Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child (2020)
Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Rafael Grampa
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterers: John Workman/Deron Bennett
Rating: 
As promised, here’s another review for this week as I’ll take look at “Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child”; First off, let me say that I’ve always loved “The Dark Knight Returns” because of my love for Batman and it was done by Frank Miller who was at the top of his game back in the late eighties, a series that captivated comic fans alike and made Batman as DC Comics’ number one hero, but while 2001/2002’s “The Dark Knight Strikes Back” was just an okay story it would be 2016’s “Dark Knight 3: The Master Race” that showed all of us that doing a trilogy to a story that’s timeless is a train wreck waiting to happen. Too bad no one DC seems to care because imagine the disappointment of the faces all comic book fans everywhere when they announced that a new companion piece simply called “Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child” focusing on Carrie Kelley in her new role as Batwoman as well as featuring Lara & Jonathan Kent (The Daughter and Son of Superman & Wonder Woman)
Well, as heartbreaking as it is I have to say that Miller’s script is the real villain of this one-shot. His dialogue and caption boxes really bring nothing new to the table as if he didn’t really have his heart into writing this book (Although the huge check he got from this gig probably helped cleared his conscience) and this special proved that his glory days are indeed behind him. Plus it looks like the editor for this book didn’t really do anything to make Miller pour his heart and soul into the script, it was just completely bad from beginning to end. And what’s really sad is that Brian Azzarello (Who co-wrote “DK3: The Master Race”) is noticeably absent from this one-shot……..too bad, because Miller could have really used him as a co-writer, or even have him script the series with Miller himself as a co-plotter.
But the one true bright spot that I liked the most was the artwork. Rafael Grampa has proven time after time that he’s an amazing artist, every page was just stunning and shows what any talented artist can do to salvage a bad script, and Jordie Bellaire’s coloring does a marvelous job of complementing Grampa’s art which is truly a match made in heaven.
In my opinion, I really think that DC should think long and hard about doing another Dark Knight series because it just comes across as if they’re enabling Miller instead of rallying for him to bring his A-Game to this one-shot but I also think that The Golden Child should be the permanent curtain call for the Dark Knight franchise as a whole.
Thanks for sticking around and next week, I’ll find another vintage or current comic to review.
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