The Batman comics recommendation thread! - Part 1

[shallbecomeabat]

I began to flip through this because I expected the art to be good.

I got as far as seeing the Riddler's ******ed new hair-do, watching Batman punch every single one of his rogues gallery in a matter of 20 panels, and decided it looked corny and lame, put it down and picked up another book instead. (I've read enough mediocre comics in my time that I have little patience anymore, I know it seems harsh. haha)

Since my first impression was so sour, can you give me an example that would change my mind and recapture my interest?

Maybe post a scan of a really good page?

That was just a really cool (in my opinion) action set-up to showcase the new art team and Bruce return as the one, true Batman. I cannot understand how that could upset anyone. I mean, of course Batman beats up those guys in a few seconds. Riddler, Pyg, Harvey and the others aren't very tough fighters in my opinion. Secondly, Bruce had help. He didn't do it alone.

I don't have scans, sorry, but I really recommend the book. It takes Bruce out of his comfort zone, gives a big, creepy mystery with an old Gotham nursery rhyme and legend. Its a sort of secret society of people who try to drive him mad. This society, the Court Of Owls, has been in Gotham since the 1800s and Bruce always thought they were only a myth. They knew about Bruce, but didn't attack him, because he never felt like a big enough threat before. I mean... Batman... not big enough of a threat for an evil shadow group that secretly rules Gotham... how can you top that setup? They regard the guy who just beat up all these guys in the asylum... as not that big of a threat. For that alone, the action sequence at the beginning is golden!
Other than that... its a really, great story. Sure, as I said elsewhere, the ingredients may not be completely new, but the way Snyder mixes them, is just stunning.

Hell... didn't you read Batman Black Mirror? That should be reason enough for you to be all over this book.

 

[SchumacherFan]

Can someone recommend me the best stories for each of these villains:

Joker = Killing Joke
Bane = Knightfall
Riddler = ???
Two Face = Long Halloween
Scarecrow = ?????
Catwoman = Dark Victory
Freeze = ???
Penguin = ???
Hugo Strange = Prey

 

[The Morningstar]

The Haunted Knight is pretty good for Scarecrow. Penguin was pretty cool in No Mans Land.

 

[Cobblepot]

Riddler - Dark Knight, Dark City

 

[CConn]

Joker's best story is The Man Who Laughs or The Laughing Fish.

 

[MrWayne]

So what books has everyone been reading up on story wise in preperation for TDKR?

 

[AnneFan]

So what books has everyone been reading up on story wise in preperation for TDKR?

Knightfall, TDK Returns, No Man's Land, The Cult, etc.

By the way, I finally picked up the Prey reprint, which has Terror included with it. A good read, worth getting IMO.

 

[shallbecomeabat]

So what books has everyone been reading up on story wise in preperation for TDKR?

Strangely enough I always try to read stories that are as far away from the plot of the movie, in anticipation for it. I think reading Knightfall wouldn't really mesh well with the vibe I'm getting from the movie, for me at least.

Last thin I read was the Batman Detective Comics hardcover that came out this month. I really liked the first arc with Joker and Dollmaker (it wasn't great or anything, but entertaining, dark and grimy and I like that), but the follow up with Penguin was all over the place and absolutely boring. Couldn't tell you what it was about the day after I read it, thats how forgettable it was. Still, I kinda like Daniels art style, even if he was much better when he drew for Morrison.

Looking forward to the Batman&Robin hardcover next week and Batman Earth One, even if I think that the latter could be a trainwreck.

 

[-Arya-]

So what books has everyone been reading up on story wise in preperation for TDKR?

Just finished The Long Halloween, and I'm about to start on Batman Year One. Ideally, I'd like to read Knightfall, but it looks to be so damn long that I'll probably pick it up after TDKR is released.

Btw, I have a question about TLH

Spoiler

Was the holiday killer Alberto Falcone or Gilda? Initially I thought it was Alberto the whole time because he, of course faked his death, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Gamingboy]

I was going to make a thread called the "Dark Knight Rises reading list", but I figure this covers it more, so here it is:


Knightfall- Still the best Bane story (not surprisingly, it's one that really plays up Bane's intelligence) and overall a fun ride.

Cataclysm and No Man's Land: It's ironic that one of the best stories about Gotham City itself basically required that the entire city get destroyed by an Earthquake and then be plunged into total anarchy as the federal government abandons it. Very long, but a great read in which the Batman family, the GCPD and the remaining Gothamites try to take the city (or what's left of it) back from the escapees from Arkham.

The Dark Knight Returns: It hasn't aged very well, but it's still the prototypical "End of the Batman story" by which all others are judged.

Whatever Happened to the Dark Knight?- Pretty recent, and definitely not going to be inspiring much of anything inside DKR, but Neil Gaiman basically wrote the Batman story to end all Batman stories. I don't know whether Batman will live or die in Rises, but this is a story that really speaks to how no matter what, Batman is a character that will never die.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: Probably should get going on this...

 

[CConn]

I give you credit for listing the last one.

 

[Vengeance of Bane]

So what books has everyone been reading up on story wise in preperation for TDKR?

I few of the comics I've read have already been mentioned (No man's land, Knightfall ect.), but I also read Gotham by Gaslight even though it didn't really have any similarities with the Nolanverse.

 

[CConn]

You reminded me...

Vengeance of Bane was just added to Comixology.

 

[AnneFan]

I would recommend Batman Year 100. I think it's awesome.

 

[molp]

can anyone recommend any decent story arcs that are available on the DC I phone app , so far I have year one, Hush, Heart of Hush, Knightfall, Under the red hood, Death in the family, Dark Victory and The long Halloween,

 

[CConn]

No Man's Land
The Court of Owls (Batman #1-7)
The Laughing Fish (Detective #475-476)
The Black Glove (Detective #871-881)
Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Batman: Fugitive
Batman and Robin: Nobody (Batman and Robin #1-8)
Batwoman: Elegy (Detective #854-863)
Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Batman #686 and Detective #853)
Grant Morrison's Batman Run (Batman #655-658, #664-683)
Morrison's Batman and Robin (Batman and Robin #1-16)
Morrison's Batman Inc. (Batman Inc. #1-8, plus a Special, Batman Inc. Vol. 2 #1-2)

A few off the top of my head.

 

[molp]

No Man's Land
The Court of Owls (Batman #1-7)
The Laughing Fish (Detective #475-476)
The Black Glove (Detective #871-881)
Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Batman: Fugitive
Batman and Robin: Nobody (Batman and Robin #1-8)
Batwoman: Elegy (Detective #854-863)
Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Batman #686 and Detective #853)
Grant Morrison's Batman Run (Batman #655-658, #664-683)
Morrison's Batman and Robin (Batman and Robin #1-16)
Morrison's Batman Inc. (Batman Inc. #1-8, plus a Special, Batman Inc. Vol. 2 #1-2)

A few off the top of my head.

Thanks for list, I've been thinking of reading No Mans land. Will I need to read Cataclysm before hand?

 

[CConn]

Eh, not really.

There was an Earthquake.

That's all you really need to know.

 

[TheSpartanX54]

I highly, highly recommend Batman: The Long Halloween. Basically it's the orgin story of Two-Face. There's also a nice little serial killer mystery with many twists and turns. I would definetely recommend this to fans of The Dark Knight since this trade was a major inspiration.

 

[Nite-Watchman]

Everyone give Batman: Earth One a chance. It's incredible. If Batman did exist, I can see him existing in that fashion. You'll see what I mean when you read (but will say..... a Bruce that is consumed by anger that emerges when he's out at night, and he trips up about as much as a real human would.... and his character development by the end of the story is excellent). Plus, Alfred is a total reimagining as far as personality. He's a heavy-hitter war veteran that taught Bruce to fight. The main villain, Penguin, is the most interesting incarnation of that character I've seen outside of Batman Returns.

 

[molp]

does anyone know if the New 52 Batman Beyond and Justice league Beyond any good?

 

[titansupes]

I'm looking into getting Batman: Birth of the Demon trilogy from Amazon, I hear great things. Anybody have any thoughts on those?

 

[theLegend]

These are the MUST HAVES

1) TDK Returns
2) Year One
3) Long Halloween
4) Killing Joke
5) Man Who Laughs

Honorable Mention: Year 100

 

[CConn]

does anyone know if the New 52 Batman Beyond and Justice league Beyond any good?

They're very good.

JLBeyond and Superman Beyond moreso than Batman, though.

 

[Holiday]

These are the MUST HAVES

1) TDK Returns
2) Year One
3) Long Halloween
4) Killing Joke
5) Man Who Laughs

Honorable Mention: Year 100

Long Halloween should only be a must have for fans of Tim Sale. People need to pick up Batman Annual 14 instead, the book LH borrows from so heavily.