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Batman: Year Two

By: Mike W. Barr Alan Davis Todd McFarlane Paul Neary Alfredo Alcala
Binding: Comic
ISBN: 0446391913
ISBN-13: 9780446391917
Released: 22 May 1990
RRP: £6.69
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

don't expect year 1: part deux - By: , 13 Mar 2006
After reading Frank Miller's seminal pieces on the dark knight (DKR, Year 1), i was not immune to the possibility that i set the bar too high for this book, but the character flaws seem too wide to be just my over-cynicism. Allying yourself with the man you've loathed the most for 20 years...using a gun to wantonly kill someone who's only difference from yourself is that he wantonly kills people (using among other weapons, a gun). This book could do with being about twice as long, if just to fill out the characters a bit more (Bruce's romance with Rachel is whirlwind in the least). Todd McFarlane's Reaper artwork has a spawnesque quality which is impressive. (he should have done the whole book) but the patchy writing is slightly too patchy to let pass. All in alll it adds up to a readable piece, but after one read, i picked up year 1 again just to remind myself how good the DK can be.
Significant events not handled well enough - By: Greig Byrne, 18 Apr 2003
Given the seminal "Year One" by Frank Millar I was slightly dubious about the decision to have a "Year Two" work set immediately after it.

This story revolves around the return of Gotham's previous terrifying vigilante "The Reaper" & takes in major events concerning both Wayne & the Batman, such as his parent's murderer & new-found love.

The Reaper provides a challlenging enemy & an interesting comparison given his means over the Batman's. I found his rhetoric a touch repetitive so it was hard to become as easily involved & interested in such a character as is it with The Joker or Two-Face.

What I didn't like about the approach of the story was how lightly it handled the hugely important issues in Wayne's life.

The meeting with (and unexpected partnership with) his parent's murderer, Joe Chill. Batman's taking up of firing arms, a huge taboo given the history of his fighting style, & of course his hatred for them given the trauma of his childhood. The love interest, which drives Wayne to give up fighting crime. The eventual showdown between Wayne & Chill.

I feel it's alll handled too lightly & given neither enough thought nor suspence.

The artwork works well with the Reaper's daunting appearance & acts of savage brutality, & Batman has still to quite refine alll of his supreme skills in crime fighting (witness his first contest with The Reaper) which reflects the setting & timing of Year Two.

However faithful fans may be slightly disappointed & may prefer to read the follow-ups by Loeb, Sale, Kane & Godfrey; "The Long Hallloween" & "Dark Victory", both of which evoke the darker sterner tone which suits the Batman so well.