Batman fans freaking out over which way he faces on Dark Knight Returns cover DC ComicsThe cover of The Dark Knight Returns might be Batman\u2019s most influential image ever, but some fans are realizing they\u2019ve been misinterpreting which way he faces on it for nearly 40 years. To describe The Dark Knight Returns as influential feels like an understatement. The 1986 mini-series by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson was not only one of the most important Batman stories of its time, but it left an impression still being felt today. In the immediate, The Dark Knight Returns inspired the tone of Tim Burton\u2019s classic Batman in 1989. More recently, the look and demeanor of TDKR\u2019s Batman directly influenced Ben Affleck\u2019s portrayal and costume in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Fans love The Dark Knight Returns, whether it\u2019s in movies, action figures, or even cosplays. Those fans are now having their own existential crisis, though, as their perception of the book\u2019s first cover is called into question. Which direction Batman faces on The Dark Knight Returns cover is confusing fans The madness started in a November 26 tweet by comics_jeff, who shared an image of the classic cover of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1. For comics_jeff, it\u2019s called everything he knows into question, as he thought Batman was leaping away from the reader for his whole life. \u201cI just had my mind blown cuz what do you mean Batman is not with his back faced to the readers,\u201d Jeff tweets, \u201cPlease tell me I\u2019m not the only one.\u201d The tweet features the original cover and a line art mock-up of how Batman is positioned under the shadow on the cover. \u201cI always thought it was like this.\u201d Jeff shared in a follow-up tweet where he outlined the silhouette to show what he thought was correct: Batman with his back to the reader, leaping into the night. It seems odd that the image is such a source of contention. The cover is iconic in all the best ways: Batman, cloaked in shadow, leaping through the air. One hand outstretched, one raised into a fist, a lightning bolt cracks behind him. It is the definitive image of a series made of definitive images. But comics Twitter had a similar reaction. Many users are now coming out of the woodwork, both to agree with and clown on Jeff\u2019s observations. \u201cThis is this year\u2019s \u2018is the dress black and gold\u2019 then.\u201d Matt Ferguson tweeted, referencing the dress controversy from 2015. \u201cI mean, whatever, it\u2019s fine \u2014 no, it\u2019s GREAT \u2014 either way. A perfect, all-time classic cover,\u201d Batman: Confidential writer Andy Diggle tweeted, \u201cBut jumping TOWARDS you is always more grabby and dynamic than jumping away from you. Especially when it\u2019s FUCKING BATMAN.\u201d Batman is facing forward in the Dark Knight Returns comic The controversy does seem to be settled for now, at the very least, and by the man who started it, no less. In a later follow-up tweet, Jeff shared an image of the original Miller draft art, which clearly indicates a front-facing Batman. Miller’s original draft holy shit pic.twitter.com\/2Pma7iY8T5 \u2014 ultimate jeff (@comics_jeff) November 27, 2023 Still, it\u2019s easy to see where the confusion starts. Not only does the original art leave this somewhat up to interpretation thanks to its effective use of silhouettes, but film adaptations that came later have gotten it wrong. \u201cDude, the movies thought it was from the back.\u201d user SilverKreates shared, with an image of Affleck\u2019s Batman recreating the pose in Batman v Superman and the animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns. Both feature their own take on the classic cover, but in both instances, Batman is depicted from behind. Whether this is an intentional stylistic change or an honest mistake, we may never know. For more Batman and comic news, keep it locked to Dexerto.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Batman fans freaking out over which way he faces on Dark Knight Returns cover DC ComicsThe cover of The Dark Knight Returns might be Batman\u2019s most influential image ever, but some fans are realizing they\u2019ve been misinterpreting which way he faces on it for nearly 40 years. To describe The Dark Knight Returns as influential […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35480\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}