TheseBatman comics do not mess around. The creators ofBatman: The Dark Knight Returns,Dark Nights: Metal,The Long Halloween, and so much more put their best feet forward and created some of the best comic books ever. Fans looking to not waste their time will find perfect (or near perfect) comics from beginning to end in the pages of these Dark Knight adventures.
There's little to complain about with these Batman comics. Fans ofBatman: The Animated Series can read more of their favorite version of Batman and Gotham inBatman Adventures, while "Hush" reads like an epic thriller movie in a comic. Readers looking for the best of the best should look no further than these Batman comics, which tell immersive, jaw-dropping stories from start to finish.
15 Best Modern Batman Art Styles, Ranked
Batman has benefited from countless talented artists, from Jim Lee to Dan Mora, applying their art styles in the modern era of DC Comics.
10 Loeb & Sale's Batman Masterpiece
Few artists have taken an existing character and put their own visual spin on the entire world. Tim Sale redefined the look of Batman, his rogues, and Gotham City itself. Batman was like a haunting creature of the night, existing in shadows, moving like a phantom.
Comic | Batman: The Long Halloween |
|---|---|
Published | 1996-1997 |
Main Characters | Batman, Catwoman, Calendar Man, Joker, Harvey Dent |
Narratively, Jeph Loeb crafted an exciting mystery surrounding the identity of the Holiday Killer.With many suspects––the Joker, Calendar Man, Harvey Dent, and more––the Holiday Killer was an interesting new villain who pulledBatman, Poison Ivy, Riddler, Catwoman, and more into his web.Batman: The Long Halloween is a perfect read during the Halloween and Christmas seasons and a perfect mystery/thriller.
9 The Long Halloween Sequel Shines
Just a few short years after the release ofBatman: The Long Halloween, writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale teamed up once again (as they usually do, collaborating on comics likeDaredevil: Yellow andSpider-Man: Blue) for theLong Halloween sequel,Dark Victory.
Comic | Batman: Dark Victory |
|---|---|
Published | 1999-2000 |
Main Characters | Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Alfred Pennyworth |
Dark Victory is just as good as its predecessor and deserves the same praise. Instead of the Holiday Killer, Batman (and the newly recruited Robin) work together to solve the mystery of a new villain, the Hangman, who specifically targets Gotham's law enforcement. Every bit as gripping as its predecessor,Dark Victory is a terrific mystery and retelling of Dick Grayson's origins.
10 Best Batman and Robin Comics For Fans of the Dynamic Duo
DC's Batman and Robin have fought as the Dynamic Duo for years, and several amazing comics explore their partnership as it has changed and evolved.
8 Snyder & Capullo's Legendary Batman Comic Run
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo'sBatman comic run was the greatest highlight of the New 52. Sure, theJustice League comic series written by Geoff Johns was epic at times, and Aquaman of the New 52 was cool again, but nothing holds a candle to the quality writing and artwork ofBatman (Vol. 2).
Comic | Batman (Vol. 2) |
|---|---|
Published | 2011-2016 |
Main Characters | Bruce Wayne, Alfed Pennyworth, Bat-Family, Jim Gordon, Joker, Court of Owls, the Riddler |
It's not an exaggeration to call the entire volume ofBatman(2011) perfect. Snyder and Capullo introduced the Court of Owls, who have become fan-favorite villains. Commissioner Gordon filled Batman's boots in Bruce Wayne's absence, and the Joker returned in two of the best arcs ever, assaulting the Bat-Family in "Death of the Family" and corrupting the Justice League in "Endgame."
7 Batman's Definitive Origin Story
Frank Miller was one of the best comic writers of the 1980s. His work on Batman specifically changed the character forever. Ironically, Miller wrote two of the best Batman comics presenting Bruce Wayne at opposite ends of his career.The Dark Knight Returns presented Bruce Wayne's return to the cape and cowl, while"Year One" was a new origin story in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths DC Universe.
Comic | "Year One" |
|---|---|
Published | 1987 |
Main Characters | Bruce Wayne, Lieutenant Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth |
What would a realistic origin look like for Batman? With Alfred's encouragement and Jim Gordon's help, Bruce Wayne crafts the terrifying myth of Batman and unleashes it upon Gotham's criminals, changing the city forever. "Year One" is only four issues long, but it's the perfect Batman origin that has served as the hero's canonical foundation for decades.
10 Stories For Batman Fans Who Love Death in the Family
"Death in the Family" rocked Batman fans and heavily impacted the eventual Bat-Family, though it also influenced several later DC Comics stories.
6 The Batman Who Laughs Introduced The Dark Multiverse
Jumping off their success in the mainBatman comic title, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo craftedDark Nights: Metal, a miniseries that––somewhat––takes place in DC's main continuity. Readers met versions of Batman from the newly-establishedDark Multiverse, led by the Batman Who Laughs, a version of Bruce Wayne infected with Joker toxin.
Comic | Dark Nights: Metal |
|---|---|
Published | 2017-2018 |
Main Characters | Batman, Batman Who Laughs, Batmen of the Dark Multiverse, Justice League |
With epic battles, cameos from the Justice League, and an exploration of a brand-new multiverse,Dark Nights: Metal is a grand-scale Batman comic that adds a lot to Batman's lore. It takes the Dark Knight from the streets of Gotham to the edge of the DC Universe.Metal is perfect, and the tie-in issues, exploring the origins of the Dark Multiversal Batmen, only strengthen the whole arc.
5 The Joker Is Arkham Asylum's Tour Guide
Take a trip through the most dangerous place in Gotham City: Arkham Asylum. Grant Morrison would go on to write some of the best Batman comics of all time, from "R.I.P." to theBatman and Robin series starring Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. One of his earliest works for DC remains one of his greatest.Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is unlike most superhero comics.
Comic | Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth |
|---|---|
Published | 1989 |
Main Characters | Batman, Joker, Two-Face |
More of a study in psychology,Arkham Asylum takes a deep look at Batman and his villains. Why are they the way they are? How can Batman save them and not merely defeat them? Joker's commentary, mixed with Batman's interactions with many of his villains, is haunting and unsettling.
4 Batman: The Animated Series In Comic Form
Batman: The Animated Series holds what might be the best version of Gotham City. Every episode felt like a mini-movie. Despite being cartoons that aired on Saturday mornings,Batman: The Animated Series featured complex characters and emotional narratives. Its companion comic,The Batman Adventures–published alongside the TV series release–is no different.
Comic | The Batman Adventures |
|---|---|
Published | 1992-2004 |
Main Characters | Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Commissioner Gordon, Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze |
Those looking for moreBatman: The Animated Series will find more of the same inThe Batman Adventures. With an art style that matches the animated series and series producers and writers like Bruce Timm and Paul Dini providing occasional stories,Batman Adventures feels like a perfect extension of an already perfect series.
Every Batman: The Animated Series Season, Ranked
Bruce Timm's Batman: The Animated Series is a legendary television show that is considered the best DC animated show of all time by most fans.
3 The Joker Reformed... Batman Imprisoned
Sean Murphy created something truly special with hisWhite Knight universe. Alternate universes give creators so much freedom. Murphy unleashed his creative freedom, changing the status quo of Batman and the Joker, making theDark Knight more ruthless and turning the Joker into a more tragic figure who fought for a normal life.
Comic | Batman: White Knight |
|---|---|
Published | 2017-2018 |
Main Characters | Bruce Wayne, Joker (Jack Napier), Harley Quinn, Victor Von Fries, Nightwing, Batgirl |
Harley Quinn was a far more compelling character, and seeing an unhinged Batman was unnerving at times. Its sequels are also fantastic, but nothing beats the originalBatman: White Knight miniseries. It's perfect from beginning to end and presents an Elseworlds story that stands among the greats.
2 The Legacy Of The Batman
Talk about a perfect comic from start to finish.The Dark Knight Returns is not only perfect but revolutionary, which was common for many comics published in the 1980s. WithWatchmen,The Killing Joke, andDark Knight Returns, the '80s were a time of change in the comic book world. Stories were far more complex and mature, and characters carried new weight and depth.
Comic | Batman: The Dark Knight Returns |
|---|---|
Published | 1986 |
Main Characters | Bruce Wayne, Robin (Carrie Kelley), Joker, Superman |
The Dark Knight Returns is the ultimate "coming out of retirement" story. Bruce Wayne triumphantly returns as Batman, faces a Superman with mixed ideals, reclaims Gotham City from the Mutant gang, and confronts his worst enemy for the last time.
15 Best Fighters in the Superman Family, Ranked
Superman assembled a powerful family around him, including Superboy and Supergirl, though some of DC's strongest heroes are also skilled combatants.
1 Hush Is The Greatest Batman Epic
DC took one of their best writers, Jeph Loeb, and paired him with their best artists, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, to create an epic Batman story originally published in the monthlyBatman comic title. Amazingly, "Hush" was originally released in the ongoingBatman comic. It feels too grand, too epic, but that was the point.
Comic | "Hush" |
|---|---|
Published | 2002-2003 |
Main Characters | Batman, Catwoman, Superman, Lois Lane, Poison Ivy, Joker, Harley Quinn, Hush |
DC wanted to ensure the regular series mattered again, and they succeeded."Hush" is still one of the best Batman comics ever. From Batman's tactical battles with Killer Croc to his epic showdown with Superman and his thrilling confrontation with Joker in the rain, "Hush" is an epic from start to finish, never slowing in pace or adrenaline.
- Created by
- Bill Finger, Bob Kane
- Upcoming Films
- The Batman – Part II
- Latest TV Show
- Batman: Caped Crusader
- First Film
- Batman: The Movie
- Latest Film
- The Batman
- First TV Show
- Batman
Batman is one of the oldest comic superheroes, with nearly a century of comics, TV-shows, films, and video games. The mild-mannered Bruce Wayne becomes Gotham City's caped crusader, protecting it from villains like The Joker, Killer Croc, The Penguin, and more. Batman is also one of DC comics' "Big Three" alongside Superman and Wonder Woman, and together the three help keep the earth safe as founding members of the Justice League.
- First Episode Air Date
- January 12, 1966
- Cast
- Adam West, Kevin Conroy, Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson,Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton,Keanu Reeves, Josh Hutcherson, Will Friedle, Anson Mount, Will Arnett
