Batman is the most popular superhero of all time. While I would prefer it if it was Superman, there’s no doubt that the Dark Knight has been able to overtake his world’s finest friend and took off past him in popularity. He’s starred in some of the greatest comics, movies, TV shows, and video games, earning his place in pop culture with a lot of really great stories. His comics have been atop the sales charts for decades and there have been times in the not so distant past where the only reason we got any kind of DC comic books whatsoever is because there were Bat-books selling like hotcakes.
Videos by ComicBook.com
DC knows that the Caped Crusader is their bread and butter, so they’ve done their best to put the best talents on his comics. This has led to books that have hyped to the moon back. Everyone has a list of Bat-books that they recommend to all of their friends. Now, this can be a double-edged sword; just because one person likes something doesn’t mean anyone else will. However, there are some books that hyped and recommended by everyone that do live up to it. These stories are worth every word of the praise they get and work for everyone. These ten Batman comics live up to the hype, great stories that everyone loves.
10) “I Am Suicide”
Tom King is a controversial writer and his run on Batman (Vol. 3) is often maligned by readers. I’ve always really liked it, but I can understand why most don’t. However, his run was genuinely pretty hyped up first, and “I Am Suicide” lived up to every bit. This story ran through Batman (Vol. 3) #9-15, with the Dark Knight creating his own Suicide Squad to steal Psycho-Pirate from him to save Gotham Girl. This story delivered in basically every way you can imagine. To begin with, King tells a taut thriller of a story, one that digs into who Batman is at his core – a scared little boy who wants to die doing the right thing – and drops some cool surprises on readers. The scene where readers learn this is one of the my favorite Batman scenes ever; King and Janin do a fantastic job of bringing it to life and it’s stuck with me since the first time I read this story. Mikel Janin’s artwork is gorgeous; there are some amazing pages and action scenes in this story that have to be seen to be believed. It’s not as hyped as it used to be, but it is excellent.
9) “No Man’s Land”
’90s Batman books were just big event after big event, with fans getting extremely tired. Gotham had been hit with a killer virus and an earthquake, so the US government decided to wipe their hands of it. They cordoned off the city, not allowing anyone out or in. That’s the premise behind “No Man’s Land”, a year long Batman epic about the Bat-family trying to keep the peace inside of a Gotham City with no rules. This story gets a lot of love and it deserves every single bit of it. It’s a long, involved story that uses the Bat-family in the best possible way. It introduced Cassandra Cain to the Bat-mythos, gave readers amazing moments with numerous characters, had one of the most twisted Joker scenes ever, and set up Lex Luthor running for president in the year 2000. It was honestly a turning point for the Batman books leading into the 21st century, and it still stands up all these years later. Seriously, it really is that good.
8) “The Cult”
A lot of great things came out of the success of The Dark Knight Returns (and obviously we’ll get there), but one of the best was DC realizing that they could do out of continuity Bat-stories that took the character to new places. The publisher would release even more Prestige Format miniseries from the best of the best as the years went on, with Batman: The Cult, by Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson, being an unforgettable entry in the character’s history. It revolves around Deacon Blackfire, a cult leader who has brought his act to Gotham. The Dark Knight’s investigation into the cult drags him into a world of darkness he never expected. This story has gotten a lot of praise over the years and it earns every single bit of it. Starlin is mostly known for his cosmic Marvel stuff, but he’s an outstanding Batman writer, which shines through on every page. Wrightson is one of the all time greats and his art for this story is yet another example of his amazing work. It’s brilliant from start to finish, keeping readers on the edge of their seat the whole time.
7) Batman (Vol. 4)
Being the writer of Batman is a thankless job, even if it certainly pays well. Everyone buys it and everyone complains about it, with even usually beloved writers getting a lot of criticism for everything they do on the book. However, recently, it feels like the curse has been lifted with the Matt Fraction/Jorge Jimenez run on Batman (Vol. 4). This book gets hyped by everyone who reads it and there’s a good reason for that – it really is that good. Fraction and Jimenez (and fill-in artists like Ryan Sook) give readers awesome one and done stories (I think there’s been one two-parter, but even with that one you can read each issue and get a full story) that are all building up to something, as Poison Ivy and Vandal Savage take over the mayor’s office and the police department respectively and begin to remake Gotham in their image. Every issue is amazing; it’s a book that you can recommend to anyone and they’ll get into it. It honestly feels like an old school ’80s/’90s comic, back when stories were shorter with big long story arcs running in the background and linking it all together. It’s a near-flawless series.
6) “Batman and Son”
Damian Wayne has been Robin for years. Some fans love him and some hate him, but he’s been an amazing addition to the Bat-Family and it all started here. “Batman and Son” ran through Batman (Vol. 1) #655-658, and was the first story in Grant Morrison’s run with the character, along with artist Andy Kubert (his brother was drawing Action Comics; it was Kubert domination). It introduced readers to several characters who would play a huge role in Morrison’s run, like Jezebel Jett and Damian himself. It had Batman fighting ninja Man-Bats under the command of Talia al Ghul. It’s a story that has been praised since it came out and it delivers everything promised. Morrison gives readers their trademark big action set pieces and cool ups and downs, with Kubert’s excellent art bringing it all to life. This story is just a joy to read, a great-looking, fun story that will keep you hooked til the last page and beyond. DC in 2006 felt like it was entirely new and “Batman and Son” played a huge role in that era of the book. It was the best way to kick off a new run and it remains the perfect doorway to the Morrison era of the hero.
5) “Endgame”
If Batman is the most popular superhero, then the Joker is the most popular villain. Over the years, the Clown Prince of Crime has starred in numerous brilliant stories, some of which live up to the hype and some of which don’t. “Endgame” is one of the ones that definitely delivers. The story ran through Batman (Vol. 2) #35-40, by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, brought Joker back after the story “Death of the Family”, with his face mysteriously healed and an all new-plan of attack against Batman. Snyder and Capullo made for an amazing team, giving readers a nail-biting Joker story, with the kinds of twists and turns that keep you glued to every page. The final battle between the two is worth the price of admission alone; it’s easily one of the best Batman/Joker fights ever. While it’s a shame that the clues that Snyder laid out about the true nature of the Joker and his history in Gotham ended up being lackluster, they help give this story the horror vibe that makes it so vital. Add in the rather shocking ending and this story gives you everything you could want and then some.
4) “Batman R.I.P.”
Grant Morrison’s Batman run can be split into three distinct acts. The first one began with “Batman and Son” and ended with “Batman R.I.P.”. It ran through Batman (Vol. 1) #676-681, with art by Tony S. Daniel, paying off numerous plotlines. Throughout the run, hidden forces had been moving against Batman and this story sees the Black Hand finally grab for the throat of the Dark Knight. They rip his life apart, using weapons against him that no one else had before, forcing him to activate his most bizarre back-up plan. As far as Morrison’s run goes, this story is usually considered the best one and it definitely delivers. The Scottish scribe was going out of their way to canonize everything Batman and this story tackled one of the most difficult of those old ideas – the Batman of Zurr-En-Arrh. The fact that they’re able to take that concept and not only make sense of it, but make it pretty awesome really tells you everything about the quality of writing in this book. Meanwhile, Daniel’s art really brings it all home, giving the story some awesome imagery. His Thin White Duke Joker (Morrison’s Joker was heavily inspired by David Bowie, as revealed in numerous interviews by the writer) is one of the most chilling renditions of the villain ever. “Batman R.I.P.” is a masterpiece and that’s all there is to it.
3) “Gotham Overture”
“Gotham Overture” ended in 2024, a return to the old Batman epics of the past. It ran through Detective Comics #1062-1089 and Detective Comics Annual 2022 #1, with its main story written by Ram V and back-up stories from Simon Spurrier and Dan Watters, with art from Rafael Albuquerque, Ivan Reis, Riccadro Federici, Jason Shawn Alexander, Francesco Francavilla, Liam Sharp, Casper Wijngaard, Stefano Raffaelle, Javier Fernandez, Christopher Mitten, Dani, Dexter Soy, and Guillem March (I feel like there’s some I’m missing). An Indian family who played a huge role in the creation of Gotham, the Orghams, return to the city, but they want more than to bask in their creation’s glow, with a secret war brewing the shadows between Batman and the Orghams’ mystical forces. I think what makes this story work so well for me is that it doesn’t just tread the same ground that most stories starring the Caped Crusader; it shows just how much creators can do with the character and his world if they are willing to experiment. This story is rightfully praised for its unique take on a Bat-story and you really need to read it. It’s got something for everyone and it will impress you as much as you’ve heard it will.
2) “Court of Owls”
The Scott Synder and Greg Capullo run on Batman (Vol. 2) is one of the best of the modern day. While the New 52 reboot that birthed the book has long been maligned by fans, their run on Batman still gets major hype from everyone who’s read it. When new fans ask what Batman comic to start with, many get handed “Court of Owls”, a story that was hyped from the beginning (I remember the months it was coming out and how much everyone was crowing about it) and it definitely lives up to all of it. Snyder had been writing Dick Grayson Batman flawlessly pre-Flashpint, and the fact that he was able to seamlessly switch over to Bruce and nail him immediately was perfect. Capullo had long been one of the best pencilers in the business and he brought all of that to this story, giving readers some detailed, kinetic action that have made him one of the most beloved Batman artists ever. It introduced an awesome new addition to the Batman mythos, all while giving readers a well-written, beautifully drawn story.
1) The Dark Knight Returns
The Dark Knight Returns helped change comics forever. Frank Miller’s story opened with a 50-something Bruce Wayne trying to find the excitement in his life, long since retired from his night job. Gotham has fallen apart in his absence and one night, instead of ignoring it, he goes into the night again. However, he’s not the only one from the past who has decided that it’s time for a return and his new war on crime ends up attracting the attention of the last hero he wants to deal with: Superman. This Batman story is one of the most hyped books ever; if you ever say you want to read superhero comics, there is always someone there to tell you to read this comic. Luckily, they’re all right; this is one of those books that everyone needs to read. Superman and Batman’s battle in issue #4 usually gets most of the attention, but his battles with Two-Face, the Mutant Leader, and the Joker are some of the best of all time. It has layers to it that make it perfect for re-reading; your opinion on the story will change as you get older. It’s one of the most important Batman comics of all time and it more than lives up to all of the hype.
What’s your favorite perfectly hyped Batman story? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics -
Image Courtesy of Ufotable
