Rating: 
Summary: The Definitive Dark Knight!
Review: I got this book as a gift when I was only 14 (Mass-market paperback in '86) and immediately became hooked. Miller is a genius...no doubt, and his team is excellent as well. This book is the one that really got me into comics and I collected Batman and Detective for about 6 years before I finally got burned-out on it. I recently picked up the sequel, "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" and am astonished...Miller and Varley look like they've done it again...Can't wait for the 3rd and final volume...I'm back into collecting again..thanks to the Miller/Varley team!
Rating:
Summary: This one makes the short list.
Review: Face it. Most comic books are trash.This one isn't.
Dark Knight Returns is one of those series that raised the bar for the whole industry. When you talk with people who don't like comics, with a few exceptions, this is inevitably one of the exceptions. Sandman usually makes the list, too. Cerebus, on occassion. So what's in the book that makes it so good?
Is it enough to say that this is the best vision of the darker version of Batman yet printed, which all others aspire to?
Just read it.
You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: How we got here from there
Review: For those of us who have been collecting and reading comics for 30 years the significance of this graphic novel in the Comic Book Genre continues to grow. As a Batman story it is one of the better "alternate future" books. We see a Bruce Wayne who is lost without his other identity (in fact we see his villians who are lost without him as well) seemingly going along a path of self destruction. When he finds himself the world seems to at the same time. Sort of like when people see a great problem rather than ignore it. Once you acknowlidge something unpleasnt you are obligued to deal with it and that brings pain but also solutions. In terms of its significance it led the way toward a darker and gritter comic book world. It has led to many great stories but all of the changes have not been worth it. It ushered in a age of expensive comic books that I can't expose my kids to because they're not ready or shouldn't be ready for it. The blame isn't really on Miller and Janson who did a great and origional job, it is of all of those people who tried to be Miller and Janson instead of themselves.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Graphics Novel
Review: Wow, Frank Miller was truly on when he created this masterpiece.
The plotlines and dialog are excellent. They only thing I
didn't care for was the rawness of the artwork. I prefer to
have cleaner artwork (aka Spawn). For that reason I deducted
a star. This is still a winner. I grew up reading comics
(Spiderman, Daredevil, Thor) and have recently rediscovered
my passion for them. This particular work is more adult
oriented and provided an excellent and thought provoking journey...
If you enjoy graphic novels give this classic a chance
Rating:
Summary: Basic Batman.
Review: There's a great question you can always ask someone you've just met to help break the ice: who's better Batman or Superman? Though it is so much more, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS attempts to answer that question. Basically the story is this, Batman has been in retirement for over a decade and the world has been getting worse everyday. Other than Superman, most other superheroes have retired too, their aging bodies no longer able to keep up with their able minds. Bruce Wayne goes through a serious mid-life crisis and verges on the brink of insanity. He decides that it is time for Batman to return and help restore order and justice to the world. The only problem is that Batman can no longer fight within the system like he used to do. Instead, he has to fight outside of it. That raises concerns with his old friend Superman and eventually leads to a climatic battle between the two heroes. To be completely honest, I wasn't all that impressed by the art of the comic. It is true that it influenced an entire generation of comic book artists, but just because something is popular doesn't mean it is good. Also, though I was intrigued by the Batman vs. Superman; rebellious leader vs. faithful steward conflict, I was really disturbed by Miller's nihilistic world view. It is true that the world is in bad shape and continues to get worse and worse. However, I have more hope in humanity than that to believe that things will become as bad as they are in DKR. Even amidst corruption and scandal, Truth and Goodness can be found. Other than that, I found the comic to be rather entertaining and highly thought provoking. When's the last time you heard someone say that about a comic book?
Rating:
Summary: as good as it gets
Review: this is probably THE comic book off all time. together with MOebius "John Difool" I dont know how many times i have read this book and its exiting every time. its like waching a movie, and all you hope for is that it never ends. it has come to my attension that there is a secuel, that is the best thing that could happen this decade!!! except for world peace off cause.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Comic EVER.
Review: This is hands down the greatest comic ever created. The amout of dark coolness was never recreated in movies, comics, tv shows, and now even in Frank Miller,s own sequel. Nothing comes close to the quality of such a story. The art work is top notch the writing is dead on. Every few years I cruze the comic shops and read a little bit of everything in the store just to see whats what, nothing even comes close to the greatness that leaps off the pages from Frank Miller's most fantastic creation. Everyone in the world should own this book and read it once a year to remind them what should be the standard in entertainment forever.
Rating:
Summary: Don't call yourself a Bat Fan til you've read the Bat Bible!
Review: Intense, dark, gothic and no super powers! He's one man vs the whole of the Gotham underworld. It's fantastic without gore and profanities, too, so it's great for young adults and up. Don't get me wrong, it's still violent, it's 'still' the Bat. Fantastically written and very well inked. Good to the last drop...of blood, that is!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic blending of Pop culture
Review: Frank Miller classic tale of counter culture and satire is as effective today as it was in the 80's. Though word heavy for a comic, it is an engaging read that makes slight jabs as well as massive swings at the culture of the time with the greatest of ease. Though violent and unflinchingly so its message and character development is only heightened by the deft splashes of red across the page. An aging Bruce Wayne, re-dons the Batman costume and slowly begins to lose his touch with reality in a near future world that seems to have no place for it. Millers illustrations becomes more and more erratic as the story progress helping illustrate the gradual slipping of Bruce's sanity till it snaps back into full focus for the final act to show his resolve and determination. As Comics come and go, this is more often seen coming, and if a non comic fan was looking for perhaps one of the best examples the medium has to offer, consider this your Citizen Kane.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Good Enough
Review: This is good Batman, definitely part of my must have list. But the book has its downfalls, of which keep me from giving it the raves that are so prevalent here. First off, it's putting out a statement about violence and mindlessness, unfortunately that's a difficult topic to address without being needlessly violent and mindless itself. Its Batman is a passionate, angry Batman. But we get this only by losing the intelligent creature of the night, the dark detective that we may be expecting. At its worst all we get is a simple, large brute running around busting heads. The book is especially at its most mundane during the entire chapter devoted to its most unimaginative portion, i.e. the mutant army. The idea started as silly and just continued from there. It climaxes with Batman driving around in an indestructible house-sized tank shooting rubber bullets at a "mutant" army whose headquarters are located in the city dump. This whole scene just reeked of absurdity to me. The influence of the Stallone/Schwarzenegger brand of 80's action is heavily felt here, it's a testament to Miller's ability that this plot arc didn't ruin the whole story for me. Also, although self-admittedly I have never been a fan of the inclusion of most Robin characters, I've never felt it to be as superfluous as it is here. Same bright colors, but now it's a 13-year old armed with a slingshot. Though, to be fair, she does have misfortune of having her introduction to Batman at the junkyard scene, which I already had a distaste for. Nonetheless she stretched believability for me, but once again it is Miller's skill that keeps me with the story, and ultimately her inclusion works. But it never quite overcomes the feeling that she included just for the sake of being included. On the other side I did enjoy the satirizing of the media. Also Miller's reintroduction of Bats to Gotham, his portrayal of Superman, and the opening & closing chapters were simply Miller at his best. The premise, that Bruce Wayne, after years of retirement has gone a bit insane is played expertly by Miller in these portions. This enjoyment is especially heightened when Batman's character arc is paralleled with those in his rogue gallery of villains. But the story's shift to the Rambo-style antics, especially in the mutant army chapter, drag this book down for me. It was simply a bit too much of Miller drudging me through the inane segments to weave the plot into what makes this book the influence that it was. Miller deserves and has received his share of praise for reinvigorating the genre and establishing Batman as a darker, psychologically driven character. This is the comic that made comics respectable. This is the comic that made comics mature. But on the same hand, being first, or being "the comic...," is only admirable to a point. Miller's impact will never be denied, but impact alone doesn't make it enjoyable. I found more satisfaction out of the works that have followed Miller's suit (ex. The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Arkham Asylum, and Miller's own Year One). It's my respect for Miller's work that will always put it at the top of my comic lists, but my respect alone shouldn't sell this book. But if you're a comic fan and don't own this book, chances are you're here to buy it. So if nothing else take this review is to warn you of high expectations. There are a number of extreme praises here that should be taken very, very lightly. It's good; I would hesitate to say anymore. It's simply good enough.
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