liberal soceity blaming crime on the agents of heroism instead on personal evil. Miller writes and demonstrates that victims are innocent people who try to live a virtous life, and Batman fights to protect a city dying of a cancer.

Comic collectors need this special leather bound book with commentaries by Richard Burning and Alan Moore. Frank Miller himself writes some notes which personalizes this special edition that much more.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collector's item, October 1, 2005

By 

Jeff Narucki (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Frank Miller Batman (Hardcover)

I had read the Dark Knight Returns years before I picked up this edition, but I can't say that I'm disappointed in having both. First off the quality of this edition is a stellar leather binding which can take the roughest wear and tear.

The contents include two of the best comic/graphic novels ever done (Dark Knight Returns - An aging Batman comes out of retirement to get the world back on track and get in his fix of butt kicking ; Batman: Year One - More of Jim Gordon's story intermixed with the Batman origin within the shared background of early Gotham City.) The third, Santa Claus: Wanted Dead or Alive isn't bad, however it's just filler compared to the first two more iconic offerings in this work.

A couple of pages of behind the scenes discussion with Frank Miller round out this offering making it a must if you have neither Dark Knight Returns or Year One.