Best Batman stories

*Charlie Parker* · 23rd May 2008, 6:52pm

What are everyone favorite Bat stories? Since that movie is coming out we might aswell share our favs.

Im running out of dosh on this net machine so I will do a comprehensive list upon my return home. I can safetly say my fav Bat story is Prey by Doug Moench.´

Posh · 23rd May 2008, 6:55pm

I've not really read much Bats except the obvious stuff.

*Charlie Parker* · 23rd May 2008, 6:59pm

I must do a nerdy list or summat

Posh · 23rd May 2008, 7:30pm

I want to reread all the Neal Adams stuff I have fond memories of from my childhood.

Rio Ohki · 23rd May 2008, 7:34pm

i like the Dark Knight returns series, but I'm new to this, it's pretty much all I have except something based on the Animated Series that an Ex bought me, although I did quite like it too, in a fun way.

Posh · 23rd May 2008, 7:36pm

'Dark Knight Returns' is bad ass, the sequel is horrible in every conceivable way.

The only thing worse than Frank Miller in self-parodic grim and gritty mode is Frank Miller in 'wacky superhero' mode trying to make a point about everyone else being grim and gritty.

Just fuck off, Frank.

Rio Ohki · 23rd May 2008, 7:38pm

Superman getting his hole but'

JZY · 23rd May 2008, 7:45pm

I liked it when george clooney defeated arnold schwarzenegger.

natch.

MarkMono · 24th May 2008, 1:39am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Posh

'Dark Knight Returns' is bad ass, the sequel is horrible in every conceivable way.

The only thing worse than Frank Miller in self-parodic grim and gritty mode is Frank Miller in 'wacky superhero' mode trying to make a point about everyone else being grim and gritty.

Just fuck off, Frank.

The first Batman comics Frank Miller drew were shit. Pure unadulterated shit. Full circle.

The segment he did on Evan Dorkins Worlds Funnest* is his total artistic contribution to comics this decade. As for Millers Batman, as iconic as Dark Knight Returns is, I find it hard to see past Year One. The story is bare and immaculate and David Mazzuchelli only draws the best comics in the world (Also see Daredevil: Born Again.)

As to Batman, I tend to love the weird stuff and Grant and Breyfogle pretty much owned that department for my generation. Very few continuing stories during their run on Detective, but every last one is gold. Well, maybe not every last one, there are some seriously fucking dull Robin issues towards the end of their run but otherwise you could easily collect their run as a best of modern Batman.

Birth Of The Demon is truly excellent comics, far better than Son Of The Demon which by comparison looks two-dimensional. Denny O'Neill (Who I'm not normally a fan of) turns in the script of his career, back when DC went through their crazy phase where everything had to be a gilt-edged, hand-painted fifty page hardcover that cost at least one of your major organs and were willing to actually pay for fully-painted art. Breyfogle makes it so indescribably vibrant (No-one can draw batman raising an eyebrow in a mischievious fashion without just making him look a twat except Breyfogle.) that I'm going to sit and read it after typing this post.

Pete Milligans story Dark Night, Dark City which ran in Batman around 89-90 still strikes me as the best exploitation of the character, the mythos and the suspension of disbelief that comes automatically from reading and accepting the basically ridiculous premise of the character. The Riddler is also truly, truly monstrous in this. Forcing Batman to slit a babys throat is a nice touch. Drawn by Kieron Dwyer, before he lost his shit.

*Not a Batman story, but it is my favourite Bat-Mite/Mr Mxyzptlk story, which is no mean feat in itself.

Posh · 24th May 2008, 1:43am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMono

The first stories Frank Miller drew of batman were shit. Pure unadulterated shit. Full circle.

The segment he did on Evan Dorkins Worlds Funnest is his total artistic contribution to comics this decade. As for Millers Batman, as iconic as Dark Knight Returns is, I find it hard to see past Year One. The story is bare and immaculate and David Mazzuchelli only draws the best comics in the world (Also see Millers Daredevil: Born Again.)

As to Batman, I tend to love the weird stuff and Grant and Breyfogle pretty much owned that department for my generation. Very few continuing stories during their run on Detective, but every last one is gold. Well, maybe not every last one, there are some seriously fucking dull Robin issues towards the end of their run but otherwise you could easily collect their run as a best of modern Batman.

Birth Of The Demon is truly excellent comics, far better than Son Of The Demon which by comparison looks two-dimensional. Denny O'Neill, who I'm not normally a fan of turns in the script of his career, back when DC went through their crazy phase where everything had to be a gilt-edged, hand-painted fifty page hardcover that cost at least one of your major organs, and Breyfogle makes it so indescribably vibrant (No-one can draw batman raising an eyebrow in a mischievious fashion without just making him look a twat except Breyfogle.) that I'm going to sit and read it after typing this post.

Pete Milligans story Dark Night, Dark City which ran in Batman around 89-90 still strikes me as the best exploitation of the character, the mythos and the suspension of disbelief that comes automatically from reading and accepting the basically ridiculous premise of the character. The Riddler is also truly, truly monstrous in this. Forcing Batman to slit a babys throat is a nice touch. Drawn by Kieron Dwyer, before he lost his shit.

Is that the issue where he performs a tracheotomy on a baby? I read that when I was a kid and it has always stuck with me. Or something else?

MarkMono · 24th May 2008, 1:51am

Dead on, Pete Milligan wrote so many guest issues of Batman and detective between 1987 and 1995 he probably counts as the regular writer on numbers alone.

Posh · 24th May 2008, 2:03am

Cool. I didn't know that was Milligan but makes sense. I'll need to re-read that, as well as the other stuff you listed, some of which (the 'Demon' GNs) I also read back when they came out and I was too young to appreciate.

Some of the shit my prepubescent mind was exposed to courtesy of Batman comics and the wondrous notion that comics are for kids blows my mind, looking back. I was telling Prof recently about being off school sick one day and my mum picking up 'The Killing Joke' for me to cheer me up. It did not cheer me up. Crazy that she must have purchased that at a newsagents or whatever.

Does that make me a hypocrite when Prof and I go round to buy beer and I notice 'All Star Batman and Robin' is being reprinted as part of a UK omnibus type thing aimed at kids and rant accordingly? I don't think I've ever been on the side of the moral majority before.

MarkMono · 24th May 2008, 2:06am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Posh

Does that make me a hypocrite when Prof and I go round to buy beer and I notice 'All Star Batman and Robin' is being reprinted as part of a UK omnibus type thing aimed at kids and rant accordingly?

Hmm, yes and no.

The Killing Joke at least has artistic merit to recommend it.

It definitely makes you old, though.

Posh · 24th May 2008, 2:10am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMono

Hmm, yes and no.

The Killing Joke at least has artistic merit in its defence.

Yeah, I was just about to edit my post to say something along the same lines.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMono

It definitely makes you old, though.

Ah never wasn't.

MarkMono · 24th May 2008, 2:23am

The adventures of Bat Mite and Bob Overdog in Legends of the Dark knight by Grant and Kev O'Neill are fucking side-splitting.

Everything Matt Wagner does with Batman is so 70s it hurts. Sometimes its his best work, other times its average at best.