Frank Miller may have single-handedly redefined Batman for our generation. And now he aims to deconstruct the hero we love with the final chapter in his Dark Knight saga, “The Dark Knight III: The Master Race.” Details are thin, but here’s what we know.
The “THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE” is the sequel to Miller’s 1986 classic THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS – heralded by TIME Magazine as one of the 10 greatest graphic novels of all time – and its 2001-2002 follow-up series BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN.
Miller will be joined by acclaimed writer Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS, JOKER, and WONDER WOMAN) on the eight-issue comic book periodical, to be published twice a month under the DC Comics imprint. Marking the 30th anniversary of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS original series, this periodical is slated for publication beginning in late Fall 2015.
“Batman remains my favorite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting,” said Miller, “but we’ll do our best.”
“We are thrilled to have Frank back home at DC writing Batman,” according to Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Co-Publishers for DC Entertainment. “The story he and Brian have crafted is an astounding and triumphant conclusion to this seminal body of work which influenced and shaped generations of readers and creators alike.”
According to Azzarello, “It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with Frank these past six months. I think we have an epic story that these characters truly deserve.”
The story and artists for the project have yet to be announced.
Before The Dark Knight Returns the caped crusader was little more than a happy-go-lucky detective with a plucky sidekick. The dark and brooding tale of an aged Batman called back into action to save a city he no longer cared about captivated fans around the world. 1986 was a game changer and remains a gold standard for the hero thirty years later. So it’s exciting to see Miller return to the world he helped define. There are so many questions left after The Dark Knight Strikes Again, that the story could go in an endless number of directions.
Can Miller live up to his past success, are you excited to see The Master Race?