Dark Knight III: The Master Race #8 - DC Comics

DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE No. 8, May 2017

Considering that this was the second biggest-selling comic book of March 2017, having shifted an impressive 107,892 units, it’s hard not to still imagine many of this publication’s audience momentarily double-checking to see whether they’d inadvertently picked up a copy of the author’s “historically inspired 1998 comic book limited series” “300” rather than the penultimate instalment to Frank Miller’s fourth Batman-related magnum opus. Indeed, such are the blood soaking similarities between the Maryland-born writer’s “fictional retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae” and “the Kryptonians… war against the Amazons”, that some readers could arguably have almost heard actor David Wenham’s voice relating Wonder Woman’s merciless defeat of Kandor’s citizens in a manner indistinguishable from how he did so "before the historic Battle of Plataea” in Zack Snyder’s 2006 American epic war film.

For starters the Palme d'Or nominee’s narrative certainly doesn’t shy away from the utter savagery of the conflict’s barbarity, with Diana’s evident glee at the extra-terrestrial invaders’ intention to ‘kill every one’ of her people clearly signalling the Amazonian Queen’s relief that she need not hold back the formidable ferocity of her force’s ruthlessness. There genuinely will be absolutely no quarter given, nor arguably asked for, as sharpened swords and laser-beam eyes uncaringly carve a bloody wake through ravaged torsos, headless necks and dismembered limbs.

Interestingly, this pulse-pounding passage, awesomely pencilled by Andy Kubert, also provides an intriguing insight into the age-old “DC Comics” question as to who would win in a straight-up fight between Superman and Themyscira’s ruler. Clearly Quar’s arrogant, overly-confident forces believe their proximity to the “Earth’s yellow sun” and all the incredible powers which it provides them with, makes them invulnerable to the seemingly backward weapons (and tactics) of a sword and shield-carrying adversary. But one can soon see the utter disbelief and rising terror in the Kryptonian’s eyes when they realise that they are actually badly outmatched by the “immortal” female warriors’ worship of the sun as a god, and the inexplicable “magic” that belief provides; “We are Amazons. We will die before we surrender! We will avenge every drop of blood you spill! We will never bow our heads to alien tyranny! I promise you… We will rule this day.”

Similarly as scintillating, albeit the twelve-page mini-periodical focuses upon an infinitely less grand confrontation, is Miller’s plot for “Dark Knight Universe Presents: Detective Comics”. Focusing upon Commissioner Ellen Yindel’s skirmish with the shaven-headed, bare-breasted psychopath Bruno and her Joker Boys, this ‘short’ provides plenty of tension as the police officer is about to be sliced into sausage meat on an electrically-powered table-saw, and only survives due to the timely arrival of Gotham’s now-colourfully costumed Caped Crusaders.

Story: Frank Miller & Brian Azzarello, Pencils: Andy Kubert, and Inks: Klaus Janson