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by Dave Scrimgeour & Kevin McCluskey   Writer- Frank Miller Illustrator- David Mazzucchelli Colourist- Richmond Lewis Lettering- Todd Klein SYNOPSISLieutenant James Gordon arrives, to begin his mission to weed-out the crime and corruption in Gotham City, whilst its favourite native son, Bruce Wayne, returns to commence his journey towards fighting crime dressed as a bat. Something which he's still quite some way off from. Dave So, we are taking the DeLorean back to 1986 for the combo of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli on 'Batman Year One.' I was reading the intro notes, and although Miller was hot off the press with Daredevil, this time around he only wanted to focus on the writing aspect. What do you think of the cover to part one? Kev I know we’ve said this before, about how the word "iconic" gets thrown around a bit too liberally these days, but this cover fits the bill. How many times has it been copied, or referenced, or riffed on? And across multiple mediums at that. And yep, more of the 'Born Again' creative team of Miller and Mazzucchelli for us here. Dave It's interesting how it is so basic and so harrowing at the same time. It's nothing fancy, but it really sets the scene for a grim tale. Kev That opening panel is great. The elevated train, the urban decay, the draughtspersonship. This is already looking like it’s going to be a series of discussions of me just gushing over Mazzucchelli’s work. Strap yourselves in, folks. Richmond Lewis deserves a huge heap of praise for the colour art here as well though. The monochrome is exquisite and immediately sets the tone for the rest of the issue. And the series as a whole, for that matter. Dave Oh yeah, this is some great opening images and the choice of colouring for the narration by Gordon and Bruce is great as well. The yellow caption boxes make a stark contrast to the grey images of a moody and troubled Gotham on the first page. So go ahead, gush all you want.  "Gotham City, always brings a smile to my face." Kev Yeh, Todd Klein deserves props here too. The use of caption box shape, note how Jim Gordon’s is ragged at the right, whereas Bruce Wayne’s is ragged at the bottom, and the font in their boxes is different too, each establishing an identity for the respective character’s voices and motivations. For example, Jim is trying to protect his wife by getting her to use a plane, whereas Bruce wants to use the train so he can “…..see the enemy.” Dave I was getting the feel of the Matt Reeves narration at the opening of 'The Batman.' It was all about the city and it was described like it was an actual person. Bruce's narration seems like it’s been recorded in a diary. Kev Absolutely. There is no doubt whatsoever that the influence of this looms large over the Batman cinematic outings. The Bruce caption boxes even look like diary entries. Dave The next panel, of Gordon coming off the train, is so highly detailed and captures the hustle and bustle of life in Gotham, as well as the stresses Gordon is feeling. This story is not pulling any punches, and already we have Flass asserting himself, physically, over a smaller Gordon. The third panel on page 2, of him looking down on Gordon with a look of contempt, sums up how Gordon's journey will be. The world weary look says it all. He knows this will be a tough ride. And in contrast, we see Bruce Wayne coming out and being greeted by the press. Already he has learned to mask how he feels and project the playboy image.  I'm not sure I would describe 'Year One' as a "nice" book, like, but fair enough.  Bruce Wayne; eligible ba(t)chelor. Kev Miller really isn't pulling any punches here, is he? This is full-on, gritty, nightmarish, noir. Like 'Born Again' with any of the colour, and hope, drained out of it. He loves using the media to tell aspects of the story. The way that he has them treating Bruce is exactly the way the media in our country treat Prince Harry for example. America having no royalty, so creating its own through celebrity and all that. Dave That's a good point. The choice of colour in the panels denote the different moods. A gloomy grey for Gordon, whereas Bruce is given the brighter colours, even though internally he is more troubled than Jim. I also like how his age is specified in this story. Kev Yeh. Miller is making a real point of making the reader aware that this is a young and inexperienced Bruce Wayne. I like how he builds the tension between Loeb and Gordon immediately, by having Loeb state that the one thing he can’t stand is smoking, just as Gordon pulls out his Marlboros. Dave It's already quite snappy in its pace, even with the dialogue, which there is quite a bit of on these two pages. Kev The pacing doesn't give you a second to catch your breath, does it? Which only adds to the claustrophobic, oppressive nature of Gotham, and the story itself. Dave There is no time wasting with the corruption detailed here, and Gordon's morals on this are setting up the conflict which will ensue. A good, moral man against the immoral, corrupt, dirty cops. Kev Yep, already we’ve established the hell on earth atmosphere of Gotham City. It’s no place to raise a child and the police are corrupt as fuck. Which is something Nolan made a huge play of in his Batman movies. Particularly Batman Begins. Jimmy’s got his work cut out for him alright. Dave The date jumps are quite rapid; we go from January 4th to February 12th in a few pages. It kind-of shows that this is an ongoing long term scenario, and Gordon has to endure this shit day in day out. Also, it builds on a good timeframe to show how Jim is now clearly not getting with the programme. Kev Nope, he certainly is not. I’m also liking the use of the dates to give us an exact timeframe for the story. Dave There really is some great colour choices in the background such as page 6. There’s no consistency, but it’s visually appealing, and it works. Kev Yeh, that’s an amazing third panel on page 6. Such good use of negative space.  White Knight. Dave I like the bottom panel on page 6 for example.  Flassie Says Relax. Put THAT on a t-shirt. Kev Yeh, almost like Gotham, outside the police car window, is on fire. Which, of course, it is, figuratively speaking, what with it being hell on earth and all. Dave Yep, the gravestone really brings home the harshness of Bruce's internal struggles. It represents how alone he feels and how he is so obsessed with the death of his parents. The world around him is blanked out by his blindness of his focus. Kev That's an excellent interpretation of that panel, man. Gordon’s prayers for Barbara’s pregnancy test to be negative clearly went unanswered. There’s no God in a hell like Gotham. Particularly considering that the priest is also having to pay the cops off. Dave Then the snappiness continues, as page 7 shows us that it is now nine days later. I get the feeling the dates are uneven to push the story forwards when necessary, allowing the ongoing tension with Gordon and the cops to unfold, as well as to allow Bruce some training time.  Wayne Tree Surgery Ltd. Kev They almost keep you unbalanced as a reader as well. You can never quite get the story under your feet, like shifting sands, so it keeps you on your toes. Dave Bruce could have easily spent his money on a chainsaw for page 7 to chop down the trees, but it shows the hard and rigorous training regime he is putting himself through, coupled with the constant diary entries. Kev Ha, ha! "Chainsaw" Bruce Wayne. That sounds like a professional wrestler from the American southern territories in the '70's. Dave I like how Miller has written this, everything being relevant to the story, and keeping such a constant pace. The edginess and snappiness is superb writing. Kev It's really well constructed, isn't it? It’s learn, and muscular writing. There's no fat on it whatsoever. Dave And the bottom scene on page 7, where they decide it's time to ruff up Jim quickly jumps from February 26 to March 11 on page 8. And more Mazzucchelli gushing; I love that top panel on page 7. Very ‘80’s, with the seedy looking parking lot. It’s like 'The Equalizer,' or a 'Death Wish' look.  I wonder who the "visiting Hollywood sex queen" was. Or, like Charlie Sheen, is Bruce into porn stars. Kev It has that '80's grit and grain to it, alright. In fact, does Miller’s Bruce Wayne/Batman read more like Frank Castle/The Punisher to you? Dave A bit, but more naive with his choices. As you say, it shows his inexperience in the practicalities. Up until now he has been all practice, not actual experience. Kev Yeh, and he's so mechanical. Almost robotic. Dave I tell you what, pages 8 and 9 are excellent in terms of, not only composition, but also the colours as well. The cherry red on page 9, while Gordon battles the dirty cops is, to use a quote I use too much, "Wall art." It's like he hasn't formulated any plan, and is just jumping in head first, destined for a fall. Kev Yeh, Mazzucchelli does action very well. And we've often spoken about how hard that is to convey in static images like comic panels. MIller’s way of humanising Gordon, and making him relatable, by having him be an expectant father is really effective. It’s easy to imagine yourself in his shoes. Even if you don’t have, or are even expecting, kids. Dave It's a real character based story, coupled with drama and action. The top panel of page 10 has shit-hot colours, come to think of it. That could easily be Frank Castle walking down that street. The detail and colour is brilliant. Although, Bruce is a bit smaller than Frank. I think Batman is supposed to be about 6'2," and Punisher is about 6'4."  The Cherry-Red Light District. Kev Yeh, Frank was always portrayed as being a bit bigger. That top panel on page 10 is fantastic. Interesting that Miller makes reference to “the Finger Memorial,” considering this was written way before Bill Finger was properly receiving the credit he deserves for his contributions to the creation of Batman and his world. Dave I can see a real visual influence on Matt Reeves’s 2022 version, with the use of cherry red in the visuals for Gotham City. This is looking so cinematic. Kev That's a good point. The black and red was all over the marketing for that film. I think they took a lot of that from The Animated Series as well. Yeh, Mazzucchelli's nothing if not cinematic. And here is where we start to see why Miller has come in for a lot of the criticism that’s been aimed at him over the years. The reference to a “Hollywood sex queen” earlier, Selina Kyle as an amazonian sex worker, the sub kink of her client, etc. etc. His female characters tend to be less fleshed out than their male counterparts, and they’re often either virgins or whores. Which is very Catholic of him. It’s an unfortunate element of his work that has only compounded over time. Dave I get the feeling that he may even have liked to portray them like that. Kev Yeh, a bit too much, I reckon. Dave Yeah Miller, really did like his sexualization of the women in stuff. Sin City, for example. It's interesting on page 11, how conscious Bruce is of aggravating the pimp as he says, "I'm provoking him...I really shouldn't.” Do you think he is starting to realise that he is getting a little in over his head? Kev Definitely. That, and he was trying not to draw too much attention to himself. He knows he's not ready for this yet. This is a superb little bit of storytelling by Mazzucchelli, that Bruce uses the same side thrust kick here on the pimp that we saw him practising on the tree a few pages earlier. Practice makes perfect and all that.  "Friday night and I need a fight, my motorcycle and a switchblade knife. Handful of grease in my hair feels right..." Dave And how he details the pimp telegraphing his move, so his reflexes are bang on. I love the confident side step with hands in his pockets. Kev Me too. I love how, as much as Bruce says the pimp is fast, he lunges and puts himself off balance. Amateur. Dave Yeah, he is becoming more self-aware during combat, and this whole scenario is turning into one big shit show for Bruce. But again, the pacing is relentless, and I think it's been perfect so far. I really can't fault the pacing. Then Catwoman jumps into the mix. And notice the similarity to the Zoe Kravitz’s look for 'The Batman?' Kev Oh, definitely. Miller and Mazzucchelli gave her a more athletic look here. She looks like she could whoop some ass. Dave I really like Bruce's internal monologue during this battle scene. He has the skills, but just not the experience of being more subtle. He has made himself stand out too much, drawn far too much unnecessary attention, and is paying for it. I love that spinning kick panel of Catwoman, and Bruce's block. Top notch fight choreography. That can't be easy to draw. That’s some Cynthia Rothrock stuff, right there. Kev Totally. I like that Bruce side steps the kick as well as blocking it. He moves as a target, making his head and his body harder to hit. Dave And his stance work is great, as he is already poised to strike with his right fist, ready to go in. But things are really going pear shaped once the cops turn up. Kev They always do. Yep. It's excellent stuff from Mazzucchelli. “If he dies, he…..” Very Rocky IV, Frank. The panel at the top of page 13 of Selina hopping the railing of her apartment is superb.  Cat-like agility in kitten heels. Dave This story has drastically changed in colour tone. From the dull grey daylight, to a fiery cherry red nighttime scene, and it really enhances the look of this story. Kev Agreed. Those neon street lights really help amp up the tension of the fight scene. Dave Page 14 and 15 are superb as well, with the cops bundling Gordon in the car, and Bruce escaping. The third panel on page 15, with Bruce grabbing the guy’s face, reminds me of a Michael Myers 'Halloween' moment. Kev "The Shape" grabbing some face. Dave And the bottom panel, of him in the fire, is so striking. Almost like he has been reborn from fire and brimstone. Kev Ah, that's a really good point about being born of the flames. Forged in the fire. This is a tale of the birth of The Batman after all. The use of the black panels to indicate Bruce slipping in and out of consciousness, literally blacking out, is excellent. Dave I also like how the first panel on page 16 uses the reporter as a bridge in the narrative, such as in earlier moments. Gotham is certainly a newsworthy place. Kev Yeh, Miller loves that stuff, doesn't he? Dave Indeed, he did write 'Robocop 2.' Kev Ha, ha! He did that. The way that Miller is structuring this, with Bruce and Jim being on a collision course, almost literally on page 17, is intriguing, as it’s usually reserved for your protagonist and antagonist. Not two characters who will ultimately become allies, and partners, essentially. Dave And the switch on page 16, to a messed up Gordon, continues the harshness and grittiness of this story. It's good commentary, as Bruce is clearly afraid at this point, and is obsessing on how fear has to be used. He’s driving like a maniac as well. He is clearly in shock.  The Boys. The Lads. Kev Yeh, and I like the fact that Gordon was aware that Flass and his guys did just enough to keep him out of hospital. That’s a nice gag about Bruce, and rich people doing a lot of cocaine. More media stuff there as well. “Saw a special on it.” Dave Gordon's in a real predicament, as he is naturally worried about how Barbara will react to seeing him in this state. Kev Yeh, that's more of that relatable stuff I was talking about earlier. And more God/religious stuff for the Catholic Miller. Dave But Gordon wastes no time in exacting his revenge. Measure for measure. Yeah, that's right Miller had a strong Catholic upbringing didn't he? Kev He did, yeh. It's all over his work. Dave It certainly is with Daredevil as well. Particularly in his writing of Matt Murdock. Kev The weight of the Catholic religion, especially the guilt, is something I can relate to. I love that Flass is wearing his high school varsity jacket when Gordon beats the crap out of him. What a jock. Dave Yep, the old "jocks are arseholes" dig here by Mazzucchelli. Even though he's been messed up, Gordon still has his military training that controls his actions to a point. The experience, and not the hot-headed irrationality of a young Bruce Wayne. Gordon takes his time in waiting. Patience is a virtue. Kev Ha, ha! Bruce needs to take a leaf out of Jim's book, doesn't he? He needs him, like an inspiration, or a coach, or a mentor of some sorts. Dave Yeah. I also like how he knows Flass will not say anything, as his ego is too big, and he will tell some bullshit tale. The shadowing on the beating up scene in the woods is great. The colours blend so well and add another element to the visuals.  Gordon beats Flass black and blue. With a little bit of white thrown in for good measure. Kev Yeh. Gordon's a smart cookie, and he's learning exactly how he needs to play the game in Gotham. Dave At least Bruce, for all his flaws, has an amazing sense of self awareness, and can dig deep inside to acknowledge his weaknesses. The whole of page 20 shows the brooding pre-Dark Knight here. And I mean, briefly pre-Dark Knight. Kev Absolutely. He knows the areas he needs to improve in. And he knows he's missing something. He just doesn't quite know what it is yet. Dave That bottom panel on page 20 has a similarity to ‘Son of the Demon.’  Please donate what you can, so that billionaires can afford to light their mansions during the cost of living crisis. Kev It does indeed, yes. Dave And, of course, we get the obligatory flashback on page 21. It wouldn't be Batman without the haunting flashback to where it all started for him. Kev Ha, ha! No, it wouldn't be, would it? Although, to be fair to Miller and Mazzucchelli, this wasn't quite the Batman standard that it is now. This kind-of set the tone for this scene, and these images, to be used in this way for decades to come. That transition between the bottom panel of page 21, with the fantastic rendition of the young boy Bruce Wayne’s determined, rage-filled eyes, and the top panel of page 22, of the image of the grown up Bruce Wayne’s desperate, near death eyes is superb. The bat(s) frightening Bruce as a boy is something else that Nolan made heavy use of in his trilogy.  Eye.....  .....to eye. Dave Yeah, indeed. The last page, of the bat crashing through the window, and the epiphany is a staple now. It's also a good place for the first part to end, given the pacing of this story. Kev Definitely. Ending this chapter on that panel of Bruce’s hand, just about to ring the bell, so that Alfred can come to his aid and save him, is an excellent way to close this one out. It's interesting that there are no appearances Batman in this Batman comic. And people talk about decompressed storytelling in today’s comics. Sheesh! Dave So, what do you make of this first part of 'Year One' then? Including gushing. Kev Ha, ha! I have my gripes with it. But I think a lot of them have to do with discussing this in 2023, and having the baggage of all that came in the wake of this piece of work. It’s easy to see why Miller’s Bruce Wayne/Batman came to be seen as a fascist vigilante by some on the left, and a hero to a lot of the more right leaning side of the political spectrum, when he’s out there beating up sex workers etc. etc. His influences seem to be very much Harry Calahan and Travis Bickle. Plus, there seems to be an element of wish fulfilment on the author’s part here, whereas Alan Moore, has often said that if you identify with the, arguably similarly penned, Rorschach, you completely missed his point and that you’re an absolute moron. Is Miller just not quite as deft an author as Moore? Moore certainly not being beyond criticism himself, to be fair. Miller's arguably a more visceral writer than Moore. I feel that the seeds of Miller’s slide from being worshipped around this time, to being somewhat ridiculed by the time you get to All Star Batman, and having Bruce force Dick Grayson to eat rats in the Batcave just to survive, as well as giving it the whole “I’m the goddamn Batman” bit, are definitely planted here. I’m not sure if THAT Bruce Wayne would have dragged two, likely corrupt, police officers thirty feet to keep them from being burned to death in their exploding vehicle, just because of the possibility that they might have families. But despite my issues with certain aspects of Miller’s work, (particularly as time has gone on) taking this on its own merits, and as a product of its own time, it’s easy to see why it’s so revered. It’s superb stuff. It’s not pleasant, of course. Some of that has to do with the subject matter (perhaps even Miller’s personal politics), and the overall tone, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a sinewy, muscular, visceral and arresting piece of work. It’s a "goddamn" good read. It's considered a classic for a reason. For good reason. What about yourself? Dave Oh yeah, I think it's a cracking opening to the story, as it really is just the start of it. It's brutal, but not overly brutal, as there is a lot of self-reflection going on as well. Mind you, a lot of internal narrative in comics often covers that. As I have said before, the artwork and colours are great. Actually, not just great, but superb, and the pacing is brilliant. I like how we don't get stuck on a scene for too long. Nothing outstays its welcome. I'm not familiar with the current discussions of it in 2023, but hell, it was 37 years ago, and ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘Dirty Harry’ were still in the public consciousness. I do think Miller has a bit of a sex-crazed mind though, so I'm not surprised that he injects this in. Really, the censors of entertainment had a lot to do with how sex was diluted over the years, especially in cinema. And nowadays you don't really get that exposure to it at all. Or it's certainly been cleaned up from the gratuitousness of the past. But that evolved over a couple of decades. You've got me curious about what current reviews are saying about it, but in general, I’m liking it so far. Kev It's not so much what people say about this as a piece of work, people still generally love this, it's more Miller himself and his subsequent work as the years have gone on. Particularly after 9/11. He seemed to become increasingly paranoid, and scared, and as a result, reactionary, cold, and started to seemingly drift further and further to the right in his work. Although, he does deny that himself. Dave Ah, right. I see. That has probably always been there then, it just took triggers to set it off. Kev Well, they do say you get more right wing as you get older, and it happened to a lot of people after 9/11. The aftermath of which we've only just really started to see the full extent of, I reckon. What with Trump, anti-vaxxers, Q-Anon and the like. A lot of people were scared after 9/11. I suppose it's called terrorism for a reason. Although, what, and who, you should be fearful of are certainly up for debate. Dave Yep, paranoia and the media go hand in hand, and with more media exposure saturating people's consciousness, it was eventually going to do a number on us. The media are all about getting you glued to their stories, and by jove, they have succeeded with it. Ironic that Miller puts a lot of media coverage in his stories then. Come to think of it. ‘Batman ‘89,’ had a lot of news reports throughout it. As did the Nolan Batman movies, and now 'The Batman' in 2022 as well. Kev True. They all use the media in quite a significant way, don't they? As someone who is clearly conscious of how the media works (just look at how he depicts it in this and The Dark Knight Returns), you would have thought that Miller wouldn't have been quite so susceptible to being so manipulated it.  "Dashing through the window, in a one-bat open sleigh....." Dave Yep, I think as people in general, young and old, have become far more addicted to technology, not just our phones, but spending night after night watching a television, or a computer, people are spending far more time indoors, consumed by the world of technology nowadays. And it's not just younger generations, all generations are coming into the age of technology. Kev Definitely. Dave I think it has played a major part in forming people’s viewpoints, and probably why there is a "culture war" going on. I mean, there have always been differences expressed in cultural beliefs, but it has gone full-blown now. But it is human nature, really. It's part of our primal instincts. We fight for for some form of survival. Only now it’s social survival. Kev Social media survival. Ha, ha! Absolutely. We better be careful that we don't get "cancelled." Only to come back next month. I'm done with social media, now that Musk has bought Twitter. That's it for me. I'm out. Dave Yeah, it's all big business now. Kev That’s certainly true. Dave Social survival, and social approval. Because social exclusion is the same as social death, and social media is raising the stakes on that one. There’s a lot of “social” stuff here. Haha! Kev Social commentary; We See The World In Ben-Day Dots style. (D) & (K) Next: Enter Batman. 
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