The 25 Greatest Batman Graphic Novels!!!

[trustyside-kick]

Yeah. The one that you're thinking of is Morrison's Arkham. It has nothing to do with Living Hell. It's easily one of the best Batman stories, and it's it's just a plain great horror story.

Man, I got the wrong one lol. I wanted that one. Not Living Hell; it is okay though.

 

[OneKnight]

There are three recognized Arkham stories:

1. Arkham Asylum - A serious House on Serious Earth that ToddIsDead is talking about (He's right, it's great).

2. The Last Arkham (which is the first four issues from the Shadow of the Bat series which started in 1992).

3. Arkham Asylum - Living Hell (a six part comic series that you can now get as a trade paperback)
_______________________________________________

I've been wanting to read Arkham Asylum. Just out of curiousity is this story a stand alone one or is it in continuity. I am not asking to determine if I should read it or not just curious.

Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth and Arkham Asylum - Living Hell fall under Miscellaneous or stand alone as TID said. They’re not in continuity, but they’re not Elseworlds either.

http://www.thebatsquad.net/batman/misc/index.htm

First row. Third and fourth.

What about "Penguin Triumphant" folks?

I know it, but I've never read it. It also falls under miscellaneous. (See link above) Fourth row. First one.

WARNING : COMPLETE SPOILAGE if you click on the cover picture once you get there. Snipe gives a complete review.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Arkham Asylum- Living Hell?

What's that about really?

 

[Mee]

Arkham Asylum- Living Hell?

What's that about really?

I think it's about a new inmate who's meeting all the crazies. If I remember right.

 

[OneKnight]

Arkham Asylum- Living Hell?

What's that about really?

Warren White, one of Gotham's most successful financiers, thought he could beat his jail rap by pleading insanity. Now he's finding out why you don't cop an insanity plea in Gotham! Expect appearances by Batman, The Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, and the rest of Arkham's regulars — plus the debut of several new Rogues!


AA - A Serious House on Serious Earth is the best of the three. If you only get one, I suggest you get that.

 

[Kraven]

Is the Knightfall Saga in continuity? I mean, Bats broke his back, but before long he's okay again?

 

[trustyside-kick]

Is the Knightfall Saga in continuity? I mean, Bats broke his back, but before long he's okay again?

Yea. Why wouldn't it be? Azrael becomes Batman while Bruce is hurt and then I think Dick in Prodigal.

 

[Kraven]

Yea. Why wouldn't it be? Azrael becomes Batman while Bruce is hurt and then I think Dick in Prodigal.

Well, I was just under the impression that breaking your back isn't something you heal from somewhat quickly.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Well, I was just under the impression that breaking your back isn't something you heal from somewhat quickly.

Oh ya. I mean the first big book of the Knightfall Saga just about is Bats fighting and then he gets his back broken...the next 2 books that make up the Knightfall Saga Bats isn't Bats until like the end of the 3rd one. They did a good job with how fast/slow he healed.

 

[Malone]

This is my list:

1. Hush
2. The Long Halloween
3. Knightfall
4. Year One

 

[ToddIsDead]

Well, I was just under the impression that breaking your back isn't something you heal from somewhat quickly.

He was healed by a witch doctor, so that kind of sped up the process.

 

[trustyside-kick]

I've commented about other people's lists or have discussed some of the Graphic Novels mentioned but I believe I have not made my own.

I am only going to list my top 5 Batman stories because after the first 5 to me the rest are just like "Okay I liked this one a lot and this one too...but I will list this one before the other anyway." So here is my top 5:

1. The Long Halloween
2. The Man Who Laughs
3. Dark Victory
4. Hush
5. Year One

 

[Ben Urich]

Are there really 25 truly great Batman stories that have been collected?
I can think of a few, but certainly not 25.
In no particular order:

• Arkham Asylum: Serious House on a Serious Earth
• The Long Halloween
• Dark Victory
• Strange Apparitions
• Year One
• The Dark Knight Returns
• The Killing Joke
• Gotham by Gaslight

These two aren't just Batman stories, but he figures prominently in them:

• Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity
• Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

This one only counts if you read the (badass) novelization by Greg Rucka - the comic was just... disappointing.

• No Man's Land

I think Hush is an okay story, but it's tremendously overrated.

 

[Fred_Fury]

Thanks for posting the list. I just read Batman: The Dark Knight returns (****ing awesome book!) and Ive been wanting to get more Batman Graphic Novels.

 

[Ben Urich]

Thanks for posting the list. I just read Batman: The Dark Knight returns (****ing awesome book!) and Ive been wanting to get more Batman Graphic Novels.

I had to read and reread DKR at least 5 times before I really started to appreciate it. It's cool that you got it on your first try.

 

[Silver Ghost]

10. Red Rain
9 . Prey
8. Ten Nights of the Beast
7. Son of the Demon
6. The Killing Joke
5. Venom
4. Shaman
3. Knightfall
2. Year One
1. The Dark Knight Returns

A top 25 is a stretch as my reading is largely relegated to the modern era, even if the trade paperback format usually only reprints stories from this time where the medium became more aware and recognized as a serious from of art and literature.
I find Batman to be the most versatile and unique character in the whole industry and place Dark Knight Returns on top for helping to expand the market and adding more dimension to the mythos.
For all the discussions of Miller’s work being overrated it has garnered an overblown reputation throughout the years but it's still powerful storytelling and indicative of how the bat books have been static since that timeframe. They’re still much more relevant and important to the mythos than Halloween or Victory, which was just a cut and paste overlay of the general modern landscape of Batman and mob films. The books are well written enough not to be dismissed, and readable to an extent but whether those writings are worth reading I’m not real sure, as they’re places readers are already familiar with, recycled scenarios and events to pander to the fan base, 700 pages that’s more a random collection of events. The stories have no depth or foundation with so many characters, and that implausible shock ending which is not justified by the writing. Halloween/Victory presents a lot of old themes or events done before and better. I wouldn’t include either on any best of list. And I’m not sure why after Hush and how it nearly obliterated the recent, strong continuity of the realm, the same derision wasn't laid upon that story like Miller’s DKSA. It's another fasle exploitative "mystery" that leaves more questions than answers and has that same derivative, inconsistent tone of previous writings.

 

[Kraven]

Edit: I realize the answer to my question was on the last page, so instead I'm posting my top 4 trades of the 4 I own.

1. The Killing Joke
2. Arkham Asylum
3. Year One
4. The Long Halloween

 

[thehappster]

Compiling everybody's list from this thread, this is what comes out as the winners for top 5:

1. Long Halloween
2. Year One
3. Dark Knight Returns
4. Killing Joke
5. Hush

(I'd have to agree with the first 4 for sure, not sure about the last one though.)