Rating: 
Summary: Awesome distaste
Review: I didn't like this very much when I first picked it up, Overdrawn characters out of proportion and a story that is basically just like pissing razors. I sat down and REALLY read it. This is Frank's way of getting back at the "system" the companies that control what comics come out and which ones get big and ultimately bigger etc....most comic book writers/creators don't have as much creative control as frank does but even HE has his limits set by the companies he works for , this book wags its beligerant tongue at them and you as the reader have to see this to enjoy it. He shows what he thinks about the media and society as a whole. this book is misunderstood because it doesnt seem like its really about Batman, it seems like it is about One man's distaste with the "system"....which in reality is truly what Batman is all about! Brilliant!
simply brilliant a GREAT way to stick it to the man is to buy this book! Frank sticks the knife into the machine of corporate america with this one!
Rating: 
Summary: The first ones were better!
Review: The first time I sat down and read Batman Year One I realized that Frank miller was revolutionizing Batman. The very next day I went and purchaced Dark Knight Returns, the book was phenominal. Not since reading Arkham Asylum had I been as impresed with a Batman comic than I was with two by Frank Miller. Needless to say when I head that he was coming out with another one I was beyond excited.I'm sad to say it didn't quite live up to my expectations. First I don't want this to ba taken the wrong way. The book is awesome, the story is inventive, the art is unbelivable, but it was less than. The idea of the heros making a comeback, with a rising up of a revolutionary form of vilgilantism, is a greatt concept, that needed some serious fleshing out. The little details that I felt were in Year one and Dark Knight Returns were missed. The story could have been so much more, it could have been...longer. It seems to me like Miller really wanted to put out a three comic set, when really to do this story justice it needed to be five or six comics long. I was just kind of let down. The book really was great, it just could have been greater.
Rating: 
Summary: Frank Miller is drunk.
Review: Upon hearing about a sequel to one of the most complex and compelling super hero stories of our time, I was elated to say the least. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS is a true work of art. It's the perfect mix of FRANK MILLER's superbly fleshed out, gritty writing, and his cool as hell visual renderings- bringing a pop icon to vivid, violent life and changing comic books from kid's stuff to a great form of artistic literature that reads like true paper cinema. MILLER's style (as well as color artist LYNN VARNEY's) is unmatched. So I wonder what happened here. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN starts out very promising, but as each of the three parts play out, they get progressively worse. Part one starts off with some interesting story and trademark MILLER detail, setting up what one thinks will be a thought provoking extension of classic DC comic characters ( THE FLASH and THE ATOM are particularly cool). Part two vears into multiple story lines and a shaky execution. Part three has incomprehensible plotting and the artwork very poor for MILLER standards... The artwork in the third act seems hastily executed as does the scripting, making the whole project look deadline rushed. Even more surprising is the lack of appearances by the titular character as well as story arcs that end up nowhere (THE FLASH and THE ATOM all but dissapear by the last act). The book on a whole looks more like a showcase for all of those DC faves than a sequel to a far superior graphic novel. If this selection has done anything, it has made me pick up DARK KNIGHT RETURNS for another go so I can revel in a work of art so original and great a sequel was never warranted or in most cases where part 2's show up, unnessesary. Shame. Hopefully MILLER's next work will reflect the mastery that is lacking in this strike back.
Rating: 
Summary: Living in the past causes constipation
Review: ... In fact, I enjoyed the heck out of it as a pure, beautiful goof, which is exactly what I perceived it to be from the get-go. The plot is sort of a mish-mash, but it's all in good fun. This incidentally, is a key element to deriving any enjoyment from this story: it's all just a goof.
The art is visually striking, challenging, and loads of fun all at once. Varley's coloring is simply unparallelled. The innovative computer techniques she uses are truly effective -- although traditional comics people might be a little unprepared it. Frank's pencils have definitely become more stylistic than technical over the last decade -- but I've got several dozen issues of DD from the early 80's that say Miller was never an insanely technical artist anyway. Plus that was never his appeal as a penciller in the first place. So get over the fact that the art is not draftsman-perfect. That's what makes it art -- an oft-forgotten component called "style". Anywho, the big plus of this title for me: The story picks up on a lot of the great little "asides" of the future DC Universe Miller established in the original DKR series. Many of the little hints dropped about other icons in the bleak near-future of the original are enjoyably fleshed out in this story (the Atom's return is a particular fave, plus how hilarious is that Ralph 'Elongated Man' Dibny?). This is really the only missing piece of satisfaction from the first series, anyway. So right there, Miller has succeeded in my book. Anyway, it's a sequel, but one created 15 years after the original! It's just not going to be exactly like the maiden voyage with that kind of gap between efforts! And given that this is a follow-up to the most astoundingly successful comic story of all time, how could it actually take itself as seriously as some reviewers here seemed to want?
Incidentally, I find it interesting (and somewhat telling about comics fans) that the majority of reviewers here that bashed issue #1 felt compelled not only to BUY and READ the other 2 issues, but to separaetly review them as well! Ha! Obviously the work of art is not a total failure, yes? If you are a Miller fan and enough of a fan of the original to know it can never be duplicated, then you might dig this as a fun read.
But if you expect it to be a rehash/remake of DKR, or a story that fits into contemporary Batman plots, or something other than what Frank has trended towards since "300", you will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: we should'a known what we were in for...
Review: Like everyone else, I was excited by the prospect of Frank Miller revisiting Batman, in the form of a sequel to the original Dark Knight book, no less. Like everyone else, I imagine, that's about as far as I thought it through. I mean, what more was there to do and/or say after the original series, which wrapped up in a tidy way? Not much at all, as this next installment proves. The original "Dark Knight Returns" was about refashioning a character that had virtually lanquished to the point of irrelevancy in the comics world (something that artist Neal Adams began with his darker take on Bats in the "Brave and the Bold" comics in the seventies). Miller succeeded in making Batman iconic and relevant again, and did it in a manner that was enjoyable in a comic-book context. "DK2" is rarely enjoyable in a comic sense. Other reviewers here want to credit Miller with some kind of bold vision for his hasty-looking art in this book; I think it mostly looks like [garbage], and detracts from, and is distracting to, the story he's trying to tell. And the story, well, blah. Wouldnt've this story have benifited from a narrower focus? Did it have to involve nearly every major DC superhero? Batman is largely just here in spirit; almost the entire second installment concerns Superman. I like the idea of Carrie leading the reckless group of former mutants as a Bat-modeled strike force, but Miller misses an opportunity by doing nothing with this subplot. What I did like is Miller riffing on current politics; his computer-generated G. W. Bush is a funny counterpart to the first book's nuke-mad Reagan; and Lynn Varley's coloring adds a brilliant surreal edge to the proceedings. Also, the appearance of one of the Robins was a weird, funny and unexpected moment. Yes, this is one-of-a-kind stuff from one of comicdom's most potent iconoclasts, but as it has nearly nothing to do with the original book, as it failed to deliver on the excitement that the words Miller/Batman/Dark Knight 2 carried, it was all just a sick tease.
Rating:
Summary: The Newest Comic in Years
Review: This book will shock many people. It is easily the most anticipated comic of all time, and for good reason. Frank Miller draws characters that you have never seen. Part anime, part classic comic (pre-Kirby even), part Miller, part cartoon. Miller completely avoids the modern trap of comics. Most comics today are illustrated in a quasi-realistic manner, with colouring that is exactly as you would expect. Gene Ha, John Williams III, Brent Anderson, Frank Quitely, who can really tell the difference. They are drawn and coloured, by dry technicians, who have no use for style. It looks like math in a comic sometimes. Although these artists have merit, Miller is not them, he is always pushing himself, always experimenting. Miller is not a realist, like say Alex Ross, you need imagination to read and appreciate Miller's work. This is a very new style, very impressionistic.
Miller has made many enemies by writing this comic, as I guessed he would before it's initial release. Everyone want Miller to make this like he would have fifteen years ago. But Miller can't do that, he isn't fifteent years ago, he is now, and this book illustrates now. When Dark Knight Returns first hit the stands all those years ago many of my friend and associates didn't like the art style at all. It was crude, grim, dark, unrealistic, sloppy, etc... However the book is remembered now as a classic, it still sells better than some new titles. This book won't be forgotten either. It is still discussed at the comic shops here in Vancouver. This book won't die.
Lynn's colours likewise disregard realism in every way. She doesn't colour things how they would look, she colours them how they would feel. This has made many reviewers call her sloppy. We all know that Lynn is not sloppy, we have seen her paint comics for years and she proved that she could paint in the lines, but c'mon, we aren't kids any more and neither is she. This is a bold experiment and worth the price of admission for that reason alone, although I think it is also a successful experiment. The story itself is hard to follow. It is incomplete, disjointed, and has little character development. But it more than makes up for that with what it does have. Ample room for imagination, some hilarious ideas (this is a comedy at heart), respect for the past, insider jokes, funny political commentary (which isn't meant seriously), and glib dialogue which should make you smile. It might not be as good as the original (although I'm not sure about that), but it is better than anything from ABC, or any other superhero comic on the rack today (except maybe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is from ABC). If you are looking for the most original comic in (well, maybe ever), then this is it, buy it for sure. But beware, it is very new and sometimes provokes reactions like "He is just doing this for the money", which no one has the right to say except Frank Miller himself. The stroy is fast, fun, and highly re-readable. We should praise Frank for this story or he will never do supers again, and I want more of this, besides Astro City, no one is bringing supers back to their original glory like Miller has done here. This is the second best Batman story ever (after the Dark Knight Returns), and I am thinking of Killing Joke, Long Haloween, Dark Victory, even Kingdom Come. Pick this up and realize that no one else could do this.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Pop Comic in a long time
Review: This is easily the most anticipated book in comic history. And rightfully so, as Frank Miller has always shyed away from doing anything the traditional way (ever since he proved he could do that with Daredevil, earning the right to do something original), this comic is no exception. The art is entirely unique, part anime, part traditional comic, part Miller stylism (big hands, scratchy faces), it is very eclectic. I was pleasently surprised with this comic. Too many comics these days all look the same. Who, really, can see much difference between Gene Ha in Top Ten, Brent Anderson in Astro City, J.H. Williams III in Promethea,...Comic art these days all looks the same, whether it is Frank Quitely or Gene Ha. Everybody is doing the quasi realistic art, with half-way accurate colouring. There is Alex Ross, doing his hyper-realistic style, which is occasionally interesting, if not original. Miller is none of these, which most critics have slamed him for. Millers art in here is impressionistic, fun, unique, surreal, and quite possibly the most interesting I have seen since dark knight returns. It serves the story in every way. I think that Miller is similar to Dave Mckean in the sense that he goes for originality and fuctionality of the style before uninspired, mathematical realism, done for the sake of sensationalism. The story, which I will not spoil here (many other reviews do that for you) is very funny. The ways in which Batman collects all of the old heroes is very interesting, plastic man is great, the Flash is fun for the first time ever. Everyone is truly super again, like how comics were originally intended to be. Supermans daughter is the best new character in quite some time. She is bold, milleresque, and great to look at. The whole story has a classic greek feeling to it. These heroes are our Gods, or at least Miller's God's. They form their own pantheon. It makes fun of everything we have ever loved about super heroes, and Frank Miller. It makes fun of politics, life, and our modern era. This is a classic story, the history of comics condensed into a single volume, very disjointed, odd, and fast fast paced. It reminds me of a comic supers version of Joyce's Finnegans Wake, a part of me believes that Miller is thanking the comic world for all the fun he has had (although many critics think that Miller is actually telling them all off). Lynn's colours are unlike anything I have ever seen in comics (this whole thing is unlike any comic I have ever seen), and sometimes are quite startling. The explosion when the flash is set free is one of the most beautifull I have ever seen. The colours fall all over the page in a seemingly random pattern, that actually brings out the emotion, rather than the image of how this would look in real life. Miller is unconcerned with real life (aren't all comics a disssmissal of real life anyway?), and it shows in every pannel. One of this comics best qualities is the pacing and panel layout. It is absolutely ingenious. The story moves at a pace all it's own. There is no character development, you KNOW these characters, you have too. Now, Miller doesn't depend on this, all of the character traits are implicitly stated, it's very subtle. The story has huge gaps, this is also part of the plan. Miller wants US to help the story along the way a good comic should. This becomes an interactive story that friends can argue about later own. Trying to fill in the gaps with their own theories. This is much more fun than the obvious exhibition you normally see. This is the second best Batman/DCuniverse story. Only his own dark knight returns is better (and even then I'm not sure). I know that almost no one agrees with me but I do remember alot of comics purists hating the original when it was released (although no one will admit it now), I did. This gave me the same feelings that I got when I read the first one all those years ago. Confusion, wonder, cynicism, and finally (after finding myself re-reading it again and again) respect and enjoyment. There is no comic on the rack these days that even comes close to the uniqueness of Dark Knight Strikes Again, it is worth the admission price for that reason alone, plus it is really funny. I don't think that Miller wants anyone to take this seriously, but I do wish that people would ease up on the criticsim before Miller is scared away from being a unique comic artist with supers, he will never do this again, and we will only have ourselves to blame.
Rating:
Summary: Best Work Miller's Done In Ages
Review: I've been disenchanted with Miller for years. The "300" series is the one exception to his increasingly ugly and sloppy output that, these days, I buy mostly out of habit, fondly recalling his glory days in the 80's. But this, this is the freshest, most vibrant, most fun read I've had in a long, long time. By turns mythic, hilarious, and heartbreaking, DK2 actually put a lump in my throat. Though it's definitely more rewarding for those with an understanding of the DC universe and it's history, Frank Miller manages to reinvent the genre twice in one career. Not too shabby. Easily his best and most radical work since "Ronin".
Rating: 
Summary: They should have stopped while they were ahead.
Review: I really enjoy all of Frank Miller's work. I'll never forget all that he did for Daredevil and Batman back in the 80's. For me the anticipation for this new series was up there with the wait for the new Star Wars films. In this case the end product ended up being a tremendous let down. The original book was set-up in a film noire type format and utilized a really loose style of drawings to convey it's story. The end result was one of the most powerful and darkly written comic books ever created. The story picks up here in a very disjuncted and unconvincing manner. Right away the tone is different. Gone is the edge of the original characters from the last comic and instead the characters are represented in a really light and almost satirical fashion to the point where it's hard to believe that they are even the same people. Not only that this comic is so poorly drawn that both superman and batman come off as looking corny. The whole thing fails to create tension or any sense of drama. The last book had me on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen with the joker. And the way it ended with Superman was just the icing on the cake. You won't find anything like that here.
Rating:
Summary: Superb "Sequel" to DKR
Review: My original reaction was the same as whenever Hollywood announces a sequel that just shouldn't be: why are you messing with a classic, and in the case of Dark Knight Returns, arguably one of the greatest and most influential comics ever written? Thankfully, Frank Miller manages to provide a smooth continuation of the original story, updated for today's political climate. Those who whine about the potshots at politicians are missing the point entirely; the function of this tale is a critical, cynical and decidedly postmodern take on the economies of power in our society. As such, all sides are satirized in an effort to examine the various ramifications of power equations; from the smug politicians (I wonder if Ari Fleischer has read this) to the brainwashed populace, Miller points the finger at everyone--including the eponymous Dark Knight. The art is pure Miller, meaning you'll either love it or hate it, with its at times naive or decadent color and chaotic arrangement. Regardless of your political alliegance, this is a thinking man's "comic book", and is highly recommended.
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