Ever since his debut in “Detective Comics #27” back in 1939, Batman has become a global icon, pop culture mainstay and a part of American folklore. The story of a man who has everything taken away from him, only to build himself back up to fight crime as a caped crusader has inspired thousands of comics, dozens of TV shows and some of the most popular movies of all time.
With 2014 being the character’s 75th anniversary, DC Comics has pulled out all the stops to make sure the character gets the year-long celebration he deserves. And the highlight of this campaign starts today, on a day that the company has dubbed “Batman Day.”
At comic book stores everywhere, DC is releasing a free special edition of “Detective Comics #27,” which will feature a re-imagining of Batman’s comic book debut by writer Brad Meltzer. But before you go out and pick up your Bat swag, you need to know the story behind the legend. So to help you get prepped for this celebration, we’re counting down the five comics you need to read in honor of “Batman Day.”
5. “The Court of Owls” (2011-2012)
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo
To get a grasp on the modern take on Batman, there is no better place to start than “The Court of Owls,” which actually encompassed three mini storylines: “The Court of Owls,” “Night of Owls” and “Fall of the House of Wayne.” This 11-issue epic focuses on the Dark Knight’s battle against the clandestine Court of Owls—a secret society which has been running crime and causing mayhem in Gotham for centuries.
The Court is comprised of Gotham’s elite families who all formed the organization in order to keep power within their ranks. Although for years Batman has felt like he was in charge of Gotham, it’s the Court that was really running things. After physically and mentally breaking Bruce Wayne down, the Court then launches an all-out assault on Wayne Manor and Wayne’s loved ones that only Batman can stop.
The relaunch of DC’s comic book line back in 2011 has produced some quality comics, but it’s the Batman line that has stood out as the best. During their time on the line’s flagship book, “Batman,” writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo have given fans all of the over-the-top plots and characters they crave, but the team also injects nuanced drama into the title in order to add gravitas to Batman’s world.
The end result is one of the most well-balanced and unpredictable superhero comics of the last five years, and it is the perfect gateway for fans of the Batman films and animated series to get into the world of comics.
4. “Batman: The Long Halloween” (1996-1997)
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
In “Batman: The Long Halloween,” writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale infuse a classic film noir style into Gotham City in order to create an intricate murder mystery that explores the Dark Knight’s early days. This 13-issue miniseries begins with Bruce Wayne saying, “I believe in Gotham City,” before spiraling into a storm of serial killers, super villains and spurned lovers.
Nearly every major player from Batman’s supporting cast makes an appearance in the series, including Joker, Catwoman, Harvey Dent, Scarecrow, Riddler and Poison Ivy. But the most dangerous villains in this story don’t wear masks or face paint; instead, Batman’s biggest foe here is the Falcone crime family.
Like something out of “The Godfather,” “The Long Halloween” paints a bleak portrait of a city ruled by crime and shows how Batman, Captain Jim Gordon and a young Harvey Dent all join together to stop the impending madness that is primed to sweep the city.
“The Long Halloween” is the precursor to many of the themes and plot beats that were explored in Christopher Nolan’s Batman films later on, but here they are accompanied by an art style that simply can’t be replicated on the screen. After reading “The Long Halloween” you’ll find it nearly impossible to keep away from its sequel “Dark Victory”—a very worthy follow-up from Loeb and Sale.
3. “Batman: Year One” (1987)
Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Dave Mazzucchelli
Despite being around for more than 45 years by 1987, no one had yet written a definitive origin for Batman yet. Sure it was explored in other comics, but it wasn’t until writer Frank Miller and artist Dave Mazzucchelli released “Batman: Year One” that the Dark Knight’s rookie year was given such depth.
By taking Bruce Wayne out of the cartoonish Gotham from the Silver Age and putting him into a more realistic version of the city, “Year One” managed to make Batman seem like he lived in the world that the readers lived in every day. The story itself focuses on Bruce Wayne’s return to Gotham and his slow evolution into becoming Batman. The plot also shines a spotlight on a young Jim Gordon, who is the only honest cop in Gotham, apparently.
The two plots slowly intertwine until Batman and Gordon are forced into an uneasy alliance. Like any good noir, evil isn’t vanquished at the end, but there is a slight glimmer of light for the denizens of Gotham when the two men begin their war on crime and corruption together.
Miller’s hard-boiled writing works effortlessly with Mazzucchelli’s more realistic, grounded artwork. The end result is the definitive Batman origin for an entire generation of readers, and the inspiration for countless TV shows, movies and comics to come.
2. Grant Morrison’s Batman (2006-2013)
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Various
This entry may seem like a bit of a cheat, but it is just too influential to leave off the list. Grant Morrison’s Batman run doesn’t just encompass one comic series; it deals with multiple titles and storylines over a seven year period. During the course of his mammoth run writing Batman, Morrison turned out work for comic titles such as “Batman & Robin,” “Batman Incorporated,” “Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne” and the flagship book “Batman.”
Over the span of Morrison’s run, Batman learns he has a son, gets killed, is replaced by Dick Grayson, returns from the dead, creates an international crime fighting team called Batman Incorporated and eventually retakes the mantle of Batman. That’s a whole lot to fit into just a few years worth of comics, and that’s barely scratching the surface of what he accomplished.
Morrison’s run is difficult, however, and it should only be attempted by people who crave a deep attention to detail and have an extensive knowledge of Batman history. Morrison doesn’t just pull plots from recent Batman stories; he also goes back as far as the ’50s to pull in obscure references from comics published before most of the readers were even born. The surreal, post-modern style of Morrison can be off-putting to some, but those who find themselves drawn into his world will likely find it one of the most rewarding Batman experiences on the shelf.
1. “The Dark Knight Returns” (1986)
Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Frank Miller and Klaus Janson
You can’t really go wrong with any Batman story on this list—or with a few that weren’t covered, such as “The Killing Joke” or “The Cult”—but “The Dark Knight Returns” still reigns supreme as the character’s finest moment. The story begins with an aging Bruce Wayne having retired from his life as Batman years earlier. Unfortunately the crime around him didn’t hang it up, and now Gotham has been overrun with a violent gang calling themselves The Mutants.
Wayne is convinced to don the cape and cowl once more to take down this threat, as well as numerous other members of his rogues gallery, including Two-Face and Joker. Miller writes this version of Batman as a grizzled veteran in the same vein as Dirty Harry, meaning you shouldn’t expect him to be cracking a smile or making a joke within these pages.
As the Mutants are threatening Gotham’s way of life, it’s Batman’s massive battle with Superman towards the end of the story that makes “The Dark Knight Returns” an instant classic. Miller’s scripts are also enhanced by his art, which is gritty, filthy and a perfect complement to the mayhem unfolding on the page.
If you can’t wait for “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” to hit theaters, “The Dark Knight Returns” is the ideal book to hold you over. It’s packed with superhero action and eye-popping artwork, but it also has a real message behind all of the destruction.
