Review of Frank Miller's sequel to the Dark Knight Returns.

December 22, 2001 10:54 AM

Review of Frank Miller's sequel to the Dark Knight Returns. I just picked up the Dark Knight Strikes Again a couple days ago and I really enjoyed it. Its darker than the original, a bit net-savvy, and well illustrated. Also the story, written before 9/11, has some relevance regarding current events.
posted by skallas (9 comments total)

dp
posted by eyeballkid at 12:04 PM on December 22, 2001

Dark Kinight Strikes Again

Foolish me, I didn't search for misspellings.
posted by skallas at 12:11 PM on December 22, 2001

DK2 rocks. It's easily the best comic I've read in months. Miller's artwork and writing is even more stunning than usual, and Lynn Varley's colors have managed to actually enhance the book. The superhero team comic books are usually atrocious, but Miller's masterful storytelling manages to give equal time to the personality of each character that we meet. (Even Batman, who doesn't show up until the last page of the book. "Get out of my cave!") I had my doubts when I heard that the thing was in the works, but all such doubts have been vanquished. It now remains only to see if the quality of the book keeps up for the full three-issue run, and I've no reason to believe that it won't.

And while I'm praising Miller, I'll mention that my favourite moment in comics books of all time was in Dark Knight Returns, where Batman rides into battle on a massive black stallion. Miller's work is infinitely cool.
posted by kaibutsu at 1:29 PM on December 22, 2001

I read the first issue of DK2, and it seemed pretty silly to me. This is a spoiler, so turn your head if you haven't read it...

Another fight with Superman? Brought down by another kryptonite arrow, no less? Come on. It's rare that a sequel can actually cheapen the original, but that Superman fight...that about does it. Makes the battle in the first seem like another Hulk vs. The Thing volume 8,042. Kills any meaning it had. And, of course, like every comic in which two heros fight, Superman will clearly be helping bats out by the end of the book. How original!
Not to mention, the first worked so well because of the isolation of Batman in Gotham. Batman and Superman were pretty much the only two "super heros." Now, Atom Man? The Question? SHAZAM as a doddering old fool? Goodness.
First Dark Knight comes out, and is original and interesting. Then Kingdom Come rips off DK, but is far stupider. Now Frank Miller is ripping off Kingdom Come.
And I will end my mean spirited rant with these words: Flash on a treadmill. Thanks.
posted by Doug at 2:54 PM on December 22, 2001

Hey I liked Flash on a treadmill, in the fantasy world of comics if someone can run from NY to Utah in less than a second the speeds he can achieve on a mousewheel could be used for all sorts of power production.

The art in DK2 is a lot like his work in Ronin, which I think visually is his best stuff. Its a bit more abstract but that only adds to the surreal world this takes place in.

The only thing wrong with the superman fight was that Batman didn't end up killing him. I'm sure in the batcave with lots of assistance Supes is a pushover but it seems a little counterproductive to beat him up and let him go. I can't imagine them fighting together in the end, I think Frank will stick to the vigilante vs. boyscout theme.
posted by skallas at 4:02 PM on December 22, 2001

i'd like to see the return of 9-12 panel pages :)
posted by kliuless at 5:16 PM on December 22, 2001

Speaking of graphic novels and 9/11 (as was the original post), what about the end of Watchmen, wherein (spoiler) New York is seriously damaged? Now it will never be a movie...
posted by bingo at 7:43 PM on December 22, 2001

I reread Watchmen in November and agree with you, bingo, that it had some special relevance today. Eerily so, actually. Without giving anything away, I guess that's all that can be said.

As far as DK2 is concerned, there were things about it that I thought were brilliant (the petri dish), and parts that I didn't think were up to Miller's usual snuff (roller blades?!). Doesn't seem like he's going to be raising the bar he set so high in The Dark Knight Returns, unless the next two issues do something very different than the first. Just my opinion, of course.
posted by Hildago at 8:30 PM on December 22, 2001

The Flash Gerbil-wheel thing WAS interesting, I agree. I mean, really, that's pretty much the one useful thing a person who can run really fast could do for society. I just thought it didn't fit with the style of the original DK.

I guess I really have the read the sequel as a seperate entity from the original. I'd probably like it a lot more.

But mark my words, skallas, they will be working together by the end of the book! I hope you're right, but I can feel it coming.
posted by Doug at 10:28 AM on December 23, 2001