Thursday, January 19, 2012

Special Book Review: BATMAN: YEAR ONE by Frank Miller


Title: Batman: Year One
Series: Batman
Author: Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli (Illustrator), Richmond Lewis (Colorist)
Publisher: DC Comics (January 10, 2007)
Format: eBook Graphic Novel
Source: Purchased from Amazon
Genre: Superhero Fantasy

Description: A young Bruce Wayne has spent his adolescence and early adulthood, traveling the world so he could hone his body and mind into the perfect fighting and investigative machine. But now as he returns to Gotham City, he must find a way to focus his passion and bring justice to his city. Retracing Batman's first attempts to fight injustice as a costumed vigilante, we watch as he chooses a guise of a giant bat, creates an early bond with a young Lieutenant James Gordon, inadvertently plays a role in the birth of Catwoman, and helps to bring down a corrupt political system that infests Gotham.

Review: Batman: Year One by Frank Miller intrigues and excites in this thrilling graphic novel.

A young Bruce Wayne sees the decay of Gotham City as his personal challenge. He must discover how to keep his identity secret while cleaning up the streets of Gotham. While Batman strikes fear in criminals, Lieutenant James Gordon juggles his ethics and the police corruption and a new villainess is born: Catwoman.

As a long-time Batman fan, Batman: Year One is the perfect entrance into reading graphic novels. David Mazzucchelli’s illustrations are an added dimension to the storyline. Each picture makes the characters come to life. Miller’s dialogue gives just enough information that the reader can follow the story. It’s reminiscent of a cross between the old Batman show with Adam West and the newer Batman movies directed by Christopher Nolan. It’s gritty, dark, sometimes funny and sarcastic. It’s everything a Batman lover would want to read and a good introduction to Batman for those who haven’t followed Gotham’s Dark Knight.

Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One is a must-read for Batman fans. Also, if you’ve never picked up a graphic novel before, like me, then it’s a great one to read.

Five bookworms = I loved it!