I think I might legitimately be too stupid for this comic. Why

The 4x4 panel structure is pretty schweet. Say what you will about the writing, the book is meticulously crafted with some of the more intricate panel layouts (expanded in the second volume) along with a visual style that remains unique as well as enjoyable to this day. Or at least that's my opinion.

>>89517782
I get angry sometimes thinking about people who think Watchmen and TDKR are great only because of the writing and the tone

>>89517568
>Why did Batman come out of retirement?
Middle-age crisis.
>Were the mutants actual mutants
No.
>What was I supposed to love so much about this story?
It brought Batman out of the campy ages and into the dark and gritty. You need to look at the context of when it came out.
>>89517782
This too.

>>89517568
>Why did Batman come out of retirement?

He's addicted.

>Were the mutants actual mutants, or just people calling themselves mutants?

It doesn't matter.

>What was I supposed to love so much about this story?

Get some taste, you candyass homo.

>>89517820
>out of the campy ages
That was Denny O'Neil. Bronze Age Batman is not the campy Adam West version. It was a mix of detective stuff and swashbuckling.

>>89517820
>It brought Batman out of the campy ages
This was more of a gradual process. Englehart/Rogers and O'Neill/Adams were really where this got started, even if they weren't as popular.

The real reason it's so well regarded is because of its artistic aspirations (political charge, more literary structure, etc.) coupled with the aforementioned illustrative breakthroughs.

>>89517865
>He's addicted.
Addicted? After ten years on the wagon?

>>89517865
>Get some taste, you candyass homo.
This is the fourth Batman comic I've read, after Killing Joke, Mad Love, and Year One. All of those were better.

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>>89518155
>Killing Joke
>better
I bet you even read the recolor

>>89518193
I did read the recolor, as that is what was at my public library, but when I found out about the original coloring I reread it using a copy I found online.

>>89518155
When I was fairly new to Batman (early last year), I didn't like TDKR or Year One, they both seemed very similar to me but TDKR DID seem better imo, what did you like about Year One? What made it different to TDKR?

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>>89517568
>Why did Batman come out of retirement?
For lack of a better term, he snapped. Whatever it was about Jason's death that made him retire, had finally broken down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIY5Vyj4YM

>Were the mutants actual mutants, or just people calling themselves mutants?
They where humans.
This was Frank Miller making a subtle joke over that fact that by 1986, the most popular comic book super team was the X-Men(Mutants), who had taken over Batman's traditional territory (the most popular comic book).

>What was I supposed to love so much about this story?
Frank Millers pulpy dialoge. The interesting artwork. The coloring/inking.

>>89518155
DKR was written by a guy who lived in NYC in the 80's and kept getting mugged.

It was set in realtime.

Batman coming back after a long retirement was a metaphor for Frank Miller's perspective that the city had gone to shit and he needed a cathartic outlet.

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>>89517805
Yeah, say what you will about the writing in those books, the craft of making comics on display is beautiful.

>>89517805
I used to but then I knew it was an easy way to tell who on /co/ was posing.

>>89518553
I love how the superhero comics from Calvin & Hobbes are so obviously based on this story.

>>89517805
I only enjoy the art in Watchmen and TDKR. Love the tremendous attention to detail that went into the panels and layouts and pages.

Top tier stuff

>>89518596
Frank Miller's impact on the industry cannot be understated

>>89518617
er, overstated, rather

>>89517865
This.

I read The Dark Knight Strikes Again, first. I actually liked it. Mostly because it seemed like Frank Miller was high on some cocaine fueled tirade about the Government, lesbians, the media, and whatever else was pissing him off. I think it helped reading DK2, not as a Batman story of any kind, but Frank Miller having an illustrated seizure from drinking too much of his own Kool-Aide.

Its the art, layout, and Miller's voice for both Batman and Gotham that do it for me. It's more like a deliberate piece of art than any other comic book

>>89518500
Because, as plebby as it sounds, I tend to be more interested in the people surrounding Batman than Batman himself. Commissioner Gordon was great in Year One.

you shouldn't even participate in the enjoyment of art if you need everything explained logically

>>89518785
I'm asking you to explain yourselves emotionally

>>89518762
Nah that's not plebby. Batman himself is kind of depressing and depressing gets hackneyed quickly. Stuff about other characters keeps it fresh, it's the reason why I personally can't read shit like Berserk which is just issue after issue of misery.

I'm pretty Robinfag-ish myself, and yeah, the Commissioner Gordon stuff was cool in Year One. Plot-wise I just think TDKR is more interesting and memorable.

>>89518809
What are you, anon's fucking therapist?

Robocop with batman was the right comic at the right time, and had miller's trademark aces art and panelling. By today's standards the story holds up more as parody than a serious tale, but st the time shit was a mindfuck.

>>89518670
That's the perfect way to read it

>>89517782
This. I hate how much newfags give Miller shit for the art in this. The panelling and direction in this was definitely some next tier shit. It laid the foundation for visual storytelling in modern comics. TDKR and Sin City are my favourite Miller works just for the experimental art alone.

>>89517782

Agreed.

The paneling and composition is spectacular.

Also, the writing is the best prose in COMICS period.

>We must not remind them that giants walks the earth.

>>89518519
that pic is making me unreasonably angry

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>>89518519

Fuck you for not posting the actual picture.

It's such a great read - it was one of my first graphic novels I read and I didn't think much of it, but then I read it again last year and it blew me away.

The animated movie is worth checking out for the fights and the soundtrack too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r502XWNLAg8

>>89518155

>He thinks addictions go away
Ohhhh Anon. Lets all hope you never try heroin.

>>89518596
I dunno about that, I think Waterson hated cape comics. The 80's and 90's had a LOT of comics that aped TDKR's tone and style, though, so just a glance at the racks in a comic store would impart all the same imagery from TDKR onto you.

>>89522912
https://youtu.be/tqQiivfcrHU?t=25

Aside from miller, any redpilled comic creators?

>>89517904
>swashbuckling
>not campy

lol fuck off Denny

>>89522965
define redpilled

>>89518519

>It's GOOD that these kids are ultra-violent and addicted to drugs!
>Don't judge their lifestyle choices!

>>89523149
When applied to a comic creator: Writing uncomfortable truths / unpopular views into their comics, doesn't attempt to maintain political correctness in their comics, and having a heightened worldview from life experience (ex. Miller's young adulthood in grimy 80's NYC and being mugged / losing your innocence and learning hard truths in life firsthand, not just hearing about them and taking a popular stance) which they'd apply to their comics