YMMV / DC Black Label

• Hilarious in Hindsight: For years, ever since Frank Miller infamously portrayed Superman as a Lawful Stupid government stooge in the Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, he said if he ever got a chance to write a story from Superman's perspective he'd write Batman in an equally unflattering light. Come Superman: Year One, and he makes good on his promise: Batman is presented as a paranoid nutjob, armed with gadgets and pre-planned traps that either don't work or are utterly useless, all the while ranting nonsensically about how much better he is than Superman. A clear message from the man that popularized the debate, once and for all, that yes, Batman could beat up Superman... but only if they were in a completely contrived scenario that made things even remotely fair and that anyone who would try to take on a near Physical God with nothing but gimmicky gizmos and determination would be absolutely insane.
• Memetic Mutation: The Batman Label ^explanationFans were quick to note that despite the promotion behind the Black Label as being "Darker and Edgier stories involving the DC heroes" the majority of the announced and produced books are either starring Batman or someone from Batman's comics.
• So Okay, It's Average: The general reception to Superman: Year One, as while it does feature a unique new origin for Clark Kent, it suffers from Frank Miller's infamous style of writing and is overall just bland. Even among Frank Miller's more recent work set in the DKR universe, it's considered neither So Bad, It's Good like All-Star Batman and Robin, nor a Surprisingly Improved Sequel like The Last Crusade.
• Spiritual Successor:
  • To the defunct Elseworlds imprint. And following its official retirement, to Vertigo, with many old Vertigo titles published in Black Label trade dress.
  • Superman: Year One by Frank Miller also seems to be one for his own Batman: Year One, though unlike that story, it is an Alternate Continuity set in the universe of The Dark Knight Returns.
• Tainted by the Preview: The announcement that Frank Miller would be writing Superman: Year One drew this reaction - in part due to his reputation for hating Superman^note something Miller himself claims isn't true, but also because of how controversial some more of his recent works (ASBAR, Holy Terror) have been.

---