No other Batman story has really examined in-depth the future of Batman's career: many have visited it but never explored it as DKR did. The art-work wasn't too great, but the political commentary and the fact that it actually examines the future of Batman in the DC Universe make it a unique story. In fact, I put Year One above TDKR (I love Year One, so don't think that I completely dislike Miller). I know I am in the minority, but I find Frank Miller - and TDKR - to be quite overrated. After TDKR and Year One, there were other, better stories, like the Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. I give Miller credit for ushering in the new era for Batman, but little else. Year One came out one year before The Killing Joke.

I don't like the art, I found most of the story to be bland, etc. There are a host of Bronze Age stories which are truly wonderful too.

Also, Batman: Year One was released before it and it was great. The Dark Knight Returns is the absolute best Batman book, in my opinion. It came out long before most good Batman stories. I have no problem with that, and wouldn't be surprised considering Moore's the writer that the intention was for him to have killed him. Meh, it was originally supposed to be a non canon book. And to me, that would rather ruin the idea of Batman, including Morrisons own Bat-god, the idea of a human being that be put through the most horrendous circumstances and still come out on top.

'You have to show him our way works, bring him in, by the book.' (or something like that). I dont believe Grant Morrisons interpretation of the last scene in this case, if Batman had killed the Joker, then yes Batman would have broken and failed to live up to the promise he made Jim before entering the funhouse.

It's a comicbook for mature readers, it has mature subjects and images for it's time, and yet retains the usual way comicbooks are written: The hero goes through hell, personally or having to see his surroundings do, and then he catches the bad guy and sends him off to jail, it's a classic superhero story. Think it's just a great (if not the greatest) Joker story ever told.

Absolute batman killing joke