Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not what I expected
Review: The original Dark Knight Returns miniseries changed the face of comic books forever. So you would expect the sequel to be as revolutionary. But it doesn't live up to it's expectations. Things happen too quickly. New characters are introduced every two pages. Also, while Miller's art is beautiful, it is sloppy in areas. I was also disappointed in Lynn Varley's coloring. The original was cool, dark, and moody. Not so anymore. On every single page, there is a rainbow of some sort. It's hard to follow sometimes. While the story is cool and a fun read, it's just not nearly as good as the original.
Rating: 
Summary: Could/should have been great, but issue 2 is a failure.
Review: I don't know where to start - but lets get the good aspects of DK2 out of the way. Miller's writing is topical - from society's obsession with sexual and political pornography, to the notion of government through surveillance (Luther supposedly rules with a database), but the story can't seem to get pieced together in a coherent way.Issue 2 is all over the place. The pace is so rapid that its difficult to know whats going on, and I still can't frame a context for most of the characters. There is only the most vague expression of the tyranical power Brainiac and Luther wield - instead of coming across as insidious power brokers, they come across more or less as thugs - they've been given no room to develop. Batman himself seems more one-dimensional than ever. Has he even uttered ten lines of text at this point? Superman appears to be the only character getting some depth here, and really its the same brush he was painted with in the first Dark Knight. As for the art, YUCK! Its terrible! Without Klaus Janson, the images look childlike and rushed. The coloring is completely wrong. I commend Lyn Varley for wanting to push the evelope, but you've got to know what you're doing! There are only vage whisps of the art that made DK1 so memorable. Oh well, its still better than most of the tripe out there.
Rating: 
Summary: Second stage
Review: The second installement of DK2 brings more of the same. Still not as striking as the original, in my mind, but packed full of chunky goodness nonetheless. We get more Miller/Varley takes on superheroes of yore. We get insight to Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship. We see the lengths that the powers in command will go to in order to maintain the status quo. For me, the most striking moment was the revelation near the end of the book. The stage is set early for the coming of the Amazon daughter of Superman and Wonder Woman. The manner of her arrival, however, struck me as wholly appropriate and dramatically satisfying. I look forward to the third book of the series, hoping that Miller and Varley will begin to show us some of the consequences that come from the action of the first two. I've felt like I've been on a hyper-kinetic ride so far and anticipate the payoff.
Rating: 
Summary: Yuck
Review: Boy is this one bad. Horrendous art---often done by the colorist is matched by a script which is both dated and poorly executed. There are literally dozens of comics released every week which are far superior. If you want to read a good Batman story written this year, I recommend anything from Greg Rucka.
Rating:
Summary: Batman and the JLA
Review: I never really liked Batman much until I read the Dark Knight Returns. Somehow, I was always more interested in Robin becoming Nightwing. This book was awesome. Dark Knight Strikes Again continues where it left off, and although it is a a bit repetitive with the Superman conflict in the first issue, but I can see where it's necessary for the new storyline. I loved the Justice League when I was a kid, especially when they interacted with the Justice Society once a year. I loved Plastic-Man, Green Lantern and the Barry Allen Flash, too. The first issue gets us the Flash, the second Plaz, and I'm betting the third gets GL involved in a big way. So far, every single JLA character is much more fascinating in Miller's style than ever before. The storyline involves old villians, and the whole 'where are they now' theme for these old characters makes it impossible to put these comics down. I love the noirist style of all the characters despite what purists are saying about some of the changes in the costumes and colors. While this goes against everything DC did in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the storyline is inventive and the graphic style unique. Four stars for this first issue, but the second is better. I'm confident the last one will make me want to read all three over again just as I did with the Dark Knight Returns.
Rating: 
Summary: Iconic and powerful
Review: Frank Miller proves once again that he is one of the most skilled comics creators. There has been much criticism of the artwork in this new series--I suspect that this is due to the fact that many comics readers tend to have a very narrow view of what comics should look like and what they should do. Also, this series is, of course, being compared to Dark Knight Returns, and people resist change when their expectations meet something different. But that's the beauty of Miller & Varley's work. They've defied expectations, leaving themselves open to critiques from the masses--but they understand that art is best when it is new, and not just repetition of the status quo. Miller knows what he is doing, and we would do well to allow him to broaden our awareness of what superhero comics can do. The style is a strange blending of a nostalgic/retro look with an ultra-modern/iconic look that is very bold. Forget what you think superheroes should look like, leave behind your ideas of how comics should behave. This is a mythology for a new generation. P.S., please Frank, bring on the DKU for those who really appreciate you.
Rating:
Summary: Where is the EDITOR?
Review: I forget who is listed as the editor of this book, but he/she was probably so enraptured with being on this Miller project, that they were afraid to exercise any editorial control. What is the plot again? Luthor and Brainiac want to take over the world by destroying it? What? After introducing a dozen characters in Part One, Miller brings on a half-dozen more, some introduced and killed in the span of two pages. Why? Superman and Wonder Woman are given more dialogue, and we are privy to their thoughts, feelings, and motivations. Not so with Batman, who just happens to be the STAR of the book. He comes across as just as big a jerk as Luthor. Frank, that multiple floating panel thing, with background characters saying various comments, DOES NOT WORK. The comments doesn't progress the plot, and is lazy padding of a VERY thin story. Finally, there's a section with a flying Batmoblile ramming into Luthor's building. Some consider this a preminition on Miller's part of September 11. I say it was "inspired" by the Fleicher Superman cartoon, "The Bulleteers". You be the judge.
Rating:
Summary: Elseworlds- or OUR world....
Review: The reason this isn't an "Elseworlds" offering is because it takes place in OUR world. Or rather, in a world much closer to our own than the majority want to admit. It is obvious that this story is a thinly veiled allegory for the corruption, greed, and "soft fascism" of our own global corporate society. Miller is trying to wake us up, to jar us awake with extreme art and extreme writing. He wants us to start actually looking at the simularities in the world around us. When you see Superman enslaved by Luthor and his nonexistant, holographic president, try picturing a real hero like Colin Powell trapped in the same manner by the corporate powers that tell Bush what to say.... "Children, pull on your tights-- and give them HELL."
Rating:
Summary: Has Frank Miller Lost His Mind?
Review: Fifteen years ago, Frank Miller blazed onto the Batscene with THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, an important work that not only brought new life to an aging and retired Bruce Wayne but also forced the comic book industry to grow up ... and, consequently, he reinvigorated the industry to the level of an art form. Fifteen years later, methinks Frank has lost his mind. The first installment of THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN was gratuitous in its portrayal of violence for the sake of violence, but, in this second issue (of three), the ensuing chaos surrounding Batman's return from a self-imposed retirement (once more) is nothing but stupid silliness. The tale focuses on the return of not just the Bats but an entire slew of superheroes ... who've been where? While he chooses not to tell us EXACTLY, he does hint that the world has become a kinder, gentler place under the totalitarian reign of Superman. It will be interesting to see if Frank's reputation emerges from this outing unscathed. One would think it ironic that the same character who really put Frank Miller on the cultural map might very well be the same character that puts the nail in his coffin. THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #2 is to be avoided ... at all costs.
Rating:
Summary: The Dark Knight Strikes Again: This Time It Is Not Personal
Review: While a sequel to "The Dark Night Returns" has certainly been long awaited, I have always assumed that whatever Frank Miller came up with was going to ultimately disappointing. After all, the original offered us three absolutely great moments: the return of Batman out of retirement, the Joker breaking his own neck to frame Batman for his murder, and Batman actually beating Superman in a one-on-one fight. In that last sequence Miller captured the essence of the day/night dichotomy of the two great comic book heroes: "You sold us out, Clark. You gave them...the power...that should have been ours. Just like your parents taught you to. My parents taught me a different lesson...lying on this street--shaking in deep shock--dying for no reason at all--they showed me that the world only makes sense when you force it to." This quote becomes important because while Batman defeated Superman, he did not persuade him. Consequently it is not surprising that at the end of this first volume in "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" we essentially end up redoing the climax of the first series as Batman again beats up on Superman. Besides being helped by the Atom as well as the Green Arrow this time around, the focus this time around is more on the political climate in Miller's futuristic America in a larger sense. The President is a computer-generated image, superheroes are allowed to be seen, and the "perfect" world that has been created is too good to be true. This time the story does not boil down to just a personal confrontation between Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent. "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" might be better received if it did not have the overpowering legacy of "The Dark Knight Returns" to overcome, because that is simply not going to happen. Nor can we truly judge this graphic novel on its own terms, because, clearly, with the storyline Miller is developing here, what is past is prelude. I am always interested in seeing what Miller comes up with and just because this is not going to be in the running for the title of greatest graphic novel of all time is no reason not to settle in for the ride.
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