There's a new Batman movie--simply titled "The Batman"--coming to theaters on March 4th. I've been a life-long Bat-fan, so I thought I'd share my favorite stories about the Caped Crusader.
Batman : year one
Frank Miller
COMIC Batman Miller
Graphic Novels
The story of how Batman's career started, told in graphic novel form.
Batman : the black mirror
Scott Snyder
COMIC Batman
For years, Batman and Commissioner Gordon have stared into the unyielding black abyss that is Gotham City. Time after time, they’ve saved their beloved city from itself, not allowing it to be swallowed by a pit of violence and corruption. But even after a crime-fighting lifetime of confronting what they thought was the worst humanity had to offer, an even darker and more dangerous evil pushes Batman and Gordon to their limits. As the conflict comes closer to its resolution, they find that the truth behind this murderous crime spree isn’t just careening toward their doorstep—it has in fact emerged from it. Can two of Gotham’s proudest protectors bring justice to this malevolent threat in Commissioner Gordon’s most personal battle to date? Eisner Award-winning writer Scott Snyder launches into comics superstardom with his #1 New York Times best-selling debut work on the Dark Knight. This volume collects Detective Comics #871-881.
Not all Batman stories have Bruce Wayne wearing the mask. This features Dick Grayson (Never Ric!) being Batman in a noir soaked tale.
- Brian
Batman, the animated series. Volume one
jDVD FICTION Batman Vol. 1
Action
Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski created--in my opinion--the purest form of Batman ever in Batman: The Animated Series. The episodes written by Paul Dini are the best ones.
- Brian
Batman : dark victory
Jeph Loeb
COMIC Batman
Graphic Novels
In this sequel to the legendary Batman: The Long Halloween, another mystery killer has sprouted in Gotham City, but it's not the town we all quite knew. Once a place controlled by organized crime, Gotham City suddenly finds itself being run by lawless freaks, such as Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and the Joker. It is still early in Batman's crimefighting career, but the Dark Knight is on the verge of completing his transformation into the city's greatest defender. However, nothing he has experienced thus far—not even a new sidekick named Robin—will prepare him for the Hangman. With the murders reminiscent of the Holiday killing spree just a year ago, Batman will have to call on every one of his detective's instincts to solve a mystery that goes even deeper—and more dangerous—than any he's faced before. From the juggernaut creative team of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sales comes Batman: Dark Victory, one of the finest stories in the Dark Knight's fabled lore. Collects issues #0-13.
Batman: The Long Halloween is held up as a classic Batman story (and it is)! I prefer it's sequel, Dark Victory, waaaaaaay more though.
- Brian
Batman, Incorporated
Grant Morrison
COMIC Batman Incorporated
Graphic Novels
"The war on crime is about to go global. Returned from a fate worse than death and once again wearing the mantle of the Bat, Bruce Wayne is no longer merely Batman's secret identity. Now he's the public face and financier of Batman, Inc.-- a worldwide army of like-minded crimefighters sworn to protect society from its own worst elements. From Tokyo to Paris, from Argentina to Australia, from war-torn African villages to poverty-stricken Native American reservations, a network of Dark Knights is taking the fight to the enemy-- and evil has no place to hide. Or does it?" -- dust jacket back.
Batman, Incorporated is when Grant Morrison's sprawling epic really got good. But, if you want to read it from the beginning, start with Batman and Son.
- Brian
Batman
Tom King
COMIC Batman 2016
Graphic Novels
"A part of DC Universe: Rebirth! "I AM GOTHAM" The Caped Crusader has never been stopped. Not by the Joker. Not by Two-Face. Not even by the entire Justice League. But now, in the wake of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, Batman must face his most challenging foe ever--a hero who wants to save Gotham...from the Batman! From one of the biggest breakout writers in years and former CIA analyst, Tom King (GRAYSON, THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON) and superstar artist David Finch present BATMAN VOL. 1!"--
Tom King's current run on Batman is ridiculously good, and it's not even done yet!
- Brian
Gotham Central
Greg Rucka
COMIC Gotham
Graphic Novels
Gotham City: a town teeming with corrupt cops, ruthless crime lords, petty thieves … and just a small handful that would oppose them. Grizzled veteran Harvey Bullock, Captain Maggie Sawyer, detective Renee Montoya and the GCPD are the law force that stands between order and complete anarchy. Gotham's Finest work around the clock to not only keep the world's most psychotic criminals off the street... but also cleaning up the mess left behind by Batman's one-man war on crime. Written by critically acclaimed authors Ed Brubaker (Captain America) and Greg Rucka (52, DETECTIVE COMICS), this Eisner Award-winning series follows the detectives of Gotham City’s Special Crimes Unit as they navigate the against the city's greatest villains — in the shadow of Batman himself.
A police drama and procedural set in Gotham City. Batman is a presence--and not always a welcome one--but this is really about the men and women in uniform.
- Brian
Legends of the Dark Knight : Matt Wagner
Wagner, Matt, writer, artist.
COMIC Batman Wagner
"Matt Wagner's complete collection of Batman stories in a new hardcover format! Matt Wagner's prolific run on Batman is collected in one place for the first time ever. From a mad scientist who has created a race of giant monster men to do his bidding, to Batman encountering sinister machinations and new dimensions of wickedness as he confronts the hooded menace of the Mad Monk, there's plenty of horror and action!"--
This hardcover includes Batman and the Monster Men along with its sequel Batman and the Mad Monk. Both tales are set early in Batman's career after the events of Batman: Year One. Matt Wagner draws and writes the heck out of these stories! This was out of print the last time I made a Batman list. I was bummed, because it's one of my favorites!
- Brian
Batman : ego and other tails
Cooke, Darwyn, author, illustrator.
COMIC Batman
"From comics visionary Darwyn Cooke comes this collection of stories starring two of Gotham City's most infamous residents in BATMAN: EGO & OTHER TAILS DELUXE EDITION! This deluxe edition graphic novel brings together the pulse-pounding stories featuring Cooke's incredibles interpretations of Batman and Catwoman."--
Sadly, Darwyn Cooke passed away a few years ago. His style was perfectly suited for noir and bare-knuckle characters like Slam Bradley. This volume pulls together his Batman and Catwoman stories, and they are a treat!
- Brian
Mazzucchelli and Miller re-imagined Batman's origin with legendary results. I still want to get Mazzucchelli's artwork from this tattooed on me.
- Brian