Batman: Year One

by Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli

book data

3,719 ratings, 4.22 average rating, 236 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		42%
4		40%
3		14%
2		2%
1		0%

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published

October 1st 1997 by DC Comics (first published 1987)

details

Paperback, 104 pages

isbn

0930289331 (isbn13: 9780930289331)

description

Whether you grew up reading Batman comics, watched the campy television show, or eagerly await each new movie, this is the book for you. A retelling o…more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 4,388)

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Sep 29, 2008

Keith rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

Okay... I guess I don't like Frank Miller much. Batman: Year One has less of the fascistic feeling that I got from the movies Sin City and The 300, but I found it sketchily put together and not well characterized. I think that Nolan's Batman Begins film effort actually did a better job covering the first forays into costumed crimefighting by our caped crusader. Perhaps were I more informed by reading a lot of Batman comics I could fill in the story better on my own. Maybe Miller was too clos...more

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1 comment

Dec 07, 2007

Adam rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

bookshelves: comics

Read in December, 2007

I'm not a big fan of superhero origin stories, so I avoided reading Batman: Year One for awhile, but I'm really glad I finally picked it up and gave it a try. This four-issue series totally blew me away. It got to the heart of everything I've always loved about Batman, while giving equal time to Commissioner Gordon (still a lieutenant in Year One). Gordon has always been one of my favorite supporting characters in Batman's world, and I think he rarely gets his due, so it was nice to read a story...more

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Jul 04, 2008

Rick rated it:

(review of isbn 1852860774)

bookshelves: own

Owns a copy — Read in August, 2008

Pretty well written and drawn the story itself seems kind of rushed though. The end just seemed to come rather abruptly and Catwoman's presence seemed rather pointless. Miller's take on Catwoman was interesting but she didn't really seem to have much to do with the story.

Also this really seems to be more about Gordon's story than it is about Batman's. Not that that is a bad thing, seeing things from Gordon's point of view is fairly interesting. I would have liked more Batman though...more

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Dec 03, 2008

Alfonso rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

bookshelves: dont-mess-with-the-kitty-mofo, mucho-macho

Read in December, 2008

ok… this one I love, I was angry went it was over and I had to go back to my crappy book… and batman kick the shit out of some dude who tried to kill a kitty!!! I love it!!! I love it I say!!

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

11 comments

Apr 03, 2009

Ronny rated it:

(review of isbn 1401206905)

bookshelves: bukan-punya-sendiri, novelgrafis-komik-bukubergambar

Read in March, 2009

2009#20

Luar biasa! Tafsiran memukau Frank Miller atas tahun pertama Batman. Edisi ini semakin istimewa karena dilengkapi skets-skets, petikan naskah, dan semacam kata penutup berformat komik dari sang ilustrator, David Mazzucchelli. Pertama kali liat karya Mazzucchelli di novel grafis aneh ini, dan langsung suka.

Seperti biasa ini pinjeman dari Mas Tomo, tapi kalo ada duit buku ini harus kukoleksi.

Sedikit cerita ga penting saja. Pernah saat diminta bicara di de...more

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Jan 08, 2009

Carolyn rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

I read this slim volume in an hour or so, because I've long heard good things about this take on Batman's origins and earliest days, and I heard it was a source of inspiration for Christopher Nolan's Batman films, for which my appreciation has only grown after seeing them both again recently.

One of the biggest pleasures of the films for me is Gary Oldman's portrayal of Jim Gordon, and easily my favorite thing about Year One is Jim Gordon. In his review of The Dark Knight, Peter Trav...more

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Mar 18, 2010

Guillermo rated it:

(review of isbn 1401206905)

bookshelves: graphic-novel, wishlist

Read in March, 2010

I'll never understand why I put off reading Batman Year One for so long. Maybe I wasn't ready for Frank Miller's version of the story. Which bothers me, because I accepted The Dark Knight Returns with open arms.

Many things come to mind while reading Year One, though. First of all, its importance to the Batman mythos, a signature in the canon, and so forth. I've said this before with another book, haven't I? It's still very true, however.

Told from the point of view of bot...more

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Mar 04, 2010

Colin Miller rated it:

(review of isbn 1417776358)

Read in March, 2010

Superhero origin stories come in all shapes and sizes. Don’t like one? Ignore it and write your own (or even better, write an earth-altering opus that simply undoes the old canon). If there’s a Batman origin story that’s become the new standard to unravel—especially with the clear influence on the current film series—Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One is the candidate.

Chronicling the emergence of Batman and the rise of Jim Gordon through the ranks of law enforcement (along ...more Superhero origin stories come in all shapes and sizes. Don’t like one? Ignore it and write your own (or even better, write an earth-altering opus that simply undoes the old canon). If there’s a Batman origin story that’s become the new standard to unravel—especially with the clear influence on the current film series—Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One is the candidate.

Chronicling the emergence of Batman and the rise of Jim Gordon through the ranks of law enforcement (along with the introduction of several future villains), Miller does a good job of weaving between these storylines, crossing the paths at all the right times. In a strange way, Batman: Year One mirrors a lot of the strengths of The Dark Knight Returns, namely: the limitations of Batman. In the latter, Batman is 55, returning to fight crime with the limitations of an older body. In the former, a young Bruce Wayne has just returned to Gotham after 12 years of training (an aspect that remains unfortunately unexplored) and wants to know how to strike fear into the criminal hearts of the corrupt city. Whether it’s his health or his inexperience, Miller has always understood that Batman’s weakness is what makes the reader feel for him, because one bullet really could end it all.

Batman needs allies, and one of the most important fixtures is Jim Gordon. Truthfully, I really preferred Jim Gordon’s story over Batman’s. He’s been transferred to Gotham from Chicago and he’s brought his pregnant wife, Barbara, with him. Gordon pursues justice in a way that exposes the corruption of the police department and it seems that everyone is out to get him. He wrestles with the morality of a vigilante like Batman and debates what Gotham really needs. One of my favorite aspects of Batman: Year One is that Miller gets that people are flawed, so it won’t be a matter of if Jim Gordon will fail, but in what area, with what consequences and with who watching.

As far as artwork is concerned, I prefer David Mazzucchelli’s work over Miller’s in The Dark Knight Returns, but it’s still not anything to rave about. (Mazzucchelli’s commentary on superheroes, however, is one of the best parts of the supplemental material.) The coloring of Richmond Lewis and the lettering of Todd Klein—the hard to read italics of Bruce Wayne especially—are disappointing this time around. Admittedly though, it takes a lot for me to be wowed by these aspects and I’m never going to be a fan of all-caps sound effects in comics. It’s like the gravely Batman voice—it’s best left out (or left to Macho Man Randy Savage). With that said, Batman: Year One makes better use of the comic book medium than The Dark Knight Returns, but is hindered by the smaller scope and the lack of a main villain. Regardless, the Jim Gordon storyline has enough heart and consequence for my recommendation. Three stars.
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2 comments

Mar 16, 2009

Dake Townsend rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

Read in March, 2009

this was pretty good. it's definitely a throwback to the classic DC comic era, and the art really reflects that. the story is pretty good overall. this is how everything started with Batman, so he's still learning how to be the ultimate Bad Dude vigilante that he becomes. what i love about Miller's version of Batman--both here and in Dark Knight Returns--is that he uses first person omniscient a lot to reveal Batman's or a supporting character's thoughts. i think that is really cool in stories a...more

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1 comment

Jan 31, 2009

Patrick rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

bookshelves: books-read-in-2009

Read in February, 2009

Frank Miller's telling of Batman's origins does a great job of laying the foundation for the recent phenomenal Batman films by Christopher Nolan, most notably Batman Begins, but also The Dark Knight to an extent. For that, I give it an enormous amount of credit. Miller's influence is all over Batman Begins, but Nolan's triumph is where Miller falters. Batman: Year One is a great, engaging story, but it leaves you wanting much, much more. It hints at enemies to come - Catwoman, the Joker - but do...more

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Mar 20, 2010

Casey rated it:

(review of isbn 1845761588)

This is a pretty close to a flawless comic book. Miller and Mazzuccheli are rightly considered one of great creative teams in the history of comics. There finger prints are on every street level crime, and super hero book that came after them whether on Dare Devil, Here, or else where.

The characters are beautifully reaized in such a small amount of space that you get the feeling of something with real people and not just the trifles of most comics.

If I have one criticis...more

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Mar 19, 2009

Shane Blackshear rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

Read in January, 2008

The best of its genre.

I usually don't care about artwork that much, but this was superb.
Christopher Nolan said that he drew much inspiration for Batman Begins from Batman: Year One, and it shows.
It always bothered me when Batman was just presented as a guy that had unexplained martial arts skills superior to everyone elses. Why would a super wealthy guy that grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth have these street skills. Year One explains that, as does Batman Begins...more

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Nov 27, 2009

Jakub Rabyniuki rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

This should be the story of the beginnings of the Dark Knight in Gotham. But the whole line of how Bruce Wayne comes to town and becomes a hero is not nearly as good as it could be.
The hero of this book is, in fact, Commissioner Gordon (this time serial detective transferred to Gotham). It's about the futile struggle of one good cop against corrupt system. Classic old school police drama with sophisticated main character.
The biggest mistake of this book is Catwoman. It's absolutely ...more

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Feb 21, 2009

Sarah rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

bookshelves: comics

Read in March, 2008

The best of Frank Miller's Batman works, the main reason being its extensive humanity. Rather than present a hard-boiled world that requires an almost heartless moralizer in a cape, Miller chooses to tell the origin of Batman primarily through Jim Gordon's eyes. Gordon here is a fragile man, worrying over his pregnant wife in a corrupt city, wondering what sort of future his family has when he can't force self-protection in facing the thin blue line and all the secrets it's hiding. That Batma...more

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Mar 24, 2009

Archie rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

Read in April, 2007

This is a Batman origin story that would go on to influence both Tim Burton (Batman) and Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins). The story itself, is gritty and has an almost noir style that foreshadows what Frank Miller would later attempt with Sin City.

Fans of Batman will love this book. It shows him make his fair share of mistakes in "year one" as Batman. In addition, this graphic novel really develops Commissioner Gordon. It's a very interesting take on him as a man.

...more

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Dec 18, 2009

Tim rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

Love this. Frank Miller makes the story of a man who decides he shall become a bat completely credible. I think the sparse, Art Deco inspired art is even better than that of Dark Night Returns.

Batman ends up playing straight man a lot of the time to Two-Face, the Joker, and all his other garish opponents. It's nice to read a story where Batman is the weirdo, for once. And where Jim Gordon gets to play the normal Batman role of the grim, selfless hero. Is there any more heartbreaking...more

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May 30, 2009

Jason rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

bookshelves: graphic-novels

Read in June, 2009

It's alright. like people say, Batman jumps into things pretty fast. I had the same problem with the X-men movie. As soon as Wolverine comes to the house, Professor X is like "Over there, that's Cyclops. And this is Storm. I am Professor X." And Wolverine is just like "Oh good, guys. Because my name was Wolverine and i thought you'd think that was weird. Thank God we are all just going to assume these bizarre asinine nicknames with no question of irony or buffoonery. Wher...more

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Jul 18, 2008

Jillian rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

what can i say? i may be an indie comics blogger, but in my heart i'm a total sucker for badass superhero comics.

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Jan 30, 2009

Argott rated it:

(review of isbn 1401207529)

bookshelves: i_do_not_just_read_comics

At 13 in 1987, I thought this was one of the coolest books I had ever read. I didn't know that Frank Miller was actually ruining comic books. I just thought the story rocked.

If Batman can have a new Year One, why can't I have one too? Argott: Year One. I think in my new origin I'll rush in less. And maybe I'll go ahead and skip my junior prom. (I really believe Carrie's was more pleasant.) And what the hell, I'll go ahead and correct all of the references to "her fabulous...more

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Jun 13, 2009

Dean rated it:

Read in December, 2008

This is a very good graphic novel. It tells the story of Bruce Wayne becoming Batman, using his worst fear to his advantage and coming across some interesting characters (i.e Catwoman) along the way. Frank Miller writes a great novel that makes you really understand the struggles that Batman went through on his first year of superheroing. My onl problem in the book is that there is a page on which Catwoman (not in costume) is wearing a coat in early summer, get with the seasons! This is sti...more

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