Batman: Year One
by David Mazzucchelli, Frank Miller
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Book Summary Information
Author: David Mazzucchelli, Frank MillerBrand: DC Comics
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-01-10
ISBN: 1401207529
Number of pages: 144
Publisher: DC Comics
Book Reviews of Batman: Year One
Book Review: A great start for a great hero.
Summary: 4 Stars
Batman:Year One is a story, which, as the title suggests details the first year of action for Batman and the inspiration for many of his methods, and, also, his mentallity, but it doesn't just foccus on a single character; a noticable part of the book is centered on James Gordon, the police comissioner we all know and love, and how he came to be where he is, and how his alliance with Batman was forged.
Of both characters I found myself rooting the most for the comissioner, who Frank Miller managed to make into a compelling, interesting, multilayered and, most importantly, flaved and humane character, and his segments in the comic, atleast I personally, found to be the most interesting(to say the thruth, this comic actually made Gordon my favourite character of the Batman mythos, yes, that's right, I prefer him to Batman).
Not to say that the Batman sections in the novel were bad or uninteresting, but his story is one most Batman fans(excluding some of the more specific details upon which this comic expands) by now pretty much know by heart, so it was James Gordons part of the story, that, atleast for me, had the most impact and had the most interesting setpieces, which I refuse to spoil here. What I can say is that, you'll witness some truly memorable moments, the transformation and evolution of both protagonists before your eyes and some new information regarding both characters, that will shed them in a much different light.
The story itself is structured over the time spane of a single year and shows how Batman was inspired to create his costume, how Catwoman(who also is an important part of the story) choose to lead a life of vigilantism and first met(perhaps not strictly in perosn)Batman, and just quite how deep did the corruption run in Gotham city. Frank Millers writing is as good as always, ussualy portrait in the inner monologs of many characters, that create a new and interesting angle into the characters mentallity. The story is riddled with many intense set-pieces, that, worry not, I will not spoil in this review, as much of their impact relies on surprise(also worth of mentione is the dark and brooding atmosphere which envelops much of the story and greatly helps the immersion).
I will say, however, that it is refreshing to see Batman actually be in mortal danger for once in a story and not just steam-roll his way through the opposition, relying on the "prepared for anything" gimmic, that he has been relying on so much in many modern comics(I know "being prepared" is part of Batmans character, but it destroys much of a tension a story can have, if you know that Batman just happened to be prepared for the exact type of trap The Riddler had for him, six years ago).
My only criticism of the story comes from the fact that, do to the stories structure which spans an entire year, it can often be the case, when entire months are given just one or two pannels of exposition , and the story often insists on jumping from character to character a bit too often, which can make the story feel a bit disjointed. For these flaws I deduct the comic a star.
Sppeaking of the art, I have heard many people calling it too simplistic, uninteresting or just plain simply bad, but I beg to differ with these oppinions - yes the art isn't overtly detailed, and the coloring may seem very simplistic and perhaps even primitive, but I think it does the story a favour, in the sense that it portrays a more simple time in Gothams history were there weren't no supervillains and hardly any superheroes or vigilantes. The colloring also helps enchance the depresing mood of the city, that suits the story well.
I also didn't particullary mind the simplicty of the art, to say the truth I even prefered it to many modern, overly detailed comic art, which may seem great individualy, but as a part of a coherent whole, they often can ruin the pacing of the story.
That wasn't the case in Batman:Year one, the art had a great pacing(despite the loose nature of the story) and was always portrayed from a great angle, and, most importantly it always had a great impact and punch to it, be it scenes of action or drama, the art seemed always able to portray the required emotion and power of them.
As far as the purchase recommandation goes, the question stands: should you buy this comic? In short - yes!
It doesn't matter if your a long time Batman fan or new to the whole mythos, or, perhaps, the whole comics genre; Batman:Year One is as good of a place to start as any. In fact Batman:Year One is one my highest recommandations as a starting point for comics(alongside Watchmen, The Joker and Kick-Ass), for people who are new to the genre:it contains great art, inteligent story, humane characters and great writing(and that is discounting all the bonus materials, such as scetches and parts of the script), and I believe almost anyone could find something worth of interest inside this great story!
Summary of Batman: Year One
A new deluxe trade paperback edition of one of the most important and critically acclaimed Batman adventures ever, written by Frank Miller, author of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS!In addition to telling the entire dramatic story of Batman's first year fighting crime, this collection includes reproductions of original pencils, promotional art, script pages, unseen David Mazzucchelli Batman art and more.
Whether you grew up reading Batman comics, watched the campy television show, or eagerly await each new movie, this is the book for you. A retelling of the events that led to Bruce Wayne's becoming Batman, this book combines Frank Miller's tight film-noir writing with David Mazucchelli's solid artwork.
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