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Batman: Year One

(Batman (1940) #404-407)

Frank Miller (Writer),

David Mazzucchelli (Illustrator)

Richmond Lewis (Colorist)

Todd Klein (Letterer)

Dennis O'Neil (Introduction)

4.22 · Rating details · 199,931 ratings · 2,688 reviews

A new edition of one of the most important and critically acclaimed Batman adventures ever, written by Frank Miller, author of The Dark Knight Returns!

In 1986, Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli produced this groundbreaking reinterpretation of the origin of Batman—who he is and how he came to be.

Written shortly after The Dark Knight Returns, Miller's dystopian fable of Ba ...more

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Paperback, Deluxe Edition Softcover, 2005, 144 pages

Published January 10th 2007 by DC Comics (first published February 1st 1987)

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· 199,931 ratings · 2,688 reviews

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Nov 27, 2019 Jayson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 100-199-pp, subject-batman-family, comic-book-trade, format-comic-book, genre-crime, genre-superhero, comics-dc-post-crisis, read-in-2019, author-american, reviews-needing-edits

(A) 85% | Extraordinary
Notes: Fluent artistically, it relays realistically a tale of two flawed, oft-beaten men, who get knocked down but get up again.

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Nov 11, 2010 J.G. Keely rated it liked it

Shelves: comics, reviewed, capes

This is one of those books that's been absorbed into the public consciousness so fully that, reading it now, it can be hard to see what was revolutionary about it. This book has come to define the way we think of Batman today and was influential on the darker, grittier cape comics of the eighties and early nineties.

But it is also instrumental in introducing what made that period of comics so ridiculous. It's been praised for its gritty realism, but like any Miller book, it's more sensationlist t This is one of those books that's been absorbed into the public consciousness so fully that, reading it now, it can be hard to see what was revolutionary about it. This book has come to define the way we think of Batman today and was influential on the darker, grittier cape comics of the eighties and early nineties.

But it is also instrumental in introducing what made that period of comics so ridiculous. It's been praised for its gritty realism, but like any Miller book, it's more sensationlist than realist: a hard-boiled patina over an idealized superhero core.

Sure, Batman screws things up a few times in this, and seems to get shot, beaten, and burned in every attempt to stop a crime, but these are primarily to push the melodrama, not to enforce realism. We'll get a classic Miller line about a bullet's 'searing-hot flash of metal numbing my leg', but then Batman gets up, runs around, kicks through a brick wall, and at one point, takes a ski vacation to rehabilitate.

The wounds aren't there to make Batman human, they're to make him totally manly and awesome. It's an eighties action movie where our hero gets shot in the shoulder just so he can wrap it up, grit his teeth, and take out some armed men with karate.

But Miller's a good writer. He has a strong voice and a compelling sense of pacing, and if this story brings realism to Batman, it's in the small human moments, particularly Gordon's story, though he scraps like a Sin City tough, too, quipping to himself "it's been years since I had to take out a Green Beret".

The way Batman takes death-defying risks every few pages isn't a sign of greater maturity or realism, it's just a switch to a different kind of ridiculous, epic melodrama. Sure, it's much more bloody and grim, but if adding blood and sex to a story was all it took to write mature, realistic stories, film critics would spend their careers analyzing slasher movies.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Frank Miller story without whores, which is where we get to his rewrite of Catwoman: she's a leather-clad prostitute with a child prostitute sidekick. She doesn't have as much character as the men, in fact Gordon's monologues run right over her scenes, denying us insight.

But even with the mandatory prostitutes and Die Hard injuries, it's a fun book, with character and story and some well-crafted dialogue. More than that, it's a vision of how to create male fantasies without catering to preteen boys. It forms a part of that influential, genre-shifting period defined by 'Wathcmen' and it stands as an integral part of the modern Batman character.

My Suggested Readings in Comics ...more

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Dec 14, 2014 Patrick rated it it was amazing

To me, Batman is kinda like Pizza. By which I mean that even bad pizza is still pretty good.

But for me, the best Batman is written by Miller. Maybe it's because I like his writing style, or maybe it's because his fairly dark writing style really suits Batman.

Or it could just be that the very first comic I read as adult was Dark Night Returns. That's the comic that made me realize that comics weren't just a bunch of silly bullshit stories for kids.

Whatever the reason, this comic is in that fin ...more

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Dec 02, 2017 Ahmed Ejaz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017, graphic-books

I would have loved it more if graphics were the work of nowadays' technology.
I am planning to read my favourite superheros' origin. And I have started with my absolute-favourite superhero, Batman. I knew about his origin before. But reading it was a good experience also.

There was also an appearance of Catwoman a.k.a Selina. She didn't appear much. There was just a brief intro of how she became Catwoman. She seemed to me an anti-batman.
Lt. Gordon was a good character. But his affair with Sar ...more

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Jul 21, 2018 Dan Schwent rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018-comics, 2018

When James Gordon joined the Gotham City Police Department, he had no idea of the cesspool of corruption it was. Fortunately, there are a few good cops left in Gotham and Gotham has a fledgling protector of its own, Batman!

I'm three decades late to the party but I'm glad I showed up. Batman: Year One has been hyped as one of the definitive Batman stories ever since it was published. Is it?

No. It's the definitive James Gordon story and it's spectacular!

Batman: Year One is told from the point of v ...more

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Jun 22, 2015 Donovan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned, all-time-classic-comics, hardcover-to-buy, highly-recommended, read-again

"Gotham City. Maybe it's all I deserve, now. Maybe it's just my time in Hell."

One of my absolute favorite Batman comics ever. It's quiet, subtle, realistic, noir. This is probably the most accessible Batman comic ever and where new readers should start, because while The Dark Knight Returns is Batman's omega, Batman Year One is his alpha.

David Mazzucchelli is sublime. He illustrates with pure balance: minimal while detailed, bright yet dark, bold yet subtle. His characters are incredibly emotive, his splash pages and large panels iconic. This wouldn't be the same, especially with Miller's illustrations, if Mazzucchelli hadn't illustrated.

This is a stylized and expanded origin story, not a retelling, as Dennis O'Neil tells us in the introduction. Jim Gordon arrives in Gotham, while twenty-five year old Bruce Wayne returns after being abroad. Harvey Dent leads a crusade, Commissioner Loeb and Detective Flass corrupt, and Selina Kyle steals as Catwoman. There's plenty to see from a wide array of characters. Interestingly, this isn't your typical Batman versus Villains book. But rather Batman and Jim Gordon versus Gotham.

Apart from Geoff Johns' Batman Earth One, this is one of the rare stories where Batman is an amateur. Initially without a disguise, rules or purpose. He gets hurt and shot. Soon realizing fear is the element he lacks and must instill in his enemies.

There's one particular scene which shows Bruce in an armchair in his study in moonlight, with a bat breaking through the window. Essentially the pivotal scene where he decides to become Batman. I've seen this in several other comics, including Snyder's and Morrison's Batman runs. So it's great to know where it comes from, assuming this scene isn't referencing some other Silver or Golden Age comic I haven't yet read.

This is legendary. It's a small book, a short story. There's no Rogue Gallery, no nuclear missiles, no huge international conspiracies. No time travel or multiverse. Just noble Batman, a hard boiled Jim Gordon, and Gotham on a rainy night. ...more

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Jun 24, 2018 Calista rated it really liked it

Shelves: award-harvey, groundbreaking, bage-young-adult, classic, 2005, genre-fantasy, genre-mystery, series, series-unfinished, comics-graphic-novel

This was good. I see a lot that Tim Burton pulled in for the '89 Batman movie. This is also strangely centered on Gordon and his life. Usually Gordon is not a focus like here. There are some interesting and different ideas about the origin story, but I guess that is from someone who is going backwards and has seen the movies after this was written.

The art is gritty, but not as dark as it gets. The story is sound and Batman has a realism here that the new DC comics have lost trying to make him s ...more

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May 28, 2009 Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: comics, graphic-novels, read-in-2009, classics, coronavirus-read, read-in-2020, i-feel-a-need-a-need-to-re-read, prime-reading

Meh. It was alright. It was sort of cool to see things from Gordon's perspective. I still would have liked to see a little more Bruce. I don't feel like I gained any new insight into his origins or his character. It wasn't awful, I was just hoping for more.

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Oct 16, 2011 Sam Quixote rated it it was amazing

You know the classics of literature - War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, Middlemarch? There are aspects to them to appreciate and patient readers can be rewarded greatly with those books. But let's be honest - most of us view classics as a bit of a chore. But what about classic comics? Kind of the same thing, but not for so many. Some classic comics, Marvel and DC especially, are tough to read because the stories from the 40s and 50s are so badly written and cheesy, and the art is hit or miss, You know the classics of literature - War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, Middlemarch? There are aspects to them to appreciate and patient readers can be rewarded greatly with those books. But let's be honest - most of us view classics as a bit of a chore. But what about classic comics? Kind of the same thing, but not for so many. Some classic comics, Marvel and DC especially, are tough to read because the stories from the 40s and 50s are so badly written and cheesy, and the art is hit or miss, though most of them possess a guileless charm to them that makes them easier to stomach. When it comes to comics, no character stands taller than Batman, and no Batman book has more of a reputation than Year One. Is it a chore to read? No. Has it aged poorly? Not even a bit. Does it deserve it's title as a true bona fide classic? (Austin Powers voice) Yeah, baby!

Year One is Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli's retelling of Batman's origin and through their retelling they set the tone and standard for all other Batman books that followed. A 25 year old Bruce Wayne returns to a nightmarish Gotham City riddled with crime at the same time as an older but still young James Gordon, recently transferred to the GCPD and entering Gotham City for the first time. Both men have a clear mission: to clean up the streets of crime and make Gotham habitable for decent, hardworking folks.

Some readers have wondered why Gordon gets as much space - maybe more - as Bruce Wayne in this book and the answer is simple: they're both two sides of the same coin. The very first Batman story opens with Bruce and Jim sitting, talking about crime, and Jim is arguably Batman's best friend. Batman's origin would tie in with Gordon's as their lives will be linked forever once they dig their heels in and bring justice to Gotham.

It's been a few years since I read Year One and I really hoped it would hold up - and it did. Whatever your feelings are about Frank Miller today (and he has unfortunately gone from genius writer to crackpot old man), his work in the 80s ranks amongst the best the comics medium has ever produced, and Year One is arguably the pinnacle of that work. He went from telling the last Batman story ever with The Dark Knight Returns to, with his next book, going back to the very beginning and telling the first Batman story ever - and both are masterpieces.

In just four issues, we see Bruce get into his first fight as an unmasked vigilante, to realising he must don a disguise, to the famous "Yes. Father. I will become a bat" scene, to his fledgling first missions to clear up corrupt police, mob bosses, and the iconic dinner party scene where he appears to Gotham's most powerful and evil to inform them they have eaten well but from now on none of them are safe. And the scene when Batman takes down the SWAT team? Brilliant. Still tense, exciting, and fantastic to read.

It's a testament to Miller's writing that he's able to take Gordon, who for many is little more than a one-note background character, and makes you care about him as much as you do Batman. Gordon becomes Gotham's first non-corrupt officer, fighting his own colleagues (literally and figuratively) to uphold the law and become better than the criminals they chase, while his wife is pregnant with James Jr. (see Batman: The Black Mirror for what happened to James Jr. when he grew up) and the stresses of the job leading to him make some bad decisions.

We also meet Selina Kyle for the first time, working as a dominatrix in Gotham's red light district, as she decides to become her own costumed character, Catwoman, after first seeing Batman. Mazzuchelli's art in this book is flawless but my one criticism of the book is Catwoman's outfit - I hate the whiskers and tail! What use are either to a cat burglar? And it just looks stupid.

Anyway, Year One is a must-read for all Batman fans - as if you didn't already know! Everyone who has even a cursory knowledge of Batman comics knows Year One is one of the first to read. And it is - but it's also one to re-read and come back to again and again because there are a LOT of Batman books, but few of such high quality as Year One. A great beginning for the Dark Knight and the man who would be Commissioner. Just don't read Year Two! ...more

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May 08, 2012 Melki rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime-fiction, graphic-novel

I've never been much of a super hero fan. And to me, Batman will always be Adam West's campy TV show of my youth. Bap! Zammm! Kapow!

BUT...there's something about beginnings that appeals to me. I like watching a guy discovering and honing his powers. I'm remembering my favorite parts of two super hero movies I was forced to sit through - Spiderman on a rooftop, trying to figure out how to get his web thingamajig to work - "Um, Shazam?" and Iron Man crashing through his grand piano. Once they've g ...more

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Oct 18, 2015 Annie rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2015, comics

I received this one as a birthday present around five months back and never got round to reading this. In fact, it has been almost a decade since I last picked up a comic book. Somewhere around moving from one place to another, sorting life after graduation, this one found itself buried and waiting. Two episodes of the new Flash down and one of the Arrow, then a few of The Walking Dead, and I hate this waiting. I prefer my comic manna to be delivered in a line, to be downed one after the other in quick intense sessions. That left me elbow deep in the still unopened boxes occupying almost half my room (procrastinator alert!) and I finally fished this one out . I took the picture below for my Instagram account months earlier.

This is a perfect introduction to the character of Batman and while I say that I realise that there probably isn’t anyone who requires an introduction to this character. But this book is full of nifty little titbits.

The story traces from the beginnings of the dark hero. As the title suggests it begins the origin of batman, the origins which fork into two different timelines. A more gritty and acidic side to the hero as foreseen by Frank Miller and then, the more famous generic doppelganger.

The comic is a character study, and weirdly as I have come to associate with Miller, not a study of our Knight himself, but rather of the Police Commissioner Gordon who is then Lieutenant Gordon. Whereas the bat inspires fear, Gordon lends a more relatable and humane taste to the story. It is weird, because it being a story of the origin of Batman, would treat him more as a garnish, but it works. Those familiar with the Tv series Gotham, could find this in the same alley. A corrupt city decaying and retching from its own stench, and an even more corrupt police force and our one man army fighting to survive against it and overcome the odds. This is Gordon. But he isn’t heroism personified. He is a deeply flawed character and as often found battling against himself as he is found avenging the city.

Contrary to the Tv, the Bat isn’t a kid here. He is grown up and is the more shadowy figure who serves the vigilante angle, a little less cocksure of himself, and sometimes stumbling on his feet. He has just returned from training and we get to see him on his first night out as a vigilante. He is not yet a bat. The inspiration is yet to strike him. And he fumbles. Here we are introduced to the hero who is yet in the making and is a long long way to being the person who will eventually face Ra’s al Ghul or even Bane.

Catwoman makes an appearance here as a prostitute, although her story is redefined in a later issue as a thief who pretends to be a prostitute in order to steal. As far as covers for crime go, I am not sure I follow this one as thoroughly.

A classic story with a very distinct goth feel. This one was reminiscent of the old superhero movies. The artwork left a lot to be desired. And I missed the emotional connection with this. There was no black hole left behind after the final page was turned. It was power packed but not packed enough. Still, it was an enjoyable read and should definitely be counted as a must read.

...more

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Aug 07, 2012 أحمد rated it really liked it

Shelves: comics

In 1986 Frank Miller has given The Dark Knight - and the whole world of graphic novels - a whole new dark dimension, with his legendary "The Dark Knight Returns". The next year he decides to give him a proper beginning. "Batman: Year One" follows the first year of the rise of Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent, the three knights of Gotham. This approach - and many other themes from this book - are adopted by Christopher Nolan's trilogy. So this is the book where Batman begins, and The Dark Knight ri ...more

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Dec 03, 2016 ✨Sumi's Books✨ rated it it was amazing

Classic looking artwork, classic Batman! It even shows an illustration of one of those old Mickey Mouse phones... you know which ones I'm talking about? The one where Mickey is holding the yellow receiver... yeah that one! 🤣🤣🤣 Year One is definitely one to have on your shelves if you're a Batman fan.

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Jun 09, 2012 Jonathan Terrington rated it really liked it

Shelves: action-challenge-2, gritty-reads, fantasy-sci-fi-challenge, science-fiction, graphic-novels, gothic

Year One is the Batman origin that everyone currently knows. It is the origin story that until Frank Miller wrote it, did not exist. And therefore, while the book may not appear ground-breaking currently; at its time of publication it was incredibly fresh. It was the gritty, revenge seeking origin story of Bruce Wayne that audiences wanted.

However, in all honesty Bruce Wayne cannot be called the protagonist in this novel. As I recently read: the protagonist is the character which shows change an ...more

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Apr 16, 2016 Mike rated it really liked it

Shelves: comics-graphic-novel, superheroes, reviewed

Ever since finishing The Caped Crusade I have had a hankering to read one of the iconic Batman stories. As many plaudits as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns has received I was more drawn to this book because it tells the story of Batman's initial forays into vigilante justice (plus I had recently seen Batman v Superman and didn't need to see them fight yet again). While this collection of comics (four to be exact) are titled Batman, this is a story just as much about Jim Gordon (the future commis Ever since finishing The Caped Crusade I have had a hankering to read one of the iconic Batman stories. As many plaudits as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns has received I was more drawn to this book because it tells the story of Batman's initial forays into vigilante justice (plus I had recently seen Batman v Superman and didn't need to see them fight yet again). While this collection of comics (four to be exact) are titled Batman, this is a story just as much about Jim Gordon (the future commissioner and Bat ally).

Instead of fighting colorful villains from his rouge's gallery Batman's target in the beginning is vice and corruption, from the junkie mugger on the street up to the very apex of political power in Gotham.

description

Gordon, meanwhile, has moved from Chicago to Gotham under a cloud of police misconduct and is looking for a new start for himself and his pregnant wife. What he finds is a police force riddled with corruption and naked brutality more than willing to use violence and intimidation to keep their own officers in line.

I find the story itself quite engaging, especially as we see matters from both Batman's and Gordon's perspective. Even better this isn't the omnipotent bad-ass Batman but a very green, very inexperienced one. He screws up, he makes mistakes, and he learns from them. He faces legitimate threats and rarely comes out unscathed. Gordon, meanwhile, must navigate a corrupt system with little to protect him than the press's adulation of his police heroics. We also get a small peek at Catwoman's origins and a young Harvey Dent.

The comic panels are all rather washed out and dark, conveying a very catastrophic and dingy feeling to the streets of Gotham City. Given the subject matter and the state of the city I thought this artistic choice was spot on. This isn't a flashy, bright, septic city of the future like Metropolis but a gritty, crumbling city of Gotham. While the atmosphere is dark the story and content were pretty straight forward, nothing like the ultra gloomy and gratuitously dark stuff we get these days.

All in all this was a very enjoyable experience. The pages just flew by while the story explored a fascinating point in a beloved character's history. This is a great starting point for someone interested in getting into Batman comics because it isn't weighed down by decades of canon and backstory. ...more

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Dec 07, 2007 Adam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics

I'm not a big fan of superhero origin stories, so I avoided reading Batman: Year One for awhile, but I'm really glad I finally picked it up and gave it a try. This four-issue series totally blew me away. It got to the heart of everything I've always loved about Batman, while giving equal time to Commissioner Gordon (still a lieutenant in Year One). Gordon has always been one of my favorite supporting characters in Batman's world, and I think he rarely gets his due, so it was nice to read a story ...more

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May 11, 2018 Sandee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: because-its-batman, graphic-novel, dc, fave-hero, ebook, books-i-love-to-death, shove-it-in-your-face-recs, superhero

i can now see why ~~people~~ a lot of people, recommend this book to people who wants to start with batman. .

this book is the bomb. i love this. well, i still love zero year. both origin stories have their own strengths and weaknesses, still brilliantly done, nonetheless.

full review might come. soon.
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PlS5

i have been planning to read this for a long time~~just wasn't able to add it on goodreads because i'm too lazy to add stuff on here~~ because i am a batman ~~beatch~~ fan.
highly recommended ...more

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Aug 16, 2017 James DeSantis rated it really liked it

This isn't the first time I read Year One. It's actually one of the only DC books I did read when I was young. However, it's been over ten years and I was like I have to re-read it to see if I still enjoy it. As you can tell with my score, it's pretty obvious.

Have you've ever seen Batman Begins? A lot of the one/feel of that movie owes to this. Even basically taking the ending right out of the pages of this book. This is really two stories, two origins, in one. It focuses on Bruce becoming Batm ...more

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Jun 14, 2018 Rusty Grey rated it really liked it

Shelves: comics-manga, 2018-read, 4-stars, i-m-batman

4.5 stars

We all know why Bruce Wayne became Batman .

Or how he became Batman .

Frank Miller's Batman Year One is the story of a naïve Batman , when he had just entered this vigilante business . This story belongs to Commissioner Gordon as much as it belongs to Batman . Just as the name suggests , it's their Year One .

Frank Miller has done a great job again . There may be a few readers who wouldn't like Miller's style . He uses too many dialogues . Or monologues . But after reading The Dark Kni ...more

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Jan 26, 2019 Dennis rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels-comics-manga, superheroes-and-villains

I’m not going to make a lot of friends now. But I thought this was surprisingly bad.

The story is that of Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham after years of training abroad and then turning himself into Batman. This Graphic Novel has been the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, I think?

At the same time Jim Gordon becomes part of the Gotham City Police Department and learns quickly that corruption is widespread amongst the ranks.

Both Wayne and Gordon start their fight against crime on G ...more

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Jun 09, 2015 Lashaan Balasingam (Bookidote) rated it it was amazing

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Arguably one of the most essential Batman story in the comic world, Batman: Year One is a must-read. Fan of the dark knight or not, this story arc collecting all four comic issues (#404 to 407 published in 1987) from the comic series Batman tells the tale of Batman’s first attempt at wearing the dark cowl and cape. In fact, this trade paperback gives the readers the chance to live Gotham City through the eyes of Bruce Wayne (almost known as the You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Arguably one of the most essential Batman story in the comic world, Batman: Year One is a must-read. Fan of the dark knight or not, this story arc collecting all four comic issues (#404 to 407 published in 1987) from the comic series Batman tells the tale of Batman’s first attempt at wearing the dark cowl and cape. In fact, this trade paperback gives the readers the chance to live Gotham City through the eyes of Bruce Wayne (almost known as the man behind vigilante Batman) and James Gordon (Gotham City’s Police Department’s detective) as they seek their first baby steps in this city of corruption and evil.

Personally, I was astonished by the artwork that got me engaged and hooked into the story line (big kudos to David Mazzucchelli’s and Richmond Lewis’s talents). With just a basic color pallet and an artwork typical of newspaper comics, this piece of art sustains greatness throughout all four issues. I’d have to say that the transitions between panels (from one scene to another) were brilliantly done on both an artistic and a storytelling level. (view spoiler)

Batman: Year One is gold. It’s mind-baffling-awesomeness does not end there. I’d have to add that the story itself is as fine as wine and only gets better every re-reads. As godlike as Batman is portrayed in our modern society, this story arc shows you just why you always want a Batman in your neighborhood. Bruce Wayne doesn’t go through this adventure as the world’s greatest detective with no flaws. He has to learn the ropes and actually fails multiple times to Gotham’s wrath. He has to climb the ladders and find a way to show everyone he isn’t a villain among the criminals that inhabit the city. He might eat a bullet and still manage to kick down a wall, but even those moments seem completely realistic to the reader’s eyes. And that’s why Frank Miller’s work is praised so much. Although Batman might seem like the center of attention, James Gordon gets just as much attention or, might I add, even more throughout the story arc. In fact, Gordon arrives in Gotham City and has to climb his way to the top just as much as Batman has to, in order to survive and help his city. As a man who respects the law and follows a path exempt of corruption, Gordon has to face his partner detective Flass as well as commissioner Loeb who both take a much more particular path when it comes to justice… a more criminal touch to things. In the end, both Bruce Wayne and James Gordon fight the evil in Gotham, meet their first failures in their attempt to help and learn from their mistakes with open arms. After all, their journey only just begun.

If there was a common beginning to every comic reader’s legacy, I’d have to say that Batman: Year One is a beautiful place to start at. This flawless masterpiece (at least to my eyes) has one of the most interesting story line, a beautiful narration, an amazing artwork and a captivating and remarkable superhero to follow till the end of time.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com ...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Vanessa rated it really liked it

Shelves: graphic-fiction-and-non, superheroes, bookrageous

Between just getting DC Universe and seeing the new Spiderman movie (SO good!), I'm in a superhero k-hole these days. And since I'm going to see Aquaman with Jen next week, I'll be here for a while.

(Hopefully Aquaman won't make me cry the way Spiderman did, because Jen has no doubt told all of our co-workers by now that she had to tell me to pull my shit together when the credits started rolling, because she's the worst like that. But YOU try to stay dry-eyed at that Stan Lee cameo....)

Ok, (sla ...more

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Jan 10, 2016 Justin rated it really liked it

First crack at a DC comic and this was definitely a great place to start. The artwork and color were amazing! I enjoyed just flipping through the pages and admiring the deep colors popping out of the dark backgrounds. I'm not even an art guy so I should probably stop trying to describe the artistic awesomeness of this book.

Oh, and there was a story, too. A very dark, depressing story that felt like The Dark Knight trilogy, which definitely took plenty of inspiration from these pages. The story ...more

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Dec 19, 2016 Richard rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery-thriller, batman, comix-graphic-dc-heroes, urban-gothic

I've got good news and disappointing news. The disappointing news is that this "origin" story is less of a full Batman origin tale and more of a young James Gordon story. But the great news is that it's the best damn Gordon story anyone could ever ask for as he tries to navigate the crime-ridden gutters of his new home, Gotham City.

photo 59A494C5-3A56-4C0C-A049-70E7406D5699.jpeg

...more

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Jul 08, 2013 Stuart rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, superheroes-villains, graphic-novels, crime-noir

Batman: Year One: Batman and Jim Gordon's early days in a detective noir thriller
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature
Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986) completely reinvented Batman as angry and bitter older man coming out of retirement to stem a rising tide of crime in Gotham City alongside Police Commissioner Jim Gordon. This was a dark vision of a complex and troubled soul driven to fight crime to avenge his parent’s senseless death, and it resonated with a new generation Batman: Year One: Batman and Jim Gordon's early days in a detective noir thriller
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature
Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986) completely reinvented Batman as angry and bitter older man coming out of retirement to stem a rising tide of crime in Gotham City alongside Police Commissioner Jim Gordon. This was a dark vision of a complex and troubled soul driven to fight crime to avenge his parent’s senseless death, and it resonated with a new generation of readers and gained comics greater credibility among mainstream readers. Just one year later Miller produced a four-part story arc called Batman: Year One (1987). Though not as iconic as The Dark Knight Returns, this story of Batman and Jim Gordon’s early days is regarded by many as one of the best Batman stories ever told.

Origin stories are very popular in the comics world, and this is one is a finely-nuanced character study of two complex individuals. We all know that Batman’s parents were gunned down by a mugger outside a movie theater when he was a small boy. This traumatic event, along with an underground cave filled with bats and his lonely upbringing in his parents’ palatial and brooding Wayne Manor, led him to become the caped crusader who hunts down criminals in the dead of night. But what did Bruce Wayne do for the 18 years after being orphaned? Would you believe he lived in Europe, learning every form of fighting batman year one 1imaginable, in order to someday avenge his parents’ murders? And that his first fumbling attempts to fight criminals would almost get him killed, again and again, before he settled on a costume to hide his identity and strike fear into his enemies’ hearts. In his early days, Batman gets beat up, stabbed, etc. in the process of trying to help others who don’t realize his intentions. Who would have thought doing good could be so punishing?

Batman: Year One really surprised me with how realistic, gritty, and crime noir the storyline was. It’s not well known that Batman was originally a detective, not a superhero. It’s always been a given that Gotham City is a crime-ridden version of New York, filled with hoodlums and thugs in every alley and dark corner. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the level of blatant corruption in the Gotham City police department, which Lieutenant James Gordon encounters on his first day in the force. His partner is a thug named Flass, with Green Beret training, who casually beats up street teens and laughs it off on their first day together. Gordon is then introduced to police commissioner Gillian Loeb, a loathsome and corrupt man who reminds Gordon that loyalty and teamwork (read: don’t rock the boat) are the keys to success on the force. Gordon quickly discovers that most of the cops on the force are on the take, involved in drug trades, shakedowns, kickbacks, and every other form of graft imaginable. This all goes on under the direction of Loeb, and no cop is stupid enough to fight this, except the stubborn Gordon. As a result, he is repeatedly subjected to attacks and beatings by other cops. I’m guessing this aspect of Gotham was not explored in the earlier Batman comics, though I could be wrong. Gordon has heard about the Batman, a strange vigilante preying on small-time criminals between midnight and 4am. The Batman is disrupting the established routine of the crooked cops, so Loeb demands that Gordon take him down. However, as Gordon learns more about Batman’s acts of heroism, he begins to wonder whether Batman really is a menace to society or not.

Meanwhile, Batman antagonizes commissioner Loeb past the breaking point, so he sends out a ruthless SWAT team armed with M-16s to hunt down Batman in an abandoned warehouse. Gordon is outside, helpless to prevent orders to kill Batman on sight. This is an extended action sequence that is incredibly cinematic and reminded me of Die Hard, the lone hero fighting against hordes of rivals, except in this case these are cops and Batman doesn’t want to hurt them if possible. But they show no such mercy, dropping explosives on the building. By some miracle, Batman manages to escape despite being shot and hurt, with a burning building collapsing about him.

Miller does an excellent job of depicting a police force thoroughly corrupt at every level. I felt like I was watching Al Pacino’s Serpico, Kevin Costner’s Untouchables, or James Ellroy’s L.A. Confidential. And Gordon’s character stands out for his noble refusal to go along with things despite the backlash. However, things are pushed to a breaking point when Loeb has Gordon’s wife and young child kidnapped by goons. Gordon goes into kick-ass mode, fighting back in a white-hot fury. When he tracks down the kidnappers, it is Batman that provides critical assistance at a key moment. So although Gordon does not know Batman’s true identity, he also understands there are good intentions there. It’s clear that they will forge a strange alliance against all the criminals in Gotham City, both inside the police force and on the streets.

The recent GOTHAM TV series has really fueled my interest in Batman’s origins. It explores the early years of Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent, as well as many of Batman’s most infamous enemies. It’s hard to imagine a series 20 years ago centering on so many villains, depicting them as often good-intentioned people who went astray due to bad circumstances. We get a glimpse of the early Penguin, Joker, Riddler, Two-Face, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Falcone, Maroni, Loeb, etc. It’s a fresh angle to the BATMAN story, and one worthy of its own review. ...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Jedi JC Daquis rated it it was amazing

This is indeed the definitive origin of the Dark Knight. No wonder this is among the top three (with The Dark knight Returns and The Killing Joke), if not the best Batman story to date. You do not call yourself a Batman fan or reader if you haven't read Batman: Year One.

What makes Year One great is the fact that there is no single villain Batman is dealing with in Frank Miller's masterpiece. He has just donned the mantle of the Bat so we can give him a break. There's just a couple of mobs, goons ...more

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Feb 19, 2016 Sr3yas rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics

Batman year one (1987)
Modern Batman #1

Year One is an absolute masterpiece and an achievement in story telling! Its not only one of the best Batman stories, but also my favorite origin story of any superhero!

The foremost reason for this opinion is because of the way Frank Miller weaved the story together. Frank Miller not only builds the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman, but also lays foundation to a deeply corrupted underbelly of Gotham city, introduces Cat woman and gives the origin story Jim G ...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Ronyell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dc-comics, graphic-novels-comics, my-blog-reviews, sexy-bad-boy-hero, frank-miller, modern-age-comics, strong-hero, strong-heroine

Brief History:

To be honest, I have actually first heard about Batman through the 90s cartoon series “Batman: The Animated Series,” which apparently, I have actually had my first exposure to the world of comics through so many animated series throughout the 90s. Since I have been reading a lot of comics lately, especially the “X-Men” comics, I wanted to try a different comic book series and that is where I started reading up on “Batman.” So, the first “Batman” comic I have actually came upo ...more

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Aug 14, 2016 Fabian {Councillor} rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-one-sitting, comics, reviewed, year-1987

I feel like I'm a horrible person to give a Batman comic such a negative rating, and I urge everyone who happens to read my review not to trust my opinion. You'll probably love it; the artwork is okay and the plot well-developed and fast-paced. I have never been much of a Batman fan; neither have I ever understood the hype surrounding this figure, so I finally wanted to give one of the Batman comics a chance by reading Frank Miller's recounting of Batman's early crime fighting career. I didn't e ...more

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May 11, 2016 Michelle Morrell rated it liked it

Shelves: x-read-2016, graphic-novels-trades

Batman: Year One follows Jim Gordon as he arrives in Gotham City and makes his way through a police presence rife with corruption. At the same time, a vigilante appears, known as The Batman. Together, yet apart, they aim to purge Gotham of the worst of the scum.

Pretty darn old school, it was a nice look into the beginnings of the friendship between the two.

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Goodreads Librari...: please add page #	2	11	Feb 26, 2020 09:27AM
Goodreads Librari...: pleasadd page #	2	12	Feb 20, 2020 06:28PM
Batman year one is good	3	23	Oct 21, 2018 08:55AM
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Goodreads Librari...: Wrong publication date for Batman: Year One	2	15	Nov 23, 2015 01:41AM
Batman's 75th Anniversary	5	71	Mar 05, 2014 08:10AM

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About Frank Miller

Frank Miller

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Frank Miller is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. He is one of the most widely-recognized and popular creators in comics, and is one of the most influential comics creators of his generation. His most notable works include Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One and 300.

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Quotes from Batman: Year One

“Ladies. Gentlemen. You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. From this moment on...none of you are safe.” — 90 likes

“You can never escape me. Bullets don't harm me. Nothing harms me. But I know pain. I KNOW pain. Sometimes I share it. With someone like you.” — 62 likes

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