Batman Year One

Due to his recent success in reviving Batman with a very fresh approach in Batman The Dark Knight Returns, DC Comics commissioned Frank Miller to now re-visit the origin of their iconic super-hero.

Batman Year One chronicles the first year of Bruce Wayne's search to bring true justice to the people of Gotham. In it we find a man who is struggling through botched attempts at vigilante justice while honing his skills to become more and more adept at taking on the criminal element in Gotham. Batman quickly becomes a people's hero as well as a scape goat for corrupt officials. Perhaps the underlying plot line is the foundation of Batman\'s friendship with the future police Commissioner, James Gordon who will become a significant character and "inside man" who ironically, is one of the few clean police officers (at least where the law is concerned).

This comic isn't a re-telling of the entire history of Batman, nor does it show any of his early child hood or adolescence. Batman Year one is delivered as small, some what fragmented snapshots of events which lead to Bruce Wayne becoming The Dark Knight.

In terms of pictures, Mazzucchelli brings a classic comic book style to the table. The action scenes are grand and exciting, while his subtle facial expressions are able to tell a thousand words. The colouring by Richmond Lewis is simple and vibrant, reflecting the tones of Gotham perfectly.

Being part of the official Batman canon, it goes without saying that this is a must-have-read edition to the DC Universe. For new readers, this is a quick and enjoyable read to get started when reading Batman comics.