| Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 01-07-2008 07:08 |
|
diexhard
Gotham’s Newest Citizen
Awards:
None
| 
Posts: 2
Joined: 04.06.08
 |
|
Hi,
I am new here but this seemed like the best place to register to find out some more stuff about Batman comics.
As far as Batman goes my knowledge is mostly limited to the movies I liked (Batman, Batman Returns and Batman Begins) and the tv shows I have seen (the one from the 60s and the animated series from the 90s). So, comic-wise I am still pretty much in the dark.
Seeing as there have been so many different series I have no idea where to begin. Could anyone recommend me what comics I should start with? I would prefer to get TPBs over single comics though.
Oh and I prefer dark, sinister stuff when it comes to comics. As far as DC comics go I have always loved Swamp Thing and the Sandman. |
 |
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 01-07-2008 11:37 |
|
kpangilinan
W. Indust. Employee
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 547
Joined: 24.09.06
|
|
These are some TPBs recommended
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman Year One
The Killing Joke
Batman: Hush
Batman: No Man's Land
Knightfall
A Death in the Family
Knightsend
Arkham Asylum
Just to name a few
The list below are some of my personal favorite crossovers
Batman/Spider-Man
Batman vs. Predator
Batman vs. Aliens
Batman vs. Spawn
The only thing stopping you from success is doubt.
Edited by kpangilinan on 01-07-2008 11:38 |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 02-07-2008 01:27 |
|
Darknight
Dark Knight
Awards:
| 
Posts: 1010
Location: NW Arkansas
Joined: 26.06.05
|
|
Those trades will catch you up pretty well.
If you are willing or able to dig through some back issue bins, you should pick up the Doug Moench/Kelley Jones run on Batman. It is issues 516-562.
Since you like Swamp Thing, you may want to dig up issues 531 & 532. Those have Swamp Thing.
Check out the comics section for some cover images and descriptions.
 |
 |
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 09-07-2008 05:21 |
|
|
diexhard
Gotham’s Newest Citizen
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 2
Joined: 04.06.08
|
|
|
Late reply but thanks a lot, I will definitely check the mentioned stuff out. |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 11-08-2008 19:18 |
|
Hush86
Gotham’s Newest Citizen
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 9
Joined: 11.08.08
|
|
|
Hush and The Long Halloween are great places to start. I started with The Killing Joke It's awesome especially if you like The Joker even a little bit. Hush has awesome art and a really intricate story. You won't even believe the ending. |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 13-08-2008 09:31 |
|
|
keyser_soze
Gotham’s Newest Citizen
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 7
Joined: 22.07.08
|
|
|
Basically you want to stay within the Modern Age of comics that began around the early to mid 80s. This is where Batman truly became the Dark Knight. Stick to anything written by Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Jeph Loeb, and Grant Morrison. All of their works have been listed in the previous posts. You might try some of the more recent stuff by Brian Azzarello (he wrote Batman: Broken City). Perhaps you might look at Batman: False Faces written by Brian K. Vaughan. Both of these writers have worked for Vertigo and have produced some amazing things over the years... |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 13-08-2008 16:52 |
|
The Red-Blue Blur
W. Indust. Employee
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 547
Location: Burbank, CA
Joined: 02.06.08
|
|
I love Batman: Year One, it was the best book I have ever read! It is great for everyone. It is what inspired Batman Begins and TDK.
"Things are always going to get worst before they get better."
[Alfred Pennyworth]
 |
 |
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 13-08-2008 22:27 |
|
|
Darknight
Dark Knight
Awards:
|
Posts: 1010
Location: NW Arkansas
Joined: 26.06.05
|
|
If anyone has some interest in some of the stories that the movies are derived from, a couple more that I had forgotten before are (click for links to the descriptions):
Batman: Tales of the Demon - this is a collection of the early appearances of Ra's al Ghul. Several of the issues were adapted for episodes in Batman: TAS. You also get some of the awesome Neal Adams art and Denny O'Neil writing from the late 70's
Batman: Strange Apparitions - another collection from the 70's. This is a great story loosely tied together over a few issues. The laughing fish debut here. Vicki Vale from the 89 Batman movie is said to be based on the character Silver St. Cloud from this story.
Batman: Dark Detective - this is the sequel of sorts to Strange Apparitions. It is not quite as good, but still a lot of fun. It is especially cool to see the creative team of Rogers and Englehart together for one last time (Rogers died not long after the original miniseries was published).
Remember that Batman as the Dark Knight predates any Batman written by Frank Miller by nearly ten years, despite popular belief. Don't descriminate too much when looking at bak issues and trades.
|
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 16-08-2008 04:22 |
|
real-dark-knight
Caped Crusader
Awards:
| 
Posts: 726
Location: The Shadow Of St Albans Abbey
Joined: 28.07.06
|
|
I was going to mention Strange Apparitions & Dark Detective but I never got round to it for some reason.
I have a house full of Batman comics and books, some that I've not looked at for a long time, but they're 2 that I pretty regularly go back to.... |
 |
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 20-08-2008 12:16 |
|
Phil
Vigilante
Awards:
|
Posts: 2061
Location: Gotham City
Joined: 30.07.05
|
|
|
kpangilinan wrote:
These are some TPBs recommended
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman Year One
The Killing Joke
Batman: Hush
Batman: No Man's Land
Knightfall
A Death in the Family
Knightsend
Arkham Asylum
Just to name a few
The list below are some of my personal favorite crossovers
Batman/Spider-Man
Batman vs. Predator
Batman vs. Aliens
Batman vs. Spawn
you have good tastes my friend. those are all my favorites.
my personal favorite is no man's land. 4 volumes long, and i dont think batman even appears in the first 2/3 of the first volume. lol. but that gotham city was craaazy. abandoned by US, no rules, nothing. just batman and his friends, cops, and gangs. haha. even superman couldn't handle it.
i would tell you guys to read robin stuff too, but i feel like robin is a character only i like. hahaha. tim drake is the man...maybe even the batman? with RIP going on, you never know.
http://batmanytb.com/pictures/thumbnails.php?album=4 |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 20-08-2008 16:32 |
|
|
kpangilinan
W. Indust. Employee
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 547
Joined: 24.09.06
|
|
Actually, I haven't read Arkham Asylum, lol. The TPB I mentioned are the ones I see most recommended.
I read the novelization of No Man's Land by Rucka which I thought was amazing. I collected a few single issues of the arc but nowhere near completion. My favorite issue was when Batman was reunited with Robin, Nightwing, and Azrael. Barbara passed on the Batgirl legacy to Cassandra which was cool.
The only thing stopping you from success is doubt. |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 20-08-2008 17:00 |
|
|
Phil
Vigilante
Awards:
|
Posts: 2061
Location: Gotham City
Joined: 30.07.05
|
|
i have that issue...but i got it when i was like 10 years old. it wasn't until 6 years later that i actually care about it(now). now it's all ripped up and out of shape. lol. it has some of the best art in all of no man's land.
http://batmanytb.com/pictures/thumbnails.php?album=4 |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 20-08-2008 21:22 |
|
|
Darknight
Dark Knight
Awards:
|
Posts: 1010
Location: NW Arkansas
Joined: 26.06.05
|
|
|
kpangilinan wrote:
Actually, I haven't read Arkham Asylum, lol. The TPB I mentioned are the ones I see most recommended.
I read the novelization of No Man's Land by Rucka which I thought was amazing. I collected a few single issues of the arc but nowhere near completion. My favorite issue was when Batman was reunited with Robin, Nightwing, and Azrael. Barbara passed on the Batgirl legacy to Cassandra which was cool.
Picking up a few key single issues and reading the novel is probably the best approach to No Man's Land. I read the story as each issue was released over around a year I think. To me, it just went on way too long. I don't know that I have picked them up since they were released though. I would probably have a different opinion.
That ended in around let '99 early 2000 right? That just makes me feel old.
|
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 22-08-2008 03:11 |
|
Xprime
Gotham’s Newest Citizen
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 10
Location: Vancouver
Joined: 30.09.06
|
|
Hey way off topic here but i was wondering why the Robin, Catwoman, Azrael, and Nightwing comics werent in the 5 Batman: No Man's Land graphc novels
also titles to recommend
Batman Year One
The Dark Knight Returns
The Killing Joke
Batman: No Man's Land
Knightfall saga
A Death in the Family
Arkham Asylum
Batman RIP
|
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 22-08-2008 09:14 |
|
|
kpangilinan
W. Indust. Employee
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 547
Joined: 24.09.06
|
|
After the Earthquake, everyone went their own seperate ways. Nightwing and Robin were in Bludhaven and I have no idea where Catwoman and Azrael were.
And recommending RIP to someone who's just getting into comics would prove ABSOLUTELY confusing to them. The majority of us here are confused by the storyline and we've been reading comics for a little while.
The only thing stopping you from success is doubt. |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 22-08-2008 12:51 |
|
|
Phil
Vigilante
Awards:
|
Posts: 2061
Location: Gotham City
Joined: 30.07.05
|
|
they came around vol 3 i think. dont really remember. but for a while, it was just oracle and a batgirl, then came batman. sooner or later, batman decided he could only trust his past partners; nightwing, robin, azrael, etc.
i loved the 90's batman. he had a lot of friends, haha. now he's gone wacko...RIP is crazy.
http://batmanytb.com/pictures/thumbnails.php?album=4 |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 23-08-2008 21:50 |
|
|
Xprime
Gotham’s Newest Citizen
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 10
Location: Vancouver
Joined: 30.09.06
|
|
|
Ya but i recommend it so that our friend can keep up with the current batman events, and lets be serious what comic book story arc isnt ABSOLUTELY confusing at some point or another |
|
|
| RE: Batman comics - where to begin? -
Posted on 23-08-2008 22:14 |
|
|
The Red-Blue Blur
W. Indust. Employee
Awards:
None
|
Posts: 547
Location: Burbank, CA
Joined: 02.06.08
|
|
BATMAN YEAR ONE
THE KILLING JOKE
A DEATH IN THE FAMILY
THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS
"Things are always going to get worst before they get better."
[Alfred Pennyworth]
|
|
|
Home
