Few heroes have had as many fantastic runs as Batman, but when it comes right down to it, The Dark Knight Returns stands out as the hero’s absolute best. Granted, the Caped Crusader has been in hundreds, if not thousands of stories since he first debuted. And yet, The Dark Knight Returns manages to rise above them all.

The Dark Knight Returns came from his iconic battle against Superman. There are also plenty of amazing characterizations in this story, even with new characters like Robin Carrie Kelley. Read on for eight reasons why The Dark Knight Returns remains Batman’s best run.

8 Its Satire Is On Point, Hard-Hitting, and Timeless

A Biting, Evergreen Critique on Politics and Mass Media

If there’s one thing fans can expect from a Frank Miller story, it’s a good dose of satire. While the story does center around Bruce’s return to crime-fighting, scenes are set by the media, often with talking heads and interviews that have people airing frank, sometimes shocking thoughts on air. But it’s not just taking a swipe at sensationalist media; there’s plenty of Reagan-era criticism towards authoritarian politics that, honestly, holds up fairly well. It doesn’t distract from the story, however. If anything, Miller’s commentary helped The Dark Knight Returns stand out with its sharp and unapologetic satire.

7 It Touches on a Lot of Relatable, Human Themes

Aging, Loss, and the Underlying Brutality of Humanity

While fans appreciate The Dark Knight Returns for its hard-hitting action scenes (and, ittedly, there are plenty of cool ones), it’s the deeper themes of the story that really give this comic its staying power. The story is about a Batman grappling with his mortality and the weight of responsibility after leaving his city behind. He’s lost allies and family and as Bruce begins approaching his golden years, he taps into a darkness he’s carried with him but denied for an incredibly long time. It’s a novel approach to Bruce, and it showed what a Batman story could be.

6 Batman’s Fight with the Mutants is Haunting

Even Past His Prime, the Dark Knight is Incredibly Terrifying

As one would expect, this book is not wanting when it comes to fight scenes. But out of the many featured in The Dark Knight Returns, one that really stood the test of time is Batman’s battle with the Mutants, a gang that’s practically taken over Gotham. Batman is barely back into the swing of things before taking on the Mutant Leader in a direct fight, but the hero barely misses a step when taking on the thug (and delivering an incredible internal monologue). The creative team really outdid themselves with this gripping and entertaining fight scene.

5 It Helped Batman’s Image Recover From His Safer Silver Age Vibe

The Dark Knight Returns Showed the World Batman ‘66’s Time Was Over

One must that when The Dark Knight Returns came out, things were a lot different for Batman. Thanks to the Silver Age and the Comics Code Authority, stories featuring the Caped Crusader were toned down. And while entertaining in its own right, the Adam West show from the ‘60s didn’t exactly help the perception that Batman was more of a hero for kids. However, the Bronze Age laid the groundwork to repair Bruce’s rep, but The Dark Knight Returns came around to permanently fix it.

The Dark Knight Returns was a mature story meant for grown-up readers. It was allowed to go to places and touch on themes that more all-ages stories just weren’t doing. It was something Batman seriously needed, and the story really helped rehabilitate Batman as a serious, crime-fighting hero.

4 Has One of the Creepiest Versions of the Joker Ever

The Joker’s Twisted ‘Love’ for Batman Brings the Clown Prince of Crime Back

It’s only natural that when the World’s Greatest Detective returned to the scene that the Harlequin of Hate would follow. The Dark Knight Returns reveals that Joker spent a decade in a catatonic state without Batman around. But once Batman returns to Gotham, the Joker snaps out of it and resumes his criminal activity as if nothing had happened. It takes no time for the Joker to escape and make his way onto a talk show where he murders everyone, even the audience.

This Joker is just as twisted and creepily devoted to Batman as one would expect, but what really puts him over the line is his final confrontation with the Dark Knight. After Bruce gave in and paralyzed the villain, the Joker committed suicide by twisting his neck in order to frame Batman.

3 It Features Batman and Superman's Definitive Battle

Everyone Re the First Time They Saw The World’s Finest Duke It Out

The idea of Batman fighting Superman has been used in various stories over the years, but when readers contemplate the battle, they more than likely think about Bruce and Clark’s battle from The Dark Knight Returns. It’s a brutal, no-holds-barred bout between the two, with the elderly Bruce giving his all, utilizing everything he has, from a powerful exoskeleton to having Green Arrow provide backup with a kryptonite arrow. It’s everything fans could want from Superman and Batman fighting and, while the fight may not be canon, it’s a hell of a battle to see.

2 Carrie Kelley is an Incredibly Charming Robin

She May Not Be Canon, But Carrie is as Much a Robin as Any Boy Wonder

Bruce’s return to the hero life inspires a lot of people, but one of the most positive influences he has was on teenager Carrie Kelley. After Batman saved Carrie from a mugging, Carrie purchased a Robin costume and dived headfirst into being a superhero herself. While she wasn’t personally handpicked by Bruce to the Boy (or rather, Girl) Wonder, Carrie impressed him with her quick-thinking and determination.

Carrie wasn’t a conventional Robin, opting to use things like a slingshot and firecrackers to aid her in combat. But as Batman discovered, Carrie had natural talent, and she seamlessly blended into the war Batman fought in. While Carrie goes on to become Catgirl and Batwoman in later stories, the young woman serves The Dark Knight Returns well with her ambitious and clever take on the Robin legacy.

1 It Helped Usher in a New Age of Comics

The Modern Age Began with Books like The Dark Knight Returns

When one looks at the various ages in comic book history, they can see the types of stories associated with each one. While the Golden Age had its pulpy beginnings and the Silver Age had its silly adventures, the Modern Age emerged thanks to stories like The Dark Knight Returns. While this book alone didn’t create the Modern Age, its use of advanced themes, rich art, and deeper characterizations helped define the shift from the Bronze Age to the Modern Age. The Dark Knight Returns isn’t just a compelling Batman story, it’s a pivotal moment in comic book history.