Batman: The Dark Knight

Frank Miller’s four-issue miniseries, published by DC in 1986, redefined Batman for a new era by imagining a grittier, older Bruce Wayne who returns from retirement in a dystopian Gotham City. With Miller handling both writing and art, the story pits an aging Batman against familiar foes and a skeptical government, while introducing a new Robin in the scrappy young Carrie Kelley. A landmark work that deepened the character’s psychological complexity and visual style, The Dark Knight remains one of the most influential superhero stories of its decade.