Just finished reading Year One, now onto The Dark Knight Returns....

[MacComicBook]

Hi All

I have just finished reading Year One, loved the Graphic Novel, i'd been recommended it as a great start of getting into Batman some time ago, but I was reading Marvels Civil War series at the time and never got round to reading it. I also purchased The Dark Knight Returns and was recommended that as a great 2nd book to read. I also have Gotham Central which i'm really enjoying but still only read the first graphic novel of that.

I was wondering if you agree this is a great second book to read and also if you could recommend any further reading on Batman?

I love comics, they're just really expensive when you try to read a whole series :evilangry:

But I don't mind purchasing graphic novels as I can read at my own rate!

Thanks to anyone who can help and hi to everyone, first time poster :smile:

[the goddamn batman]

Year One and Dakr Knight Returns are easily two of hte best Batman stories ever written. You can't go wrong with either of them.

Year One is the origin of modern continuity Batman. DKR is the end of Batman... though, not set in any continuity. It's just a Batman story. It's not tied to anything else... which is probably what makes it so great.

As for other Batman stories... there's about 600 Million of them... some good, some bad. If you like Year One, The Long Halloween followed by Dark Victory would probably be a good place to start. They're sort of intended to follow from what Year One started.

And, a lot of the early stories from Legends of the Dark Knight are pretty good... but finding them in trades might be a bit hard.

And and, be warned, just because you liked The Dark Knight Returns does NOT mean you'll also like The Dark Knight Strikes Again.:wink:

and and and keep reading Gotham Central. It's a great book.

[AlistairCrane]

I actually hated DKR. I'm not a fan of dystopic futures or old-men superheroes, so it didn't float my boat.

Check out Batman: The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker for the story of Batman's first encounter with the Joker.

Next I'd recommend Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's The Long Halloween, a 13-part murder mystery, followed by its sequel Dark Victory.

Then check out The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, simply because it's so good.

[InfiniteCombo]

They weren't my introduction to Bats, but I read Year One and DKR back to back for first readings. They are both great stories, but I don't think they compliment each other well. I'd go with TheGoddamnBatman's suggestions of Long Halloween and Dark Victory. I've only read Long Halloween, but the Batman presented in that is definitely a continuation of Year One's Batman.

[The Xenos]

Oooo! Gotham Central. Such a good series, especially if you like Nolan's real world aproach or cop shows like Homicide.

Long Halloween would definately be a next book to check out. There's a whole list of trades to check out at the top of this forum too.

[Choppa]

Are you asking whether DKR is good to read next because of chronology or because it's popular?

[Captain Jim]

Check out the TPB thread at the top of the forum. :smile:

[the goddamn batman]

Check out Batman: The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker for the story of Batman's first encounter with the Joker.


Eeesh... can't believe I forgot that one.

[The Batman]

There's also Matt Wagner's Batman: Faces, Batman and the Mad Monk, and Batman: Dark Moon Rising which also follow up on Year One. Seconded on The Killing Joke, The Man Who Laughs, The Long Halloween, and Dark Victory. All are really enjoyable books. Another thing to consider is Batman: Strange Apparitions by Marshall Rogers and Steve Englehart which is considered by alot of people to be one of the definitive Batman runs. Batman: Mad Love is pretty good too, though you might've already seen it as an episode of Batman: TAS.

If you're enjoying Gotham Central you might also consider checking out the Elseworlds Batman: Nine Lives which is by Dean Motter and Michael Lark. Along those Elseworlds lines, there's also Paul Pope's Batman: Year One Hundred. They're a little bit different, but also pretty well done.

Finally, and I know you probably want to avoid single issues, but if you get the chance Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle put out some very good Batman stories in the late 80's in both Batman and Detective Comics. You could probably get them for a quarter a piece but they're totally worth checking out.

[Slackjaws_ate_my_brain]

Batman : Secrets. Kieth's art is an aquired taste (I've loved him since his "Marvel Comics Presents" days), but the story is great. Nice interplay between Bats and The Joker, and some fun little twists and turns along the way. Beyond that, you can pick it up for like 10 bucks and it's a pretty short read.

[the goddamn batman]

Secrets is really nice. Didn't he d another one... or is he working on it now or something?

[Adam West]

Gotham Central was really good. Joker's description in Soft Target got that same vibe with Ledger's Joker in TDK. After you finished with Half Life, you should definitely read Unresolved Targets, which is the TPB that consist 2 story, Soft Targets and Unresolved.

[AlistairCrane]

I should warn you, Gotham Central is an acquired taste. I bought two issues, and the art was atrocious. Then again, I've also never really been a fan of Rucka or Brubaker.

[David Walton]

If you like DKR you might like J.M. DeMatteis' "Going Sane." It's not very similar in tone, but DeMatteis explores a similar theme as Miller concerning Batman as the Joker's reason for being. Without spoiling anything, the Joker thinks he's killed Batman and so he goes off to live a normal life with a normal woman while unbeknowst to him Batman is recuperating from his injuries. It's from Legends of the Dark Knight but is being collected in TPB.

[Libaax]

Haha someone actually dissed Michael Lark.

Sorry everyone got their own taste but i was just shocked.

Lark is easy one of my alltime favorite artist.


DKR is a must read Batman IMO. The art is amazing and its the best What If Batman story there is. Its so great seeing a potential version of Batman future done so well.

If Batman ever got old there is a huge chance he would end up the old man in DKR.

Just like how Year One is a great story of seeing where he begins i think its interesting seeing where he might end up.

[Damiean Dark]

Batman:war on crime is a great simple tale and the art is probably the best i have seen with batman.

Knightfall is an all time classic showing just how far batman can be pushed in his neverending mission.

Justice league:tower of Babel is a great book showing batman never really trusting the power of his teamates

Judge Dredd/Batman:Judgement on gotham is the first and best of the team ups between the greatest judge of them all and the dark kinght.

[BigBoss]

The dark knight returns is my favorite bat book of all time.

[MacComicBook]

Wow...Thanks to all your replies! I'll definitely bookmark this and work my way through, think i've got myself tied up until 2010 with all these haha

I think i'll try out the ones that follow on from Year One, I like to read a continuous story. Once i'm finished i'll go on to the others.

Seriously thanks though, i'll keep coming back!

[thor25]

Going Sane." It's not very similar in tone, but DeMatteis explores a similar theme as Miller concerning Batman as the Joker's reason for being. Without spoiling anything, the Joker thinks he's killed Batman and so he goes off to live a normal life with a normal woman while unbeknowst to him Batman is recuperating from his injuries. It's from Legends of the Dark Knight but is being collected in TPB

yeah almost a what If history....

and for good histories

check the brave and the bold 180 and 200... even a realistic character like batman can work in concept like the multiverse.

also barva and the bold 197 (Yes batman can be Happy beLiebe it or not).

also check prey and venom from legends of the dark knight...

[Herr Mike]

Batman : Secrets. Kieth's art is an aquired taste (I've loved him since his "Marvel Comics Presents" days), but the story is great. Nice interplay between Bats and The Joker, and some fun little twists and turns along the way. Beyond that, you can pick it up for like 10 bucks and it's a pretty short read.

Secrets is Killing Joke done right. I loved it.

[Pixie_Solanas]

Secrets is really nice. Didn't he d another one... or is he working on it now or something?

He did that hideous Batman & Lobo mess from a few years ago.

[Pixie_Solanas]

The dark knight returns is my favorite bat book of all time.

I read DKR as a young lad back in 86 and it completely obliterated what I thought comics could do up that point. A landmark achievement. Scathing social satire, established character continuity just absolutely destroyed, and more dystopian futurism than a Philip K. Dick novel.

Love it, still.

[Damiean Dark]

What about the dark knight strikes again? I didnt realy like it personally.

[dancj]

I like DKSA a lot, but it's very different.

[niall mc cann]

Finally, and I know you probably want to avoid single issues, but if you get the chance Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle put out some very good Batman stories in the late 80's in both Batman and Detective Comics. You could probably get them for a quarter a piece but they're totally worth checking out.

Batman: The Last Arkham is one of my most-thumbed Batman trades. I really love it. Breyfogle drew a great Batman, and it's one of those rare things: a Batman story that's actually a real, honest died-in-the-wool detective story. Great stuff.

[Vidocq]

What about the dark knight strikes again? I didnt realy like it personally.

It's more of a JLA passing the torch book than a Batman being badass book like in DKR was. I'm a fan of Miller's art but that was his worse work, Only the Splash pages looked good. I enjoy the story, but the art was really bad.

[BigBoss]

Iam buying year one next week for sure.

[MacComicBook]

I took a four hour trip at the weekend and obviously returned on that same four hour journey on Monday.

So I decided to take Batman: The Dark Knight Returns with me. At first as somewhat of a Batman noob and also after the great feedback here I was skeptical at times where I thought the book would pick up pace earlier on.

But I underestimated this book, it reminds me of great films were the storyline stays at a steady pace early on only to come together like a masterpiece later on.

So after getting half way through the book on my journey to London I thought the book was decent but did hope that it picked up a little. Some things I did not follow due to me being new to Batman but my return journey completely cleared all this up for me.

I loved how Batman was an old crime fighter 'coming back from the dead' to tackle the crime. I just thought the whole of the 2nd half of this book was non stop jaw dropping stuff. I loved it completely enjoyed the inclusion of Superman. The mutants was an interesting plot and I liked Batmans vulnerability mixed with an experienced fighters strength. The constant reflection with the media and switching between scenes was confusing at first but completely brilliant and well placed by the end.

Overall I think this is one of the best comics i've ever read and i'll continue to read the others you have recommended. Thanks!