Duality In The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns questions what is right and what is wrong. It makes you wonder if the government is the bad guy, or if it is the criminals, or maybe even Batman himself. Miller uses duality and creates closure to show that there is always another side of the coin and all you have to do is flip it to see it. He also uses art to build context and tension by starting with art that is abstract. The art slowly changes to brighter colors and less abstract art as the tension of the plot builds. With the use of an iconic archetypal vigilante seeking justice, Miller also emphasizes the ever-present question of morality.
Miller uses duality on page 55 when Two-Face asks Batman to look at him and see him for what he really is. Batman looks at him and says “...I see… A reflection Harvey. A reflection”. As this happens the panels flash to show that he sees Harvey as disfigured and that he sees himself as a menacing looking bat. Lots of closure is created in these subject-to-subject panels and combination of inter-dependent word balloons that create tension between the two sides of Batman. This shows that Batman sees the duality and relates himself to Harvey because he too is two-faced.
Additionally, he uses art and coloring to build context and create tension in the plot. On page 10 the …show more content…
Batman is an iconic archetypal vigilante that represents justice and darkness. On page 39 Batman is fighting a criminal and chooses to exact his own justice on him. “There are seven working defenses from this position. Three of them disarm with minimal contact. Three of them kill… The other----hurts”. This is the darker side of Batman. The part of him that relays heavily on his id and basks in the thrill of punishing criminals. Is it okay that a sadistic masked man makes these kinds of decisions? This is where we wonder if Batman is morally right or if maybe the government is right and he is a menace to a
Miller uses duality on page 55 when Two-Face asks Batman to look at him and see him for what he really is. Batman looks at him and says “...I see… A reflection Harvey. A reflection”. As this happens the panels flash to show that he sees Harvey as disfigured and that he sees himself as a menacing looking bat. Lots of closure is created in these subject-to-subject panels and combination of inter-dependent word balloons that create tension between the two sides of Batman. This shows that Batman sees the duality and relates himself to Harvey because he too is two-faced.
Additionally, he uses art and coloring to build context and create tension in the plot. On page 10 the …show more content…
Batman is an iconic archetypal vigilante that represents justice and darkness. On page 39 Batman is fighting a criminal and chooses to exact his own justice on him. “There are seven working defenses from this position. Three of them disarm with minimal contact. Three of them kill… The other----hurts”. This is the darker side of Batman. The part of him that relays heavily on his id and basks in the thrill of punishing criminals. Is it okay that a sadistic masked man makes these kinds of decisions? This is where we wonder if Batman is morally right or if maybe the government is right and he is a menace to a