Popping My Comic Book Cherry - LOL

[Frontier]

I'm a big Batman fan. I know a lot of what has occured in the comics, even though I have never read them. Why have I never read them? It always seemed to be to be like diving into a pool that was 600 feet deep. So many comics, no idea where to begin. That, and it honestly gives me a bit of a headache, to try to focus on one panel when you can see the outcome in your peripheral vision three panels down.

That said... I could not resist any longer.

I recently bought a bunch of the re-issue anthologies of some of the best Bat comics I had heard about. The ones used for inspiration by Nolan and company, for starters: Year One, Dark Victory, The Long Halloween, The Killing Joke. I also got some others that just looked good. Arkam Asylum, Blind Justice, The Dark Knight Returns and it's sequel The Dark Knight Strikes Again.

So... where should I begin with all of those?

And what other comics would you suggest I get ahold of? The best of the best and such.

Also, I remember hearing about a Batman comic where he took on Al'Qeida. Anyone know the title of that? If it happened.

 

[Billabong7329]

Read the ones you have in this order:

Year One
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
The Killing Joke
The Dark Knight Returns
The Dark Knight Strikes Again

Some other essentials:

HUSH (Awesome story)
Knightfall
No Man's Land (another GREAT read IMO)
Death in the family
LODK: Venom

In fact, if you can get a hold of the first 50-75 issues of Legends of the Dark Knight, you will be in for a treat. I never hear anyone talk about these stories, but they are all amazing IMO. Every now and then there is a boring arc, but the great ones more than make up for it!

If you really want to get into the orgins of the character, they have trades called "Showcase" which each feature the earliest issues of various characters. They contain about 500 pages of stories for under $20. The main drawback is that it is all in black and white, but if you can get past that it would be a good investment. However, those early issues might not be what you are looking for. Batman was a lot different then compared to onw. Its great if you are really into the character, but I think it might be something best saved for later.

Hope some of this helped out.

Also, Batman vs Al'Queida (not the name of the comic) never happened. I haven't heard anything about it in quite a while in fact.

 

[bulletbillx]

browse these topics for good books and if something you read does not make sense check wikipedia or ask a question on this forum:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=158801

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=292955

 

[sclabguy]

ah man about three years ago i was right where u are... now i've read almost every batman comic since 87

 

[Majic Walrus]

Read the ones you have in this order:

Year One
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
The Killing Joke
The Dark Knight Returns
The Dark Knight Strikes Again

Some other essentials:

HUSH (Awesome story)
Knightfall
No Man's Land (another GREAT read IMO)
Death in the family
LODK: Venom

...

Excellent list.

 

[Dark Victory]

ah man about three years ago i was right where u are... now i've read almost every batman comic since 87

Same here. Last year I knew nothing about Batman but now I've read and bought just about every issue, tpb, and hardcover.

 

[Frontier]

Well, I got 3 of the ones I ordered. Only read the two, as one is TDKSA, and that's a sequel to TDKR which I don't yet have.

Year One was good. Very obvious where they drew a number of items from for Begins. I don't think they gave Bruce enough in that one, though. It seemed more about Gordon.

I really liked The Killing Joke a lot, though. The animation was the best I've ever seen in a comic. The story was really a far throw from normal. I see the connection between it and Dent in TDK.

 

[Quinzel]

DC's website has the "30 essential comics" to read.

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/essential30/

 

[Frontier]

Well, I'm officially a fan of the comics now, too. All these years as a batfan, I'd never really read more than a glancing one. Now... I see what all the fuss is about!

So far, I've read...

Year One
The Killing Joke (Excellent!)
The Long Halloween (Excellent!)

I'm reading it's follow-up, Dark Victory.

Next will be Arkham Asylum.

I've got TDKSA, but not TDKR, have to wait until SEPTEMBER for it.

I've also ordered about 10-15 more.

So far, Loeb and Sale rock my world.

Although the art in Klling Joke is just out of this world.

I do have one question about Killing Joke, though...

Did the Joker "do" anything to Barbara Gordon outside of taking pictures? You know what I mean...

I remember a friend telling me a few years back about how there was a definitive Joker comic, where he shoots her in the spine and - my friend said - rapes her. I always found this very, VERY hard to believe. They where pretty tip-toe around it in the comic. Somehow though, it doesn't seem something Joker would do. Humiliation is one thing, taking the photos to humiliate her and Gordon and ad fuel to the fire, ok. But... beyond that, it doesn't seem likely. Was Craig (friend) crazy?

 

[Venom 1988]

I do have one question about Killing Joke, though...

Did the Joker "do" anything to Barbara Gordon outside of taking pictures? You know what I mean...

I remember a friend telling me a few years back about how there was a definitive Joker comic, where he shoots her in the spine and - my friend said - rapes her. I always found this very, VERY hard to believe. They where pretty tip-toe around it in the comic. Somehow though, it doesn't seem something Joker would do. Humiliation is one thing, taking the photos to humiliate her and Gordon and ad fuel to the fire, ok. But... beyond that, it doesn't seem likely. Was Craig (friend) crazy?

No he didn't rape her