I belong to a comic book and pop culture club that I
regularly attend on Monday nights, but I wasn’t able to do so this week. It’s a shame, because the discussion topic
was all about Batman.
This iconic comic character has had a rich history and not
all of it has been good. But one of the
reasons he is such an enduring figurehead in the industry is that he has had
some of the greatest stories in comics.
There are a lot of good Batman stories from movies, TV,
novels, video games, etc. But I want to
concentrate on how the Batman of comics is portrayed. So here is my list of the greatest Batman
Stories Ever Told (in no particular order):
1.
The Dark
Knight Returns
This is an obvious choice, but a necessary
one. Some people glorify this book as
the end-all-be-all of Batman, but it isn’t.
There is much in Miller’s story that doesn’t hold up or acts as a
distraction from the main story. But the
parts that work are unbelievably good.
Unlike Superman, Batman has to face the daily disintegration of his body
through age and wear. So how does Batman
meet his end? That is the question that
Miller answers with epic gusto.
2.
The Ten Nights of the KGBEast
This story appeared in comics and it was a
taught, tense thriller. Batman faced a
threat that was brutal and vicious and every bit as smart as him. Batman was pushed to the limit and had to
face his ultimate questions. The final
moments show us how Batman’s cold heart can sometimes be his greatest asset.
3.
Knightfall
Bane is famous for breaking the Bat. But the entire story is excellent. Before their eventual confrontation, Bruce
Wayne is at the end of his rope, barely able to hold on. He exhausted to the point of death. And then Bane breaks all of Batman’s enemies
from the Arkham Asylum. The moment after
Batman realizes this and screams in frustration is one of the character’s
lowest points. And because no one else
is capable of doing it, Batman one by one brings them in. And when he can take it no more, Bane shows
up to finish the job. Batman, in the
minds of many, is unbreakable. Seeing
Bane’s methodology made his fall believable.
4.
The Killing Joke
Many would argue that this is mainly a
Joker story, not a Batman story. But the
two are intrinsically linked. It is
Batman who gets the ball rolling by trying to reach out to the Joker and redeem
him. And even after everything that
happens in the book, Batman never gives up.
5.
A Death in the Family
This was a real turning point for the comic. Jason Todd may have been unlikeable, but he
was still a part of the family. And
Batman’s war on crime suffered its most major casualty. This failure still haunts the Dark Knight to
this day. I’ve read this story several times
and I still feel the tension as Batman races back desperately to save the
doomed Robin
6.
A Lonely Place For Dying
If A Death in the Family started Batman on
a downward spiral, A Lonely Place for Dying slowly starts bring him back into
the light. Batman has been pushing
himself full throttle, like he has a death wish. This story explains why Batman needs
Robin. I know there are a lot of people
who prefer a solo Caped Crusader, but the truth is that who Batman is can be
defined in large part to his relationships.
The Knight needs his squire to remind him what he is fighting for. This story also introduces us in a major way
to Tim Drake, who has carved out his own niche in the Batman legacy.
7.
Batman Earth One
This book is not only beautiful to look at,
but it is a dark, suspenseful story. It
stands alone very well and offers a fresh take on an amateur Batman
8.
Batman Year One
Like Dark Knight Returns, this book is
often over hyped, but the core of Miller’s story is solid and provides a very
gritty, real world for Batman to inhabit.
9.
Batman Year Two
This is the story that shows that Batman is
not an avenger but a crusader. Bruce
finally gets his chance to have revenge on the man who killed his family. But Batman is not about revenge, no matter
how much it is desired. He is about helping
those who are in danger. Batman is about
saving, not killing.
10.
Under the Hood
I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this
story. Character resurrections are a
dime-a-dozen in comics, but Judd Winick proved that the manner of the return is
less important as the compelling character questions that arise from the
return. Batman’s whole world gets turned
upside down and insights into the heroes and villains of Gotham are revealed.
11.
The Long Halloween/Dark Victory
You could almost see a through line between
Year One to Dark Victory. The brilliance
of this book is not only its noir-ish style, but that it is an actual
mystery. Seeing as how Batman began in
Detective Comics, it is a pleasure to see him exercise those skills in a long
story format.
12.
Gotham by Gaslight
This is a wonderful “What If?” type story,
setting Batman in late 1800’s Gotham tracking down an immigrated Jack the
Ripper. Mike Mignola’s art is moody and
darkly perfect.
13.
Venom
This prelude to Knightfall is its own
powerful epic. When Batman doesn’t have
the strength to save a young girl from death, he decides to take a drug to
increase his strength. But he soon
becomes an addict and loses control of himself.
We understand why Batman chose to give into the pills, but it is
fascinating to watch him slowly overcome his addiction.
14.
War on Crime
This extra large book by Paul Dini and Alex
Ross once again reminds us that Batman is set on a never-ending battle. He has quixotic impossible dream of fighting
all crime. He will never win, but the
book reminds us that winning is not found in the eradication of crime, but in
the lives and souls saved in the daily battles.
It'll never happen, but I so want to see a meeting between our two caped crusaders: Batman and Bishop Sheen.
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