Member Reviews

Really enjoyed this one and was a bit surprised by that. I suspect that the inclusion of Brian Azzarello was able to keep Miller from some of his worst impulses and made the story actually readable this time (unlike The Dark Knight Strikes Again). Nice overall combination of writing and artwork (by Andy Kubert, Klaus Janson, and even Miller himself in some of the fill-in issues). The story is fairly strong, as Ray Palmer, the Atom, is duped into finally bringing the survivors of the jar city of Kandor back to full-size, only to discover that they've been overtaken by a religious zealot and his army of followers, who soon pose a threat to the entire Earth. Batman/Bruce Wayne must try to bring all the remaining survivors of the Justice League together to fight off this threat and though it seems insurmountable, the good guys have a lot of believable tricks up their sleeves.

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This was quite possibly the best Batman story I've ever read and the strangest Batman artwork I've ever seen. Loved the cameos from the various members of the Justice League, and the inserted issues highlighting each of them.

The concept of the story was a good one: what would happen if the residents of Kandor were brought back to full size on earth? I definitely liked the way this played out!

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I didn't know what to expect from this. The Dark Knight Returns has long been a quintessential Batman graphic novel, but its follow up (Strikes Again) was an unreadable mess, and anything recently written by Frank Miller that I've picked up has been just terrible. So when I heard there would be a third Dark Knight book, I raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, let's see how that turns out."
Surprisingly well, thankfully. It seems like Miller's madness was tempered by collaboration with Brian Azzarello. I still hate the art style that is signature to all three books in this series, but regardless we had a solid story that kept me invested throughout.

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Gods vs. Humanity: Which is the 'master race'? That's what's explored in this third installment of the Dark Knight. Miller/Azzarello/Kubert and Janson (the baddest firm of outlaws if ever there was one) offer a visual, storytelling style that is spare but potent. Shout out to Brad Anderson on colors.
The Kryptonians in the Bottle of Kandor make their move against the humans, the ants that need to be shown their place, their inferiority by they - the gods. A key player in this story is Lara, daughter of Wonder Man and another JLA member. She totters on the apex of neutrality as friend or foe. Batman recruits his newly promoted Batwoman, and together with the Justice League, wage a battle, for existence, survival.... for superiority?
Artwork and writing have a special quality to them, though it doesn't attain the caliber of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Regardless, it's with admiration and joy that I recommend this graphic novel.

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I jumped at the chance to review an early copy of Batman: The Dark Knight: The Master Race as The Dark Knight Returns rekindled my love for comics all those years ago. Both Miller and Azzarello are back in familiar territory now showcasing an aging Batman unable to save Gotham. Most DC regulars are here from Wonder Woman who is having daughter issues to Superman who is frozen in ice. A good, if long story, broken up with different stories of Green Lantern, Atom and The Flash. Not a patch on their previous work but still an enjoyable read.

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A very solid entry into the Batman cannon, neatly continuing the story of the ageing Batman started way back when with The Dark Knight Returns, one of the best graphic novels of all time. The story does move a little too quickly and you struggle to care about the plot, but the strength of the characters and their relationships with each other makes this a worthy read.

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In 1986, Frank Miller cemented his place in comic book history with his new take on Batman, The Dark Knight Returns. Miller offered a reinterpretation of Batman that shattered the common perception of the campy Adam West Batman TV series, replacing it with an aging Bruce Wayne, broken by the murder of his parents.

In the story, the death of his sidekick Robin has convinced Bruce Wayne to retire his alter ego. Batman hasn't been seen fighting crime for a decade. But the rise of a new criminal gang and the support of Carrie Kelly, the new Robin, emboldens Bruce Wayne, now in his 50s, to get back out on the streets to defend Gotham.

Miller's Dark Knight was incredibly influential, essentially creating the obsessed, morally questionable character that we still know today. A new comic reader could easily pick up The Dark Knight Returns and enjoy it without the need for decades of Batman backstory and comic book continuity.

Thirty years later, and Frank Miller is back with his second follow up story, The Dark Knight: Master Race, this time with help from co-writer Brian Azzarello and artists Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson. Like the first sequel, 2001's The Dark Knight Strikes Again, this new book is nearly indecipherable. The Dark Knight sequels rely heavily on the wide world of DC superheroes, requiring the reader to know all about DC's characters and past histories. If you know what a Lazarus Pit is or who Ralph Dibny and Patrick O'Brian are, you'll probably be able to follow the stories. Even then, there are tons of gaps you'll be left to fill in for yourself.

If I understand it, the story of Master Race goes something like this: Scientist Ray Palmer, at the urging of Lara, the daughter of Wonder Woman and Superman, attempts to enlarge the citizens of the Bottle City of Kandor. He's surprised when the newly-embiggened Kryptonians turn out to be a cult of zealots led by the evil Quar. Quar's cult members expect to be treated like gods by the people of earth. This forces the once again retired Bruce Wayne, now somewhere between age 60 and 90, to become Batman again. Superman needs to be awakened from a self-imposed coma. Green Lantern, previously seen to be all-powerful, gets his hand heat-visioned off. The Flash gets his legs broken and turns into a computer hacker. Batman dies and is brought back to life, young and strong and ready for another sequel.

If you're a fan of Frank Miller and his previous Dark Knight books, you're probably curious enough to check out Master Race. Go ahead, maybe you'll like it. If you're not a DC Comics aficionado, I can't imagine there's any part of Master Race that you'll enjoy. I'd advise you to take a look at the original Dark Knight Rises and see what you think.

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Nothing better than a new graphic novel by Frank Miller.

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