As a kid, my brother Yacov and I used to stop by the mall on the way home from school (what teen doesn't do this?). We'd make a beeline for the Waldenbooks, to see whether any of our favorite comic books had come out. While we were there, we'd peruse the graphic novels, which at about $15 a pop were slightly out of our price range. One of my favorites was Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, which chronicles an aging Bruce Wayne who decides to come out of retirement ten years after giving up the Batman mantle.
When I was fourteen, my Aunt Winnie and Uncle Scott finally bought me a copy, and I was hooked. I must have read that book twenty or thirty times, and every time I read it I would pick up on something new. At first I didn't like the scratchy, inky art style, but over time I grew to appreciate it and love every panel. It's a fantastic read, featuring complex, repeated themes, fresh takes on old characters, memorable, gritty dialogue, and a plot that gets better and more epic with each of the four chapters.
As a tribute to this wonderful graphic novel, I've started a little side blog called Deconstructing Dark Knight. Each post will feature a different theme or memorable scene from the book, in no particular order - something that stuck in my mind, or I figured out over time. I've gotten two posts done already and I hope to have the commentary finished by the time The Dark Knight Rises movie comes out. If you're already a fan of the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. And if you've never read The Dark Knight Returns, avoid spoilers and buy yourself a copy - it's a real treat for kids at any age.
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