For most of us, superheroes are individuals who possess superpowers and use them for the greater good. However, among all these individuals with God-like powers, there is one man who is just a human but way more than a mere mortal, Batman. Now, most of us, majorly from Gen Z have fallen in love with Batman through movies, animated shows, or video games but if you want to dive deeper into the Caped Crusader’s character, I present you with the 10 best Batman comics that you can read to get started.
1. Batman: No Man’s Land (1999)
If you are someone who wonders what would happen to Gotham if all law and order in the city were taken down and the streets became a playground for criminals, Batman: No Man’s Land is the perfect Batman comic book for you. This run brings us a Gotham hit by a devastating earthquake because of which it has been completely cut off from the rest of the United States. Even the military has backed out and now, Gotham has to fend for itself.
Batman and his allies stand up as its last line of defense as criminals run rampant on the streets taking over Gotham piece by piece. In Batman: No Man’s Land, we also see that while all the villains were causing chaos in the city, The Penguin was the only one who kept a steady flow of supplies in the city using his illegitimate channels. Even though he did it for his profit, his actions were one of the few things that kept the city running.
2. Batman and Robin (2009)
Batman and Robin is one of those comic issues that brings us the best of every aspect of the Caped Crusader. In this comic run, Bruce Wayne is presumed to be dead so, to keep the criminals in Gotham, from going all out with the news of Batman’s disappearance, Dick Grayson, or Nightwing, takes up the mantle of Batman and Damian Wayne, Bruce’s Son who became Robin, tags along Grayson throughout multiple adventures.
While this Batman comic book is packed with action, it also brings us a lot of emotional depth when Grayson talks to Damian about the importance of a father figure like Bruce. He tries to make Damian understand that while Ra’s al Ghul trained him to be just a killer, Batman wanted to teach him the difference between right and wrong. The conversations they have bring us the perfect amount of humor and emotions, so if nothing else, this one should be on your read list.
3. Batman: The Court of Owls (2011)
When DC decided to reboot their New 52 Universe, it might have been one of the best decisions the studio made since it brought us the infamous “Court of Owls”. This organization did not feature any supervillains as such but was made up of the elites of Gotham who had been running the city from the shadows. They had assassins named Talons on their payroll who took care of all their dirty work.
However, The Court of Owls messed up when they sent an invite to Bruce Wayne unaware of the fact that he is none other than the Bat of Gotham. This leads to an epic showdown throughout the comic run majorly between Batman and the Talons. Oh, and also, this comic features Batman sporting a mech suit so you might want to check it out.
4. Batman: Knightfall (1993)
Bane made his debut in his solo graphic novel Vengeance of Bane and won over fans to such an extent that he returned to Batman Knightfall where his only motivation was to “break the bat”. To achieve his goal, he caused a breakout from Arkham that freed villains like the Joker, Mad Hatter, and Firefly. Seeing his city burn, Batman sprang into action. His dedication to saving the city completely exhausted the hero and Bane took advantage of it. He attacked Batman at Wayne Manor and quite literally broke Batman’s back.
With Batman immobile, a new hero emerged. Azrael took over Batman’s mantle signifying how important the symbol of Batman is to Gotham. This Batman comic book is a brilliant representation of the fact that Batman is more than a vigilante and how important he is in the lore of DC.
5. Batman: Year One (1987)
Batman: Year One is a comic that gives us insight into Batman’s origin. This comic book takes us to the year when Bruce Wayne decided to become Batman and waged war against organized crime in Gotham. This is the comic book where Batman first comes across Catwoman and meets the newly transferred Jim Gordon while assisting him in fighting against the corruption running rampant in the GCPD. The 2022 movie, The Batman, was heavily inspired by this Batman comic run.
If you are someone whose love for Batman emerged from movies, shows, or video games, Batman Year One is the perfect start for you to engross yourself in the insanely broad and gripping mythos of the Caped Crusader.
6. Batman: The Long Halloween (1996)
Batman: The Long Halloween is the comic that will give you the full sense of how brilliant of a detective Batman is. In this comic book, Batman sets out to find a serial killer who goes by the name of The Holiday Killer. Here, Jim Gordon and Harvel Dent work closely with Batman as they unravel who this mysterious killer is but do not mistake this Batman comic for just another suspense story. This story turns dark, really quickly, and even though you might think you have predicted what will happen next, trust me when I say it, you haven’t.
7. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986)
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is one of my favorite Batman comic books. The story of this comic takes place in a dystopian future where Batman has hung his cape and cowl and has stopped fighting crime. Now that Batman is not around to stop crime, villains, criminals, and mutants run freely on the streets. When things get out of control, Batman decides to get back on the streets and start fighting crime once again along with a new Robin, Carrie Kelly. On top of this, GCPD has appointed a new commissioner Ellen Yindel whose sole mission is to stop Batman, and to do so, she appoints Superman.
By the end of this comic run, we get to see an epic showdown between Batman and Superman. This Batman comic book is special because it completely turns around the long-running friendly dynamic between Batman and Superman. In The Dark Knight Returns, Batman not only fights Superman but also manages to stand victorious so if you want to see Batman in his prime, this comic book is perfect for you.
8. Batman: The Man Who Laughs (2005)
If you are someone who loves the dynamic between Batman and The Joker, Batman: The Man Who Laughs will bring you the perfect retelling of the origin of the enmity shared by the Caped Crusader and the Crown Prince of Crime.
In this comic book, we are introduced to Joker as a psychotic burglar who kills the elite Gothamites and steals their jewels, and Batman steps in to stop him from doing this. Batman: The Man Who Laughs is a rather short comic that perfectly refreshes the memory of readers of how big of a menace Joker is.
9. Batman: Under The Red Hood (2005)
Batman: Under The Red Hood is by far, one of the most celebrated comic books in the Batman mythos. In this story, we get to see Batman being challenged by his moral codes while Jason Todd returns from the dead as the Red Hood. This comic book will make readers question if Batman’s no-killing rule is worth it by the depiction of what Jason went through and what he became as a result of it.
This comic book brings us the ideological clash between Batman and the former Robin who was brutally murdered by the Joker but was resurrected by the Lazarus Pit. ‘Under The Red Hood’ is not only compelling because of its insane storyline but also because of the emotional conflict it presents and makes the readers go through.
10. Batman: Hush (2002)
Yet another Batman comic that illustrates the detective brilliance of the Caped Crusader, Batman: Hush brings us a new bandaged villain named Hush who has targeted the whole of Gotham with a series of attacks orchestrated by the assistance of Batman’s rogue gallery.
While Batman is doing his absolute best to put a stop to this, Bruce Wayne is on the path of rebuilding a friendship with an old friend, Thomas Elliot. Now, based on this description, the story might seem pretty straightforward but if you do decide to read Batman: Hush, you are not ready for the twists and dark turns it takes. So, if you are looking forward to having your mind blown, Batman: Hush would be the perfect comic for you.
