My Top Ten Favorite Batman Stories

On July 20, 2012 the feature-length film The Dark Knight Rises will premiere. In honor of the new film from Warner Bros., I'll be doing a list of my top ten favorite comic book (non-Joker, Bane or Catwoman) stories featuring the Dark Knight Detective himself, Batman! If you haven't already, be sure to check out History of Comics On Film Part 4, 10, 18,19, 33, 40 and 48 which all feature everyone's favorite dark knight detective!


10. Justice League #5
"Grey Life, Grey Dreams"

I don't think I could live with myself if I omitted one of the greatest Batman moments in comic's history. If you've never read the Giffen/Dematteis run of Justice League or more specifically Batman's infamous confrontation with Guy Gardner, then you've been missing out. Kevin Maguire's pencils create some wonderfully expressive characters and enhance the funny in the already hilarious "Bwa-Ha-Ha" era of the Justice League.


9. Batman #417-420
"Ten Nights of the Beast"

This four-part thriller comes from the writer-artist team of the two Jimmy's, Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo! Although Mike Zeck contributed some dynamic and thrilling covers, Jim Aparo will always be a definitive Batman artist in my eyes and his work especially shines here! I feel it's always entertaining to see someone who is our hero's physical and mental equal (if not superior). I think many Batman baddies that are introduced try to fill this niche. Ultimately though, after their initial appearance, they end up regressing into a big dumb strongman type villain. Killer Croc and Bane have both suffered this indignity in varied degrees and we can probably thank Chuck Dixon for turning the Beast into a poor joke of himself. Anatoli Knyazev a.k.a. The KGBeast is another villain who started out as more than a match for Batman in both a physical and mental capacity. He was a step ahead of the KGB,FBI, CIA, GCPD as well as the Dark Knight Detective.

Now I realize that it's old hat for the internet to poke fun at one of the climatic moments of the piece. You see people accuse the KGBeast of the "Stupid Sacrifice" because when Batman catches him with a Bat-Line, rather than be caught he takes an axe to his own arm. This is supposed to be a chilling moment in which the reader takes away the fanaticism with which this assassin operates, not jokes and laughter.


All the derision and mockery seems to stem from the misconception that the Beast could have easily cut the rope he was tangled up in. However, it was never intended to be a rope. It was a Bat-Line made of steel cable that wouldn't have been easily cut with the swing of an axe. The line only got severed by Batman with a miniature plastic explosive and the Beast had to hack away several times at the line with his axe (which was never severed BTW), so I never understood where people were coming from with the "stupidity" criticism. I usually maintain my theory of colorist error in the story's defense, but I figure it's the age of the internet, so I confirmed this with the author himself. Jim Starlin was kind enough to reply to my casual inquiry on Facebook.

So hopefully all the trolls (who didn't know what they were talking about) can now go back to spending money on incessant Saw sequels and I can proudly proclaim my enjoyment of the first showdown between Batman and the KGBeast. It's a good tale of political intrigue and mystery and has the staples of those tropes related to the era of the 80's. Batman tales were certainly getting more and more gritty, but this grit was balanced with a more realistic tone where Batman needed to earn his victories and didn't have them handed to him on a silver platter.


8. Batman #491 - 500 and Detective Comics #659 - 666
"Knightfall"
by Alan Grant, Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Norm Breyfoyle,Jim Aparo, Jim Balent and Graham Nolan

Knightfall is probably one of the major events from the early 90's that I feel actually holds up really well over the passage of time. Even though you can easily point back to previous Batman stories such as Sam Hamm's "Blind Justice" run on Detective Comics or even the 400th Anniversary issue of Batman as unintentional precursors to this long running story arc in the Batman titles.

Two new major characters were introduced. A new villain Bane, who would prove to be Batman's physical as well as intellectual equal plots to destroy Batman by releasing all the inmates from Arkham Asylum. Along with Robin, Batman's new ally Jean Paul Valley, otherwise known as the avenging Azrael, would try to help the Caped Crusader in his darkest hour.

Whereas Ra's al Ghul's release of the Arkham Inmates was quickly contained in a single anniversary issue, Bane's plan is to systematically weaken the Dark Knight with each recapture. This eventually led to a super-fatigued Batman facing down Bane in his own home. True to his word, Bane did indeed "break the Batman."

Eventually Jean Paul himself has to step up to the plate and end the tyranny of Bane's reign. If you've never read this, you'll get some great interaction between Batman and many of his renowned rogues gallery, and this also led to a wonderful radio adaptation by the BBC which is not to be missed.


7. Detective Comics #469-479
"Strange Apparitions"

It's uncanny how influential this run by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers would go on to be in terms of the world of Batman Multimedia. The creators of Batman The Animated series would use characters created in the run such as corrupt city official Rupert Thorne. Not to mention Hugo Strange's auction of the true identity of the Caped Crime fighter or the Joker's Laughing Fish.

Then there's the introduction of the closest thing Bruce Wayne has to a Gwen Stacy type girlfriend, Silver St. Cloud. Many people point to this run as the basis from many of the treatments and drafts which would become the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film. Also the recasting of Vicki Vale with Kim Bassinger certainly made Batman's leading lady in the '89 film resemble Silver more than Vicki Vale in my opinion. I think in this modern age with hyper-realism applied to everything in comic books, it's easy to overlook the relationship of Silver St. Cloud with Bruce Wayne and her eventual discovery that Bruce is indeed Batman.

Finally you have Bruce Wayne who has moved out of Wayne Manor and both he as well as his alter-ego Batman living in the center of Gotham City. This is pretty much spot on with the evolution of Batman's base of operations in the follow up Nolan film, The Dark Knight. Plus with Thorne and his fellow corrupt officials in cahoots, they are also hell-bent on having the city consider Batman a wanted outlaw, which also reflects the eventual outcome of the Nolan films.


Classic rogues show up such as Penguin or The Joker and even a personal favorite of mine, the newly reinvented Deadshot, makes a great appearance. Deadshot would later go on to play an integral part as a member of Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad.

The art from Walt Simsonson and Marshall Rogers is exceptional and if you've never read this run you are doing yourself a disservice as a Batman fan.


6. Secret Origins #44 and Detective Comics #604-607
"Mudpack"

This is a terrific and often overlooked four part Batman story from Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle. I've always been a huge fan of team-ups and bringing together all four of the various Clayfaces that had existed in Batman's history up to that point is something that will always be exciting to me.

Also capitalizing on the recent death of Jason Todd, Grant and Breyfogle are able to harvest the zeitgeist of guilt facing Batman and the ghostly imagery of a dead Robin.

Along with the main story you have a wonderful companion piece that brings you up to speed on the history of Basil Karlo, Matt Hagan, Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller in the pages of DC Comic's Secret Origins title.

Throw in Batman's attractive red-headed partner from the Outsiders called Looker and I find myself the happiest of campers.


5. Batman #404-407
"Year One"

The Post-Crisis beginnings of Batman from Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli seem like a given when comprising such lists. Normally I'm inclined to prefer Batman stories that focus mainly on the caped crusader himself. However, this story really belongs to Jim Gordon more than Batman. Seeing the origins of Batman is great, but there is just as much satisfaction in seeing Jim Gordon kick the shit of out his corrupt partner Flass.

Or to witness his torrid affair with Sarah Essen.

Or how the man wrestles with the concept of bringing a good man in to a corrupted system of justice. I just simply cannot imagine this book not being on my top ten list.


4.Untold Legend of Batman #1-3

I would first read this story as a collected black and white pocketbook. Later I would happily rediscover the original color copies in the back issues bin at the local comic shop. Len Wein manages to cram every pertinant aspect of Batman's Pre-Crisis history into an engaging three issue mini-series.

The first issue focuses on Batman himself and the varied circumstances surrounding his parent's death and their killers being brought to justice. The pencils from John Bryne are pretty great and Jim Aparo's inks only serve to add to the mood of the piece.

By the second issue the focus has shifted on to Dick Grayson's beginnings as Robin with the penciling duties fell solely to Jim Aparo. There are also curtains drawn back on the background of Alfred Pennyworth as well as the Joker and Two-Face. Also it's worth mentioning that all three covers were penciled by José Luis García-López.

The third and final issues brings Commissioner James Gordon and his daughter Barbara, otherwise known as the costumed adventurer Batgirl to the forefront. Lucius Fox's first encounter with Bruce Wayne is covered here as well. Overall this is a well-crafted trip down memory lane for any Bat-fan.

3. Secret Origins Special #1

This special issue features the origins of a trio of Batman villains. Alan Grant and Sam Keith start off by telling a bittersweet tale of the Penguin's youth and his subsequent revenge on a childhood bully who teaches him the true nature of cruelty. Keith's unique pencils tend to fit the mood and atmosphere of the story rather well.

While Mark Verheiden and Pat Broderick conclude the issue focusing on the back story of Harvey Dent and his twisted turn into the criminal called Two-Face. How despite his split nature, he still has the good half of a man who won't let his wife Grace fall prey to a slighted convict.

However, the middle story by Neil Gaiman and Bem89 is the stand-out one in the triumvirate. There was so much deconstruction going on in the comic books of the 1980's, so it's nice to read something that is a bit of a shout out to the old days of the Adam West television era. More so than that, it's a cry to not forget where all the previous stories came from. A reconstructive comic book story, if you will.


Also there's a fabulous statement about who Batman is regardless of if you enjoy the camp adventurer of the 60's or the grim and gritty Dark Knight of the 80's.


2. The Dark Knight Returns #1-4

Obviously Frank Miller's defining take on Batman is another must on a list of favorite stories. I think what worked so well about it for me was that as opposed to other "seminal" works of the era like Watchmen, I was actually interested in reading it. The first time I read this book I couldn't have been more than nine or ten years old. Mostly what I knew of Batman came from Filmation, Adam West, Super Friends and a few Book and Record Sets (But we'll get to that in a moment).

I wanted to know what became of this hero that I idolized. Just like watching a Wes Craven flick about Swamp Thing led me to check out the wondrous run of Alan Moore on Swamp Thing. I had a pre-established frame of reference for the character that could then be molded and deconstructed. Thus, making me see the character in an all-new light. Reinventing him in my eyes and really in everyone's eyes forever.

Anytime I see a Batman/Superman showdown, it pales in comparison to the original showdown right here. Now this story has probably gone on to bite me in the ass as a Superman fanboy, but I must've of read the trade paperback my mom got for me of The Dark Knight Returns so many damn times the binding was virtually non-existent. Pages would fly out and I would know the exact order to rearrange them in. Ironically, other than a few select Batman comics prior to this, this was one of the first and greatest Batman stories I'd ever read.


1. Power Records Robin Meets Man-Bat

Now I know some folks must be thinking I'm crazy to put a Power Records book in the top slot. I'll admit, this story being my favorite has a great deal to do with nostalgia. Along with another Superman Power Records book, these were technically some of my first comic books ever. As a child I loved to listen along to these whether it was Star Wars: Droid World adapted from #47 of the Marvel Comics, or Super Powers: Battle At The Earth's Core from Kid's Stuff.

But what set this particular issue apart for me was the artwork. It made the whole world seem so real like I could almost reach out and touch it.

Sure I could see Batman on the Superfriends, but this wasn't the same thing as Alex Toth's character designs (as great as they were). The thugs Batman fought had a grit and realism to them that my little five-year-old brain couldn't help but to respond to. "This is what Batman'd look like, if he was in real life!" I would say to myself.

I must admit that the subject matter was pretty hard core for me at the time. A veritable universal-style movie monster whose metamorphosis creeped me out twice as much with all the heightened realism.

There was also his bride who left Kirk messages scrawled out in what appeared to be blood and then she herself eventually becomes a screeching She-Bat!

Little did I realize at the time, that this Read-A-Long Book and Record's art came from the legendary Neal Adams. He along with Denny O'Neil would redefine Batman in the 1970's and Robin Meets Man-Bat is actually Frankensteined together from several issues of Detective Comics. I'm pretty sure Robin was added to the stories after the fact, but many of the panels come straight out of the first appearance of Man-Bat in Detective Comics issue #400. Also some other panels of the reverse transformation from Man-Bat back to Kirk Langstrom were lifted directly from Detective Comics #407. Later this Power Records book would be reprinted along with all of Neal Adams fine work on the Dark Knight Detective in the three volume Neal Adams Batman Collection!