The definitive reference for Business Law if a bit dated.

This is the second tale of Sin City that I've read (the first was Sin City) and it's the best. The artwork is well done and the story is interesting. But, I think that if it's the best Sin City tale, it's not the best work of Frank Miller (but it's hard to point out just one of his books and say : this one is the best, because lots of them are vey cool...). I don't want to reveal all the story but I feel some elements were already used in the first tale. Moreover, some scenes are not realistic enough. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the book for the art of Miller and his typical way of telling a story.

This collection of the originally six-issue storyline "That Yellow Bastard" might just be the best volume the Sin City line has offered so far. Both art as storywise everything is top-notch. The choice Miller made to add the color yellow to the normally only black/white art, which is both finely detailed and mood-setting, is very functional and refreshing, and the storyline has enough plot-twists to keep the reader interested (not like for example in "The Big Fat Kill" which was a nice story but had pretty obvious plot-twists in my opinion).

The story is about a cop named Hartigan who has only an hour to go before he will go into early retirement, doctor's orders. There's just one loose end he really wants to tie up before he does. He wants to save an eleven year old girl out of the hands of a sadistic kid-killer/rapist who has shown before he can kill without remorse. Only problem is that the abductor is the son of the senator, and hardly touchable because of it. He tracks him down and THAT's when things start to happen from which we learn how corrupt Sin City in its entirety really is. Hartigan is in for a world of pain from there on, both psychically and mentally, with only one person in the world who still believes in him, that being the girl he was trying to save. But is that save for her ? Only time will tell, and the story has but just begun ...

My compliments go, again, to the art in which it shows that Miller was still incredible into this little project of his and also to a story which skilfully avoids becoming predictable anywhere. With that I can add that this is probably THE most violent and bizar volume of the series, with a very original ending that only gets reveiled in the last three pages.
Note with this book is that although people like Marv and Dwight (main-characters from other Sin City volumes) are mentioned and even minorly featured in it, they are in now way a factor in the story. This is a 100% self-contained storyline. Good pick if you're into police/noir stories. People who like Sin City story-wise are advised to also try out the titles "Astro City" and "Top Ten" sometimes. Not entirely the same but there's a good chance you'll like it.

Detective John Hartigan is only hours away from retirement but Nancy Callahan, age 11, is moments away from death. In the hands of a ruthless connected serial killer and rapist Nancy will suffer unmentionable ordeals. John Hartigan must raise his 38 cannon and ignor his failing health to save little Nancy, even at the expense of his dignity and his life.

This cleverly written and exquisitely illustrated tale pulled from the dark gritty bounds of Frank Miller's Sin City series will rock you.John Hartigan is not your typical cop and his devotion to the protection of Nancy from the cruel menace that wishes to defile her spans eight years. Miller has created a superior character in Hartigan and molded a believable plot exploring the idiosyncratic mind of a killer and the devotion of an aging man whose body is no match for his adversary. Put away your preconceptions about the "comic book" medium and prepare to be flattened. In the tradition of "Pulp Fiction" and "Silence of the Lambs" "That Yellow Bastard" is praiseworthy celebration of human ability that is illustrated with maturity and candor.

-Brian Franklin

In the year 2000, Wizard comics voted and announced which were among the greatest comics book stories ever told. "The Dark Knight Returns" was listed as #2. ("Watchmen" was voted #1). While "Watchmen" was a brilliant, orignal novel written by Alan Moore, who also wrote "Batman: The Killing Joke" (please see my review on that classic), I personally believe that "The Dark Knight is the greatest comic book story ever told. It shows how the Batman/Bruce Wayne relationship has evolved, as has the world. Back when this comic book was written in the 1980's, No one believe how dark the world would have become as Frank Miller had portrayed in this novel. But in this new century, Miller had come close to how the world has become, where violence in the city has run amok, as it has in the world. Batman returns from retirement to battle crime "in its many macabre forms" even though he is not wanted. The world has become different in this book because the world does not want to be reminded that superheroes still exist. James Gordon is forced into retirement to make way for a new Gothman City, where the Batman is outlawed. Only the shadow of Superman working as a agent for the government still exist. Batman is force to deal in this new world where he is no long consider a hero, but a menance. This story has no happy ending for Two-Face, who still fights his inner demons even though he has a new face. ( a personal loss for Bruce Wayne). When the Batman retired, the Joker remained almost comatose until ten years later when Batman returned. As worlds collide in the brink of nuclear war, the battle between Batman and the Joker ends when The Joker does the most hideous thing to the Batman, something Batman could never do. But this is nothing compared to the final battle between Batman and Superman. Only one is left standing, while the other must live with the concequences. The end of this story has its beginnng and endings for Batman...and Bruce Wayne. During this story, we also see that Bruce Wayne has become bitter and angry when he retired from being a superhero to live a mundane life and becomes a new person when he becomes what he was always meant to be...Batman. While I cannot tell the whole story, this novel brings Batman to full circle and makes Batman what he should always be...a hero.

I've always been a fan of Batman, but I've never been in to comic books that much. Recently I stumbled on to Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and I was really impressed. The four book saga, now combined into a graphic novel, tells the story of an aging Batman who has been retired for 10 years. Still tortured by the death of his parents, and by the growing rampant crime in the streets of Gotham, Bruce Wayne once again unleashes the Batman on Gotham's underworld. However, Batman finds himself returning into a world where super heroes are unwanted and have all but vanished.

Miller's portrayal of an overly polictically correct world with little room for Batman, is compelling and original. The book's dark portrayal of a brooding, violent, Batman who has lost his faith in the justice system's ability to rehabilitate criminals set the stage for the modern portrayal of Batman in both comics and film. In my opinion, this is a story of Batman the way he should be portrayed, as the tortured punisher of evil not the friendly neighborhood super hero. We can leave that to Superman, and if you've ever wanted to see Superman get brought down a few pegs, this is the book for you.

The artwork is gritty, intriguing and fits in perfectly with the story. This book inspired me to check out more graphic novels, and works by Frank Miller.

Frank Miller seems a bit predisposed to violence, especially in his later works (Hard Boiled, Sin City, and on and on), but The Dark Knight Returns is a classic in the superhero genre. The problem with superhero comics is that the story never ends. (Then again - that's why people buy them. It's a continual soap opera without end. Also, as long as it makes money, there it will be.) Frank Miller provides a possible end to Batman's career that is peppered with violence and mayhem and an intelligent, witty script. I loved it when I first bought it many years ago, and I still think it is my favorite Superhero story. Batman achieves a mythical, mysterious status in Miller's hands. Batman needed an ending to define his career and life. Also, this is a showcase for Miller's pioneering experiments in Oriental artwork and storytelling that he first tackled in Ronin. This story is touted as the turning point in comic books, when comics became "mature" and "for adults". That's perhaps true. In his hands, superheroes underwent a partial metamorphis. But this book speaks out for the possibilities of finite series about heroes where there is a beginning and an end. THAT is a trend that I'd like to see continued

The story of the battle at the Hot Gates of Thermopylae was always a favorite of mine growing up. King Leonidas and his personal guard of 300 Spartans personified courage and individual strength, as they held off the more than 100,000 strong Persian army, lead by Xerxes the Great King. Think about those numbers. 300 against more than 100,000.

For three days, the Spartans stood against Xerxes until a betrayal lead to their downfall. This is manly, hot-blooded stuff here. I cannot think of any other artist who could do it justice.

Frank Miller was made for manly, hot-blooded stuff. His art style, used to perfection in "300," is all about strength and weight. The Spartans are carved from the rocky terrain of Greece. Heavy outlines and squared corners add to the effect. The costume designs are symbolic rather than historic, and each heavy cape and bronze sword is used to full effect. Lynn Varley's colors are at the top of her game.

This is a work of art, but it isn't pretty.

Story wise, Miller has done a clever job of adapting this historical event into a reasonably short comic. Along with the necessary bravado and familiar Spartan quotations ("Return with your shields, or on them!"), he has breathed life and an certain sensitivity into Leonidas and Xerxes. This mix of story and art is all that is good about comics.

This edition, in particular, showcases Miller's art and story. The oversized hardcover with high print quality puts the pages in your face. Varley's colors are vibrant. A very worthy purchase.

There once were heady days when a kid could step up to a comics rack, twirl it, and find a thrilling Frank Miller DAREDEVIL cover. Ninjas! Kingpin! Elektra! The stories flowed like rivers. And they evolved, as did the author who crafted them. Frank Miller was new and all the fans were buzzing. The art was absolutely phenomenal! It was like Neal Adams crossed w/ Bruce Lee and Hitchcock! The stories were even MORE compelling. They were not unlike a great Shakespearean drama. A saga for the ages. Comics came under a glorious new light in those days--the early 1980's.

Mr. Miller and his incredibly talented wife, colorist Lynn Varley, team again on "300" with spectacular results. "The Dark Knight Returns" was a career (and Comics) milestone, but Frank & Lynn really pour it on this time around. The pages are stunning. The story flows in the endearing Miller style, i.e. radical, flowing panels, super dramatic contrast flashes and brooding character moments. And, of course, furious violence.

"300" is a bravura story, boldly told by one of the great graphic masterminds. These are Comics as they should be. And Miller is further blessed to have as a wife one of the most deeply talented comics colorists of all-time. Excellence in storytelling. A timeless work.

There once were heady days when a kid could step up to a comics rack, twirl it, and find a thrilling Frank Miller DAREDEVIL cover. Ninjas! Kingpin! Elektra! The stories flowed like rivers. And they evolved, as did the author who crafted them. Frank Miller was new and all the fans were buzzing. The art was absolutely phenomenal! It was like Neal Adams crossed w/ Bruce Lee and Hitchcock! The stories were even MORE compelling. They were not unlike a great Shakespearean drama. A saga for the ages. Comics came under a glorious new light in those days--the early 1980's.

Mr. Miller and his incredibly talented wife, colorist Lynn Varley, team again on "300" with spectacular results. "The Dark Knight Returns" was a career (and Comics) milestone, but Frank & Lynn really pour it on this time around. The pages are stunning. The story flows in the endearing Miller style, i.e. radical, flowing panels, super dramatic contrast flashes and brooding character moments. And, of course, furious violence.

"300" is a bravura story, boldly told by one of the great graphic masterminds. These are Comics as they should be. And Miller is further blessed to have as a wife one of the most deeply talented comics colorists of all-time. Excellence in storytelling. A timeless work.

I am not a Frank Miller fan. Nope. Didn't care for Daredevil (Hurt. Pain. Captions. Too many. Disjointed.), not a Sin City fan, though I admire its novelty, and although "Dark Knight" (and one other book) protrayed the Batman in a competent manner, the ghastly "Return of the Dark Knight/DK2" has shattered any credibility in the "Miller" name, as regards the Batman franchise. That said, the "one other book" besides DK that Miller actually performed on was Year One. An EXCELLENT portrayal of Batman's early career, with the major focus on a young, pre-Commissioner Jim Gordon, brilliantly rendered by Dave Mazzuchelli, a true illustrative master and the main reason why this dark and gritty book shines so bright in the firmament of Graphic Novels. If you are even REMOTELY interested in the Batman mythos, this should be in your collection- moody, pensive, with a decidedly heavy film noir atmosphere (and brilliant pre-computer coloring), this story captures the flavor of Gotham City and its troubled denizens like few other Batman narratives ever published. Highest possible recommendation

This book is an excellent read for me. It focuses less on Batman and more on Jim Gordon. It sets up Gordon as a man instead of someone Batman can get info from. What Miller did for Batman in The Dark Knight, he does here for Jim Gordon. The Gotham Police Department is truely shown as the cesspool af graft and corruption it was always reputed to be. It works great as a kind of for runner to Miller's SinCity tales in later years. It is also a great lead in to Jeph Loeb and Tim Sales excellent "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory" stories. Mazzucchelli's art is simple and powerful. Batman looks like a guy in a funny costume with a cape, yet it somhow works. I just wish Miller had a little more room to tell his story. There is only one real action scene, when Bats is cornered by the police. still, it is very good and well worth a read for all Miller and Batman fans.

Frank Miller will always be best known for The Dark Knight Returns, and many people (myself included) regard Batman: The Killing Joke to be the greatest single Batman story ever. But this is a very close second.
The story begins with recent Gotham City Police Department hiree Jim Gordon arriving for the first time in Gotham. Coincidentally, it is the day that 25 year old multimillionaire Bruce Wayne returns to his hometown after many years of mysterious travel abroad. The story takes us through a year to see how Gordon reacts to corruption and graft in the Police Force, and how Bruce Wayne will become the Batman. It is also told through Gordon's and Wayne's point of view, which was a nice touch. It climaxes when Police Commissioner Loeb orders Batman to be taken down, with a really spectacular ending.
David Mazuchelli's artwork is dynamic and gritty. He draws the Dark Knight and his world beautifully. Frank Miller's words are simply marvelous. I was captured from the first page, and didn't put it down until I had read it.
Overall, this is a great place to start if you're looking to become a Batman fan. The story isn't complicated, but is still riveting. If you don't read this, you're missing out on some of the best comics literature there has ever been. I can't recommend this book enough.

I was very skeptical about this book because I usually don't think of one-shots as being all too good. I wasnt dissapointed with this graphic novel at all. It had amazing art and enough interesting stories before Daredevil became the Man Without Fear; back when he was the boy with plenty of it.
Unfortunately, the origins of how some things went down (like Elektra's introduction) are different than they were in Frank Miller's original comics in 1980 (also featured in Frank Miller Visionaries Vol. 2). I guess it's just filling in the blanks to what we did not know before. Either way, this book is a masterpiece to any Daredevil collector or just someone interested in his story.

This story retells the origin of Daredevil starting with him as a normal kid. It really is not until the end we get to finally see Double D in his superhero costume. This story is violent and has some minor language but its the way, I think, Daredevil should be told.

I bought these original issues that make up this trade paperback back when they first came out. Anyone who knows anything about comic books knows that when Frank Miller writes Daredevil, you don't miss it. Frank Miller carved his niche on Daredevil as an impressive artist, then later we discovered he was even more masterful as a writer when he took over the writing duties as well (see Daredevil Visionaries vol. 1, 2 and 3). Frank Miller's legendary run on Daredevil had long since past, and he had gone on to do works that he would become even more famous for; most notably his work on Batman for DC with Year One and The Dark Knight Returns (both equally fantastic). When it was announced that Miller would be doing a mini series called The Man Without Fear (essentially Daredevil: Year One) everyone interested in the medium knew it would be something special, and it was.

Now Daredevil: The Movie is out after months and months of previews; previews that made me dread the release of this hollywood mucked up movie. Everytime I'd see a preview I'd think back to this definative Daredevil story. Not really knowing what the movie was going to be about, I would think there could be no better story for the film than this. Rather than digging the originals out of their storage, I decided to purchase the TPB not only so I could relive the magic, but so that I could let my girlfriend appreciate the real character and story before the film polluted her. She was interested in the movie (from the previews) and I knew we'd for sure be seing it. But I wanted her to see for herself, rather than have her suffer me trying to explain how the film missed.

Needless to say, she read it (too fast I feel) and loved it, and I didn't have to explain anything. The movie missed the character and story just as I knew it would (see my review of the film) and now she's reading through the Daredevil Visionaries set. And this is someone who's never really read or been interested in comics.

This book is amazing. The writing, while perhaps not Frank Miller's best, is deep and meaninful. He continues to prove to the world (that won't listen) that comics can be a legitimate medium of literature. John Romita Jr's art was just starting to come into it's own the time this series was drawn so is a litte rough around the edges in places, but wonderful none the less.

If you know anything at all about the medium, you don't need to hear anything I just said. You already know it. But if you are new or curious about it, this book is for you. And it's 10 times better than the movie.

I've read many reviews that have invested grand arguments comparing Frank Miller's seminal SIN CITY to the works of Raymond Chandler, and I think they're missing the point. While the storylines might bare a passing resemblance to Chandler's, the hard-edged dime-novel prose smacks more of Mickey Spillane with a half-bottle of Jack Daniels in him. The images are stark (the book is done entirely in black and white), the material is adult-oriented, and the tale is wickedly perverse ... just the way Mike Hammer would like 'em. While Miller has also been lauded for his work with Batman (THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS), I think his SIN CITY work stands as a far greater example of how comics have grown up over the past two decades.

Based on the excellent reviews posted here, I picked up Frank Miller's Sin City and yes I am pleased if not completly amazed! Though the plot and stroyline may be simple, it's the way Miller weaved the web that makes this one so great. The difference between Sin City as opposed to say Marvel or DC comics is the fact that the characters you fall in love with as the story unfolds die soon afterwards, making it a really difficult book to get through. I guess it was Marv's persistence and unquenchable thirst for revenge on those who had done him wrong that made me continue reading. Sin City is a dark place, a place of despair where there little hope yet no not no hope, as you'll soon find out. It took me some time to get used to the art but once I did, it seemed only fitting that this dark tale be done with alot of emphasis on the black rather than the white heh heh. After reading this one, I think I'll pick up another one by Miller, I only hope I know what I'm getting myself into...

Best noir graphic novel, EVER. If you are a Frank Miller fan already, you must've read this so I am not going to waste my time on you. For those that aren't really familiar with Frank Miller or Sin City, this is the perfect introduction to both. Dark, fun, and great-looking. The high-contrast black vs white art perpetuates that feeling that you get from watching German Expressionistic films like Nosferatu or The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. And I personally am a junky for that fix. Miller takes a very simple story set in a compelling setting of a fictional city where law is so tied with religion that the seedier elements in the city are all the more seedier. So much fun to read, and such a classic milestone in graphic novels that if you are interested in American comics at all, you need to check this out.

Frank Miller's seminal work on the Daredevil series in the late '70s and early '80s constitutes one of the greatest writer / artist runs in comic book history. The stories stand up today as the perfect marriage of concept, story, and art--Miller really knows when to be fantastic and when to ground the book in gritty reality. This volume comprises a five issue arc (issues 169 - 172 and 180 in the original Daredevil series) that pits DD against the Kingpin and arch-nemesis Bullseye, setting up events and characters that would echo through the title for years. The only drawback to this edition is the hideous cover art; it deserves a more lavish presentation, and I think they're getting around to it with the "Visonaries" series.

Frank Miller's Daredevil series were wonderful stories. When they first came out, I couldn't wait for this particular comic every month. Not only were they gritty stories, they were fun reading. This book collects a few of those gems. Marvel needs to put out a Masterworks edition of the Frank Miller run in its unadulterated form.

Frank Miller's work on Daredevil contained in this graphic novel ranks among some of the best comics I've ever read -- alongside (if not better than) such comic book masterpieces as Claremont's & Byrne's X-Men, Alan Moore's Watchmen & Swamp Thing, and more recent works as Batman (The Long Halloween) and Kingdom Come. These Daredevil comics still contain some of the innocence and naivete of the late Silver Age comics, but the artwork is beautiful, the characterization is completely believable, and the stories are nothing short of amazing. Frank Miller really set a new standard when these issues first came out. If you want to read comics storytelling at its best, treat yourself to the comics in this graphic novel!

I'm not going to pretend this is a seminal work in Comics History. I'm not even convinced it was the best work of either of the primary creators.

But it's a blast to read.

I've read it probably half-a-dozen times in the years since it came out, and I enjoy the stylish art and the crisp storytelling every time.

My complaints are few: despite the appearance of a few mainstream Marvel characters, this isn't a Marvel continuity book--Marvel has always used the real President in its series--and someone should have caught Miller's misspelling of "cirrhosis."

But the storytelling is unparalleled, the plot creatively bizarre, and the art style changed the way creators look at mainstream comics (David Mack's recent "Parts of a Hole" arc in Daredevil owes an enormous debt to this book).

It's a blast, it's a rollicking romp, it makes very little sense, and if you just let go of preconceptions and roll with the storyline, you should be laughing and shaking your head in amazement when you turn the last page and close the book.

If you're trying to choose between this one and Miller's ELEKTRA LIVES AGAIN, go with ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN, hands down.

Over the past 3 years or so, Marvel seems have remembered that it has older fans who remember its glory days, when all of their characters got a fair shake. If the racks are going to be flooded with a hundred copies of the "Age of X-ecution X-Tinction" trade paperback, the least Marvel could do is reprint something that appeals to more discriminating readers. This book is a prime example.

ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN is one of those wonderful moments in comics where the writer and artist, each being at the top of their game, are also completely in tune with each other. Miller's story is by no means straightforward, and if you can read this once and feel that you "got it", you probably really didn't "get it". With every read, I see new messages hidden in the story, and that, to me, means a worthwhile purchase. His definition of the characters is great, from a boorish Agent Garret to a faker-than-fake presidential candidate. The story features many aspects and abilities of Elektra that hadn't been previously covered in other comics.

Sienkiewicz's artwork for this story is amazing. He can render some beautiful and technically accurate human forms, but to do that throughout the whole book wouldn't be any fun. Here, he uses a mixed media showcase, incorporating a variety of styles for his interpretations of characters and their moods: some characters are sharply defined, others are photo or paper paste-ups, some just smears of paint. Seeing as this series was originally released in the mid-80s, it can be seen how this work might have influenced such diverse artists as Dave McKean, Simon Bisley, and yes, even Rob Liefield (check out Nick Fury and his big gun).

This story fits in well with the Elektra stories of the past. Ignore her recent revival in Daredevil, and you'll be okay.

I remember first buying this in its first printing and
thinking "I've never seen anything like this in my life".
I went on a tear and bought as much Sienkiewicz art as I
could, from New Mutants to portfolios to a signed Moon Knight
print (yep, I met him too).
Frank Miller of course is arguably the finest writer that comics have ever had. The combination didn't disappoint me
then; news of a reissue means I don't have to risk opening
my original to re-read a classic.
About the novel itself, I can only agree that as a story Miller
has written better, but placed in its context I believe it's
worthy of special merit. And again, to amplify earlier
comments, Bill Sienkiewicz does something in this book that
shook comic artists at the time, breaking huge ground for
those that followed, and then... nothing. Inexplicably,
Bill's presence went off the map. This stands as his finest
work in comics.

If there was ever a reason to read Daredevil, Frank Miller is it. While this book is only the very beginnings of Frank's writing career, it still sparks with brilliance. Frank Miller hit the scene back in the late 70's as one of the hottest new artists of the time. His first work that made people notice was on Daredevil. These issues were collected in Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller Volume One, but as hot as his art was (for the time) it wouldn't be until he started writing that he would turn the comic industry upside down.

In 1980, Frank Miller wrote (and drew) his first issue of Daredevil at the same time introducing fans to what would become the most popular Daredevil character ever, Elektra. He gave Matt Murdock, the comic worlds most swinging bachelor, a love interest fans actually cared about and at the same time made her his most mortal enemy. Then he did the unthinkable (especially in Marvel comics); he killed her.

Frank Miller's early run on Daredevil in the early 80's continues to be a monumental milestone in the comics medium to this day. Certainly, the writing is not as well crafted or refined as what we would find in his later acheivements (Batman: Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, or any Sin City series), but that is to be expected. This is his first work, and on top of that, the 70's had only just ended.

But one fact remains. No one has ever done Daredevil better. Not before. Not since.

Frank Miller set the bar for all the rest. This, of all the three Frank Miller Visionaries, is the best, as he did both the writing and art work, a first in comics. Thus, that was but one of many that he set an example as. His stories also set an example. He was undoubtedly one of the best at imbedded storylines. By that, I mean that he had a central focus, a story arc if you will. However he did not have Daredvil fighting the same bad guy each issue. Instead, the arc was about growth, in which all was related to one focus. He created the character Elektra, who has endured two decades, despite her death 14 mere issues after her first appearence. She has been drawn dynamically in hundreds of varying styles, but all have been related to that first time by Miller. Millers work in this volume was the central plot in the Daredevil movie, and his character Elektra has been given her own movie and her own comic in recent years. All in all, if you want a true Daredevil book, then you want this.

I am not a big Daredevil fan. I like the character but I have never been a hard core fan. But if Frank Miller was still doing the book I would definitely become a Daredevil diehard.

I picked the book up because I do have an appreciation of the work Miller has done with The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman: Year One. This artwork is some of his earliest and I do have to say some of his best. While at this point he had not taken over the writing duties of the book the stories are very good. Some good storytelling both in words and pictures.

I recomend this book to any comic fan as Frank Miller's art is too fantastic to be ignored. Two follow up volumes are already planned to get the rest of Miller's Dare Devil work out, but you need to start with this book. Amazing crime art is Miller's niche in the comic world and this is has it all. A real sense of realism was brought to the world of Daredevil and Matt Murdock thanks to Miller.