Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns turns 40, redefining Batman

First published in 1986, Frank Miller's graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns transformed Batman from a campy, comical figure into a brutal vigilante, reshaping superhero comics and Hollywood films. Set in a decaying Gotham City, the story features a middle-aged Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement to battle crime with extreme violence. Miller's work, praised by Stephen King and George Lucas, influenced countless adaptations and remains a landmark in the genre.