Batman: The Dark Night Returns

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Summary: Ten Years Since Miller Made Batman Cool For Grown Ups
Review: It's the ten year anniversery of a milestone in pop culture. DC Comics deserves as much credit as author Frank Miller does for taking a chance with one of their cornerstone characters, Batman. The Dark Night Returns is not for those who think the Adam West Batman TV show is the greatest rendition of the Dark Night, or those looking for a Batman comic for their kid. Instead of camp or four color machismo or even realism, Frank Miller takes a pessimistic view of the Batman mythos. It's the near future, crime is more brutal and out of control than ever, but it's not a Road Warrior lawless world. It's a world where the police are just barely able to keep everything together. This mirrors the international front where the U.S. has almost become a might-makes-right player due to a red caped secret weapon. A jealous humanity has outlawed all costumed vigilantes. But in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne tormented by his own psychological demons, can not stand by the sidelines anymore. Defying the police, the government, and younger tougher gangs, he dons the cowl once again. Miller's art gives a bleak, grizzled tone. Instead of Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, or George Clooney, you get a mental picture of Clint Eastwood playing a Batman past his prime, but still as unyeilding and obsessed as ever. Reflecting, and perhaps saterizing, the 80's broadcast media, the traditional comic book panels are turned into MTV quick cuts and flashbacks. For comic fans, it also ties into current issues very cleanly. Nothing in this future has been disproven. As a matter of fact, it predicted the death of the second Robin years before that infamous1-800 vote. There is a message of hope that it is not too late symbolized by Batman's new (and female!) Robin. He'll need all the help he can get for the final showdowns with Two-Face, Joker, and a Ronald Reagan-esqe Man Of Tomorrow