Review: Dark Knight Returns The Golden #1 Child Fights Crazy With Crazy
by Tito W. James
Taking place within the world of Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child follows an adventure with Superman’s son and daughter as they team up with Carrie Kelley, the new Batwoman.
THE BAD
There’s an excess of text bubbles peppering every inch of the comic. This wouldn’t be a problem if every word mattered but some of the dialogue is repetitive and overwrought.
THE GOOD
Frank Miller’s inclusion of contemporary issues within the world of comics has earned him both critics and acolytes on all sides of the political sphere. In the case of The Golden Child, it works in the story’s favor.
There’s something incredibly poignant about a trio of young heroes fighting the real world evils that the rising generation has to face. The plot is dreamlike and poetic in contrast to the traditional hero vs villain model.
Rafael Grampa’s art is phenomenal and manages to sell the large and small moments of the comic. The Batwoman’s design is an instant classic and will surely spawn its own legion of cosplayers. The art manages to capture the dark and light aspects of the Bat-mythology and remix them into a beautifully visualized story.
THE VERDICT
It’s big, it’s weird, and it won’t be for everyone. However, as someone who’s bored with safe “status quo” superhero comics, I found Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 to be an exciting shock to the system. The character dynamics between Batwoman, Supergirl and the Golden Child feel fresh –set apart from the overpowering legacy of The Dark Knight Returns. As a stand alone issue, Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 packs a punch and I hope this is only the beginning of future stories with these characters.