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ExploreThe over 75-year-old Batman has always had fairly dark roots. But the nitty gritty Dark Knight we know and fear is now celebrating his 30th birthday. In February of 1986, DC Comics released Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman and comic books would never be the same again.
Believe it or not, back then, Batman was not as popular as he is today. After the Batmania of the late 1960s, interest for the Caped Crusader waned. By the early 1970s, the comic was on the verge of cancellation. Neal Adams was primarily responsible for reigniting the comics by making them more Gothic (while on television, Superfriends kept the Dark Knight kid friendly).
Enter Frank Miller. He grabbed Batman by the cowl, and along with Alan Moore’s Watchmen, ushered in the Dark Age of Comic Books. Superheroes were no long colorful characters that beat up more colorful bad characters. They were becoming the tortured souls we know and love today. Frank Miller’s Batman was a huge influence on the Chris Nolan films, and it appears to have carried into the upcoming Batman vs. Superman.
Here, in my humble opinion, are some of the ways it influenced the future of Batman:
The Dark Knight Trilogy rose out of it
Sadly, it now seems almost too common for Batman to be dark and tortured. But 30 years ago, Frank Miller smashed the image of Batman… with a tank! The story introduces us to a retired Batman who feels he has no choice but to get back in the game. He’s at the top of his game, but is now showing signs of weakness. There’s no doubting this story greatly influenced Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.
Holy sidekicks, Robin can have more depth
Miller also broke new ground by making Robin a girl for the first time. Carrie Kelley may have been imitated in the past 30 years, but have paled in comparison to this young teenager who dawned the Boy Wonder’s old costume (and is often mistaken for). But for the first time, there was lack of trust when it came to Batman’s sidekick, especially from Alfred. This theme would be continued with Jason Todd for starters. Showing that the Dynamic Duo might have some drama between them.
Opposite sides of the same coin
What would a Batman story be without The Joker. He shows up here, similarly coming out of retirement (and a catatonic state) when Batman does the same. This tale further confirms that The Joker “can’t quite” Batman, and as Heath Ledger’s Joker says, “I think you and I are destined to do this forever.”
Batman could kick Superman’s ass (if he wanted to)
The biggest storyline in The Dark Knight Returns is Superman being sent by the US government to intervene in Batman’s actions in Gotham. Thus begins a battle royale between the two of them. One we are about to see on the big screen in Batman vs. Superman. Yeah, Zack Snyder assures us this is a different story, but also admitted that some scenes were influenced by visuals from the comic.
In the 30 years that followed, there’ve been lots of comics/graphic novels that have broken new ground, but there’s no denying The Dark Knight Returns was one of the first. It’s just as relevant now as it was 30 years ago. And may be for the next 30.
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