Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
 

Bruce Wayne, this is your life.

Batman: Dark Age is now available as a graphic novel collection, making this the perfect time to read the limited series in one sitting. But there are other reasons why this is the ideal time for this story. Batman: Dark Age presents an alternate version of Batman’s life, putting the hero against the backdrop of America’s turbulent ‘60s—a decade with parallels to our current moment. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with Batman lore or have never read a Batman comic, because this is a perfect standalone story.
 

THE PREMISE:

The year is 2030 and an elderly Bruce Wayne is living his final days in a nursing home. Bruce has begun losing his memories, so the staff at his facility encourage him to write everything down. This gives us an autobiography for Batman, from his early childhood to the end of his heroic career. However, as Bruce recounts his memories, it quickly becomes apparent that there’s more to Bruce’s story than meets the eye.
 

LET’S TALK TALENT:

Batman: Dark Age is written by Mark Russell with art by Mike and Laura Allred, the team behind the conceptually similar Superman: Space Age. Their work on Space Age earned them multiple Eisner nominations, and while Dark Age isn’t set in the same universe as Space Age, the two stories are tonally alike, telling an emotionally grounded story about a superhero set against the backdrop of American history.

Russell’s script has a lot of heart. We see the emotional toll the Vietnam War has on Bruce, and the even greater toll the war on crime in Gotham has on him. The framing sequence with an elderly Bruce struggling to hold on to his slipping mind is heartbreaking, but the conclusion has a great bit of emotional catharsis. Russell does a phenomenal job of recontextualizing eight decades of Batman’s career into one satisfying limited series.

The Allreds continue to be some of the best artists in modern comics, and that’s not hyperbole. The husband and wife illustrating team capture the essence of the 1960s, while still managing to feel modern. Each page reads like a blend of Andy Warhol and the Adam West Batman TV series, but grounded and realistic. For example, take a look at Barbara Gordon and the Mad Hatter’s flower power outfits. They’re just beautiful.
 

A FEW REASONS TO READ:

  • Unlike mainstream Batman comics, Batman: Dark Age progresses in time, showing Bruce age and react to the changing world around him. We see a young Bruce Wayne drafted into the Vietnam War, as Gotham reacts to the peace and love movement of the era.
     
  • If you’re a fan of Walt Disney and his original vision for his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT), you’ll love Thomas Wayne’s vision for Gotham. As a theme park nerd, I could see the influences, and it had me grinning ear to ear.
  • Batman: Dark Age has a twist ending that you’ll never see coming. The framing device with an elderly Bruce fighting memory loss might seem bleak, but there’s more to it than we initially realize. I won’t give everything away, but it’s an emotionally satisfying ending for Batman and Gotham.
     
  • I know we’ve already covered this in the creator section, but let’s be real, the team of Mark Russel, Mike Allred and Laura Allred is probably this comic’s biggest draw. They’re all acclaimed for a reason, and they’re in absolute peak form here. I hope this trio continues producing DC Comics forever.
     

WHY IT’S WORTH YOUR TIME:

Have you ever finished reading a story and realized that it had unexpectedly warmed your heart? Once again, I won’t spoil how Dark Age ends, but it’s an emotionally satisfying conclusion that makes the reading experience worth it.

There are tons of great Batman stories out there, but Batman: Dark Age does something those stories don’t. The limited series gives us a complete biography of Bruce Wayne’s life, from childhood to old age. There are plenty of fun surprises, great redesigns of classic characters, high stakes and a big emotional payoff. In short, Batman: Dark Age is a wonderful reading experience, whether you’re a new comic book reader, or a longtime Dark Knight fan. It’s a visually dynamic story, and worthy of being your next weekend escape.
 

Batman: Dark Age by Mark Russell, Michael Allred and Laura Allred is available as a hardcover graphic novel collection in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.