Editing Batman: Year One (section)

==Reception==
===Popularity===
DC's post-''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' revamp was a major success, raising sales 22% in the first year, and DC beat Marvel in [[direct market]] sales for the first time in August and September 1987.<ref name="Slugfest157">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Reed |date=October 2017 |title=Slugfest |location=[[New York City]] |publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] |page=157 |isbn=978-0306825477 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ |access-date=2020-12-07 |archive-date=2024-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308084652/https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> The four "Year One" issues were no exception to this. Two years before the relaunch, ''Batman'' had all-time low sales of 75,000 copies per month; "Year One" sold an average of 193,000 copies an issue, numbers not seen since the early 1970s. Despite this, it did not outsell other books like ''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'', and the collected edition sold well but never matched the sales of ''The Dark Knight Returns''.<ref name="nerd"/> The story, with the noir-inspired narrative and ultra-violent tone, quickly caught the attention of readers.<ref name="ComicsVerseReview"/> The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' wrote that "Year One" offered an interesting and entertaining update to the origin of Batman.<ref name="YearOne2007">{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=Frank |last2=Mazzucchelli |first2=Dave |title=Batman: Year One |date=January 10, 2007 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |isbn=978-0290204890 |edition=Paperback}}</ref>

===Critical response===
Year One's characterization of Batman and Gordon has been praised. Hilary Goldstein (''[[IGN]]'') compared their journey to friendship to the plot of the film ''[[Serpico]]''; they found that the two characters' respective story arcs—with Gordon's "illustrat[ing] the corruption in Gotham" and Batman's detailing "the transformation from man to myth"—offered an exploration of Batman's world like no other.<ref name="IGNReview">{{cite web |last1=Goldstein |first1=Hilary |title=Batman: Year One Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/06/17/batman-year-one-review |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=May 30, 2018 |date=June 17, 2005 |archive-date=October 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007151631/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/06/17/batman-year-one-review |url-status=live }}</ref> Glenn Matchett (''[[ComicsVerse]]'') wrote that, unlike ''The Dark Knight Returns'', Batman in Year One is more vulnerable and inexperienced, which made the story more memorable.<ref name="ComicsVerseReview">{{cite web |last1=Matchett |first1=Glenn |title=Frank Miller's Batman Part One: YEAR ONE, or How Legends are Made |url=https://comicsverse.com/frank-millers-batman-part-one-year-one-or-how-legends-are-made/ |website=ComicsVerse |access-date=May 30, 2018 |date=September 4, 2015 |archive-date=October 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008145746/https://comicsverse.com/frank-millers-batman-part-one-year-one-or-how-legends-are-made/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Nick Roberts (''Geek Syndicate'') thought the characters seemed believable,<ref name="GeekSyndicateReview">{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Nick |title='Classic Comic' Review – Batman: Year One |url=https://geeksyndicate.co.uk/reviews/%E2%80%98classic-comic%E2%80%99-review-%E2%80%93-batman-year-one/ |website=Geek Syndicate |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-date=December 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218112850/http://geeksyndicate.co.uk/reviews/%E2%80%98classic-comic%E2%80%99-review-%E2%80%93-batman-year-one/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and comics historian Matthew K. Manning called the characterization realistic and grounded.<ref name="visual"/>

The story's depiction of Gotham and darker, realistic, mature and grittier tone and direction, compared to other contemporary Batman comics at the time, has also been acclaimed. Journalist James Lovegrove described "Year One" as a "noir-inflected pulp tale of vigilantism and integrity, focused on a good man doing the right thing in a dirty world" and noted the brutality of the fight sequences.<ref name="100best">{{cite journal |last1=Lovegrove |first1=James |title=Batman: Year One |journal=The 100 Greatest Graphic Novels of All Time |date=2016 |issue=1 |pages=92–93 |url=https://archive.org/stream/The_100_Greatest_Graphic_Novels_Of_All_Time#page/n91/mode/2up/search/Batman+Year+One |publisher=[[Future plc]]}}</ref> Jason Serafino (''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'') wrote that by ignoring many of Batman's trademark gadgets and villains and focusing in the core essentials of the titular character, Miller managed to present Batman in a relatable and thrilling way, which felt both fresh, unique and reinvigorating, while still being faithful to the spirit of the character.<ref name="Complex25">{{cite web |last1=Serafino |first1=Jason |title=The 25 Best DC Comics Of All Time |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/the-best-dc-comics-of-all-time/all-star-superman |website=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]] |access-date=May 31, 2018 |date=January 17, 2018 |archive-date=October 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008145744/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/the-best-dc-comics-of-all-time/all-star-superman |url-status=live }}</ref> Goldstein found every moment memorable, writing "Miller does not waste a single panel" in presenting a gritty and dark story.<ref name="IGNReview"/> Matchett agreed; he offered particular praise for the scenes depicting Batman clashing with the police, calling them the moment Batman began to become a legend.<ref name="ComicsVerseReview"/>

Mazzucchelli's art was noted as a standout by many, praising the minimalistic, noir-influenced and realistic art-work.<ref name="IGNReview"/><ref name="ComicsVerseReview"/>