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28.3.24 0451
The W - Print - Batman Recommendations
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SchippeWreck
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Since: 26.3.03
From: Glendale, CA

Since last post: 2106 days
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#1 Posted on | Instant Rating: 2.94
Well, i got to see Batman Begins last night, thanks to my wife being a WB employee. And basically, it rocked in every conceivable way. (I'm stopping short at starting a thread in Movies, since no one else can take part until the movie's out.)

But the reason I'm here is that now that I have Batmania again, I was hoping you kind folks could help me out with some essential Bat stories from recent years. I haven't read any Batman titles in over a decade, and I need to know what are the best of the best to pick up.

I have read Dark Knight Returns, Killing Joke, Death in the Family, and Dark Knight Strikes Back (more a Superman story really), but if anyone could point me in the direction of any other must-reads, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!



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J. Kyle
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Since: 21.2.02
From: The Land of Aloha

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#2 Posted on | Instant Rating: 2.37
X-E's co-Worst Poster of all time! JKyle.com says:

I'm gonna throw in the suggestion you visit the TPBs for the Adventures series b/c Dini, Templeton, and co. really capture the essence of the characters as well as telling some fun stories.

Also recommended: Knightfall/Knightsend/Knightquest because actually seeing somebody outsmart Batman, someone replace Batman, and then Batman come back to prove that he ain't Flash/Arrow/Lantern and that he will not be phased out is incredibly enjoyable.

"The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory" are good for some retro feel.

And "The Last Laugh" and "Mad Love" are REQUIRED if you like the Joker.



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Since: 13.1.03
From: S. Attleboro, MA

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#3 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.00
A couple in particular I really liked were Cataclysm + No Man's Land (6 TPBs total) and the anime-feel "Child of Dreams".



March 22, 2004 - Finally the WotD!
Tenken347
Knackwurst








Since: 27.2.03
From: Parts Unknown

Since last post: 41 days
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#4 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.06
Well, you might want to pick up Batman: Year One, because the movie is supposed to be inspired by that. I though Year One was pretty decent, but it came off as a little bit more about James Gordon than about Batman.
odessasteps
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Since: 2.1.02
From: MD, USA

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#5 Posted on | Instant Rating: 6.41

To go along with the movie, I'd recommend the back-in-print Ra's Al Ghul trade. I believe it's all denny stories and maybe all Denny/Neal stories.

Some of the Elseworlds are pretty good too.



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Pizza Pasta
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Since: 29.3.03
From: Douglaston, NY

Since last post: 6271 days
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#6 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.47
Picking from recent stuff that you will find most easily in your local bookstore:

Hush Vols. 1 and 2 were sort of the biggest Batman story of the last few years. Many comic fans turned against the story, though, because of its controversial bait-and-switch villain, but the art was gorgeous and I enjoyed it as a whole thoroughly. When I returned to collecting comics around two years ago, this was one of the purchases that motivated the decision.

War Games Vols. 1 and 2 (so far) collect a run that basically covered every single Bat title for the better part of six months. It's goal was to take Batman back to a solo, dark vigilante position as raw chaos erupts all over Gotham and affects all of his large supporting cast. It's been decent, but like I said I'm deliberately picking from what you'll find easily available that you don't already own.



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Big Bad
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Since: 4.1.02
From: Dorchester, Ontario

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#7 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.80
I'd recommend the Officer Down and Contagion storylines as well....they're all in the trades.

If you want a negative recommendation, stay away from the Bruce Wayne: Murderer and Fugitive storylines, since it's all a bunch of meandering nonsense. Batman: Broken City is also pretty weak.



"You can look the other way once, and it's no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time, and pretty soon that's all your doing; compromising, because that's the way you think things are done. You know those guys I busted? You think they were the bad guys? Because they weren't, they weren't bad guys, they were just like you and me. Except they compromised... Once." -- Jack Bauer
Freeway
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Since: 3.1.02
From: Calgary

Since last post: 3749 days
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#8 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.79
    Originally posted by Big Bad
    I'd recommend the Officer Down and Contagion storylines as well....they're all in the trades.

    If you want a negative recommendation, stay away from the Bruce Wayne: Murderer and Fugitive storylines, since it's all a bunch of meandering nonsense. Batman: Broken City is also pretty weak.


Broken City was good if you went in with low expectations. It had a tough act to follow in Hush, and Azzarello & Risso did a pretty good job...except in comparison to the twists & turns of Hush.



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Since: 20.6.02
From: I am the Tag Team Champions!

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#9 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.17
IGN comics has an amazing feature in which they'll review 60 Batman graphic novels. 35 of the reviews are already up with the top 25 coming later this week.

Bat-reviews!




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Cerebus
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Since: 17.11.02

Since last post: 2460 days
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#10 Posted on | Instant Rating: 2.38
I was at a BOOKS-A-MILLION recently and found a pretty cool graphic novel that has the first ten Batman stories in chronological order. It was Vol.#1 and I think it said they were gonna put out a new one every 3 months . Now if they'll do this for Superman, I'd be happy.

What was wrong with Murderer and Fugitive? Well, besides the big 'reveal' I suppose, but up to that point, it was pretty good.

I'd suggest the first BATMAN/SUPERMAN trade cause Jeph Loeb really writes a good Batman. Also, pick up JLA: TOWER OF BABEL where we find out Batman had a plan to take out the JLA should the need arise and Ra's Al Ghul (from the movie) gets a hold of the plans and uses them.

Then, of course, for actual BATMAN books, TEN NIGHTS OF THE BEAST and THE CULT are always great reads.



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Since: 3.1.02
From: Calgary

Since last post: 3749 days
Last activity: 3436 days
#11 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.79
    Originally posted by Cerebus
    I was at a BOOKS-A-MILLION recently and found a pretty cool graphic novel that has the first ten Batman stories in chronological order. It was Vol.#1 and I think it said they were gonna put out a new one every 3 months . Now if they'll do this for Superman, I'd be happy.

    What was wrong with Murderer and Fugitive? Well, besides the big 'reveal' I suppose, but up to that point, it was pretty good.

    I'd suggest the first BATMAN/SUPERMAN trade cause Jeph Loeb really writes a good Batman. Also, pick up JLA: TOWER OF BABEL where we find out Batman had a plan to take out the JLA should the need arise and Ra's Al Ghul (from the movie) gets a hold of the plans and uses them.

    Then, of course, for actual BATMAN books, TEN NIGHTS OF THE BEAST and THE CULT are always great reads.


The first JLA trade is also pretty damn good as a Batman showcase, and I must also second the love for Tower of Babel, especially in light of recent DCU events (Identity Crisis, The OMAC Project, new issues of JLA and the upcoming Infinite Crisis). And Gotham Central is vaguely related to Batman, and is apparantly quite good. Two trades are available now. DC's also printed a trade called The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told. Year One is great. Dark Knight Returns is great. The Long Halloween is probably my favorite Batman story.

(edited by Freeway420 on 13.6.05 1801)


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GodEatGod
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Since: 28.2.02

Since last post: 3014 days
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#12 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.45
One of my favorite Bat-stories, probably just because it's the one that got me into Batman in the first place, is "The Last Arkham", the first four or five issues in the Shadow of the Bat series. Especially fun if you watched the movie, since it extensively features the cameoed Mr. Zsasz. I think it's probably available in a trade somwhere.



"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Mild Mannered Madman
Toulouse








Since: 1.3.02
From: Westminster, CA

Since last post: 3913 days
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#13 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.39
    Originally posted by Pizza Pasta
    War Games Vols. 1 and 2 (so far) collect a run that basically covered every single Bat title for the better part of six months. It's goal was to take Batman back to a solo, dark vigilante position as raw chaos erupts all over Gotham and affects all of his large supporting cast. It's been decent, but like I said I'm deliberately picking from what you'll find easily available that you don't already own.


War Games was only 3 months long. It was kinda iffy.





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