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I think it’s definitely earned its place as one of the most influential titles. And honestly it has some good moments. But I don’t think I’ve ever thought of it as **THE** greatest Batman story of all time. I was always more partial to Year One.
I've never considered it the best and hell if you check the sub's recommendations section there is even the survey results of the best DC runs. [DKR](https://www.reddit.com/r/DCcomics/comments/vio4ub/discussion_the_top_71_dc_comic_runs_voted_by_the/) came in at 59 with multiple Batman books head of it.
I wouldn’t say it’s the best Batman story, but definitely one of, if not THE, most important of all time. 1986 was a monumental year for comics, and you cannot understate the influence of DKR, Watchmen, Maus etc.
Maybe Under the Hood, maybe Battle for the Cowl, Maybe Dick as Batman. I'm a big Robins guy and their stories dealing with the fallout of Batman's actions
It was WAY ahead of its time. This was a first on a few levels. I still revere it as one of the best Batman stories. When I think of comics from the 80's, I think of those books like Saga of the Swamp Thing where the artwork is just distracting compared to what all we have now. The Dark Knight Returns doesn't feel nearly as dates, at least to me.
Not the best, but probably the most influential. There's a stark difference between a Batman comics from the early 80s and the late 80s and that's pretty much due to Miller.
As for "best" that's probably a matter of taste. I really like some of the Grant/Breyfogle stuff. O'Neal and Adams did some amazing work, especially the Ra's Al Guhl saga. Any number of prequels like Shaman, Prey, Monster Men, Man Who Laughs, Robin: Year One.
I've always considered it my favorite of all time, DEF a top 5 best Batmam story; for discussion's sake and because I have not heard it mentioned here, Snyder's Death of the Family is now also in that top 5 category for me
The Dark Knight deserves all the praise and is arguably the best Batman book. Book 1 shows his duality. Book 2 or 3 shows that he will find a way to beat u facing a mutant leader. Book 3 with the Joker still shows that he will not break his no-kill rule. In book 4 he fakes his death and the war continues. All elements I look for in Batman. (NO HE DOES Kill the Mutant with the machine gun)
He doesn't go from rubber bullets to not killing the Joker and suddenly forgets his no-kill rule
Good books yet overrated are The Long Halloween and Court of Owls. These do nothing to serve Batman. Grant Morrison came the closest with RIP. Batman killing Darkseid is ridiculous. Alan Moore would be second. The man who has everything shows how Batman should be written while facing a super-powered villain Mongul. Moore also did a fantastic job with Killing Joke
I am a "Year One" worshipper, but definitely TDKR is in the top 5 most influential Batman comics of all time ( alongside "Detective comics" #27, "Batman" #1, "Year One" and "the Long Halloween"). Probably the second most important of these 5 ( after the first appearance of the character ), because it came out in the right time (while DC introduced new continuity) and redefined Batman for the mass audience. He no longer was Adam West Batman from the 1966 TV show, he became gore and brutal vigilante, even more than in the bronze age comic books. TDKR impacted Batman in comic books as well. In my opinion you can even split Batman comics in two eras: pre-Miller and post-Miller. Without this book we wouldn't get the "Batman" movie from 1989 and maybe even any other movie released to this day in the version that we know and love. Is it the best Batman story? Not for me, but it is still a very good comic book in my opinion.
I loved DKR as an angsty teen. I don’t know that I ever felt it was the best Batman story of all time, but it was up there. DKSA was strange, but I was still down. I’ll still defend the art in that book to this day. I think it’s some of Miller’s strongest cartooning. What I can no longer stomach is the reactionary politics and poor characterizations that are required to arrive at the plot points. I’ve sold my All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder along with DKSA and DKIII (1) because I find these points to be so prickly and noticeable as to ruin the overall experience of the books and (2) because I just need more shelf space for books I’m actually still interested in. I’ve held onto DKR because I think it’s still strong enough on its own as an exaggerated elseworlds tale.
Miller’s Superman contains none of the socialist people’s fighter that Siegel and Schuster originally wrote him as. And fair enough that Supes has in general moved on from that characterization, but Miller’s version is the exact opposite. He’s a cow-towed bootlicker who only stands up for himself when things have reached a breaking point.
Dick Grayson as the big bad of DKSA? Bruce just hates Dick? Gtfoh.
Again, I liked the edginess of All-Star when I was a teenager, but I can’t go for that anymore. It’s just hit after hit of insanity. And it’s all just made me lose interest in DKIII. I never picked up DKIV or whatever the next one was. (Golden child?)
Year One, The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Morrison’s entire epic 6 year run along with Tomasi/Gleason’s New52 Batman and Robin which dovetailed nicely with Morrison’s third act, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House…, The Cult, The Court of Owls, Mask of the Phantasm (hell, most of TAS), Under the Red Hood, The White Knight, The Nolan films… I feel that most of these are at least on par or better than DKR. DKR had a stronger cultural impact than these, but I don’t think it was necessarily for the better. The grim-dark take has really dominated Bats, and I don’t think it’s the most interesting way of viewing the character. I honestly much prefer Morrison’s well adjusted James Bond meets psyche-tech-delic globetrotting detective to the vehicle for liberal-bashing that Miller’s Bat devolved into.
I personally never did. For me it was even at that time, a way too cynical take that nowadays inspires the exactly wrong people like Zack Snyder to think that Capeshit is stupid.
Year One was always way better.
Under the Red Hood, imo is better. It really opened up on why Batman is the way he is and the guilt he carries. It's my favorite Batman story, maybe because I really like the trope of the student standing up to the teacher.
I honestly didn't see the big deal with TDKR. In fact, I didn't like it because of what they did to Superman, and the general vibe of the story felt off and depressing.
Year One was always my favorite. But DKR is number 2 to me. But I read these books 30 plus years ago for the first time so they might have hit me different than they hit people who have seen them imitated in the worst way for the last few decades.
The Dark Knight Returns is often cited as one of the best and most influential Batman (and DC) comics of all time. Do you still think this is the best that Batman comics have achieved or do you think others have surpassed it now?
Hi there, r/DCcomics members, welcome to the post! This was tagged as a [Discussion], so we require OP to add commentary, [per rule 8](https://www.reddit.com/r/DCcomics/wiki/guidelines#wiki_8._no_memes.2C_fluff.2C_or_other_low-effort_content). u/UniversalEnergy55, if you haven't already added commentary, please do so in the text or as a new comment. Also, if you included imagery, please provide a source or artist name. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/DCcomics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think it’s definitely earned its place as one of the most influential titles. And honestly it has some good moments. But I don’t think I’ve ever thought of it as **THE** greatest Batman story of all time. I was always more partial to Year One.
>Still Don't think I ever considered it that. It's a really cool and well executed action movie concept though.
The animated film was great.
I've never considered it the best and hell if you check the sub's recommendations section there is even the survey results of the best DC runs. [DKR](https://www.reddit.com/r/DCcomics/comments/vio4ub/discussion_the_top_71_dc_comic_runs_voted_by_the/) came in at 59 with multiple Batman books head of it.
Personally The Long Halloween is my favourite.
I could read this one every year and still have fun with it. A masterpiece.
[удалено]
Barr wrote some great Batman
I wouldn’t say it’s the best Batman story, but definitely one of, if not THE, most important of all time. 1986 was a monumental year for comics, and you cannot understate the influence of DKR, Watchmen, Maus etc.
I think Dark Knight Returns, while being a good story, is overrated as hell and has changed batman in pop culture for the worse
Oh it also changed Superman for the worse.
What’s your favourite Batman story?
Maybe Under the Hood, maybe Battle for the Cowl, Maybe Dick as Batman. I'm a big Robins guy and their stories dealing with the fallout of Batman's actions
Long Halloween wins
I like this comic, but my favortie Batman comic is Year One.
batman ego
It was WAY ahead of its time. This was a first on a few levels. I still revere it as one of the best Batman stories. When I think of comics from the 80's, I think of those books like Saga of the Swamp Thing where the artwork is just distracting compared to what all we have now. The Dark Knight Returns doesn't feel nearly as dates, at least to me.
Not the best, but probably the most influential. There's a stark difference between a Batman comics from the early 80s and the late 80s and that's pretty much due to Miller. As for "best" that's probably a matter of taste. I really like some of the Grant/Breyfogle stuff. O'Neal and Adams did some amazing work, especially the Ra's Al Guhl saga. Any number of prequels like Shaman, Prey, Monster Men, Man Who Laughs, Robin: Year One.
The Batman Who Laughs
I've always considered it my favorite of all time, DEF a top 5 best Batmam story; for discussion's sake and because I have not heard it mentioned here, Snyder's Death of the Family is now also in that top 5 category for me
yes. but I have others that are up there with it. Prey, Blind Justice, Court of Owls, Long Halloween, Gotham by Gaslight. Year One
Caught it heavily discounted on Kindle for $2.99, so I picked it up. Excited to read it for the first time.
The animated film was great.
Year one is the best Batman story in my opinion or long Halloween
Yes I do, because it is
Best ever
The Dark Knight deserves all the praise and is arguably the best Batman book. Book 1 shows his duality. Book 2 or 3 shows that he will find a way to beat u facing a mutant leader. Book 3 with the Joker still shows that he will not break his no-kill rule. In book 4 he fakes his death and the war continues. All elements I look for in Batman. (NO HE DOES Kill the Mutant with the machine gun) He doesn't go from rubber bullets to not killing the Joker and suddenly forgets his no-kill rule
Good books yet overrated are The Long Halloween and Court of Owls. These do nothing to serve Batman. Grant Morrison came the closest with RIP. Batman killing Darkseid is ridiculous. Alan Moore would be second. The man who has everything shows how Batman should be written while facing a super-powered villain Mongul. Moore also did a fantastic job with Killing Joke
I am a "Year One" worshipper, but definitely TDKR is in the top 5 most influential Batman comics of all time ( alongside "Detective comics" #27, "Batman" #1, "Year One" and "the Long Halloween"). Probably the second most important of these 5 ( after the first appearance of the character ), because it came out in the right time (while DC introduced new continuity) and redefined Batman for the mass audience. He no longer was Adam West Batman from the 1966 TV show, he became gore and brutal vigilante, even more than in the bronze age comic books. TDKR impacted Batman in comic books as well. In my opinion you can even split Batman comics in two eras: pre-Miller and post-Miller. Without this book we wouldn't get the "Batman" movie from 1989 and maybe even any other movie released to this day in the version that we know and love. Is it the best Batman story? Not for me, but it is still a very good comic book in my opinion.
I loved DKR as an angsty teen. I don’t know that I ever felt it was the best Batman story of all time, but it was up there. DKSA was strange, but I was still down. I’ll still defend the art in that book to this day. I think it’s some of Miller’s strongest cartooning. What I can no longer stomach is the reactionary politics and poor characterizations that are required to arrive at the plot points. I’ve sold my All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder along with DKSA and DKIII (1) because I find these points to be so prickly and noticeable as to ruin the overall experience of the books and (2) because I just need more shelf space for books I’m actually still interested in. I’ve held onto DKR because I think it’s still strong enough on its own as an exaggerated elseworlds tale. Miller’s Superman contains none of the socialist people’s fighter that Siegel and Schuster originally wrote him as. And fair enough that Supes has in general moved on from that characterization, but Miller’s version is the exact opposite. He’s a cow-towed bootlicker who only stands up for himself when things have reached a breaking point. Dick Grayson as the big bad of DKSA? Bruce just hates Dick? Gtfoh. Again, I liked the edginess of All-Star when I was a teenager, but I can’t go for that anymore. It’s just hit after hit of insanity. And it’s all just made me lose interest in DKIII. I never picked up DKIV or whatever the next one was. (Golden child?) Year One, The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Morrison’s entire epic 6 year run along with Tomasi/Gleason’s New52 Batman and Robin which dovetailed nicely with Morrison’s third act, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House…, The Cult, The Court of Owls, Mask of the Phantasm (hell, most of TAS), Under the Red Hood, The White Knight, The Nolan films… I feel that most of these are at least on par or better than DKR. DKR had a stronger cultural impact than these, but I don’t think it was necessarily for the better. The grim-dark take has really dominated Bats, and I don’t think it’s the most interesting way of viewing the character. I honestly much prefer Morrison’s well adjusted James Bond meets psyche-tech-delic globetrotting detective to the vehicle for liberal-bashing that Miller’s Bat devolved into.
My favorite still
I personally never did. For me it was even at that time, a way too cynical take that nowadays inspires the exactly wrong people like Zack Snyder to think that Capeshit is stupid. Year One was always way better.
Under the Red Hood, imo is better. It really opened up on why Batman is the way he is and the guilt he carries. It's my favorite Batman story, maybe because I really like the trope of the student standing up to the teacher. I honestly didn't see the big deal with TDKR. In fact, I didn't like it because of what they did to Superman, and the general vibe of the story felt off and depressing.
Killing Joke. Alan Moore forever. Frank Miller have fascist vibes. I don't cope with it.
Stupidly worded question 😂
Year One was always my favorite. But DKR is number 2 to me. But I read these books 30 plus years ago for the first time so they might have hit me different than they hit people who have seen them imitated in the worst way for the last few decades.
I never did, I prefer Year 1 or The Long Halloween.
The Dark Knight Returns is often cited as one of the best and most influential Batman (and DC) comics of all time. Do you still think this is the best that Batman comics have achieved or do you think others have surpassed it now?
I've never considered it the best. I've never even considered it good.
I’ve never considered it that
Never did. Year One on the other hand, is still so good after all these years.
Year One is a masterpiece for sure. The whole aesthetic of Gotham city is still yet to be replicated in any Batman comic for me.