Throughout this graphic novel, violence is emphasized in a way we haven’t seen before. For instance, “we will chop him. We will bathe in his blood…I will rip the meat from his bones and suck the dry” (Miller 61). The language and images reflect realistic situations but I don’t think are appropriate for children to be reading. Batman is seen using a tank to kill mutants and even uses guns which is different from the Batman we first were introduced to. In the first Batman comics, Batman’s extraordinary combat skills demonstrated his strength and in this graphic novel, Batman is seen using weapons. We all see Batman wounded multiple times and in one instance, Carrie, the new Robin, assists him by nursing his wounds.
The violence portrayed throughout the graphic novel proved to illustrate the difficulty parents had with their children reading comic books containing violence. Instead of Batman being viewed as an honorary policeman, this graphic novel illustrates police hunting Batman down for crimes he committed to defend Gotham city and its people. A part of the graphic novel I didn’t understand was the part where normal people were being interviewed, defending their actions for committing crimes yet while Batman’s methods were unorthodox, his actions led to a warrant for his arrest. From reading those interviews, I assumed Miller was trying to demonstrate how normal people doing bad things was allowed but since Batman is a vigilante his actions result in a warrant for his arrest. I could be mistaken but to me that’s what it seemed like Miller was trying to explain.
In “The Revisionary Superhero Narrative,” by Geoff Klock, Klock illustrates the importance of Miller’s “Batman: The Dark Night Rises” in relation to Batman progressing. Instead of changing Batman’s story from previous comics, Miller attempts to continue Batman’s story by illustrating an older Batman. In other Batman comics, Batman is depicted as a 29 year old who seemingly never gets older despite his surroundings changing. I found the graphic novel to be even more interesting as Batman comments on how age has changed him. He makes comments about how he’s not fast enough or strong enough to do things the way he used to. Considering he’s in his mid-fifties in this graphic novel, Batman’s character is beyond realistic. He looks back on events that happened in his past and Miller fills in the gaps of what’s happened the last 10 years Batman has been off the radar. I agree with Klock’s observation about the Miller’s Batman being very realistic. By illustrating Batman injured and not easily taking down each villain, Batman becomes more relatable as well as exemplifies him as a normal person. He doesn’t have super speed or super strength, he’s just an intelligent man who takes down criminals in memory of his parents. Overall, I found both readings to be very informative on Miller’s “Batman: The Dark Night Rises,” as well as important to the progression of superhero stories.