Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Rating:
Summary: The best book you will ever read
Review: Riddle me this. What will be a book that you will enjoy time and again? Batman: the Dark Knight Returns. A book set outside Comic Book "reality," Dark Knight is a self-contained epic tale of a 60 year old Batman's struggle to regain Gotham City after a 10 year retirment. He faces a world on the brink of nuclear armageddon, a blood-thirsty cult and of course, the Joker. All this plus his greatest and final battle...against Superman. Interested? Well whip the wallet out of your utility belt and buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Miller's Dark Knight: A Hero in Twilight
Review: I hadn't read a comic book in probably fifteen years. But, it was late, I couldn't sleep, and I was housesitting in a friend's apartment for the weekend. He had a copy of The Dark Knight Returns sitting on the coffee table. I picked it up, snickering a little that my oh-so-sophisticated friend Jon was reading a comic. Boy, was I wrong. The Dark Knight Returns is a thrilling, often brutal journey through the mind and aging body of everybody's favorite cave-dwelling superhero; the Batman. But for this vision of the Batman, the world has moved on. The Caped Crusader is now a relic of the past in a world even less his own than the chaotic one in which he started. The criminals in this book are the sociopathic nightmares every American fears as he watches the nightly news, not the sterilized, zoot-suited jewelry thieves of the old comics. The streets are dark, brutal, and eerily true to life. And so is the Batman, that most pompous and ridiculous of characters in his black and blue bat-suit, with a brightly dressed youth in tow. This Batman gives a first person narrative that is positively dripping with the nest of Raymond Chandler, and the platitudes and moral lessons of old are swept away by the senselessness of post-modern living. The world has changed, and it has changed the Batman, whose drive to make a difference puts him in conflict with society, with the police, the media, and even his old "friend" Superman (and by the way, I always thought Superman was a bit of a prig, anyway--Miller brings it all home). In short, read this comic; Frank Miller is certainly not just for kids.

Rating:
Summary: The best Batman book I have ever read.
Review: This story is among the best Batman books ever written. The prevailing sense of hopelessness and despair throughout most of the story is fitting for the late twentieth century. Rather than being a hero to the people, Batman, like so many other cultural figures, is disliked and distrusted by many of those he once fought for and protected. Excellent social commentary, particularly on the way the media pays close attention to the actions of very violent people but ignores those who don't cause trouble. Overall, a wonderful story. I would recommend it to any and all Batman fans.

Rating:
Summary: A fitting end to a superhero
Review: Frank Miller seems a bit predisposed to violence, especially in his later works (Hard Boiled, Sin City, and on and on), but The Dark Knight Returns is a classic in the superhero genre. The problem with superhero comics is that the story never ends. (Then again - that's why people buy them. It's a continual soap opera without end. Also, as long as it makes money, there it will be.) Frank Miller provides a possible end to Batman's career that is peppered with violence and mayhem and an intelligent, witty script. I loved it when I first bought it many years ago, and I still think it is my favorite Superhero story. Batman achieves a mythical, mysterious status in Miller's hands. Batman needed an ending to define his career and life. Also, this is a showcase for Miller's pioneering experiments in Oriental artwork and storytelling that he first tackled in Ronin. This story is touted as the turning point in comic books, when comics became "mature" and "for adults". That's perhaps true. In his hands, superheroes underwent a partial metamorphis. But this book speaks out for the possibilities of finite series about heroes where there is a beginning and an end. THAT is a trend that I'd like to see continued

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating tale of future vigilantism.
Review: Some books set trends, and some follow. This story set trends for years to come in the comic book field. Frank Miller seemed to be the first person to remember that Batman was born of tragedy and psychosis. Miller's Batman comes out of retire- ment after he can no longer deny his mental illness, and feels the need to once again control his city/surroundings. Later attempts to recapture the feel of this series have failed miserably, but this remains one of the finest examples of the graphic novel format ever. A must read.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Stories of Our Time
Review: This is a must have for any fan of Batman, and a page turner for those who like a deep moving story. This is a must get. Here is the review of the book I had in my Web-Zine Mantle of the Bat (http://www.cire.com/batman): The Dark Knight Returns is an elseworld story that takes place ten years after Batman retires. Now at age 55, Bruce Wayne makes a decision to put back on the mantle of the bat to save Gotham once more. Unfortunately, his comeback is not a welcome one, as the media and the government both want him to retire permanently. Batman must go toe to toe with four of his toughest opponents. He battles a physically, but not mentally, cured Harvey Dent, a gang leader that would give Bane a run for his money, an even more deadly Joker, and has a battle royale with Superman. In between these battles he must train a new Robin, dodge the police and the new police commissioner, contemplate the meaning of his life, and survive a nuclear holocaust. Frank Miller did a phenomenal job when he wrote this four book series. Too often comics ignore the real world to make an environment where the hero is adored. In Frank Miller's world, the hero is scrutinized by the media, and classified as a menace to society by police. The art on this book is also impressive, the world of the Dark Knight is truly dark. Another great feature is the coloring. No more solid backgrounds and the faces of characters have realistic shading. I would highly suggest that any fan of Batman should pick this book up. Despite the fact that it is ten years old, it shows no signs of aging. In fact, it is more true to life now then the day it was written. Credits: Frank Miller - Story, Pencils, and Inks Klaus Janson - Inks Lynn Varley - Colors and Visual Effects John Costanza- Letters Alan Moore - Intoduction

Rating:
Summary: The Best Laid Graphic Novels of Mice and Men Often Go Astray
Review: "In MY opinion..." Ankurpanchbudhe said in his list. Well I know for a fact that this is not a graphic novel, -- Ankurpanchbudhe's opinion is stupid -- and so is Ankurpanchbudhe. I'm going to write a criticism of the review that Ankurpanchebudhe started his list with. It never pleases me more than when someone calls a reprint collection in a thick softcover comic book form all in one a graphic novel. I bet if you went to a book store and looked at the "graphic novel" section and got a price guide that you would not find any graphic novels there at all. It's kind of like what we called a oneshot back when I lived in California. Kids that thought they were comic collectors would throw around the word oneshot because it made them sound smart. I got a oneshot! You got a oneshot? I have a oneshot! They have a oneshot. He has a oneshot. She has a oneshot. We have a oneshot. Everbody has a one shot. They would say. Longshot. Deadshot. Shattershot. Bloodshot. Sunspot. Blindspot. Grimlock. Shotshot. (Wouldn't that make a great super hero? Two shots on his name? Put him in a comic book and you could make a million!) Just because it has the word "shot" in it doesn't mean it's good. Don't call something a graphic novel unless you look it up in the price guide and it says GN next to it. Buy this book for what it is and you'll be a lot happier. One of these days I'm going to finish a list that has all of the things that Ankurpanchbudhe's list has criticising each criticisim blow-by-blow. None of the things on Ankurpanchbudhe's list is a graphic novel.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: Miller's towering achievement, this book was first introduced to me during my Batman craze of 1989 (I was 13) when my Great Aunt bought it for me, along with Year One. I read it in the mountains of Colorado on a rainy day while on vacation, and it was PERFECT. A book EVERYONE should read.

Rating:
Summary: Had to read it thrice to get it!
Review: That's how "complex" Frank Miller's writing is. A good thing or
a bad thing depends on the reader. I loaned it to a friend and
he hated the book. I for one loved it. The story and FM's unique
art. I just wished the book was annotated (i.e. Why does Green
Arrow hate Superman? What did Supes do to his arm?)

I felt kind of sorry for Alfred though, dying alone like that.
But I think it symbolizes the end of Batman as we know him and
the start of a new generation of crime fighters that will take
over for him when he's gone.

Rating:
Summary: Best "comic" I have ever read
Review: 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 reemergence 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 heapig 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 relation between Batman and those he hunts is outstanding. 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 powerfully savage gang leader. 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 become (One panel has him actually jumping off a skyscraper, in a possible suicide attempt). Batman, however, 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.

The supporting cast in the 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 sympathized with. His contrast with Batman benefits the development of both characters. Other characters, including a naieve yet gifted Robin, a Gordon who is more developed 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 older 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 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 means to be a hero better than any psychology textbook could, and I am including the textbooks with pictues.