Essential Batman reading?

[Agent23]

Good post Rex. Well said.

While The Dark Knight Returns isn't one of my faves. I understand and appreciate what it did for the character and for the comic medium as a whole.

 

[Russell1982]

Nice signature, Russell. That's definitely the best one-shot, monthly Joker story that's ever been written.

Dini is the undisputed master of the Batman short story.

Thanks man. yeah, its one of my favourite single issue stories. I've re-read it countless times. That whole run that Dini done on Detective was awesome.

I almost picked up Dark Victory today, but will wait till I finish reading Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor.

I also saw Haunted Knight by Loeb and Sale, how's that?

I've not read Haunted Knight but as others have said, its not related to The Long Halloween or Dark Victory. Just a collection of three single issue stories that were lumped together. I do have one of the single issues, I think it was "Madness" with the Mad Hatter. It was pretty good. I have been meaning to get Haunted Knight for a while, but only if i can pick it up really cheap. I think as long as your expectations aren't very high, it may prove to be an enjoyable read. But certainly not as important and things like The Dark Knight Returns, Year One, The Long Halloween, or others.

I would also suggest The Man Who Laughs. Its fairly short but probably my favourite Joker story. A simple little re-telling of the first meeting between Batman and the Joker.

 

[Fernandofan08]

Sounds like a lovely gift.



Yeah, there are some real gems in there, and overall top-notch quality. I think the quality kind of fell over the long term, but if it was a decline, it was a slow one, and there were always good stories, even near the end.

One thing that bothered me was that they didn't stick to the "graphic novel length" story mode for long. The first few arcs are all 5-issues each, which was the original design. Then you get some smaller arcs, 3-4 issues. After a while, 1- and 2-part stories become the norm, and that really detracted from my enjoyment, because I felt the longer arcs were naturally more in-depth and involved.



Prey is really stand-out for me. A truly excellent sequel to "Year One," and it tackles several interesting storylines, while making Hugo Strange a cool, relevant, sick villain in the modern era, rather than the mad scientist he originally was (and sadly, has become once again).

I also think it really captures the atmosphere of the Batman era in a great way - the 89 Michael Keaton movies and the comics that were a product of that time and influence. Unlike many other books that might also capture that atmosphere, "Prey" doesn't seem dated now - it's just as vibrant, exciting, and moody, without being too silly, over-the-top, or shallow.

I've also been revisiting a lot of the later LOTDK stories. DC has been reprinting a bunch of the smaller 3-4 part arcs (and anthologizing the standalones) in their "DC Comics Presents" 100-page specials.

I don't know how much collectibility and condition matter to you - but seeing as you're building up a full run of LOTDK, have you considered binding them? You can see my posts in the "Show off your entire Batman collection" thread, but if you don't mind the fact that "condition" is obviously no longer mint or even relevant, then binding big runs like that can be an immensely rewarding experience.

You can place them on your bookshelf (instead of in a box or in an ugly stack), read them like books (instead of pulling them out of bags one-at-a-time or searching through your pile for the right issues), and can maintain and preserve all the great artwork, without the ads! It makes the reading and sharing experience so much more fun. Obviously you can't resell the single issues (since they'll be books now), but like you said, so many are so cheap anyhow - and bound runs can actually sell for quite a lot (since they're so attractive AND so rare). It's also pretty cheap to do.



The thing is, it's pretty much a historical fact that DKR made Batman what he is today. You might not like DKR, and that's fair (I will agree that the art is pretty ugly), but if you look at the history, it's impossible to deny that all those great Batman experiences - the 89 film, the Animated Series, Legends of the Dark Knight - were very specifically a byproduct of the interpretation of Batman that DKR gave us, and the resultant resurgence in popularity that such an interpretation brought with it.



Pretty much everyone who's read it - including myself - agree with you. DKSA sucks.

Some people claim Miller was being tongue-in-cheek and ironic with DKSA, and that it sucked in a deliberate way, but I think he's just gone off the deep end - because all his modern stuff sucks, for pretty similar reasons.

Awsome present, and prey is absolutly brilliant. I recently bought Cold Case, issues 202-204 I think, with Thomas wayne being framed for some murders, which were clearly committed by someone with surgical knowledge. Loved that one. Same as with the bumper comic for issue 200, The issue where batman brings joker into the hospital, and he has rigged bombs around the city. half told from batmans perspective, half told from a junior doctors perspective.

And I do understand it brought a darker version of gotham (TDKR) to an extent and inspired Tim burtons batman, but to me, Tim burtons batman inspired Dini and Timm, who created BTAS, which to me, BTAS moulded batman into alot of what he is today. Comic-wise, Sale and Loeb's haunted knight collection also took on the burton-esque style, the halloween issues for LOTDK, inspired Long halloween and Dark victory.

I do regard TDKR as a half evolution of batman, but the pinnacle was 1989, which coincides with Burtons film and the first ever fully fledged relaunch of Batman lore with Legends of the dark knight, it led to these events, but you can clearly see that the ideas for batman himself, weren't like TDKR.

 

[Fernandofan08]

Most people tend to think it falls far short of Long Halloween and Dark Victory.

It's not an epic like the other two are - it's a collection of 3 one-shot specials that were published as Halloween events, I think. I don't remember it being anything amazing, ground-breaking, or landmark. If you really dig Sale's artwork specifically, it's probably worth a look (since that'll be more of the same), but otherwise I'd say there are far more important and enjoyable Batman graphic novels that are worth your time.

The long halloween to me personifies batman in the comics.

I say that, because it has 13 issues, which continually carry the story on, but it displays the different aspects of batman. It displays his true detective skills, which is what I love about batman. I love the interpretations which truly put light on him being a detective, not a fisticuff vigilante. I love the human side that is shown. Even though he fights Solomon Grundy, he brings him a Thanksgiving dinner. that to me personifies batman, a detective that has human nature, an understanding that some of the villians are also victims of themselves and society.

Haunted knight collection is quite good, i dont mind the odd one shot stories, theyre well presented, well drawn and have a good story. Could've been nice as bumper issues, but as a collection you cant really grumble at them

 

[Ranger]

From the looks of things, it seems like every written Batman is a must read. So i guess here is a better question... Name some reads to avoid?

 

[bloodgear]

Alot of the 50s/60s stuff. Zebra Batman, Bat-Baby, Alien Batman, The Batman Creature. Wacky stuff.


I just recently read Kingdom Come. While it's more of a Supe's story, Batman is awesome in it.

 

[Laney74]

Good post Rex. Well said.

While The Dark Knight Returns isn't one of my faves. I understand and appreciate what it did for the character and for the comic medium as a whole.

Burton always said DKR and Killing Joke were the main inspiration for Batman 89, which turned the way the world viewed the character. A death in the Family also played a huge part in giving Batman the harder edge necessary to tell grittier stories.

I also think a lot of the elseworlds batman stories have been awesome.