The Dark Knight Returns played a huge part in the darkening of the superhero genre in the late '80s. Suddenly, everyone wanted their superheroes to be gritty, brooding and politically relevant. There's even an argument to be made (not that I would agree with it) that The Dark Knight Returns did more harm than good to the industry. So the real joy in reading the final chapter of this latest DKR sequel is watching Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello and Andy Kubert push this universe in such a profoundly different direction. Gone are the cynicism and darkness, replaced by a sense of joy and optimism so deep that you might mistake The Dark Knight III for a DC Rebirth comic.

It's almost as if The Dark Knight III is an apology for the legacy of DKR in general and its questionable handling of Superman in particular. This series has done an admirable job of casting aside the dimwitted, unlikable Superman of The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again and bringing the true Man of Steel to the forefront. This issue goes all-in on that mission, both in the main story and the Dark Knight Universe backup. Above all, issue #9 serves as both validation for the Man of Steel and a story of redemption for his wayward daughter, Lara.

Batman's own role in this finale is weirdly small by comparison, but he and Batgirl share some nice moments all the same. Bruce's physical transformation is less compelling than his psychological one. Just as Miller works to restore Superman's lost luster, he forces the Dark Knight to realize that he isn't infallible and that even someone as old and set in his ways as he can learn to change and grow. That epiphany plays nicely into the hopeful outcome of the final battle with Quar and the brighter future for the Dark Knight Universe. That optimism actually works to make the series more relevant to its time than all the political talking heads and celebrity cameos from past issues. We live in an age where we need our heroes to be their best selves, and even a universe normally as dark and deranged as this one can oblige.

Kubert has long since proven himself to be a worthy successor to Miller himself with this franchise. Coupled with Klaus Janson's inks, Kubert easily evoke's Miller's iconic style while bringing his own sleek sense of power to the equation. Granted, this series has frustrated with its refusal to deliver the sort of dense, intricately rendered pages of previous Dark Knight comics. It's hard not to wonder how differently this book might have turned out with an in-his-prime Miller drawing as well as co-writing. However, this issue really shows cases the advantage of that open approach to page design. There's a terrific sense of scale to the final battle, one that relies on epic splash images and a handful of smaller panels for emphasis. Quar is no more a compelling three-dimensional villain here than he has been in the previous eight issues, but the scale of the battle alone is enough to make his defeat satisfying.

For his part, Miller delivers what is easily his strongest work to date in the DKU backup. Again, that story mainly serves to reinforce the hopeful nature of the main story. And even though Miller's style is known for its harsh quality and its bold, heavy line-work, Miller is able to call back to a simpler, more innocent era of the DCU. There's a greater sense of clarity to his work in this story, as well as more detail to the normally spartan environments. It's great to see this series end on such a high note all around.

Verdict

As a whole, The Dark Knight III is a flawed story at best, and one that hasn't always captured the greatness of the original mini-series. But the final issue stands out in large part because it doesn't try to. Instead, it brings a newfound sense of optimism to this formerly dark and dreary universe. It's a refreshing change for the Dark Knight franchise, and one that leaves the door open for an even bolder and more daring sequel.