A little help please?

[marvelgirl27]

Hi I'm new on the forums and I need some help. I've been collecting for around two years now. Like my sn suggests, I mostly read Marvel comics. However, I've loved Batman: the animated series and the movies ever since I was little. I recently purchased the series on DVD and it sparked my interest in reading and collecting Batman comics. But since there are so many, I have no idea where to even begin.

Can anyone suggest some back issues or current titles to help me get started?

Please and thank you!

[Captain Jim]

Welcome to CBR, Marvel Girl. :)

Hmm, now's not a real good time to jump in. All of the Batman and related character titles are in the midst of a mammoth two month crossover. Come January, I'd suggest that you pick up either Batman or Detective Comics. Or if you really want something now and have the money for a trade, you might consider Batman Detective or Batman Death in the City. Both are compilations of recent popular stories from Detective Comics by Paul Dini and others.

[Batman was taken]

There's also a sticky at the top of this forum with a bunch of great Batman GNs. That should definatly get you started. From there you can see which writers and artists you prefer on the character and look at more of their stuff.

Stuff like Year One by Frank Miller and Long Halloween by Loeb/Sale are always popular choices. Hush, Face the Face, Detective, and Batman and Son are some of the newer one's that will fill you in on what's going on now with the character.

[Angelo2113]

Batman: Year One would be a great story to read for like the foundation of the story of Batman. In some ways it's pretty similar to the new movie Batman Begins.

Now on January 30th they're coming out with the Hardcover edition of Batman: The Man Who Laughs which is almost like a sequel to Batman Year One where it introduces the Joker.

Now after that you'd want to read The Long Halloween which I believe is like the first 3 years of him as a crimefighter and has Harvey Dent in it. And then the sequel to that would be The Dark Victory which introduces Dick Grayson as Robin

That would be a great start to know Batman's past

[marvelgirl27]

Thanks guys, you've been a great help! I'll definitely check these out.

[Gotham]

I've been a Batman fan all my life and read the comics incessantly back when I was in grade school all the way up to high school. I stopped buying them when I hit college and stopped until recently when I went on a Batman GN craze buying up everything I could. I'd like to get into the monthlies, but, like you, I'd have no idea where to start.

[shaxper]

I would agree that Long Halloween, in particular, has a very similar feel to The Animated Series. I think a lot of that is due to Tim Sale's art.

[Generic Eric]

I've been a Batman fan all my life and read the comics incessantly back when I was in grade school all the way up to high school. I stopped buying them when I hit college and stopped until recently when I went on a Batman GN craze buying up everything I could. I'd like to get into the monthlies, but, like you, I'd have no idea where to start.

Buy the latest issues of Batman or Detective. Just jump into the story midstream. Try to figure out what is going on as you go. That's how I did it starting out when I was a teenager. Another option would be to find out where Grant morrison's run on Detective started and where Paul Dini's run on Batman started. Those should good primers for the current Bat universe.

Batman and Son collects Batman # 655- 658,663-666. The first part of Grant Morrisons run.
Batman: Detective collects Detective Comics # 821-825. Paul Dini starts his run with self contained single issue stories.

[Captain Jim]

Buy the latest issues of Batman or Detective. Just jump into the story midstream. Try to figure out what is going on as you go. That's how I did it starting out when I was a teenager.

I can't agree with this advice--not in the middle of a four title crossover. I think most people would get discouraged and give up. January is not that long to wait.

[DonC]

If she's looking for something recent, Batman and the Outsiders might be a good starting point.

[Generic Eric]

I can't agree with this advice--not in the middle of a four title crossover. I think most people would get discouraged and give up. January is not that long to wait.


I jumped in the middle of Knightfall and had no problem. But then again comics are not written like they used to. I'm now thinking of Warcrimes and the one year later storyline. Yeah your probly right comishioner.

[Gotham]

Man, I really never should of quit buying Batman almost 10 years ago. I feel so utterly lost and confused! I visit my local comic shop weekly and buy the GNs but I almost always head over to the new release section and skim through the Batman monthlies, jealous, that I can't pick them uπ and enjoy them because I wouldn't know where to start or what is going on.

I'm actually heading over to the shop here in an hour. Only to get all jealous again. I think I'm going to pick up Hush.

[shaxper]

Another good place to start (or restart) with Batman is by picking up Batman: Detective. It's a trade paperback reprinting the first part of Paul Dini's current run in Detective Comics. In my opinion, these are some of the better Batman stories ever written. Dini brings back the detective aspect of Batman while revitalizing the classic rogue's gallery in new and exciting ways. Each issue functions as its own stand-alone story, which is refreshing in the age of the twelve part story arc.

http://www.dccomics.com/media/covers/6926_180x270.jpg

[Captain Jim]

Man, I really never should of quit buying Batman almost 10 years ago. I feel so utterly lost and confused! I visit my local comic shop weekly and buy the GNs but I almost always head over to the new release section and skim through the Batman monthlies, jealous, that I can't pick them uπ and enjoy them because I wouldn't know where to start or what is going on.

I'm actually heading over to the shop here in an hour. Only to get all jealous again. I think I'm going to pick up Hush.

Nightwing and Robin get brand new creative teams in January; that's the ideal time to check them out, for anyone who's interested. Also, almost every issue of Detective is accessible, beginning once again in January. Batman & the Outsiders just began and is now on #2. Same with the Gotham Underground mini. Batman Confidential also begins a new arc in January. Batman should be reasonably accessible again beginning in January.

[Gotham]

Nightwing and Robin get brand new creative teams in January; that's the ideal time to check them out, for anyone who's interested. Also, almost every issue of Detective is accessible, beginning once again in January. Batman & the Outsiders just began and is now on #2. Same with the Gotham Underground mini. Batman Confidential also begins a new arc in January. Batman should be reasonably accessible again beginning in January.

That's really good news. Thanks!

[Harlock]

Rather than create a new thread, I though I would piggy-back this one since it is similar to my query.

Here's my situation: I used to really enjoy LotDK. I read it for years, never missing an issue. I liked that it was easy to read some Batman stories without heavy ties to continuity. I also liked the fact that there was no Robin around in those issues.

However, these days, continuity isn't a problem, I in fact regard it as a plus. So, when i got back into comics a couple of years ago, after a 13 year hiatus from the medium, I jumped all over Marvel titles. DC was confusing what with lots of reboots and one shots and all the Infinite 52 Year One Countdown of Crisis whats-its that was going on, so I summarily wrote off DC.

But, I miss Batman. Last week I saw All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder and thought I had found my fix. After all, it was Frank Miller and Jim Lee and so I was convinced it would be great. I picked up issues 3-8 and gave them a read. I was not impressed. Just not my thing.

So, what is the main (or Flagship or whatever you want to call it) Batman book or books? Is it Batman? Detective Comics? Thanks in advance for the direction.

[Captain Jim]

I'd say it's probably both Batman and Detective. The latter usually has one shot stories, more often than not by Paul Dini. The former has ongoing storylines by Grant Morrison. Both writers have a lot of fans. On the other hand, if you liked LOTDK, the new Batman Confidential is just like it.

[Harlock]

I'd say it's probably both Batman and Detective. The latter usually has one shot stories, more often than not by Paul Dini. The former has ongoing storylines by Grant Morrison. Both writers have a lot of fans. On the other hand, if you liked LOTDK, the new Batman Confidential is just like it.

Thanks, Jim. I picked up a few recent issues of both Batman and Detective today at the store. I'll give them a read and see if I like them.