Batman is one of the world's most recognized superheroes, and with over 80 years of history behind him, he's been whatever we needed him to be at the time: an unstoppable dark avenger, an indefatigable-but-noble defender, a smiling crimefighter with onomatopoetic fists.
Let’s check out the best Batman comics every fan should start with!
10. Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance
Flashpoint was a watershed moment in DC's history, laying the groundwork for the relaunched New 52 reality and all that came after. However, it turns out that the finest portion of this enormous crossover included Batman, not The Flash.
In this parallel universe, Thomas Wayne became Batman after the death of his son in front of him. As a consequence, a vigilante emerges who outdoes even Bruce Wayne in terms of sulking and scowling. Knight of Vengeance depicts a darker, more vicious Gotham City, which fits Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's narrative skills wonderfully.
9. Batman: Venom
Venom begins with one of Batman's most egregious mistakes. A little child is imprisoned. Drowning. And Batman is incapable of rescuing her. Disappointed, the Dark Knight discovers a new way to supplement his strength training: a little tablet that triples his power. Naturally, it's very addicting, and our always-in-control hero loses control, almost assassinating Jim Gordon to get his dose. It's a unique glimpse into a side of Batman that we seldom see.
Venom is one of those tales that defies classification. The notion is more compelling than the writing itself. Batman takes against a shark. That is all. However, there are powerful moments in which O'Neil questions Batman's loyalty to his mission. And it's plenty to elevate Venom to one of the most unforgettable Batman tales ever written.
8. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
Arkham Asylum is home to some of the DCU's most deranged villains. What is it like to go down its twisting corridors and come face to face with so many insane assassins and madmen? Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth is the closest we'll ever get to witnessing it ourselves.
This 1989 graphic book chronicles Batman's strange adventure through an Arkham that has been overtaken by rioting convicts. As he battles one renowned adversary after another, he learns about the facility's dark past and the perhaps supernatural forces at work. With a creative combination as one-of-a-kind as Grant Morrison and Dave McKean, this is an adventure that neither Batman noir nor his audience will soon forget.
7. Batman: Strange Apparitions
If you haven't read Strange Apparitions, there's a good chance you've never heard of Silver St. Cloud, Bruce Wayne's best love interest. She is intelligent enough to understand Batman's actual identity while also being powerful enough to crush Batman's heart. And that's only half of the story in this late-'70s classic starring the underrated maniac Hugo Strange (resurrected from the grave) and the Joker (creating more dead). Additionally, you get to watch Hugo Strange dressed as Batman as a bonus.
Batman: Year One is given an overabundance of credit for "reinventing Batman." The reality is that fantastic Batman tales existed prior to Year One. This is the greatest pre-Year One material that has been compiled in a TPB. Additionally, it provides an excellent introduction to Hugo Strange.
6. Batman: Gothic
What school did Bruce Wayne attend? While we are aware of Wayne's training to become Batman, Gothic provides insight into Bruce Wayne's background prior to the death of his parents. This relates to a sequence of brutal murders committed during Batman's formative years in the cape and cowl.
Gothic is a detective tale, a horror story, and a thriller written by Morrison in collaboration with the legendary Klaus Janson. Religion and Batman are not as often coupled in comics as they should be. Morrison nails it. For anyone concerned about a "Morrison head-trip," take a deep breath. Nothing on these pages will cause significant harm to your brain... or vice versa.
5. Batman: The Court of Owls
When Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo took over DC's new Batman comic book in 2011, they had a hefty assignment. They needed to ease fans' anxieties about DC's New 52 revamp while following writer Grant Morrison's difficult act. And they achieved both objectives.
Snyder and Capullo began their run by establishing a brand-new evil gang to Gotham City: the Court of Owls. This centuries-old, mysterious organisation compelled Batman to acknowledge that he does not know his own city nearly as well as he believed he did. This sparked a personal quest for Batman, dragging him down the depths of Gotham and pitting him against a new archrival from an entirely unexpected source.
4. Batman: Year One
Who would disguise up as a bat and prowl the city in search of criminals? We are all aware of the solution. Who would be his ally? That is the narrative we are taught in Year One. Batman and Gordon arrive in Gotham at almost the same moment, both laden with luggage. Despite the fact that they spend the year making their share of errors, they develop an uncomfortable alliance that will remain throughout their lives.
When a new Batman film is announced, the first question that usually arises is, "Who's the villain?" And yet, the greatest Batman narrative of all time is still the one without a major enemy. At the most, you'll get a cameo appearance from Selina Kyle. Otherwise, this is a narrative of two guys attempting to do the right thing in a city that has gone awry. Perhaps this is why it is so powerful. There is no dependence on campy villains or a menace capable of annihilating all of Gotham. This is street crime and corruption at its most heinous. This is the insurmountable conflict that Batman and Jim Gordon can never win.
3. The Killing Joke
The Mad Hatter. Batman's most formidable adversary. His objective is mayhem, but the brilliance of his craziness is the extraordinary amount of thought he puts into each escapade. In the Killing Joke, the Clown Prince of Crime declares that he wants to demonstrate that anybody, given the appropriate circumstances, may succumb to lunacy. He does this by tormenting down-to-earth Jim Gordon. Throughout, we're offered glimpses into the Joker's origins and the events that precipitated his demise.
The Killing Joke is not just a superb origin tale for comics' most infamous villain; it also clearly defines the line between good and evil. When the going gets tough, the rational ones fight back; the nuts allow themselves to go down the cliff.
2. Batman: The Long Halloween
Someone in Gotham has chosen to cash in on the Christmas season. As the year progresses, each issue will focus on a different holiday. The mafia, the police, Arkham's crazy, and the Batman are all on edge as a result of this new Christmas murderer. The Lengthy Halloween is both a wonderful mystery, one of the greatest recounted in Batman's long career, and a fresh look at the Dark Knight's early years, when Gotham City's status quo was shifting.
The Long Halloween has all of the hallmarks of a great Batman story: a mystery murderer, cameos by renowned villains, arresting imagery, and an unsatisfying resolution to the case. Loeb deserves special credit for making Calendar Man, one of the most ridiculous characters ever conceived, look fascinating and vital. As an added bonus, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale reunited for Dark Victory, a worthy sequel series.
1. The Dark Knight Returns
This is the scene in which Batman kicks Superman in the shins. The Dark Knight Returns, set a decade after Batman's retirement, paints a bleak picture of Gotham City's future. The times are dark, and Gotham City is in desperate need of a hero. And what about Bruce Wayne? To be sure, he's been battling his fixation for almost a decade. He just cannot continue to resist. He re-dons the costume to square off against his eldest adversary and his oldest buddy.
The Dark Knight Returns is a comic-book narrative masterpiece. The pages are densely packed with panels, often dozens of them. Even overcrowded. Despite this, Miller maintains an unique pace across each page, building to possibly the most upbeat conclusion in any Batman narrative. Indeed, Frank Miller's novel concludes with a note of hope.
Conclusion
Batman comics are amazing! Comics are what introduced the fanbase to the Dark Knight and we are glad it did! As we moved forward, technology advanced enough that Batman media was digitised, yet comics are still loved by fans around the world. I hope you found this post to be a great read, check out more such similar articles on my profile.
