Whats so great about The Dark Knight Returns?

Why exactly is it considered one of the greatest Batman comics of all time? I don't understand it all...

It's more because of how influential and game-changing it was than anything.

Batman.

They get worst as the books go on.

Book 1 was great. The idea that both Two-Face and Batman are monsters that neither Bruce and Harvey can shake or be cured of is great. Both will continue to be consumed until nothing is left of their other personality.

Book 2 is good because it showcases that Batman is willing to do anything in the name of justice. Showcasing his will, determination, willingness to pull back and find another gear and, quite literally, fight dirty.

Book 3 and book 4 are where it stops being about Batman and all about Frank Miller's sh!t opinions that no one asked for.

Book 3 is Miller's critic on the American Justice system HIS opinions on parole. Book 4 is just God awful, it's Miller's dumb idea on "what's wrong with Superman," but it only helped create the image that people associate with Superman now.

@marvelicious: I think that it marks the beginning of darker more mature Batman as opposed to the campy 60s Batman.

No, it doesn't. Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams started that more than a decade before Dark Knight Returns.

Good storytelling.

BB

Good storyline :)

Also, Superman taking a beating was priceless.

It was a breathe of fresh air at the time, and it still holds up as one of the best Batman storyline EVER. It brought sense of realness to the Batman persona, he was no longer 2 dimension goody two shoes but rather layered and complicated individual whose story and character development was enchanting to read, it made you want to read more about him.

I personally just love how ruthless Batman is in it. He was just epic in it.

@flashrobin: I watched the films instead of the comics but it was very enjoyable. Not really sure why its still talked about if i'm honest.

This

DKR should have just been books 1 and 2, but that is just my opinion.

Because it's one of the greatest story ever told in history of comics...Plus it's a totally different Batman we see..

Because it was an amazing story? I don't have an answer really, could be all the Frank Miller fan boys too. (Me being one of them.)

It gave Batman his balls back. Since the comics code came along, Batman had been nothing more than a joke and a "role model" for the entire Silver Age. This showed Batman as a dark, brooding creature of the night again.

So, it's more to do with a shift in tone and attitude than anything else.

Nothing imo. I prefer O'Neal's run to anything Miller did.

Didn't O'Neil do that before DKR?

Cause Nazi tits

@joeagentofhand1: I think O'Neil did a brilliant job with it, but TDKR was the one that caught the public's eye. It made the biggest splash.

Book 1 and 2 are REALLY good, specially 2, the Mutant Leader arc is one of the best arc's I've read from Batman.

It's a good story, original idea for the time.

But the second part is horrible.

what happened in the second part?

his return to being batman

@those_eyes: I mean The Dark Knight Returns 2

It's version of Cap. Marvel, J'onn and Dick is pretty bad. And the way it's end... If you didn't read it, don't bother to do it. It ruined everything.

TDKR has been adapted in to 2 animated movies,an episode of BTAS,a loose adaptation in the "Batman" cartoon, it had considerable influence on The Dark Knight Rises and obviously on the upcoming Batman v Superman movie. There MUST BE SOMETHING great about it.

Hipsters just refuse to see it.

Why does everyone hate Frank Miller?

It has it's moments, it's overrated though. It was much more shocking when it came out.

It's a great story, one of the best comic books ever written.

Its one of the best Batman storues i ever seen. Batman is ruthless and is old so has to use brutal methods. His confrontation with Joker was awesome as it showed he blame himself for all the deaths Joker did becuz of his rule. REAlly a very well written and executed movie.

His fight with Superman was amazing. Superman fanboys are just jealous cuz their fav. hERO got his ass kicked by an old man.

I've never been a huge fan of it. Like others have said here, I enjoyed books 1 and 2 but the rest sort of lost me.

I agree but i am no frank miller fan boy.

Seconded.

Amazing storytelling and Amazing story.

I'll just say anything that's considered ground breaking and influential at the time it was done always seems far less so when you start with everything that came after it and then go back to the thing that was considered seminal to what came after because it won't seem nearly as new to you as it would have at the time. Same holds true in film, music and other areas.

Beats me. I wasn't impressed with it.

I like the movies...

I think the fact that they're some of the best animated CBM's of all time has a lot to do with it.

The problem a lot of people have with not being impressed with it now is that all the themes, techniques, and attitudes from Batman that were so fresh, new, and in your face when it came out have been done to DEATH now.

It IS a great story with lots of dynamic, and moody art, well crafted dialogue, and pacing. I agree 3 and 4 weren't the best. But the first book, where Batman comes back..you don't see him at first, just his aftermath and the affect he has. And book two with the whole Mutant Leader arc, just nuts.

TDKR is credited with changing Batman from homo-erotic camp to a goddamn legend of badassery.

@thepreface: Uh...the homoeroticism never went away.

nothing

It was influential. Like many influential works it doesn't necessarily seem that special, when looking back on it, because the formerly revolutionary ideas a from todays perspective not that special anymore.

He is mysoginistic, homphobic, racistic hack, who can't write worth shit anymore, but continues to get work simply because he wrote a couple of influential stories many years ago and his name for some reason still isn't associated with the complete garbage he is pressing out of his asshole by now.