The Dark Knight Returns. What is there really to say about it which hasn’t already been said? I think just about everybody and their grandad knows The Dark Knight Returns, its background and those who worked on it and while I’ll attempt to make my review of it slightly different, it is bound to be just one in an infinite pile of other reviews. But to begin, I think its best to start with my personal experience of the miniseries and how, in many ways, it introduced me to comic books. As a child, I had always liked superheroes. Actually, no. As a child, I had always loved Batman. It wasn’t the comics, but the Tim Burton movies and Batman: The Animated Series which introduced me to the character. I couldn’t get enough of it as a child, but as the time passed, I grew up and I suppose I became interested in other things. It was only about four years ago when I started to become interested once again, but this time in the comic books. I had read Batman: A Death In the Family by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo as a child (a rather brutal comic), but for some unknown reason, I didn’t really explore further. Beginning to read comic books a few years ago could have been incredibly brief. If I had started by reading some stories from The New 52 or Rebirth, then I may not have continued, but instead, I decided to go down the safe route by reading the Dark Knight Returns. Despite the criticisms I have of this story, it does actually mean something to me as I classify it to be the first story before I got properly interested in the medium. Sure, I’ve read better stories since then, but this and Batman: Year One remain two stories which just mean a lot to me. Without them, who knows what might have happened. Now, enough with the sentimental stuff. Let’s get on with it.
The Dark Knight Returns was published as four prestige format books, with the first three issues published from June to August 1986, while the final issue was delayed and released in December 1986. It was written and pencilled by Frank Miller with inks by Klaus Janson. It was also coloured by Frank Miller’s then-wife, Lynn Varley.
Lastly, I have read this miniseries in the Batman: The Dark Knight Returns trade paperback, but you can find it pretty much anywhere to be honest.
THE STORY
Years in the future, a fifty-five-year-old Bruce Wayne has been retired from Batman for a decade, but he has become increasingly bored. He nearly kills himself in a racing car to try and recreate the rush of action that he once felt. Sometime later, Bruce meets with Commissioner Gordon, who is aged 70 and nearing retirement. Although the two talk about the old days, when Gordon mentions what happened to Jason, Bruce leaves. In the streets of Gotham, Bruce is nearly killed by two mutants, part of a gang which have declared war on Gordon, but they retreat as Bruce isn’t scared of death. Meanwhile at Arkham Asylum, the Joker has been mentally inactive for a decade. Nearby, Doctor Bartholomew Wolper and Doctor Herbert Willing restore Harvey Dent using therapy and plastic surgery, telling him that he has returned to sanity. On the news, Harvey Dent thanks his doctors while Gordon doesn’t quite believe that Dent is yet sane. Sleeping at night, Bruce dreams about how he once fell into the cave underneath Wayne Manor. Bruce then awakens and heads down into the Batcave, which he hasn’t entered since he retired. Alfred then appears, wondering what is going on and where Bruce’s moustache has gone. While a mysterious masked man in bandages walks around with a scarred coin (who could that be?), Bruce accidentally stumbles into the Mask of Zorro on TV, making him relive the killing of his parents. Then, Bruce changes over to the news and hears of the constant crimes being committed in Gotham. It all becomes too much for Bruce and he realises that the time has come. Then, for the first time in thirty years, a bat crashes through the window. Some time later on a moody night, a string of unconnected crimes such as thefts and murders are violently stopped by a mysterious figure, which one witness Carrie Kelley, a young girl, believe was a man twelve feet tall. Later, the police chase a car driven by a group of thugs. Then, shocking the policemen, Batman appears from the sky and leaps onto the thug’s car, causing it to crash. The criminals then retreat to an abandoned building, where Batman hunts them slowly, despite the pains of his age. After taking out the criminals, a young rookie cop tries to arrest Batman, but a veteran cop appears, telling him to leave. While Batman asks the cop about another car at the scene, he finds a scarred coin on one of the crooks. The next day, the Joker watches a debate on TV from the asylum about Batman. He smiles. Later, Gordon releases one of the thugs that Batman beat the previous night. Bruce learns this and becomes Batman. While Batman hunts the crook, the Mutant Leader broadcasts to the people of Gotham, telling them he will kill Batman and Gordon. Meanwhile, Batman interrogates the criminal to try and reveal more information about his boss. Later, Carrie Kelley looks outside of her window while her parents ignore her. She notices the Bat Signal has been turned on by Gordon. Meanwhile, Batman speaks to Gordon about how tomorrow will be the second day of the month, a Tuesday and two helicopters have been stolen. Although they both hope that Harvey Dent isn’t behind it, they clearly know he is. At the same time, Doctor Wolper says in an interview that Batman’s villains are just a victim of his own crimes. The interview is watched by the Joker, who is informed by somebody who makes bombs that Harvey Dent wants him to make some, but he hasn’t agreed to it yet. Intrigued, the Joker asks about the bombs. Later, Batman finds the two stolen helicopters, which each have one bomb in it. While Batman defuses one of them, Harvey Dent broadcasts to the people of Gotham that he will destroy Gotham’s twin towers, unless he is paid five million dollars. Despite the pain, Batman manages to get closer to the other flying helicopter and he rescues Harvey Dent from it just as it is about to explode. Then, Batman furiously rips the bandages off Harvey, discovering that his face hasn’t been scared again. However, Harvey tells Batman that he couldn’t be fixed and that both sides of his face now match. As Batman sees the darkness in Harvey, he tells him that he only sees a reflection of himself…
On the streets of Gotham, Commissioner Gordon edges closer to retirement when he senses a mutant behind him. He turns around to shoot. Meanwhile, Carrie Kelley puts on her Robin costume for the first time, before hearing the news that Gordon has been killed. However, the news reader corrects herself and states that Gordon has killed a mutant. As Robin leaves her house in secret, the Mutant Leader transmits another message telling everyone that he will murder Gordon. Meanwhile, Batman saves a young child from a gang of mutants, violently taking them out as they seem to have military weapons. On the news, the debates continue as some like Lana Lang defend Batman while those such as Doctor Wolper call him a menace. All while this is going on, the President has remained silent. Later, Batman kidnaps a criminal who supplies combat weaponry and he hangs him from the top of a tall building, asking where he got them from. Meanwhile on the streets, as Robin takes out a small-time thug, a group of mutants kill a woman by placing a bomb in her bag. At the same time, Batman finds the General who supplied weapons to the mutants, but Batman finds that he has killed himself. While Robin learns that the mutants are all planning to meet, Batman leaves the Batcave driving the Batmobile, a huge tank monstrosity. He heads towards the dump, where the Mutant Leader and the mutants are. At the same time, the news announces that Gordon will be replaced by Captain Ellen Yindel. Meanwhile, using the Batmobile and its rubber bullets, Batman takes out the mutants before jumping out, ready to fight the Mutant Leader. However, the Mutant Leader (continued)
is younger, stronger and faster than Batman, who gets severely beaten and injured. Luckily, Robin appears and manages to distract the Mutant Leader, while Batman knocks him out. As she places Batman safely in the Batmobile, Robin decides to come with him. Meanwhile, President Ronald Reagan tells Superman to speak to Batman, who is attracting bad attention. At the same time, Batman is being healed in the Batmobile and he tells Alfred that they are heading back to the cave, with Robin, who has helped Batman by using part of her cape as a cast for his arm. In Arkham, Doctor Wolper tells the Joker that he will go with him onto a talk show to try and heal him. Meanwhile in the cave, Batman leaves Alfred and Robin to head deeper in order to heal, while Robin stares at the Robin costume on display, dedicated to Jason Todd. Meanwhile in prison, the Mutant Leader has been captured and he is visited by the Mayor, who is quickly murdered by him. After somewhat healing from his injuries (I.e., still in agony), Batman tells Robin to disguise herself as a mutant to try and arrange a meeting between all the mutants near the prison. While Gordon speaks to Yindel, his replacement, he is informed about the mutants. As Gordon says goodbye to the Mutant Leader in his cell, the power is turned out. Then, the Mutant Leader hears Batman’s voice from a vent nearby. As he crawls through the vent, he finds the exit and leaps at Batman, only to find that it is his cape. Then, Batman emerges from the mud and the two fight one another, ending this with Batman beating the Mutant Leader and causing some of the Mutants to become the Sons of Batman. Gordon leaves his office for the last time..
Disguising himself as an old woman, Batman fight some former mutants who are robbing a shop. With the help of Robin, Batman manages to trap their leader before suddenly, they are trapped by a bent mental pipe from Superman, who tells Batman that they must talk. At a dinner for the introduction of a new Commissioner, Gordon makes a speech saying that the job may kill you and he suggests that Batman’s presence in Gotham is necessary. Patrolling Gotham, Robin finds a strange talking doll. Suddenly, Batman grabs her, and they leap out of the room as it explodes. At the same time, the Joker doesn’t manage to sleep as he knows that tomorrow, he will be free. The next day, Superman meets with Bruce, telling him that he has to retire again due to his age and reputation. Superman then says that one day, he may be sent after Bruce to stop him, which Bruce welcomes. Superman then leaves to take out some Soviet Union planes. Meanwhile in Arkham Asylum, the Joker is given nose plugs by the criminal who made the doll bombs. As the Joker gets ready to go on the David Endochrine Show, Batman flies out of his helicopter to beat up police officers working for Commissioner Yindel. At the same time, the Joker is introduced on the talk show, which features a live audience. On the show, the Joker kisses another guest, causing her to gain a huge smile and pale skin. Suddenly, another talking doll appears, spraying Joker Venom in the entire room, killing everybody but the Joker. As the police investigate the scene, the Joker visits Selina Kyle, now a prostitute. While Superman takes out more of the Soviets, Batman and Robin find Selina beaten and tied up, dressed like Wonder Woman. She tells Batman that the Joker’s worse than ever, while also warning him that he shouldn’t take Robin with him. As the police arrive, Batman and Robin escape and Yindel realises that Batman is endangering Robin as a child. Later at an amusement park, the Joker gives free cotton candy away to kids, killing them as they are poisoned. Then, as Batman arrives, the Joker begins shooting and takes a hostage. However, Batman throws four batarangs at the Joker, one of which lodges itself in his right eye. Meanwhile, Robin fights against the maker of the exploding dolls, who nearly strangles her to death, but she is saved when he is killed by a rollercoaster. Meanwhile, Batman continues to fight the Joker, who is (continued)
killing anyone and everyone in his path. Then, in the tunnel of love, the Joker stabs Batman multiple times in the stomach, forcing him to break the Joker’s neck. As witnesses run away, calling Batman a killer, the Joker tells Batman that he won’t get far as he will be hunted forever. The Joker then laughs before twisting own his neck, killing himself. Bleeding to death, the Joker lays near the corpse of his arch nemesis…
As Yindel and the police enter the tunnel of love, they find the body of the Joker, but as one of the officer’s head closer to it, the corpse bursts into flames. Distracted by his trap, Batman contacts Robin, telling her to send for the helicopter. Batman then punches Yindel square in the face and steals her gun, firing it at a bomb he places on the wall. When he manages to hit the target after a few failed attempts, he leaves the tunnel of love and he is picked up by Robin and the helicopter. While the news reports on what Batman did and protestors shout that Batman is a menace, Superman realises that it is time that Batman must be stopped. In the cave, Alfred tends to Batman’s wounds, telling Robin that he will live. Suddenly, a news report turns on from President Reagan, telling Americans that although the Soviets have withdrawn their forces from the island of Corto Maltese, they have fired a missile at America. Superman hears this and flies upwards, pushing himself against the missile. Meanwhile, Gordon hears the news in the street, and everybody begins to panic. Then, as Superman manages to alter the direction of the missile using his strength, it explodes, and the nuclear pulse is strong enough to disrupt all electrical equipment seemingly in the country. As everything stops working, Bruce wakes up, realising what Superman has done. As the mutants in prison begin to riot, everybody on the streets of Gotham panic and some begin looting. Then, as the Sons of Batman appear and tell everybody that now is the time to purge Gotham, Batman arrives on a horse, telling them that he is the law tonight. On the streets, a huge fire breaks out and Gordon tries to search for his wife, Sarah. While Batman and the Sons of Batman speak to the mutants about community spirit, Superman is devoid of energy in the direct blast of the missile. He notices the dying flowers and the grey grass. He pledges to mother nature that he will honour her. Meanwhile in the riots, selfish looters are stopped when Batman, the Sons of Batman and the Mutants appear, ready to try and restore sanity. It is then that Gordon finds his wife Sarah, who is safe. One week later, Superman speaks to President Reagan, telling him that he knows Batman won’t take him in alive. At the same time, Bruce meets with Oliver Queen, who now has one-arm and still detests the capitalist government. He tells Bruce that he wants to help him to take out Superman. Later, while Bruce watches Robin ride a horse, the words “WHERE?” appear on the ground out of fire from the sky. Bruce looks up and says, “Crime Alley”. In the cave, Bruce puts on a new set of armour, but he still hasn’t recovered from his injuries against both the Mutant Leader and the Joker. Later in Crime Alley, Superman is attacked by a cluster of missiles as Batman watches. In the cave, Alfred uses the computer and activates the self-destruct sequence. In Crime Alley, Superman opens up the Batmobile to find Robin. He then confronts Superman and the two fight, with Batman using every watt of electrical power of Gotham to take him out. However, Superman fights back and nearly kills Batman when Oliver Queen fires a kryptonite arrow at Superman, making him incredibly weak as he falls. Oliver Queen then escapes with Robin into the underground. Batman then explains to Superman that it wasn’t easy to get the Kryptonite, as it needed years and a fortune, but he had both. But then, as Batman tells Superman to remember the one man who beat him, Batman has a heart attack and dies. At the same time, Alfred watches Wayne Manor explode, before dying from a stroke. On the news, it is reported that Batman has died and that his identity was fifty-five-year-old Bruce Wayne. In the fire, his family’s fortune’s perished. At the funeral, Selina shouts at Superman as she knows that he killed him, but Gordon tells her it isn’t any good. Then, Superman stares at Carrie Kelley and senses a heartbeat from inside the coffin, before winking. Some time later, deep underground, Bruce makes the plans for an underground cave with Robin and the Sons of Batman. As he tells his allies to get on with it, he tells himself that this will be a good life…
MY THOUGHTS
For this review, I will be splitting up my thoughts on the story into four parts, instead of just two focusing on good and bad. This is because although this is one large story, each part is different due in terms of the story and the villains that Batman fights. One of the most famous aspects of The Dark Knight Returns was the cover to the very first issue, showing Batman in mid-air while lightning strikes behind him. It is certainly an impactful image which displayed something very different to many of the Batman stories at the time. However, that change isn’t just on the cover, as Miller’s writing in that first part excellently displays a new Gotham and a new Batman. The introduction to the story works brilliantly for Bruce Wayne, as he is a very cynical and bored old man. Just from the very first page, we know everything about Bruce’s character as it develops early on in the story, we learn that something tragic has happened to Jason Todd. I mentioned in my Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade review that we didn’t need to see the details of what happened to Jason. From what we see in this story, we can work it out for ourselves and those mentions of him throughout just work excellently because we don’t know all the details. Bruce’s return to Batman works brilliantly in scenes where he is watching the TV as the memories of his dead parents continue to hunt him, along with the undeniable fact that Gotham has become the home of crime once again. One of the things which I think Miller does brilliantly in the first issue is that he makes Batman scary again. Back in 1939 and 1940, Batman was a rather creepy anti-hero of sorts, one who wouldn’t mind killing every so often. This obviously changed with the advent of Robin. However, much credit has to be given to writers such as Dennis O Neil and Steve Englehart, along with artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo, who turn Batman back into the Dark Knight. Miller takes that the nth degree in such a way that may feel over the top, but ultimately justified due to the character’s now old age. One of my favourite moments in the first part and actually the whole story is when Batman is hunting those three crooks working for Two Face in that abandoned building. Not only do I think that the moody artwork fits the scene, but Batman is written in such a menacing way. Also, as he has been away for some time, the crooks talk about him like he’s some urban legend, another great touch. Out of the four plots to The Dark Knight Returns, the first one is easily my favourite. This is not only because it features Two Face, one of my favourite villains, but also because I think the conclusion to it works flawlessly as its so tragic. At the very beginning, you know the release of Harvey Dent won’t be for long as he will naturally go back to his villainous ways, but it’s the great conversations between Batman and Gordon that add so much weight to the story. They talk about Harvey as their friend. He is one of the only villains which Batman seems to show some form of kindness to, even Miller’s gritty Batman here. The ending of the first part is terrific mentally as Harvey is shown to have been consumed by Two Face, but all that Batman can see when he looks is a reflection. They are both haunted by two different (continued)
extreme entities. For Harvey Dent, it will always be Two Face. For Bruce Wayne, it will always be Batman. It perfectly sums up the characters and works overall as a fantastic conclusion to the first part. Also, worth mentioning is that Miller already develops the plot in the very first part, with characters like the Mutant Leader and the Joker turning up briefly, but you know that they will be back for more. Overall, the first part is undoubtedly the best and its difficult to find many flaws with its excellent characterisation and mood, especially for both the hero and the villain. It is really the only part of the story where Batman is a detective, which to me is something he always should be in the end.
The second part of the story is where some problems start to appear. Carrie Kelley is introduced in the very first part of the story, one of those lucky enough to be saved by Batman from the mutants. That all well and good, but there isn’t really very much of a clear reason for why she decides to become Robin. Don’t get me wrong, her character is fine, and it adds a suitable degree of energy to Batman, but she doesn’t exactly have a tragic upbringing or anything. Sure, her parents neglect her, and she was saved by Batman, but she never gives much of a reason for why she wants to be Robin. Batman doesn’t really seem to care either. He just likes her because she saves him from the Mutant Leader, ignoring the fact that she is barely a teenager. Speaking of the Mutant Leader and all the mutants, am I the only person who finds them to be very boring and flat villains? I understand their purpose in the story and I don’t mind their impact on the plot, but they are all just so samey, even the Mutant Leader, who just keeps on repeating how he will eat Batman’s bones and stuff like that. They become very boring very quickly. However, the best aspect of the second part to me is that, quite possibly for the first time ever, Batman is displayed as a human being. Hear me out on this one as it does sound a bit crazy. In stories prior to The Dark Knight Returns, Batman has been injured, but not in any realistic or really violent sense. Sure, there are times when he is burnt by Doctor Phosphorus or scratched by Catwoman, but its nothing that prevents him from winning. In this story, the Mutant Leader beats him up to the point where he is nearly killed. This moment works excellently as you start to remember that Batman may be Batman still, but he’s so much older and he can no longer fight in the same way that he could. He is a slow-moving huge walking slab of muscle, one which is so much slower and tired than the years before. Alfred begins to notice these changes, but because Bruce is so dedicated to his never-ending mission, he has to continue. This the first time that Batman is stopped dead in his tracks. Physically, he is nearly done for. But of course, by the end, he takes out the Mutant Leader and that directly creates the Sons of Batman, which I’ll come onto later. Some of the moments I really like in the second part involve Commissioner Gordon, who is very close to retirement and by the end of the second part, he is out of the police. His character here is great, as he has been working in Gotham for as long as Bruce has been Batman. Together, they have seen Gotham evolve from a city full of gangsters to a… city full of mutants? It’s not great is it. Anyway, there’s not much else to really say about the second part. It is probably my least favourite part of the story due to the rather dull enemies, but there are some great moments in there, the biggest being the injuries sustained by Batman. After The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, the mainstream titles noticed the changes and editor Dennis O Neil produced stories like Knightfall with Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon and Alan Grant, which displays Batman getting crippled by Bane. That is part of the huge impact of this story.
To many readers at the time, the third part was probably what they were waiting for the most. The Joker had appeared in the previous two issues just in passing, it was clear that with the return of Batman, he was planning something. Miller was really the first writer to create this fundamental link between the Joker and Batman. Without him, the Joker was nothing. In many previous stories, it was always the Joker who was planning to kill Batman in some bizarre or intricate plot, involving exploding pies or laughing fish. But in this darker world, the Joker is almost in love with Batman in a very complex relationship, one which has changed the way the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime have been viewed. I myself am rather mixed on this change. On the one hand, I do think it makes the relationship between the two character much more deep and natural, since the Joker would be fascinated by Batman, especially since he was directly involved in his becoming the Joker. However, on the other hand, I don’t think its right that the Joker should be sexually attracted to Batman as much of the Joker’s dialogue is rather homo-erotic. Grant Morrison was going to develop this further in Batman: Arkham Asylum, but editors told him not to. I just don’t think that the Joker’s love for Batman should be anything like that. If anything, the Joker’s love for Batman is that he hates him as he sees him directly responsible for his transformation. Anyway, back to the plot, the first half of this third part isn’t exactly great. Sure, I suppose it works as a build up to a satisfying conclusion to the third part, but until Batman fights the Joker, the whole thing feels bland and rather aimless, particularly with Batman. While the introduction of Commissioner Yindel adds something new to the story as she is critically opposed to Batman, he and Robin just patrol Gotham and fight the police, while the Joker kills over one hundred people in a TV studio. Why? Batman knew of the Joker’s danger, but he didn’t try to stop the Joker from killing all those people. At the very least, he could have watched the Joker in the studio. Instead, he just decides to beat up a load of policemen, who really haven’t done anything wrong. Truly, this is Batman’s real mistake in the story. His ignorance of the Joker doesn’t make any sense, especially when you think about what happened to Jason. Before we get to the final duel between Batman and the Joker, I have to mention that Superman’s appearances in the story seem minor up to this point, but Miller builds him into a threat, one which is effectively the government’s pet. To some extent, I had always envisioned Superman like this, but Miller takes this further as you can see if you read the fourth part, but more on that later. Truly, the best aspect of the third part is the last fight between Batman and the Joker, one which is not only violent and bloody, but also full of rage. Many writers look at comics such as The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen and only take away the violence from it, believing that that is what makes it appealing to a wide audience. That’s not true. It’s the in-depth workings of a character’s mind or feelings, or a focus on characters mentally. That’s way the fight between Batman and the Joker works so well. Its not because its violent or gory. These two characters have been fighting for years. The Joker has done so many awful things, but in this case, he went too far. Batman see’s the blood of the Joker’s victims on his hands, possibly because he knew that he could stop the Joker, or because he was involved in his origin. The final scene of the story ends the relationship between the two characters, with the Joker destroying Batman and his reputation. Naturally, the Joker wouldn’t want Batman gone, hence why he locked himself away from the world in Arkham. With him dead, why should he care that Batman is finished. To the Joker, if he can’t have Batman, then nobody can…
Strangely enough, the fourth and final part of the miniseries feels very different to the three that came before it. That’s not only in terms of the story, but also the threats in it as well. The introduction basically continues from the ending of the previous part and to me, it already creates a problem. When Batman breaks the Joker’s neck, a group of people nearby call him a murderer. I’m sorry, but the Joker has killed an uncountable amount of people. Surely, as some of his possible victims, they would be cheering Batman on, demanding he kill the Joker. I understand the police wanting to hunt Batman for the murder of the Joker among other obvious crimes such as brutality and child endangerment, but even if the Joker did live, he would have killed more. From there, the whole direction of the plot seems to change in such a way that doesn’t exactly feel right. The Corto Maltese plot involving Reagan, Superman and the Soviets feels very different, almost as if I’m reading a completely different story and quite honestly, those moments in which the city is plunged into darkness and the riots begin just bore me no end. Its here also where I start to become bored of Miller’s use of the news in the story, which although very impactful early on in the story, it loses that by midway point and ends up becoming annoying. I suppose the resolution to the whole incident with Batman becoming a hero of the city works, but it feels really strange when he has to involve the mutants and the Sons of Batman. Anybody in Gotham would look at these people in fear, since they basically were in charge of the crime in Gotham while Batman was in retirement. However, Batman just uses them to restore some sanity, which doesn’t make too much sense. Before we get to the fight, there are some interesting scenes with Superman talking about his attachment to Earth, but I think that it should have been developed more. It would have been great if Superman featured more in the story, as we don’t get to see him enough here (that doesn’t exactly mean that I want to read Superman: Year One). Anyway, the final fight of the story is actually very political, as Superman is pretty much the government’s
best soldier, while Batman is seen as the symbol of a rebellion, one which aims to change the world. Its a battle between the past and the future. Small government vs big government. Interventionism vs non-interventionism. Capitalism vs anarchism. And what was the end result? In the short term, Batman won (with the help of Green Arrow). But in the long term, Superman and the government always wins. The very ending of the story in which Bruce Wayne suffers a self-induced heart attack and destroys Wayne Manor is incredibly powerful. To me though, the subtle death of Alfred felt much stronger and honestly, needed a bit more attention. This is a man who must be in his late eighties or so that has seen Bruce Wayne grow up through tragedy and grow old as a cynical vigilante. His meek death almost seems forgotten at the end, but to Bruce, it never should. The whole purpose of the ending is that Miller sees Batman not as a man, but a movement, one which will last forever. Whether it be Bruce Wayne, Carrie Kelley, or the Sons of Batman, there will always be a Batman, as when there isn’t, the world becomes a darker place…
Many people who talk about The Dark Knight Returns often praise the artwork, sometimes even as the best thing about it. To me, being completely honest here, it looks awful. Seriously, I think it looks absolutely terrible, half-arsed and ugly, but I do think that it fits the mood and tone of the story. In terms of the page layouts, I do really like them since they feel very urban and dramatic. Its just the finishes which are the main problem to me. Until recently, I was very critical of Klaus Janson’s inks here. That’s not just because I’m not a huge fan of his art style or inks away, but because they look really rushed and sloppy. Since then, I’ve actually learnt that while Janson did ink every page, Miller inks over his inks as well, changing many things and overall, making the whole thing look very messy and just plain horrible to look at. I have also noticed that as the miniseries progresses, the art gets worse and worse. It starts off passable, but by the middle and especially towards the end, it looks rushed and sloppy. Then there’s the colouring by Lynn Varley, which is just average to me. People rarely ever speak about the colourist on most stories, but this one is an exception since its very different to any colouring that came before it. I’m not exactly sure how it was coloured, but to me it looks like it has been painted and, in some respect, it works with the gritty plot. A variety of greys and darker colours are used often here and while it isn’t exactly visually appealing to the eye, it does work with the mood. Overall, though, I’m not exactly a huge fan of the art here. If anything, I much preferred the art by David Mazzucchelli and the colouring by Richmond Lewis on Batman: Year One, which fitted excellently with Miller’s grim story while also looking eye-catching.
VERDICT
Overall, nobody can deny that the impact of The Dark Knight Returns is immeasurable and titanic. It not only forever changed Batman and his world, but also the whole medium. However, in my view, despite having some terrific moments, I confess that I think the story is overrated. The first part featuring Two Face is an excellent piece of work in terms of writing, but the three parts that follow all have flaws in them, flaws which feel very large and very noticeable. I also have to say that Frank Miller’s art with Klaus Janson looks pretty horrible and sloppy, although I admit that it does suit the story. Overall, I certainly prefer Batman: Year One to this, but both stories do mean a lot to me as I stated at the very beginning. I’ll be honest, I actually thought writing this one would be rather dull, as it’s a story that has been reviewed and discussed so many times, but the experience has been quite the reverse. That being said, for a more concise and better version of the story, I would highly recommend the two-part animated version…
Story: 7/10
Art: 4/10
Next Week: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (The Dark Knight Strikes Again 1-3). Written and drawn by Frank Miller. Expected by 06/09/2020.
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