#17 The Dark Knight Returns

Having read Batman: Year One I wanted to read more of Miller so I finally got around to getting a graphic novel that I had been meaning to read for several years now.  And when I got it I told myself to savor it and spread it over a week at least, I did not.  I opened the Amazon box and read it for the better part of a day, went to work, slept, then woke up early and finished it --so much for savor.

Normally I like a comic with a high amount of pictures and not as much words, which is a reason I am usually deterred from the Golden Age of comics --lots of writing.  This book too was full of writing, but the difference is that it was Miller's writing.  His great prowess of the literary genre of graphic novels is on full display.  He understands the relationship between word and picture.  He marries the two in a cohesive whole.  His words and Lynn Varley's line drawings are a perfect match.

I loved the words, now the story was--and I don't use this word often--amazing.  Miller captures the psyche of Bruce Wayne/Batman and then uses Superman as a foil, not to mention Commissioner Jim Gordon as another foil.  The plot is dense and  complicated so I won't bother with summary.  Just have to say as far as great graphic novels go, this one easily jumps to my personal top 5.