The Dark Knight Returns (alternatively titledBatman: The Dark Knight Returns but originally titledBatman: The Dark Knight) is a 1986 four-issue comic bookminiseries starringBatman, written byFrank Miller, illustrated by Miller andKlaus Janson, with color byLynn Varley, and published byDC Comics. It tells analternative story of Bruce Wayne who, at 55 years old, returns from a decade of retirement to fight crime while facing opposition from theGotham City police force and the United States government. The story also features the return of classic foesTwo-Face and theJoker, and culminates in a confrontation withSuperman, who is now a pawn of the government.

The Dark Knight Returns
Cover of Issue #1
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Limited series
Publication date	February – June 1986
No. of issues	4
Main character(s)	Batman Jim Gordon Carrie Kelley Two-Face Mutants Joker Superman
Creative team
Written by	Frank Miller
Penciller(s)	Frank Miller
Inker(s)	Klaus Janson
Letterer(s)	John Costanza
Colorist(s)	Lynn Varley
Editor(s)	Dick Giordano Dennis O'Neil
Collected editions
Trade Paperback	ISBN 0930289137
Hardcover	ISBN 0930289153
Trade Paperback (Warner Books)	ISBN 0446385050
Trade Paperback (Titan Books)	ISBN 0907610900
11th Anniversary Edition	ISBN 156389341X
2002 Edition	ISBN 156389341X
Absolute Edition	ISBN 1401210791
Noir	ISBN 1401255140
Deluxe Edition	ISBN 1401256910
30th Anniversary Edition	ISBN 1401263119
Book with Blu-ray & DVD set	ISBN 1401264271
Gallery Edition	ISBN 1401264433
Collector's Edition	ISBN 1401270131

When originally published, the series was simply titledBatman: The Dark Knight, with a different title for each issue (The Dark Knight Returns,The Dark Knight Triumphant,Hunt the Dark Knight, andThe Dark Knight Falls), but when the series was collected into a single volume, the title of the first issue was applied to the entire series. Some of the earliest collected editions also bore the shorter series title. The story introducesCarrie Kelley as the newRobin and the hyper-violent street gang known as theMutants. In the Pre-FlashpointDC Multiverse, the events ofThe Dark Knight Returns and its associated titles were designated to occur on Earth-31.^[1]

The miniseries has since been followed by a number of sequels:The Dark Knight Strikes Again,The Dark Knight III: The Master Race, andDark Knight Returns: The Golden Child. A one-shot prequel,Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade, takes place ten years before the original series. BothBatman: Year One andAll Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder, are considered by Miller to be canon. Likewise,Superman: Year One takes place in theDark Knight universe.

The Dark Knight Returns is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential Batman stories ever made, as well as one of the greatest works of comic art in general, and has been noted for helping reintroduce a darker and more mature-oriented version of the character (and superheroes in general) to pop culture during the 1980s. Various elements of the series have since been incorporated into depictions ofBatman in other media, while a direct animated adaptation of the story,Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, was released as a two-part film across 2012 and 2013.

In adystopian version of 1986, Bruce Wayne, aged 55,^[2] has given up the mantle of Batman after the death ofJason Todd 10 years prior. Crime is running rampant throughout Gotham City, much of which is being committed by a gang ofjuvenile delinquents called "TheMutants". After watching news reports about the Mutants' crimes, Wayne decides to return to his role as a vigilante. He stops multiple assaults – including one on two young girls, Carrie Kelley and her friend Michelle – and targets the Mutants. Batman's return is reported on the news and stimulates his archenemy, theJoker, to awaken fromcatatonia atArkham Asylum.

While foiling an armed robbery, Batman learns that the criminals are working forHarvey Dent. Previously known as Two-Face, Dent underwent extensive therapy and plastic surgery to reenter society before disappearing. Batman informs close-to-retirementCommissioner James "Jim" Gordon that Dent may be planning a larger scheme. Soon after, Dent announces his intention to hold Gotham ransom with a bomb. After Batman defeats Dent and his goons, he discovers that Dent's mind has completely warped into his Two-Face persona.

At theWhite House,Superman andPresidentRonald Reagan discuss Batman's actions, with the latter suggesting he may have to be arrested. At Gotham, Kelley, inspired by Batman, buys an imitationRobin costume and searches for him. Batman attacks the Mutants at the city dump with theBatmobile, but the Mutant Leader goads him into a hand-to-hand fight. Batman, due to his age and a decade of physical inactivity, is almost beaten to death. Kelley creates a diversion that allows her and Batman to return to theBatcave, where Wayne's butlerAlfred Pennyworth tends to his wounds. Impressed with her bravery, Wayne decides to make Kelley his new protegee. Batman strategically defeats the Mutant Leader in a fight surrounded by the Mutants. Seeing Batman defeat their leader, most of the Mutants disband into smaller gangs. One of these gangs renames itself the "Sons of the Batman", using excessive violence against criminals.

Clark Kent talks with Wayne and is then deployed by Washington to theLatin American country ofCorto Maltese, where he fightsSoviet combat forces in a conflict that may escalate intoWorld War III.

Gordon's successor as commissioner, Captain Ellen Yindel, declares Batman a wanted criminal for his vigilantism. Meanwhile, Joker manipulates his caretakers to allow him onto a television talk show, where he murders everyone with his trademark toxin and escapes. Batman and Robin (Kelley) track him to a county fair while evading aGotham police pursuit. Batman fights Joker, vowing to stop him permanently, feeling responsible for every murder the villain has committed. Batman paralyzes Joker but is unable to take his life. Disappointed with Batman's refusal to kill him, Joker breaks his own neck and dies.

A citywide manhunt for Batman begins. Elsewhere, Superman diverts a Soviet nuclear warhead which detonates in a desert, nearly killing him in the process, and survives only by absorbing the sun's energy from the plants in a nearby jungle. The United States is hit by anelectromagnetic pulse as a result and descends into chaos during the followingblackout. In Gotham, Batman and Robin turn the remaining Mutants and Sons of the Batman into a non-lethal vigilante gang, making Gotham the safest city in the country. The U.S. government orders Superman to take Batman into custody. Superman demands to meet Batman, and Wayne chooses Crime Alley.

Superman tries to reason with Batman, but Batman uses his technological inventions to fight him on equal ground. During the battle, Superman compromises Batman'sexoframe. However, an agingOliver Queen manages to shoot Superman with akryptonite-tipped arrow to weaken him. Standing over the defeated Superman, Batman has a suddenheart attack, apparently dying. Alfred destroys the Batcave andWayne Manor before suffering a fatalstroke, exposing Batman as Bruce Wayne, whose fortune has disappeared. After Wayne's funeral, it is revealed that his death was staged using anantiarrhythmic agent that suspended his vital life signs. Clark attends the funeral and winks at the disguised Carrie after hearing Wayne's heartbeat. Some time afterward, Bruce Wayne leads Robin, Queen, and the rest of his followers into the caverns beyond the Batcave and prepares to continue his war on crime.

• Bruce Wayne / Batman: Bruce Wayne is 55 years old and has been retired from his Batman persona for a decade. When he sees violence becoming more common not just in Gotham City but also the world, he feels a strong desire to return as Batman and emerges from his depression.
• Alfred Pennyworth: Wayne's trusted butler, medic, and confidant; now in his 80s.
• Carrie Kelley /Robin: A 13-year-old girl with absentee parents, who later becomes Batman's sidekick, Robin. Throughout the story, she is frequently mistaken for the former "Boy Wonder". After she saves the Dark Knight's life, the aging Batman places his trust in her against Alfred's wishes.
• James "Jim"Gordon: The elderly Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department, who retires on his 70th birthday. He is aware of Batman's true identity.
• Harvey Dent / Two-Face: Having spent 12 years in Arkham Asylum, Harvey Dent has been treated by Doctor Wolper for three years and his face has been repaired with plastic surgery. Dent's doctor gives him a clean bill of mental health, but he is still Two-Face in his mind. Dent terrorizes the city with his face swathed in bandages as he now perceives both sides of his face as scarred.
• Joker: The Clown Prince of Crime and Batman's archenemy, who has been in a catatonic state at Arkham Asylum since the latter's retirement and awakens from it upon learning of his re-emergence. He plans a violent crime spree to draw out Batman, setting in motion the events leading to their final confrontation.
• The Mutant Leader: The ambitious, brutal, and albino head of the Mutants, who seeks to control Gotham and kill anyone who opposes him.
• Dr. Bartholomew Wolper: Two-Face and Joker's psychiatrist and opponent of Batman's "fascist" vigilantism. Wolper is convinced that the Joker and Two-Face are both victims of Batman's crusade. He is killed by the Joker's robot doll, which snaps Wolper's neck then floods the television studio they're in with poisonous gas.
• Ellen Yindel: James Gordon's successor as Commissioner. A captain in the Gotham City Police Department, she is a critic of Batman, but begins to doubt herself after the Joker's crime spree.
• The Mayor of Gotham City: The weak-willed and inept unnamed mayor of Gotham City. He tries to negotiate peace with the Mutant Leader at the time he was in police custody, only to be killed by him.
• Deputy Mayor Stevenson: The deputy mayor of Gotham City, who later becomes the new mayor after the former mayor is killed by the Mutant Leader. He states that Commissioner Ellen Yindel will decide how to act with Batman.
• Ronald Reagan: The President of the United States. He instructs Superman to deal with Batman in Gotham City.
• Oliver Queen: After superheroes are outlawed, Queen undertakes a clandestine rebellion against government oppression, including the sinking of a nuclear submarine. He lost his left arm after an encounter with Superman. Despite this disability, Queen is still a highly skilled marksman.
• Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman: Superman is now an agent of the U.S. government and his secret identity as the formerDaily Planet reporter Clark Kent is publicly known. In his inner thoughts, he despises being a government tool, but he believes it is the only way he can save lives in this day and age. Because of his Kryptonian physique, his aging process is slower than his former allies', which is one of the reasons why he is no longer able to hide his secret identity. In the final climax, Superman battles Batman in a final attempt to rid the government of his opposition but is weakened by a Kryptonite arrow fired by Queen, allowing an armored Batman to stand up to him.
• Selina Kyle: No longer the Catwoman, Selina Kyle now runs an escort business.
• Lana Lang: The managing editor of theDaily Planet who is an outspoken supporter of Batman, appearing on a series of TV debates in which she argues with others over his methods and influence.
• Dave Endochrine: A late-night talk show host who invites the Joker and Dr. Wolper on his show; he and his audience are later killed by the Joker's poisonous gas. He is a characterization ofDavid Letterman.
• Lola Chong: A Gotham City news anchor who serves as the story's main talking head, providing exposition and narration in the form of her reporting.
• Bruno: The leader of a group ofneo-Nazi criminals. Working for the Joker, she battles Batman and Robin but is caught by Superman.
• Fat Abner: The Joker's hulking henchman. He builds bombs for Two-Face that he sabotages on the Joker's orders, then robotic dolls armed with explosives and poison gas in order to kill the Joker's TV audience and terrorize the county fair; he attacks Robin on the fair's roller coaster tracks, and is accidentally killed in the fight.
• Rob and Don: Two Mutants who are among the members of the gang tricked by Robin into witnessing Batman's defeat of their leader at a sewage runoff pit. Because of this they switch allegiances to Bruno and join her in robbing a liquor store, but are easily taken out by Batman.
• The Sons of Batman (S.O.B.): A group of teenagers who were formerly Mutants. They become vigilante followers of Batman after witnessing him defeat their leader, although they are unruly and violent, taking overly severe measures to punish criminals and even some civilians.

Since the 1950s, when theComics Code Authority was established, the character of Batman had drifted from his darker, more serious roots. It was not until the 1970s when the character began to feature in darker stories once again; however, Batman was still commonly associated with the campy theme of the1960sBatman TV series, and was regarded more as a father figure toRobin rather than as his original identity as a vigilante.^[3]

In the early 1980s, DC Comics promoted Batman group editorDick Giordano to editorial director for the company.^[4] Writer-artist Frank Miller was recruited to createThe Dark Knight Returns. Giordano said he worked with Miller on the story's plot, and said, "[t]he version that was finally done was about his fourth or fifth draft. The basic storyline was the same but there were a lot of detours along the way."^[5]

"With Batman, you've got a character that you can describe in just a few seconds: His parents were murdered by criminals; he's warring on crime for the rest of his life," Miller explained in the documentaryComic Book Confidential. "He was created in 1938, and the character was just ruthless in his methods, terrifying to criminals. Over the years, that got softened and softened, because people started thinking that comics had to be just for kids... and Batman had to be made much nicer. And eventually, no kid could relate to him anymore."^[6]

During the creation of the series, fellow comics writer/artistJohn Byrne told Miller, "Robin must be a girl", and Miller agreed.^[7] Miller said that the comic series' plot was inspired byDirty Harry, specifically the 1983 filmSudden Impact, in which Dirty Harry returns to crime-fighting after a lengthy convalescence.^{[citation needed]} The series employed a 16-panel grid for its pages. Each page was composed of either a combination of 16 panels, or anywhere between sixteen and one panel per page.^[8] Giordano left the project halfway through because of disagreements over production deadlines. Comics historian Les Daniels wrote that Miller's idea of ignoring deadlines was "the culmination of the quest towards artistic independence".^[9]

While the comic's ending features Batman faking his death and leading up the Sons of Batman to continue with his crusade against crime, symbolizing that Bruce Wayne dies but Batman lives on, this wasn't the original intention. During the MCM London Comic Con 2018, Miller revealed that in his original plans for the ending ofThe Dark Knight Returns, Batman was going to be gunned down by the police while fighting them, but the story got away from him and changed his mind.^[10]

The four issues ofThe Dark Knight Returns were presented in packaging that included extra pages, square binding, card-stock covers, and glossy paper to highlight the watercolor paintings by coloristLynn Varley.^[11]

The entire series has been collected intrade paperbacks,hardcovers, anabsolute edition, a noir edition, and a deluxe edition.

• Trade paperback (ISBN 0930289137) and hardcover (ISBN 0930289153), DC Comics, 1986.
• Trade paperback (ISBN 0446385050),Warner Books, 1986.
• Trade paperback (ISBN 0907610900),Titan Books, 1986.
• 10th Anniversary Edition, trade paperback (ISBN 1563893428) and hardcover (ISBN 156389341X), DC Comics, 1996.
• 10th Anniversary Edition, trade paperback (ISBN 1852867981) and hardcover (ISBN 1852867884),Titan Books, 1997.
• 2002 Edition, trade paperback (ISBN 1563893428) and hardcover (ISBN 156389341X), DC Comics, 2002. (Note that the ISBN numbers share the same numbers as the 10th anniversary edition.)
• Absolute Edition, hardcover (ISBN 1401210791), DC Comics, 2006.
• Noir Edition, hardcover (ISBN 1401255140), DC Comics, 2015.
• Dark Knight Saga Deluxe Edition, hardcover (ISBN 1401256910), DC Comics, 2015.
• 30th Anniversary Edition, trade paperback (ISBN 1401263119), DC Comics, 2016.
• Book with Blu-ray & DVD set, hardcover (ISBN 1401264271), DC Comics, 2016.
• Gallery Edition, hardcover (ISBN 1401264433), DC Comics, 2016.
• Collector's Edition, hardcover (ISBN 1401270131), DC Comics, 2016.

Despite the cost of the single-issue packaging,The Dark Knight Returns sold well.^[11] Pricing it at $2.95 an issue, DC Comics promotedThe Dark Knight Returns as a "thought-provoking action story".Time said the series' depiction of a "semi-retired Batman [who] is unsure about his crime-fighting abilities" was an example of trying to appeal to "today's skeptical readers".^[12] More than one million comics were printed.^[13]

Retrospectively, the series is today widely considered one of the greatest works in the comic medium.IGN Comics rankedThe Dark Knight Returns first on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels and calledThe Dark Knight Returns "a true masterpiece of storytelling" with "[s]cene after unforgettable scene."^[14] In 2005,Time chose the collected edition as one of the 10 best English language graphic novels ever written.^[15]Forbidden Planet placed the collected issue at number one on its "50 Best of the Best Graphic Novels" list.^[16] Writer Matthew K. Manning in the "1980s" chapter ofDC Comics: Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle (2010) called the series "arguably the best Batman story of all time."^[3] It was placed second in a poll among comic book academics conducted by theSequart Organization.^[17]

The series also garnered some negative reviews. In April 2010, Nicolas Slayton from Comics Bulletin rankedThe Dark Knight Returns second in his Tuesday Top Ten feature's Top 10 Overrated Comic Books behindWatchmen. Slayton wrote, "[t]here is no central plot to the comic, leaving only a forced fight scene between Superman and Batman as an out of place climax to the story." "Gone are the traits that define Batman," he said, also citing "misuse of the central character."^[18]

The immense popularity ofThe Dark Knight Returns served both to return the character of Batman to a central role in pop culture, but also (along withWatchmen) started the era known as theDark Age of Comic Books (also known as the Modern Age and the Iron Age).^[19] The grim, seedy versions of Gotham and Batman updated the character's identity from the campyAdam West version from the1960s Batman TV series, and proved critically and commercially successful enough that a new wave of "dark" superheroes were either created or re-popularized, and preexisting heroes were redesigned or retooled to fit this new trend.^{[citation needed]}

The Dark Knight Returns was one of the two comic books, alongsideWatchmen, that inspired designerVincent Connare when he created theComic Sans font.^[20]

In 2022,Heritage Auctions sold the original cover art for the first issue of Miller'sBatman: The Dark Knight Returns for $2.4 million, making it the most expensive mainstream American comic book cover art sold publicly.^[21]

• Writer:Frank Miller; Artist:David Mazzucchelli
• The story recounts Batman's first year as a crime-fighter as well as exploring the life of recently transferred Gotham police detectiveJames Gordon – eventually building towards their first encounter and their eventual alliance against Gotham's criminal underworld. The story is consideredcanon to the mainstreamDC Universe as well as Frank Miller's ownDark Knight Universe.

• Writer:Frank Miller; Artist:Todd McFarlane
• Batman andSpawn meet while tracking the same villain, and begrudgingly have to put aside their differences for the fight ahead.
• Despite its release as a companion piece toThe Dark Knight Returns, the events ofSpawn/Batman have no relevance to other works in the series.

• Writer/Artist:Frank Miller; Colorist:Lynn Varley
• An aged Bruce Wayne who returns from three years in hiding, training his followers and instigating a rebellion againstLex Luthor's dictatorial rule over the United States. The series features anensemble cast of superheroes includingCatgirl,Superman,Wonder Woman,Plastic Man,Green Arrow,The Flash, andthe Atom.

• Writers:Frank Miller andBrian Azzarello; Artists:Frank Miller,Andy Kubert, andKlaus Janson
• Ray Palmer restores 1,000 of the inhabitants ofKandor to full-size, but they immediately begin to terrorize the Earth. Batman sets out to assemble his former allies against the invaders.

• Writers:Frank Miller andBrian Azzarello; Artists:John Romita Jr. andPeter Steigerwald
• A prequel one-shot. As theJoker is manically returned toArkham Asylum, Bruce Wayne is struggling to train his sidekick and heir apparent, the newRobin,Jason Todd. While a new string of bizarre killing sprees involving Gotham City's elite take up Batman and Robin's attention, critics begin to question if the Dark Knight has a right to endanger the life of a child.

• Writer:Frank Miller; Artist:John Romita Jr.
• Superman learns to balance the grave responsibilities of his powers against their limitless possibilities, and about the wonder of his adopted world.

• Writer:Frank Miller; Artists:Rafael Grampá
• It's been three years since the events ofDark Knight III: The Master Race. Lara has spent time learning to be more human, andCarrie Kelley has been growing into her new role asBatwoman. But a terrifying evil has returned to Gotham City, and Lara and Carrie must team up to stop this growing threat—and they have a secret weapon. Young Jonathan Kent, "The Golden Child," has a power inside of him unlike anything the world has ever seen.

According to Miller, the unfinished seriesAll Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder can be considered a prequel.

In 1994, this version of Batman appeared in theZero Hour: Crisis in Time crossover event playing a small role. In March 2018, he appeared in a brief cameo in the sixth and final issue of theDark Nights: Metal event.

In 2018, it was announced that this version of Robin, Carrie Kelley, would receive a spin-off in the form of a young adult graphic novel to be written by Miller with art from Ben Caldwell. In November 2021, when Miller said "[The Carrie Kelley book] is shaping up great; Ben is just a powder keg of talent. It'd probably be out now but it just keeps growing, due to his enthusiasm and output. I'm already kind of tugging at his sleeve about doing something else after this."^[22]

In 2023, Miller's Batman appeared in Batman #135, which marked the milestone of the 900th issue. He joined forces with various versions of Batman from different media across the multiverse.^[23]

• Stephen Amell appears as an olderOliver Queen in theLegends of Tomorrow episode "Star City 2046", with a grey goatee and missing his left arm, a nod to the portrayal of the character inThe Dark Knight Returns.^[24] This version of Oliver appears again in the crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths" which designates the events of "Star City 2046" not just as an alternate timeline but taking place on Earth-16.
• In the episode "The Gentle Art of Making Enemies" ofGotham, the show's first Proto-Joker,Jerome Valeska (played byCameron Monaghan), confronts Bruce Wayne in a house of mirrors after the GCPD raid Jerome's carnival populated by his cult followers, which pays homage to Batman and Joker's final confrontation inThe Dark Knight Returns. In addition, Monaghan's performance as the second Proto-Joker,Jeremiah Valeska, took some influence from the Joker in the comic.
• In theBatwoman episode of the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover,Kevin Conroy appears as Bruce Wayne from Earth-99. This version is more violent to the point of killing, as Joker is dead. While confrontingSupergirl, Bruce quotes the comic while talking about howClark always said "yes" to anyone with a badge or a flag, giving them too much power. Bruce says "Life only makes sense if you force it to" before attacking Supergirl withKryptonite.
• In theGotham Knights TV series, Carrie Kelly plays a prominent role as one of the main characters. In the episode "Under Pressure", Carrie defeats the Mutant gang leader who is given the name of Vernon Wagner, stoking conflict between the Mutant gang against the GCPD. In the same episode, Carrie relates the circumstances of her first meeting with Batman, which seemingly involve Batman being tossed by the Mutant gang into her fire escape outside her window, a description that is identical to the comic's depiction.

• In the episode "Legends of the Dark Knight" ofThe New Batman Adventures, a scene is directly based on both of Batman's fights with the Mutant leader, who was voiced byKevin Michael Richardson.Michael Ironside voicedThe Dark Knight Returns version of Batman.^[25]
• The first episode ofBatman Beyond, "Rebirth", depicts a similarly aged Bruce Wayne repeat the book's line "never again" upon deciding to give up the Batman mantle.
• Two members of the Mutant gang are shown throwing snowballs at an olderBeast Boy in a cage in the episode "How Long Is Forever?" ofTeen Titans.^[26]
• The Batman episode "Artifacts", set in a future Gotham, mostly references Miller's work, with the future Batman depicted as similarly tall and muscular andMr. Freeze going so far as speaking the sentence "The Dark Knight returns" upon meeting his nemesis.^[27]
• There are some references inBatman: The Brave and the Bold. In the season 1 episode "Legends of the Dark Mite!",Bat-Mite transforms Batman into alternate versions of himself, one of which has his look fromThe Dark Knight Returns.^[28] In the season 2 episode "The Knights of Tomorrow!", the Mutant gang is seen robbing a bank in a future where Bruce Wayne's son,Damian, is the new Batman.^[29] The battle between Batman and Superman is featured in the season 3 episode "Battle of the Super-Heroes!", where Batman wears a similar armored suit as well as some moments of the fight taken straight out of the comic.^[30]
• In the episode "Play Date", fromJustice League Action, Batman's entrance uses the iconic cover pose.

• Along withBatman: The Killing Joke,Tim Burton has mentioned thatThe Dark Knight Returns influenced hisfilm adaptation ofBatman.^[31]
• In the 1995 filmBatman Forever, directorJoel Schumacher uses some elements of the comic: when Bruce remembers falling into the cave as a child, and in a deleted scene when GNN News gives Batman a bad reputation after his fight with Two-Face in the Gotham Subway and when he follows Two-Face in a helicopter.
• According to Schumacher, he proposed a film adaptation ofThe Dark Knight Returns whenWarner Bros. commissioned him and writerAkiva Goldsman to create a sequel toBatman Forever, but the idea was shelved in favor ofBatman & Robin. After the cancellation ofBatman Unchained, Schumacher proposed an adaptation ofThe Dark Knight Returns, which Warner considered during their attempts to revamp the character.^[32]Michael Keaton (who portrayedBatman inBatman and inBatman Returns) andClint Eastwood were considered to playBatman while singerDavid Bowie was considered again to play theJoker. However, the project was finally canceled in favor of the also shelvedBatman: DarKnight.^[33]
• The Tumbler inBatman Begins (2005) was inspired by the Batmobile inThe Dark Knight Returns.^{[citation needed]} Both Batmobiles are designed as large, military vehicles built for special purposes.
• In the 2012 filmThe Dark Knight Rises, directorChristopher Nolan used a number of stories includingThe Dark Knight Returns as influence for the film.^[34] After the death ofRachel Dawes, Bruce Wayne retires from Batman and spends the next eight years in a depressed state caused by his experiences as a vigilante. Bruce decides to return as Batman when he realizes thatThe League of Shadows has returned to Gotham; Bruce uses a special brace for his leg to compensate for his frail physicality, similar to the comics, in which he uses a brace to support his damaged arm; During a police chase, two officers witness Batman's unexpected return and the older officer comments to his younger partner, "You're in for a show, kid", a line from a similar scene in the comic. After Harvey Dent dies inThe Dark Knight, Batman is falsely accused for his death and becomes afugitive, as in the comic. In both works, Bruce fakes his death at the end; to fight crime secretly in the comic and to have a normal life with Selina Kyle in the film.
• DirectorZack Snyder stated that although the 2016 filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice features an original premise, the film does borrow some elements fromThe Dark Knight Returns. In both, Batman is older and hardened, in his mid-50s in the comic and in his 40s in the film. Similarly, Robin has died, although his identity is never stated in the film, with Snyder intending for him to beDick Grayson^[35] and a behind-the-scenes video as well as theWarner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood stating it was Jason Todd.^[36] Batman is also less averse to using lethal force to the point of using guns to dispatch enemies. Further, Batman has a fateful confrontation with Superman, who is coerced to fight him, although by Lex Luthor instead of the U.S. government as in the comics. The Batsuit and the armored suit also both closely resemble the ones shown in the comic.^[37] There are also a few shots in the film directly taken from the pages of Miller's work.
• The talk show host David Endochrine fromThe Dark Knight Returns served as inspiration for the character Murray Franklin in the 2019 filmJoker, played byRobert De Niro. Joker is interviewed on a talk show, similar to the comic.^[38][39] In both portrayals, the interview ends with the Joker committing murder on the set. The elderly sex therapist from the book, Dr. Ruth Weisenheimer, who Joker forcefully kisses during the interview also appears in the film, named Dr. Sally instead.
• The 2021 filmZack Snyder's Justice League featured a version of the Batmobile similar to the one fromThe Dark Knight Returns. In the film's epilogue, Batman is seen standing on a Batmobile (as it is seen in Miller's miniseries) after apprehending the Mutants.^[40][41]
• In an interview with theHollywood Reporter, Zack Snyder expressed interest in returning toDC Films if he were to direct a live action adaptation ofThe Dark Knight Returns as a "true representation of the graphic novel".^[42]

• DC Entertainment produceda two-part animated film adaptation, starringPeter Weller as the voice of Batman.^[43][44] Part 1 was released on DVD/Blu-ray on September 25, 2012, and Part 2 on January 29, 2013.
• The 2018 animated filmTeen Titans Go! To the Movies had Robin dream up a sequence which seems to parodyThe Lion King, where he is lifted up by the Batman fromThe Dark Knight Returns continuity. Later on, Robin appears in a musical sequence where he parodies the iconicDark Knight Returns cover where Robin poses against a lightning effect with the title: "Robin: The Dark Hero Returns"

• Carrie makes her first canonical appearance in the mainstream DC Universe inThe New 52'sBatman and Robin (vol. 2) #19 (titledBatman and Red Robin). She is a college student and the lateDamian Wayne's drama instructor. As a homage toThe Dark Knight Returns, she wears an imitation Robin costume as a Halloween costume in her first appearance.^[45]
• Batman/Bruce Wayne and Carrie Kelley/Robin appear in a one-page article inComics Collector #8 (Krause Publications, summer 1985), predating their first comic book appearance.

In 1996, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the graphic novel, DC released a new hardcover and a later softcover release. These included original rough script text for issue #4 with some sketches by Miller. There was also a limited edition slipcased hardcover that included mini poster prints, collected media reviews, and a sketchbook by Miller. DC Direct released a limited edition statue of Batman and Robin designed by Miller. It was released in full size and then later as a mini-sized statue.^{[46][unreliable source?]} DC Direct released a series ofBatman action figures based onThe Dark Knight Returns in 2004. It included figures of Batman, Robin, Superman, and The Joker. Later, a Batman and Joker Gift Set was released, including both characters with new color schemes to reflect earlier points in the story, and a 48-page prestige format reprint ofThe Dark Knight Returns #1 was also released.^{[citation needed]} An action figure of Batman as he appears inThe Dark Knight Returns was released by Mattel in 2013, as part of theirBatman Unlimited line of action figures.^{[citation needed]}

In 2022, Cryptozoic Entertainment released aBatman: The Dark Knight Returns board game^[47] designed specifically for solitaire play. The game uses extensive amounts of art from the graphic novel and follows the story of The Dark Knight Returns, including 4 games mirroring the books as a campaign.

• In the episode "Girl Meets the New Teacher" ofGirl Meets World, the new English teacher Harper Burgess gives out copies for her class to study, which creates controversy with the principal who disapproves of the comic.^[48]
• In theRick and Morty season 6 episode "Solaricks",The Dark Knight Returns is mentioned by the original version ofJerry Smith as one of the books he read at aBarnes & Noble to overcome the grief of losing his family.^[49]

• The Dark Knight Returns at the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
• The plot in more detail at darkknight.ca
• Deconstructing Dark Knight Returns - an ongoing analysis ofThe Dark Knight Returns and related works
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns andBatman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again discussed at sequart.com
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – a retrospective and review at Batman-On-Film.com