Recommendations for Batman Graphic Novels

[hairlesswookiee]

Graphic Novels:

Killing Joke
The dark knight returns (not the sequel though)
Long Haloween
Arkham Asylum ( suggested for mature readers though)

Trade Paperbacks:

Batman Knightfall ( breaking of the Batman)
Death in the family (Robin dies)
anything by Neal Adams as he redefined the character's dark roots in the 70s.

i like all of these and also would add:
Gotham by Gaslight
Batman and Dracula: Red Rain
Hush

 

[Morbo]

Blimey, thanks for all the recommendations. it's my birthday next month, so now I have a nice list of books that my wife can get me.

why is the Dark Knight Returns sequal sa bad? I see a few of you mention that it it not worth picking up

 

[intothevoid]

Well it depends on your taste. The sequel is very over the top, essentially it's about a really old Bruce/Batman, i think well into his 50s or 60s and the book has extreme violence etc and its really a caricature of Batman and comes nowhere near Miller's work on Year One or the original the dark knight. I actually read it too long ago to remember exactly what I thought was too silly, but i know i didn't like it toooo much. Still worth reading though, after you're through will the rest.

 

[Mikey2Bullets]

miller has seemed to have lost his "bat mind" since the early 2000's. dk strikes is supposed to be more of a social commentary on tech, corporations, and media but the volume on the characters is turned way up. same with all star batman and robin. that being said, i'm still looking forward to "holy terror, batman!" miller's take on patriotism, terrorism, and batman gettin it on with catwoman. 80's miller batman is awesome, 90's (dark horse years ) miller is awesome, 21st century miller is like tarantino on crack. if you end up getting dk returns, i'd recommend bn.com for the absolute version with "strikes" included in one big hc coffee table edition.

 

[Lee in MI]

miller has seemed to have lost his "bat mind" since the early 2000's. dk strikes is supposed to be more of a social commentary on tech, corporations, and media but the volume on the characters is turned way up. same with all star batman and robin. that being said, i'm still looking forward to "holy terror, batman!" miller's take on patriotism, terrorism, and batman gettin it on with catwoman. 80's miller batman is awesome, 90's (dark horse years ) miller is awesome, 21st century miller is like tarantino on crack. if you end up getting dk returns, i'd recommend bn.com for the absolute version with "strikes" included in one big hc coffee table edition.

Quoted for truth!

Miller is waaaayyyyyy over the top on DK strikes and All Star. I completly lost interest in all star and stopped collecting it. Two of the biggest stars in comics and, like mentioned before, the art is gorgeous but somewhat expected/obvious and because they are VERY busy, the book is notoriously always a month or two late. Didn't hold my interest and became frustrating to collect. Too many two page large poster like images by Lee and too little story advancment by Miller.

As far as DK, just didn't leave you with that "WOW" feeling...you could save your birthday wishes on that one.

 

[Mikey2Bullets]

lee, you're actually not missing much in the way of allstar, i've been for issue eleven for almost a year now.....i could deal with the 2 month an issue, but the year gap between 3/4 and now 10/11..the spirit couldn't have eaten up THAT much of frank's time

i just read morrison and quitely (sp?) are doing a batman/robin series due in june i think. if it's up to par with their supes, it may be good.

 

[NewGoblin23]

So I picked up some Graphic Novels over the last couple months and made sure to pick up the ones that are said to be "must haves" like The Dark Knight Returns and Long Halloween and I loved them both but one book that I dont really understand why people loved so much is Year One. Alot of it was pretty good but its not one of my favorites. Im not saying it was bad, it just didnt blow me away. So could anyone kind of explain whats so great about it?

 

[Mikey2Bullets]

So I picked up some Graphic Novels over the last couple months and made sure to pick up the ones that are said to be "must haves" like The Dark Knight Returns and Long Halloween and I loved them both but one book that I dont really understand why people loved so much is Year One. Alot of it was pretty good but its not one of my favorites. Im not saying it was bad, it just didnt blow me away. So could anyone kind of explain whats so great about it?

to me, it's the stark simplicity of the story. the way miller expresses bruce's dedication to becoming batman contrasted by gordon's frustration at being a clean cop in a dirty department and the temptations to be dirty to support his new family. my fav part is bruce pretending to drink champaign at some even by subbing it with ginger ale. i like the little things like that, that really give the characters' personality. selina being a hooker was cool, but the whole catwoman intro was a bit unnecessary. the little joker ploy at the end was nice too. just this guy's opinion though..

 

[Starkiller]

My favorites from memory are: A Lonely Place of Dying, A Death in the Family, The Long Halloween, Year One-Hundred, Year One, The Killing Joke, The Dark Knight Returns, Arkham Asylum, all 3 Black & White Volumes, Batman & The Monster Men, and The Knightfall Series.

 

[FDBMath]

I would also add, if you can find it, Batman:Tales of the Demon is great. It covers the initial stories with Ra's al Ghul - all of the wonderful Denny O'Neal and Neal Adams stories are presented in it. An excellent pick up for anyone interested in Bat's second best villian (behind Crazy Quilt, of course )

 

[abake]

My top pics are:

Arkham Asylum
Batman: Year One
The Dark Knight Returns

All of them awesome.

 

[abake]

to me, it's the stark simplicity of the story. the way miller expresses bruce's dedication to becoming batman contrasted by gordon's frustration at being a clean cop in a dirty department and the temptations to be dirty to support his new family. my fav part is bruce pretending to drink champaign at some even by subbing it with ginger ale. i like the little things like that, that really give the characters' personality. selina being a hooker was cool, but the whole catwoman intro was a bit unnecessary. the little joker ploy at the end was nice too. just this guy's opinion though..

Quoted for truth.

I love Year One, as it presents real characters with depth and humanity without having to rely on long dissertations. Gordon's story is brilliant.

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

Didn't really care for Year One. I think Batman Begins as a film is a WAY better origin story than Year One as a comic. I did however really enjoy TDKR, which would make a great movie with Michael Keaton.

 

[EdwardNashton1]

Didn't really care for Year One. I think Batman Begins as a film is a WAY better origin story than Year One as a comic.

He speaks the truth

 

[karamazov80]

I think Year One is the best Batman "graphic novel" I have read, followed closely by Killing Joke. I enjoyed Dark Knight Returns a lot more when I was a teenager than I do now. My favorite might actually be "Fear the Reaper," because I'm such a huge Alan Davis fan. The Loeb/Sale stuff is good, too, and no doubt Arkham Asylum is terrific.

I think the "Hush" story is silly, though worth getting for Jim Lee's artwork.

 

[Rookie07]

Graphic Novels:
The Dark Knight Returns
The Killing Joke

Trade Paperback:
Batman: Sword of Azrael - I just love this series. The story was great and introduced an important character in the Batman world, and the art was topnotch (back in the days when Joe Quesada still know how to draw )

 

[Mikey2Bullets]

He speaks the truth

but remember, a large chunk of begins was based on year one, peppered with inspirations from some of the denny oneil stuff of the 70's. on a side note, i was culling my collection for space and found the original year one issues 404-407. dkr is still top of my list overall. i like year one more for it's literary prowess than its action or shock factor content.

i also remember a wizard issue from the mid 90's about if they made a movie article about dkr. they had fred williard ('80s show hunter) as batman. i remember liking the idea of a large past his prime old football guy as an old past his prime bats.

one of these post i'll actually do a bullet point "why i like" of my top bat stories. i've been following bats since 1986 when i was 8. i also write short stories part time, mostly war stuff, but that's another story.

as to the originator of the thread, i hope all the discussions help you out.

 

[EdwardNashton1]

but remember, a large chunk of begins was based on year one, peppered with inspirations from some of the denny oneil stuff of the 70's. on a side note, i was culling my collection for space and found the original year one issues 404-407. dkr is still top of my list overall. i like year one more for it's literary prowess than its action or shock factor content.

i also remember a wizard issue from the mid 90's about if they made a movie article about dkr. they had fred williard ('80s show hunter) as batman. i remember liking the idea of a large past his prime old football guy as an old past his prime bats.

Is Batman old in that book?

 

[karamazov80]

Graphic Novels:
Trade Paperback:

Just out of curiosity, what is the distinction here? Aren't they all both graphic novels and trade paperbacks?

As to Edward's post, are you referring to Dark Knight Returns? If so, yes, the whole idea is looking at Batman in his old age, long after he had "retired" from the role.

 

[EdwardNashton1]

Just out of curiosity, what is the distinction here? Aren't they all both graphic novels and trade paperbacks?

As to Edward's post, are you referring to Dark Knight Returns? If so, yes, the whole idea is looking at Batman in his old age, long after he had "retired" from the role.

If he retired then why is he still masquerading about in the Bat suit?