BATMAN: YEAR ONE Review

Frank Miller's 

BATMAN: YEAR ONE review

In the summer of 2005 Batman Begins was released worldwide in theatres, receiving widespread critical acclaim, establishing Christopher Nolan as a director to be reckoned with, as well as breathing life into the widely thought dead/murdered Batman franchise that the "studios" had themselves caused with the 1998 Bat-nippled travesty of "Batman and Robin", a film that George Clooney to this day apologises for, as well as everyone else who worked on it (a rant for another day I fear). 

With the much anticipated final chapter of Christopher Nolan's incredible Batman trilogy not far away, it is easy to forgot where the genius behind the "Nolanverse" originated. In 1987 author Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli released Batman: Year One. It was gritty, it was violent, it was dark and it was definitely not for children. The story was one that fans and comic book goers alike were very familiar with. Same characters, same locations and the same underlying message of goods triumph of evil. However, this story had one small but ultimately critical difference. Batman/Bruce Wayne was real, or so it felt. It was an old story but stripped to its ragged, bloody bones. Wayne is a man. A very rich man, with a guilt and sadness filling his heart and soul. It is established that he has vanished for many years and has returned to his hometown with one clear and pure goal. To rid Gotham of its crime and clean its streets. 

Bruce Wayne's story is not, however, the only one. Running directly parallel to Wayne is James Gordon, a city police officer who has moved from Chicago with his pregnant wife and is also returning to Gotham City. His history is interestingly blurred and mysterious, just as Bruce's, but we find out that he had previously been one to help convict corrupt lawmen, and left after, ironically, no-one in his precinct could trust him to be as corrupt as them. He vows to help this clearly troubled city and fight harder than ever before. We see the commonalities of these two men, both as seekers of justice and human beings. Both are fearless and fearful, determined and conflicted, outnumbered but never overwhelmed. The two men set against each other mid way through the story but soon realise that their goals are in fact one and the same, despite being on either side of law's line.

Ultimately, we know that the two will be Gotham's greatest chance of living in peace and out of danger, but that their journey together will be a long and dangerous one, with a friendship and partnership that will stand the tests of time. All in all, Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli were the ones that first treated the Worlds Greatest Detective, and his closest ally, with the respect and care that they both deserved. Since its release, Batman Year One has been seen as one of THE definitive origin stories, and one of THE greatest graphic novels of all time, and not without merit.

FINAL RATING: