DC Collectibles Celebrates The Dark Knight Returns’ Anniversary With New Statues

Next year will be the 30th anniversary of The Dark Knight Returns, which for the three of you who have never heard of it, is considered one the landmark Batman stories of this generation. The story by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley not only shaped the way numerous creators and fans viewed Batman, but also opened a space in comics for more mature tales aimed squarely at the adult audience. There's also that new sequel coming, The Dark Knight III, which actually begins later this month. This time around, Frank Miller will actually be teaming with several other creators, including Andy Kubert and Brian Azzarello, to tell the third installment of the aged Batman's adventures.

To commemorate the anniversary of the seminal tale, as well as the latest chapter in the saga, DC Collectibles will be releasing two new pieces featuring this futuristic Batman. Both new collectibles were sculpted by Alterton, and manage to capture both the gritty intensity of Frank Miller's original design and the cleaner, imposing figure that Andy Kubert's linework provides in the upcoming sequel.

Kubert's interpretation will be out in June 2016, and at 12" tall, really lets the behemoth of a design speak for itself. The Dark Knight Returns Batman has always been a larger, thicker version of the character, and Kubert's take is no exception. Rendered in 3D, you get a great sense of mass, as unbelievable as it may be, while retaining all the flourishes we've come to associate with his style (the thin eyes, extra attention to fabric wrinkling, etc). The statue will be limited to 3000 pieces, and will cost $130 when it releases.

The Frank Miller-inspired Batman bust will arrive a bit earlier (February to be exact), and cuts a much meaner version of the Dark Knight than the Kubert statue. That mostly comes from the attention to detail in capturing the freneticness of Miller's pencils. Just look at that cowl. It's immediately recognizable as Miller-esque, and that's all due to the sculptor's attention to just how busy Frank likes his faces. I love the decision to keep the Bat-symbol as a cut out, too. It's a small touch that adds a lot to the silhouette, and it was a smart choice to keep it large rather than minimizing its impact to fit in the wedge. The bust will have a run of 5200 pieces, and cost $50 when it arrives.

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