History ComicBook / BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: During the second assault on the Mutant Leader, Batman sardonically assuages the concerns of Kelly and the reader that BatmanGrabsAGun is not at play here.

''Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'' is a four-issue Franchise/{{Batman}} comic book miniseries written and drawn by Creator/FrankMiller and published by Creator/DCComics from February to June 1986.

In this storyline, Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd, the second ComicBook/{{Robin}}[[note]]a full '''two years''' before ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily'' canonized this, mind you[[/note]]. Franchise/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, ComicBook/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and ComicBook/TwoFace is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelley, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the third Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...

* In 2001 and 2002, Miller produced a sequel, ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. It was more set ''around'' Batman than ''about'' Batman, being closer to a Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} or even Superman story than a Batman story.

* AntiVillain: Franchise/{{Superman}} is a PunchClockVillain overlapping with HeroAntagonist in this miniseries. He only reluctantly fights against Batman under orders from the US government.

* PoweredArmor: Batman dons a highly advanced suit of armour (among other things) to fight Franchise/{{Superman}}.

** Corto Maltese is a shout-out to [[Comicbook/CortoMaltese the famous Italian comic book by Hugo Pratt]]. Strangely, the name was used in the 1989 ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'' movie as an apparent ShoutOut to ''The Dark Knight Returns'' without recognizing that it was already a ShoutOut.

** The Mutants can be seen as a TakeThat to "angsty", rebellious teen superheroes made popular by Creator/MarvelComics. Fittingly, they're named "The Mutants" (Creator/StanLee's working title for ''Comicbook/XMen''), they wear red shades that look a lot like [[Comicbook/XMen Cyclops' visor]], and they despise adult authority figures. They form a perfect contrast to Batman, who's the epitome of the "traditional" DC superhero--an adult hero who's driven and fearless, and has zero tolerance for crime.

* GroinAttack: Happens to Batman at the foot of the Mutant leader during their first fight.

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Batman's first fight with the Mutant Leader. [[spoiler:Robin's intervention]] is the only thing that saves him from getting killed. Fortunately, he learns his lesson, and their second fight ends with the tables completely turned.

--->'''Batman:''' [''to Bat-Copter''] Boosters! [''nothing happens''] '''Boosters!''' [''nothing happens''] What...\\

** Issue 1 deals with Harvey Dent becoming Two-Face again, serving as a mirror to Bruce’s internal conflict with the "Batman" persona who wants to live again. Dent’s fall coincides with Bruce embracing the Batman once again.

** Issue 4 finally has Superman, whose subservience to the government runs opposite to Batman’s anti-authoritarian vigilante mindset.

** Miller's rendition of Batman starts off rather traditional if not bulkier. It's only as the book goes on that noticeable wrinkles start appearing on his face and his posture begins hunching over.

* AttemptedRape: One of the first crimes Bruce stops after he redons the cape and cowl.

** Another assault with rape overtones is prevented by Batman late in the story. This time, Batman laughs as he breaks the assailant’s bones.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Superman’s behavior after his fight with Batman shows he genuinely respected him and had no ill will against him, even willing to cover for Bruce afterwards.

--> [''at the opening, as Bruce's racecar crashes''] This would be a good death, but not good enough.
--> [[spoiler:[''at the finale, as he begins his life in the shadows, training his army''] This will be a good life. Good enough.]]
* BrassBalls: {{Subverted|Trope}} by Byron Brassballs. With that name, you'd think he'd be an exemplar of courage, but he's really a DirtyCoward and complete asshole who brazenly justifies his sociopathically self-centered behavior and actions in his interviews.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Batman swears in his inner monologue that he's firing rubber bullets on the Mutants. There's seriously no way he's not trying to directly convince the reader he's telling the truth.

** After [[spoiler:Batman paralyzes the Joker, the latter decides death (especially once where he gets to frame Batman for it) is preferable to his current predicament and happily breaks the rest of his spine]].

* DemandingTheirHead: The Mutant leader demands to be brought the head of Commissioner Gordon. He wants to "carry it through the streets" like a trophy.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Happens to Batman and Superman a lot but Batman's X-Ray seeking missiles wouldn't be able to tell Superman from anyone else normally because Superman's X-Ray Vision doesn't actually emit X-Rays [[note]]not since the GoldenAge when they pulled double duty as his EyeBeam attack.[[/note]]

-->'''Bruce''': He flinched when he pulled the trigger. He was sick and guilty over what he did. All he wanted was money. I was naive enough to think him the lowest sort of man.

* TheGhost: Dick Grayson is mentioned sporadically throughout the book, but he never appears.

* HumanWeapon: Franchise/{{Superman}} here is nothing but an icon who reports directly to the President, who gives him orders that include waging a one-man war in a BananaRepublic, [[spoiler:stopping the nuclear strike that follows (he doesn't completely succeed)]], and [[spoiler:assassinating Batman]], all of which he does without question.

* MachoMasochism: During the first fight between Batman and the Mutant leader, Batman shatters the Mutant leader's nose with a punch. However, despite blood pouring out of where his nose used to be, he starts ''laughing'', and Batman realizes that he let himself get punched just to show Batman that he could take it. This angers Batman so much that he starts pounding the Mutant leader to see how much punishment he can take, but this is when the Mutant leader decides to stop toying with Batman and delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown.

[[caption-width-right:300: ''"The rain on my chest is a baptism - [[HesBack I'm born again...]]"'']]

* AmbiguouslyHuman: The Mutant Leader is a [[{{Gonk}} deformed blob]] with some degree of SuperStrength. Then there's the fact that he is the '''Mutant''' Leader and he might not be as human as you'd think.

* CoolGuns:
** Invoked by Batman when he comments on one of the military-grade handguns used by the Mutants. It's slightly futuristic-looking and specially adapted for a silencer.
** The [=MP40=] is very common. Not only do the Neo-Nazis led by Bruno use them, but, oddly, so do the guards at the police station!

%%* GangOfHats: The Mutants and their various splinter groups.

* IFightForTheStrongestSide: Once the Mutant leader is defeated, the gang disintegrates into a number of splinter groups that define themselves by whatever figurehead they're following; the only thing that remains consistent is their use of violence.

* ImAHumanitarian: One of the Mutant leader's {{Catchphrase}}s is his boasts that he will eat Batman's heart. The Mutant Leader also [[spoiler:rips out the mayor's throat with his teeth while in captivity]].

[[spoiler:'''Batman''': *''Shoots the wall behind her and rescues the child''* I believe you.]]

** According to behind-the-scenes info, Batman didn't kill [[spoiler:the Mutant who held the baby at gunpoint when he shot her with another Mutant's M-60, stating he shot her shoulder]]. The animated adaptation completely changes this sequence to remove the issue.

** Batman narrates, word-for-word that "I'm [[ComicBook/DaredevilBornAgain born again]]."

* PostReleaseRetitle: The comic was originally titled ''"Batman: The Dark Knight"'' when it was first released, with "Returns" only being used in the first issue, with the other three issues [[IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming being given different titles using "The Dark Knight" name]][[note]]The other three issues were called ''"Batman: The Dark Knight Triumphant"'', ''"Batman: Hunt The Dark Knight"'', and ''"Batman: The Dark Knight Falls"''[[/note]]. It wasn't until DC compiled the issues into one book shortly after it concluded that the entire run would be titled ''"Batman: The Dark Knight Returns"''.

** Batman starts off more or less in the typical Neal Adams design with baby blue cowl and yellow oval around the symbol. After being beaten by the Mutant Leader, he switches to a darker cowl and oval-less symbol, hearkening back to the darker, more vicious version of the character from his pre-Robin years in the Golden Age.

** Batman becomes one in his second fight with the Mutant leader, since brute force failed spectacularly the first time. He takes advantage of how the mud hinders their movements, uses nerve strikes to cripple the Mutant Leader's arms, and blinds him [[AHandfulForAnEye with both blood and mud]].

[[caption-width-right:350: ''"The rain on my chest is a baptism - [[HesBack I'm born again...]]"'']]

** The Mutant leader puts his claw-like fingernails and filed teeth to good use in the first fight against Batman.
** Batman becomes one in his second fight with the Mutant leader, since brute force failed spectacularly the first time.

** Issue one: Batman brings a rifle with a grappling hook to his fight with Two-Face just in case he picked the wrong tower to perch on. [[spoiler: He did.]]

** Alfred is very weary of Bruce’s resumed holy war against crime which he demonstrates by being as catty as possible.

** The concept of Robin is examined on how practical or healthy having a KidSidekick actually is. Batman notes that Two-Face used to refer to Dick Grayson as “the boy hostage.” Batman’s retirement is at least partially based on the death of Jason Todd. Carrie, despite being seen as TheAce in the mind of Bruce, is consistently put in situations where she almost dies. The entire scenario with the Joker obviously traumatizes her. The concept itself is pointed out to be illegal when Yindel charges Batman with child endangerment the second she sees there’s a new Robin.

* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: [[spoiler:Batman beats Superman.]] Or at least got the better of him. Not without some trickery, and [[spoiler: Superman holding '''WAY''' back]], but still.
* DemandingTheirHead: The mutant leader demands to be brought the head of Commissioner Gordon. He wants to "carry it through the streets" like a trophy.

-->'''Batman''': Stop Laughing.

** Much of Gotham is heavily borrowed from New York in the 80s— rising crime stats, violent street gangs, and a general grimy aesthetic.

* FeelingTheirAge: Batman starts as a RetiredBadass, but soon returns to crime-fighting. Throughout the story Batman keeps on lamenting how slow he's become, culminating in the fight between him and the Mutant leader, who is, as Batman himself states, "in his physical prime". [[spoiler:Batman loses, but only because he "tried to fight like a young man". Later he beats the Mutant leader with some CombatPragmatist moves.]] After his fight with the Joker (which included several stabs to the gut) and subsequent escape from the GCPD, his age shows yet again to the point of losing consciousness.

* {{Forgiveness}}: Bruce Wayne has forgiven Joe Chill for killing his parents, finally understanding that all he ever wanted was money before the situation escalated. In spite of this, his Batman mindset still wants to punish him for robbery and murder in general. This is in contrast to the newer generation of criminal whom Bruce thinks is more “pure” in savagery and evil than Joe Chill ever was.

* GoodNewsBadNews: The President has a very cheerful way of telling the American People about the dangers of nuclear fallout.

-->'''[[spoiler: Joker]]:''' [[spoiler: You won't get far. But then, it doesn't matter if you do. They'll kill you for this. And they'll never know you didn't have the nerve. I'll see you in hell!]]

* ImAHumanitarian: One of the Mutant leader's {{Catchphrase}}s is his boasts that he will eat Batman's heart. The Mutant Leader also [[spoiler: rips out the mayor's throat with his teeth while in captivity]].
* ImpliedRape: It's implied that the Joker assaulted Selina during his visit between her change of attire (a dress and later, a Wonder Woman costume), the fact that said costume is wrinkled, Selina's face being bruised, and the fact that the Joker used mind control lipstick on her.

%%* TheInsomniac: The Joker's insomnia is addressed here. How?

* MenOfSherwood: The Sons of Batman VigilanteMilitia made up of ex-gang members takes a while to become non-violent enough for Batman to trust them, but they help break up a riot after a blackout, and [[spoiler:help stock his new Bat-cave after he fakes his death at the end.]]

* NixonMask: Used by a group of convenience-store robbers in a throwaway gag.

** The President is unnamed but obviously Ronald Reagan.
** The Joker has a passing resemblance and aura similar to David Bowie, especially his Thin White Duke phase.

** When the Mayor tries to negotiate with the Mutant Leader, Gordon has one just before [[spoiler:the Mutant tears out the Mayor's throat...with his teeth.]]
** A disguised Carrie has this reaction at Bruce Wayne's funeral, when she realizes that Superman [[spoiler: has heard Batman's heartbeat restart]], revealing that [[spoiler: he faked his death]]. But Superman reassures Carrie with a wink that he'll keep the secret, as long as [[spoiler: Batman lies low]].

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: It's implied by her state of dress, the fact she's not in the same clothes she was when the Joker first met with her, and the fact he was using mind controlling lipstick that the Joker raped Selina.

--> '''Batman''': I'm a man of thirty—of twenty again. The rain on my chest is a baptism—I'm born again.
* ResurrectionGambit: [[spoiler: Batman's]] ultimate plan in the last chapter is to take himself out of the public spotlight by faking his death. However, [[spoiler: he knows that Superman will be the government's tool to stop him and actually faking death won't fool his super senses, so he takes a drug that actually does kill him by stopping his heart after a couple of hours, but restarts his heart later on. The problem is that Superman hears his heartbeat start back up while he's in his coffin; fortunately, he simply winks at Carrie Kelly (the new Robin) and leaves, keeping Batman's secret.]]

* TheScapegoat: Batman is accused by the media of inspiring a number of incidents, from a mentally-ill mob enforcer putting on a Batman costume and turning on his boss, to a very disturbed man's religiously-motivated shooting up of a porn theater. Meanwhile, a shop owner who actually WAS inspired by Batman chases off a purse-snatcher attacking an old lady. No one is hurt enough for this to make the news.

* ServileSnarker: Alfred has always been sarcastic, but in TDKR he takes further, as he is at first very unhappy with the way Bruce has let himself go in his retirement from the cowl, and is even more unhappy when he goes back to being Batman because it not only makes him seem like he's forgotten the lessons of the past, it means Alfred has to patch him up again when he's hurt.

%%** Two-Face [[Film/AClockworkOrange was fixed, all right]]. Context?

* TheStoner: Carrie's parents. All we ever see of them is the smoke from their joints.

* VigilanteMilitia: Several members of the defeated Mutants gang become true believers and declare themselves the "Sons of the Batman." Unfortunately, they clean up the streets with the same viciousness that marked their prior affiliation, and Batman has to take them under his wing ... if only to train them in a way that protects Gotham City from their idea of "crimefighting."

* SuccessSymbiosis: Once Batman had retired, so did the Joker. [[spoiler:And once he comes out of retirement, the Joker follows suit.]]

* SplitPersonalityTakeover: Happens to [[spoiler:Two-Face; the reconstructive surgery fixed his face but seeing himself whole broke his mind and left his evil side in control]].

* TheStrategist: Batman knows he cannot win a direct fight against Superman, so he comes up with an elaborate strategy to defeat him. [[spoiler:After testing the limits of Superman's powers and tiring him out with a variety of weapons, Batman arranges for Green Arrow to shoot his opponent with a Kryptonite-tipped arrow, severely weakening him. The Man of Steel then suffers a tremendous beatdown that only ends when Bruce suddenly suffers a heart attack]].

** The Mutants can be seen as a TakeThat to "angsty", rebellious teen superheroes made popular by Creator/MarvelComics. Fittingly, they're named "The Mutants" (Creator/StanLee's working title for ''Comicbook/XMen''), they wear red shades that look a lot like [[Comicbook/XMen Cyclops']] visor, and they despise adult authority figures. They form a perfect contrast to Batman, who's the epitome of the "traditional" DC superhero--an adult hero who's driven and fearless, and has zero tolerance for crime.

** The Sons of the Batman, who have turned their over-the-top violence as former Mutants to fighting crime instead of creating it. At one point, it's mentioned that they used napalm to break up a three card monte game. One SOB, after killing the aforementioned Nixon mask robbers, took a pair of wire-cutters and sliced off the store owner's fingers on one hand because, as he put it, "you did nothing to stop them."

* TooDumbToLive: Dr. Wolper, and the entire studio audience/host for the talk show which the Joker attends. At one point, Joker even announces that he's going to kill everyone in the room, but [[GenreBlindness Wolper dismisses it as a simple joke]]. A few minutes later, the villain's robots fly in, filling the entire studio with deadly toxins.

''TDKR'' is a seminal comic book work, with a gritty, unique style that's draped in the best of FilmNoir techniques. Batman is a bitter, angry figure who [[PrivateEyeMonologue narrates much of the story with philosophical musings]] and breaking down his methods. [[KentBrockmanNews News Broadcasts shed light]] on the political debates surrounding Batman's influence, positive and negative, on the criminal underworld. The art itself is moody and atmospheric, [[DeliberatelyMonochrome black and grey dominate every page]] and [[SplashOfColor the use of red and yellow are eyesores]]. It is often considered as influential as ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' in demonstrating the possible "[[TrueArtIsAngsty maturity]]" of the comic book medium, and, along with ''Watchmen'', it ushered in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks (for good or bad). It was also highly influential in the DCU's recasting of Batman and Superman's relationship: no longer are they perfect friends, The World's Finest, but rather somewhat distant and distrusting (if respectful) of each other.

* AllLovingHero: Superman values ''all'' life on Earth. As he tries to recover from being caught in the Coldbringer's blast, his internal monologue admonishes Lola Wong for assuming that his attempt to let it detonate somewhere safe was anything remotely close to "harmless", citing all the small animals that live there that have now basically been atomized.
** Averted hard during his time in the Corto Maltese where he can be seen clearly dealing with Communist forces with lethal measures.

* AuthorAppeal: According to Frank Miller's intro to the graphic novel, the entire story grew from his refusal to accept that he could be older than Batman, who he saw as a perpetual father figure. Up until this point, Batman was always 29. The first comic book was released when Miller was also 29.
** Miller has also stated Batman’s more brutal methods towards criminals in the book was a result of him being mugged in New York multiple times by 1986 and wishing someone could just stop the rising crime rate at the time by whatever means necessary.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Batman and Catwoman.
** Superman’s behavior after his fight with Batman shows he genuinely respected him and had no ill will against him, even willing to cover for Bruce afterwards.

* BadassNormal: [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Do you need to ask?]]
* BadFuture: Batman is gone for ten years and ''everything'' goes to hell.
* BananaRepublic: Corto Maltese.
* BatmanGambit: Bruce uses quite a few over the series. Even his final trick relies on [[spoiler:knowing Clark will let him go]].
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Happens twice, once when [[spoiler:the Joker breaks his own neck(!)]] to frame Batman.
* BigBad: The US President, who [[TakeThat bears more than a slight resemblance]] to then-current President UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan.
* BigBlackout: Affecting the entire U.S., and caused by an electromagnetic pulse from the nuclear explosion.
* BlackHelicopter: The Batcopter.

* BrassBalls: {{Subverted|Trope}} by Byron Brassballs. With that name, you'd think he'd be an exemplar of courage, but he's really a DirtyCoward and complete asshole who [[JustForPun brazenly]] justifies his sociopathically self-centered behavior and actions in his interviews.

* BreakTheCutie: This is essentially what happens when [[spoiler:Carrie sees the bodies of the Cub Scouts who took the poisoned cotton candy from the Joker]]. Batman's internal dialogue lampshades it.
** Pushed along further with her fight with Abner when he ends up decapitating himself via a low hanging awning on the rolled coaster they’re on. When Batman radios her in the next issue, she’s ''still'' frozen in trauma over it.

* ChestInsignia: [[JustifiedTrope Turns out]] [[BulletProofVest it's bulletproof]].

* CoincidentalBroadcast: Used throughout for {{exposition}}.

* ComicBookTime: Averted. Part of the inspiration was Frank Miller wondering "What if Batman actually got older after taking up crimefighting in the '40s?"
* CoolGuns: A few:

* CoolOldGuy: C'mon now. Batman, Alfred for being so up in the years, still serving ''and'' snarky, Jim Gordon, Green Arrow, Superman (despite being arguably on the wrong side), and even the Joker in a dark and nasty way.

* CrazyPrepared: You do know who this comic is about, right?

* DeadpanSnarker: The Joker lays the snark on thick, but only truly descends into the cackling madman we're familiar with [[spoiler:in his final moments as he twists his head around]].

* DeathByDisfigurement: Toyed with. [[spoiler:Batman breaks the Joker's neck just enough to cause paralysis. The Joker finishes the job by himself, both to frame Batman for his death and to spite Batman.]] And yes, it's medically possible. It's the reason why people tell you not to move after car accidents.

** Superman is heavily deconstructed as well, especially the characterizations from the 1950s onward where he was written as a model citizen and patriot. The character's morals are portrayed as being too rigid and simple to stand up to the messy complications of reality, such as what a law-abiding patriot is supposed to do when given orders from a senile and self-centered president. The numerous covers depicting Superman fighting in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII are also reexamined by showing the consequences of Superman going to war and just how ugly that would be.

* TheEighties: A lot of the action and political commentary stems from real-world politics of the period, in particular [[spoiler:the U.S. - Soviet arms race]], which comes to a head in part four.

* EyeScream: To reiterate: Sharp batarangs are sharp. [[spoiler:Joker]] learned the hard way.

* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler:Batman fakes his death in the final chapter.]] It fools everyone...''almost''.

* FeelingTheirAge: Batman is portrayed like this. He starts as a RetiredBadass, but soon returns to crime-fighting. Throughout the story Batman keeps on lamenting how slow he's become, culminating in the fight between him and the Mutant leader, who is, as Batman himself states, "in his physical prime". [[spoiler:Batman loses, but only because he "tried to fight like a young man". Later he beats the Mutant leader with some CombatPragmatist moves.]]
** After his fight with the Joker (which included several stabs to the gut) and subsequent escape from the GCPD, his age shows yet again to the point of losing consciousness.

* GangOfHats: The Mutants and their various splinter groups.

* GrandfatherClause: The Bat-signal is discussed here.

* HallOfMirrors: Batman chases the Joker into one at the fair. [[spoiler:The Joker gut-shoots him after he gives himself away trying to come through a mirror.]]

** Batman, after 10 years in retirement.

** And Joker in a twisted inverse version.
** The media, police and the public in general also collectively freak when Two-Face returns.

* IAmTheNoun: This is the climax of the "breaking the shotgun" sequence mentioned above.

* IWasQuiteALooker: Selina Kyle didn't age well. [[spoiler:The Joker]] notices.

* ImAHumanitarian: One of the Mutant leader's {{Catchphrase}}s is his boasts that he will eat Batman's heart. The Mutant Leader also [[spoiler: rips out the mayor's throat with his teeth while in captivity]]. Was he trying [[spoiler: to eat him as well]]?
* ImprobableAimingSkills:
** The ComicBook/GreenArrow is better than you at archery even with one arm... in the dark... in the rain... ''hanging upside down''.
** Whether you think Batman was aiming for the Mutant or not, the gun he was firing was definitely not meant to be fired with one hand. He's lucky he didn't kill the baby himself.
** Averted when Batman tries to ignite an explosive with Yindel’s sidearm. He misses at first and gives away his position.

* InnerMonologue: Could easily be called 'Inner Dialogue: The Comic'. Batman talks more to himself than any three other characters talk to anyone else put together.

* InsaneTrollLogic: The Joker's psychiatrist, Doctor Bartholomew Wolper, uses this to argue that the Joker himself didn't commit his crimes, Batman did, ''through'' the Joker.
* TheInsomniac: The Joker's insomnia is addressed here.

* JekyllAndHyde: Averted. Recent breakthroughs in plastic surgery restore Two-Face's appearance. Unfortunately, Dent's mind breaks when he sees his restored face, believing both sides to be destroyed and leading him to take up his old ways in the hope that he'll die when Batman comes to take him down.
--> '''Two-Face''': Got them all to keep their lunches down when they saw my face...saying I was cured...saying I was fixed. I'm fixed all right...at least both sides match now! Go ahead, have your laugh! Take a look...take a look... \\
'''Batman (internal, as Dent is talking)''': The scars go deep...too deep. I close my eyes and ''listen''. Not fooled by sight, I see him...as he ''is''. [''the panel shows Dent with his entire head a monstrous ruin'']\\
'''Batman''': I see... a reflection, Harvey. A reflection. [''the next panel shows a bat's snarling face'']
** What makes this scene even more powerful is that Two-Face is the only one of Batman's enemies in the story that he is sympathetic to, as he funded Harvey's surgery and rehabilitation efforts and knows what it's like to be living a dichotomy (Bruce Wayne/Batman vs. Harvey Dent/Two-Face). For bonus points, in ''Batman: Year One'' which occupies the same universe as this book, it's made clear that Harvey Dent was one of Batman's closest allies and friends early in his career.

* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: Averted. Kryptonite doesn't show up until the very end of Batman's battle with Superman, when Bruce specifically says that he had to spend years (and millions of dollars) synthesizing it, implying that the naturally occurring stuff is too rare to be a practical weapon. And despite having days to prepare for the showdown, Superman seems genuinely surprised that Bruce was able to get his hands on any at all.
* LadyLooksLikeADude:
** Carrie. The police even mistake her for a boy.
** Yindel too, although she's a somewhat more butch example.
** Bruno, Joker's Nazi sympathizer girlfriend, in spades.
* LetThePastBurn: At almost-not-quite the end, Alfred burns down Wayne Manor so that nobody can look through it for evidence or clues after Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne is revealed to the public while [[spoiler:faking his death]].

* MadeOfIron: Subverted here. The aged Batman absorbs a '''lot''' of punishment throughout the series, and every injury clearly pushes his body to the breaking point. He's noticeably slower in each subsequent chapter, and Alfred laments that he won't be able to effectively patch him up much longer.

* MonsterClown: It should be [[ComicBook/TheJoker obvious]] at this point. Selina notes this after [[spoiler:the Joker attacks her]].
-->'''Selina''': Bruce--he's worse than ''ever''.

** [[spoiler:Batman]] snaps [[spoiler:the Joker]]'s neck at first, but it only paralyzes him. [[spoiler:The Joker finishes the job for him.]]
** This is also how Bobbie kills Dr. Wolper at the TV studio.

* OldSoldier: Batman, obviously, but also Jim Gordon, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Superman (despite having not really physically aged) and Alfred to some extent. And less sympathetically, the Joker too.

* ParentalObliviousness: Carrie Kelley's parents, probably due to their drug abuse. [[ExaggeratedTrope Taken to extremes]] when they occasionally forget Carrie exists.

* PoweredArmor: Used (among other things) to fight Franchise/{{Superman}}.

* ProfanityPolice: There is a hilarious ''and'' heartwarming moment where Batman cuts off a kid — whom he just rescued from gunpoint seconds ago — encouraging him to "kick [the Joker's] ass" with a "watch your language, son".

** Rob and Don too. They keep running into Batman but hardly play a significant role in the story.

* RobotKid: Abner builds them... to spray poison gas everywhere, then explode.

* SeeYouInHell: [[spoiler:Joker]] says this to Batman [[spoiler:[[DrivenToSuicide before breaking]] [[NeckSnap his own neck]]]].
* ServileSnarker: Alfred has always been this, but in TDKR he takes further, as he is at first very unhappy with the way Bruce has let himself go in his retirement from the cowl, and is even more unhappy when he goes back to being Batman because it not only makes him seem like he's forgotten the lessons of the past, it means Alfred has to patch him up again when he's hurt.

* ShootingSuperman: Averted. The Man of Steel upends the gigantic "Batmobile" tearing its armored hide open. A revealed Robin has a loaded slingshot at the ready, but thinks better of it.
--> '''Superman''': Isn't tonight a school night?

*** Batman narrates, word-for-word that "I'm [[ComicBook/DaredevilBornAgain born again]]."
** Two-Face [[Film/AClockworkOrange was fixed, all right]].
** Corto Maltese is a shout out to [[Comicbook/CortoMaltese the famous Italian comic book by Hugo Pratt]]. Strangely, the name was used in the 1989 ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'' movie as an apparent ShoutOut to ''The Dark Knight Returns'' without recognizing that it was already a ShoutOut.
** There is also a reference to a porn star named "Hot Gates". In Greek, "Hot Gates" is translated "Thermopylae," the setting of [[Film/ThreeHundred another]] of Frank Miller's creations. However, since ''300'' wasn't released for another twelve years, the reference ''here'' is to both the literal translation of Thermopylae and William Golding's (now out of print) collection of essays 'The Hot Gates and other occasional places'.

* SmokingIsCool: {{Averted|Trope}}. Gordon's cigar smoking has apparently started to cause health problems, and his internal dialogue when this is made evident shows his mortality is weighing on his mind.
* SociopathicHero:
** One interpretation of Batman in this story, especially in the later chapters. Creator/AlanMoore's introduction in one printing of the TPB specifically noted that one interpretation of Batman was "revenge-driven psychopath."
--->[''Internal monologue after crippling an opponent''] Something tells me to stop with the leg. I '''don't''' listen to it.
** A generous interpretation of the Sons of Batman. They may be fighting crime, but their methods are anything but heroic.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: It's officially Carrie Kell'''e'''y, not Kelly.

* {{Squee}}: Most of Carrie's scenes with Batman.

* TheStoner: Carrie's parents embody this to the point that all we ever see of them is the smoke from their joints.

* TheStrategist: Batman of course, especially in his fight against Superman.

* SymbolicallyBrokenObject: The pearls of Martha Wayne's necklace [[RippingOffTheStringOfPearls falling and scattering]] after she is shot.

* TankGoodness: This version of the Batmobile, which would go on to be an inspiration for the Tumbler in ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' and one of Batman's vehicles in ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''. It's got treads. It's got armor strong enough that "the only thing I know of that can cut through its hide isn't from this planet." [[note]]He's referring to Superman, who proves the point in short order in the fourth issue.[[/note]] It's got machine guns. [[spoiler:"Rubber bullets. Honest."]] It's got at least two decent-sized artillery pieces. It takes up three lanes on the highway. It even has a gyro-stabilized medical bed and can be piloted home by Alfred. It's a god-damned Bat-Tank.

* ThoseWackyNazis: Bruno, a burly woman working for the Joker has swastika pasties on her boobs and butt cheeks for no reason other than to hammer in that she's bad news.
* ThouShaltNotKill: Also behind Batman's dislike of guns.
** According to behind-the-scenes info, Batman didn't kill [[spoiler:the aforementioned Mutant who held the baby at gunpoint when he shot her with another Mutant's M-60, stating he shot her shoulder]]. The animated adaptation completely changes this sequence to remove the issue.

* TooDumbToLive: Dr. Wolper, and the entire studio audience/host for that matter. At one point, Joker even states that he's going to kill everyone in the room, but [[GenreBlindness Wolper dismisses it as a simple joke]].

* TruthInTelevision: At the beginning two Mutants try and mug Bruce Wayne. They turn out to be {{Dirty Coward}}s when he sees them, they take into account his size, and run off when he stands his ground and is prepared to fight. It's common in RealLife for thugs like the Mutants to only target those who cannot defend themselves, and want nothing to do with those who can.
* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The entirety of the comic. "What happened to Batman after he retired?"

* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler:Two-Face to the Joker.]]

* ZeerustCanon: The sequel.

* In 1994 the much ignored ''Spawn/Batman'' came out, written by Miller and drawn by Todd [=McFarlane=]. It was a(n ill-advised) crossover between the ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Universe and the Dark Knight Universe and {{canon}} to both, whose only tie to TDKR was that it showed where Batman got the technology that he would use to build his power suit... and that's only a couple of pages.
* In 2001 and 2002, Miller produced a sequel, ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. It was more set ''around'' Batman than ''about'' Batman, being closer to a Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} or even Superman story than a Batman story. Questionable artwork and story developments have made this one of the more controversial Batman stories to date.
* In 2005 to 2008, Miller wrote a prequel, ''ComicBook/AllStarBatmanAndRobinTheBoyWonder,'' which was even more controversially received than ''Strikes Again''. It eventually went on hiatus, and was meant to return as ''Dark Knight: Boy Wonder''.

* TankGoodness: This version of the Batmobile, which would go on to be an inspiration for the Tumbler in ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' and one of Batman's vehicles in ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''. It's got treads. It's got armor strong enough that "the only thing I know of that can cut through its hide isn't from this planet." [[note]]He's referring to Superman, who proves the point in short order in the fourth issue[[/note]]. It's got machine guns. [[spoiler:"Rubber bullets. Honest."]] It's got at least two decent-sized artillery pieces. It takes up three lanes on the highway. It even has a gyro-stabilized medical bed and can be piloted home by Alfred. It's a god-damned Bat-Tank.