The Dark Knight Returns

[bigsleepj]

I recently read Frank "Sin City" Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, the graphic novel which is usually considered by many to be one of the best Batman graphic novel written. It tells the tale of a 60 year old Batman returning after a 10-year hiatus to Gotham City which is in an even worse state than usual.

Although I really liked the story, the visual presentation and the writing within the text-boxes (designating the character's thoughts) was pretty good I was rather put-off by the psychological bleakness and pessimism of the story and characters.

What did you think?

[Sayuri]

neat!

[bigsleepj]

neat!

Must.... resist.... sarcasm.....

[uc pseudonym]

I somewhat enjoyed this graphic novel. If I recall, however, he actually made two different graphic novels related to this (possibly a sequel?), and they are very different (I have only skimmed one of them). I can't be completely certain it is the same one you refer to.

Overall, I thought the story was well told. Bleakness and pessemism don't have much effect on me, so that aspect wasn't very troubling to me.

[righteous_slave]

DKR has long been considered one of the highest pinnacles of comic book art, in it's presentation, storyline, writing, the whole nine yards. Especially since it came at a time when comics were well known for being very saccherine (sp) and dumbed down for silly little kids. DKR was one of the first grownup comic book stories. Too bad many of the grownup comics that followed forgot that there is more to being mature than cussing, sex and gore.

I loved the way it wasn't afraid to kill off characters, long a no no in the industry, even if it was an imaginary story. The final battle between Batman and Superman was just awesome.

[mitsuki lover]

I haven't read it.I have read Batman:Child Of Dreams by the creator of Silent Mobius.
The story involves a young Japanese female reporter who comes to Gotham to do a story on Batman and gets entangled in the life of billionaire industralist Bruce Wayne.
There's also some stuff about an illegal drug to transforms any innocent person into their favorite criminal in Bats Rogue Gallery.(One sequence involves Batman going to Arkham Asylum to find Joker still there after an impostor Joker has terrorized the city.)
Bruce uses an excuse of a buisness trip to Tokyo to investigate links to a Japanese
pharmaceutical firm and discovers that the entire thing is a plot to trap him as the most sought after collector's item in the ultimate Batman collection.

[Maledicte]

I've read it. Being used to more conventional lighter comics (if you could call The Sandman "light reading") it took me a while to warm up to, but in the end I enjoyed it. For some reason I was very impressed with the coloring. The new Robin was great too.

In the fourth season of the Batman Animated Series, an homage of this book is animated in the episode Legends of the Dark Knight. Pretty cool.

Avoid the sequel. I can't stand to see Grayson treated like that.

[Arnobius]

I thought it ended weakly, but chiilingly.

[spoiler]I thought the idea of Batman being as crazy as the people he hunted was a nice touch. Problem was, I thought the ending needed more support that it didn't get. When I first read it at 18, I thought it was cool Batman was so hardcore. Reading it again in my 30's, I found myself siding with Superman at the end.[/spoiler]

[uc pseudonym]

Before anyone cries conspiracy, the reason I am shown as having modified AnimeHeretic's post is because I corrected a minor typo in the spoiler tags.

[spoiler]I think that the Batman series has always drawn significant strength from the fact that Bruce is only slightly better than the criminals.

And I side with Superman too, but that may be only because I like him. While the fact that Batman is essentially human and fights via intelligence is good, I like how human Superman is (in more recent permutations, anyway) despite his powers.[/spoiler]

[rocklobster]

I've been a Batman fan ever since I learned how to read. What made me such a fan is that he's always using just what God game him, and yet he still manages to save the day. I always thought he was so neat because he seemed the only superhero that could actually exist in the "real world". I just wish the people writing Batman would stop making him borderline psychotic just because Frank Miller did it so well.

[Maledicte]

I just wish the people writing Batman would stop making him borderline psychotic just because Frank Miller did it so well.

Read "Batman: HUSH". Oooooh the dah-RAMA! (what I'm saying is he's not so psychotic in this arc than in other ones.)

[bigsleepj]

The friend from whom I borrowed "Dark Kight" from recently purchased Hush and said it was excellent. I'll turn my focus towards it soon.

Despite my objections, I see it conceivable that I might acquire my own copy of "Dark Knight Returns" in the near future. It was in all an excellent read.

[Icarus]

The story was good, but I've never really liked Miller's art style.