Johnsenclan

Book fifteen in 52 books in 52 weeks

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is one of the first graphic novels I read. I decided to return to it because supposedly the next Batman movie has elements based on Frank Millers comic. Miller took a character that had been a little campy for years and returned him to dark and serious origins.

The book takes place years after Batman has retired. Gotham City is a mess with gangs taking over major portions of it and Batman has become a myth, so criminals aren’t scared of anyone stopping them. After Harvey Dent starts committing crime again, Batman returns to try and stop him along with Joker and the leader of the gang that has taken over the city.

The other main storyline follows Superman. He’s participating in a war for the U.S. and eventually is called in to fight Batman who is considered a terrorist.

This is the comic that brought a change to most comics in the late eighties and nineties. It was very gritty and dark for the time, and many comics started to follow that path with lots of violence and adult storylines. The comics that came later usually weren’t great, but this one that started it is a fun story with good illustration style. I like the dialogue and how far in advance Miller plans the story. The new Robin is more interesting than any Robin that had previously been in the comics, and all of the aged characters are more fun to read about, their old age just adds to the danger.

Miller’s later stories in Sin City were much darker, but this is the beginning of that type, and it’s very well done.

Ratng A-

More of my 52 books in 52 weeks here

Other reviews for 52 books in 52 weeks

• Heliologue reviews Broken Angels by Richard K. Morgan
• Kevin reviews The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Real Story by Stephen R. Donaldson.
• Natasha reviews Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult, Tasting the Sky by Ibtisam Barakat, Mud City by Deborah Ellis, and The Fiction Class by Susan Breen
• Jamie reviews Monkey Girl by Edward Humes