Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

23 Jul Batman, DC 1 comment

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a mini-series written and drawn by Frank Miller and published by in four issues by between February and June of 1986.

Don't get Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DKR) confused with the 2008 Dark Knight movie. They are two distinctly different tales. DKR is set twenty years into an alternate future in which superheroes are strangely absent, and super-villians are either jailed or dead. Ordinary criminals now fill the void, and a gang known as the "Mutants" are holding Gotham City to ransom.

Batman has not been seen for ten years following the death of the second incarnation of Robin (Jason Todd). Bruce Wayne, whilst battling a drinking problem, is still a rich man. We learn that for years he has been funding the rehabilitation of Harvey Dent, to the point where "Two-Face" seems to have disappeared, and Harvey Dent is released back out into society. When Dent returns to crime, Batman is forced out of retirement. After recapturing Dent, Batman then goes after the mutants, defeating their leader, and fuelling the media's obsession with the re-emergence of the Dark Knight.

Having spent tens years lying catatonic in a psychiatric hospital, the Joker emerges after hearing reports of the return of Batman. When the Joker escapes, Batman finds himself asking the same question many readers will have asked time and time again. If Batman had killed the Joker in their first meeting rather than locking him up, only to have him escape again and again, how many lives would have been saved?

When the Soviet Union invade nearby Corto Maltese, the US government send in Superman to naturalise the threat. The Soviet Union respond by launching a nuclear attack on US soil, causing massive power loss and social upheaval. When Batman gathers the former "Mutants", who now call themselves "Sons of Batman", and forms a small army, and restores order to Gotham, and making it the safest city in the US in the process, the US government is publicly embarrassed. When Superman is then ordered to naturalise the Dark Knight it's clear that something has to give.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a classic not only in terms of the Batman saga, but also for the comic format as a whole. It covers themes including social alienation, the mass media's influence on society, the cold war and government corruption. It is also one of the books that Frank Miller is most well known for. The plot is dark, and has a constant feeling of foreboding as you turn the pages. You'll find yourself constantly asking, is this the end of the Dark Knight?

If nothing else, it teaches us that you can teach an old dog (or bat?) new tricks.

You'd be lucky if you found 9.4 CGC graded copy of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 for anything less than $100US, with the 6th Edition Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Trade Paper back worth upward of $55US for a 9.8 CGC graded copy.
FRANK MILLER BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS COMIC 1986 FRANK MILLER BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS COMIC 1986 Paypal US $235.00 29m
DK2 #1 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, NM, FRANK MILLER DK2 #1 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, NM, FRANK MILLER Paypal 0 Bid US $4.00 2h 45m
DK2 #2 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, NM, FRANK MILLER DK2 #2 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, NM, FRANK MILLER Paypal 0 Bid US $3.00 2h 52m
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS SET OF 4 NEW!!!!!!!!!!!! BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS SET OF 4 NEW!!!!!!!!!!!! Paypal US $39.00 21h 55m
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4 NM 1986 1st PRINT BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4 NM 1986 1st PRINT Paypal 2 Bids US $4.25 22h 24m
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4 NM 1986 1st PRINT BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4 NM 1986 1st PRINT Paypal 2 Bids US $1.04 22h 25m
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4 NM- 1986 1st PRINT BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4 NM- 1986 1st PRINT Paypal 0 Bid US $.99 22h 26m
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 CGC Grade 9.8 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 CGC Grade 9.8 Paypal 4 Bids US $100.00 1d 1h 59m
BATMAN - The Dark Knight Returns - ROBIN Action Figure BATMAN - The Dark Knight Returns - ROBIN Action Figure Paypal US $6.99 1d 3h 40m
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS 1-4 Frank Miller NM 1pr BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS 1-4 Frank Miller NM 1pr Paypal 2 Bids US $15.50 1d 20h 59m
BATMAN: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel Miller BATMAN: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel Miller Paypal 0 Bid US $15.00 1d 21h 7m
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #1 - #4 NM TO NM- BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #1 - #4 NM TO NM- Paypal 0 Bid US $19.95 1d 22h 17m
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS # 4:CGC 8.5 WP:SUPERMAN BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS # 4:CGC 8.5 WP:SUPERMAN Paypal US $20.00 1d 22h 29m
Batman The Dark Knight Returns Book One by Frank Mille Batman The Dark Knight Returns Book One by Frank Mille Paypal 0 Bid US $.99 2d 5h 3m
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS SET #1, 2, 3 & 4 $150NM BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS SET #1, 2, 3 & 4 $150NM Paypal 1 Bid US $24.95 2d 5h 46m
BATMAN SUPERHERO THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS BELT BUCKLE BATMAN SUPERHERO THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS BELT BUCKLE Paypal 0 Bid US $.99 2d 5h 48m
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Paperback Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Paperback Paypal 0 Bid US $9.99 2d 22h 44m
Batman The Dark Knight Returns Ten Years Slipcase Batman The Dark Knight Returns Ten Years Slipcase Paypal 0 Bid US $50.00 3d 16m
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC Comics) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC Comics) Paypal US $13.99 3d 14h 44m
Batman the Dark Knight Returns 1-4 first editions Batman the Dark Knight Returns 1-4 first editions Paypal US $59.99 3d 19h 19m
Tags: , ,
«
»

This post has 1 comment.

  1. Watchmen | The Comicologist
    26 Jul 08
    6:36 am

    [...] although a majority of the hero and villain community have are now either dead or retired (ala. The Dark Knight Returns). The main villain of the piece now appears to be the establishment. The primary story traces the [...]

-->