While this graphic novel just came out a few weeks ago and it's another retelling of Batman origin story it manages to take familiar well-known characters and make them feel wholly new and their dynamic with one another is, in many cases, entirely different but by the end they reach a full circle to put these characters in their place in something of a series of "ooooooh" moments that really add to different way of looking at these characters.The changed characters are Alfred who's "gun-toting badass",Gordon who's nearly broken man and the shining star of the book Harvey Bullock who is a hot-shot Hollywood cop who's come to Gotham to solve Wayne's murder case.Another nice touch is being able to see Batman eyes that actually help to make him feel like more of human character than most other Batman stories and like Batman: Year One it does great job of focusing on times where he fails as Batman.The beautiful characterization, interesting new direction,with stunning artwork makes it an easy recommendation and one of the best Batman stories in recent memory.
12) Batman Reborn
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely, Philip Tan
"Morrison has gone on record as stating that he views this title as a cross between the '60s Batman television show and the films of surrealist David Lynch, and he couldn’t be more on-point. This book is a complete tonal shift from what we’re used to from his Batman work, but it’s also a refreshing break from some of Morrison's lofty ideas.
With new villain additions like Mr. Toad and Professor Pyg, Morrison proves that he isn’t satisfied with retreading the same characters from years past; he wants to build up a mythology all his own. If you’re up to it, we suggest you go all the way back and read Morrison’s run from the beginning, but if you just want the best of the best, Batman & Robin is it."
- Jason Serafino
11) Batman: Black and White
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
"Here's a novel concept: Take the best writers and artists in comics, give them only a handful of pages to work with, and ask them to create complete and compelling stories about the Dark Knight. The result is the fascinating, varied, and sometimes hilarious Batman: Black & White. If Batman's legend were a diamond, this book would show you every facet.
Some of the stories in B&W are larks, some are very serious. Each shows a slightly different side of the Batman. My personal favorite is the Neil Gaiman/Simon Bisley romp "A Black & White World" which imagines Joker and Batman as actors playing out parts within the pages of a comic book."
"Here's a novel concept: Take the best writers and artists in comics, give them only a handful of pages to work with, and ask them to create complete and compelling stories about the Dark Knight. The result is the fascinating, varied, and sometimes hilarious Batman: Black & White. If Batman's legend were a diamond, this book would show you every facet.
Some of the stories in B&W are larks, some are very serious. Each shows a slightly different side of the Batman. My personal favorite is the Neil Gaiman/Simon Bisley romp "A Black & White World" which imagines Joker and Batman as actors playing out parts within the pages of a comic book."
- Hilary Goldstein
10)Batgirl
Writer: Bryan Q Miller
Artist: Pere Perez,Dustin Nguyen & Lee Garbett
While this may seem like a odd choice for the best Batman stories since he doesn't play a big role in this series but at the end of the day it's still set in Gotham City with a familiar cast of characters and brings something most Batman stories don't have which is ability to tell fun stories.Why people enjoy this series is why people love Spider-man they share a familiar tone that no matter what happens the story will still be fun and put a smile on your face which isn't that common in comics today.
The main character Stephanie Brown is probably the most likely character in Batman universe who is fun,funny and has something to prove as well.The dynamic she shares to the Bat-family especially Damian and Babara are both interesting and make for great reading.It builds great cast of characters and guest stars like Supergirl who makes a great appearance in the series.
The series made Stephanie Brown this decade's definitive Batgirl with maybe one best runs in any Bat- book.So it's sad to see DC has no plans at this moment to do anything with Steph.
9) Mask of The Phatasm
Mask of the Phatasm does something every few Batman stories have done well which is have great love interest for Bruce Wayne that makes people care about their relationship and the character itself as well as making the character emotional.Scenes with Bruce Wayne building up to be Batman and guilt about feeling happy with his new love interest Andrea Beaumon help make this story unique to most others.It takes the best elements from Batman:Year one with him becoming Batman and how he can strike fear in them.The story is tragic it fits what Batman origin story should be focusing on characters and makings as invested in them.Every scene is handled with care with clever writing,acting and animation so it’s sad that this movie was box office bomb due to poor advertising and awareness.
"Take a peek into the minds of Arkham Asylum's criminally insane. Warning: You might not like what you see in there. Especially if you're the type who likes to dress up like a bat and run across rooftops in the middle of the night. The inmates have taken over the madhouse and Batman must enter, fight through his Rogues Gallery, and hope to come out sane on the other side. Each psychosis is brought to frightening reality by the artwork of Dave McKean, the true star of this book.
Few writers tackle the Dark Knight's sanity, but Morrison does so in a brilliant way. By showing us the manifestation of each villain's psychosis, readers begin to question which world Bruce Wayne belongs to -- Gotham or the mad house? As nontraditional a Batman tale as you'll find, Arkham Asylum is also one of the most exceptional."
- Hilary Goldstein
7) Dark Victory
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
The sequel to one of the best Batman stories The Long Halloween further explores the threads left by the original and adds Robin into the mix.Robin addition to the story shows just how much he and Bruce have in common and why Bruce adopted him.It's still like The Long Halloween with the mystery this time about the Hang-man killer and like the original being one the best detective stories Batman has.It continues the focus on Two-face and Falcone family and the war between Mafia and the freaks.This is perfect closture for Loeb and Sale focus on Batman early years and defintive Two-Face story.
Honorable Mentions
Hush
The Court of Owls
Robin: Year One
A Death in the Family
Strange Apparitions
Batman: The Man Who Laughs
Tower of Babel
Batman: Gothic
Batman: Ego
Gotham by Gaslight
"Heart Of Ice"
Batgirl: Year One
Catwoman: The Dark End of the Streets
13) Batman: Earth One
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
While this graphic novel just came out a few weeks ago and it's another retelling of Batman origin story it manages to take familiar well-known characters and make them feel wholly new and their dynamic with one another is, in many cases, entirely different but by the end they reach a full circle to put these characters in their place in something of a series of "ooooooh" moments that really add to different way of looking at these characters.The changed characters are Alfred who's "gun-toting badass",Gordon who's nearly broken man and the shining star of the book Harvey Bullock who is a hot-shot Hollywood cop who's come to Gotham to solve Wayne's murder case.Another nice touch is being able to see Batman eyes that actually help to make him feel like more of human character than most other Batman stories and like Batman: Year One it does great job of focusing on times where he fails as Batman.The beautiful characterization, interesting new direction,with stunning artwork makes it an easy recommendation and one of the best Batman stories in recent memory.
12) Batman Reborn
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely, Philip Tan
"Morrison has gone on record as stating that he views this title as a cross between the '60s Batman television show and the films of surrealist David Lynch, and he couldn’t be more on-point. This book is a complete tonal shift from what we’re used to from his Batman work, but it’s also a refreshing break from some of Morrison's lofty ideas.
With new villain additions like Mr. Toad and Professor Pyg, Morrison proves that he isn’t satisfied with retreading the same characters from years past; he wants to build up a mythology all his own. If you’re up to it, we suggest you go all the way back and read Morrison’s run from the beginning, but if you just want the best of the best, Batman & Robin is it."
- Jason Serafino
11) Batman: Black and White
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
"Here's a novel concept: Take the best writers and artists in comics, give them only a handful of pages to work with, and ask them to create complete and compelling stories about the Dark Knight. The result is the fascinating, varied, and sometimes hilarious Batman: Black & White. If Batman's legend were a diamond, this book would show you every facet.
Some of the stories in B&W are larks, some are very serious. Each shows a slightly different side of the Batman. My personal favorite is the Neil Gaiman/Simon Bisley romp "A Black & White World" which imagines Joker and Batman as actors playing out parts within the pages of a comic book."
"Here's a novel concept: Take the best writers and artists in comics, give them only a handful of pages to work with, and ask them to create complete and compelling stories about the Dark Knight. The result is the fascinating, varied, and sometimes hilarious Batman: Black & White. If Batman's legend were a diamond, this book would show you every facet.
Some of the stories in B&W are larks, some are very serious. Each shows a slightly different side of the Batman. My personal favorite is the Neil Gaiman/Simon Bisley romp "A Black & White World" which imagines Joker and Batman as actors playing out parts within the pages of a comic book."
- Hilary Goldstein
10)Batgirl
Writer: Bryan Q Miller
Artist: Pere Perez,Dustin Nguyen & Lee Garbett
While this may seem like a odd choice for the best Batman stories since he doesn't play a big role in this series but at the end of the day it's still set in Gotham City with a familiar cast of characters and brings something most Batman stories don't have which is ability to tell fun stories.Why people enjoy this series is why people love Spider-man they share a familiar tone that no matter what happens the story will still be fun and put a smile on your face which isn't that common in comics today.
The main character Stephanie Brown is probably the most likely character in Batman universe who is fun,funny and has something to prove as well.The dynamic she shares to the Bat-family especially Damian and Babara are both interesting and make for great reading.It builds great cast of characters and guest stars like Supergirl who makes a great appearance in the series.
The series made Stephanie Brown this decade's definitive Batgirl with maybe one best runs in any Bat- book.So it's sad to see DC has no plans at this moment to do anything with Steph.
9) Mask of The Phatasm
Mask of the Phatasm does something every few Batman stories have done well which is have great love interest for Bruce Wayne that makes people care about their relationship and the character itself as well as making the character emotional.Scenes with Bruce Wayne building up to be Batman and guilt about feeling happy with his new love interest Andrea Beaumon help make this story unique to most others.It takes the best elements from Batman:Year one with him becoming Batman and how he can strike fear in them.The story is tragic it fits what Batman origin story should be focusing on characters and makings as invested in them.Every scene is handled with care with clever writing,acting and animation so it’s sad that this movie was box office bomb due to poor advertising and awareness.
http://kh13.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smiley-cool.png Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Dave McKean
"Take a peek into the minds of Arkham Asylum's criminally insane. Warning: You might not like what you see in there. Especially if you're the type who likes to dress up like a bat and run across rooftops in the middle of the night. The inmates have taken over the madhouse and Batman must enter, fight through his Rogues Gallery, and hope to come out sane on the other side. Each psychosis is brought to frightening reality by the artwork of Dave McKean, the true star of this book.
Few writers tackle the Dark Knight's sanity, but Morrison does so in a brilliant way. By showing us the manifestation of each villain's psychosis, readers begin to question which world Bruce Wayne belongs to -- Gotham or the mad house? As nontraditional a Batman tale as you'll find, Arkham Asylum is also one of the most exceptional."
- Hilary Goldstein
7) Dark Victory
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
The sequel to one of the best Batman stories The Long Halloween further explores the threads left by the original and adds Robin into the mix.Robin addition to the story shows just how much he and Bruce have in common and why Bruce adopted him.It's still like The Long Halloween with the mystery this time about the Hang-man killer and like the original being one the best detective stories Batman has.It continues the focus on Two-face and Falcone family and the war between Mafia and the freaks.This is perfect closture for Loeb and Sale focus on Batman early years and defintive Two-Face story.
Edited by Deadshot