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Batman the Dark Knight Returns and Strikes Again

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The Nighttime Knight Strikes Once again
BatmanDK2.jpg

Cover of the trade paperback Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Cover blueprint by Chip Kidd.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
Schedule Monthly
Format Limited serial
Publication appointment December 2001 – July 2002
No. of issues iii
Main character(s) Batman
Superman
Catgirl
Lex Luthor
Brainiac
Dick Grayson
Creative team
Created by Frank Miller
Lynn Varley
Todd Klein
Bob Kane
Bill Finger
Written past Frank Miller
Artist(s) Frank Miller
Colorist(s) Lynn Varley

Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again , likewise known every bit DK2 , is a 2001-2002 DC Comics three-issue express series comic book written and illustrated by Frank Miller and colored by Lynn Varley, featuring the fictional superhero Batman. The serial is a sequel to Miller'south 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns. Information technology tells the story of an aged Bruce Wayne who returns from iii years in hiding, preparation his followers and instigating a rebellion against Lex Luthor's dictatorial dominion over the U.s.. The series features an ensemble bandage of superheroes including Catgirl, Superman, Wonder Woman, Plastic Man, The Flash, and the Cantlet.

Overview [edit]

The series was originally published every bit a three-issue limited series published by DC Comics between Nov 2001 and July 2002. It has since been published as hardcover and paperback ane-book editions and as the Absolute Dark Knight edition with The Dark Knight Returns. Similar its predecessor, this story takes identify in a timeline that is not considered canonical in the current DC Comics continuity.[1]

Synopsis [edit]

Frank Miller's cover to The Dark Knight Strikes Again #one.

After going cloak-and-dagger, Batman (Bruce Wayne) and his young sidekick Catgirl (formerly Carrie Kelley—Robin) train an army of "Batboys" (the quondam Mutants and other recruits) to save the world from a police dictatorship led by Lex Luthor. In a series of raids on government facilities, Batman's soldiers release other superheroes—including Atom, Flash and Plastic Man—from captivity. Elongated Human is recruited and Light-green Arrow is already working with Batman.

Superman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Curiosity have been forced to work for the US government, as their loved ones are being held earnest. Superman is ordered by "President Rickard" (a computer-generated front for Lex Luthor and Brainiac) to finish Batman. He confronts Wayne at the Batcave, but Batman and the other superheroes defeat him. Meanwhile, Batman's raids have been noticed past the media. Later on being banned for years, the freed superheroes have recaptured the public imagination and have become a fad among the youth. At a pop concert past "The Superchix", Batman and the other heroes brand a public appearance urging their fans to rebel against the oppressive government.

During this time, rogue vigilante Question spies on Luthor's plans and types a journal to record the misdeeds of those in ability. Question tries to convince the Martian Manhunter—now an aged, bitter, virtually-powerless figure with his mind filled with Luthor's nanotechnology—to stand up upwards against Superman and the authorities. Question and Martian Manhunter are attacked by a mysterious man resembling the Joker, who is seemingly invulnerable to injury. Martian Manhunter sacrifices his life and Question is rescued by Dark-green Pointer. The mysterious human escapes to impale other superheroes including Guardian and Creeper, stealing their costumes and wearing them.

An extraterrestrial monster lands in Metropolis and begins to destroy the city. Batman is convinced that information technology is an endeavour to lure him and his allies out of hiding and does not respond, dismissing Flash'south appeal that they are supposed to relieve lives. Batman's stance is that it is too risky to save the lives of the populace. Superman and Captain Marvel fight the monster, which is revealed to be Brainiac, who coerces Superman into defeat using the bottled Kryptonian urban center of Kandor every bit leverage, to crush the people's faith in superheroes. Captain Marvel is killed defending citizens from the carnage but Superman is saved when his girl Lara appears. She has been carefully hidden since nascence, but, now that the government knows she exists, they need that she exist handed over.

Deciding that Batman and his methods are the only fashion, Superman, Wonder Woman and Lara join him. Lara pretends to hand herself over to Brainiac. Cantlet slips into the bottle and frees the Kandorians, who use their combined oestrus vision to destroy Brainiac. The superheroes then destroy the dictatorship's power source and incite a revolution. Batman allows himself to exist captured and tortured by Luthor to learn his plans. Luthor has launched satellites to destroy most of the globe'south population, leaving him with a more manageable number of people. The Green Lantern, who has turned into pure will, returns from space and destroys Luthor'southward satellites. Luthor is in plough killed by the son of Hawkman and Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol).

Returning to the Batcave, Batman is contacted by Carrie, who is beingness attacked by the Joker-similar homo and now wearing a Robin costume. Batman arrives and recognizes the man every bit Dick Grayson, the first Robin who Batman fired long ago. Grayson has been genetically altered to have a powerful healing factor and shape-shifting ability, only is criminally insane. Every bit Batman and Grayson contemptuously recall their dour history together, Batman drops him through a trapdoor into a miles-deep crevasse filled with lava, while Elongated Man rescues Carrie. Grayson clings onto a ledge, climbs out of the chasm and faces Batman. When Grayson remains nigh unharmed by everything Batman throws at him, Batman hurls himself and Grayson into the chasm. Grayson falls into the lava and is disintegrated. Superman rescues Batman at the last minute as the Batcave explodes, and takes him to Carrie in the Batmobile.

Groundwork and cosmos [edit]

In 2006, Frank Miller said of the cosmos process for The Dark Knight Strikes Once again:

I was out to remind readers well-nigh the inherent joy and wonder these superheroes offer, and besides to celebrate their delicious absurdity. I saw the superheroes as Gods and Heroes in the Classic sense ... I wanted to drag these Gods and Heroes out of that musty museum they'd been stuck in and drag them back to the streets where they belong.

—Frank Miller[2]

Characters [edit]

  • Batman—Bruce Wayne's alter ego who is 58 years old and faked his death 3 years ago and continues to operate secretly equally Batman in 1989. He leads a rebellion against the corrupt U.Due south. regime headed past Lex Luthor. Batman is a skilled and controversial strategist who makes decisions which result in deaths, which he considers necessary for the defeat of his enemies.
  • Catgirl—Carrie Kelley, formerly Robin, is Batman'southward second-in-control.
  • Lex Luthor—Luthor heads the U.Southward. government and uses a hologram of what the people retrieve is the President as a figurehead. He controls powerful superheroes—including Superman, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman—by holding their loved ones hostage.
  • Brainiac—provides Luthor with the ways to control the U.Southward., and hence the world.
  • Superman—controlled past Luthor, who is belongings the miniaturized urban center of Kandor hostage. Encouraged by his daughter and Batman, Superman finally fights back and breaks his own vow not to kill.
  • Wonder Adult female—the youthful Queen of the Amazons who has a daughter with Superman.
  • Lara—The girl of Superman and Wonder Woman who has the powers of a Kryptonian and the warrior mental attitude of an Amazon. She has a poor opinion of people less powerful than herself and tries to persuade Superman to rising above the humans and possibly have over the world.
  • Captain Curiosity—now an erstwhile human, he still stands by Superman and Wonder Woman. Captain Marvel is limited in his abilities because Luthor holds his sister Mary hostage. He reveals that he and Baton Batson were two split beings who switched places, and that Billy (who had ever been sickly) had died around eight years ago. This rendered him incapable of merely switching out to recuperate because there would be no one to phone call him back.
  • "The Joker"/Dick Grayson—Having been emotionally abused past Batman and sacked years before for "cowardice and incompetence", Grayson has submitted himself to radical gene therapy past Luthor and other villains. He has gained a powerful healing factor and shape-shifting power, but was driven criminally insane. Throughout most of the story, Grayson takes on the appearance of the Joker and the costumes of members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. His victims include Martian Manhunter, Creeper, the Guardian, and he well-nigh kills Carrie Kelley.
  • Atom—trapped within a Petri dish for over two years, Ray Palmer is rescued past Carrie Kelley and becomes 1 of the first of the old superheroes to join Batman'south rebellion.
  • The Flash—coerced by threats to his wife Iris, Barry Allen is forced to run in a giant electric generator before being freed by Carrie Kelley and the Atom.
  • Elongated Human—Ralph Dibny advertises sex activity drugs on television before joining Batman.
  • Plastic Man—insane and rescued from Arkham Aviary, Eel O'Brian joins Batman'southward grouping.
  • The Superchix—an all-girl pop/superhero grouping consisting of a Blackness Canary lookalike, Bat Chick and Wonder Chick.
  • Green Pointer—a communist, activist and billionaire with a mechanical arm, Oliver Queen has long been function of Batman's forces.
  • The Question—fighting for Batman's cause, Vic Sage works mainly alone and tries to recruit the onetime Martian Manhunter. He spies on Luthor and his associates, and distrusts engineering science and municipalization.
  • Martian Manhunter—a victim of Luthor's nanobots, which have deprived him of most of his powers, J'onn J'onzz has become addicted to booze and tobacco. He retains a precognitive sense which he uses to help Question.
  • Green Lantern—Hal Hashemite kingdom of jordan now lives with his own conflicting family in a afar part of the galaxy. He returns to Earth at Batman'due south request.
  • Hawkboy—Hawkman and Hawkgirl's son who grew upwardly with his sister in the Costa Rican rainforest. When their parents are killed by a military machine strike ordered by Luthor, Hawkboy intends to take revenge.
  • Saturn Daughter—a young, thirteen-yr-quondam who can see into the future. She adopts the name and outfit of the 31st-century Legionnaire.
  • Rick Rickard—the holographic puppet President of the Usa.
  • U.S. Secretarial assistant of State Ruger, Exxon and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Starbucks—members of Luthor's government.
  • Hawk and Dove—Hank and Don Hall are in their erstwhile age. They endeavour to take up the tights again only to non go through with it as they used to contend all the time.
  • Bat-Mite—Batman'south old antagonist and co-founder of The Outset Church of The Last Son of Krypton., a lunatic fringe motion defended to worshipping Superman.
  • Large Barda—a former pornographic extra called Hot Gates. When America descends into chaos, Big Barda declares herself dictator of Columbus, Ohio.
  • Lana Harper-Lane—a television receiver news reporter who is presumed to exist the daughter of Guardian and Lois Lane.[3]

Publications [edit]

  • Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Over again (2003-12-17 (hardcover[4]), 2004-07-21 (trade paperback with bonus materials[5])): Includes parts 1-three.
  • Batman Noir: The Night Knight Strikes Again (2018-03-28 (hardcover[six])): Blackness and white print version of Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again 3-parts book.

Critical reception and sales [edit]

The Dark Knight Strikes Once more received mixed to negative reviews, with criticism focusing on its artwork, storyline, and graphic symbol development.[7] [eight] [9] Claude Lalumière of The Montreal Gazette gave the series a mixed review and said "the script lacks the emotional nuances of its predecessor, and ... the artwork is rushed and garish", and that it "has considerable chutzpah, but its devil-may-care execution is regrettable".[10] Roger Sabin of The Guardian wrote that the serial has "flashes of luminescence—few can command folio layouts like Miller—but in full general the idea of the ironic superhero seems rather dated."[11]

The first issue of "DK2" ranked #i in December 2001 with pre-lodge sales at 174,339.[12] The 2d result of DK2 was ranked third in sales for the January 2002 flow with pre-guild sales of 155,322.[13] The final effect of the series had pre-order sales of 171,546 returning to #1 for the calendar month of February 2002.[14] The comic had an in-store date on July 31 of that same year.[fifteen]

Discussing the negative reception for The Dark Knight Strikes Once more, Frank Miller said in 2006: "I expected shock. I wanted it. I never make it my mission to reassure people. Fourth dimension will make its own judgement."[16]

Sequel [edit]

On April 24, 2015, DC Comics announced that Frank Miller was co-writing a sequel to The Night Knight Strikes Again with Brian Azzarello titled The Dark Knight 3: The Master Race.[17] [eighteen] The series featured a rotating cast of artists, including Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson.[19] [20] Frank Miller afterward confirmed that The Master Race would not be the conclusion, and he was beginning work on a 4th series.[21]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Sanderson, Peter (February half dozen, 2006). "Comics in Context #119: All-Star Bats". IGN Amusement, Inc. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  2. ^ "Frank Miller: I Stole From The All-time!". Archived from the original on June 25, 2006.
  3. ^ Lander, Randy (December 3, 2001). "Dark Knight Strikes Again #one (Best of the Week!)". The Quaternary Rail. Archived from the original on Apr 15, 2002. Retrieved December thirty, 2010.
  4. ^ BATMAN: THE Night KNIGHT STRIKES Once again
  5. ^ BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN
  6. ^ BATMAN NOIR: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES Once more
  7. ^ Lalumière, Claude (September 21, 2002). "The Dark Knight Strikes Again". Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  8. ^ Sanford, Jason (2002). "Review of The Dark Knight Strikes Once again by Frank Miller". Retrieved June three, 2018.
  9. ^ Cheang, Michael (December 2, 2015). "Why does anybody hate The Dark Knight Strikes Once again?". Retrieved June three, 2018.
  10. ^ Lalumière, Claude (September 21, 2002). "The Nighttime Knight Strikes Again". Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  11. ^ Sabin, Roger (Dec fifteen, 2002). "Accept a moving picture..." The Observer . Retrieved August thirty, 2012.
  12. ^ "Summit 300 Comics – Dec 2001". ICv2. November 28, 2001.
  13. ^ "Peak 300 Comics – January 2002". ICv2. January 2, 2002. Retrieved July 9, 2008.
  14. ^ "Pinnacle 300 Comics – February 2002". ICv2. February iv, 2002.
  15. ^ "Archived copy". www1.cinescape.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2002. Retrieved Jan 12, 2022. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy equally championship (link)
  16. ^ "Frank Miller: I Stole From The Best!". Archived from the original on June 25, 2006.
  17. ^ "Superstar Writer/Creative person Frank Miller Returns To Batman!". DC Comics . Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  18. ^ "Frank Miller Returns With The Dark Knight 3: The Principal Race". Newsarama.com. April 24, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  19. ^ "DC Entertainment Provides New Details For Dark Knight Three: The Master Race". DC Comics. July ix, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  20. ^ Wheeler, Andrew (July 9, 2015). "Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson Join 'The Master Race' (The Comic)". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved July nineteen, 2015.
  21. ^ Osborn, Alex (Nov 17, 2015). "Frank Miller Says He'southward Returning For The Dark Knight 4". IGN.

External links [edit]

  • Flak Mag: Review of The Dark Knight Strikes Over again, 11.08.02
  • Peter Sanderson'south analysis: Parts one, 2, and three
  • Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Over again discussed at sequart.com

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Strikes_Again

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