Writer(s): Frank Miller
Artist(s): Frank Miller
Publisher: DC Comics
General Summary
The story begins in a Gotham City where Batman is only a memory. He had retired 10 years prior to the beginning of this story and it's implied that he has finally been able to lock up most of his famous villains. Bruce Wayne and most of famous allies are forced to retire by the government, with the exception of Superman, who now works for Ronald Reagan. With the lack of heroes patrolling the streets and most the original villains incarcerated, there arises a new form of villain, more ruthless and bloodthirsty than before: The Mutants. Led by the aptly named Mutant Leader, they begin a crime spree that challenges to send Gotham City in chaos.
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is caught in an identity crisis, the grips of his former persona tightening on his weakening will. A man of over 50 years of age, he knows he is no longer at his former peak of human conditioning. Nonetheless, his obsession finally takes over him, and he dons the cowl once more. But now, he realizes that he must match the ruthlessness of this new brand of criminal.
Recruiting the help of a young girl named Carrie Kelly to become the new Robin and his trusty butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Batman must now use his cunning and intelligence over brute force to overcome this new powerful foe. Add that to the fact that Two-Face and Joker have come out of their comatose states, and we have a Batman who has never faced such odds.
The story takes place during the 1980s in the midst of growing tensions during the Cold War. Batman battles to protect his city, but might lose to the feuding going on between the Russians and the Americans. He must battle public scrutiny and the government, leading to an eventual showdown with his former partner Superman. A battle between two of the world's greatest hero's commences, the results which dictate the future of Gotham City.
What I Liked About It
I bought this book while traveling through Utah during one of my summer camp adventures. Up to that point, my only interaction with the book was through a passing reference in a Wizard Magazine where SPOILER ALERT!: Batman beats the shit out of Superman and dies almost immediately afterwards.
Besides that small instance, I really had very little experience with the writing style of Frank Miller. Miller popularized what was known as the grim and gritty style of comic books. This was great, since it took comic books away from the childlike joke they once were. But then you have such gems such as the garbage Rob Liefeld made.
Now, usually, I compare the work of Frank Miller to that of Quentin Tarantino's, in which they both share an affinity for ninjas, ultra-violence, and the femme fatale (but in most cases, hookers). Now, this could get repetitive at times, but when Frank Miller came out with this little nugget of greatness, it was refreshing. I loved the artwork, which was chaotic and schizophrenic at times and polished and clean at other times, but it always seemed to match the mood of the story. Also, just the apocalyptic, no-holds bar setting is a nice change of pace.
But the best part of the story is the in depth analysis of Batman's psyche. Batman, by most definitions, would be considered crazy to do what he does. But no one has seemed to question this until Frank Miller. Now we get to see whether he is truly a noble man, or just a man with an itch he can't seem to scratch. Is he fighting this holy war for us, or to relieve himself of demons he can't overcome? And is he justified? Does he really have the right to decide what's best for us? This a theme that ran rampant in the 1980's, where superheroes seem only to be templates for the Man.
Recommendations
Fans of Frank Miller, this is a must. It is his best superhero work, and a classic Batman story. Even the cartoon remade one of its most famous scenes pretty accurately, even down to the character design, some of the lines, and the way they pose the characters.
I would also recommend this to any fans of superhero history. By that I mean those that love to go back and reread the "classics," which would include stories as The Killing Joke, Secret Wars, etc. Just a good history lesson in the progression of the American superhero throughout the years.
Lastly, I would recommend this to fans of Batman. I love Batman, and I think for my status as a Batmanophile to continue, I have to have read this story. It's just a good book with some deeper ideas placed throughout.
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