CaptainAmerica
Freaked Out
The Killing Joke, for sure
Anyone remember "Gotham by Gaslight"? and "Master of the Future"?
Anyone remember "Gotham by Gaslight"? and "Master of the Future"?
Essential Batman reading?
- Thread starter blue_rogue
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Some good suggestions for further reading have already been made here. A couple I would suggest that hasn't been mentioned are two very good bat family books, Robin: Year One & Batgirl: Year One. Both are very good reading for a Bat fan.
piccolodaimaoh
Super Freak
In order
Year One
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
A Death in the Family
The Killing Joke
Hush
The Dark Knight Returns
Stuff that includes Superman
For the Man who has Everything
Superman Batman Public Enemies
Superman Batman Supergirl
Superman Batman Vengeance
Year One
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
A Death in the Family
The Killing Joke
Hush
The Dark Knight Returns
Stuff that includes Superman
For the Man who has Everything
Superman Batman Public Enemies
Superman Batman Supergirl
Superman Batman Vengeance
Last edited:
DinoDB1975
Super Freak
Besides the obvious mentions (Year One, The Killing Joke, The Dark Knight Returns), Gotham by Gaslight is a great Elseworlds story.
One of my fave Batman stories: Son of the Demon.
All phenomenal reads, most of which essentially form the basis for the characterization of Batman/BW in the Nolan films and beyond. My only addition would be Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison - unfreakinbelievable.
LOVED Gotham by Gaslight! One of my favorite reads, period.
LoneWolf
Super Freak
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All the good ones were already mentioned.. I guess I can contribute by advising you to stay away from Batman: Digital Justice!
I bought the hardcover before when I was a newbie Bat-fan, and boy was it a waste of money. Should've read it at the library instead of owning one, it took me 1 year before someone bought it off my eBay listings - and he's a newbie Bat-fan.
I bought the hardcover before when I was a newbie Bat-fan, and boy was it a waste of money. Should've read it at the library instead of owning one, it took me 1 year before someone bought it off my eBay listings - and he's a newbie Bat-fan.
haytil
Super Freak
I'm a big Batman reader, and I'm especially a fan of reading it in TPBs and Hardcovers. Here are my thoughts and recommendations - feel free to ask questions, or PM me for more details.
ESSENTIAL SUGGESTIONS
-"Detective," "Death and the City," and "Private Casebook" - available in TPB (the last one in HC as well), these collect Paul Dini's run on "Detective Comics." Dini is a MASTER of the Batman comic short story (1- and 2-part stories), and is responsible for Batman: The Animated Series. You can't go wrong with these. The first two are quite hard to find, but be patient - you'll see them on Ebay once in a while.
-"Heart of Hush" - the good sequel to Hush, again written by Paul Dini. If you like Dini and you liked Hush, no reason you won't like this. Available in HC and TPB.
-Brian Azzarello's "Joker" - available in HC, featuring beautiful, stunning art (much of it painted!) by Lee Bermejo and great characterization. More Nolan-esque than most Batman books. If you like this, you can see more of Azzarello's "realistic" take on Gotham in "Batman: Broken City."
-"The Man Who Laughs" - available in TPB or HC, it's a modern telling of Batman and the Joker's first confrontation. A sequel to "Year One."
-"Gotham Central" - collected in 5 TPBs (or 4 HCs), Gotham Central focuses on the cops in Gotham. Batman's a guest star, as are his villains - but if that doesn't bother you, you'll get a pretty realistic and a very fascinating look at Gotham, told by Brubaker and Rucka, two modern-day comic writing giants. An incredible set of books, which also happen to feature the greatest Joker story ever told. Art is often reminiscent of "Year One." My favorite Batman series.
-"Prey" - featuring the modern-day telling of Batman vs Hugo Strange, this is another sequel to "Year One." Great art and a fun read. It can be hard to find - sometimes you'll see the TPB go for 30 or 40 bucks on Ebay, but be patient and you might find one for 5 bucks used at a comic store or convention (or even online).
-"Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn" and "Batman and Robin: Batman vs. Robin" - most of the modern-day Grant Morrison Batman is crap, but these two books are real exceptions. In HC or TPB, it's ____ Grayson as Batman, with a new Robin. Punchy, flashy, and fun, I think they are enjoyable as standalone, apart from the main Morrison Batman RIP storyline.
-"Streets of Gotham" - more Paul Dini goodness, but this time focusing on the new ____ Grayson as Batman. Dini's still great, though, so it's a lot of fun. HC or TPB.
-"Batman: Year 100" - The Dark Knight Returns is a sci-fi telling of the return of Batman, in the future. This is a lot like that, but different enough that it stands on its own as well. TPB.
-"Batman: Evolution" - a mix of gritty crime drama and Ra's al Ghul, with a unique color scheme. Really nice little book. TPB, should be easy to find.
-"Batman: Faces" is another neat little book, by Matt Wagner. TPB, it's still in print and shouldn't be too hard to find.
OVERRATED
-"Haunted Knight" - the weakest of the Tim Sale/Jeph Loeb trilogy. I would avoid it for now, and save your money for better books. You can always pick it up later.
-"Death in the Family" - actually, most fans hate this book. Not very well-written, its importance is in its place in history - the death of Robin.
-"Venom" and "Gothic" - they're OK, and largely unmemorable. Like others, save em for later when you've already spent your money on the better ones.
-"Bruce Wayne: Murderer" and "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" - this story was really long and drawn out and wasn't very good. Way overrated.
-"Contagion" and "Legacy" - really not so memorable or great (though Legacy is a bit better than Contagion).
-Anything by Grant Morrison in the past 5 years or so is crap (like Batman RIP, The Black Glove, etc), except what I posted above.
-"The Cult" - ugh. Avoid this one.
You mentioned looking at "Catwoman: When in Rome." While it's certainly a fun read, Batman's not in it - it's strictly a Catwoman story, and not a very essential one at that. You might be better off picking up other books first.
Others have mentioned "KnightQuest." That's the 2nd part of the "Knight" trilogy (Knightfall and KnightsEnd being the others), but it was never collected in trade, so you'll only read those books if you scour comic book shops for back issues (of which there are like 40). Funnily enough, I just finished collecting all of them last weekend (and I'm preparing to bind them into my own hardbound collection).
It's a real pity, because without KnightQuest, readers don't know how Knightfall and KnightsEnd connect - and it doesn't make sense. (Bane breaks Batman's back in Knightfall, and suddenly shows up healed and ready to fight at the beginning of KnightsEnd - doesn't make sense if you don't read the middle part, but you can't unless you have the back issues).
That being said, Knightfall is alright for what it is - a tale of Batman vs a bunch of his villains, followed by his defeat at the hands of Bane. Like most crossovers, not the best storytelling - but fun for what it is.
"Tales of the Demon" collects the 70s stories introducing Ra's al Ghul. They're kind of interesting from a historical point of view, but be warned that you'll be reading old stuff, from back when storytelling in comics was much simpler and less engaging. If you like modern, sophisticated storytelling, you won't like this one much.
I like "No Man's Land," but it's a bit polarizing in the fanbase. 5 volumes, following Gotham City as it is abandoned by the Federal Government after an earthquake. A ballsy, gutsy move on the part of the editors - the one crossover that was creatively worthwhile. But just be warned, you won't be getting your normal Batman stories here - this is an extended, post-apocalyptic Batman story.
"Under the Hood" is often derided, but if you accept the conceit (that it tells the story of Jason Todd's return), it's not half bad.
"Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire" is one fewer people have read. Brian Azzarello writes, Lee Bermejo does the art (like in "Joker"). It's a team-up/crossover book, but don't let that stop you. Great art and an interesting story. I didn't know who "Deathblow" was, but I still found it a pretty enjoyable book. Can be hard to find, though.
"Shaman" is not bad, but hard to find. An immediate sequel to Year One, but it doesn't feature any flashy, recognizable villains.
ESSENTIAL SUGGESTIONS
-"Detective," "Death and the City," and "Private Casebook" - available in TPB (the last one in HC as well), these collect Paul Dini's run on "Detective Comics." Dini is a MASTER of the Batman comic short story (1- and 2-part stories), and is responsible for Batman: The Animated Series. You can't go wrong with these. The first two are quite hard to find, but be patient - you'll see them on Ebay once in a while.
-"Heart of Hush" - the good sequel to Hush, again written by Paul Dini. If you like Dini and you liked Hush, no reason you won't like this. Available in HC and TPB.
-Brian Azzarello's "Joker" - available in HC, featuring beautiful, stunning art (much of it painted!) by Lee Bermejo and great characterization. More Nolan-esque than most Batman books. If you like this, you can see more of Azzarello's "realistic" take on Gotham in "Batman: Broken City."
-"The Man Who Laughs" - available in TPB or HC, it's a modern telling of Batman and the Joker's first confrontation. A sequel to "Year One."
-"Gotham Central" - collected in 5 TPBs (or 4 HCs), Gotham Central focuses on the cops in Gotham. Batman's a guest star, as are his villains - but if that doesn't bother you, you'll get a pretty realistic and a very fascinating look at Gotham, told by Brubaker and Rucka, two modern-day comic writing giants. An incredible set of books, which also happen to feature the greatest Joker story ever told. Art is often reminiscent of "Year One." My favorite Batman series.
-"Prey" - featuring the modern-day telling of Batman vs Hugo Strange, this is another sequel to "Year One." Great art and a fun read. It can be hard to find - sometimes you'll see the TPB go for 30 or 40 bucks on Ebay, but be patient and you might find one for 5 bucks used at a comic store or convention (or even online).
-"Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn" and "Batman and Robin: Batman vs. Robin" - most of the modern-day Grant Morrison Batman is crap, but these two books are real exceptions. In HC or TPB, it's ____ Grayson as Batman, with a new Robin. Punchy, flashy, and fun, I think they are enjoyable as standalone, apart from the main Morrison Batman RIP storyline.
-"Streets of Gotham" - more Paul Dini goodness, but this time focusing on the new ____ Grayson as Batman. Dini's still great, though, so it's a lot of fun. HC or TPB.
-"Batman: Year 100" - The Dark Knight Returns is a sci-fi telling of the return of Batman, in the future. This is a lot like that, but different enough that it stands on its own as well. TPB.
-"Batman: Evolution" - a mix of gritty crime drama and Ra's al Ghul, with a unique color scheme. Really nice little book. TPB, should be easy to find.
-"Batman: Faces" is another neat little book, by Matt Wagner. TPB, it's still in print and shouldn't be too hard to find.
OVERRATED
-"Haunted Knight" - the weakest of the Tim Sale/Jeph Loeb trilogy. I would avoid it for now, and save your money for better books. You can always pick it up later.
-"Death in the Family" - actually, most fans hate this book. Not very well-written, its importance is in its place in history - the death of Robin.
-"Venom" and "Gothic" - they're OK, and largely unmemorable. Like others, save em for later when you've already spent your money on the better ones.
-"Bruce Wayne: Murderer" and "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" - this story was really long and drawn out and wasn't very good. Way overrated.
-"Contagion" and "Legacy" - really not so memorable or great (though Legacy is a bit better than Contagion).
-Anything by Grant Morrison in the past 5 years or so is crap (like Batman RIP, The Black Glove, etc), except what I posted above.
-"The Cult" - ugh. Avoid this one.
You mentioned looking at "Catwoman: When in Rome." While it's certainly a fun read, Batman's not in it - it's strictly a Catwoman story, and not a very essential one at that. You might be better off picking up other books first.
Others have mentioned "KnightQuest." That's the 2nd part of the "Knight" trilogy (Knightfall and KnightsEnd being the others), but it was never collected in trade, so you'll only read those books if you scour comic book shops for back issues (of which there are like 40). Funnily enough, I just finished collecting all of them last weekend (and I'm preparing to bind them into my own hardbound collection).
It's a real pity, because without KnightQuest, readers don't know how Knightfall and KnightsEnd connect - and it doesn't make sense. (Bane breaks Batman's back in Knightfall, and suddenly shows up healed and ready to fight at the beginning of KnightsEnd - doesn't make sense if you don't read the middle part, but you can't unless you have the back issues).
That being said, Knightfall is alright for what it is - a tale of Batman vs a bunch of his villains, followed by his defeat at the hands of Bane. Like most crossovers, not the best storytelling - but fun for what it is.
"Tales of the Demon" collects the 70s stories introducing Ra's al Ghul. They're kind of interesting from a historical point of view, but be warned that you'll be reading old stuff, from back when storytelling in comics was much simpler and less engaging. If you like modern, sophisticated storytelling, you won't like this one much.
I like "No Man's Land," but it's a bit polarizing in the fanbase. 5 volumes, following Gotham City as it is abandoned by the Federal Government after an earthquake. A ballsy, gutsy move on the part of the editors - the one crossover that was creatively worthwhile. But just be warned, you won't be getting your normal Batman stories here - this is an extended, post-apocalyptic Batman story.
"Under the Hood" is often derided, but if you accept the conceit (that it tells the story of Jason Todd's return), it's not half bad.
"Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire" is one fewer people have read. Brian Azzarello writes, Lee Bermejo does the art (like in "Joker"). It's a team-up/crossover book, but don't let that stop you. Great art and an interesting story. I didn't know who "Deathblow" was, but I still found it a pretty enjoyable book. Can be hard to find, though.
"Shaman" is not bad, but hard to find. An immediate sequel to Year One, but it doesn't feature any flashy, recognizable villains.
devilof76
Super Freak
RIP was awesome. So was The Cult.
These aren't essential, but they're good.
The Chalice
Death & The Maidens
Turning Points
JSA: Liberty Files
These aren't essential, but they're good.
The Chalice
Death & The Maidens
Turning Points
JSA: Liberty Files
blue_rogue
Super Freak
Thanks for all of the suggestions, I wasn't expecting so many.
I think I'll go through and see which ones were recommended most often and go from there.
I think I'll go through and see which ones were recommended most often and go from there.
jayveeeusebio
Super Freak
Here's my fave Batman stories:
TDK Returns
TDK Strikes Again
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Joker
The Man Who Laugh
Arkham Asylum
Batman: Year One
The Killing Joke
TDK Returns
TDK Strikes Again
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Joker
The Man Who Laugh
Arkham Asylum
Batman: Year One
The Killing Joke
Uncanny Web-Slinger
Super Freak
Batman Black & White all volumes.
Harley and Ivy
Harley and Ivy
Mister D
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It is incredible how many good Bat-tales there are, especially when you look at how many other characters are hurting for iconic tales.
My suggestion is to start with Year One, Long Halloween and Dark Victory, as they all work well as a single story telling Batman's first 3 years.
Morbach
Super Freak
Mister D
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One of my favorite bat-tales was "Prey", the second story arc in the Legends series. It had been collected into a TPB, but that's long out of print. There were rumors that it influenced the new film (much as Long Halloween did Dark Knight) but there's no way to confirm that.
dandy warhol
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prey was great. great artwork too. i think when hugo strange was rumored to be the villain it was assumed "prey" would be a source.
now i get more of a dark knight returns/knightfall/no mans land vibe from what ive seen.
now i get more of a dark knight returns/knightfall/no mans land vibe from what ive seen.
I just read TDKR, I thought it was good. I'm gonna have to read it again, because I think it deserves it.
Batman R.I.P. I thought was Ok, at best. It started off pretty good and went down from there. Nothing great.
Just picked up The Long Halloween, that'll be next after I read The Crow, and book one from Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing.
Batman R.I.P. I thought was Ok, at best. It started off pretty good and went down from there. Nothing great.
Just picked up The Long Halloween, that'll be next after I read The Crow, and book one from Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing.
batfan08
Super Freak
^Yup, I intend to make reading that and watching "Christmas with the Joker" my Holiday tradition.
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