Frank Miller's Year One/Dark Knight Returns general opinion

[Rafa-Rivas-2099]

I just finished reading both of these and I really liked how Year One was basically about Gordon with a few Bruce/Batman moments. I actually think it's one of the better stories that doesn't revolve entirely around Batman. The Dark Knight returns was extremely disappointing in the first book (I did not like the first book at all) but the last 3 were probably some of the best comics I've ever read. Whats the general opinion around here for those 2?

I like Year One better. It's hard to believe Miller can be so grounded. DKR is great as well, one of the best Batman stories and it's Miller in every sense. When people claim DKR is better than YO, i thing they are over rating it. Give or take, YO is timeless and could work with any interpretation of the character. It might be the origin story of the golden age Batman, BTAS, silver age Batman, New Frontier Batman, you name it. It works. DKR, is great, but it's not about a universal Batman, it's bout Miller's over the top version of him.

[mars]

I love both comics, and for very different reasons. The big thing about Dark Knight Returns is that it changed the playing field for comics entirely, it helped move comics from "campy" and showed that they can have dark, serious, and powerful stories.

This is simply not true.

[Coal Tiger]

I think they're among the best Batman stories. There are some other stories that I believe are on par with Miller's 80's Batman work, so I don't put them solely at the top of the pile. It's hard to know how to vote.

[The Red Monk]

This is simply not true.

It is. You may not like it, but TDKR certainly did push the more "mature" style of storytelling in later Batman, and even other superhero, comics. Granted, it wasn't the only contributor, but it was one of the main ones.

[Turn the Page]

This is simply not true.

Ok then, maybe care to explain why you disagree with me?

[mars]

Robbins and O'Neil in the early 1970s wrote "dark, serious and powerful stories".

[catbatfan]

I can't vote. I loved Year One (minus the hooker Catwoman) but hated Dark Knight Returns (not interested in a senior-citizen Batman in a dystopic future).

[LoneNecromancer]

Year One is flawless. The Dark Knight Returns is flawed, messy, glorious and somehow slightly better than Year One.

I think this actually describes how I feel about them pretty accurately.

[Turn the Page]

Robbins and O'Neil in the early 1970s wrote "dark, serious and powerful stories".

Why yes they did. I didn't say DKR single-handedly changed comics, but you can't deny that it was a pivotal story in comics history.

[mars]

I can deny anything I want!

But yeah, I misread your post last night and read "helped move" as "moved" implying it was all Silver Age silliness until Miller came along.

[Turn the Page]

No worries. Miller definitely went pretty camp crazy with Dark Knight Strikes Back and All Star Batman and Robin anyway.

[quinnzel]

I'm still relatively new to the world of comics, so I still haven't read many Batman stories yet.

That being said, of everything I've read so far (Batman and non-Batman included), Year One and TDKR rate among the tippy-top of my favorites list so far. Year One was perfect for me from start to finish and you get to that last page and you just want to turn the page and keep reading and find out how Batman handles his first encounter with Joker. It just keeps you turning the pages and really engrossed in the story, and I thought the POV of Gordon and Bruce were both just really spot on. For me, it wasn't one of those stories where I was gritting my teeth while waiting for it to get back to Batman. I was just as engrossed, if not more so, in Gordon's story.

After I read TDKR, I was really just blown away. As much as I loved Year One, TDKR was a different animal, something I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did, and I still think it's at the top of my favorites list right now. I would probably say Year One and TDKR are tied on my list, but if I had to be perfectly honest, I think TDKR is just a little bit higher...