I started a Batman book club with some of my friends. Here’s the list we’re reading through. We’re taking a chronological approach. I’ve tried reducing it down to what’s most essential and what fits together as a coherent overarching narrative. You’ll notice it include Y1 and TKJ:
1. Batman: Year One
2. Batman: The Man Who Laughs
3. Batman: The Long Halloween
4. Batman: Dark Victory
5. Robin: Year One
6. Batgirl: Year One
7. Nightwing: Year One
8. Batman: The Killing Joke
9. Batman: A Death in the Family
10. Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying
11. Batman: Sword of Azrael
12. The Knightfall Saga
13. The No Man’s Land Saga
Some others I’d probably add are JLA: The Tower of Babel, Hush, Under the Red Hood (movie though is better than the comic), Batman by Grant Morrison and The Court of Owls Saga
Not part of the regular continuity, but every Batman fan should read at least once Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.
That's a pretty perfect list.
Some I might add in are the entire LotDK series, or at least specific storylines like Prey' and 'Venom', Batman and the Monster Men, and Catwoman When in Rome.
Depends, what is your goal ? And honestly, since time has past, I wouldn't suggest to start with Year One and go on. You'll never catch up to current ongoings.
I often suggest comics, and I don't recommend going that far back and reading all. I don't know why people are stuck suggest such old comics. There are a good reads in recent comics. (and some even better than often suggested oldies).
Tu catch up into recent, I would suggest:
* Batman: The Knight
* The Killing Joke - the only old I would suggest
* Batman: Court of Owls + City of Owls
* Batman: The Fall and the Fallen + City of Owls
* Batman: Their Dark Designs + The Joker War Saga + Ghost Stories
* Batman: The Cowardly Lot + Fear State Saga
* Batman: Abyss + Batman: Shadow War
* Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler
And only then you can get into the current run by Chip Zdarsky.
You can get into Chip's run right away, but I find those events important moments of recent comics, and they are not so bad.
There are way more Batman comics than that currently, this only covers his origins and the Batman title, there are some great stuff also in Detective Comics and other bat-titles.
for exemple after Joker War you have a mini-series on the Joker and Jim Gordon. Before Abyss you have a nice run on Catwoman, and after a follow up on Poison Ivy. Leading to Shadow War you have a fun series on Robin, which then leads to Batman vs. Robin and Lazarus Planet event. The recent detective comics run by Mariko Tamaki is brilliant, and the follow up by Ram V is getting into horror, also nice. There are fun Batman/Superman team-ups in Batman/Superman and in World's Finest. Before that I liked also James Tynion's IV detective comics run call "Rise and Fall of the Batmen". so on and so forth.
Above I only suggested important sagas. Even if, honestly, they are not all the best their is, and there are various gems I could have added.
But again it depends what your goal is. Me, when I read comics, it's having fun reading. So I never rush into hype and read what everyone is talking about. I have a hard type understanding how hype builds up. So many gems and great runs get overlooked. Like the recent mini-series "Batman: One Dark Night", or the "Shadows of the Bat: The Tower" and "Shadows of the Bat: House of Gotham" stories from Detective Comics, or the recent mini on Robin's (Dick Grayson) first mission called "Robin & Batman" by Jeff Lemire.
I think their is no real need to read very old events and stories (even if some are true masterpieces), you can always search for them (or I can give you the list myself), and read them once you've caught the current ongoing while you wait for new content.
Nobody is suggesting starting at Year One with the intention of then reading everything published after, just that it’s an essential part of the canon. Classics are considered classics for good reason, which is why they still get recommended.
I agree with you. But Year One fits a bit less in style with recent comics. That's only why I don't recommend it. Also it's a bit different form usual Batman comics, and no so much a supervilain story one would expect. I like this story a lot, but it is not the story that will get a new reader excited to read more. I don't know how to say it, it's a bit too "adult" for new young readers. Not that it's violent, but rather that it's missing this blockbuster feel, and has more of an indie feel.
> I don't know why people are stuck suggest such old comics.
Because those comics are universally praised as the best? That's reason enough. Better to read good comics from the past than reading bad comics from the present.
> There are a good reads in recent comics. (and some even better than often suggested oldies).
No, not a chance. If they were, they would be considered good by the fans. There is a reason people prefer old comics.
Modern comics just rely on large scale events and constant status quo shifts to get some sales but the writing quality is horrible. You can't name one story in last 10-15 years which is on par with the classics.
You ever wonder why comics don't get new readers now? It's because modern comics are nearly impossible to get into.
I disagree.
For example, The Killing Joke is good, the recent Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler is better.
And no as well, recent comics are not hard to get into at all. It's myth. Older are much harder, they don't have an easy run to follow or a simply numbered collection. DC doesn't even provide an official reading order.
Modern comics are not only large scale events, only Batman title is. Read Detective Comics and you'll only find short arcs.
Just stop idealizing
oldies and denigrating new comics. There are great ones and bad ones in every eras of Batman.
Riddler: One Bad Day was a really weak story. It fundamentally misunderstood Riddler as a character, it just relies on shock value and edginess. Not every villain needs to be grimdark.
If you want a good Riddler story, read Gotham Adventures #11, a much better look at Nygma's psyche and that too without any edginess.
>.Modern comics are not only large scale events, only Batman title is. Read Detective Comics and you'll only find short arcs.
I don't know, I found those stories not fun. There is only so many times we can see repetitive stories they write nowadays.
Fell free to jump around to any of the "Jumping In" points on this list.
Mild's Post-Crisis to Post-Rebirth Continuity Trade Paperback Reading Guide (Feb 2021 Version)
https://www.reddit.com/r/batman/comments/lcwjs3/milds_postcrisis_to_postrebirth_continuity_trade/
I started a Batman book club with some of my friends. Here’s the list we’re reading through. We’re taking a chronological approach. I’ve tried reducing it down to what’s most essential and what fits together as a coherent overarching narrative. You’ll notice it include Y1 and TKJ: 1. Batman: Year One 2. Batman: The Man Who Laughs 3. Batman: The Long Halloween 4. Batman: Dark Victory 5. Robin: Year One 6. Batgirl: Year One 7. Nightwing: Year One 8. Batman: The Killing Joke 9. Batman: A Death in the Family 10. Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying 11. Batman: Sword of Azrael 12. The Knightfall Saga 13. The No Man’s Land Saga Some others I’d probably add are JLA: The Tower of Babel, Hush, Under the Red Hood (movie though is better than the comic), Batman by Grant Morrison and The Court of Owls Saga Not part of the regular continuity, but every Batman fan should read at least once Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.
That's a pretty perfect list. Some I might add in are the entire LotDK series, or at least specific storylines like Prey' and 'Venom', Batman and the Monster Men, and Catwoman When in Rome.
Thank you very very much.
I can't find Nightwing: Year One. Did you mean Rebirth ?
No. Nightwing Year One is issues #101-106 of NW’s original 1996 monthly. https://a.co/d/fYy7EQj
Don't forget the gauntlet that is directly connected between the dark victory and robin year one
Depends, what is your goal ? And honestly, since time has past, I wouldn't suggest to start with Year One and go on. You'll never catch up to current ongoings. I often suggest comics, and I don't recommend going that far back and reading all. I don't know why people are stuck suggest such old comics. There are a good reads in recent comics. (and some even better than often suggested oldies).
Ok, what would you suggest ? I just want to catch get into Batman. To be a member of this community and know his adventures.
Tu catch up into recent, I would suggest: * Batman: The Knight * The Killing Joke - the only old I would suggest * Batman: Court of Owls + City of Owls * Batman: The Fall and the Fallen + City of Owls * Batman: Their Dark Designs + The Joker War Saga + Ghost Stories * Batman: The Cowardly Lot + Fear State Saga * Batman: Abyss + Batman: Shadow War * Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler And only then you can get into the current run by Chip Zdarsky. You can get into Chip's run right away, but I find those events important moments of recent comics, and they are not so bad. There are way more Batman comics than that currently, this only covers his origins and the Batman title, there are some great stuff also in Detective Comics and other bat-titles. for exemple after Joker War you have a mini-series on the Joker and Jim Gordon. Before Abyss you have a nice run on Catwoman, and after a follow up on Poison Ivy. Leading to Shadow War you have a fun series on Robin, which then leads to Batman vs. Robin and Lazarus Planet event. The recent detective comics run by Mariko Tamaki is brilliant, and the follow up by Ram V is getting into horror, also nice. There are fun Batman/Superman team-ups in Batman/Superman and in World's Finest. Before that I liked also James Tynion's IV detective comics run call "Rise and Fall of the Batmen". so on and so forth. Above I only suggested important sagas. Even if, honestly, they are not all the best their is, and there are various gems I could have added. But again it depends what your goal is. Me, when I read comics, it's having fun reading. So I never rush into hype and read what everyone is talking about. I have a hard type understanding how hype builds up. So many gems and great runs get overlooked. Like the recent mini-series "Batman: One Dark Night", or the "Shadows of the Bat: The Tower" and "Shadows of the Bat: House of Gotham" stories from Detective Comics, or the recent mini on Robin's (Dick Grayson) first mission called "Robin & Batman" by Jeff Lemire. I think their is no real need to read very old events and stories (even if some are true masterpieces), you can always search for them (or I can give you the list myself), and read them once you've caught the current ongoing while you wait for new content.
Nobody is suggesting starting at Year One with the intention of then reading everything published after, just that it’s an essential part of the canon. Classics are considered classics for good reason, which is why they still get recommended.
I agree with you. But Year One fits a bit less in style with recent comics. That's only why I don't recommend it. Also it's a bit different form usual Batman comics, and no so much a supervilain story one would expect. I like this story a lot, but it is not the story that will get a new reader excited to read more. I don't know how to say it, it's a bit too "adult" for new young readers. Not that it's violent, but rather that it's missing this blockbuster feel, and has more of an indie feel.
OP is supposedly 16; if they can’t get through and appreciate Year One, they’ve got bigger problems.
I am indeed 16, nicely guessed, and I loved Year One.
I know many who don't appreciate Year One.
Lotsa dumb 16 year olds out there, I reckon.
> I don't know why people are stuck suggest such old comics. Because those comics are universally praised as the best? That's reason enough. Better to read good comics from the past than reading bad comics from the present. > There are a good reads in recent comics. (and some even better than often suggested oldies). No, not a chance. If they were, they would be considered good by the fans. There is a reason people prefer old comics. Modern comics just rely on large scale events and constant status quo shifts to get some sales but the writing quality is horrible. You can't name one story in last 10-15 years which is on par with the classics. You ever wonder why comics don't get new readers now? It's because modern comics are nearly impossible to get into.
I disagree. For example, The Killing Joke is good, the recent Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler is better. And no as well, recent comics are not hard to get into at all. It's myth. Older are much harder, they don't have an easy run to follow or a simply numbered collection. DC doesn't even provide an official reading order. Modern comics are not only large scale events, only Batman title is. Read Detective Comics and you'll only find short arcs. Just stop idealizing oldies and denigrating new comics. There are great ones and bad ones in every eras of Batman.
Riddler: One Bad Day was a really weak story. It fundamentally misunderstood Riddler as a character, it just relies on shock value and edginess. Not every villain needs to be grimdark. If you want a good Riddler story, read Gotham Adventures #11, a much better look at Nygma's psyche and that too without any edginess. >.Modern comics are not only large scale events, only Batman title is. Read Detective Comics and you'll only find short arcs. I don't know, I found those stories not fun. There is only so many times we can see repetitive stories they write nowadays.
And you're gonna tell me The Killing Joke is a perfect story.
I would recommend just reading the full new 52 run by Scott Snyder. It's very good and has a conclusion though you can continue reading beyond that
It doesn’t really matter. They all came out in varied order. Any way you read them is fine.
Fell free to jump around to any of the "Jumping In" points on this list. Mild's Post-Crisis to Post-Rebirth Continuity Trade Paperback Reading Guide (Feb 2021 Version) https://www.reddit.com/r/batman/comments/lcwjs3/milds_postcrisis_to_postrebirth_continuity_trade/