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If we are going to talk about some deep cuts for best Batman stories (ie not KJ, DKR, or Y1), these are my picks: Batman: Blades - This is an arc from Legends of the Dark Knight (#32-34) featuring some awesome Tim Sale art and story by James Robinson. Batman is on the hunt of a serial killer and it is taking away his attention from his regular Batman duties, so he entrusts new hero the Cavalier to do the nightly patrols. Sadly enough Cavalier has a secret of his own. Why sadly? Well you would have to read the story yourself Why I love it? Besides the great Tim Sale art (Sale being one of the best Batman artist ever). the Cavalier comes across as a character from the 40's and it really adds to an incredible story about love, revenge, determination and obsession. Batman: Black Mirror For all the talk about Snyder's Batman run, but I felt his Detective Comics stuff was his best work. Working off a psychological thriller and bringing more history to Gordon, this comics is a tightly focused thrill ride, coupled with some great art by Jock and this is not just a great Batman comic but a great comic in general. Basically, Dick is being Batman for the time being and he has to solve some heinous crimes (and some other weird stuff as well) and coming into the front is James Gordon Jr, the estranged son of Commissioner Gordon, who has his on dark past and sinister ideas to vex the Batman. Why I love it? Dark, unnerving and well paced. This is Snyder at his best. Plus no reliance on Joker is always a plus. Batman: No Mans Land This is a mega-event done right. Usually events become too bloated and meaningless, but this felt like something different, even more so than Knightsend. Gotham has been hit by an earthquake. The USA, tired of Gothams poo poo, decides to declare the whole area a No Mans Land. The villains are running rampant trying to set themselves up as warlords. The people are just trying to survive. It's Game of Thrones in a Mad Max world. Also, where is Batman? Why I love it? Top writers and artists bring about an amazing, tightly done (for a mega-event) story, which took Batman and his family and put them in a different setting.It works. Batman: Officer Down Another excellent crossover event. Written by Rucka and Brubaker, this is like a precursor to Gotham Central. The story goes that Commissioner Gordon has been shot. The police and Batman are desperate to find the shooter. The event deals more with the police and Batman's relationship towards Gordon, and sets the seeds for Gotham Central where the police becomes more of the focus than the Bat himself. Why I love it? Besides being a good short crossover event, you can see mechinations that led to the excellent Gotham Central which deserves a big read itself. Seriously read Gotham Central. Read it right now. Before it is too late. Batman: Last Arkham This is the first arc from Batman: Shadow of the Bat, and focuses on Batman trying to solve a string of murders by going undercover in Arkham Asylum. Another psychological thriller, the story gives more backstory to Arkham the doctor, and sets up an interesting antagonist (though not villain, that is Zsazs in this story) to Batman. Why I love it? It's a fun story by Alan Grant who was writing some excellent Batman stories in the 80's and 90's and is worth checking out if you want to see Batman solve mysteries instead of punching his way out of things. Batman: Various Elseworlds I always felt Batman shined in the eleseworld. Unfortunately they aren't all collected in one giant volume (come on DC), but some gems are Batman: Red Rain (which has Kelly Jones art and features Batman vs Dracula), Citizen Wayne (where a young reporter tries to figure out whey Wayne and Dent fell to their deaths and why one was dressed as a bat), Castle of the Bat (where Herr Doktor Wayne tries to make his own Frankenstein's monster) and there are probably a few other stories that I can't recall straight away. Batman Cult Besides featuring some excellent Wrightson art, this is an awesome story about Batman going up against a charismatic cult leader. Did I say going up? I meant getting totally broken down and somewhat destroyed by a charismatic cult leader. For the first time in a long while Batman starts doubting if he is strong enough to do what he needs to do after being thoroughly broken in spirit. Why I love it? While I love reading stories about Batman the ubermensch, Cult shows Batman at his most vulnerable. Here we have Batman who has been broken down and controlled so thoroughly that he has to pretty much face his fears all over again just to win this battle. Can he do it? Batman: Going Sane Another Legends of the Dark Knight story, Dematteis spins a story about Joker thinking he has finally beaten and killed Batman. With what he views as his greatest victory, and his own reason for being, completed Joker snaps and literally goes sane. Succumbing to a kind of amnesia Joker starts a life as a regular guy, finds love and leads a normal life, completely unaware of his previous life as the Joker. Sadly the past cannot remain buried for long. Why I love it? As overplayed as he is, the Joker can still be a compelling character when done right, and Dematteis finds great pathos and sympathy for a monster villain like the Joker. It is really heartbreaking when you see the old Joker slowly come back to the front while he tries to fight it because for once in his life he is happy being a regular guy. Anyway, those are some other Batman comics worth checking out. If I think of more I will post them later.
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Aug 14, 2016 17:17
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I wish Bruce would grow a mustache for some kind of continuity between him and Alfred.
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Aug 16, 2016 23:27
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Kind of surprised that Frank Miller's Batman doesn't have his own entry. Also I would put animated Batman (voiced by Conroy) at the top as he is my archetypal Batman. I am trying to remember Moore's Batman and why he would be rated so low bit the only thing I come up with is a Swamp Thing crossover and For the Man Who Has Everything, and in both Batman comes out serviceable.
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Aug 22, 2016 18:02
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Ferrule posted:Killing Joke Can't believe I forgot that one. Especially after all the recent controversy.
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Aug 22, 2016 18:14
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Just a weekend of excessive drinking. Thank you Portland for killing braincells.
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Aug 22, 2016 18:47
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Lurdiak posted:I can't believe 3 of you schmucks voted for Long Halloween. I didn't but Tim Sale artwork alone puts it in my top 5.
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Aug 26, 2016 17:16
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Perry Normal posted:Year 100 was definitely one of my top 3 from that list. Fantastic story. Paul Pope does some great Batman. For a more conventional Batman, his story from Black & White was also terrific, with a young Bats getting his nose broken for the first time. His "sidekicks" in Solo was also an awesome Batman (well Robin) story.
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Aug 27, 2016 23:41
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I agree that the whole "why shouldn't Batman kill the Joker" thing shouldn't be acknowledged, and by acknowledging it, for me, just makes Batman seem incompetent and useless. The whole idea of Batman not killing the Joker made a whole lot more sense in the past before every writer decided to make the Joker a supernatural killing machine. Basically the Joker has now turned into someone who scores body counts in the dozens and every time 50 odd people get killed in one issue of one arc you are left wondering why Batman didn't save these people by doing something about the Joker, and this is where the problem lies. You can say "Batman doesn't kill the Joker because Batman doesn't kill", but for a character who has bloody contingencies for if his own friends go rogue, why doesn't Batman do anything to ensure that the Joker doesn't kill again. I know comics are cyclical and depend on Batman and Joker fighting every 5th or so story arc and the stakes have to be higher than they were before, but every time that happens I just think Batman is the worst hero there is because oh no the Joker has escaped from Arkham (again), and has killed scores of people (again) and Batman has to stop him (again) and explain why he won't break his oath (again) and then we will repeat it all later on. I am saying in-universe it makes sense for Batman not to kill Joker, but it would also make sense for Batman to do something that would ensure that the Joker doesn't keep killing the people Batman has sworn to protect. Really the only comic that came close to doing this Endgame where Batman basically thought he was going to die anyway, but it shouldn't have to come down to that to make Batman think "maybe I should try something different here".
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Sep 12, 2016 17:41
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purple death ray posted:So let's talk about rogues for a bit. Rebirth has been really killer for bringing back some old and lesser-seen rogues. I had to loving google Punch and Jewlee after reading Batman #9 today. But this is all building to what looks to be a great story featuring one of my absolute favorite antagonists, Bane. Not that Bane is a lesser-seen rogue but gently caress it, he rules. Also can I just say how much the new Batman suit is growing on me? Orca is due for a breakout any time now. As for Bane, he is definitely a good character when written by a good writer. I actually liked King's intro of him and am curious to see where it goes. Also loving the fact that Batman is arranging his own Suicide Squad using original members (Punch and Julie) as well as some serious what the gently caress characters like Ventriloquist. Also what was the deal with Jane Doe putting the Legion sign on her cell? Is that something hinting towards a bigger picture thing?
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Oct 21, 2016 02:51
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Blockhouse posted:buddy do I got good news for you Damnit DC, don't take my ideas seriously. They aren't very good ideas.
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Oct 21, 2016 03:32
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Bane hasn't been written as a consistent character since pre-52 Secret Six and seeing how a lot of characters had their traits changed in the Nu-52 that's fine, and I don't know why someone would be so quick to write off King's Bane based on one page of dialog but then I see who is doing the writing off. DT usually comes across as someone who goes "not my [character]" on most characters not named Jason Todd.
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Oct 21, 2016 17:25
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Roth posted:How have you made it 10 issues into a run you've hated that much? I drop things way faster than that. His thing is that he only raves about one book (take a guess which one) and anything that isn't that one book is absolutely terrible. This is pretty much his opinion on anything that doesn't have a douche running around in a red mask.
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Nov 2, 2016 23:14
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purple death ray posted:ComicsAlliance has a decent interview with Tom King about his Batman stories, specifically the most recent issue #12. So the Catwoman origin is going to be a fake out too, because I will be okay with that.
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Dec 7, 2016 23:35
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King's take on Batman seems like the antithesis of Snyder's take which is kind of amusing. Agreed that this issue would have been much better without the deathwish narration. I can appreciate King trying out new story telling techniques with each issue, but it does create some serious pacing issues so maybe he should focus on writing arcs a certain way as opposed to single issues.
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Dec 8, 2016 22:00
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My issue is that even though King's writing is better than most, the whole thing with Catwoman stinks of DC's idea that the best way to elevate a villain is to give them a large enough body count, which really does suck and also takes away from the uniqueness of the villains. Catwoman's shtick was never that she could kill 200 people before she got caught because Catwoman seldom kills at all. The idea that she needs a body count to elevate her as a rogue is just stupid, she could still be a top rogue without having to compete with Joker for most kills. Still thinking it is going to be a cop out though. At least hoping so. I won't be one of those people who screams "not my [character]" as DC has done quite a bit of change with their characters of the years, but it does feel like it misses the whole point of the character all the same.
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Dec 9, 2016 05:28
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I buy them once a month just for the gloves. I go through those like crazy.
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Dec 20, 2016 20:34
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Mr Hootington posted:So how long until this spins out of control and ends with someone actually posting that they bought it after selling their car? Lol at my car being worth as much as that statue. Now if I had to dig into our wedding fund for one of those I'm sure my fiance would understand.
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Dec 20, 2016 21:47
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You know DT shtick is to cry "not my [character]" with any comic that isn't Red Hood right? Like all comics not titled Red Hood suck. Anyway I though Batman this week was pretty solid and I liked how Ventriloquist was used. Also Punch and Jewlee are a much better couple than about 90% of all DC couples. Looks like next issue we find out the thing about Catwoman.
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Dec 21, 2016 22:48
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What has Cobblepots got to do with birds anyways?
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Dec 23, 2016 19:27
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I really hated that the whole Batman/Catwoman thing was an afterthought after Hush (I know it was mentioned after Hush but never really explored more) so it was nice to see this current Batman arc actually show us more of the relationship.
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Jan 19, 2017 21:58
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The closest DC has to an arrogant overachieving jerk like Doom is Luthor. Bane isn't even in the same league.
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Feb 26, 2017 23:21
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To be fair I don't read much FF but for me the defining characteristic of Doom was that he was an over-achieving arrogant jerk who was so convinced that he was better than Richards that he let that obsession control his life. Basically his biggest character trait is jealousy, but besides that he is also very accomplished, extremely manipulative and very smart. He isn't so much a fighter as a planner. He has some similar characteristics as Bane but Bane always seems small fries while Doom is plotting against the world/universe/whatever. Still think that the closest DC has to a Doom character is Luthor who shares a lot more characteristics with Doom than Bane. If I were to pick a character that would be the Marvel's equivalent to Bane it might have to be Venom (which ha ah ha ha because they both have a thing to do with Venom). Venom is a hyper focused jerk who is similar to Spidey but taken to an extreme degree, which is the same as Bane. Both our physical powerhouses which outmatch their antagonists, both like loving with their prey before attacking, both have a massive chip on their shoulder, and both are loved by 90's fanboys.
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Feb 27, 2017 23:39
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Bane was freaking awesome in Batman this week and I love how this is building up against two forces of nature ready to go full tilt. Batman (the comic) has been getting better and better every issue.
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Mar 16, 2017 21:05
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Bane's response to Two Face's conflict on whether he should help Batman or not was hilarious.
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Mar 18, 2017 18:04
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Teenage Fansub posted:" I don’t want it to be grim" We can't see their faces. Maybe they are smiling and telling jokes.
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Mar 20, 2017 21:47
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On the one hand I kind of like the idea of a battle between baddies and the Joker and Riddler seem like such over the top characters that a rivalry between them based on ego alone would be compelling, but I am also sick of the Joker and wish creators would use other Batman villains every now and again.
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Apr 3, 2017 22:03
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Kevin Smith already had Joker do terrible gay jokes and it was terrible and deserves to be forgotten like all of Smith's Batman stuff.
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Apr 3, 2017 23:51
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With Comic Alliance gone I was thinking that DC should give Chris Simms an out of continuity Batman title and let him go crazy.
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Apr 4, 2017 02:26
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Sorry guys but I actually really dug this issue, and the whole arc in general. I was a bit put off by the comic being a bunch of recaps but the final page made up for it. The narration and the final page were basically a testament of what Batman is, ie someone who will do anything to save people (with a tiny bit of a sidenote of a deathwish). The fight itself was brutal but when the whole comic was building up the idea that Batman purposely put himself in situations which would bring about certain death only to win in the end because others were counting on him it made sense. Yes the one punch (or headbut) was a bit anti-climatic but it made sense to the overall storyline (and everything that was mentioned in the first 15 or so pages of the comic. Batman should have died so many times, and he was in so many situations where he should have died, just as he should have died at Bane's hands in the end, but his need to save Gotham Girl overrid all of that to the point where he couldn't just let go/give in.
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Apr 6, 2017 21:17
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NikkolasKing posted:Thank you for the tips on what to read. Absolutely check out Dixon's Robin run. I never read much Nightwing but assume it was good too. His Detective Comics run isn't bad either, and it was running concurrently to Moench and Jones Batman run which which is one of my fave Batman run.
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Apr 30, 2017 06:43
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Darth Nat posted:They set up the fun outing to the ballet, and then the comic runs out of pages and it doesn't happen! I felt betrayed! I was seriously hoping that the last page would have been her watching the ballet with a smile on her face.
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May 10, 2017 23:05
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Meh. I wasn't a big fan of Arkham. It seemed like Grant was more interested in "ideas" then "story-line" or "characterization". Your mileage with the book might vary.
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May 12, 2017 00:22
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His work on Grayson though let Janin go crazy with panel structures and layouts, so I think he probably does layout ideas that suit the strength of the artist he is working with.
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May 19, 2017 18:52
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I figured her reasoning was to do the fighting away from the cameras and such. Granted the first villain she faced was there to prove her point. He wanted to be in front of the cameras and be an "a lister" and her narration kept mentioning how Batman's methods attract these evil people who need to up the body count and be as bombastic as ever to get Bat's attention. She wants to fight that by rather fighting them away from all the attention. Honestly it isn't a bad idea, at least the way I read it.
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May 24, 2017 22:30
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She better say yes and there better be a wedding issue. If DC backs out (like the cowards they are) I will be unhappy.
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Jun 7, 2017 21:41
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Teenage Fansub posted:I hope it stays black and white. It will take place in the future and it will be about a kid who was cloned from the original Joker for some reality show, and he rebels and starts a punk rock band.
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Jul 7, 2017 23:03
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I think it had more to do with the fact that we had the two personal tales of Kite Man and his son, and Bruce promised Kite Man that the whole ordeal would be worth it. As for the guilt Bruce faced, in one of the earlier stories he mentions by name the people who died on some random day so it wasn't like he didn't care about them and only about Kite Man's son. I figured he found the whole thing with Kite Man's son's death to be terrible and random, and the reasoning behind why the Riddler did it pushed him momentarily over the edge (and edge he was teetering on throughout the entire arc). I wouldn't say it was the one instance that made Batman do what he did, but it was the one instance that broke the camel's back.
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Oct 5, 2017 01:24
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Open Marriage Night posted:So good. I know there was some action in the story, but it was all about the dialogue. Tom King is a master of his craft. Anybody have a picture of him in his underwear? I need a new avatar. I think King is a worthy replacement.
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Oct 6, 2017 07:25
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The weeks Batman moved the plot... incrementally, but King really nails down the interaction between Robin and Nightwing. Best Batman and Robin duo ever.
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Nov 2, 2017 16:55
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Lick! The! Whisk! posted:I caught up on King Batman, and War of Jokes and Riddles is probs a top 3 Batman story to me, behind R.I.P. and Zero Year. That was a loving incredible arc - the Kite Man interludes especially, but gently caress that loving dinner issue was so goddamn good. War of joke and riddles was a comic that shouldn't have worked but King's outside the box style really made it special.
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Dec 21, 2017 07:35
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