Batman or Detective Comics?

[Neverwinter]

Hello all. I'm a newbie and I would like to hear your suggestions on something.

I am getting back into comics after a long absence and I can only afford a few titles. I like mainly mainstream characters and central/current DC Universe storylines and I am not interested in minor characters or peripheral storylines.

Art is also important. I like good paper, glossy pages, fewer and larger panels, and high detail. I dislike a lot of panels on the page and impressionistic, stylistic or cartoonish art if you know what I mean.

Yes, I know. :o I am a tool for The Man but that's what I like. I can't help it.

Taking all that into consideration, I have eliminated a lot of titles and I am only picking up JLA, Flash, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman at the moment; but I can't decide between which Batman comic I should get.

I can only afford one of each. Should I get Batman or Detective Comics?

What are the differences between them?

Why is Grant Morisson's Batman so controversial?

Are any of them more contained single-issue storylines or more ongoing plot multiple issue storylines?

Are any of them more detached from the bigger DC Universe and concentrate more on the main character or do they touch on the happenings of the DC Universe and how the main character relates to other heroes?

Are any of them more about the main character or more about the main character's circle of friends and enemies?

Are any of them more humorous or action oriented on the one hand or dramatic and emotional oriented on the other?

What other titles in the DC Universe would you suggest for me to get that would comply with my tastes and interests?

Thank you for any help you guys can give me in order to make a decision.

[chrismileslord]

Personal Opinion I like Detective Comics better. Just seems to have better stories to me, but that is all personal opinion.

[the goddamn batman]

I'd go with Detective Comics.

[rerun]

Probably Detective Comics, but Grant Morrison is one of the best writers going, and this next run of his on Batman should be excellent.

[Captain Jim]

Are any of them more contained single-issue storylines or more ongoing plot multiple issue storylines?

That's the easiest of your questions to answer. Detective tends to be more self-contained issues, whereas Batman is more multiple issue storylines (under the current writers, at least).

[fierceandfunky]

i like both of the current runs on the bat books... (hated grotesk).. but they have awesome writers... dini and morrison.

if i had to choose just one, i'd choose batman, i want to see what morrison can do.. and to bring back damian.

[zeroEDGE]

They're both good, I'd recommend both of them but I love Detective Comics more.

[nomadic1]

Yeah, the stories are better in Det Comics. Batman just seems less satisfying in comparison.

[The Shadow]

Detective Comics.

It's a race that's not even close.

Dini is crafting a great run of single issue stories that have an overarching plot... Morrison's has been pedestrian at best.

[stealthwise]

Detective Comics. If you hate it, at least you can scrap it without wondering what happens in the next five or six issues in the storyline.

[jerrymcl89]

Unless you've read Morrison's previous work and really loved it, Detective is your safer bet.

[jv2k]

Batman is doing pretty good right now but personally I feel that detective comics is much better.

[IRONY...]

Detective Comics...especially if u are a newbie

[Starba]

Detective Comics, but just be aware that it's in a filler arc right now so the usual writer (Paul Dini) won't be working on it for this issue and the next. Check www.dccomics.com or a similar website like Newsarama to keep up with this sort of thing.

[psmoore]

I've always heard that Dective is more of a detective like story where batman is more of the superhero story lines. Haven't read them long enough to have figured out if that's true though.

[Starba]

I've always heard that Dective is more of a detective like story where batman is more of the superhero story lines. Haven't read them long enough to have figured out if that's true though.

Normally it would be, but Stuart Moore's and John Ostrander's arcs would probably be backwards in that case. :p

[pringlesman]

I have to say as of late Detective Comics is the comic I look forward to most on my pull list.

[Captain Jim]

I must say, I'm surprised at how near unanimous this appears to be--especially considering the fact that Morrison is such a fan fave (same with Kubert, when he's involved).

[Ironluke5]

First of all, fans know Dini. His work on BTAS assured that people would pick up an issue or two of 'TEC. Dini's run has been solid. Stories haven't been brilliant, but they've been readable. He's producing Batman the detective as opposed to Batman the superhero (justifying the World's Greatest Detective moniker). His stories have been self contained. If Morrison exercised some restraint ,or told halfway decent stories, people's attitude on this thread might be different.

[ThunderKat]

hello new guy here,

I went with Batman at first but it got boring real quick and then there was that storyline at christmas. tom mandrake & john ostrander.

so i went back and picked up all of paul dini's detective, which are great fun.
grant morrisons bruce wayne bits were awesome, but that was about it. shame.

this current 2-part detective is great, the terrorist in the buliding. the art is very nice, wouldn't be disappointed if he replaced kramer.

if someone like dustin nguyen returned to batman, i'd pick it up.

[steve2275]

andy(batman)kubert

[Captain Jim]

hello new guy here,

Welcome to CBR, ThunderKat! :)

[Captain Jim]

Stories haven't been brilliant, but they've been readable.

No argument there.

[Keehar]

Detective Comics.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

Just bought Detective Comics #821-823, and wow. Soooooo awesome. Paul Dini should just write everything Batman.

[sabongero]

I'll just answer that both Batman and Detective Comics right now are pretty solid with issues #833 for Detective Comics and #665 for Batman is solid as well.

What do you people think ?

[Manta]

Hi.

I have both, though I have read only Detective Comics for the last 12 months and I must say that I'm overly impressed with it ... I really like the characterisation of heroes and villains and inbetweeners in 'Tec happened this past year. Very nice detective stories also.

[SomeDude]

I still think Detective is better right now but they're two different styles of writing. Dini writes self-contained stories because he works on TV shows. Morrison writes interconnecting arcs where everything comes together with a bag toward the end. We may have to wait until Morrison's run is over to know which one was the best.

[Choppa]

I think it's hard to say. With the rotating creators every several months either book could be the standout for a certain period and then switch back and forth.

[brundlefly]

Definitely Dini's Detective for me. I like the one-or-two issue complete arcs that still contain undercurrent subplots (like the Riddler's new MO) and make great use of Batman's rich rogues gallery. Dini's Detective came in rather under the radar compared to Morrison's overhyped Batman, which is OK but has failed to impress up to this point (particularly the weak "Son of Batman"). Detective snuck up on me with how good it was (though I should have known it would be, what with Dini writing it) and it's one of my favorites each month. I love those Simone Bianchi covers, too.

[Captain Jim]

everything comes together with a bag toward the end.

A bag, huh? ;)

[SomeDude]

Damn "n" key.

[Ult. Fireboy]

I think that Batman is the best right now, but Detective is also very good.

[swedishmeatballs]

I like both actually. I know I'll get my money's worth with Tec because it's like watching the lost episodes of BTAS. Batman is just different. I don't know...:p

[Bat_Fan2232]

tech is my choice, i pick them up both but tech always leaves me feeling like i got my money worth

[Billage]

Detective would be perfect for you.

In Dini's run so far,he's included everyone from The Joker,Penguin,Riddler,Ventrilquist,Lois Lane,Harley Quinn,and Zatanna.

Good way of getting to know the characters again.

[KAL-EL122881]

I have to say Detective is the better book. Dini just gets Batman and It ships on time every month.

[Mia]

While I have to say that Detective is a much more better and coherently written book. I have to give the edge to Batman. Morisson writes the kind of Batman I like and admire.

Not uptight, super cool, smart and successful--which is the way I see Batman. And the way that the creators planned him to be.

[Batman The Dark Knight]

Dini is great in Detective Comics but also the sub-plot "Three ghosts of Batman" from Grant Morrison is cool, specialy the Bat-Bane.

[The Beast Of Yucca Flats]

Whether you are a noob, or just an old fogey getting tired of mega-arcs/x-overs/etc., it's Detective. It's always Detective.

[dwerlin]

Hey all, I'm looking to get into a Batman comic (tried Batman Confidential but didn't really like it).

Which is a better Batman series? Detective Comics (does Detective Comics always feature Batman?) or Batman?

Thanks!

[Paul Dee]

In my opinion they're both currently great titles. Paul Dini's Detective Comics is the slightly better of the 2 (and I think a lot of people would agree with this) - they're stand-alone stories which focus more on the detective side of the character. Even though they're stand-alone issues there does seem to be an overall direction that Dini's taking as alot of the same characters keep cropping up although you can pick it up at any point and still understand it.


Grant Morrison's run starts a new arc next month so you might also want to check that out.

[jadrax]

Right now I would say Detective.

[stamen]

Detective -- no contest.

[drwho]

Detective all the way when dini is writing it.

[ChairthrowerLad]

Right now you could do no wrong with either of them. Detective Comics is being written by the guy who has done more to shape the modern Batman than just about anyone, Paul Dini.

Batman is being written by my personal favorite author, Grant Morrison.


For me, it doesnt get any better than this.

[Brack360]

I would recommend Detective, but I am enjoying Batman too. Dini’s Detective run has been great so far and has featured self-contained mystery stories. You might want to check out the current issues of both Batman and Detective and decide to keep getting whichever of the two you like better.

[Captain Jim]

Hey all, I'm looking to get into a Batman comic (tried Batman Confidential but didn't really like it).

Did you try the first arc or the second (which is just beginning)? If the first issue of the second arc is any indication, Confidential is my favorite at the moment.

[BJNique]

Hey, I'm also interested in picking up Detective Comics, but I'm not sure where the story arc is at right now. Can anyone tell me what issue # would be the best to start with, so that I can read up and be current? Or should I just pick up what's out now and go with it? From what everyone is saying, Dini's stories have been excellent, so how far back should I go to be able to get some of that and to get some background to where the book is at now? Thanks!

[Paul Dee]

Hey, I'm also interested in picking up Detective Comics, but I'm not sure where the story arc is at right now. Can anyone tell me what issue # would be the best to start with, so that I can read up and be current? Or should I just pick up what's out now and go with it? From what everyone is saying, Dini's stories have been excellent, so how far back should I go to be able to get some of that and to get some background to where the book is at now? Thanks!

#821 is the start of Dini's run so any issue from that is worth a read to be honest. However, it's worth noting that #825, #829, #830 and #832 have been filler issues not written by Dini although in my opinion they've all been pretty decent (except 829-830 which I personally wasn't too keen on). Every issue is perfectly understandable on its own although #833 and #834 is a 2-parter so don't buy one without the other :)

That said, my personal recomendations would be:

#821: fantastic story with a new, original villain and incredible art by JH Williams III

#822: introduction of the new characterisation of the Riddler, and a great detective story

#824: nice stand-alone issue featuring the Penguin going straight which works well on its own but also foreshadows:

#833-#834: excellent 2-parter which explores the current Batman/Zatanna relationship alongside a moment which will make you go "wow!"

people have also raved about #826 which features the Joker but which is the only issue I haven't read yet.

Hope this helps!

[BJNique]

That does help. I like the art of Don Kramer in #834 (I have read through that one), but I noticed that Mandrake is doing art for the next couple issues. Is that a permanent change? And if so, how does the art of Mandrake compare to that of Kramer (the reason i ask is I really like Kramer's style)? I really want to find another book--besides JLA which I'm reading--that I can pick up each month and consistently enjoy the writing and artwork. Do the writers/artists of Tec change frequently?

Sorry for all the fundamental questions, but I haven't read comics for about 14 years, so I'm basically new to everything.