Book Review: Batman: Year One by F. Miller et al.

Batman: Year One written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, and colors by Richmond Lewis

A twenty-five year old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City at the same time as James Gordon arrives, taking a lieutenant's job with Gotham's finest. Only the police force can hardly be called "the finest" since it is rife with corruption. Gordon left Chicago after blowing the whistle on a corrupt cop there. His new co-workers are less than enthusiastic about his righteous ways. Gordon is also under stress since his wife is pregnant with their first child. Meanwhile, Bruce is trying out various ways to fight crime on the street, often winding up injured and having a hard time keeping his anonymity. He finally hits on a way to strike terror into criminals (including organized crime elites in Gotham), dressing as a bat and using special gadgets to instill fear in his enemies. Gordon's and Wayne's stories easily collide as they both fight crime and corruption in Gotham.

This gritty and realistic imagining of Bruce Wayne's first year as a crime fighter has been popular and influential since its initial 1986 publishing. It opened the way for Tim Burton's films and was clearly an inspiration for Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Miller does a good job keeping the action realistic while introducing fantastical characters like Batman and Catwoman. Wayne works his way up from a vigilante who is determined but not fully in control. Selina Kyle works as a streetwalker until things get too hot, then she switches to cat burglary, including the cat costume. Kyle and Wayne have less interaction here but Miller sets up their future collision just as much as he does the collision of Batman and Gordon. The art has a dark, noir style that enhances the storytelling. This is a classic for a reason.

Recommended, highly for Batman fans.