Batman: Year One

The nice thing is, the whole story is kind of Batman punching cops. And yeah, ok, it’s the “these are bad cops” bullshit (I remember there being some kind of throwaway line about Gotham’s PD just being extraordinarily corrupt)… but it’s still like almost 100% of the cops that are bad?

Even Jim Gordon’s “I’m gonna fix it from the inside!” kind of story was kind of good? Even though it’s been shown over and over again that that isn’t a thing and we need abolition… there was still plenty of stuff in this story line that I highly approved of. Like the commissioner dismissively telling him “you kept the media away from it, that’s all that matters” when Gordon references a past mistake, and when Gordon vows that show more he won’t have to worry about dishonesty from him, the commissioner says it’s “the last thing on [his] mind.” Which makes even more sense when we later see the commissioner dining with literal mob bosses.

Gordon’s primary antagonist is even the perfect representation of the worst kind of cop, a white guy who peaked in high school. Dude’s off-duty uniform was a letter jacket for the gods’ sake.

The only real Frank Miller bullshit on display here was his misogyny. Well, ok, and also his usual weird depictions of masculinity (like Gordon randomly using the barbell in Harvey’s office in the middle of a formal conversation where they’re both dressed in suits???), but those are surely related.

As far as misogyny, there’s especially a lot with how sex workers are portrayed here that’s just… ick. But probably the most frustrating thing is when Gordon’s hypercompetent coworker Detective Essen looks like she’s gonna be a great supportive friend for him but they end up having an affair because of course they do. It’s just so frustrating.

Also, on a very petty/whiney note: this needed more Catwoman!!!

But, yeah! I think this is the least bad Frank Miller story I’ve ever encountered. show less

Miller is doing what Miller does: oppressively moody noir, larger-than-life macho men, chilling speeches and one-liners, and cool but violent action sequences. Often, when dialled to his typical eleven, that can come out as campy, crude, or self-parody. But (as often at that point in his career) this is a comic where it works. The reimagining of Batman's origin as following all established canon -- the murder of his parents, the return after the world tour of training himself, the inspiration of the bats -- yet attempting to ground it and deepend it has been so hugely influential, it almost doesn't seem groundbreaking at all. With decades-later-goggles, this just seems like Batman. But that's precisely the effect of how well done this show more comic was -- it's the standard now. Even the acclaimed Nolan films are explicitly and clearly inspired by the approach made here.

The artwork is great, too. Batman looks a bit too much like he's wearing the 1960s grey bodysuit to me in some panels, but everything else is perfectly conveying the gritty, depressed tone the story is going for.

So is it perfect? Well, no. It's not even among my favourite Batman stories. It's story is too basic, with nary a twist, and the outcome a known factor before you start. Some minor points, like Gordon's affair, also always rub me the wrong way (it feels a bit too much like Miller's idea of what a tormented hero cop is like, more than what Gordon is like -- but of course, this was a reimagining, so it's likely just me unfairly backwards projecting my current feel for the character). But it's entertaining, memorable, and should in particular be praised for the genious but simple idea of telling the story from the perspectives of both Gordon and Wayne, and the way these two get juxtaposed, entwined and mirrored throughout. That is by far my favourite part of this comic, and it's maintained throughout the entire miniseries. show less

When sound was added to movies in the early 20th century, filmmakers quickly realized that they had to do more than just replace title cards with a few bits of recorded dialogue. The silent era was more impressionistic, performances were broadened to the point of being cartoonish and the vast space between title cards afforded the viewer the opportunity/challenge to fill in the details as they wished. With sound, everything became more immediate, specific and gave the filmmakers more control over their stories. Practically a whole new art form had to be developed. BATMAN: YEAR ONE was a similar seismic shift for Batman in particular but also for graphic novels in general. Coming out about the same time as the legendary WATCHMEN comic, show more both of these works brought a complexity and depth previously not experienced reading about superheroes. For the first time the streets felt like ones you might walk down yourself in a city that was less Hollywood backdrop and more misshapen urban chaos. Characters appeared to have lives beyond the scenes they appeared in and motivations that reached beyond simple good and evil. Ostensibly an origin tale, for both Batman and policeman Gordon, the characters are allowed the space to grind through their days. Change doesn’t occur with a flash, instead it is the grinding that shapes us. When life provides a flash, it merely blows away the debris and reveals the changes that have already occurred. As referenced, in a savvy move this is as much the story of Gordon as it is Batman. Wonderfully rendered and revelatory of Gordon’s motivations (not always just a good guy), allowing Gordon space gives the whole city more breadth and depth. More importantly Gordon’s story-line allows Batman to lurk in the shadows and retain some mystery. Miller works it as a sleight of hand to keep the story moving ahead even while letting the fog drift in and shroud Batman. I was left with the feeling that everything I had seen or read about Batman before YEAR ONE was merely rumor and hearsay, and everything after started from this point. show less

This is the good Frank Miller Batman story. A man on a mission is the premise of the story. This is the Batman story that you can let your friends read and they can understand why Batman is cool. This story has the drama and action that you expect from Batman. It also shows that his is not the only life affected by living in Gotham City. The art carries parts of the story that don't need words. I think of Frank Millers Daredevil work and realize that his stories with Mazzuccheli are as gripping as Year One. This is the Frank Miller that is a great writer. This is him at best when writing superhero-noir comics. I recommend this book over the Dark Knight Returns so you should give this a try for yourself.

Like my review of Dark Knight Returns, I originally read this story in the 1990s in a leatherbound collection of Frank Miller's Batman stories (until that time). I remembered not liking this story all that much back then, but upon this second reading I really enjoyed it. The art especially has a certain characteristic that I enjoy.

DC recently released a new origin of Batman that seemed a poor update of Miller's canon story. Having read a small snippet of that new story, and it doesn't hold a candle to Year One. This is THE Batman origin. Don't bother with substitutions.

Miller's dark take on the Dark Knight paired with David Mazzucchelli's understated style brings a level of realism to the character that you can see emulated by show more Christopher Nolan in his movie trilogy and current creative teams in the comic book realm. Even though DC has restarted the franchise, Miller's Year One still holds true. show less

The first DC superhero title I've read that wasn't a Vertigo title. Don't judge!

Exciting, well told, and beautifully drawn, but in my opinion merely good, not great. I suppose I'm reading it in a modern context, where many superhero narratives have this level of depth as a matter of course.

I find it interesting that Bruce Wayne actually remains a one-dimensional character throughout this story. It's (not yet Commissioner) Gordon who is our viewpoint character. I actually think it's a great choice, since I'm of the school of thought that most superheroes are basically sociopaths (or modern tricksters / culture heroes / demi-gods - same thing?) But I was certainly expecting more "humanized superhero" than this really delivered.

Made me see Batman in a new light

It’s hard to avoid liking Batman a little. I certainly did like him, but only a little. This was great. It leans heavily on eventually-commissioner Gordon to get there, but it is great. Other writers fail Batman by making him too driven, too dark, and too inhuman. Frank Miller gives the dark knight just enough frailty and self-doubt to make him real.

I am going to read more Batman.