{"product_id":"the-dark-knight-strikes-again-3-2002-nm","title":"The Dark Knight Strikes Again # 3 2002 NM-","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Dark Knight Strikes Again #3\u003c\/b\u003e (July 2002)—often referred to as DK2—is the explosive, oversized finale to Frank Miller's highly controversial three-issue limited series. Serving as the direct sequel to the industry-defining 1986 masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns, this conclusion resolves Batman's revolutionary war against a dystopian corporate dictatorship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eCore Plot \u0026amp; Synopsis\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe issue opens in the smoldering aftermath of Metropolis being halved by a devastating attack. Superman and his daughter Lara (born to Wonder Woman) decide to abandon their compliance with the corrupt government and fully align with Batman's underground rebellion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTogether, the free heroes execute a coordinated coup to dismantle the regime:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin-top: 0in;\" type=\"disc\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eFreeing Kandor: Lara tricks the tyrannical alien threat Brainiac into a false surrender. This allows The Atom (Ray Palmer) to slip inside the bottled city of Kandor and break the compression seals. The newly restored Kryptonian population unites their heat vision to completely disintegrate Brainiac.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eThe Fall of Luthor: Batman intentionally allows himself to be captured and brutally tortured by Lex Luthor, who plans to use a weaponized satellite system to liquidate the majority of Earth's population. The capture is actually a clever calculation—Batman serves as a distraction while The Flash destroys Luthor's master power grid. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) returns from deep space to strip the dictatorship's orbital defense systems. Freed from containment, Batman confronts Luthor directly, clearing the path for a vengeance-seeking son of an executed hero to execute Luthor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eThe New Joker Revealed: Throughout the series, a murderous, shapeshifting ghoul dressed as the Joker has been assassinating retired superheroes. In the book's final climax, Batman confronts the monster at the Batcave. The killer's true identity is revealed to be Dick Grayson, the original Robin. Driven insane by radical genetic therapy forced on him by Luthor after Bruce fired him decades prior, Dick seeks ultimate revenge on his former mentor. Recognizing Dick's continuous cellular regeneration makes him impossible to kill conventionally, Batman drops him into a subterranean volcanic fissure, destroying him permanently.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe story ends with the world liberated from totalitarian rule. Standing over the ashes of a destroyed Batcave, Bruce Wayne looks toward an open future alongside Carrie Kelley (Catgirl).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eKey Comic Information\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin-top: 0in;\" type=\"disc\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eRelease Date: July 31, 2002\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eCreative Team: Written and illustrated by Frank Miller, with notoriously experimental, digitized day-glo coloring by Lynn Varley.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eHistorical Context: Originally slated for a late 2001 release, the issue was significantly delayed due to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The comic's graphic imagery of a ruined Metropolis heavily echoed real-world first responders navigating ash and debris.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003eLegacy: While polarizing to fans and critics upon release, its timeline was later expanded into the 2015 sequel series, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BattleBuddyComics.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49261433290852,"sku":"BW419","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/7606\/4868\/files\/IMG_2026_09_20_14_06_54_371.jpg?v=1789931345","url":"https:\/\/battlebuddycomics.com\/products\/the-dark-knight-strikes-again-3-2002-nm","provider":"BattleBuddyComics.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}