Essential Batman reading?

[haytil]

^Yup, I intend to make reading that and watching "Christmas with the Joker" my Holiday tradition.

Why not top it off with "Batman Returns," the Batman Christmastime movie?

 

[Russell1982]

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.

The Long Halloween is superb. I actually envy you for being able to read it for the first time. Its quite possibly my favourite Batman book.
Also Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing is brilliant. Really makes the character interesting. I couldn't put it down.

 

[FDBMath]

I know a lot of people aren't huge fans of RIP, but I actually kind of liked it. But, it also kind of tied in to Morrison's run on JLA, a "all-powerful bad-ass Batman"

Of course, I also would love a Zur-En-Arrh skin for Arkham City, if that tells you anything...

 

[moleman01]

The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, & Lynn Varley. If not for that graphic novel series, Batman wouldn't be what he is today.

 

[rhaykal]

I agree with most of the primary suggestions like Dark Knight Returns, Long Halloween, Hush, Killing Joke, Year One etc...

But recently, I'd say the best storyline out was the final run of Detective Comics before the DC relaunch. Scott Snyder's The Black Mirror storyline was amazing (Detective Comics 871-881).
Also, on a slightly different note, Batman: No Man's Land was amazing.....and I'm talking about the novel by Greg Rucka. The graphic novels were ok, but I found the novel to be a great read. And it is a good pick up and read book because it gives a quick brief overview of cataclysm so you really don't need to have much background into the events leading up to No Man's Land.

 

[haytil]

I've got the Black Mirror on my table, ready to read. Been eagerly waiting the last six months for this baby, and got it as Christmas present. I've heard nothing but good things.

 

[KingGrayskull]

Guys I need some help. I bought an amazing comic book a few years back on the airport. I was blown away by the story and its graphics. Unfortunatly I forgot to take it with me out of the airplane and it got lost. The most exciting part about this comic book was that Batman and Joker were talking to each other in the off analyzing their relation. It was just their heads and a dark backround. Batman would have always nearly the same expression, Joker would be as crazy as ever. This was so exciting I was reading it twice in the airplane. Unfortunatly I dont remember the name of the story. I am pretty sure it was a reissue, so no specific release date... Any help would be appreciated.

 

[sfa]

^ Sounds to me like you're describing 'The Killing Joke'. That's exactly how that graphic novel starts out and it has amazing artwork throughout by Brian Bolland.

 

[user 15061]

Under The Red Hood - Personally I like Red Hood
The Killing Joke
Hush
Arkham Asylum
Death In The Family
Year One

 

[Fernandofan08]

For christmas my Girlfriend bought me the first 50 issues of Legends of the dark knight, and my dad bought the second 50 issues (only got 114 issues to get).

Basically, upto yet, the arcs have been absolutly fantastic;

first 5 issues is 'Shamahn', an origin story of how bruce must become the bat. Brill read.
Second 5 issues is gothic, brilliant story, dark and gritty. next 5 issues are Prey, heavily lauded book and hard to get, but the individual issues are 90p each on ebay. Then the next 6 are Venom, which is brilliant.

Basically, Legends of the dark knight are phenomenal. Shaman, gothic, prey, venom, faith, faces, blades, Turf is also quite good (deals with batman/gordon dealing with racist police officers killing and framing black people), images is a good homage to joker and year one, storm, Criminals, Clay which is brilliant, Steps (which is a prostitue murdering criminal, only witness is an Autistic teenager) and one of my favourite stories 'Cold Case'.

 

[Fernandofan08]

The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, & Lynn Varley. If not for that graphic novel series, Batman wouldn't be what he is today.

i disagree that batman wouldnt be what he is today without it, I hated The Dark Knight Returns. Didnt like the art or the story. Also hated Dark Knight strikes again. just hated the whole story and the art again.

My favourites like I said in my above post, are from the Legends of the dark knight, in which the 1989 film inspired BTAS, which to me, made batman as I grew up with it.

So tim sale, Bruce Timm, paul dini and Jeph Loeb to me made batman; BTAS, the 3 halloween specials (collected in haunted Knight), Long halloween and Dark Victory, along with the stories i put above to me, are batmans pinnicle and defined the character to this very day.

 

[haytil]

Guys I need some help. I bought an amazing comic book a few years back on the airport. I was blown away by the story and its graphics. Unfortunatly I forgot to take it with me out of the airplane and it got lost. The most exciting part about this comic book was that Batman and Joker were talking to each other in the off analyzing their relation. It was just their heads and a dark backround. Batman would have always nearly the same expression, Joker would be as crazy as ever. This was so exciting I was reading it twice in the airplane. Unfortunatly I dont remember the name of the story. I am pretty sure it was a reissue, so no specific release date... Any help would be appreciated.

Could be "Batman: Secrets" by Sam Kieth. It was a 5-part miniseries, first published about 5 years back, so you could've picked up a single issue in the series or the trade. (And if it was not a US release, it could've been published a year or two beyond that, as I know some single-issue releases in some places - like in Germany - are delayed by a year or so).

Kieth has some crazy artwork, and your description of Batman and Joker talking about their relationship, with just their heads and a dark background, with the same repeated, unmoving expression sounds like several scenes from that book.

Personally, I didn't like it - the artwork is just WAY too ugly for my tastes. But it's a style thing, so maybe that's what you saw (and liked).

 

[haytil]

For christmas my Girlfriend bought me the first 50 issues of Legends of the dark knight, and my dad bought the second 50 issues (only got 114 issues to get).

Sounds like a lovely gift.

Basically, upto yet, the arcs have been absolutly fantastic;

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.

next 5 issues are Prey, heavily lauded book and hard to get, but the individual issues are 90p each on ebay.

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.

i disagree that batman wouldnt be what he is today without it, I hated The Dark Knight Returns. Didnt like the art or the story...My favourites like I said in my above post, are from the Legends of the dark knight, in which the 1989 film inspired BTAS, which to me, made batman as I grew up with it.

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.

Also hated Dark Knight strikes again. just hated the whole story and the art again.

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.

 

[Agent23]

The Long Halloween is superb. I actually envy you for being able to read it for the first time. Its quite possibly my favourite Batman book.

Ok, got done reading The Long Halloween, it's probably my favorite Batman story. I read it straight through. It was truly excellent.

Obviously it was a big influence on Nolan's The Dark Knight.

The ending was terrific.

I think next, after I read the Moore Swamp Thing collection, will be Frank Miller's, Batman: Year One.

 

[Russell1982]

Ok, got done reading The Long Halloween, it's probably my favorite Batman story. I read it straight through. It was truly excellent.

Obviously it was a big influence on Nolan's The Dark Knight.

The ending was terrific.

I think next, after I read the Moore Swamp Thing collection, will be Frank Miller's, Batman: Year One.

Cool, glad you liked it. Its probably my favourite Batman story too. That ending is just fantastic. You should read Dark Victory too, its the sequel to The Long Halloween. Not quite as good but still a great follow up.
I can't recommend Batman Year One high enough. Its absolutely brilliant. I'd even say read it before Swamp Thing, as there are a lot of volumes to that and it means waiting ages till you finish and can read Year One.

I only ever read the first two volumes of Alan Moores Swamp Thing but they were absolutely brilliant. Especially the way Moore changed the charactera.

 

[Agent23]

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?

 

[haytil]

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

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.

 

[haytil]

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.

 

[Rex Mason]

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.

They're pretty good stories. They were a series of annual Legends of the Dark Knight specials. They were popular enough that DC decided to hire the same team for the Long Halloween mini series.

 

[Rex Mason]

i disagree that batman wouldnt be what he is today without it, I hated The Dark Knight Returns. Didnt like the art or the story. Also hated Dark Knight strikes again. just hated the whole story and the art again.

My favourites like I said in my above post, are from the Legends of the dark knight, in which the 1989 film inspired BTAS, which to me, made batman as I grew up with it.

So tim sale, Bruce Timm, paul dini and Jeph Loeb to me made batman; BTAS, the 3 halloween specials (collected in haunted Knight), Long halloween and Dark Victory, along with the stories i put above to me, are batmans pinnicle and defined the character to this very day.

Whether or not you agree that the Dark Knight Returns is any good doesn't change the fact that modern Batman would not be modern Batman if not for Frank Miller's interpretation of the character. He brought grit to Gotham, and for better or worse, the city was forever altered, as was the landscape of comic books for that matter. It's an important work, and a very essential and influential piece of comic book history. Along with Maus and Watchmen, it literally changed the way comics were regarded by society as a whole.