Need a good Batman Series

**Fandrew** · 04-18-2007, 11:36 PM

So, i've got some time coming up this summer, and I want to get back into Comic books. Are there any good Batman Story Arcs (ie Knightfall) that have been put into a book form, that I could find relatively easily/inexpesively, and read?

**Skeeter** · 04-18-2007, 11:45 PM

"Batman: Hush" would be a good place to start. It's available in two slim volumes that should be reasonably inexpensive. I also highly recommend "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory."

Pre-Ex-Girlfriend · 04-19-2007, 12:01 AM

By the by, sweetie, did you read "Haunted Knight" yet? How does it compare to "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory"?

**Skeeter** · 04-19-2007, 01:28 PM

"Haunted Knight" is a bit too gimmicky for my tastes. It's a good read, but it felt like they were trying to amp up the Halloweeny nature of it all. The last one, a Scrooge rip-off, felt especially out-of-character. It's nowhere near as good as "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory."

Pre-Ex-Girlfriend · 04-19-2007, 01:43 PM

That's kind of the impression I got too, without ever having read the other two. Thanks.

WideAwake · 08-29-2007, 05:40 AM

Haunted Knight is definitely worth a read - it's really just a small collection of yearly Halloween stories that Sale & Loeb did, if I recall. I enjoyed it.

I'd recommend (and echo) -

Batman Year One - essential - I can't personally recommend any other Miller Batman work, but that's just me.
The Long Halloween then Dark Victory
Hush - and if you like the character - Hush Returns, but don't expect it to be nearly as good.
Batman and the Monster Men
Batman: The Killing Joke - another essential, imho.
A Death In The Family - helps explain the Robin suit in the cave, and if you want more, the Under the Hood trades - these are sort of a love/hate thing, but I thought they were ok, if a bit farfetched. Ties into the Infinite Crisis arc too.

You can't go wrong with the trade that collects the first few Paul Dini Detective comic run from this year either.

Some others that I personally enjoyed -

Batman: Year 100 - you gotta get used to the art, but the story is fantastic.
Batman: Hong Kong
Batman: Gotham By Gaslight
Batman: Gotham County Line - this was a weird one, but I sort of liked it. Had to read it a couple times though to fully get it.
Superman/Batman: Supergirl - the only S/B arc I've liked in ages, FANTASTIC art.

I could probably go on with more, but those are some I enjoyed.

War Games/War Crimes - I am not so sure I overly enjoyed this, it was ok, but something pretty major came out of it that angered 98% of the DC/Batman community, worth a read.

**Skeeter** · 08-29-2007, 10:02 AM

I was a bit disappointed by Haunted Knight, mostly because The Long Halloween and Dark Victory were so good.

guitarfan01 · 08-29-2007, 11:19 AM

Batman and the Monster Men, I give an absolute whole-hearted recommendation.

thelitguy · 10-01-2007, 11:12 PM

I've been reading a bit of the Mite aspects of Batman. Mitefall was great fun to read.

Lightknight · 10-05-2007, 11:23 PM

Check out the Batman Detective stuff. It's been doing pretty good, actually.

Danny · 10-15-2007, 12:48 PM

Assuming this thread is still remotely relevant.... A Killing Joke is probably my favorite story out of all of those I've read. A lot of the focus is on the Joker, rather than Batman, but it's an amazing read.