I Am Going to Write the Title For Batman

The title of this blog post doesn't mean a damn thing, but it sure did catch your attention didn't it?

Maybe not...

I am not going to re write the title for Batman, I feel like that one is pretty much written in stone. I am, however, going to review Frank Miller's Batman: Year One.

This is not my first venture into comic books. I had the very lucky fate to be best friends with the owner of a comic book store when I was 19 or so, and he put into my hands Sandman, and I sort of took off from there. As a voracious reader, I had never taken comics seriously because they had pictures, and how much story could you really convey in such a short amount of time. When I gave the first one a real chance, I realized that it had it's own way of entertaining and enrapturing you. The only way that I can really describe the feeling is by saying that it's the middle ground between watching television and reading a book. What is being said is just as important as the art. They aren't pictures to match the story, it is art that conveys a story.

Eventually, my friend sold his store, and then the friendship puttered out, and my drive to read comics sort of did as well. I missed them for a while, and tried going to a new store, but it wasn't the same. I quit buying them and went back to a books only world.

The catalyst that ultimately led to this post was Comic Book Men. I'm a pretty big fan of Kevin Smith and generally eat up whatever he gives the public.Watching the show also reminded me of the stories I had read just a few years ago, and the feeling of having a collector's worthy comic in your hand. I also missed the connection to the story that comic books give you. It's unique and quite lovely. When I read them before I read more independent books and the only super hero books I read were Teen Titans (I had a soft spot for some reason). This time I wanted to learn more about the heroes I had been watching on television and in movies. These are heroes that not only have inspired some really great creative minds and I wanted in on the action!

I ended up at a store here in Pittsburgh called Phantom of the Attic Comics (clicking on the link will take you to their Facebook page) and asked the nice men there if they could help me transition from the darker independent books I'd been reading before to the more mainstream world of comic book heroes. As per usual (or at least it has been in my personal experience) the guys were very nice and helpful and walked me through a few stories and we finally decided that Batman would be the way to go.

I wanted to read a story that told the beginning of Batman, because like a true nerd (I hope it's the nerdiness and not the fucking OCD-ness) I must start at the beginning.

Frank Miller- yeah, that was the way to go.

The graphic novel actually says it's by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli and I don't want to skimp on where credit is due.

The opening page is quite striking, as I'm sure it is meant to be. I don't think I'll be spoiling anything if I mention that obviously Bruce Wayne is an orphan, his parents killed by a mugger. We all know that. The movies did well to explain it, but the first page of this graphic novel was pretty amazing and expresses emotions that I just am not sure the movies could. At least not for me. Opening with the young Mr. Wayne kneeling between his dead parents is a sure fire way to get any person, whether comics are their 'thing' or not, interested.

What struck me the most, and what I guess I'll be writing about the most, is how kick ass Gordon is in this telling. Again, I've only ever seen the movies, so I was pretty sure that he was just some cop guy who called Batman when things got rough.

No sir! He is seriously the shit! I have to admit, he was my favorite character in this collection. I was never aware of how stressed he was, how deeply convinced of failure. While so unsure in his personal life, and at first of his position in Gotham Miller goes on to portray Gordon as a man who knows his business, when I always thought it was a bit of a fumbler. He is also not a man to be trifled with, able to take on some big bads all on his own, when I thoguht he needed Batman to get anything damage done.

 I also very much enjoyed reading a Batman who was more than just cold and calculating, and always right. Batman fucked up, a couple of times. He could have really gotten people hurt and maybe should have given up his vigilante justice for the better of Gotham City. This Batman teaches a lesson though because he persevered, kicked some ass, got confused, and persevered some more. I can definantely see the makings of a hero here, if not a fully fledged one.

I had no idea that Catwoman would be in this story, or at least not so soon. I was excited when I saw her, but in the end I was very confused that the story seemed so weak to me, as to how she fits into everything. I did really enjoy one panel in which a cat who has just been in the middle of some major destruction walks casually back to her arms. The image of Catwoman just standing there, with that not even cocky just self assured body language I felt a bit of a connection to the character. It's one of my favorite parts of reading a comic versus a book.

Some of the panels in the book just blew me away- I took a picture to prove it.

That bottom panel for what ever reason really grabs me. I kept turning the page back to it after I passed it, that was until I hit the last page, and the very last panel gave me goose bumps. This was an enjoyable read overall, and it gave me exactly what I was looking for on my journey back into comic books. The very last panel, I can't stop going back to it. I almost posted a picture, but for those who haven't read this I would like to save that for you to experience on your own.

Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli
               with Richmond Lewis
ISBN: 1-4012-0752-6