The Dark Knight Returns

Courtesy of DC Comics

The Dark Knight Returns (DKR) is our second all-time favorite batman in the comic book series. It is a mini-series written and drawn by Frank Miller with Klaus Janson (Art), published by DC Comics from February to June 1986. This story arc is set 20 years into the future, when Bruce Wayne is an elderly man.

Courtesy of DC Comics

Year One and The Dark Knight Returns are bookends, but not to each other. They’re in the other order: Dark Knight Returns is the ending of everything that came before it, and Year One as mentioned earlier is the start of something new, the version of Batman that we have today. Arguably a lot of comic book fans see Dark Knight Returns and Year One as the Alpha and Omega of Batman stories, a beginning and an ending that every other Batman story can (and must) fall in between.

Courtesy of DC Comics

Dark Knight Returns is a masterpiece. At the time Frank Miller had taken on a character whose every trivial and incidental detail is engraved in stone on the hearts and minds of the comic fans that make up his audience. Miller managed to dramatically redefine that character without contradicting any of the character’s mythology. Yes, Batman is still Bruce Wayne, Alfred is still his butler, Commissioner Gordon is there, the batmobile, the batcave, Robin as well as the roster of villains: the Joker, Two-Face and more. Everything is exactly the same, except for the fact that it’s all totally different; the tone of the series was made darker, more realistic and ultimately more palatable for adults.  For those of you who haven’t read this series I envy you. You are about to encounter a new level of comic book storytelling.