It’s one of the most famous pieces of comics art ever, but have we been looking at it wrong for all these years? Yesterday Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s iconic cover for 1986’s The Dark Knight Returns came under renewed scrutiny when Twitter (yes, it’s still called that, at least in our world) user Kraken Kaptain (@KrakenKaptain) raised the question of if Batman is front or back facing on the cover.
Now, on the surface, that’s an easy question. The Dark Knight is clearly leaping into action with his back turned to the ‘camera’. Er… isn’t he? Actually now that I look at it again, I’m not quite so sure…
As another Twitter user, Matt Ferguson (@Cakes_Comics) pointed out in a follow up tweet, “This is this years is the dress black or gold then,” referring to an infamous optical illusion that divided opinion on the color of a dress way back in 2015.
Kick-Ass and Kingsman writer Mark Millar weighed in with his view in response to the original tweet, writing, “This blows my mind. I always, always thought it was a bold shot from behind.”
The fan response to the original tweet has seemed to fall mostly on the side of back-facing, but a few dissenting voices insist that it’s been front-facing all along. The discussion has also inspired a few amusing follow up posts, including one that depicts Batman and Superman enjoying a smooch in front of the famous lightning bolt.
The cover to The Dark Knight Returns was created by Frank Miller and colorist Lynn Varley. The original artwork sold for an astonishing $2.4 million last year, according to financial website Barron’s.
Meanwhile, Zack Snyder has revealed that The Dark Knight Returns is the one project that could tempt him back to DC.
Where does The Dark Knight Returns sit on our list of the best Batman comics of all time?
