Batman: The Dark Knight Returns # 2 Facsimile Cover B Miller Foil Variant 2026 BN

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #2, subtitled Dark Knight Triumphant, focuses on Batman’s brutal escalation of force against the Mutant gang and the official debut of a new Robin. 

While originally published in 1986, it was re-released as a Facsimile Edition on March 25, 2026, to celebrate the series' 40th anniversary. 

Core Plot & Key Events 

• The Mutant Threat: Gotham is besieged by a violent youth gang called the Mutants. Batman tracks their leader to a dump, but his aging body fails him in a savage hand-to-hand fight, nearly leading to his death.
• A New Robin: 13-year-old Carrie Kelley officially takes on the mantle of Robin. She rescues an injured Batman from the Mutant Leader, using her ingenuity to get him back to the Batcave.
• Psychological Warfare: After the Mutant Leader kills Gotham's Mayor in custody, Batman and Commissioner Gordon stage a "jailbreak" to bait the leader into a final showdown.
• The "Operating Table": Batman defeats the Mutant Leader in front of the entire gang, using surgical precision rather than raw strength to humiliate him. This causes the gang to fracture, with many members re-branding themselves as the "Sons of Batman".
• Gordon's Retirement: The issue ends with James Gordon retiring and handing his commissioner badge to his successor, Ellen Yindel, who is strictly anti-vigilante. 

Creative Team 

• Writer/Penciler: Frank Miller
• Inker: Klaus Janson
• Colorist: Lynn Varley