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I recently read "Year One" in one sitting. After about page 11 or 12, I just couldn't stop! The story synopsis can be known through other reviews, so I'll just contribute my own reactions.
I've rarely been this engrossed in a graphic novel/comic series. Due to its length, "The Dark Knight Returns" seems a little more daunting to bite into, so the simplicity and brisk length of Batman's beginnings in "Year One" make it very attractive and accessible to the first-time seeker of Frank Miller's brilliant and important work on Batman. The story and art really plays out like a neo-noir film, complete with dates (i.e. "January 4;" think of the film, "Seven") that give you a sense of where Batman and the "scene stealer," Lt. Gordon, are in the progression of the first year of both characters' careers as Gotham's new "hope." The other brilliant aspect of this story is that the villains aren't super-villains; I don't want to give anymore than that away.
What really attracted me to "catching up" on "Year One," more than anything else, is the fact that I grew up with quite an obsession with Burton's films and highly anticipate Christopher Nolan's upcoming "Batman Begins." What I found out is that, although Burton's filmic treatments are admirable, it's not quite as faithful to Miller's most-definitive work as it should be. However, I was watching Nolan's first film, "Following," recently and noticed that, on one of the doors of a flat in the movie, there was a Batman logo sticker! First and foremost, "Following" is a stylish and intelligent neo-noir thriller that I highly recommend, but the film was released in 1999; four years before Nolan became involved with the new Batman project! This confirms that, not only is he the perfect young director for the Batman that Miller gave us, but he is also a true and caring "Bat-fan!"
In concluding, I kept Nolan's films and directing style in mind while reading "Year One," and 1) this may prompt you to "bone up" on the material that "Batman Begins" is inspired by and 2) thoroughly informs you that Batman is the most intriquing of all comic characters and deserves a faithful filmic treatment that can inform the rest of the world who Batman really is!
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It's January 4th, and Gotham City witness two arrivals: the arrival of Lieutenant James Gordan, and the return of millionaire Bruce Wayne. Wayne and Gordon both see that Gotham needs to be cleaned up, but each has his own ideas of how it should be done. While Gordon begins his cleaning under the eyes of the press, Bruce Wayne assumes the identity of a bat and begins cleaning up the city under the cover of darkness. But, with the two working from such very different angles, confrontation is inevitable, and out of the confrontation comes...friendship?
This book was published in 1988, containing BATMAN #404-407 (1987). The quality of the illustrations is a bit lower than one has come to expect from more recent graphic novels, but the fact is that the story is excellent and makes the whole book a great buy! As with the stories of the Golden Age comic books, this story pits Batman against an array of regular bad guys, rather than super-powerful super-villains (although the genesis of Catwoman is included!), which I rather enjoyed! Overall, I found this to be a great introduction to Batman, one that keeps up the excellent tradition. I highly recommend this book!
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I didn't want to get this graphic novel. I honestly didn't. I had a lot of faith in Daredevil and of course, what Frank Miller did for the series, but at no point did I have interest in the Batman comics (I did like Batman in the movies, and the animated series and whatnot, though).
I'm not going to rant about Frank Miller's genius story and Mazzucchelli's lively artwork, but at one point the characters in the comic, are no longer drawn characters in a comic. They're human. Even Batman. You see the insecurity and confusion that Bruce Wayne suffers from before he becomes the crimefighter we know him as. You see James Gordon, living with high morals in a city where that is unheard of.
The one thing I hate about this book, is that you won't find another like it.
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I've always considered Batman the greatest super-hero creation of all time. Anyone can create a truth-justice-american-way charcter (and many did), but in Batman Bob Kane gave us a tragedy, and a protagonist that borders on the obsessive. No super-powers, just an aray of martial arts skills and "those wonderful toys". Probably my favorite aspect of the character is how he considers his persona to be Batman and not Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is the mask he wears. Being Batman is simple for him, it's altering his personality and mannerisms that challenges him.
This graphic novel is a trade paperback that originally consisted of four issues published in 1986. It places Bruce Wayne at age twenty-five and before he became "the bat". Returning to Gotham City after years of travelling through Europe and Asia aquiring various skills, Bruce is anxious to begin his great work that he has been focused upon since he was a child. He knows exactly what he must do, but the problem is he doesn't know exactly HOW he must do it.
What's more important regarding this book, it's written by Frank Miller.
"If I were to introduce someone to comic books, I'd take him into a comic shop and buy him everything I could find written by Frank Miller." ---Samuel L. Jackson
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Here, you can see Batman like never before, a rookie making mistakes. I think this is the best Batman story, a great plot, a great art and GREAT caracthers, the relantionship between Gordon and Batman is excellent. My favorite comic book and I read a lot.
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