'Im the @&$*#£:;- Batman'

Shortly before Alan Moore and Brian Bolland elaborated on The Joker's origin story in the graphic novel 'Batman: The Killing Joke', before Mike Mignola drew the covers for 'A Death in The Family' by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo, and before his own 'Batman: Year One' storyline with art by David Mazzucchelli, Frank Miller did his most groundbreaking work on The Dark Knight. Miler gained popularity in the early part of the decade with his work on Marvel's Daredevil and Wolverine, later created 'Sin City' and '300'. But what he is perhaps most well known for is his story/art on 1986's mini-series 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns', a politically oriented alternate future story about an older, grittier Dark Knight, who faces off against The Man of Steel. Miller's tone inspired 1989's Batman film (starring Michael Keaton) and Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy.

In 2011, I met Michael Uslan (enthusiastic Batman fan, author of 'The Boy Who Loved 'Batman' and producer of Batman flick since 1989) at a book signing. He had originally pitched the idea for a movie to WB in the early 80's, but with the release and critical acclaim of 'The Dark Knight Returns', Tim Burton's movie became a reality. He got the idea of Jack Nicholson to play The Joker from seeing a newspaper photo of him in 'The Shining', and colored it with white chalk. Shortly after 'The Dark Knight Rises' was released in 2012, I randomly bumped into him again in a Starbucks, and asked him what's next for Batman. He said 'mums the word', but he had recently had a meeting with DC and Frank Miller on Batman's next film. At SDCC 2013, it was revealed to be 2016's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, to be partly based on Miller's book, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Here's the iconic cover of the first issue:

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