Batman: Year One
Batman is no doubt one of DC’s most popular heroes. He is considered a part of DC’s trinity, alongside Superman and Wonder Woman. Batman was also one of the few superheroes to keep getting published after superheroes lost popularity after the Second World War.
What many people today do not realize is that the Batman that is so popular today is depicted very different from the Batman of the 1970s and early 1980s.
Part of the recreation of Batman took place in the story Batman: Year One, which originally appeared in Batman 404-407 and was written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli.
While this story is about Batman’s first year, in many ways it is about Jim Gordon (not yet a commissioner) and his first year in Gotham. We actually get more into Gordon’s head than we do into Bruce Wayne.
One of the things I like about this story is that it has the beginnings of the dark nature of Batman but in his earliest outings, his competency is not quite where his drive is. There is room to grow for this Dark Knight.
I also liked David Mazzucchelli’s art. Not everyone appreciated it but the simplicity of it really fits the story. I feel that his style fits the tone of the story more than hyper-realistic art, such as with George Perez.
The first three issues are fantastic but I was disappointed in the final issue. The story was building toward something amazing and the conclusion we get is just okay. But this does not take away from the overall excellence of the story.
Batman: Year One went on to influence the future portrayal of Batman, one that we still see today. Some of it is also inspiration for the movie Batman Begins.
If you are a Batman fan, you need to read this story. It has been collected as a trade paperback and you find it through this Amazon affiliate link.
