Bruce's Return

[BatfanReborn]

I'm currently reading up on the time of Bruce Wayne's return and setting up Batman Inc. I have ROBW, B&R Must Die, The Road Home, Batman INC and I've ordered Gates of Gotham and House of Hush. I've been looking into getting some other TPBs and wonder if anyone has read them:
The Dark Knight: Golden Dawn
The Black Mirror
Eye of the Beholder
Gotham shall be Judged
Batman& Robin: Dark Knight, White Knight
Batgirl: The Lesson
Red Robin: 7 Days of Death
Birds of Prey: Death of Oracle
Secret Six: The Darkest House

While, I'm interested to know your opinions on the books, I really want to know whether or not they are significant to either Bruce's return to being Batman or show any developments to the Batman Incorporated story. I know Golden Dawn is the only Brucebats title here but reviews haven't been very positive and my impression is that Inc only gets a couple of mentions. As for the rest, are Bruce's appearances any more than cameos or flashbacks? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Officersmile1466]

The best reading to get the essential "Bruce dies and then comes back and then makes Inc" narrative would be:
Batman and Son
The black Glove
Batman RIP
Final Crisis
Batman and Robin tpb1
Time and the Batman
Batman and Robin tpb2
The return of Bruce Wayne
Batman and Robin tpb3
and finally Batman inc.

Basically anything not written by Morrison isn't essential to the overall narrative. Of the titles you've listed the only two I've read are Batman& Robin: Dark Knight, White Knight (Which is pretty lousy and takes place after he gets back anyway) and The black mirror which was amazing but completely seperate to the Inc narrative.

[BatfanReborn]

Thanks for the response. I do have all those titles too but I am specifically interested in the period after he gets back and I believe Bruce appears in all these titles at some point. http://www.comicvine.com/batman-inc/.../issues-cover/ http://www.comicvine.com/batman-incorporated/39-56286/

[Dr. Hurt]

There's also "Final Crisis: the missing chapters" and Last Rites. Both filling in some gaps to the story. Last Rites in particular is really great if you ask me.

[carabas]

Secret Six: The Darkest House.

Batman appears for two panels, and has no dialogue. But this on is by far the best trade of the lot. It's unfortunate you start at the ending of Secret Six though.

[Choppa]

If you're specifically looking for stuff about Bruce creating Batman Inc there unfortunately isn't much there as it's yet to be fully revealed. The only things you can read are Return of Bruce Wayne, The Return, and Batman Inc Vol. I in terms of post return-stories.

Most of the stuff not written by Grant Morrison is periphery to that story line and won't likely have much of an impact. Your best bet would probably just be to read only the Morrison stuff.