10 Great Comics You Didn't Understand The First Time

The comic world's perception of Frank Miller has changed drastically over the years as Miller himself has fluctuated between a brilliant and subversive writer to a ranting lunatic who believes the same hyper-masculine machismo his best works railed against. As such, it can be hard to gauge perception of his work.

However, this has never been the case for The Dark Knight Returns. The tale of an aged Bruce Wayne re-initiating his crusade on crime in a futuristic Gotham is one of the best selling paperback trades of all time and is universally loved. However, as with most of the best Batman stories, not always for the right reasons.

It is widely appreciated for depicting Batman at his most vicious and intellectual, outwitting and outfighting a mutant leader, having a final confrontation with the Joker, and settling the Batman v. Superman debate once and for all.

However, few realize upon first reading that the piece is not meant to be taken seriously. Rather, it is a deconstructive take on Batman's psychotic dependence on his own vigilance, Superman's blind faith in American ideals, and how their stubborn insistence on adhering to their respective philosophies about human nature and crime has not only shattered what should be the most powerful friendship in the universe, but has forced them to confront one another as enemies. It is not a story of Batman's triumph over the ubermench, it is a borderline Shakespearean tragedy.