DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: THE GOLDEN CHILD No. 1
DC COMICS/Black Label
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: Frank Miller
ART: Rafael Grampá
COLORS: Jordie Bellaire
LETTERS: John Workman and Deron Bennett
EDITOR: Mark Doyle
COVER: Rafael Grampa with Pedro Cobiaco
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Frank Miller with Alex Sinclair; Joelle Jones with Dave McCaig; Rafael Grampa with Pedro Cobiaco; Paul Pope with Jose Villarrubia
32pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (February 2020)
Ages 17+
Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (also known as DKR) was a four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman. Published by DC Comics in 1986, this prestige-format comic book was written by Frank Miller; drawn by Miller (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Lynn Varley; and lettered by John Costanza, with the book covers drawn by Miller and Varley.
DKR told the tale of a 50-year-old Bruce Wayne, long retired as Batman, who dons the cape and cowl again to take on a new crime wave in Gotham City. When an institutionalized Joker discovers that Batman has returned, he revives himself and begins a new crime wave of craziness. Batman also battles Superman who is trying to force Batman back into retirement.
DRK was a smash hit, and from the time of its publication, it became a hugely influential comic book, especially on the editorial mindset of DC Comics. There have been sequels to DKR, as well as other comic books set in its “universe.” The most recent DKR comic book is Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child. It written by Frank Miller, drawn by Rafael Grampá; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by John Workman and Deron Bennett. The Golden Child finds the heirs to the legacy of the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel taking on adversaries of their predecessors.
Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 opens three years after the events depicted in the nine-issue miniseries, Dark Knight III: The Master Race (2015-2017). Lara, the daughter of Wonder Woman (Diana) and her consort, Superman, has spent that time learning to be more human. After spending her life with the Amazons of Paradise Island, however, Lara has a great disdain for humans. Carrie Kelley, the former Robin, has been growing into her new role as The Batwoman, after Bruce Wayne/Batman finally retired.
The Batwoman has been battling the Joker and his gang of Joker clones, who are in full rage as the day of the U.S. presidential election approaches. [Although he is not named, President Donald Trump's image and presence are prominent throughout this comic book]. But Joker has found a new partner in a terrifying evil that has come to Gotham – Darkseid. Now, Lara and Carrie must team-up to stop two evils, but their secret weapon, young Jonathan, “the golden child” (Lara's brother and Diana and Superman's son) is also the object of Darkseid's murderous desire.
I really like Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child, but not because of Frank Miller's story. It is a hot mess of sound and fury signifying nothing. It is like someone's incorrect idea that the sound of Jack Kirby is not big (in relation to Darkseid, a character he created), but is histrionics. Miller does offer a few good ideas, and he is one of the few mainstream comic book creators that could get away with not only casting Donald Trump in a DC Comics title, but also portraying him in an unflattering light. Teaming-up Joker and Darkseid is not one of Miller's good ideas, and Miller's portrayal of Lara and Jonathan is a mixed bag. But I can tell that Miller really loves Carrie Kelley, a character he created in DKR. She is glorious as The Batwoman.
No, I don't love Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child because of Frank Miller. I love it because of Rafael Grampa, the Brazilian film director and comic book artist. Grampa's style in Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child is a mixture of Frank Miller's graphic style in both Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and in his Sin City series of miniseries and one-shot comic books and also of Scottish comic book artist Frank Quitely's graphic style.
Grampa's gorgeous illustrations and compositions look even better under Jordie Bellaire's inventive coloring and varietal of hues. But even all that pretty art can't create superb graphical storytelling from Frank Miller's mish-mash of a story, except in a few places – the Batwoman sections of course. Carrie Kelley is absolutely spectacular in the double-caped, leathery Bat-suit, which also looks like an actual man-sized bat.
Well, you can't get everything, although John Workman and Deron Bennett also deliver some fine-looking lettering. So I'll be satisfied with Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 being one of the beautifully drawn and illustrated comic book one-shots that I have ever read.
8 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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