Customer Reviews
First comic ever read, and I liked it! - By: Mr. Christopher P. Matthews, 24 Jul 2008 
First off: This review is only for comic book noobs, like myself!
I was recommended 2 comics to start me off on the road of comic reading, The Watchmen & Batman: Year One (due to the Batman Begins film being loosely based around this book). I read Batman first as it's much shorter, & wow, I feel like I've missed out on another world all these years! I was really suprised that the film was glammed upin comparison to at least this comic. It's very dark & Gotham really is messed up!
I almost couldn't put it down. The art work was great to look at & told a lot of the story that wasn't toldin writing. I'm not sure if all comics are this clever, but I was impressed with the subtle story telling of the artwork.
Anyway, I was pretty sure that I'd not like comic books, but having read this one, I'm very excited to start The Watchmen, & have ordered a few more Batman novels to get my teeth sunk into. So well recommended for the first time reader I'd say as it's not too fantastical as some of the stuff I browsed overin the comic book store!
Best batman ever? Could be! - By: i wrote this, 19 Sep 2007 What do The Dark Night Returns, Tim Burton's Batman movie & Batman Begins havein common?
None of them live up to the hype. No, really.
But this great little comic book whips along at lightening pace, spends as much time developing characters as it does on action & left me wanting more. Miller dumps all his usual 'style over substance' tricks & tells a good story. The art (not by Miller) compliments the writing to tell the story perfectly. What with this being a 'year one' book it's also the most accessible Batman story you will ever read so it's perfect for fans of the movies who are new to the comics or as a gift for somebody you want to get into comics.
The end result is my favourite Batman story, my favourite Frank Miller story & one of my favourite comics.
The greatest artwork in a comic book ever? - By: J. Tunstall, 18 Sep 2007 This collection is possibly the perfect way to appreciate the opulent warmth which the artwork & the colours emit. I read this collectionin one night & I would recommend it to anyone, especially those whom feel they are new to the Batman universe. For those who felt that Miller's Dark Knight Returns & especially its successor Dark Knight Strikes Again were to arch & complex the plot to Year One strips back the pretense to introduce us to a world which is characterised by violence & corruption. The main aim of the narrative is to introduce us to Batman & his beginnings, but I feel it works more as a breakdown of the character of James Gordon, & the difficulty he has with accepting Batman as both a vigilante & a crimefighter.
I feel that the comic really shines through the intricacy, but also the edgy & unfinished nature of the artwork, & the wayin which the colours compliment Mazzuchelli's gripping use of a pencil.
Gordon: Year One - By: William Mclaughlan, 16 Jul 2006 
This is a great book. But I didn't think it was enough about Batman. The stuff with Bruce's parents is good.
But Gordon is the character who's interesting here. Just a well-told story with a lot of depth. Flask is a nasty Detective Gordon's paired with & it's from that the majority of the drama comes from; & Gordon's relationship with his pregnant wife.
It's a enjoyable read, with such luxurious art. I think,in this edition, the colours have been tweaked. They're saturated & vibrant. There's something of the Adam West & Animated Series capturedin them. I found the art to be better than the storyin this case.
It's a really nice edition & a great way to get into Batman, this book is the reason I got into comics again.
The best Batman story ever. - By: Vote for Pedro, 29 Mar 2006 
Although Frank Miller is better known for the like of comic book classics like Sin City or The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One has got to be his best. Miller completely redefined Batman for a new generation, & yet again completely de-camped the character to being so grim & gritty that it is hard to imagine that he was ever treated like a joke. The story follows Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham after a 12 year abscence, & Jim Gordon arriving there as a Lieutenant. Gotham city has become a place owned by crime, depression, & corruption. While Jim Gordon discovers that he is one of the only honest cops around, Bruce Wayne realises that he is one of the only honest citiznes around. After as distarous first attempt to fight crime, Bruce learns that he must use fearin a city like this, & so becomes the Batman.
Although Batman: Year One could be considered more a Gordon book than a Batman one, when Batman appears every time it is amazing. Miller manages to once again take Batman, change him, & make him so much better. An absolute classic.
