The Dark Knight Returns is a classic piece of comic book literature that helped transition Batman from the campy character he had been turned into back to the grim and gritty protector of the streets that he was meant to be. The story depicts a Gotham City that has been without Batman for years, since Bruce Wayne has gotten old and finally put away the cape and cowl. However, a series of crime waves in the city drives Batman to return despite his age, taking on a world that has become more violent and deranged than anything he faced in his younger days.

The Dark Knight Returns deserves some major recognition for the way it renewed the character of Batman. Years later, many writers are still basing their Batman stories on the themes that Frank Miller re-introduced. Unfortunately, the story also suffers from an immense shortcoming in Miller's writing repertoire -- namely, the ability to make characters seem human.

Batman is an antihero who goes against the law if needed to make sure that justice prevails. He is anything but the square-jawed paragon of perfection that Superman is. At the same time, he is supposed to be a thinking, feeling person who has a greater view of the world than his war on crime. That is unfortunately not the case with Miller's Batman. This Batman seems to have no empathy for other human beings, viewing them as nothing more than soldiers in his war on crime. He offhandedly ignores the fact that Robin died in his crusade, referring to him only as a "good soldier." And he seems willing to place anyone in the path of danger if it means winning a victory against the criminals he is fighting. Quite simply, Frank Miller takes the "man" out of Batman -- he takes away the human element of the character, leaving very little reason for the reader to care about what happens to him rather than viewing him as a psychopath who just happens to solve some crimes.

The Dark Knight Returns is a key piece of Batman history, and Frank Miller's art style and narrative tells an innovative and dark tale that helped breathe new life into the character. Unfortunately, as Frank Miller often does, he ignores the human element of the character, assuming that the reader will side with Batman simple because he is Batman. Because of this failing, I can only give The Dark Knight Returns three stars. It is a solid story, but one that lacks a true hero to follow.

Well, the title sums up my opinion on The Dark Knight Returns, though it certainly isn't the best-rounded Batman story of all time, it still leaves a significant impact on readers. The story peaks at many points, and makes large dips at others, but the ending makes up for all its minor flaws.

"One of the best Batman stories", let me explain what exactly I mean by this: This is one of the best stories to flesh out the character of Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego Batman. What keeps me from ranking it higher than a nine is because on the whole most of Frank Miller's revisions of the villains fail to hit the mark (which is why you don't see his versions of Two-Face and Joker in most other comics), but he does provide interesting villains of his own; a gang of misfits referring to themselves as the Mutants, led by a large, unsightly individual who earns the title of Mutant with a capital M.

I think it is important to discuss the villains in this story first. Joker is a carefree killer, who will kill simply for his own amusement, with no morals to restrain him, and Miller shows this aspect of the character very well. The problem that I have is that this Joker never really frightened me, you know, he just never did anything that really made my blood boil (like in Alan Moore's The Killing Joke). This book does have some classic moments for the character, but ultimately this Joker interpretation seems to be a giant symbol for homophobia, and ultimately is quite forgettable when compared to the villain's colorful history. Frank Miller has stated finding the relationship between Batman and Joker being homosexuality gone wrong, but I feel writing off the character as being gay really has missed the actual complexity of the character's relationship to Batman. I feel this hero-villain relationship has a lot more to do with their mentality than their sexuality, and that is where I feel Miller seemed to miss the point of the character. I also do not like the way this Joker is drawn in this comic. There is a difference between revisions and simply changing it entirely, and this Joker does not fit the description, or standard of any of the previous comics, up until his final appearance in this story (his face finally twists into his trademarked smile, mouth growing unnaturally large in one of the book's most haunting images). As previously stated, however, some of the things Miller introduces are important to the future of Joker interpretations, and were in true spirit of the character.

Two-Face also seemed a bit off, but not so much as Joker. Miller's Two-Face comes across as plain evil. He's a villain, but he does have a good half to his personality, and Miller doesn't show any of the struggles between the two halves, which simplify the character immensely. This interpretation just seemed a tad bit simplified, but the relationship between him and Batman, I must admit, was perfectly in context. The way Batman cared about Harvey Dent seemed dead on, and I wish more of Dent's struggle between the dual personalities was present to further impact the story.

By the end Miller only succeeded completely (100% Pleasing) with villains of his own making, and that's good since he had no standards to meet with those characters. This army of misfits was an interesting idea, full of mystery and frightening ideology, which I wish we could've been given more of. I don't know HOW exactly these characters came to be, and maybe it would be interesting if Miller would have another comic explaining how this massive gang was formed in the first place, because it would seem most of the teenage/young-adult population is in on it. The concept of so many people of that age group slipping into the ways of the "ol' ultra-violence" seems very interesting on paper, and transfers well to the panels of the comic, never overstaying their welcome. I think it could've been great if this comic had concentrated harder on how new villains have emerged in Gotham, and that Batman has to adapt to a new class of evildoer.

I found this story at its strongest when dealing with Bruce Wayne's inner struggle, on whether or not he should continue being Batman, or throw in the towel. The relationship between him and Superman in this story is also very interesting, because of the fact that The Man of Steel has pretty much become a tool of the United States Government. The "Good guys" in the story actually draw a lot more attention than the villains, and in the world of Batman that is incredibly rare. This is the only story, in my opinion, where Joker or some other villain doesn't steal the show from The Caped Crusader. Familiar faces like Commissioner Gordon return, as well as Alfred, and we're even given a new Robin. Ultimatly this is the ONLY Batman comic where the heroes were more engaging then the villains.

Miller handled this dark hero and his allies with great intensity, and handled to story with the skill of a true storyteller. It is good to see that Batman was handled the best in a Batman comic for once in his long career. The Dark Knight is the central character of this novel all the way through, and keeps your attention; no other Batman comic made me feel like Batman carried the story all by himself. Typically the villains are the ones making the story worth reading, but that simply isn't the case in The Dark Knight Returns. The new Robin seemed unnecessary to the plot; for me she seemed a tad bit useless to the plot, but overall she didn't distract from the story at all.

This story deserves its recognition as an important Batman story, because we'd never have made way for stories such as `The Killing Joke' (perhaps the best story in the Batman series), Arkham Asylum Serious House on Serious Earth (the most philosophical of Batman graphic novels), and of course Christopher Nolan's outstandingly well-done franchise without Miller paving the way for better, mature Batman comics and movies. All fans of the franchise most salute Miller for helping this dark, and gritty series get back on track, because he has made so many great comics possible by doing so.

It is dated due to Cold War connections, but as a comic it holds up fairly well, and anyone who enjoys the Batman comics will no doubt love the interpretation of what the future holds for the character. I felt its balance with Batman and his villains were somewhat off (hence why it narrowly misses a perfect score), but other than that this is one of the best comics I've read in the series, even if the "Bat-Assault Vehicle" was obviously something spawned from the 1980s action movie. Overall it is well-paced and unforgettable as a landmark comic.

I give The Dark Knight Returns a splendid 9/10 stars.

My english teacher made us read this book for my English Composition class. In order to prepare us us for it he went over some of the history of batman and how the character evolved over time. Many people these days think of batman as the character from the Tim Burton or Christopher Nolan movies. It is important to realize that those would most likely not have happened had Frank Miller not taken the batman character and rewritten him as the dark knight. If you have seen the batman movie made in the sixties you would understand how much of a joke he was to people. Frank Miller turned batman back into the serious superhero that he was meant to be.

As for the comic itself, it is by far one of the best. It is very well drawn and colored to reflect the batman's title of the Dark Knight. There are times when the story has holes however and things are unclear or not fully explained. The best part of the comic is the tone. Frank Miller did an excellent job portraying the feeling of darkness and fear that batman begins to represent.

I definitely recommend this to people that enjoy comics or anyone that likes batman.

This is a reminder that if enough people are told something's great & revolutionary, the masses will believe it. This was a flat, extremely flawed, unfocused mess that somehow resulted in a revived Batman that ended up way better than this crap.

Everything the bad reviews say is true. This is the most over-rated comic collection EVER. For some reason, every so often, people mistake dark & gritty with depressing & dull which is what this is. The characters themselves reflect that temperment. Batman, Two-Face & The Joker were lifeless, subverted shells of themselves with no personality to speak of. The female Robin has so many things wrong with her that it's laughable. There's no explanation of why someone carried on the mantle of Robin & not Batman, how or why she became the icon and worse yet, unlike Dick & Tim, she doesn't seem to be of any use at all. Add in the fact that Wayne accepted her help in the flimsiest of ways & you've got a real headscratcher.

The main battles facing Batman weren't any better. The mutants as another reviewer said were completely incomprehensible. I didn't understand their slang at all. His final battle with The Joker was far from epic or satisfactory & how anyone could take Superman seriously after his weak & gutless stance here is beyond me. Other frustrating things included conversations being stopped for others then started then stopped again and things going down with no explanation why or how.

One of the best graphic novels ever written. I've read it several times over the last 10 years.

Starting off with anarchy approaching Gotham, Batman as an older man finds himself pulled back into vigilante activities with a variety of mean, ugly threats to be dealt with.

The art & the writing in this are excellent & this is a really gripping read. This is recommended even if you aren't a big graphic novel fan, as the action pulls you in and the story is very compelling. A great read.

This is a great story. So much has been said about "The Dark Knight Returns" that I doubt I could say anything original. The book does a great job in addressing the issues facing an aging Bruce Wayne, having retired the mantle of the Batman 10 years earlier, in a crumbling Gotham. If you are a Batman fan, you have to make sure you read this. If you're a comic book fan at all, you should do your best. If you're not a fan of either, but are curious, this is a great book to get you in to with a character that most people are familiar with.

Read it.

Frank Miller's story of Batman coming out of retirement gave more of an insight into the play by play thinking behind Batman's actions than I thought was possible. Bruce Wayne is a living thinking creature of absolute self surety. This novel makes you wish Frank Miller had put in his two cents on every Batman adventure before. He knows how Batman thinks better than anyone else.

This is a great purchase for anyone wanting a good Batman comic who's familiar with Batman and his journey through the years. His return sparks much interest throughout Gotham and the world and one of his friends that has fought along side him against the villians of the DC universe. The imagery is surreal and Frank Miller has outdone himself again.

The shipping was quick, and my new copies were delivered without any hassles. This is a great buy.

I bought this book shortly after reading Watchmen because it got me into the spirit of graphic novels. Unfortunately, this is not nearly as good as Watchmen. It does have some depth, but the writing and story is nothing to get too excited about.

The artwork is interesting and fits the mood of the story, but I felt at times that perhaps it was a bit too loose and stylized. There were some illustrations that I plain didn't like at all.

I enjoyed reading it and it had some good points, but overall it was just ok for me.

Originally was out to just purchase Watchmen. Several reviews for that book said it was very good like DKR. Also noticed that DKR was on Amazon's top 100 seller list (along with Watchmen). So I went ahead and bought both. I can't match the other great reviews out there for this book but I still wanted to add my 5 stars to it.

This is really good material for a 3rd Batman movie. Batman has retired. Gotham in ruins. An old-aged Batman returns and tests his limits as he battles the Joker and other nemesis to once again clean the streets of Gotham. But not everyone agrees with Batman's approach or his behavior which does not match that of a model superhero like Metropolis' Superman. The final story is quite epic as Batman battles Superman to the end. The new Robin (why would anyone want to be Robin given the history?) is the best Robin yet, a girl! The writing is gritty and exciting. The illustrations are actually not bad and some of my favorites as they give a different take of Batman and correctly so given he has aged a bit. This book is a milestone in comics as it brought it back once again to its original dark roots.

This book is worth every bit of praise it gets. Frank Miller created a masterpiece with this work. And even a die-hard Marvel fan that I am came to appreciate the Dark Knight through this book. The book itself is almost a legend among comics, but don't buy it for that. Buy it for the story and the insidious art that doesn't have much appeal at first, but by the end you can't picture the story being told in any other style. At least I can't.

Frank Miller did something special with this. He gave Batman such a blistering air of realism and depth that the character was changed forever. This work is something any comic fan should read to call themselves a comic fan. It has stood the test of time and is still on the top of the pile.

Blood and Rain
Blood for the Masses

Originally published by SavageNight Ezine

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
By Frank Miller

Intro- Alan Moore

Reviewed by
B.L.Morgan

4 Stars

According to the introduction by Alan Moore at the time when Frank Miller reintroduced Batman in its softcover form, the general audience still perceived him like Adam West had portrayed Batman in his TV series; That of an almost comical, certainly a camp representation of a comic book hero.

It was time for a change.

Frank Miller created a huge change in character and tone for the Caped Crusader, one closer to the movie versions that came later but darker than had ever been seen before The Dark Knight Returns.

Batman comes out of a ten year retirement as a middle-aged man. He tires quicker that he'd like in fights, gets sore and gets beat up. But through grit and determination and ingenuity he makes it through. Frank Miller's Batman is also slightly psychotic. The criminals have changed in his absence. They are meaner and more bloodthirsty. Batman goes after them with a vengeance.

Sometimes he's more bloodthirsty than they are.

A lot of social commentary takes place during the four stories that make up The Dark Knight Returns. The copyright on this book was 1986. It surprised me how little the attitudes expressed in this Batman book have changed.

The police are frequently handcuffed by the very laws they are supposed to uphold and are prevented from being effective crime fighters. All too often the victims of crime are treated worse that the criminals by the media and court systems.

My, how times flies. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The artwork in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns was for the most part just average. Moody, but average. Where Miller really shined was in his storytelling ability. This was a story on an epic scale that had a personal feel to it. Batman became a living breathing person during The Return Of The Dark Knight.

Batman: The Return Of The Dark Knight comes highly recommended. Check it out. You won't be sorry.

With only the acclaimed Watchmen as a peer, this is a must-read for any Batman fan. Miller's artwork takes some getting used to, but he can sure tell a story well. The only drawback is that some knowledge of the Batman universe is required going into the comic, so first-time comic book readers would be better served picking up Watchmen. That's not to say TDKR is a bad comic - far from it, it's one of the best ever. But not for first-timers.

I got the four part series several years ago before I sold off all my comics in the late 80's. I recently decided to renew my aquaintance with the series upon seeing Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight".

It is sometime in a dystopian future. Batman has disappeared. Batgirl is in a wheelchair somewhere. Robin is dead. Superman defends a corrupt government.

In book I 50 something Bruce Wayne is disturbed by what he sees happening in Gotham City and decides to resurrect The Batman to combat Punk street gangs who have taked over the streets. In the course of fighting he is rescued by Geek Girl Carey Kelley Who becomes the new Robin. In the end he is victorius and finds many imitators among former gang members.

In Book II Harvey Dent is released from Arkham Asylym. Supposably he is cured and has had plastic surgery to restore his face. In the end of what is a great psychological tour de force he reverts to being two face.

In book III The Joker is cured and released from Arkham and his appearance on a certain late night talk show might presage what Leno has in mind for its host. We see retired Selina Kyle put in danger in this one and Batman and the Joker have their final confrontation.

In book IV Batman and Green Arrow team to fight Superman and a corrupt US Government(since this was the late 80's it is Reagan but we're used to comics only showing GOP administrations as corrupt). In the end he loses or does he????

This is a fine set of stories and I agree with someone who said earlier it is like Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven". I could sorta see Clint play the part if it was made into a movie.

I'd reccomend it for batman and Frank Miller fans.

Let me begin by saying that I'm not a dedicated reader of comics. After seeing Sin City and 300 I gained an interest in Frank Miller so I decided to check out some of his work. I just read 300 and really enjoyed it, but I was not a fan of the Batman: TDK Returns.

My biggest complaint was a cause of constant annoyance while reading the series; the style. It is often difficult to follow the story because it skips around so much and because the animation is often incomprehensible. Some of the slang used throughout the story also makes it unnecessarily difficult to follow. There were several times where it was difficult for me to distinguish what was happening in the story. The story itself is decent enough, but nothing special. I enjoyed a bit of the political commentary, but it was a bit over the top.



I also didn't really like the fact that the reason given for Batman retiring a decade ago was because of Robin dying, but then accepts a 13-year old girl to be his new Robin with barely no explanation. This may just be ignorance on my part since she may be a character from earlier in the series or something (never read any other Batman comics), but I'm assuming since he retired 10 years ago and she is only like 13 that this is not the case. At several times throughout the story Batman also uses guns and rockets, but then preaches to the Sons of Batman group that he leads at the end that they shouldn't use guns.



Batman is a complete hypocrite throughout the story, but it does not seem to be intended. To me, this signifies poor writing. Some of the dialogue is all right, and I did enjoy some of the Frank Miller style narration, but other than that there isn't much I enjoyed about it.

Frank Miller returned Batman to his gritty glory with this piece. For so long in the 60's and 70's the Batman had become tame and cartoony. However Batman returned to his dark roots, and Gotham became the concrete jungle it should've been once more. This story also re-defines the relationship between Batman and Superman. The World's Finest Superheroes would never really get along in real life, and this story brought that out in wonderful fashion.

Let me begin by saying that I'm not a dedicated reader of comics. After seeing Sin City and 300 I gained an interest in Frank Miller so I decided to check out some of his work. I just read 300 and really enjoyed it, but I was not a fan of the Batman: TDK Returns.

My biggest complaint was a cause of constant annoyance while reading the series; the style. It is often difficult to follow the story because it skips around so much and because the animation is often incomprehensible. There were several times where it was difficult for me to distinguish what was happening in the story. The story itself is decent enough, but nothing special. I enjoyed a bit of the political commentary, but it was a bit over the top.



I also didn't really like the fact that the reason given for Batman retiring a decade ago was because of Robin dying, but then accepts a 13-year old girl to be his new Robin with barely no explanation. This may just be ignorance on my part since she may be a character from earlier in the series or something (never read any other Batman comics), but I'm assuming since he retired 10 years ago and she is only like 13 that this is not the case. At several times throughout the story Batman also uses guns and rockets, but then preaches to the Sons of Batman group that he leads at the end that they shouldn't use guns.



Batman is a complete hypocrite throughout the story, but it does not seem to be intended. To me, this signifies poor writing. Some of the dialogue is all right, and I did enjoy some of the Frank Miller style narration, but other than that there isn't much I enjoyed about it.

At this writing there are 321 customer reviews about this book. The overwhelming majority of them rating it with 5 stars. It's very likely this review will never be read, but I just had to have my say.

This book is so good it will almost ruin your comic reading life. I guess I was 12 or 13 when I first read this and I've reread it maybe a couple dozen times over the years. I've come to regard the book in the way that the first dose of heroin is commonly described. No matter how many graphic novels and how may collected editions I read by any writer or artist about any protagonist nothing has ever made an impression on me like The Dark Knight Returns. The very best of any other comic has only ever been a shadow of this Batman tale.

Frank Miller should get a cut of every dollar I spend on comics, since this is the dragon that I'm really chasing.

The Dark Knight Returns was written and drawn by Frank Miller, inked by Klaus Janson, and colored by Lynn Varley. It was originally published as a four-part series in 1986.

Here, Bruce Wayne is in his fifties, and he hasn't been Batman in ten years. A massive crime wave drives him back into action. There's a lot going on here: crime is out of control, Commissioner Gordon is retiring, superheroes have been done away with, the Cold War is escalating, several of the old, classic Batman villains are on the loose, and Batman's not what he used to be.

The story here is so multi-layered, so complex, and Miller does an excellent job of keeping hold of all the threads. He also does a great job of blending old, classic characters with new ones. Miller's one-page vignettes with crime victims make the story personal.

Miller likes to give us characters' internal narration of events. This works most of the time, but once in a while it's just too much ("I get sick of the arm...and kill it below the elbow."). Miller typically does this when the artwork doesn't show us all he wants it to, and he feels compelled to tell us the rest. This is the most obvious weakness in Miller's work.

Miller's art isn't pretty. It's dark, it's sloppy at times, and it's often downright ugly. But it fits the story, and it, along with Janson's inks and Varley's colors, really sets the mood. Even the layout of the panels, which are often cramped and crowded together, add to the story's smothering feel.

There's so much here, and Miller gives the reader a lot to think about. All told, The Dark Knight Returns has held up over time, and is one of the two or three greatest comic works ever created, hands down.

shows the real man behind batman and yet proves why he's the best comic character to some of us. a great graphic novel that incorporates a new robin and a reluctant batman that's doing his job and an awesome showdown with mr. superman at the end that has a great twist that'll make you appreciate batman's logic and strength even more. it's cool to see how some details are taken from the novel (and Year One) and incorporated into batman begins and the dark knight movies. this is the end of batman's career, and batman:year one is the beginning, both are must haves for any batman fan.

I've been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember. Had the toys, watched the movies a million times, the Adam West TV show, the Animated Series. I loved it all.

As a kid, I was big into comic books. I consider myself fortunate to have come of age in the late 80s/early 90s when the medium was really exploring the darker aspects of these characters people have loved for decades. Bane "breaking" Batman. The Killing Joke. Robin dying. Batman vs. Spawn. The death of Superman (a pretty big deal with my peers). Grim stuff, but I ate it up. Years passed and I eventually just stopped reading. I remained a Batman fan, but I simply got out of buying comic books. Most of what I was into is a big blur now.

In anticipation for Christopher Nolan's new Dark Knight movie, I went on a Batman binge. Trouble is, I already have most of the DVDs (and that's a lot of DVDs). What else is there?

I wasn't even aware of this book's existence until AFTER I got over comic books. How can that be? I have no idea. Apparently, it was a pretty big deal twenty years ago. Yet I was into the big deals of the time and somehow The Dark Knight Returns slipped from my grasp. I suppose I have no excuse. So, finally, after over a decade of not even so much as looking at a comic book, I ordered this (plus a few other Batman tales).

My order arrived today. I spent my evening reading the entire book. Know what? I absolutely loved it. Frank Miller has a fairly chaotic way of telling a story. He throws so many ideas into this graphic novel and not a single one of them bogs the story down or seems out of place. It's a long read (at least in my comic reading experience), but I enjoyed every minute of it. I even caught myself laughing out loud a few times. In lesser hands, this story might seem disjointed or even absurd, but Miller knows how to tell it right. Great artwork and great text. Also a lot of fun to see what became of some of Batman's rogues gallery's biggest baddies.

So, is this the book that will get me back into comic books as it did for so many people twenty years ago? I guess that remains to be seen. No matter what, I'm certainly glad I finally read this. A good story is a good story and The Dark Knight Returns excels.

That all you need as moral guides on this earth are The Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come (another graphical novel) and the Holy Bible. While I would probably omit the latter and include the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius or Plato's Republic I can surely concur with the first two selections as being critical in developing a tempered moral compass. While this might come off as an exaggeration, it is only barely - the three works offering quintessential guidance in times of befuddlement while also offering inspiration to trudge forward in times of injustice and betrayal. All the great questions of life are encountered by the protagonists and a righteous code of ethics is codified in response, inspiring the reader to be greater than what he was before by observing the examples of heroic conduct and so being transformed.

The Dark Knight Returns is by the standards of today primitively drawn and inked, but this fact is irrelevant as the graphics are well enough to keep our interest drawn to the engrossing moral lessons and satire. Each page of this precious work is chocked full of words and intelligently written dialogue, historically serving as the first serious "graphic novel" - an expanded literary comic that was intended to be read by adults and to have included in it serious subject matter. While most comics are centered around the plates (the art), graphic novels were supposed to be primarily stories, with the artwork intended to support and not overshadow the core writing, all originally starting off as novellas rather than storyboards. This being said, I will not hover too indulgently over the topic of the art - which is presented in stark, grimy, dark, vile environments, contemptuous caricatures of pop culture figures and lingering, desolate existential stages.

The story focuses on the question of what justice is while also (perhaps more importantly) criticizing the irrationally bellicose cold war climate and its corresponding destructive materialism, untempered indulgence and superficiality, issues which are very much still afflicting our society today as we rot in the wake of renewed imperialism and corruption. Bruce Wayne is presented not as a flawless super hero but rather as a broken and doubting latter-day Cincinnatus being summoned to once more repel the enemies of justice and civilization. Labeled a vigilante terrorist by the police and ostracized as a dangerous and unstable sociopath by the morally bankrupt public and their "expert" talking heads, the Batman heroically serves an ideal of justice in hopes of restoring reason and truth to a diseased, collapsing society bent on global nuclear destruction, all while expecting no reward and never abusing his power. Through Bruce Wayne's selfless sacrifice and devotion, the people of Gotham City are inspired by example to off their complacency and take back their city from the drug dealers, pimps, corrupt officials, thieves and rapists, all the while developing a sense of fidelity and brotherhood to one another.

Ultimately The Dark Knight Returns is about the proper conduct of a human being: even though the people around you may be corrupt and morally bankrupt, and even though they may have surrendered their faith to denial and apathy, and abandoned their community - a true man does not, even if he must be stabbed by a thousand blades in a day or swim through a lake of fire. While Bruce Wayne at times feels that his efforts to bring order to the lawless and miserable Gotham City are futile he continues to do what is just and good, in the face of all possible rejection and criticism. The reward for acting like a human being is not riches, or fame, or even respect of your peers, but rather the fleeting satisfaction in knowing that the people left in your wake would have been treated justly, and maybe, just maybe, would so be inspired to treat others with justice, breeding a righteous culture.

I picked this book up in an earlier edition when I was in high school. I was a semi-fledgling to the world of the Bat, but I found myself easily drawn into the story. It's easy to read even if you aren't as knowing of everything as others are.

The idea of a semi-apocalyptic future with no real superheroes is a grim one. The only superheroes that exist are there merely to look good and even Superman is strangely muted in this world. Nearly everything is corrupt, whether people realize it or not. It's into this that Wayne decides to take up the mantle of Batman once more & free Gotham from the crime sprees. However he's not the only one who has once again taken up his old job...


I REALLY enjoyed this book. It's one of my favorites & always will be. I loved the female Robin, the neat artwork, and the story... the story was just about perfect!

You hear so much hype from so many people about Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns', it makes you apprehensive. But you have no idea as to how right they are until you find yourself catapulted into the heart of Gotham City; a decade after the Dark Knight has hung up his cape & cowl for the last time. In my opinion, all the praise it has recieved over the ages cannot do this book justice.
In this groundbreaking epic, Frank Miller brings together an astounding story line & admirable comic-style artwork; in which he portrays an aging Bruce Wayne forced to, once again, don the familiar uniform of the Batman, to cleanse the decaying city of Gotham.
Miller deals with the rebirth of some of the Dark Knight's arch enemies, while at the same time, introducing the new menace of the Mutants; a vicious gang of criminals which had thrived & flourished in the absence of justice.
Also dealt with within its pages are essential, critical & controversial issues to the Batman universe, such as the enlisting of Carrie Kelly, the new Robin of that age, the retirement of police commissioner Gordon & the death of the Joker.
You need not be a fan of the Batman to truly admire the work of Frank Miller & this book is recommended & suitable for anyone with a craving for a good story. For Dark Knight devotees, however; Look no further, this is the undisputed holy grail of graphic novels...

Even though this was written a long time ago, it is a great read for any Batman fan. It has an amazing story and the artwork is very detailed. You can see some of the ideas from the movie Batman Begins in this novel even though it's a different story. It is something I'd also recommend to a non-Batman fan as well.

Although originally published in a monthly serial format, this compilation, or Graphic Novel, started the generation of Graphic Novels being sold at local bookstores and Amazon. It's dark, gritty, and keeps your attention throughout. Certainly not suitable for young readers, we're introduced to Batman as being truly a Dark Knight, a vigilante protecting our future by any means necessary. If you're new to the genre, here's a great place to start. I've been a Frank Miller, Batman, and overall comic book fan since the first moment I picked it up.

"This book got me back into comics..." I'm not the only one who's said those words over the last 22 years. It was 1989 and the first Batman movie was about to be released when I read it. I was blown away and realized that in my time away from comics, I'd grown up and so had comics...

Now, for anyone who has never read this... comics have continued to grow up since this was first published in 1986, so for those readers it might seam over-rated. Please realize though that at the time no one had ever done anything like this with Batman. It was groundbreaking and it's effects have "darkened" the superhero genre to this very day. Read this and then compare it with any mainsteam comic from 1986 and you will see it's superiority.

The young modern reader has read and enjoyed the waves left by Miller's Dark Knight Returns, and this IS a must read for anyone who spends too much time and money at a local comic book shop. MUST READ.

Some of the sequences are classic and well drawn, but as soon as the mutants become the major villains the book becomes too ludicrous for its own good.

I immediately stopped caring. Yes, it's gritty, but Alan Moore's killing joke is much better.

Heck, Batman: Year One is much better.

If you want good Miller read Daredevil: Born Again, Sin City Vol. 1 or Daredevil: Man Without Fear.

I gave up after about 20 pages of not being able to tell what was going on because of how terribly sloppy the drawings are.

it's not worth the time or the $.

A great storyline and take on the batman mythos, not to mention the other DC characters featured. I've never been a huge fan of Miller's art, or it would have gotten 5 stars from me.

Miller's version of Batman reflects Bob Kane's concept about the Dark Knight: a brooding, lonely crimefighter, obsessed by his parents' death.
"The Dark Knight Returns" is a cornerstone: it redefines the essence of the character, finally obliterating the facetious side of the 60's tv show.
This book inspired the first Batman movie, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Batman, Jack Nicholson as The Joker and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale!

In other words: this is a definitive "must-have" for true Batman fans!!

As a high school student, this was my first encounter with Frank Miller's unique style. I continue to appreciate the grit and grumble that this issue exudes from every spread. This treatment of the Dark Knight really does make him seem like a dark knight. I would credit this among the most effective proponents of the wave of change that swept the Batman universe making it more insightful of the man behind the mask.

The Dark Knight Returns is my least favorite of IGN's "Top 5" greatest Batman graphic novels; the list also includes The Long Halloween, Arkham Asylum, The Killing Joke, and Batman: Year One. I usually love Frank Miller's work, but this one just didn't cut it for me, for a few reasons. I didn't think the artwork was revolutionary, I thought it was a mess. The storyline was convoluted and tangential, and I never really felt invested in it. This was more of a Cold War Era "Batman is old and Superman takes on the Russians" than anything else. The thread devoted to the media's vilifying of Batman grew annoying about halfway through. Overall, I think it's a weak effort by Miller.

Having been a Marvel reader my whole life, when some one said Batman, I thought Adam West.
That changed the day(some 20 years ago now) a friend passed me his copy 'Dark Knight'.
The gritty, unapologetic writing with shades of the depression era crime novels that first inspired Batman's creation, mesh perfectly with the dark, shadowy art work to create a mood of suspense and drama rarely seen it this underappreciated medium.
The only possible complaints could be that it was such a limited run, and it has been too long with out an equally good sequel.

I read about this comic book online, and decided to pick it up.
I usually dont decide to buy things online, but took a chance on amazon, and i gotta say i dont regret a thing, i recieved it before the date was giving to me, which scored big points in my book. The seller was prompt and curtious in any questions i had. And the price was more than resonable.

Miller really blew the lid off with this one. This Novel was groundbreaking in every way. The Story and Ideas laid out here are captivating, as well as the artwork, they are quite coherent. The characters are so well developed along with the moral fiber tying it all together. I was so impressed with my first read, I've been chasing millers career ever since, and he doesn't disappoint. This Graphic Novel is a must for every person who is interested in Batman, Justice/moral struggle and or just a great story.

I'll admit at first I had my doubts about this book since I'm not such a big dc reader but once I finally started to give this book a chance I became addicted to it. Filled with great action sequences solid artwork and one downright entertaining storyline DKR will definitely quill your hunger for an awesome strange and groundbreaking storyline that is too unforgettable to miss. If you don't have this book make it yours.

The story was excellent and most of the artwork was solid. But there were several pages where the art was very poor and did not look good thats why I had to take off a star.

This is my favorite legend of the dark knight, I mean what's better than a 55 year old Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement to be batman again to take on a new set of problems like the mutants. Frank Miller created a classic that's engaging. A must buy!!!!!

I was reading the Watchmen at the same time and while I liked the story of Watchmen a hair better the art in this one kept me coming back. The story is great as well but...well I won't ruin the story...suffice to say that it left me wanting a bit more but maybe that comes in the next novel (Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again).

Frank Miller's depiction of Batman is everything I had hoped for when I ordered the book. A dark man hell bent on punishing criminals for tainting gotham city.

The story shows a different kind of Batman. He has retired since the death of his partner. After years of watching the news show a daily reminder of how the justice system fails its citizens, his comtemplation of returning is finalized by the scheduled release of Harvey Dent (Two-Face)

Batman returns fueled by rage. He knows that simply handing criminals to the police like your typical, cheesy superheroes would not make them have second thoughts about their career choices. When the police arrive to these crime scenes they find nothing but bad guys that have been reduced to piles of broken bones.

The media, who once praised the dark knight, labels him a menace for his brutality towards criminals. His return also motivates civilians to take to the street and punish petty criminals, causing civil unrest, which is also blamed on our hero.

Batman now has to take on criminals in his path and avoid the police that are hot on his trail after his arrest is demanded.

My description of the story is only the beginning. There are many twists and turns leaving you on the edge of your seat, I really didn't want to spoil the book. There are also apearances from another dc comics superhero. The novel also marks the return of Batman's arch nemesis.

You know, when talking about superheroes you always wonder why they do not have any problem such as a short suit with years or why if one is bulletproof, his boots automaticly turn bulletproof as well.

This Frank Miller Batman is really into his bad days, and has to live with his age and his weaknesses. The irony in the novel is like a warm irish cooffe that drives you through its pages slowly and kindly till the end.

Simply the best Batman I have read.

...except this is a great graphic novel. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Definately one of the best I've ever read.

Batman The Dark Knight Returns is important primarily for what it meant for graphic novels in general, and how it reinvented the Batman cliches in particular. Miller took the essence of the Batman character, originally children's entertainment about a superhero vigilante exercising his own brand of justice on evil, and turned it into a much more gritty and dark story for adults. Miller works within the parameters of the traditional Batman conventions, but reshapes them to create a much darker and adult work. As a result, it's not just Batman that matures, but the comic genre itself. Batman The Dark Knight Returns is regarded as a key work (along with Alan Moore's "Watchmen") that helped establish the credibility of the graphic novel as a legitimate literary medium, thus marking a new stage of development and maturity from the world of children's comics. In that respect, Miller not only redefined Batman, but he helped define the graphic novel, by bringing adult oriented superhero comics into the mainstream.

The story-line itself sees an aging Batman, now 20 years older, do battle with the Gotham City crime scene. His enemies include the gang of Mutants, the evil Joker, but also the authorities who find his methods questionable and issue an order for his arrest. Embarrassed by Batman's success, the US government commissions Superman to take down Batman, and the story ends with an epic final battle between the two superheroes - and a clever twist, as Batman's heart-stopping death is not quite what it seems.

There are many references to contemporary culture and issues, with subtle allusions to modern TV personalities (David Letterman, Dr. Ruth), and more important themes relating to law and order, the role of the government, the cold war, the conflicts in our own inner self, and the public fascination with heros and villains. I appreciated the satire of "criminal-coddling pop psychology" and the mass media, although in the end I can't quite see this as being quite as serious a work as some make it out to be. Surely Batman is more about a gritty story than a social commentary, and perhaps it gets more credit than it deserves. Furthermore, to some extent an appeal for Batman is a matter of personal taste. Being unfamiliar with the genre and characters, I found the story hard to follow at times - although as others have argued, much is lost upon first reading, and it's best appreciated and understood the second time around. But the gritty artwork and violent narrative didn't always make obvious sense, and for the most part just didn't grab me, and in addition the numerous instances of blasphemous language certainly did nothing to enhance my appreciation for it. But while I didn't find Miller's Batman particularly enjoyable personally, I can see why it is an important work, both in terms of what it did for Batman, and for the graphic novel. Batman has grown up, and comics are no longer just for kids. - GODLY GADFLY (2007)

I'll admit, at first, I was a little put-off by this book. I enjoyed it, but it didn't set off any sparks. When I read it again a few days ago after some years gone by, then I finally realized what exactly I had in my hands. TDKR is a classic, and Frank Miller, et al, have created an epic for the ages. It features everything that is great about Batman and his world, and takes it up a notch or two. Now, TDKR is not for everybody, and I understand and respect that. I was one of those people, until I decided to give it a second chance. Now, I'm glad I did.

Check this graphic novel out. It's way cool. Awesome.

This graphic novel was a delight. I hadn't read any batman comics before this, but watched the old tv shows, live and animated versions, and the movies. This graphic novel is very deep and hooked me after the first couple of pages - as opposed to The Watchmen which took a while to get into. The story and art is very dark but interesting and involving all the same. The style of artwork is unique and stylized; I love it.

Highly recommended. Holds many surprises and monumental moments!

For anyone caught up in the excitement of the latest movie creations based from Frank Miller's brilliant mind then the Dark Knight is one for your bookshelf.
To be made into the next Batman movie in the year or so, 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' covers Bruce Wayne's alter ego coming out of retirement to once again fight the evils that plague Gotham city.
A must for any die hard graphic novel fan or newbie to the world of comics.
A brilliant novel.

With the exception of Alan Moore's "Watchmen", "The Dark Knight Returns" is the most highly praised work in the history of comic books. What is left to be said about this book that hasn't already been said by countless others? Everyone from comic geeks to erudite critics of popular culture hail "The Dark Knight Returns" as a landmark, a watershed, a masterpiece, and any number of other words of similarly high praise. But the thing is, they are all completely correct in these assessments. Even over twenty years later, this book still holds up as an incredible, even brilliant, work.

"The Dark Knight Returns" is not without its flaws. Admittedly, Frank Miller does occasionally enter some pretty bizarre, even surreal, territory at times with the story (particularly towards the end); the character of Batman himself is pretty much restricted to being a one-note psycho that is pretty hard to sympathize with or root for; much of the 1980s social and political commentary does indeed date the work; and finally, it's not exactly the most accessible book in the world. Those without at least a basic knowledge of Batman comics, or how graphic novels operate in general, will likely be confused and put off by the book.

However, these are all fairly minor criticisms that do little harm to the book itself, especially when one considers all the things Miller got so amazingly right. There are a thousand other reviews that summarize the amazing strengths and groundbreaking innovations of this book far better than I ever could, so I won't even attempt to do such a thing.

"The Dark Knight Returns" is easily the greatest thing Frank Miller has ever done. It is a great example of the brilliant talent he once posessed, before he became the bitter, cynical, and generally nasty artist he is today. It's unfortunate that Miller now seemingly has devoted his career to tearing down his past, and seems to go out of his way to sneer at and mock the very projects and ideas he has built his career on...but that's neither here nor there.

In short, "The Dark Knight Returns" is, in a word, essential. Essential reading for any fan of Batman, comic book fans, or enthusiasts of popular culture in general. I personally don't find this book to be the most enjoyable incarnation of Batman, or even the truest, but there is simply no denying the immense significance of this book, nor the talent and passion behind it. Simply put, a must-have.