People, fans and creators alike, seemed to just love those aspects. So those are the ones they've latched onto. Batman's an a-hole. He's angry and violent. He can beat Superman!

But they often leave out the part that, despite his gruffness, he's still not a killer. And his compassion, which Miller retains, doesn't always come along for the ride, either. Because those aspects are somehow less glamorous. 

And the idea that Bruce Wayne suffers from some kind of mental illness and paranoia I think is owed largely to this work. But being crazy is not what made Bruce Wayne Batman. At the beginning of the story it was NOT having been Batman for years is that had made Bruce Wayne "crazy". Remember that first night out? "Born again!" And he thought the government had it out for him and his kind. That wasn't paranoia, as in-story evidence strongly supported it. 

And did he really beat Superman?? If so, it was just barely. And only after the guy just bounced back from a nuke. And not without a lot of other help. And by the end of it, if they're not super-friendly, they've at least won each other's respect back, to a degree. 

That version of Batman was supposed to be a one-off, an alternate take in a possible future of a different world. It wasn't intended to be the blueprint of the character in canon for the next four decades. And yet, it was just what it became. A blueprint that's usually followed poorly, at that. 

Year One is perhaps the very best run of mainstream superhero comics, but sure, lump it in with Deadpool and Lobo. 

DKR has the opposite effect on me.

The fact that both were written by the same person at roughly the same time is kind of mind blowing.

Still, he didn't "break" Batman or anything of the sort - Batman continues to be awesome.

The fighting Superman was because Superman, as far as Bruce was concerned, had broken his oath and betrayed hie heroism due to becoiming effectively a tool of the corrupt US president. BUT, in rereading I found more compassion for Clark in MIller's writing than when I was younger. Clark isn't a fascist tool because he's into it he's trying to make the best of a s*itty situation. Bruce's  beatdown perhaps was intended to shake him up, remind him of who he is. And the fact that Clark hears Bruce's heartbeat but does nothing is indicative that Clark is still Clark.