batman

jakemorries

So I never fancied batman but got talked into reading zero yr and start from 21 well I read up to 25 and really enjoyed it I enjoyed it that much I ended up reading from issue zero all the way back up to 21 on digital and wow so glad I did the court of owls was bloody great.
So no im starting to be a batman fan what would u guys say is a batman must read???
I ended up doing detective comics digital too now haha

Matt

My favorites, in order:

Year One
Venom
Tower of Babel
The Cult
Death in the Family
Knightfall
Dark Knight Returns
Under the Hood
Lonely Place of Dying

I can go into great detail why each story is a great read if you need it.

M

RickM

The Denny O'Neil-Neal Adams stories from the late 60s/early 70s were a major step forward for a character that needed updating. I'm sure there are collections somewhere.

fredzilla

If you liked the current incarnation of Batman, you could also check out the new Batman and Robin (and Morrison's previous work on Batman and Robin).

jakemorries

Wow there is a few on ur list matt haha
I did hear year one and dark knight returns is a must.
Yeah I may have to have a look at batman an robin see what its like right this min im trying to get up to date with detective comics im on 19/20 I think so getting there haha.
Im thinking of collecting the zero yr comics from 21 and doing volumes/t

batlaw

The cult is another classic. I suggest some of the old school ogn like son of the demon, Arkham asylum, etc. the new lotdk is pretty good and trades of the original series would be worth while.

Krescan

No Man's Land pt 1 and 2 are really good from graphic audio if you want something to listen to instead of read

I can't comment on the reading versions I haven't made it very far yet

I also enjoyed Inferno from graphic audio too

you did ask for must reads though so I'll add Long Halloween to the list

Matt

Krescan said:

No Man's Land pt 1 and 2 are really good from graphic audio if you want something to listen to instead of read

I can't comment on the reading versions I haven't made it very far yet

I also enjoyed Inferno from graphic audio too

you did ask for must reads though so I'll add Long Halloween to the list

Its an okay story arc as a whole, with a bunch of good stories; the importance of what an apple represents, what Bruce did at the beginning of NML, what Batman was doing during Prodigal, emergence of the new Batgirl, etc.

I'm sure the audio versions are better because it'll streamline the overall story.

M

jakemorries

Audio would be cool I listen to pod casts and audio books all the time at work on the lawn mowers etc.
Welk today im going to start zero yr that is 4 comics/parts isnt it???

Torchsong

Just seconding what's already been mentioned.

Before you dig into Knightfall, though, it might not hurt to scare up a copy of "Sword of Azrael" so you'll know who this Jean-Paul Valley chap is.

Planeis

jakemorries said:

So I never fancied batman but got talked into reading zero yr and start from 21 well I read up to 25 and really enjoyed it I enjoyed it that much I ended up reading from issue zero all the way back up to 21 on digital and wow so glad I did the court of owls was bloody great.
So no im starting to be a batman fan what would u guys say is a batman must read???
I ended up doing detective comics digital too now haha

Dark Victory, The Long Halloween, No Man's Land..

NML is really long though. There's also a novelization of it that I highly reccommend if you're into that type of thing.

mwhitt80

Torchsong said:

Just seconding what's already been mentioned.

Before you dig into Knightfall, though, it might not hurt to scare up a copy of "Sword of Azrael" so you'll know who this Jean-Paul Valley chap is.

I gotta disagree there. Dive into Knightfall; all you really need to know about Jean-Paul is that he is a crazy, more hardcore, violent Batman associate (sidekickish). You get that pretty quick in the story.

kgforce

I have really enjoyed the current run of Batman and Robin by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. I'm reading it in TPB, so I'm a few months behind...

WetRats

Batman digs this thread...



And he was "Bat Guy" long before Clint Barton was "Hawk Guy"!

jakemorries

Cant believe there is so many to read but I guess they have been going on for yrs.
Do u have to read these in any order

Torchsong

mwhitt80 said:

Torchsong said:

Just seconding what's already been mentioned.

Before you dig into Knightfall, though, it might not hurt to scare up a copy of "Sword of Azrael" so you'll know who this Jean-Paul Valley chap is.

I gotta disagree there. Dive into Knightfall; all you really need to know about Jean-Paul is that he is a crazy, more hardcore, violent Batman associate (sidekickish). You get that pretty quick in the story.

The difference being before reading SoA I didn't like Jean-Paul as a character. It was all
"Who's the prick? And what makes him think he's the next Batman?"

After going back and reading SoA, JPV became one of my favorite characters, for reasons I won't divulge on here because Jake may go back and read it someday (ain't no spoiler like an old spoiler! :) ).

Matt

jakemorries said:

Cant believe there is so many to read but I guess they have been going on for yrs.
Do u have to read these in any order

You can. Here's the order I'd recommend with my list.

Year One
Venom
The Cult
Death in the Family
Lonely Place of Dying
Knightfall
Tower of Babel
Under the Hood

There are elements in each of these stories that spill over to the preceding one, except for Year One. It's just my favorite story.

Dark Knight Returns can be read whenever because its a future timeline story.

M

mwhitt80

Torchsong said:

mwhitt80 said:

Torchsong said:

Just seconding what's already been mentioned.

Before you dig into Knightfall, though, it might not hurt to scare up a copy of "Sword of Azrael" so you'll know who this Jean-Paul Valley chap is.

I gotta disagree there. Dive into Knightfall; all you really need to know about Jean-Paul is that he is a crazy, more hardcore, violent Batman associate (sidekickish). You get that pretty quick in the story.

The difference being before reading SoA I didn't like Jean-Paul as a character. It was all
"Who's the prick? And what makes him think he's the next Batman?"

After going back and reading SoA, JPV became one of my favorite characters, for reasons I won't divulge on here because Jake may go back and read it someday (ain't no spoiler like an old spoiler! :) ).

I can dig it.

CageNarleigh

'Nuff said.

Chuck_Melville

One I would recommend is The Untold Legend Of The Batman, a three-issue mini-series from the 80's by Len Wein, John Byrne and Jim Aparo. It not only tells the Silver Age origin of the Batman, but the stories behind his parents' murders, how Robin and Alfred came along, details on how he trained and who he sought out to teach him, the development of the Batcave, Batmobile, Bat Signal and all the rest. It's a bit dated now and doesn't fit too well into the current continuity I think, but is still a good, underrated series. Unfortunately, it was never collected in trade, but can probably be found in the back issues boxes.

jakemorries

Thanks for all the suggestions there is alot worth reading then I will see ifni csncfind them digital first rathwr than hunt at the comics shops for them im half way through year one and enjoying it is rhere only 4 comics in this series/arc?? Or am I missing some

Matt

jakemorries said:

Thanks for all the suggestions there is alot worth reading then I will see ifni csncfind them digital first rathwr than hunt at the comics shops for them im half way through year one and enjoying it is rhere only 4 comics in this series/arc?? Or am I missing some

No, just 4 issues, but I think 4 of the most important to the character. It establishes not just Batman, but also Gordon. You can see Nolan pulled from it even in TDK.

M

jakemorries

Well finished yesr one and I did enjoy it. like u were saying it def establishes them but prob more Gordon I really thought something worse was going to hsooen to his kid and wife.
So I have managed to find the other titles u hsve said but only one I can't find is venom.
I started to read death in family but def feel like I have missed something the way that bloke is tslking to joker abiut what he has done to gordons wife and daughter what book was rhis in??

Matt

jakemorries said:

Well finished yesr one and I did enjoy it. like u were saying it def establishes them but prob more Gordon I really thought something worse was going to hsooen to his kid and wife.
So I have managed to find the other titles u hsve said but only one I can't find is venom.
I started to read death in family but def feel like I have missed something the way that bloke is tslking to joker abiut what he has done to gordons wife and daughter what book was rhis in??

Venom was in Legends of the Dark Knight.

Its another one to add to your list:
The Killing Joke

Basically, if you know about her Oracle days, it 'happened' in The Killing Joke. Gordon was mocked & tortured by it.

M

jakemorries

Ok I forgot to say I found the killing joke as I heard some suggest that book so read this before death in family???
So is venom a book by itself or inside a different titled book?

Matt

Batman: Venom by Dennis J. O'Neil http://www.amazon.com/dp/140123383X/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_4jc6sb05GQHMH

You can also get it on Kindle.

M

jakemorries

Yep ok thanks.
So if I was going to collect the tpb of these what covers should I tey and get as some have newer ones now like thebkilling joke etc and I think year one??? How do I know whats original cover not updated

Matt

You might have to look at the description or credits to see what printing. An original printing of the Killing Joke will probably cost some bucks.

If you're just buying a TPB to read, I normally go for the cheapest edition. A printing with additional content (such as a dedication or interview) should be listed in the description.

M

jakemorries

so its not really worth getting the origional covers etc to keep maybe worth something then???
i got my eyes on a few of the titles mentioned on here on a certain bidding website. it will be something that i can take time collecting i guess as im collecting the walking dead tpb.

check this link out this bloke reckons he has put all batman story arcs in the right order there is loads haha

http://www.comicvine.com/batman/4005-1699/forums/the-full-batman-timeline-in-chronological-order-wi-654156/

Matt

jakemorries said:

so its not really worth getting the origional covers etc to keep maybe worth something then???
i got my eyes on a few of the titles mentioned on here on a certain bidding website. it will be something that i can take time collecting i guess as im collecting the walking dead tpb.

check this link out this bloke reckons he has put all batman story arcs in the right order there is loads haha

http://www.comicvine.com/batman/4005-1699/forums/the-full-batman-timeline-in-chronological-order-wi-654156/

Ah...sure. LOL.

M

jakemorries

Im so shocked on how many batman stories there are thats hell alot of reading imagine some of it wont be that great is that right?
I have just read first part of the cult and its bloody mad haha looks like another great book to read.
Will have to go back to venom when I find it