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trayeholland's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
lelcopter's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
xsleepyshadows's review against another edition
5.0
I wrote a really long review on this and my computer lost it! Nooo! I'll be writing a much shorter review now... :(
This story captures the essence and character of Batman perfectly. A Batman who is hard, old, and caring. This story is also pretty political and has a lot to think about in an almost apocalyptic feeling world that hasn't had Batman return in a long time. When Batman returns there are a lot of news stories about if he is a menace to society or a blessing. Does Batman encourage crime, like when the Joker sees his return and takes a major relapse in his therapy. Does he empower the citizens of Gotham, like when Carrie Kelly takes the mantel of Robin and joins Batman. There is also a big compassion to Superman and Batman, a Hero to America and a Vigilante.
One of the things I enjoyed a lot in this story is Batman's age. He suffers and struggles with this, He has the cunning but no longer has sharp abilities and in the end with his "Death" I think he accepts becoming a teacher so the legacy of Batman can live on and protect Gotham. ~Ashley
This story captures the essence and character of Batman perfectly. A Batman who is hard, old, and caring. This story is also pretty political and has a lot to think about in an almost apocalyptic feeling world that hasn't had Batman return in a long time. When Batman returns there are a lot of news stories about if he is a menace to society or a blessing. Does Batman encourage crime, like when the Joker sees his return and takes a major relapse in his therapy. Does he empower the citizens of Gotham, like when Carrie Kelly takes the mantel of Robin and joins Batman. There is also a big compassion to Superman and Batman, a Hero to America and a Vigilante.
One of the things I enjoyed a lot in this story is Batman's age. He suffers and struggles with this, He has the cunning but no longer has sharp abilities and in the end with his "Death" I think he accepts becoming a teacher so the legacy of Batman can live on and protect Gotham. ~Ashley
gonesavage's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
I am really glad I read this again. Even thought it's listed in the top graphic novels of all time, somehow it's still underrated. This blew me away again.
cwebb's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, not bad. The style is kinda antiquated almost, but sure, not bad.
Read online, no paper copy...
Read online, no paper copy...
acdocx86's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bone173's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It's easy to understand both the initial controversy and later broad acceptance of this work. An ageing (and perhaps mentally troubled) Batman was--especially at the time--not canon. In the past some 35 odd years, though, we've had a generation of revisionist superhero stories, and the "dark" knight is a staple of them, not least in nearly a dozen films since then.
The "future" history of an America troubled by superhero vigilantism, with Superman being something of a sellout to the American gov't, is contemporaneous with Moore's Watchmen. Those 1980s were a time when we grew tired of clean moral tales, it seems. Graphic superhero novels were catching up with what literature had been doing for some decades.
So the question is, does this work still stand out as Time magazine suggests, one of the greatest graphic novels of all time? To be sure, the artwork--while at times occluded or bewildering--is still extraordinary, with plenty of iconic poster-worthy moments. The design, too, offers a layered look at the whole social satire, heavy on ironic media coverage and political maneuverings--all examples of denialism that we would come to embrace in real life.
Even so, while the historic moment of this work for the Batman canon is significant, the storyline remains weaker. For one, the characters are fairly static from start to end: villains are universally psychotic, heroes are pointedly suffering for their causes, and they run into each other to inevitably larger climaxes with none ever coming to "realize" anything at all. In other words, once the premises of the story are established, we all--author and reader--can sit back and watch the demolition derby begin. The re-emergence of an aging Batman into a world which has fallen to political and capitalist ideologies is interesting, but pre-determined.
The thing is, Miller has lots of room for storytelling, and adding yet another villain into the mix doesn't explore the space very much. It's true I have recently completed <i>Watchmen</i> which has similar moves in more creative and complicated ways, and it's also true that I have seen graphic novelists outside the superhero genre do literarily far more with the medium in fewer pages, so <i>Time's</i> grandiose claim must be limited in terms of The Dark Knight's history, not against the broader and more contemporary comparisons out there. It's tough to break a superhero comic out of its trope-ic rut, and Miller almost did it.
Nevertheless, this is an entertaining read, fulfilling a number of fan wishes along the way for a Robin, for a Superman, for a prodding at mental health science . . . made all the more so by looking back now at what enormous changes it helped create in the industry.
The "future" history of an America troubled by superhero vigilantism, with Superman being something of a sellout to the American gov't, is contemporaneous with Moore's Watchmen. Those 1980s were a time when we grew tired of clean moral tales, it seems. Graphic superhero novels were catching up with what literature had been doing for some decades.
So the question is, does this work still stand out as Time magazine suggests, one of the greatest graphic novels of all time? To be sure, the artwork--while at times occluded or bewildering--is still extraordinary, with plenty of iconic poster-worthy moments. The design, too, offers a layered look at the whole social satire, heavy on ironic media coverage and political maneuverings--all examples of denialism that we would come to embrace in real life.
Even so, while the historic moment of this work for the Batman canon is significant, the storyline remains weaker. For one, the characters are fairly static from start to end: villains are universally psychotic, heroes are pointedly suffering for their causes, and they run into each other to inevitably larger climaxes with none ever coming to "realize" anything at all. In other words, once the premises of the story are established, we all--author and reader--can sit back and watch the demolition derby begin. The re-emergence of an aging Batman into a world which has fallen to political and capitalist ideologies is interesting, but pre-determined.
The thing is, Miller has lots of room for storytelling, and adding yet another villain into the mix doesn't explore the space very much. It's true I have recently completed <i>Watchmen</i> which has similar moves in more creative and complicated ways, and it's also true that I have seen graphic novelists outside the superhero genre do literarily far more with the medium in fewer pages, so <i>Time's</i> grandiose claim must be limited in terms of The Dark Knight's history, not against the broader and more contemporary comparisons out there. It's tough to break a superhero comic out of its trope-ic rut, and Miller almost did it.
Nevertheless, this is an entertaining read, fulfilling a number of fan wishes along the way for a Robin, for a Superman, for a prodding at mental health science . . . made all the more so by looking back now at what enormous changes it helped create in the industry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
eduardozapata's review against another edition
5.0
El tono y el tratamiento de este batman es un acierto gigante. A veces se siente incómodo el ritmo, sobre todo cuando se abusa de recurrir a transmisiones de TV para presentar información, pero es uno de los mejores cómics que pueden existir.