Favourite Comics Covers - 'Batman: Year One' and 'Batman: Year Two'

‘Batman: Year One’ and ‘Batman: Year Two’ cover montage

When I first came to the UK in the 1980s, my sister’s boyfriend at the time was really into comics. As I spent my holidays with her, it didn’t take long for my interest in comics to grow.

Although I was aware of Marvel and DC comics growing up in Malaysia, the bookshops we frequented didn’t have any apart from the odd one or two.

I remember the first time I went to a comics shop in London I couldn’t believe there was a shop just for comics!

Even better, there was a local comics shop where my sister lived, and she and her boyfriend knew the owner. So, starting my own comics collection turned out to be quite easy.

All through the late 1980s and into the 1990s, I bought comics regularly before eventually stopping. A few years ago, I went through my collection and sold/gave away those that no longer interested me.

Of the ones I kept, there are some with great covers – iconic ones and ones by favourite artists.

So, I thought I’d start another series, this time sharing my favourite comic covers.

I’ll start with my favourite DC character, Batman.

In 1987, DC Comics published two 4-part mini-series, ‘Batman: Year One’ and ‘Batman: Year Two’.

‘Batman: Year One’ was written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli.

Miller’s contract with DC required him to write a revamped Batman origin story, and the result was ‘Batman: Year One’.

The 4 issues cover Batman’s first year fighting crime after returning home to Gotham following 12 years overseas, during which he’d trained for his personal war against crime.

The story also features James Gordon and his wife, Barbara, after their move to Gotham City following his transfer from Chicago.

‘Batman: Year Two’, showcased in ‘Detective Comics’, is written by Mike W. Barr with illustrations by Alan Davis and Todd McFarlane, two of my favourite comic illustrators.

In this story, Batman is now an established vigilante and Commissioner Gordon publicly confirms Batman is working with the police department.

What sets this story apart is it puts Batman in the position of believing his unarmed combat skills aren’t enough when dealing with an experienced vigilante called the Reaper, who among other things uses guns.

Batman decides to do the one thing he has never done – use a firearm. And the weapon he uses is the gun that killed his parents, which he’d kept as a reminder of his promise to fight crime.

I’ve got more comics covers lined up to share in this series.

Are there any comics collectors out there, especially from the 1980s and 1990s?

If you follow the superhero scene, who’s your favourite?