Batman: Year One
by David Mazzucchelli, Frank Miller
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Book Reviews of Batman: Year One
Book Review: Another Masterpiece by Frank Miller!
Summary: 5 Stars
Frank Miller has written some great Batman comic books
and graphic novels (such as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns)
and this one as well which is one of the best Batman
comic books ever written and the artwork and coloring
is great though a bit dark and grey at times.
A quote from Batman: Year One wiki explains some
of the storyline best:
"The story recounts the beginning of Bruce Wayne's career as Batman and Jim Gordon's with the Gotham City Police Department. Bruce Wayne returns home from training abroad in martial arts, manhunting, and science for the past 12 years, and James Gordon moves to Gotham with his wife, Barbara, after a transfer from Chicago. Both are swiftly acquainted with the corruption and violence of Gotham City, with Gordon witnessing his partner Detective Flass assaulting a teen for fun."
The wikipedia article also sums it up best:
[...]
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is the title of an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein. It originally appeared in issues #404 to #407 of DC Comics' Batman comic title in 1987.
There have been several reprints of the story: a hardcover, multiple trade paperback editions (one in standard comics paper with simpler coloring and one deluxe version with rich detailing in the colors -- both colored by Richmond Lewis) and it has been included in The Complete Frank Miller Batman hardcover."
While the graphic novel is great it does feel
a bit over hyped at times by some people.
It is similar but not the same as the movie
The Dark Knight (2008) starring Christian Bale
and the late Heath Ledger.
The story sees Bruce Wayne aka Batman first starting
out as a crime fighter in Gotham City and learning
the ways of being a crime fighter.
The story also focuses on then Lt. Jim Gordan
before he became Commissioner and a few other
key characters such as Gordons wife, the Mafia
and even Selina Kyle aka Catwoman who gets some
cool scenes and a storyline in this book.
The plot and story are interesting, the dialogue
is well written and there are lot's of tense
and exciting moments that are action packed
such as when Batman is trapped in a building
and has to confront and escape a SWAT team
that is out to get him dead or alive.
Batman also confronts Gotham City's Mafia
while Lt. Jim Gordan confronts Gotham's corrupt
cops and police force. Gordon cheats on his wife
and has an affair while his wife is pregnant.
Another quote from Batman: Year One wiki
explains it best:
"After Batman interrupts a dinner party attended by many of Gotham's corrupt politicians and crime bosses, including Carmine Falcone, Loeb orders Gordon to bring him in by any means necessary."
The characters personal lives are brought to
our attention and are well written.
Frank Miller did a superb job writing
this book.
The afterwords by David Mazzucchelli are a good
bonus in the graphic novel with lot's of additional
bonus artwork and some story's. He also did a great
job illustrating it and with the cover art as well.
Richmond Lewis did a good job with coloring and
Todd Klein with the lettering.
Denny O' Neil gives a good foreward in the book
as well.
All in all another great Batman comic book series
and graphic novel which I highly recommend.
A must have for every Batman fan.
4/5 stars I give it [...]
Book Review: Too hyped up
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this book for two reasons. Firstly, it's because I've always been a big Batman fan. Secondly, I was greatly influenced by a lot of the reviews out there, in particular, IGN's `25 greatest Batman graphic novels' list, which I think could do with a serious reshuffling.
The storyline of Batman: Year One, I felt, was pretty mediocre. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.
For those who don't already know, Batman: Year One tells of the challenges that face Jim Gordon as he climbs up the ranks of the crooked Gotham City Police Department; and Bruce Wayne as he returns from years of training and takes up the role of a vigilante to clean up the streets, and how their lives become intertwined with each other's.
The storyline takes place throughout the course of one year (hence the title). Though I'll admit that it had its good moments, the storyline felt disjointed and confusing in most parts.
The biggest letdown, I felt, was the artwork, and this just ruined the whole book for me. Not sure if it was intentional, but the graphics seemed very amateurish and sloppy.
For instance, from start to end, I couldn't tell if Catwoman was black or white (in terms of ethnicity). She looked brown / tan for most parts. Her hair was short but I couldn't tell if it was afro or just plain short.
Sure, it doesn't matter what her ethnicity is, but the fact that you can't tell from just looking at her shows that the artwork has issues. The same problem applied to other characters as well.
In my humble opinion, I feel that this book has been seriously overrated, and did not deserve the No. 1 spot on IGN's list. To me, it's the artwork that really makes a graphic novel (hence the term GRAPHIC novel), even if the storyline's crap.
Still, many have high regard for this book and if you're a big Batman fan, than get it for your own personal collection. If you're just into comics and want to know what the buzz is about, rent it or borrow it from a friend first.
Sure, this book's a classic, but there are a lot of other Batman graphic novels that are classier, in my opinion.
Book Review: First Foray Into the DC Universe
Summary: 4 Stars
Other than The Sandman, I had never read any comic that took place in the DC Universe. I was completely turned off by the campiness of Superman and Wonder Woman, and found the Marvel heroes quite a bit more interesting. However, after many disappointing Marvel reads, I decided it was time for something new. And that was Batman. The Dark Knight seemed like a natural fit for me. He's far less campy than the other DC characters, and he's a tortured and dark hero, like all the best of 'em. So I bought this because where better to start than "Year One"?
Frank Miller, the writer of this gem, has an enthusiasm for the story of Batman's origin that shines through the pages. He takes the time to flesh out the situation, slowly letting all the plot lines come to a boil. The increasing corruptness of Gotham and the crusades that two men--Batman and James Gordon--wage to clean up a city that seems beyond repair. As both of them throw their cards in, they become at odds with each other, making for some nice parallels between the two story lines.
Miller is a great storyteller, not only because his work is very readable, but also because he knows when to let the artist tell the story. And it happens often here. Unlike other old comics that are rife with expository narrative, Miller keeps to the basics. David Mazzucchelli skillfully pencils this miniseries, hitting all the right action and dramatic beats. Along with Richmond Lewis (who re-colorized the original inkwork for this edition), Mazzucchelli crafts a dark and brooding Batman that fits with Miller's story beautifully.
This is one of the most thoroughly well done trade paperbacks I've come across. There is a great introduction, recolored art, two afterwords (one by Mazzucchelli with accompanying art and another by Miller himself) as well as sample scripts, original pencils, and even initial sketches. For a Batman fan or ever someone new to the DC verse like myself, this is certainly something worth buying. I know I'll be checking out the rest of the Batman series.
8/10
Book Review: Made to be read Over and Over again... and than some!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've never been a big fan of DC comic books, I've always preferred Marvel Comics to DC. And I'm not even that big of a Marvel fan, I just like Spider-Man, and trust me I've got a helluva lot of Spider-Man so don't worry I'm no newbie to the world of comics. But if there is ONE DC character I really really like it's Batman. The Nolan Batman films have always been better than the Raimi Spider-Man films (well not really better there good in different ways, Nolan's films are really good serious movies and the Raimi are really good fun movies). So I was surfing the web one day and found a top ten list of Batman novels, this was number one. This was three years ago, I may be just a little bit late with this review. Now three years later I have amassed a large collection of Batman backissues (and current issues as I am currently enjoying Tony Daniels, as of this writing, current run on the Batman series) and graphic novels, and I can honestly say that Batman Year One my first Batman comic is still my very favorite.
This story captures the realism and grit of Gordon, and Batman, and Gotham. It's probably one of the most realistic Batman stories and cements Batman's place in the real world. The storytelling is skilled and it is probably Frank Miller's greatest work (it's definetly better than his modern stuff... DEFINETLY) and the narration switching between Gordon and Bruce feels like things these character's would say if they were real, and I just get an immense ammount of joy that Bruce's narration is written in script. But my favorite part of this stor is that it doesn't treat the reader's like there morons it doesn't explain everything becsause it knows that the mature readers reading the book will understand, my favorite example of this is when after being interviewed by Gordon Harvey Dent turns to behind his desk and tells Batman that it's safe to come out. The narration doesn't say "DENT IS WORKING WITH BATMAN, DURPA DURPA!" but you know that they are.
In short all I can say is... buy this book!
Book Review: Watch Batman Begins instead
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought the comic because I read a lot of reviews about how good this comic was. Well, now I can say I disagree. It's not a masterpiece at all. Perhaps I'm trying to compare it with the great film Batman Begins, or just with the antiheroe masterpiece Watchmen. But it's not only this.
There is no real story with progression, which is what I expect of a limited comic. Gordon and Bruce Wayne come to the city and start to push criminals. Gordon's story is good, but Batman's isn't. It's funny and realistic to see Batman in his origins, as a rockie, avoiding the Police, being wounded... But then what? The film showed us how he started to train, to improve his suit and then the story goes on. There are main enemies and Batman wins over them. Here it's not that way. Batman just didn't confront any main enemy and send him to jail. He only appears to save Gordon's child and everything is over. You turn the page and there is no more. "What? Isn't Batman going to rock any bad guy?" "No, he isn't. It's over."
Even though, the art is good. Gordon story is also fine. But there is no argumental line to folow. The problem presented at first (criminal mobs) is not resolved. I know Batman can't triumph over all the criminals forever and not in a single comic. But the least I hope it's seeing his origins, and a criminal boss as a key enemy, who is presented and defeted at the end of the story. Even if he returns in the future. But I want to see progresion.
And yes, it's funny to see a rockie and a Dark Batman. But not THAT funy. I still want one story to follow over the pages. Please, watch the film if you want to see Dark Knight origins and Watchmen if you want to know the darkest aspects of heroes.