So, here we are again. I’ll be honest, I am beginning to become sick of the name Frank Miller and all of his works, not because I think that they are mostly awful and terrible, but because I’ve reviewed the likes of All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder, Batman/Spawn and The Dark Knight Strikes Again (that’s just to name a few). Although I’ve enjoyed ranting about these colossal piles of excrement, I’ve become sick of this Dark Knight Universe and I can’t wait to move onto new things. However, this may change it all. Despite the landslide of criticism that Miller’s long-awaited sequel to the Dark Knight Returns received, that obviously being the infamous The Dark Knight Strikes Again, it seemed that a group of Miller-loyalists (or just those who forget to take their medication) demanded another, one which continued the story of Miller’s moody Batman in a even moodier world. Their wish was granted, well, sort of. As opposed to previous stories, this was to be the first in which Miller wasn’t on his own. Sure, he had worked with other creators like Klaus Janson, David Mazzucchelli and Jim Lee. But with the story known as Dark Knight III: Master Race, not only was Miller forced to put the pencils and brushes away (at least for the main story), but he had to share the writing duties. Clearly visible in his other works, Brian Azzarello is a huge fan of Miller’s darker take on characters and plotting and for some, the two working together would be a dream. As the two worked together on the story, Andy Kubert was strangely picked to be the penciller, despite his art style looking thinning and more dynamic than Miller’s. However, the chosen inker of Klaus Janson, who had obviously worked with Miller before, added to the art, making it more Miller-esque. Surely, this was going to be something great. I mean, how could they mess it up, some people must have thought. Oh boy…
Like every modern comic with Miller’s name on it, Dark Knight III: Master Race was published monthly for the first two issues, starting in January 2016. It then went bi-monthly until issue 5. Four months later in December issue 6 was released and from there, the title continued on a bi-monthly schedule until July 2017 (sort of, issue 8 was a month late). It was written by Brian Azzarello and Frank Miller with art by Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson. I have also read this story in the Dark Knight III:
Master Race trade paperback. Also, I’ll be reviewing the backups from each of the nine issues after my review of the main story.
THE STORY
In Gotham City, a criminal is running away from some cops when suddenly, Batman appears and beats the police officers up. While the news reports on Batman attacking the officers and everyone decides to get their opinions out there, journalists speak to Commissioner Ellen Yindel, trying to get her opinion on Batman’s apparent return. Meanwhile in a strange forest, Wonder Woman fights a minotaur while carrying her baby, Jonathan Kent, on her back. After defeating the beast, Wonder Woman arrives home and she is told that her daughter, Lyra, has disappeared again. At the same time, Lyra is in the Fortress of Solitude where she wonders what her purpose in life is. She then stares at Superman, who has frozen himself in ice forever (for some reason). However, before she leaves, Lyra, finds the bottled city of Kandor and its people scream for help. Back in Gotham City, Yindel is told by an officer that they have found Batman. After chasing him through the streets, Batman is confronted by a group of police officers, who manage to beat up Batman. However, when one of the officers notice something strange, Batman gets up and attacks the cops, defeating them all. Yindel then appears and manages to arrest Batman, before taking the mask off and learning that it is Carrie Kelley, who tells her that Bruce Wayne is dead…
After Carrie is dragged away by the police, shouting that Bruce Wayne is dead, Yindel interrogates her at Blackgate Prison. Although Yindel tries to get information out of her about Bruce Wayne, Carrie says nothing, until she tells her that Bruce never recovered after getting beaten up by Lex Luthor (from the fabulous The Dark Knight Strikes Again) and he eventually died from his injuries. Carrie then lies, telling Yindel that she ate his body. Meanwhile, Lyra takes Kandor to Ray Palmer, the Atom, when Baal (a resident of Kandor), tells them both that he and the people of the city want to be big again. As Lyra leaves to meet with her mother, the Atom begins his research. Back in Gotham, Carrie is being transported in the back of a van to elsewhere when suddenly, the van is shot with a rocket by the Batmobile. As Carrie manages to get onto the Batmobile safely, the police attack it, but their efforts are in vain as she manages to escape. Meanwhile, the Atom has managed to modify his shrinking technology so he can enlarge the people of Kandor. However, when he does so, he finds that most of the people of Kandor have been murdered by a Kryptonian known as Quar, who is followed by cultists who worship him. Quar manages to then shrink the Atom to a tiny size before seemingly crushing him. Quar then makes a (continued)
speech about tasting the new air. He then picks up the bottled city and shatters it, telling its inhabitants that they refused his offer to become gods. Meanwhile, Carrie arrives home in the cave, where Bruce Wayne waits for her…
As Carrie sleeps in the cave, Bruce tells her that she has done well. On the computer, Bruce watches the chaos occurring in the city, where Quar tells humanity that their oppression has ended and that they will be saved. Quar then feeds a strange seed to one of his minions, who then leaps from the sky onto a city, destroying it. As Quar tells humanity to bow down to him as their new god, everyone on the news goes crazy, including Donald Trump, who believes that negotiating and diplomacy is cowardice. Meanwhile, Batman and Carrie travel to the Fortress of Solitude, where they manage to shatter part of the ice which Superman has trapped himself in. However, Superman doesn’t respond, that is until Carrie mentions that his people are going to enslave humanity. With that, Superman breaks out of the ice. While the cult of Quar say that they will cleanse humanity with fire, Lyra watches the chaos when Baal and Quar himself appears, telling Lyra that she is above humanity. As three days pass, Batman prepares an army with Superman and Quar confronts humanity again, asking them what their choice is going to be, Batman appears on a monitor behind him, telling him to go to hell. Superman then appears and as Quar names him a traitor, Lyra then appears, ready to attack her father…
While the Atom finds himself trapped in a sub-atomic realm of sorts, Superman tries to convince Lyra not to join Quar, but she attacks him. As Batman and Carrie watch Superman being beaten by Lyra, their fight is taken to the Fortress of Solitude. There, Quar confronts Superman, telling him he is guilty of calling himself the last son of Krypton when he refused to save the people inside Kandor. As Quar’s cult find Superman guilty, they cover him with black matter and he melts into nothing. Quar then heads back to Gotham City, where tells everybody that they must hand over Batman to save humanity. Wonder Woman learns what has happened, but she refuses to help Batman in is mission. Outside Gotham City Hall, protestors demand that Batman surrenders. Meanwhile, Carrie injects Bruce with a needle which allows him to feel no pain temporally and afterwards, he gives Carrie a present. While Donald Trump continues to rant on TV, Barry Allen, the Flash, runs down the street and suddenly, One of Quar’s men appears and breaks his legs. Afterwards, Yindel watches the chaos across the city before Batman appears to her. Meanwhile, the Atom is still stuck in the sub-atomic realm, realising that maybe he can fix everything…
While Batman wonders if the Flash’s legs can be saved, Carrie becomes Batgirl and travels with Aquaman under the sea. At the same time, Quar learns about Lyra’s mother, Wonder Woman, and her child, Jonathan. Back with Aquaman, he and Batgirl find Superman coated in black matter and they use a strange needle to shatter the black matter, releasing Superman. When he awakens, Superman learns that he has been asleep for a few days and that they need to save the world. Back in Gotham, Quar becomes tearful when he looks at the people of Gotham, believing them to be worthy of worship. Suddenly, the Batmobile appears, driven by Batman himself. At the same time, Superman and Batgirl arrive at the Batcave, where they find the Flash manipulating weather patterns using many different computers and monitors. Meanwhile, protestors try to climb upon the Batmobile, attempting to get Batman, who then shines a light into the sky where the cultists prepare to attack. Suddenly, the weather changes with green Kryptonite rain and the cultists fall to the ground. Their leader then gets up and manages to fight Batman, but then Superman appears, wearing protective steel armour…
As the leader speaks about how Quar cannot be stopped, the people of Gotham begin throwing rocks at the cultists. At the same time, Batman and Superman take out the cultist’s leader and Batgirl appears. Batman gives her the keys to the Batmobile. High above in the sky, Quar falls from the rain, before he is shot by one of the Batboys. Everyone then begins attacking Quar and he is seemingly defeated. While the news believes that everything is over, Lyra and Baal watch on, believing that they should fight humanity. In the Batmobile, Batgirl and the Batboys hunt Baal, who easily manages to destroy the Batmobile turning into scrap metal and although Baal can easily defeat Batgirl, she fires a pebble of Kryptonite into his eye, transforming him into a deformed creature. Back with Batman and Superman, they watch as Quar is taken away. However, Quar quickly turns and uses his heat vision, cutting through Batman’s chest. Superman then holds Batman in his arms as his last words to him are to tell Carrie. Batman’s heart then stops…
As Superman flies away carrying Batman’s body, the news reports on the damage caused to Gotham City during the fight, with Donald Trump tweeting that the Kryptonians will pay for it. At the same time, Carrie learns that Batman has died, with Yindel giving her his helmet (that’s a confirmation for sure). With the Atom still trapped, Lyra follows Baal, who is still angry at his deformation. They both report to Qual, who tells them to make Superman pay by kidnapping his son. However, Lyra warns Qual that her brother is heavily protected by Amazonian warriors. Qual begins to question whether Lyra is working for him, or against him. Meanwhile Yindel speaks to Batgirl, asking her if all the lives lost were worth it. Batgirl then leaves, telling her that she will replace the shattered Bat-Signal, so they can stay in touch. At the same time, Superman takes Batman to a Lazarus Pit. Superman throws Bruce’s body into it and after a few seconds, Bruce leaps out of it screaming, before calming down. Superman tells Batman that he has got him. Meanwhile, Lyra heads home, where she finds her brother Jonathan sleeping. Once she picks him up, Wonder Woman appears, threatening her daughter with a sword. Lyra tells her mother that she isn’t alone, as Quar’s cultists appear. Wonder Woman does the same as her warriors appear, ready for a duel…
After Batgirl watches the footage of Batman dying in the arms of Superman, she becomes frightened at what might happen next. However, her fears are put to rest when Superman appears with Bruce Wayne, now looking younger. Batgirl hugs him. Becoming Batman, Bruce isn’t particularly happy that Superman used the Lazarus Pit to save him, nor is he pleased that his Batmobile has been destroyed. However, when Wonder Woman tells him about her war, he uses an old Batmobile. At the same time, the Amazonians fight Quar’s cult and Wonder Woman is given her son back by Lyra, who knows that her act will be seen as a betrayal by Quar. As the battle ends, Superman appears, happy to see that Wonder Woman has reclaimed their son. He tells her that Quar and his children, who had ingested nuclear bombs (explaining how they destroyed a city earlier), are all in the same location. As Superman leaves, Wonder Woman tells him that she will meet him there…
In the Batmobile, Batman listens to Quar, who is angry at him for robbing him of his joy and wish for a world where he is treated like a god. At the same time, Lyra is attacked by Quar’s loyal wives, who call Lyra a traitor. Suddenly, Green Lantern appears and saves Lyra from Quar’s wives. Meanwhile, Batman activates a device in the Batmobile and at the same time, Quar and his cult are attacked by a legion of bats. Although Quar manages to defeat them all, he is heavily weakened by them. Lyra then appears, questioning why Quar is being brutal towards humanity (I don’t know why she is questioning this so late on). Then, Quar’s cultists turn on him and his allies, but they are easily killed by Quar. Batman watches this happen and as he prepares to charge towards Quar, Superman stops him, telling him that it is his own fight. Plus, he tells Batman that he doesn’t want him to die so soon after he resurrected him. Superman rushes towards Quar and the two fight. Lyra watches on, doing nothing. However, this changes when Lyra prevents her father from being punched in the face by Qual. Together, Superman and Lyra take out Qual, Baal and their minions, while Batman watches, realising that Superman has been holding back his true strength for years. Suddenly, Quar’s cultists begin to shrink as the Atom appears, now back to normal size. As the tiny Kryptonians pop out of existence (somehow). Then, Lyra charges towards Quar and she charges him directly into the sun. In the end, the news continues to complain about what happened, Donald Trump isn’t happy and Batgirl changes her costume into something darker, surprising Bruce. She calls herself Batwoman. Together, they are Batman and Batwoman.
MY THOUGHTS
I’m not particularly sure whether or not this is a plus or a criticism of the story, but this story pretty much seems to ignore The Dark Knight Strikes Again. As you’d expected, the sequel to a story obviously develops plot points and narratives from the previous story. Here, apart from a brief flashback to Lex Luthor beating up Batman, there isn’t any mention to the previous story. There’s no mention of Dick Grayson, Brainiac, Luthor and there isn’t even a reason for why Superman has decided to freeze himself in ice away from the outside world. But then again, what narratives or storylines are there really to follow from a mess such as The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Hmmm. What else is there that’s good? I suppose that very much like Stan Lee with Jack Kirby, Azzarello reigns Miller’s ideas in here, something which was heavily desired in The Dark Knight Strikes Again. In that mess, characters turned up all over the place and very few of them actually had any real impact on the overall story. Here, the major characters that work with Batman like the Atom and the Flash have their uses, so there isn’t really any characters that are present in the story for no real reason. Of course, I’m not comparing the works of Lee and Kirby to this tripe by Miller and Azzarello, but their working partnership seems to have some similarities…
I have no clue why Dark Knight III: Master Race had to be nine issues. Nine seems like quite a lot for a story which, at most, could of worked smoother with six. Especially during the second half, there is far too much padding and the plot becomes thinner and thinner. But, before we get into the details of why the story isn’t exactly a masterpiece, let’s start at the beginning. Really the first two parts of the story are pretty much a build up to the arrival of Quar and his cult, since Miller and Azzarello attempt to throw us back into this world and its characters. However, this doesn’t exactly feel like Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Universe, as the sense of storytelling and dialogue is very different. This is one of the many aspects which confirm in my mind that while the plot may have been Miller’s, the story itself and the dialogue was written by Azzarello. The style of the story feels like Azzarello is attempting to mimic Miller and to some extent, he succeeds. However, as it has aspects of a Miller comic, I still dislike its mood and sense of storytelling, in which everything is relentlessly grim and there is no sense of enjoyment in the story. Basically, whether it be by Miller or Azzarello, I wasn’t going to enjoy it anyway. Really, the story doesn’t progress much at all in the very first part. It just presents us with the characters and fails to explain how and why some of them have changed. The biggest one of course is Superman, who for some unknown reason has frozen himself in the Fortress of Solitude. Why? At the end of The Dark Knight Strikes Again, he seemed somewhat optimistic. Miller and Azzarello fail to explain why Superman decided to do what he did and its not like the whole world has changed. If the world had become different, then maybe Superman would freeze himself (even that doesn’t make much sense), but if anything, the world displayed here is much more similar to that of The Dark Knight Returns rather than The Dark Knight Strikes Again. There are many occasions throughout the whole story where Miller and Azzarello use the news to tell the story, another act of self-parody by Miller. Does he not understand that what made the news sequences in The Dark Knight Returns work so well was because they conveyed the relentless evil within Gotham City. Constantly, the city is home to murder, abuse and crime. Its part of what drove Bruce to become Batman again, as the constant brutality and evil within Gotham is more than enough to drive him to become a vigilante again. In this scenario, the news is mainly used for light-relief, with characters like Donald Trump being used. It’s a failed attempt at political satire (just wait until Dark Knight: The Golden Child) which quickly becomes tiresome and ultimately, doesn’t add up to much of anything. Anyway, the story really gets going during the second part. I’ll admit that Carrie Kelley’s Batgirl is handled much better here than in The Dark Knight Strikes Again, where she seemed pretty useless. Here, she is much more independent and the writers give more depth to her character. There’s something about the scene at the start of issue 2 where Carrie is confronted by Commissioner Yindel which I quite like. I think its Carrie’s lie she tells to the Commissioner, which is not only partly humorous, but somewhat believable and manipulative at first. But now, lets come onto the villains, an aspect of Miller’s Batman work which has never been one of his biggest strong points. Usually, the enemies he uses or creates are huge muscular brainless masses or cunning grim gangsters. Here, we get something new. At least, new for Frank Miller’s work. Quar is essentially one of your extreme religious types who believes that he should be a god and everybody should just bow down to him. Not only does that sound very unoriginal, but as a villain, he is also very flat and dull. The same goes for his supporting cast such as Baal and Quar’s wives, all of whom are just generic baddies who like a bit of killing. Rather pathetically, Lyra decides to join them, which is a creative decision which baffles the hell out of me. Sure, I never really cared much for her or her character, since she is a rude brat without much depth. However, her choice to join Quar is one out of ego, since she clearly hates humanity (for no real established reason) and loves herself. The only real reason it seems that Miller and Azzarello had her join the baddies here seemed to be because they couldn’t think of anything else to do with her. I can’t blame them, honestly. As a whole, the villains are incredibly bland, boring and predictable, particularly Quar. Unlike most
great villains, they lack a sense of tragedy and sadness, making them incredibly two-dimensional since all they think about is death, death and more death. This is where everything falls apart. From the start of issue 3, we have experienced about half of the plot, since the rest either seems to be huge fight scenes between people you really couldn’t care about, or moments of self-parody, showing that not only does Azzarello blindly follow Miller’s trail, believing everything that he does is excellent, but Miller himself loves it. They know that fans will suck up the story and ignore it if there are a few references to much better stories in it. What really sells this story is the name Frank Miller. Sorry about that rant. Lets get back on track. After Quar appears, the story basically becomes a mixture between a hunt for Superman and a load of huge fight scenes. Due to the lack of interest in the villains, the story becomes incredibly mediocre and predictable. You really don’t care about any of the characters. Sure, some of them have some decent moments, like Carrie, but it doesn’t have a huge impact on your opinions of them. Because of the bland situation they have been placed in, it is very challenging to actually obtain any enjoyment from the story. Characters such as the Flash and Aquaman who become more involved in the story during the middle are justified to appear and while they have their uses, it doesn’t add much of anything to the story. It is also during the middle where Batman becomes more prominent. In The Dark Knight Strikes Again, he really first appeared at the end of the first part, a move which I think was right since it added some tension to the build up. Here, Batman’s appearance as a major player in the story is far too late and abrupt. He just seems to turn up on a computer monitor and that somehow makes Quar see him as his worst enemy. In fact, that leads to one of the strangest aspects of the story. Essentially, Quar demands to have Batman, otherwise he will… do something bad. It isn’t really explained. Why does he want Batman? Actually, since he is from Krypton, why doesn’t he just find Batman using his powers and easily kill him? Why demand it? He can just do it himself. And then there is the really confusing way in which Batman and his team defeat Quar, at least, for the first time. Kryptonite rain? How? The Flash explains it down to changing whether patterns. That just doesn’t make sense and how does he change them. Sure, he gets his legs broken so he has to do them through a computer, but what software can change the weather? There are so many holes and problems with the story that aren’t addressed, let alone the yawning chasm in the middle of the story which just bores me to death. Again, with about issue 5 or 6 (I don’t even remember and I’ve got the book in front of me), Azzarello and Miller give the fans more references with the armoured suit from The Dark Knight Returns, giving even Superman one to protect himself from the rain. The only reason for fan references such as this is that they are a novelty. A distraction from the mess of the plot. I must admit however, that things become ever so slightly more interesting when Batman is killed by Quar, an unexpected move that really leaves you thinking: what will happen next? And what does happen next? Azzarello and Miller ruin everything. In just a few pages, they completely trash The Dark Knight Returns, its premise and what made it into a great and respected story. Not to point out the obvious, but with an older Batman in The Dark Knight Returns, he has become cynical, tired and slower. His take on the world is different as despite his age, he believes his mission must continue until he dies. Then in this story, they just give him a Lazarus Pit. Yep. That’s it. Batman is young again. Despite stories such as All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder and The Dark Knight Strikes Again being (continued)
worse than Dark Knight III: Master Race, this is the worst of Miller. He and Azzarello trash the legacy of one of the most game-changing comics ever and in its ruins stands a monolithic pile of mediocre trash known as the Master Race. Nice one guys. Can the story get any worse? No, but it can’t get much better. From here until the end, the story is forcefully dragged to the end, as Quar and his cult pointlessly return (despite being beaten earlier) and Azzarello and Miller begin to change everything. With a younger Batman, the old Batmobile comes back. Aspects such as this make me wonder why the hell they didn’t publish this as a regular miniseries. There wouldn’t be much difference if it was published as a mainstream miniseries. Of course, financially it would, explaining why Frank Miller’s name is placed on the front cover. Back to the story, the last few issues are simply composed of huge fights between Quar’s cult and… the Amazonians? Oh god, maybe things can get work. Perhaps I should have mentioned this earlier, but Wonder Woman’s presence in the story is only really present so her new born son, Jonathan, can become a part of Quar’s plan. For some unknown reason, Wonder Woman carries her son on her back all the time, even in battle. Now that is child endangerment. Why doesn’t Frank Miller do a story about that? He did it with Robin in Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade. Although Wonder Woman appeared various times in the story before, her inclusion into the main story is much too late. In fact, she becomes important by about issue 8 and that’s only for another unimpressive brawl. Now, to the finale. Everything has been building up to this and as a story focusing primarly on Batman, you’d expect him to be the one to end it. In the end, Superman and his boring daughter Lyra save the day, along with the Atom (somehow killing the cultists because they are too small) something which rather annoys me. This story is known as a Batman story and as he is the main character, he should be part of the solution to defeating the villain. All he does is stand there looking shocked. In actual fact, this isn’t a Batman story at all. Neither is The Dark Knight Strikes Again. These are stories which Batman is in and he is written in such a way that makes him only threatening and not into a mysterious and good character. This is really a DC Universe Elseworlds story. With that, the dullest menace ever known as Quar is defeated and just at the end, Miller strokes his ego once again (with the help of Azzarello) by having a splash page of Batman and Batgirl in the same layout from the cover of The Dark Knight Returns 1, another insult to a much better story…
Andy Kubert would not be the first person to enter the heads of many people when they think about Miller’s art style. In fact, I find it strange and surprisingly that he was chosen. In his own art style, his pages look great, dramatic and detailed. Here, he is doing his Miller impression, a style which I’m not very fond of. However, not only does it look a bit like Miller, it also looks like decent comic book art and it tells the story well, even if the dialogue doesn’t. As opposed to Miller, people actually look like people and scenes feel fluent and smooth, as opposed to Miller’s jagged sense of storytelling. It does look quite unattractive at many points, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse. I mean, imagine if Miller himself had done it. However, it could have been better, especially if it hadn’t been inked by Klaus Janson. Over the years, his inking style has slowly transformed into the style of Frank Miller, making lines look messy and rushed. The inks often make some characters look unnatural and overall, it makes Kubert’s pencils look much worse than they could be. However, I repeat again. Thank god that Frank Miller didn’t draw it!
DARK KNIGHT UNIVERSE PRESENTS BY FRANK MILLER, BRIAN AZZARELLO, KLAUS JANSON, EDUARDO RISSO AND JOHN ROMITA JR
So, this is something which I’ve never really done before. For those who are not aware, I was originally going to be doing the back-ups for Dark Knight III: Master Race in their own post, since they feel more like companion pieces to the main story rather than the continuation of the main story. Upon both re-reading them and reviewing the main plot, It clicked in my head: what is there to review about them? There’s nothing really in-depth or game-changing about the stories, nor do they influence the events of the main story much. Therefore, I have decided basically to just discuss them here, as oppose to rolling out the red carpet and giving them the red-carpet treatment. Essentially, I’m saying they don’t deserve their own review. Released with the nine issues of the main series, the Dark Knight Universe Presents include: The Atom 1, Wonder Woman 1, Green Lantern 1, Batgirl 1, Lara 1, World’s Finest 1, Strange Adventures 1, Detective Comics 1, Action Comics 1. That sounds like quiet a lot, but fear not, it isn’t. The very first backup featuring the Atom and Lyra sets up his involvement in the plot, which is a story that doesn’t really need to be told since in the Dark Knight Strikes Again, he is clearly an ally of Batman’s. Anyway, it begins with the Atom battling a strange dinosaur-like creature, which is only really present because some action is needed. Then, the rest of the story is just Lyra speaking to the Atom about how the people of Kandor want to be big again. That’s not really a surprising or engaging ending. It is just pointing out the obvious. Its just a very empty ten or so pages. I wish it were just blank pages, because the art by Miller and Janson ranges from below average to woeful. The years have not been kind to either of them. Next we have the Wonder Woman story, which is a bland display of mother-daughter problems for superheroes. There’s not much else to say really. Lyra’s character is completely bland and unlikable in any way and Wonder Woman isn’t much better (I have no idea why she decides to keep Jonathan on her back at all times, even during battle). Miller thankfully had nothing to do with the art of this story, but Risso does emulate it. Occasionally it looks passable, other times it just looks awful. Now, to the worst of the lot! Green Lantern in the Miller stories always feels like an afterthought. He turns up at the end and somehow solves everything. How? I don’t know. Who cares? I suppose its nice to see more coverage on Hal Jordan and his strange life as an alien (he could put some pants on though), but when the story heads into the desert with Quar’s wives, it just bores me to death. The same goes for Romita Jr’s bland page
layouts. But, Miller’s finishes just take the cake. A complete sloppy mess. Next we have an extremely bland one, with Batgirl fighting some crooks and meeting Aquaman. Really not enough plot there for an engaging back-up and the less said about Miller’s garish art, the better. Lyra’s a character I’ve never been fond of, since she is completely bland and unlikable. Therefore, what are the chances I’m going to enjoy a story about her? Answer: I don’t. Miller and Azzarello attempts to construct a romance between her and Baal. This here definitely features the worst of Miller’s art and the story falls flat. It really doesn’t help that you don’t care about both of the characters involved. Remember back in the day how Superman and Batman were known as the World’s Finest? Well, Lyra and Batgirl are thrown into that formula, rather unsuccessfully as the two just seem to fight like petulant children before Wonder Woman turns up and beats the crap out of her own daughter. Batgirl watches on confused. The two main characters here just don’t mesh together since they act like mortal enemies. Just wait until Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child, we’ll see more of this there unfortunately. Next we have one which Miller and Azzarello name Strange Adventures, despite the characters of Hawkman and Hawkgirl not even turning up in the title back in the 1950s and 1960s. This one here is bland and incredibly forgettable. I don’t even really know the plot of it and I’m typing this right now with it in front of me. Green Lantern randomly appears at the end with Bat-Mite. Why? Again, who cares anymore. Next we have Detective Comics, where Batman and Batgirl take on three people pretending to be the Joker, along with that Nazi Woman from All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder and The Dark Knight Returns (how the hell can she still be alive). I guess its funny because of the lame art, but it is a story with no consequences. Commissioner Yindel seems to die at the end, but that is never addressed in the last issue by Miller and Azzarello. Thank god we’re at the end! Action Comics is simply a conclusion and I admit, It’s a suitable way to end the story. You can’t really judge it on its story, since it just features all the main characters of the story and what’s happened to them since. Its nothing to write home about, but not terrible. Now, you see what I mean? I couldn’t really write a whole post about these trashy stories. They all feel like late-ideas and were written incredibly quickly and clearly drawn very quickly. They don’t add much of anything to the story and the artwork is most horribly messy or just plain awful, especially the parts where Miller inks himself. Overall, the Dark Knight Universe Presents is a waste of paper…
VERDICT
Overall, Dark Knight III: Master Race is rather different from any of the previous Dark Knight stories. That isn’t just because Miller’s involvement in it seems to be rather small, but because it isn’t abysmally awful. I’m not saying its good. It is bad, but it is more bland and mediocre. The characters are very flat, lacking in any interest (I am talking about all them by the way), the villains are woefully boring and there are so many moments in which Miller copies himself, seemingly just to please ignorant fans and Azzarello, who must think that everything Miller touches turns to gold. However, the worst crime of this story is that it trashes the legacy and greatness of The Dark Knight Returns, the comic which defined Miller’s career. But of course, making Batman young again means they can do more stories and with that, more money. Kubert’s art isn’t exactly to my taste, but it tells the story well enough, even if Janson’s inks are sloppy and not very good. And the less said about The Dark Knight Universe, the better…
Story: 3.5/10
Art: 5/10
Next Week: Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child. Written by Frank Miller with art by Rafael Grampa. Expected by 27/09/2020.
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