That's Mr. Son to you Mr. President

Any true comic book fan can attest that Batman: The Dark Knight returns was a revolutionary publication. Firstly, in case you were not aware, the comic helped redefine the genre, elevating it beyond the realm of mere childsplay. Moreover, it proved to graphic artists everywhere that the world was ready for a new kind of hero. In fact, Frank Miller's portrayal of the character as a dark and compulsive figure has dominated most Batman projects to at least some degree.

Interestingly, it is this grim and grit that attracts me, and so many others to the Dark Knight. In the comic, Batman's extreme and obsessive actions are a direct result of his overcompensating for his guilt over giving up his life as Batman ten years ago and thus breaking his childhood vow to wage war against crime. His deep self-loathing, dark depression and general apathetic nature make him a relatable human being. He is a social outcast who wears a constant façade in order to convince those around him that he is not seeping into insanity. It is clear from the first pages of chapter one however that Bruce Wayne is clearly a repressed individual. It is fun to fashion oneself as a man faster than a speeding bullet… but that kind of entertainment is fleeting. How many real world problems can be remedied by chiseled abs and a cleft chin.

Anyway… enough of the fan boy and on to the good stuff:

One of my favorite aspects of the latter half the story, are the interactions between Batman and Superman. Superman and Batman live in near opposite universes. Superman is so humble, well mannered, nationalistic and unapologetically faultless, that he can be seen as a kind of caricature of himself. But Batman fights actual mob bosses, defuses bombs, and is unapologetically flawed. This Batman graphic novel even blatantly satirized Ronald Reagan and David Letterman, real people in our actual universe. Both Sups and Bats are revered in different ways, have different morals, solve problems differently and confront different types of problems. It is then unsurprising that when the two interact, tensions flare.

Interestingly, I could not find a single use of the words ‘superman’ in the entire series. U.S. officials always refer to Superman as "Kent", while Batman refers to him as Clark (and only refers to Green Arrow as Oliver).  I would argue that the super-heroes look upon their relationship with ordinary humans as a "them" and "us" situation. But with each other, they loose the conventionalism and address each other as peers. This makes the climactic fight between Batman and Superman a truly heart-wrenching spectacle. These aren’t just ex-teammates that have become too idealistically different…  they used to be friends.

I look forward to re-reading the Watchmen this week!