FREE BATMAN: DARK KNIGHT RETURNS PDF Frank Miller,Klaus Janson | 224 pages | 16 May 1997 | Titan Books Ltd | 9781852867980 | English | London, United Kingdom Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Video ) - IMDb It is a limited series set in a possible futureportrayed as Batman's last adventure. The st. The story depicts Bruce Wayne as an old man, coming out of retirement to be Batman again. Miller would go on to write a companion story in titled Year Oneshowing Batman's first adventure. This is later established as the " Dark Knight Universe. DKR was originally published as a four-issue limited series in a then-new printing format called prestige format. This format later became more Batman: Dark Knight Returns. Just as the characters of Norse mythology Batman: Dark Knight Returns their Ragnarok, Frank Miller sought to create a fitting end for the character of Batman. DKR takes place in a timeline outside the continuity of the DC Universebut is still considered at least partially faithful to the source material and Batman: Dark Knight Returns mythos at the time it debuted, as it makes use of Post-Crisis characters. Certain elements of the main DC Universe did eventually come to match Miller's tale, most notably some of the backstory of the series. For example, Miller's Batman is haunted by the death of Robinand later the character's lack of popularity led to the Batman: Dark Knight Returns Death in the Family story, where Robin Jason Todd is killed by the Joker. Also, an explanation of how Miller's Green Arrow 's lost arm is used, although in this latter case, continuity deviates somewhat from DKR. Batman: Dark Knight Returns years pass, during which Gotham City is overwhelmed with crime and plagued by a violent gang called "The Mutants. Batman is aided in fighting this menace by a new Robin, a young girl named Carrie Kelly. Batman eventually confronts Harvey Dent, who has once again become Two-Face despite having his scars repaired long ago, and threatens to blow up Gotham's twin towers. Batman stops Two-Face and discovers that even though Dent has been physically rehabilitated, psychologically he is still Two-Face. Meanwhile Commissioner Gordon, at age seventy, is forced to retire due to his age. He is replaced by Ellen Yindel, a fierce critic of Batman. Batman discovers that a United States Army general had been supplying the Mutants with military weapons in exchange for cash. When Batman confronts him, the general confesses and justifies his actions by saying he needs to help his sick wife. However, the general's conscience is still eating away at him and he eventually commits suicide in front of Batman. Batman then drives a new, fortified version of the Batmobile to the Mutants' meeting ground at the city dump. He fights the Mutants' leader in hand-to-hand combat, and he is badly injured. Only Carrie's quick intervention saves him. As they head back to the Batcave, Carrie tends to Batman's wounds. Batman recovers quickly and allows Carrie to become the new Robin. The Mutant Leader has still threatened to unleash his army on the city, so the Mayor tries to negotiate with him in jail. The Leader then kills the Mayor by ripping his throat out with his teeth. Batman and Carrie infiltrate their ranks and spread a rumor that the Leader wants an assembly. Batman Batman: Dark Knight Returns asks Commissioner Gordon to allow the Leader to escape from jail and draws him to a mud-hole, where the Dark Knight finally defeats him in front of the other mutants. A number of the Mutants accept Batman as their leader and take the name 'the Sons of Batman'; Batman: Dark Knight Returns remainder splinter into small gangs. Batman's greatest nemesis, the Joker, re-emerges after having been catatonic for 10 years, his catatonia Batman: Dark Knight Returns when he discovers that Batman has returned to Gotham. He convinces the doctors at Arkham Asylum that he is sane and deserves to be released. Once free, he appears on a late night talk show as a PR stunt. When Batman shows up, he is forced to battle the police force while the Joker releases a cloud Batman: Dark Knight Returns Joker venom Batman: Dark Knight Returns the audience and escapes, and Batman and Robin chase after him. The Batman: Dark Knight Returns heads to Selina Kyle's place, and forces her now running an escort service to plant special lipstick with the power of suggestion on two of her prostitutes, who are being sent as escorts for a congressman and the governor. As a result of the Joker's actions, the congressman commits suicide, but Commissioner Yindel, due to Batman's warning, saves the governor. The Joker then beats her and dresses her up as Wonder Woman. He caps off his rampage by killing a group of 16 Cub Scouts and planting a bomb on a fairway; Robin defuses the bomb. Batman chases after the Joker as they run through the fair; during the chase the Joker kills several people and Batman manages to gouge one of the Joker's eyes. Eventually, the two confront each other, ironically, in the tunnel of love. Despite being stabbed several times during their struggle, an enraged Batman finally breaks the Joker's neck, but stops short of killing him. Taunting Batman as a coward, Joker twists his head until the remainder of his spine snaps, committing suicide in order to frame Batman: Dark Knight Returns for murder. The Sons of Batman have become vigilantes, maintaining law and order with force. Batman decides to train them to fight crime with non-lethal methods. Meanwhile, a Russian built nuke Batman: Dark Knight Returns off, blocking out the sun and shutting off electronics in the US. Batman and the Sons restore order in Gotham, but soon, the Government dispatches Superman to take down Batman, as he undermines their authority. However, Oliver Queen, the former Green Arrow, who is now a one-armed revolutionary, warns Batman of the Government's plans. Batman begins preparing for his battle against Superman and is equipped with a powerful suit of armor, sonic blaster, a mysterious pill and synthetic Kryptonite which he had spent years developing. Batman and Superman engage in a powerful battle, and, when Queen shoots Superman using an arrowhead loaded with Batman's synthetic Kryptonite, Batman emerges the winner. However, Batman dies of a heart attack shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Alfred Pennyworth detonates bombs that he and Batman had deliberately planted in the Batcave for just this purpose, and destroys Wayne Manor. Alfred suffers a stroke and dies almost immediately afterward. Bruce Wayne's secret identity as Batman quickly becomes public knowledge, but his accounts have been emptied and his stocks Batman: Dark Knight Returns funds have already been sold. His body was Batman: Dark Knight Returns by "a distant cousin, his only living relative" which is actually Carrie Kelly in disguise. With the Batcave and Wayne Manor destroyed, there is no solid evidence as to how he carried out his dual lives, or of Batman's methods. At the funeral, Superman hears a heart beat inside the coffin and, after looking at Carrie, winks at her and leaves. Carrie later digs up Bruce's body and it is Batman: Dark Knight Returns that Batman: Dark Knight Returns faked his death with the pill. Bruce Wayne now begins a new life, leading Robin, Green Arrow, and his new army through unexplored tunnels beyond the Batcave, preparing for a new war against the corrupt government. It helped to introduce an era of more adult-oriented storytelling to the mainstream world of superhero comic books, and it received media attention the likes of which had never been seen before in a medium long believed to be little more than children's entertainment. This story, along with Alan Moore 's Watchmen published in the same year and Art Spiegelman's Maushelped to Batman: Dark Knight Returns the medium to a more mature level of literature, and it ushered in the popularity of graphic novels as a form of literature that truly differs from "child- oriented comic books. Some have criticized Dark Knight for eventually causing Batman to become a "psycho" in mainstream DC continuity which is how some view him todaybut it is important to note that in the context of the story, Batman's extreme and obsessive actions are a direct result of his overcompensating for his guilt over giving up his life as Batman ten years ago and thus breaking his childhood vow to wage war against crime. Another innovation is the way in which the superheroes address one another by name i. The U. The super-heroes look upon their relationship with ordinary humans as Batman: Dark Knight Returns "them" and "us" situation, and Batman is criticized for not realizing "how they've changed! Another controversial criticism is that Dick Graysonthe first Robin and the current Nightwing, is not included in the storyline at all. Miller has stated that he wanted it to focus entirely on Batman and those around him. Dick is mentioned but he and Bruce are not on speaking terms. However, Miller's innovations were not solely limited to characterization. He adopted innovative visual styles and "tricks," many adapted from movies especially film noir. These included dividing pages into many more frames than usual to give the impression of slow motion possibly the best comic book interpretation of Thomas and Martha Wayne's murders is achieved by this technique. Also, Miller contrasts many smaller frames Batman: Dark Knight Returns grand backdrops of Batman leaping or brooding over the cityscape; creates "montages" of fast-paced events through rapidly changing commentators, alternated with snippets of the actions being described and builds suspense to the appearance Batman: Dark Knight Returns classic characters by hiding their actions and appearance in shadows not just the first depiction of Batman, but Superman and Green Arrow as well.