Dark and captivating. The way the Dark Knight should be.
Originally written 10-1-11
Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City after being away for over ten years. He returned with a mission to wage war against the criminal element. He has the will and the training but something is missing. Lt. James Gordon is a transfer cop from Chicago and he must fight his own battles. However, his fight is not exactly with the easy to see street level hoods. These two kindred souls are fighting for the same cause. But will their different methods turn them into bitter enemies or into trusted allies? -summary
In 1986 an event of epic proportions took place in the DC mythos called Crisis on Infinite Earths. This event reshaped the DC universe, thus changing the status quo and bringing new life to characters whom were thought to be outdated. The top hats felt it was time to remake their characters for a more modern audience, and one of those characters was Batman. The character needed very little change in way of his background, plus there was a darkness within him people saw and they wanted to expand upon it. Frank Miller was tasked for this reboot due to his success with Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which was written only a year earlier. Miller already knew what the character was about and lightening struck twice when the book first hit shelves, and as they say, the rest is history.
Batman Year One is a four part series that retells the Dark Knights origin. Miller's approach is once again magnificent here as he mainly brings out the best in the main characters through solid development. This is one book that I remember finding very hard to put down.
The reader will see Bruce Wayne during his amateur beginning. He's hellbent on taking down the criminals of the city, but he's faced with the problem that they don't fear an average man. He realizes this when he assaults a pimp and his hookers aren't afraid to tackle him. This is when he understands that he must become more than a man, he must instill his enemies with unspeakable fear.
Bruce continues to grow inside of the costume and he gets to battle test his equipment. There are numerous sparks of that tough to kill aspect of the character which would soon become his trademark. It's fun watching him barely escape those near death moments, as he slowly ascends into being more than a mere mortal. James Gordon is every bit a main character as the secondary plot involves him trying to take down the crooked cops of Gotham City. He's very well developed as a true cop that will uphold the law, even if it means to die trying or sacrificing his marriage.
The artwork is done by David Mazzuccheli, and although it's not as captivating as The Dark Knight Returns. It heavily compliments the gritty feel of the city. There's a nice color palette going on, and it helps establish that film noir setting. However, for some reason, the artwork just doesn't seem to jell right for me. It doesn't speak to me, and tell me things about the city like the artwork in Dark Knight Returns did. This may have something to do with the bland backgrounds. Still, there are some moments that grab me.
I enjoyed the overall style of the story, but it could have been better had Catwoman been left out of it. I found her full costumed presence a bit conflicting in a way; there was no point in a second costumed character. Things would've been better had the focus stayed on average criminals and crooked cops. In any case, I was still entertained.
Batman Year One is a great place for newbies and non comic fans to begin at if they're interested in the character. His origin story is pretty much intact, plus the story is very well paced and linear. It isn't the least bit complex since it isn't littered with too many subtle messages. The book has also been a great influence to future Batman works in both animated and live action. Definitely recommended to Batman and comic fans.
Pros: Solid and straight forward narrative
Cons: Backgrounds can be kind of bland
