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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Why are all the previously slender women overweight, but all the previously buff doods are still buffs or at least trim?
4 stars. This was insanely gritty and dark and I loved it. The story line was great and I liked the characterization of older Bruce/Batman. I liked the way he came out of his retirement. The panels of him watching TV and seeing all the crime was really well done. The fight scenes were awesome. Anytime Batman was in action I was captivated. Another plus about this graphic novel? The Joker. He was menacing as hell. There was one scene in particular with him that genuinely unnerved me. It was great.
Only 4 stars because I do feel like it was a bit too cluttered with unimportant characters and Carrie ( the new Robin) had no character whatsoever. Also, I wasn't the biggest fan of the artwork.
Overall, I feel like this is a quintessential story for Batman fans. Also, the ending is amazing.
Only 4 stars because I do feel like it was a bit too cluttered with unimportant characters and Carrie ( the new Robin) had no character whatsoever. Also, I wasn't the biggest fan of the artwork.
Overall, I feel like this is a quintessential story for Batman fans. Also, the ending is amazing.
Tough to follow at times, but still the finest work of comic art I have ever read. This is not the Batman your grandparents watched. This is not even any Batman you have seen in any movie or Tv show. This is Frank Miller's Batman. I loved every page of it, right down to the climactic battle in the end between... well, let's not spoil it for you. READ THIS NOW!
I thought that Miller did an excellent job of exploring the conflict of someone working outside of the law to uphold what the law stands for. This is a comic book that explores real world territory in an intelligent and thoughtful manner. Moreover, it accomplishes this exploration in the midst of a highly entertaining story with a superhero that has always captivated me. I took off some points primarily because I am not a fan of Miller's artwork. It's a little too gritty and unclean. It looks more like the rough sketches of the book than a finished product.
I remember when this came out and still have original printing copies bought as part of our comic book subscription. I have not re-read this in a long time - one of the major advantage of graphic novels over comic books is that it is easier to keep graphic novels on book shelves. This was an amazing work - well conceived and surprising. And I loved the ending - but it was uneven and at times confusingly paneled. Then again while I was never a fan of Clark, Bruce is psychotic. But an old Bruce was interesting. And Frank Miller is always worth reading. 4.5 of 5.
Batman comes out of retirement, older, weaker, and more tortured, but still capable of taking on Gotham City's criminals. Over the course of the four books in the novel, Batman meets up with Harvey Two-Face, the Joker, a new Robing, and *drumroll please* Superman. And through it all the public is still engaged in a neverending battle discussing whether Batman is a hero or a villain. I'm not sure even Batman himself knows the answer to that question.
I enjoyed this new twist on the Batman character. Always a bit darker than his "superhero" counterparts, Batman's dark side and his mental anguish are given free reign in Miller's adaptation of the Batman icon. The inclusion of Superman into the mix was a nice foil, helping the reader to see Batman as the black sheep among his kind, but one who is doing what's necessary to help society. That has always been a theme within the series, then and now, in novels and film: Batman is whatever Gotham City needs him to be. As always, James Gordon is my favorite character. He had a decent sized role in this story with his retirement and thoughts on his replacement as well as a short and nice action sequence.
On the down side, there were a few times where the repetition got to me. All four stories had numerous lines on how Batman was getting old and tired, and all four included none-too-small segments showing the media debate over the necessity, sanity, and morality of Batman. Now and then I was thinking "yeah, I get it already". But overall, those two annoyances did function as literary devices within the text, foreshadowing events mainly. Despite the downside, this was an excellent novel and I highly recommend reading it.
I enjoyed this new twist on the Batman character. Always a bit darker than his "superhero" counterparts, Batman's dark side and his mental anguish are given free reign in Miller's adaptation of the Batman icon. The inclusion of Superman into the mix was a nice foil, helping the reader to see Batman as the black sheep among his kind, but one who is doing what's necessary to help society. That has always been a theme within the series, then and now, in novels and film: Batman is whatever Gotham City needs him to be. As always, James Gordon is my favorite character. He had a decent sized role in this story with his retirement and thoughts on his replacement as well as a short and nice action sequence.
On the down side, there were a few times where the repetition got to me. All four stories had numerous lines on how Batman was getting old and tired, and all four included none-too-small segments showing the media debate over the necessity, sanity, and morality of Batman. Now and then I was thinking "yeah, I get it already". But overall, those two annoyances did function as literary devices within the text, foreshadowing events mainly. Despite the downside, this was an excellent novel and I highly recommend reading it.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Perfection. What more is there to say?! Everything and more that's already been said. Go read it!!
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good. So good. Such a solid and dark story arc. The way politics are woven through the story is cleverly done. I wish the art style was more consistent, particularly when it comes to characters’ faces, as I sometimes had a hard time keeping characters straight. The ending fight though— ugh, I could read it over and over again.
