The Dark Knight Returns

When I read Watchmen I said there were certain graphic novels that really changed the way the comics industry looked at itself. Watchmen was one Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns is the other. This looks at some of the themes that Moore played with in Watchmen, like what if the world no longer needed superheroes and what would these superheroes do if they weren't needed but does it much better than Moore did. I didn't like Watchmen because I didn't like the heroes. Miller does a much better job of reminding his readers that we do like Batman, and even Commissioner Gordon whose story sort of parallels that of the superhero.

I had a couple of problems: Batman quitting and Robin.

I just can't imagine Batman quitting if he felt his city still needed him. If there was a government mandate, he'd ignore it. I didn't get the impression that he'd been forced into retirement, but that the other heroes had convinced him to retire after political events. His retirement only serves to make his return more memorable. When his city needs him he's there; older, slower and a little on the worse for wear side but he's there and he's still the best they've got.

Batman without Robin is always a little bit off for me. I really think he needs the sidekick to keep him human and to keep him from spiraling into obsession, however, I don't think Robin served in this story. I would have preferred maybe a return of the original over the creation of a new. The problem is with the creation. Dick had a great beginning. He had the whole parents killed connection with Bruce and he had the skills because he was a circus acrobat. When he left and they gave us the Jason Robin it was a disappointment. In the original origin he was a copy of Dick. That doesn't work. Then he was a street kid who tried to steel the Batmobile's wheels. Batman admired his moxy, pitied his circumstances and made him Robin. Remember how that turned out? Finally, there's the Tim Robin. He's original. He's more of a detective; tracking down Batman by figuring out that Nightwing was Robin and was Dick Grayson. He got that Batman needed a Robin to keep him level. That brings me to the new Robin. Carrie is more of a Jason Robin. She thinks it's cool that Batman has returned and gets a Robin costume on a whim. She reminds me of a Jason Robin. It just didn't work for me.

I did like how Miller introduced Superman. First with the American flag resolving into the Superman symbol on his chest and then from his POV from on high. The relationship between him and Batman was great. They've been friends for a long time, but their ideals do not mesh. A showdown between the two of them was inevitable.

Relationships actually play into The Dark Knight Returns more than I thought they would. The Bruce/Gordon relationship, where it's obvious that Bruce revealed himself as Batman somewhere in their history together. And Alfred. Alfred had some great moments in this book. They revolved around his relationship with Bruce, Batman and even the whole Wayne family. I thought he was written really well.

This one gets a 5 from me.