BATMAN: YEAR ONE - The Definitive Origin Story

In this video, Owen explains the history of Batman: Year One and how Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli reinvented the Dark Knight and crafted the definitive superhero origin comic.
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▶ Further reading:
Brian Cronin, COMIC BOOK LEGENDS REVEALED 254 (2010).
web.archive.org/web/201111072...
Geoff Klock, ‘Frank Miller’s New Batman and the Grotesque’ in Dennis O'Neil, Leah Wilson (eds.), Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantees, Jokers and Heroes in Gotham City (2008).
Glen Weldon, The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture (2016).
Lindsey Norward, The day Philadelphia bombed its own people (2019).
www.vox.com/the-highlight/201...
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Heart of Vengeance: Returning Batman to His Roots (2011). • Batman: Year One | Hea...
▶ Special thanks to @DavidJBradley, @KeyIssues and @DareToEntertain for providing additional voiceover!
▶ Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:40 - Becoming the Bat
8:20 - The Knight Dawns
13:46 - A Legend Reborn
19:31 - Outro
▶ Music Used:
Blue Wednesday, juniorodeo - Find Yourself chll.to/cef8b117
Philanthrope, Yasper - Slopes chll.to/329618cf
Iamcloud - Better Days chll.to/720c78be
Dotlights - Anywhere But Here chll.to/36daf3b6
Sugi.wa - Memories
/ sugiwa-memories
#Batman #DC #Comics

[@OwenLikesComics]

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[@joelsilva699]

Will you be reviewing both the comic and the animated movie or just one of them?

[@OptimusMaximusNero]

I still cannot believe this amazing story and TDKR were written by the same guy who would later give us the goddamn All-Star Batman & Robin 😅

[@OhOh996]

And then presenting…..Crazy Steve and Dick Grayson Age 12

[@Shift_Salt]

DKR was a lot more like what Miller seemed to want Batman to be, Year One felt like he still understood what batman should be but all contributions after were no holds barred unhinged.

[@kinggrimlock311]

@@Shift_Salt That’s a genius way of looking at it.

[@apersonwhomayormaynotexist9868]

Frank Miller is such a strange man, i never know what to make of him

[@daelen.cclark]

It shows why editors are sometimes needed.

[@owensreviews625]

What I find so incredible about this was how Miller and Mazzucchelli were able to produce both Daredevil: Born Again and Batman: Year One, two of the most influential stories ever told for their respective characters, within the span of a year from each other.

[@OwenLikesComics]

Dark Knight Returns too! Three legendary books all in just over a year.

[@notfromhere8889]

Strike while the iron is hot 😂

[@frankorious534]

"Yes Father. I shall become a bat." lives rent free in my head.

[@MarvelKnight-tw9hb]

Me too! 👍

[@ZackWelders]

Same here

[@MutantsInDisguise]

Of all Frank Miller's works with Batman, Year One is easily my favorite and one of my Top 3 favorite Batman stories, the others being Arkham Asylum and Ego. Frank Miller dug deeper into Batman's origins to make him more relatable and likeable than in either The Dark Knight or his own DK installments. Plus, it helped turn Jim Gordon into one of the most important characters in Batman's lore and showed a corrupt police department. Besides, it was the basis of Batman Begins, my favorite Batman film of all time.

[@KHMakerD]

The opening scene of this video and the respective scene in the Year One is one of the hardest introductions to a hero I’ve ever seen.

[@outpostalpha]

Year One is such a great book, and I feel like it doesn't get enough credit for all the influence it's had on Batman stories and media in the years since it was released. Thanks for highlighting it, Owen - terrific video!

[@OwenLikesComics]

Totally agree, thank you!

[@MarvelKnight-tw9hb]

This is by far my favorite origin story of any superhero. My favorite thing about this story is that it's not just Batman's story it's Jim Gordon's story too! (Also I really love the animated film! Especially the soundtrack!)

[@MattyStoked]

Year One and Born Again were formative books for me as a teen. All these many years later, I still relish hearing people talk about them. Great video, Owen.

[@theepicrusins8779]

one of my favorite batman stories, can't wait to see what owen has to say!

[@srstriker6420]

You know I always felt like that Batman and Penguin should be like Eliot Ness and Al Capone from the Untouchables

[@sfks2ndacnt777]

I really enjoyed the video you did with Goldsman vision and someone else. Is it cool if I know why that video isn’t around anymore?

[@alexandrefrauches132]

Thats one my favorite Batman stories (losing only to War on Crime). what helps this story standout from the other super hero origin books is how most of the story is told through the perspective of character Jim Gordon and how they change once Batman appears in Gotham, highlighting Batman more as mysterious creature of the night, a myth created by those who see and interact with him.

[@avisionleshawn1116]

Though Batman year one isn't my favorite story in batman's catalog it's still one of the most prominently prolific batman comics an insightful video as always thank you Owen I love you take care continue reading and have a happy new year

[@TitularHeroine]

Thank you, Owen! And that animated clip you used at the beginning is so, *so* good. I'd of course love to see your take on TDKR and what followed. I hope your holiday was happy as well!

[@davehandelman2832]

The ABSOLUTE best. I read this at 20 and it BLEW my mind. So simple. Full of poetry, power and promise. I could read this everyday and be satisfied. Miller wasa goddamn genius.

[@pious83]

The thing that has always resonated most with me in this story is that Batman is depicted as just that: a man, in a costume. Not the later "Bat-God". The almost invincible force that can do/defeat anything _with enough prep-time._ Similarly, Jim Gordon is equally as fallible. Not the almost saintly Commission of GCPD.

[@jovensworld2037]

Hey Owen can you please do a video about one of Batman storylines centred on the Red Hood: Man Behind The Red Hood, The Killing Joke, or even Under The Red Hood.

[@OwenLikesComics]

Under the Hood is certainly something I'd like to cover eventually!

[@Sumblueguy41]

Year 1 deserves the praises that comes its way when other similar genre stories post-Y1 reference it. Though it’d be more apt to say that Geoff Klock’s ending statement should be changed to “Pre-Miller or post-Miller; every story for the character before & after “is born from the shadow of Miller’s Bat”

[@omegaminoseer4539]

There is also the Post-Post Miller Bat as well, with All-Star Batman & Robin. That has to be one of the most interesting runs on the character, with Vicky Vale being almost completely removed from Bat-Fiction as prominently as before.

[@tylerbertram7065]

As much as I don't like alot Frank Miller's writing rather it be his mean spirited sense humor, repetitive dialogue, racism, sexism, homophobia, consent Batman worship, and Superman bashing. Stuff like Batman Year One and Daredevil Born Again remind me that he used to be a good writer. I miss this Frank Miller what happened to him.

[@mjgoodson]

Another enjoyable video! Thank you!

[@gedeonnunes5626]

Amazing video, Owen!!! You do like comics and it shows

[@RSRye]

So excited to watch u just dive into one of my favorite comics with a ur added context!

[@OwenLikesComics]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@chriscampanozzi6516]

Great information as always, thank you for your content.

[@OwenLikesComics]

My pleasure!

[@jamesmoss3424]

Batman: Year One is brilliant. 😀👍

[@dendostar5436]

A high point of the Post-Crisis era.

[@projekttaku1]

I think the post-crisis era was peak DC. They could merge character from other companies they acquired into the new universe and retool origins from the ground up, unlike marvel, which has been working to make sense of Spider-Man's and The Hulk's radiation based origins for years. They even reintroduced the multiverse in a neat and fun way for new stories. Then the New 52 happened. Not a bad idea mind you in and of itself, but the constant timeline mixing and weird reintroduction's of pre-flashpoint characters, along with constant DC relaunches, make it impenetrable for new readers to get in, not knowing which character ver. we're working with. Like, don't kill of N52 Superman, replace him with Pre-flashpoint Superman, Lois and Jon, then merge them in Superman: Reborn? Just retcon in Supes post-crisis history into New 52 Superman's history, along with guys like Superboy and Power Girl.

[@w1-em4nq]

@@projekttaku1 i hate Nu52 and walked away from the comic shop due to Nu52 and Spiderman OMD. Miller's story is still perfect

[@projekttaku1]

@@w1-em4nq yeah, it was pretty mishandled.

[@loganthomas2421]

Might be in the minority but I prefer year one over dkr. Love both but I found Batman and Gordon’s starting point and vulnerability along with the world of a crime ridden Gotham more interesting. Mazzucchelli’s art is also fantastic

[@CoinOpTV]

Nice recap - classic Batman indeed!

[@OwenLikesComics]

Indeed it is! Thanks

[@pistaalkohol]

Also with Black Mirror being one of the last stories with this Batman, they form a neat frame for his stories.

[@sayanroy1641]

Great video!

[@OwenLikesComics]

Thanks!

[@winstonwong8217]

Did you get hold of the facsimile editions of the comics released about the same time this video? It has the original colouring. Great vid.

[@creedecriswell634]

I love how year one plays more like a history book or a first hand account for a novel.

[@mikedok1]

I just found this video today. I’ve always been a diehard Batman fan. I read all the Frank Miller Batman series. Year one, The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Against, The Dark Knight MasterRace, The Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade, and The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child. They were all really good. I also read the sequels , The Long Halloween, and Dark Victory. I also bought the animated movies for Batman year one, and the Dark Knight Returns, and also The long Halloween. I loved the realism and grittiness of it all. Great video. I didn’t know Frank Miller also took some inspiration from the tragic event that happened in Philadelphia. That was terrible. I also heard he took inspiration from 9/11 to write The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Anyway happy holidays 🎄🎉

[@lanternsown3525]

Awesome!

[@OwenLikesComics]

Thanks!

[@kaioken654]

I just started reading comics about a month ago and year one is what I started with

[@Crizzybooks]

Great video

[@OwenLikesComics]

Thanks!

[@Arizona-ex5yt]

Year One is a true 10/10. And every attempt to replace Year One as the definitive origin has been an abject failure; Snyder's Batman Zero Year sucked. Same with other attempts by DC to replace classic origin stories. Everything started going off the rails for DC with the New 52. It gave the company a temporary stimulus, but at what cost?

[@TheKnight886]

The Batman vibes

[@Theleaver5088]

The best story for anyone who wants to get into Batman comics

[@ginofrancejr555]

Of all of the Batman stories this and DKR are my favorites all star Batman and Robin and the DKR sequels straight ass

[@Wizardjones69]

Will cover the batman "lost media" comic who inspired batman begins? The comic *The Man Who Falls*

[@mango-vb5vd]

Year one is the best batman story miller wrote

[@FO77734]

And the dark knight returns?

[@mango-vb5vd]

@@FO77734 also good but year one is more quintessentially batman

[@bryandempsey3840]

Maybe it’s not as big a deal in the 1980’s but I always found it interesting that Batman 404-407 do not have the comics code authority seal of approval. No one ever talks about it but I’m curious why. What’s the story behind that?

[@Chalepastel]

fun fact, apparently I'm the one person who saw that panel in the kevin smith run and died my ass off laughing. I want my batman to be a "man" too sometimes, and him being so anxious and scared about what's he going to do, that he pissed himself, is exactly my batman

[@MutantsInDisguise]

When did Smith say that?

[@Chalepastel]

Batman: The Widening Gyre (2009)- Batman says it was a "bladder spasm"@@MutantsInDisguise

[@TitularHeroine]

I think Kevin Smith's retcon of Batman p*ssing himself during that elite Gothamites' dinner scene did more to harm opinions of Smith's writing than it did opinions of Batman. That whole story was a complete mess. But, it could be largely forgotten and I could totally be wrong.

[@mangrove]

I haven't forgotten, unfortunately.

[@aurahoneydew9607]

Maybe once but around the 2000's and especially 2010s Batman has too much of a foot in the sci-fi on his everyday adventure and default status makes the change in style makes year one feel more like an elseworld and Zero Year the organic origin as it has more of what you'll see in Batman comics reading forward

[@hugoseriese5462]

Great video Owen and obviously one of the best origin comics ever made. Just a slight correction on Davids name, it is actually pronounced Mazzuckelli. There's a fun clip (and amazing video) of him explaining this around the one minute mark of kzbin.info/www/bejne/pauWomuOhrtqorc Keep it up, really enjoy your video's!

[@mgs2014]

Honestly man your videos are becoming representative think of new content how about non superhero comics.huh

[@Ode_10]

Year One > TDKR

[@martinfiala2712]

You're Smoking

[@jakesdoc]

One of the dumbest Batman stories with the worst “Robin” ever

[@mgs2014]

Honestly man your videos are becoming representative think of new content how about non superhero comics.huh