Best Batman graphic novels?
- Thread starter Howlrunner
- Start date
The Aviator
New Member
Since some of the best such as Hush, Dark Victory, Long Halloween and Killing Joke have been mentioned I will add one I thought was interesting which was Batman versus Predator. Not the top of the heap but would recommend.
Unresponsible
Member
Another great crossover:
Batman and Grendel by Matt Wagner. The first one, dealing with Hunter Rose is definitely superior to the sequel.
Batman and Grendel by Matt Wagner. The first one, dealing with Hunter Rose is definitely superior to the sequel.
CB2001
Master Member
I've read The Killing Joke. It's not a bad story, but its not great either. Yes, Alan Moore is a great writer, but when it comes to reading The Killing Joke and comparing the story to other works by him, it's like he was running on a lack of sleep at the time and wasn't as sharp in the execution. But, even with that, we see a side of the Joker that previously hadn't been seen, and we're left with the possibility of what we saw may not have been real. And the most brutal scene, with the Joker does to Barbara Gordon is probably the most brutal that we've seen from the Joker. I know The Killing Joke is held in a high regard, as it inspired both Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan's versions of the Joker character, but if you're expecting something extremely insightful and top notch like with Watchmen, it's just better to disregard comparison to other Moore's writings and just compare it with other Batman stories (as its on par with the others).
I give The Killing Joke a recommended.
I give The Killing Joke a recommended.
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Zombie_61
Master Member
More votes here for Batman: Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, and Gotham By Gaslight.
Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, is just that--Bruce Wayne's career as Batman in the earliest days. If you truly want to see the early days of Batman, I suggest you pick up a copy of Batman Chronicles, Volume 1 (the first in a series of collected reprints of the first Batman comics from 1939).
The Dark Knight Returns, written and drawn by Frank Miller, is the story of a middle-aged Batman coming out of retirement to fight crime in Gotham City once again. It's follow-up series, The Dark Knight Strikes Again (also by Frank Miller) isn't nearly as good, but not a bad read regardless.
Gotham By Gaslight, by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, is one of those "What if?" stories, as in "What if Batman existed in 1889 and Jack the Ripper was in Gotham City?"
Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, is just that--Bruce Wayne's career as Batman in the earliest days. If you truly want to see the early days of Batman, I suggest you pick up a copy of Batman Chronicles, Volume 1 (the first in a series of collected reprints of the first Batman comics from 1939).
The Dark Knight Returns, written and drawn by Frank Miller, is the story of a middle-aged Batman coming out of retirement to fight crime in Gotham City once again. It's follow-up series, The Dark Knight Strikes Again (also by Frank Miller) isn't nearly as good, but not a bad read regardless.
Gotham By Gaslight, by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, is one of those "What if?" stories, as in "What if Batman existed in 1889 and Jack the Ripper was in Gotham City?"
Scareb
Sr Member
Cacophony sucked, I got through and doubt i'll be reading it again.
Batman and Robin by grant morrison is a good read, there are 3 trades so far. Streets of Gotham, Same thing. Heart of Hush was a really good read, one of the precursers to the death of batman.
And not quite batman but Gotham City Sirens is a great read.
Batman and Robin by grant morrison is a good read, there are 3 trades so far. Streets of Gotham, Same thing. Heart of Hush was a really good read, one of the precursers to the death of batman.
And not quite batman but Gotham City Sirens is a great read.
Scapey
Sr Member
For a slightly lighter set of stories ( Since most of the above, while all awesome, are more modern, darker tales ), pick u p the Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told and Greatest Joker Stories Ever told collections if you can.
Loads of stuff from the beginning up to the late 80s in there.
Loads of stuff from the beginning up to the late 80s in there.
Minder Thr33
Sr Member
Black & White tells some great stories as well.
It's been mentioned numerous times, but Year One is my fave as well.
If you want to check out the novels (you know, the one with just words and no pictures, lol) look for "Batman: The Ultimate Evil" and "No Man's Land". I never read the No Man's Land tpb, but for as long as it ran, I think it was a giant mess. The novel is written by the head writer, so it's a probably a condensed version, without all the fat.
It's been mentioned numerous times, but Year One is my fave as well.
If you want to check out the novels (you know, the one with just words and no pictures, lol) look for "Batman: The Ultimate Evil" and "No Man's Land". I never read the No Man's Land tpb, but for as long as it ran, I think it was a giant mess. The novel is written by the head writer, so it's a probably a condensed version, without all the fat.
If you're ready to get into the Batman canon, I would do a little research and find the list of Batman graphic nobels in chronelogical order. Collecting the graphic novels is a good way to avoid buying the individual issues to complete whole story arcs.
Buying and reading the novels in chronological order also gives you that sense of completion and understanding of the characters progression throughout the years.
One of my favorates, aside from the beforementioned classics, would be War Games and War Drums.
Buying and reading the novels in chronological order also gives you that sense of completion and understanding of the characters progression throughout the years.
One of my favorates, aside from the beforementioned classics, would be War Games and War Drums.
The Aviator
New Member
Lol. Howlrunner avert your eyes. You are on a collision spoiler course if you read two posts above. 
I know you said graphics but these are currently able to be found on the shelf comics if you look, Scott Snyder is writing some great stuff right now, just finished an arc in Detective Comics that I think is going to be a novel form in 2012 sometime. And his Gates of Gotham is up to issue #4 out of 5 and is a great read.
He'll also be taking over the reigns with Batman #1 when DC starts up their new 52 next month. (Along with Swamp Thing!)
He'll also be taking over the reigns with Batman #1 when DC starts up their new 52 next month. (Along with Swamp Thing!)
lol like i said, you really have to read both cacophony and widening gyre start to finish or its no where near as good. and yea its quite a bit different but the further you go, you really see who batman is at his core. and the ending is completely a shock
Bizarro Lois
Sr Member
There have already been some good ones mentioned, but I'm a fan of the Starlin and Aparro run, and there was a story I especially liked called, "10 Nights of the Beast." It introduces you to the KGBeast and sets up some stuff about Jason Todd(Robin 2). Also, "Strange Apparitions," by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers is a classic. "Long Halloween," "Tales of the Demon," and "Dark Victory" are all very good stories. I also like "Batman: the Cult" quite a bit. If you want to read the run that ended with readers voting on the fate of Jason Todd, there's "A Death in the Family." Not as spectacular, but a key moment in Batman's life.
OptimusWang
New Member
Another vote for Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. After reading Millers stuff, you can see where Nolan borrowed lots of it for the new movies. If you hunt around a little bit, you can find them packaged together in a nice leatherbound hardback.
Howlrunner
Master Member
Thanks for the recommendations. :thumbsup
I'm not really going for chronological order (though maybe I should). I've just finished The Wrath and am nearly finished Hush (yeah, chronological order would have made a big different on the payoff of Hush, but I had heard the reveal before I started it anyway).
Love the artwork in those two!
I'm not really going for chronological order (though maybe I should). I've just finished The Wrath and am nearly finished Hush (yeah, chronological order would have made a big different on the payoff of Hush, but I had heard the reveal before I started it anyway).
Love the artwork in those two!
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