The Dark Knight – Ten Of The Biggest Batman Stories In Comics

Batman is back, and he’s bigger and better than ever. The new movie series starring the caped crusader himself has seen countless new fans flock to his adventures in print, but with the world of comics being such a daunting prospect for a newcomer, it’s easy to get stuck on what. read first. There are plenty of decades of Batman reading to enjoy, but what are the big, dank stories? What has had a lasting impact on the character and the mythos of him outside of the medium of the big screen? Here we review ten essential titles in the pantheon of Batman

THE KILLING JOKE

Widely regarded as the best Batman story ever created, The Killing Joke was written by comic book legend Alan Moore and featured art by Brian Bolland. Offering a possible origin for the Joker character, it is highly regarded as one of the best graphic novels ever published, and was also the basis for some of the plot of The Dark Knight.

KNIGHTFALL VOLUMES 1-3

This famous three-volume story tells the story of Batman protégé Azrael, who takes over from Batman when the assassin Bane breaks Bruce Wayne’s back. Azrael, as the new Batman, goes too far and ends up insane, leaving Bruce to come back to health and engage him in a Batman clash. A classic.

SILENCE VOLUMES 1 AND 2

A very strong mystery story involving the enigmatic killer Hush, this two-book story was one of the biggest hits for DC comics in recent years. Hush intends to sabotage Batman’s reputation. An exciting story, told with style.

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

A classic Batman from the 1980s and one of the milestones in modern comics history. The Joker manages to kill Robin, who dies in Batman’s arms, and thus begins the chase for revenge. But will Batman really take the joker’s life?

ARKHAM ASYLUM

An extremely disturbing piece of graphic literature, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth was written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by the renowned Dave McKean. Telling the stories of the inmates of the titular asylum as they take over the site and stage a siege, it has been a huge bestseller since its release in 1989.

THE LONG HALLOWEEN

From Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, The Long Halloween introduces the Falcone character seen in the Batman Begins movie, and follows his story to the conclusion of the comics. It also covers in detail the transition of Batman’s enemies from mobsters and gangsters to actual supervillains.

DARK VICTORY

From comic book luminaries Jeph Loeb and Time Sale comes this 14-issue story (collected into one much-loved graphic novel), it’s the sequel to The Long Halloween. Featuring Two-face, this is a noir-style murder mystery that follows Batman on the trail of a serial killer who is killing police officers in Gotham.

WAR GAMES

This is an epic story told in three volumes, spanning the entire family of Batman-related DC comic titles. A story of Batman trying to put an end to a fierce gang war, it’s one of the most compelling Batman stories in recent years.

BRUCE WAYNE: MURDER?

When Bruce discovers the body of his girlfriend, Vesper Fairchild, at Wayne Manor, the police arrive and charge him with her murder! The other Batman characters are unable to solve the mystery, and so Bruce breaks out of jail, vowing to live as Batman until the case is solved.

BRUCE WAYNE: FUGITIVE

The story that began with Bruce Wayne: Murderer concludes with a frantic tale of Batman and his colleagues piecing together the facts and uncovering a conspiracy to forever discredit him as a murderer, with a surprising culprit behind it all…

These are among the most important works of Batman’s adventures in comics, and are a must-have for any fan of the character or medium’s bookshelf. Captured in these pages is the essence of one of the most recognizable icons in all of popular culture. With more feature films on the way in this new series, there seems to be no stopping the Dark Knight in his battle against crime. This is a good thing, as we always need a hero, even one with so many problems.