The Dark Knight Strikes Again Cover Art
| The Dark Knight Strikes Again | |
|---|---|
| Encompass of the trade paperback Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Over again. Embrace design by Scrap Kidd. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Limited series |
| Publication date | December 2001 – July 2002 |
| No. of bug | iii |
| Main character(s) | Batman Superman Catgirl Lex Luthor Brainiac Dick Grayson |
| Creative team | |
| Created by | Frank Miller Lynn Varley Todd Klein Bob Kane Neb Finger |
| Written past | Frank Miller |
| Artist(s) | Frank Miller |
| Colorist(s) | Lynn Varley |
Batman: The Night Knight Strikes Again , likewise known equally DK2 , is a 2001-2002 DC Comics 3-issue limited series comic book written and illustrated past Frank Miller and colored past Lynn Varley, featuring the fictional superhero Batman. The series is a sequel to Miller'due south 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns. Information technology tells the story of an aged Bruce Wayne who returns from three years in hiding, training his followers and instigating a rebellion against Lex Luthor'due south dictatorial rule over the U.s.. The series features an ensemble cast of superheroes including Catgirl, Superman, Wonder Woman, Plastic Man, The Flash, and the Atom.
Overview [edit]
The serial was originally published as a three-issue limited serial published by DC Comics between November 2001 and July 2002. It has since been published as hardcover and paperback one-volume editions and equally the Absolute Dark Knight edition with The Dark Knight Returns. Like its predecessor, this story takes place in a timeline that is non considered canonical in the current DC Comics continuity.[1]
Synopsis [edit]
Frank Miller'due south comprehend to The Night Knight Strikes Again #1.
Afterwards going underground, Batman (Bruce Wayne) and his young sidekick Catgirl (formerly Carrie Kelley—Robin) train an regular army of "Batboys" (the former Mutants and other recruits) to save the world from a constabulary dictatorship led by Lex Luthor. In a series of raids on government facilities, Batman'southward soldiers release other superheroes—including Atom, Flash and Plastic Man—from captivity. Elongated Human is recruited and Light-green Arrow is already working with Batman.
Superman, Wonder Adult female, and Captain Marvel have been forced to work for the Usa authorities, as their loved ones are beingness held earnest. Superman is ordered by "President Rickard" (a estimator-generated front end for Lex Luthor and Brainiac) to stop Batman. He confronts Wayne at the Batcave, simply Batman and the other superheroes defeat him. Meanwhile, Batman's raids have been noticed by the media. After existence banned for years, the freed superheroes accept recaptured the public imagination and accept become a fad amid the youth. At a popular concert by "The Superchix", Batman and the other heroes make a public appearance urging their fans to rebel against the oppressive government.
During this time, rogue vigilante Question spies on Luthor's plans and types a journal to record the misdeeds of those in power. Question tries to convince the Martian Manhunter—now an anile, bitter, virtually-powerless figure with his mind filled with Luthor's nanotechnology—to stand up up against Superman and the government. Question and Martian Manhunter are attacked by a mysterious man resembling the Joker, who is seemingly invulnerable to injury. Martian Manhunter sacrifices his life and Question is rescued by Greenish Arrow. The mysterious man escapes to kill other superheroes including Guardian and Creeper, stealing their costumes and wearing them.
An extraterrestrial monster lands in Metropolis and begins to destroy the city. Batman is convinced that information technology is an try to lure him and his allies out of hiding and does not respond, dismissing Flash'southward appeal that they are supposed to save lives. Batman's opinion is that it is as well risky to save the lives of the populace. Superman and Helm Marvel fight the monster, which is revealed to be Brainiac, who coerces Superman into defeat using the bottled Kryptonian metropolis of Kandor as leverage, to shell the people's faith in superheroes. Captain Marvel is killed defending citizens from the carnage but Superman is saved when his daughter Lara appears. She has been carefully hidden since birth, but, at present that the authorities knows she exists, they demand that she be handed over.
Deciding that Batman and his methods are the only way, Superman, Wonder Woman and Lara join him. Lara pretends to hand herself over to Brainiac. Atom slips into the bottle and frees the Kandorians, who utilise their combined heat vision to destroy Brainiac. The superheroes then destroy the dictatorship's power source and incite a revolution. Batman allows himself to be captured and tortured past Luthor to learn his plans. Luthor has launched satellites to destroy nigh of the world'due south population, leaving him with a more manageable number of people. The Green Lantern, who has turned into pure will, returns from space and destroys Luthor's satellites. Luthor is in turn killed past the son of Hawkman and Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol).
Returning to the Batcave, Batman is contacted by Carrie, who is existence attacked past the Joker-similar man and now wearing a Robin costume. Batman arrives and recognizes the man every bit Dick Grayson, the starting time Robin who Batman fired long ago. Grayson has been genetically altered to have a powerful healing cistron and shape-shifting ability, just is criminally insane. Every bit Batman and Grayson contemptuously recall their bleak history together, Batman drops him through a trapdoor into a miles-deep crevasse filled with lava, while Elongated Man rescues Carrie. Grayson clings onto a ledge, climbs out of the chasm and faces Batman. When Grayson remains virtually unharmed by everything Batman throws at him, Batman hurls himself and Grayson into the chasm. Grayson falls into the lava and is disintegrated. Superman rescues Batman at the final infinitesimal equally the Batcave explodes, and takes him to Carrie in the Batmobile.
Background and creation [edit]
In 2006, Frank Miller said of the creation process for The Dark Knight Strikes Over again:
I was out to remind readers about the inherent joy and wonder these superheroes offer, and likewise to celebrate their delicious absurdity. I saw the superheroes as Gods and Heroes in the Archetype sense ... I wanted to drag these Gods and Heroes out of that musty museum they'd been stuck in and drag them back to the streets where they vest.
—Frank Miller[2]
Characters [edit]
- Batman—Bruce Wayne'south modify ego who is 58 years old and faked his death three years ago and continues to operate secretly as Batman in 1989. He leads a rebellion confronting the decadent U.South. regime headed by Lex Luthor. Batman is a skilled and controversial strategist who makes decisions which result in deaths, which he considers necessary for the defeat of his enemies.
- Catgirl—Carrie Kelley, formerly Robin, is Batman's second-in-command.
- Lex Luthor—Luthor heads the U.S. authorities and uses a hologram of what the people remember is the President as a figurehead. He controls powerful superheroes—including Superman, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman—by holding their loved ones hostage.
- Brainiac—provides Luthor with the means to control the U.S., and hence the world.
- Superman—controlled by Luthor, who is property the miniaturized city of Kandor earnest. Encouraged by his daughter and Batman, Superman finally fights dorsum and breaks his ain vow not to kill.
- Wonder Woman—the youthful Queen of the Amazons who has a daughter with Superman.
- Lara—The girl of Superman and Wonder Adult female who has the powers of a Kryptonian and the warrior attitude of an Amazon. She has a poor opinion of people less powerful than herself and tries to persuade Superman to rise above the humans and perhaps take over the world.
- Captain Marvel—now an former man, he still stands past Superman and Wonder Woman. Helm Marvel is limited in his abilities considering Luthor holds his sis Mary hostage. He reveals that he and Billy Batson were ii dissever beings who switched places, and that Billy (who had always been sickly) had died effectually 8 years ago. This rendered him incapable of just switching out to recuperate because in that location would exist no ane to call him dorsum.
- "The Joker"/Dick Grayson—Having been emotionally abused by Batman and sacked years earlier for "cowardice and incompetence", Grayson has submitted himself to radical gene therapy by Luthor and other villains. He has gained a powerful healing gene and shape-shifting power, but was driven criminally insane. Throughout nearly of the story, Grayson takes on the appearance of the Joker and the costumes of members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. His victims include Martian Manhunter, Creeper, the Guardian, and he virtually kills Carrie Kelley.
- Atom—trapped within a Petri dish for over ii years, Ray Palmer is rescued by Carrie Kelley and becomes 1 of the first of the old superheroes to join Batman'southward rebellion.
- The Flash—coerced past threats to his wife Iris, Barry Allen is forced to run in a giant electrical generator before being freed by Carrie Kelley and the Atom.
- Elongated Man—Ralph Dibny advertises sexual activity drugs on television before joining Batman.
- Plastic Man—insane and rescued from Arkham Asylum, Eel O'Brian joins Batman's group.
- The Superchix—an all-girl pop/superhero group consisting of a Black Canary lookalike, Bat Chick and Wonder Chick.
- Green Arrow—a communist, activist and billionaire with a mechanical arm, Oliver Queen has long been part of Batman's forces.
- The Question—fighting for Batman'southward cause, Vic Sage works mainly alone and tries to recruit the former Martian Manhunter. He spies on Luthor and his associates, and distrusts technology and municipalization.
- Martian Manhunter—a victim of Luthor's nanobots, which take deprived him of most of his powers, J'onn J'onzz has become fond to alcohol and tobacco. He retains a precognitive sense which he uses to help Question.
- Green Lantern—Hal Jordan now lives with his own alien family in a distant role of the milky way. He returns to Earth at Batman's request.
- Hawkboy—Hawkman and Hawkgirl's son who grew upward with his sister in the Costa Rican rainforest. When their parents are killed by a military strike ordered by Luthor, Hawkboy intends to have revenge.
- Saturn Girl—a young, thirteen-twelvemonth-old who tin see into the future. She adopts the proper noun and outfit of the 31st-century Legionnaire.
- Rick Rickard—the holographic puppet President of the Us.
- U.South. Secretary of State Ruger, Exxon and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Starbucks—members of Luthor'southward regime.
- Hawk and Pigeon—Hank and Don Hall are in their old age. They try to accept up the tights over again only to not go through with it as they used to argue all the fourth dimension.
- Bat-Mite—Batman's former antagonist and co-founder of The Offset Church building of The Last Son of Krypton., a lunatic fringe motility dedicated to worshipping Superman.
- Large Barda—a erstwhile pornographic actress called Hot Gates. When America descends into chaos, Big Barda declares herself dictator of Columbus, Ohio.
- Lana Harper-Lane—a television news reporter who is presumed to exist the daughter of Guardian and Lois Lane.[three]
Publications [edit]
- Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Once again (2003-12-17 (hardcover[4]), 2004-07-21 (trade paperback with bonus materials[5])): Includes parts one-3.
- Batman Noir: The Dark Knight Strikes Once more (2018-03-28 (hardcover[6])): Black and white impress version of Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again iii-parts book.
Disquisitional reception and sales [edit]
The Nighttime Knight Strikes Once again received mixed to negative reviews, with criticism focusing on its artwork, storyline, and character development.[7] [8] [9] Claude Lalumière of The Montreal Gazette gave the series a mixed review and said "the script lacks the emotional nuances of its predecessor, and ... the artwork is rushed and garish", and that it "has considerable chutzpah, but its devil-may-care execution is regrettable".[ten] Roger Sabin of The Guardian wrote that the series has "flashes of luminescence—few tin can command page layouts like Miller—but in general the idea of the ironic superhero seems rather dated."[11]
The first issue of "DK2" ranked #i in December 2001 with pre-order sales at 174,339.[12] The 2nd issue of DK2 was ranked 3rd in sales for the January 2002 period with pre-club sales of 155,322.[13] The final upshot of the serial had pre-lodge sales of 171,546 returning to #one for the month of February 2002.[14] The comic had an in-shop date on July 31 of that same year.[fifteen]
Discussing the negative reception for The Night Knight Strikes Again, Frank Miller said in 2006: "I expected shock. I wanted it. I never make it my mission to reassure people. Fourth dimension will brand its own judgement."[16]
Sequel [edit]
On Apr 24, 2015, DC Comics announced that Frank Miller was co-writing a sequel to The Dark Knight Strikes Once again with Brian Azzarello titled The Nighttime Knight III: The Master Race.[17] [eighteen] The series featured a rotating cast of artists, including Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson.[nineteen] [20] Frank Miller later confirmed that The Master Race would non be the conclusion, and he was commencement work on a fourth series.[21]
References [edit]
- ^ Sanderson, Peter (Feb half-dozen, 2006). "Comics in Context #119: All-Star Bats". IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved Apr 24, 2013.
- ^ "Frank Miller: I Stole From The Best!". Archived from the original on June 25, 2006.
- ^ Lander, Randy (Dec 3, 2001). "Dark Knight Strikes Over again #one (Best of the Week!)". The Fourth Rail. Archived from the original on Apr 15, 2002. Retrieved December thirty, 2010.
- ^ BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES Again
- ^ BATMAN: THE Dark KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN
- ^ BATMAN NOIR: THE Dark KNIGHT STRIKES Again
- ^ Lalumière, Claude (September 21, 2002). "The Dark Knight Strikes Again". Retrieved Baronial 30, 2012.
- ^ Sanford, Jason (2002). "Review of The Dark Knight Strikes Again past Frank Miller". Retrieved June iii, 2018.
- ^ Cheang, Michael (December ii, 2015). "Why does everyone detest The Dark Knight Strikes Again?". Retrieved June iii, 2018.
- ^ Lalumière, Claude (September 21, 2002). "The Dark Knight Strikes Once more". Retrieved August 30, 2012.
- ^ Sabin, Roger (December 15, 2002). "Accept a picture..." The Observer . Retrieved Baronial 30, 2012.
- ^ "Top 300 Comics – December 2001". ICv2. Nov 28, 2001.
- ^ "Top 300 Comics – January 2002". ICv2. January 2, 2002. Retrieved July 9, 2008.
- ^ "Top 300 Comics – February 2002". ICv2. February 4, 2002.
- ^ "Archived copy". www1.cinescape.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2002. Retrieved Jan 12, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy every bit title (link) - ^ "Frank Miller: I Stole From The Best!". Archived from the original on June 25, 2006.
- ^ "Superstar Writer/Artist Frank Miller Returns To Batman!". DC Comics . Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ "Frank Miller Returns With The Night Knight III: The Principal Race". Newsarama.com. April 24, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ "DC Entertainment Provides New Details For Dark Knight Iii: The Primary Race". DC Comics. July 9, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ Wheeler, Andrew (July 9, 2015). "Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson Join 'The Chief Race' (The Comic)". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on Baronial 14, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ Osborn, Alex (November 17, 2015). "Frank Miller Says He's Returning For The Night Knight 4". IGN.
External links [edit]
- Flak Magazine: Review of The Night Knight Strikes Again, 11.08.02
- Peter Sanderson's analysis: Parts ane, 2, and three
- Batman: The Nighttime Knight Returns and Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again discussed at sequart.com
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Strikes_Again
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