Rating: 
Summary: Who He Is And How He Came To Be
Review: In 1986, maverick comic book writer/artist Frank Miller, took the Batman character to new heights with the groundbreaking story The Dark Knight Returns. The book became an instant classic, often imitated, but never duplicated. Then in 1987, Miller returned to the world of the cowled one with the impressive Batman: Year One. While nothing will ever top TDKR--Year One comes mighty close--and is what Miller's recent and very diappointing sequel, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, should have been modeled after.The story follows Batman during his first year as protector of Gotham City. As he tries to bring justice to the streets, we also meet police LT. James Gordon, who finds himself battling corruption in the police department. As both men try to come to terms with these challenges, Miller shows us a lot of familiar character traits in both men, while keeping them slightly off balance, unsure what the future holds. Batman struggles with having to maintain a secret identity, while Gordon struggles with decisions he must now make to stay on the job. Dave Mazzucchelli's artwork compliments Miller's nior style. It also has a grittiness to it, that harkens back to pulp detective comics of the 30's and 40's, of the non superhero variety. It is beautifully rendered Any one of the panels will make one appreciate comic book all the more. Originally published in single issue format for Batman #404-407, the collected trade paperback has had multiple printings...I for one, am glad it's finally back again after quite a while, as is The Dark Knight Returns, by the way. Miller provides a brief introduction for the 96 page book. Both Year One and the original DKR make for excellent reads (just be sure to skip DK2 at all costs).
Rating:
Summary: ..year one...
Review: I've always considered Batman the greatest super-hero creation of all time. Anyone can create a truth-justice-american-way charcter (and many did), but in Batman Bob Kane gave us a tragedy, and a protagonist that borders on the obsessive. No super-powers, just an aray of martial arts skills and "those wonderful toys". Probably my favorite aspect of the character is how he considers his persona to be Batman and not Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is the mask he wears. Being Batman is simple for him, it's altering his personality and mannerisms that challenges him. This graphic novel is a trade paperback that originally consisted of four issues published in 1986. It places Bruce Wayne at age twenty-five and before he became "the bat". Returning to Gotham City after years of travelling through Europe and Asia aquiring various skills, Bruce is anxious to begin his great work that he has been focused upon since he was a child. He knows exactly what he must do, but the problem is he doesn't know exactly HOW he must do it. What's more important regarding this book, it's written by Frank Miller.
"If I were to introduce someone to comic books, I'd take him into a comic shop and buy him everything I could find written by Frank Miller." ---Samuel L. Jackson
Rating:
Summary: The perfect beginning for Batman
Review: Here, you can see Batman like never before, a rookie making mistakes. I think this is the best Batman story, a great plot, a great art and GREAT caracthers, the relantionship between Gordon and Batman is excellent. My favorite comic book and I read a lot.
Rating:
Summary: True rarity- a "Miller" story that deserves attention
Review: I am not a Frank Miller fan. Nope. Didn't care for Daredevil (Hurt. Pain. Captions. Too many. Disjointed.), not a Sin City fan, though I admire its novelty, and although "Dark Knight" (and one other book) protrayed the Batman in a competent manner, the ghastly "Return of the Dark Knight/DK2" has shattered any credibility in the "Miller" name, as regards the Batman franchise. That said, the "one other book" besides DK that Miller actually performed on was Year One. An EXCELLENT portrayal of Batman's early career, with the major focus on a young, pre-Commissioner Jim Gordon, brilliantly rendered by Dave Mazzuchelli, a true illustrative master and the main reason why this dark and gritty book shines so bright in the firmament of Graphic Novels. If you are even REMOTELY interested in the Batman mythos, this should be in your collection- moody, pensive, with a decidedly heavy film noir atmosphere (and brilliant pre-computer coloring), this story captures the flavor of Gotham City and its troubled denizens like few other Batman narratives ever published. Highest possible recommendation
Rating:
Summary: Batman: A Dark Knight's Genesis
Review: Frank Miller - that says it right there. Anyone who's read Batman: The Dark Knight Returns knows exactly how capable he is with this character of writing an amazing story. Many of us know how Batman began, but this gives us a totally new perspective - it makes the Dark Knight more human... and it does the same thing to Jim Gordon. One one hand, it makes him more dangerous (his fight with that fellow Detective) and on the other, more sympathetic (his love of his wife, and yet his very visible humanity, shown in his affair).
The only thing to say is that if you're interested in an evening of good reading, take this and BM: TDKR (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), and even TDKSA (Dark Knight Strikes Again), settle back, and you've got some well-drawn pages ahead of your eyes.
Rating: 
Summary: It's Frank Miller doing Batman's origin.
Review: Therefore you shouldn't really need convincing. If you're at all interested in Batman, or comics, or Frank Miller, chances are you already own this wonderful look into Bruce Wayne's first year as the Caped Crusader. Good story, good art, and at a reasonable price. Serves as a wonderful introduction to "adult" comics.
Rating:
Summary: Work of Art.
Review: Frank Re-writes ol Batman for an older time....he reinvents batman here, and breathes life back into the character...(as if bats needs that?) but at this time the batbooks weren't selling all to well, then frank came in with this and DK returns and retold the batman stories.....and they are pure works of art!
Nuff said..buy it before the film comes out..the books are ALWAYS better!
Rating:
Summary: Origin of the Bat
Review: What really marked Bruce Wayne? Where are the scars which run deep into his soul. Miller knows, and his depiction of this hero is both tragic and painful.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Marvelous
Review: This comic book ranked #3 in Wizard Magazine's top 40 comic books of all time, and if you read it you'll understand why. A rookie Batman making mistakes and learning from them, and a "young" James Gordon stealing the show in his own way, this is a must own.
Rating:
Summary: Untitled Off-the-Fly Review
Review: Funny thing-- I was waiting for a copy of Batman: Dark Knight Returns to arrive in the Philippines for about 3 months now, and today I finally bought one. After all, that book is a certified classic. My buddy Lance lent me his copy about a year ago and it totally changed my view on comics; no, it changed my view of Batman. The story, the art, the whole synergy of comic book lore and human force, all in those crisp pages. Frank Miller has got to be a storytelling powerhouse. I've been obsessing about Dark Knight Returns so much that I had my sister buy it in Amazon two months ago, but decided I just couldn't wait any longer and bought it today. Anyway, right beside DK Returns was a copy of Batman Year One. I was intrigued because I heard about this from my friend who said that he read it and it was good and Darren Aranofsky was set to direct the film version sometime next year. Ok, I got overly curious so I bought the damn thing. In fact, I was halfway out of the mall when I decided, "Hey, now's a great time to concentrate on Ol' Bats, why not?" So I ran back and got the last copy. I just finished reading Batman Year One. Here's my take: Frank Miller is definitely good. Very unique take on the characters of the comic, i.e. Bruce Wayne's harrowing thirst for justice, Jim Gordon as a true human being, and Gotham City's political and social ennui providing the reader with a relative understanding of the surroundings of Batman. So Year One is a more practical, if not hyperbolical type of comic. On the whole, it's like watching Deep Impact when you could be watching Armageddon. It's the thinking man's Batman. In terms of the storyline, I have to admit there was nothing all too remarkable about Miller's reintroduction of the Dark Knight's origins... Perhaps if we were to talk about Jim Gordon Year One, then this reviewer would be a little more enhtusiastic about it. But hey, I guess we're all human. On the whole, Batman Year One is still a must have for Batman lovers everywhere. I'd still recommend this book to any weary soul tired of having to put up with a Joel Schumacher-inspired slop shop of a Gotham City. This book IS Gotham City, with all its dirty little secrets gaping at you like a fresh wound.
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