Add to this excellent brief examination, that after [Batman] Year One, suddenly the door was flung open to other 'early in the life of' stories, with nearly every major character having not just the obligatory "Origin Story," but a "year-one story" as well; this effect continues into the present, now opening the other end of a character's life, the "Old Man" story, with Old Man Logan/Wolverine, and recently several others. While, most notably, Superman has long had a series of "old man" Superman stories, they've never seemed to me, at least, to have been one-off, "imaginary" stories, without the cachet modern takes on the [is it now a genre?] theme of SoandSo as an older character.
Great and very astute points Matt, especially the observation on the 'Old Man' pattern with Marvel . Side question: Do you know if the Untold Tales of Spider-Man by Kurt Busiek was part of that wave of post-Year One. I have memories of that being a little better than most! 😊
So glad you liked it, thanks for your kind words and support! 😊 the Year One Absolute may be my favourite Absolute Edition - it is just so elegant and such a pleasure to read. I am sure you will love it, but I'd love to know what you think of it once you've had a chance to soak it in!
In most ways, the entire channel is 'my favourites'! 😀 I am not at all timely - there's little just-published stuff, and I have no sense about linking to new movies or TV shows, so I generally make videos on my favourite comics, with no other parameters. Especially the ones I spotlight in my "What is...?" introductory videos like this one and the ones in this playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLf2B7UoR9NKVphRi3zsaMpcD387yhHrsv.html But I do like to highlight specific favourites in lists from time to time, which you can find here: th-cam.com/play/PLf2B7UoR9NKVthCbMtOGfKlz_4vbJ4IVA.html Ah, maybe it's time I made another list video!
LOL, I realize there’s some subjective choices. Another list video, maybe by genre or compilation? Whatever inspires you. I clicked liked and subscribed. Thanks again for the recommendations.
Truly one of my all-time favorite Batman comics. Miller understood Batman better by then, a guy who is dressed like a dark creature who, ironically, happens to do good in a darker world.
Finally a superhero comics...And it is my fav - Batman..Hope u will introduce more classic superhero comics in upcoming videos... One more suggestion -please introduce horror comics too... Great work as always bro..Keep going...
One thing though I wish you would have touched upon is how different the artwork looks in the original issues versus the recolored treatment it receives in the collected editions.
Thanks, and glad you liked the video! It's not often that something remains a favourite over decades, but this one just gets better every time I read it!
I did say I’ll be returning to this, didn’t I? 😀 I usually do color comparisons in my edition comparison videos, not the intro ones. Year One is definitely getting one!
Ah, my mistake! That's good because I'm sure many people who have read Year One are unaware of the extent that it was recolored. Same with Killing Joke. Killing Joke just got an Absolute Edition that contains both the original coloration and the recolor btw!
Re: the Killing Joke, I know that Brian Bolland was not happy with the original colouring and apparently the deluxe had his input. I have the original and the deluxe for comparison, so I haven't decided if it's worth getting the Absolute Edition. What would you say?
Has it been 30 years already?!? Holy Moley! I want to add my name to the list of people who thinks that Batman: Year One is a MUCH better work than Dark Knight Returns... Dark Knight Returns was a better seller because of various reasons. I think it was the first comic book published in the Prestige format (or at least one of the first), it was a stand alone project with high quality paper, raw and powerful almost surealist violent art in garish colors. It was heavily promoted by DC. Year One was "only" another story arc part of the regular ongoing long running Batman title. Like many DC series were doing at the time, it was an obligatory resetting one of DC classic characters in it's post-Crisis universe, following John Byrne's reboot of Superman, and George Perez's relaunch of Wonder Woman. Batman: Year One was everything Dark Knight Returns was not: beautifully drawn in a very realistic classical style (Mazzuchelli's art reminded me of Alex Toth and masters of the old adventure comic strips), toned down colors printed on regular comic book paper. Batman: Year One may have had half the pages of Dark Knight Returns, but it told a much, much richer story. And like you said at the beginning of your video, I think that time has been kinder to it than to Dark Knight Returns, which to me represents Frank Miller's beginning of his descent into his ... lets say "unhinged" vision of the world.
Rangersly Well put, every word! Whatever the historical and cultural reasons (and apparently production-oriented, thanks for that info!) for the phenomenon of The Dark Knight Returns, there’s no comparison between the two, for me. I agree with every word you’ve said about Miller, but also re: Mazzucchelli channelling Toth! I read Toth much later in life, but now I can’t unsee the Zorro in Year One! 😀
I think you should check out Gotham Central by Ed Brubaker. It focuses on the cops of GCPD with Batman restricted to cameo appearances. It is almost completely grounded on reality.May be one of the finest police procedural comic book.
I've read the first twelve (or was it fourteen?) issues, which I believed until very recently was the end of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed them, and am up for a re-read/continue!
Oh I’ve definitely thought about it! And From Hell, and Halo Jones. But I don’t want to give the impression that I favour Alan Moore over all others, so since I’ve done Watchmen I’m trying to cover some other writers before repeating! 😀 But it’s only a matter of time, rest assured.
For the Love of Comics , to me the first volume is all you need, because it’s funny, action packed, and very entertaining. Also, did u read cowboys and aliens?
I found a cheap used copy that I have ordered, but it will take a couple of weeks to get here! As for LoEG, I like the second volume fine outside of the 'almanac' pages. I also like the Nemo trilogy and thought the Century stories were pretty decent, especially the last one. But I agree with you, even if there was only one volume, it would still be a most impressive achievement!
The interesting thing about this story is that one is against the law and the other opposes the law within the law but what about the law itself and how its defined here?
Great observation/ question! Gordon does seem to believe in the law, just finds himself surrounded by people who make a mockery of it, and seems to almost be as much of a vigilante in some ways, doesn't he? What's your take on what the book is saying about the law, both the police and (to a lesser extent) the courts?
@@ftloc that the law is corrupted by flawed men who choose to use the law to their own personal advantage yet that same law was taken by oath and regardless of it being designed by flawed men,should still be upheld by those who chose to defend it.
Bruce wayne is very intriguing yet simple to understand. He is man emotionally scared by tragedy and rather than put his trust in the law,he opposes it by a sense of selfishness, making the decision to take it upon himself to declare his own brand of frontier justice. He is not a vigilante but a outlaw,a rebel of sorts. I understand, love is very powerful and the heart is so treacherous! Without self control and sense of security, we all can find ourselves in the shoes of mr wayne. He is a slave to himself. Wayne is like Contradiction, when interpreted,because he works outside of the law yet is the mirror image of a man who works for the law and builds a bond with someone of the law lol that's why I can not fully accept him for being labeled as a vigilante.
Ah, perhaps one day I will tackle the Long Halloween. I'm not a fan of DKR, to be perfectly honest, so that is a bit iffy. And now that superhero comics, in general, do not make up much of my current comics reading, they may be a bit rare on this channel, unfortunately. BUT there are definitely a handful I love and will feature, so keep your eyes peeled. And yes, I am a citizen and resident of India!
@@ftloc Great😀. I really like your videos. It's clear you have a deeper understanding of comics than many who run similar channels. And your language is perfect. I'm from Kerala and Im genuinely surprised and happy that there are people in my country who take comics seriously.
Add to this excellent brief examination, that after [Batman] Year One, suddenly the door was flung open to other 'early in the life of' stories, with nearly every major character having not just the obligatory "Origin Story," but a "year-one story" as well; this effect continues into the present, now opening the other end of a character's life, the "Old Man" story, with Old Man Logan/Wolverine, and recently several others. While, most notably, Superman has long had a series of "old man" Superman stories, they've never seemed to me, at least, to have been one-off, "imaginary" stories, without the cachet modern takes on the [is it now a genre?] theme of SoandSo as an older character.
Great and very astute points Matt, especially the observation on the 'Old Man' pattern with Marvel .
Side question: Do you know if the Untold Tales of Spider-Man by Kurt Busiek was part of that wave of post-Year One. I have memories of that being a little better than most! 😊
No, alas, I don't remember/know how it relates in time to 'post-year one.'
A great video discussing one of my favourite Batman stories!
Aidan Vaughan Thank you! Praise from fans of the story is among the highest praise there is!
Just got this using your affiliate link! Thanks for the awesome review!
So glad you liked it, thanks for your kind words and support! 😊 the Year One Absolute may be my favourite Absolute Edition - it is just so elegant and such a pleasure to read. I am sure you will love it, but I'd love to know what you think of it once you've had a chance to soak it in!
@@ftloc I will! It should be here later today!
You're a master reviewer.
Cheers
Love this video. It was so well put together. Thank you like always and can't wait to see more. Year one is just a great story and a joy to read.
Thanks for the appreciation! This video was definitely one of our most challenging, in every way, but Year One is worth the effort. Glad you liked it!
I really like your intelligent synopsis and review of these classic comics.
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoy them; let me know what else you’d like to see!
Your favorites would be great.
In most ways, the entire channel is 'my favourites'! 😀 I am not at all timely - there's little just-published stuff, and I have no sense about linking to new movies or TV shows, so I generally make videos on my favourite comics, with no other parameters. Especially the ones I spotlight in my "What is...?" introductory videos like this one and the ones in this playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLf2B7UoR9NKVphRi3zsaMpcD387yhHrsv.html
But I do like to highlight specific favourites in lists from time to time, which you can find here: th-cam.com/play/PLf2B7UoR9NKVthCbMtOGfKlz_4vbJ4IVA.html
Ah, maybe it's time I made another list video!
LOL, I realize there’s some subjective choices. Another list video, maybe by genre or compilation? Whatever inspires you. I clicked liked and subscribed. Thanks again for the recommendations.
Truly one of my all-time favorite Batman comics. Miller understood Batman better by then, a guy who is dressed like a dark creature who, ironically, happens to do good in a darker world.
Finally a superhero comics...And it is my fav - Batman..Hope u will introduce more classic superhero comics in upcoming videos...
One more suggestion -please introduce horror comics too...
Great work as always bro..Keep going...
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thank you! As for more superhero comics, as long as we love them, we'll definitely cover them, irrespective of genre!
Glad you made this video! Batman Year One is about as good as comics get
One thing though I wish you would have touched upon is how different the artwork looks in the original issues versus the recolored treatment it receives in the collected editions.
Thanks, and glad you liked the video! It's not often that something remains a favourite over decades, but this one just gets better every time I read it!
I did say I’ll be returning to this, didn’t I? 😀 I usually do color comparisons in my edition comparison videos, not the intro ones. Year One is definitely getting one!
Ah, my mistake! That's good because I'm sure many people who have read Year One are unaware of the extent that it was recolored. Same with Killing Joke. Killing Joke just got an Absolute Edition that contains both the original coloration and the recolor btw!
Re: the Killing Joke, I know that Brian Bolland was not happy with the original colouring and apparently the deluxe had his input. I have the original and the deluxe for comparison, so I haven't decided if it's worth getting the Absolute Edition. What would you say?
Has it been 30 years already?!? Holy Moley! I want to add my name to the list of people who thinks that Batman: Year One is a MUCH better work than Dark Knight Returns... Dark Knight Returns was a better seller because of various reasons. I think it was the first comic book published in the Prestige format (or at least one of the first), it was a stand alone project with high quality paper, raw and powerful almost surealist violent art in garish colors. It was heavily promoted by DC. Year One was "only" another story arc part of the regular ongoing long running Batman title. Like many DC series were doing at the time, it was an obligatory resetting one of DC classic characters in it's post-Crisis universe, following John Byrne's reboot of Superman, and George Perez's relaunch of Wonder Woman. Batman: Year One was everything Dark Knight Returns was not: beautifully drawn in a very realistic classical style (Mazzuchelli's art reminded me of Alex Toth and masters of the old adventure comic strips), toned down colors printed on regular comic book paper. Batman: Year One may have had half the pages of Dark Knight Returns, but it told a much, much richer story. And like you said at the beginning of your video, I think that time has been kinder to it than to Dark Knight Returns, which to me represents Frank Miller's beginning of his descent into his ... lets say "unhinged" vision of the world.
Rangersly Well put, every word! Whatever the historical and cultural reasons (and apparently production-oriented, thanks for that info!) for the phenomenon of The Dark Knight Returns, there’s no comparison between the two, for me. I agree with every word you’ve said about Miller, but also re: Mazzucchelli channelling Toth! I read Toth much later in life, but now I can’t unsee the Zorro in Year One! 😀
Ok
Great video like always :) how about just "what is Batman?" 😁
Wegwertus Haha, first, I’ll have to figure out the answer to that myself!
I think you should check out Gotham Central by Ed Brubaker. It focuses on the cops of GCPD with Batman restricted to cameo appearances. It is almost completely grounded on reality.May be one of the finest police procedural comic book.
I've read the first twelve (or was it fourteen?) issues, which I believed until very recently was the end of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed them, and am up for a re-read/continue!
@@ftloc There are total of 40 issues. Definitely worth the time.
Please do an All Star Superman review.
Do you like this style of video for review? We'd love to know what you like and don't like!
@@ftloc yes I do. It was perfect. Crisp and precise.
I second that.
You should do a “What is The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?” video. That would be awesome.
Oh I’ve definitely thought about it! And From Hell, and Halo Jones. But I don’t want to give the impression that I favour Alan Moore over all others, so since I’ve done Watchmen I’m trying to cover some other writers before repeating! 😀 But it’s only a matter of time, rest assured.
League of extraordinary gentlemen is one of my most favorites.
I really like it too - especially the first volume - and there's also a lot that could be discussed when talking about that series!
For the Love of Comics , to me the first volume is all you need, because it’s funny, action packed, and very entertaining. Also, did u read cowboys and aliens?
I found a cheap used copy that I have ordered, but it will take a couple of weeks to get here!
As for LoEG, I like the second volume fine outside of the 'almanac' pages. I also like the Nemo trilogy and thought the Century stories were pretty decent, especially the last one. But I agree with you, even if there was only one volume, it would still be a most impressive achievement!
Yay! Finally :D
Due, was it? 😊
Batman Earth One is a great and morbid version of the character
Morbid in what way?
The interesting thing about this story is that one is against the law and the other opposes the law within the law but what about the law itself and how its defined here?
Great observation/ question! Gordon does seem to believe in the law, just finds himself surrounded by people who make a mockery of it, and seems to almost be as much of a vigilante in some ways, doesn't he?
What's your take on what the book is saying about the law, both the police and (to a lesser extent) the courts?
@@ftloc that the law is corrupted by flawed men who choose to use the law to their own personal advantage yet that same law was taken by oath and regardless of it being designed by flawed men,should still be upheld by those who chose to defend it.
Bruce wayne is very intriguing yet simple to understand. He is man emotionally scared by tragedy and rather than put his trust in the law,he opposes it by a sense of selfishness, making the decision to take it upon himself to declare his own brand of frontier justice. He is not a vigilante but a outlaw,a rebel of sorts. I understand, love is very powerful and the heart is so treacherous! Without self control and sense of security, we all can find ourselves in the shoes of mr wayne. He is a slave to himself. Wayne is like Contradiction, when interpreted,because he works outside of the law yet is the mirror image of a man who works for the law and builds a bond with someone of the law lol that's why I can not fully accept him for being labeled as a vigilante.
Eloquent analysis.
Thanks so much!
Plz do a video on The Dark Knight returns and A Long Halloween.
Btw, are you Indian?🤔
Ah, perhaps one day I will tackle the Long Halloween. I'm not a fan of DKR, to be perfectly honest, so that is a bit iffy. And now that superhero comics, in general, do not make up much of my current comics reading, they may be a bit rare on this channel, unfortunately. BUT
there are definitely a handful I love and will feature, so keep your eyes peeled.
And yes, I am a citizen and resident of India!
@@ftloc Great😀. I really like your videos. It's clear you have a deeper understanding of comics than many who run similar channels. And your language is perfect. I'm from Kerala and Im genuinely surprised and happy that there are people in my country who take comics seriously.
I Still Have Not Read This😭😭
Hurry and correct that! 😁