Batman is one of the oldest superheroes: he turns 77 this year. How does he manage to remain popular at such a respectable age? Thanks to successful films and games, you will say, and you will be right.

But behind the adaptations is the source material - hundreds and hundreds of comics. Anyone who wants to approach them will immediately run away from the number of volumes, restarts and branches. What is the best place to start, what will be clear to an outsider and will immediately hook him? We offer our version.

Year One (1987)

Everyone knows the origin story of Batman. It has been presented dozens of times already with one or another discrepancy. But the version from this comic is the closest to the generally accepted canon, the most logical and rational.

“Year One” brings all stories about the appearance of a hero to a common denominator. How did wealthy orphan Bruce Wayne come up with the idea to dress up as a bat? How did he present himself to the public? How was his relationship with the only non-corrupt cop, James Gordon? All this is told in Batman: Year One, a graphic novel by Frank Miller that heavily influenced the film Batman Begins.

The Killing Joke (1988)

Batman and Joker are inseparable opposites, they are like black and white, Holmes and Moriarty, cola and mentos. Antipodes born from tragedy. Anyone interested in the Joker should start with The Killing Joke - this is where this villain is revealed best. In this deluxe graphic novel, he and Batman must fight not only for Gotham, but also for the sanity of Commissioner Gordon.

"The Killing Joke" helps to look at Batman from a new perspective. Alan Moore, like no one else, knows how to get into the brain of his characters. In his cynical way, he predicts how the endless confrontation between Batman and the Joker will end, and describes the Dark Knight as, in essence, another madman.

The Long Halloween (1996–1997)

This Halloween, Batman, Commissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent join forces to save the city from a mob war and a mysterious killer. Seasoned weaver spider Jeff Loeb maintains tension and intrigue until the very end - it’s impossible to tear yourself away.

“The Long Halloween,” like “The Dark Knight,” which it inspired, shows the true tragedy of the figure of Harvey Dent, his duality, which not every author was able to grasp. Those who are interested in the origins of one of the brightest villains of the DC universe, and fans of mysteries with a triple bottom, should not pass by.

Knightfall (1993–1994)

A sort of answer to The Death of Superman. Supervillain Bane decides to break Batman, both physically and psychologically. He opens the doors of Arkham Asylum, and the Caped Crusader, at the limit of his strength, has to catch the patients one by one. This time the hero finds himself among villains of all stripes and calibers at the least suitable moment. Mad Hatter, Two-Face, Firefly, Scarecrow, Joker - in this series we will see many of Batman's enemies.

And for dessert - Bane himself. He will inflict such trauma on the hero from which he, it would seem, will never recover. Did you think Batman always wins?

Justice League of America: Tower of Babel (2000)

Batman is not only the protector of Gotham. He is also a member of the Justice League, in which he has to interact with the strongest (and most dangerous!) creatures in the DC universe. "The Tower of Babel" tells how Batman's caution is complemented by paranoia and mistrust even of his fellow man.

Those who are familiar with the members of the Justice League will be interested to see the Dark Knight in an unusual setting, but newcomers will be captivated by the cunning of Ra’s al Ghul, who opposes the heroes.

Quiet! (2002–2003)

Batman's opponents rarely teamed up, but this is exactly the case. A conspiracy has been organized against Batman involving almost all of his old enemies. Who is behind this? The one who passionately hates the hero of Gotham and knows more about him than anyone else.

Screenwriter Jeph Loeb has created another magnificent, vibrant mystery. A tangle of secrets unwinds, lifting the veil over both Bruce Wayne's childhood and his relationships with Selina Kyle and Talia al Ghul.

Mad Love (1994)

The Joker's girlfriend Harley Quinn is perhaps the most popular anti-heroine of the Batman universe (at least among cosplayers, for sure). Not everyone remembers that she first appeared in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series and only then in this comic. Harley has changed a lot these days, and seeing her portrayed by her actual father, screenwriter Paul Dini, is priceless.

The comical, exciting and touching story of Harley Quinn's mad love for the Joker won an Eisner Award. It makes sense to read it before the release of Suicide Squad, in which Harley makes her big screen debut.

The Man Who Laughs (2005)

The Joker appeared in comics almost simultaneously with Batman himself and is too important to be limited to just one volume about him on this list. Unfortunately, the comics of the 1940s, in which this character debuted, can no longer impress today's demanding readers. But Ed Brubaker managed to modernize the first story about the Clown Prince of Crime. The comic not only explains how the Joker immediately managed to become the number one enemy for Batman, Gotham and the entire society, but also shows ordinary person, Commissioner Gordon, in the face of this disaster.

Batman and Son (2006)

Batman has a son, and he will have to babysit! And everything would be fine, but the shket is a trained killer!

This may sound like the premise of yet another kitschy Joel Schumacher film, but fortunately Grant Morrison didn't slip up. This comic of his became the basis for stories about the Dark Knight for years to come, and at the same time answered all the questions about Damian Wayne and his wild nature.

Court of Owls (2011–2012)

The first Batman story since the DC Universe relaunch helps readers figure out what's going on with the Dark Knight right now.

In the story, Gotham has been controlled for centuries by the Court of Owls, a mysterious organization that Batman himself was unaware of until it decided to strike at him. And in the sequel “Night of the Owls,” the entire extended Bat-family fights with the Court’s henchmen. So the comic presents a new look at Bruce Wayne's entourage: Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Alfred and others.

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Of course, not everyone is included in this list. best stories about the Dark Knight. It doesn't have the complex, newbie graphic novels like Arkham Asylum, Gothic, and Batman, R.I.P. Grant Morrison, Brian Azzarello's cynical crime drama Joker, Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller's masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns...

All of these things will work better for a reader already familiar with the basics. These are the stories on our list that will help you understand the motives and character of Batman and those around him. Happy reading and welcome to Gotham!

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the release of Batman's first comic book, the twenty-seventh issue of the Detective Comics series. DC Comics has officially declared July 23rd Batman Day. There's a lot to celebrate: after all, Man-Bat is one of the most important and influential superheroes in comic book history. Look At Me selected 15 main stories with his participation.

"The Dark Knight Returns"

Probably the most famous Batman comic, and certainly the main Batman comic from the 80s: a dark tale from Frank Miller (author of “Sin City”, “300 Spartans” and much more) about 55-year-old Bruce Wayne, retired, who puts on the Batman suit for the last time and goes into battle against all his enemies. Together with Alan Moore's Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns turned the tradition of superhero comics on its head - and showed what they were capable of; before Miller's series, superheroes did not age, did not get sick and were generally flawless, he also painted an ambiguous cyberpunk universe in which there is no obvious good and evil, and even Batman seems to be not a very good psychopath. The comic remains a timeless classic, and any attempt to reinvent Batman inevitably draws comparisons to Returns. Well, yes, this is the same comic in which Batman fights with Superman, and, consider it, wins.

"Batman: Year One"

Reinventing Batman from the end (that is, writing about the hero's future), Frank Miller set to work on the hero's beginnings, and a year after The Dark Knight Returns, he drew Year One, a comic that tells the story of how exactly Bruce Wayne decided to don the bat suit and start fighting crime. “Year One” is similar to “The Return” - the same dark comic, on the verge of realism, revealing new traits in the old hero; to start reading comics about Batman, it is ideal - despite the fact that over the 75 years of the hero’s existence, his origin has been told many times, it is Miller’s version that can be considered the most classic.

"Batman: The Killing Joke"

The Joker is the main character in Batman's gallery of supervillains; a hero who complements Batman and makes his story many times deeper and, in general, scarier. Like the man in the bat suit, the Joker has gone through many interpretations throughout his history, from harmless prankster to terrorist to dangerous maniac. The Killing Joke, written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland, is the most important book for the hero - it tells yet another version of his origin (the local Joker is an unsuccessful stand-up comedian) and it is shown to what cruelties he is capable of reaching. The ending in The Killing Joke is very ambiguous: for a long time it was believed that Batman, as usual, does not kill his main opponent and sends him to a mental hospital; but renowned screenwriter Grant Morrison recently suggested that the opposite is true.

"Arkham Asylum - A House of Sorrow in a Sorrowful Land"

A schizophrenic experimental comic dedicated to an important building in Batman mythology - Arkham Asylum, where Batman, who never kills, sends defeated supervillains. In House of Sorrows, there is a riot in Arkham, and Batman goes there to investigate. After this, the plot of the comic becomes somewhat difficult to follow: it is extremely abstractly drawn, filled with Jungian symbolism, and even the villains here are the embodiment of inner psychological problems Batman. We strongly recommend reading the 2004 edition of the comic, released for its fifteenth anniversary: ​​there are comments from the author, Grant Morrison, with which the book becomes much clearer.

"The Long Halloween", "Dark Victory"

The duology of screenwriter Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale, which we have combined into one point, is the best detective story featuring Batman. The first book describes a stretch of whole year the story of a maniac who kills his victims on holidays and is hunted by the whole of Gotham - from the police and Batman to the mafia. In the second, another year in the life of Batman, in which the authors tie up all the loose ends left after the first comic book. Loeb and Sale touch on all the major Batman themes in Halloween and Victory; there are mysterious murders, and a tragic tone to the whole story, and almost all the main supervillains manage to appear, and the duology, as usual, ends rather ambiguous and even sad. In addition, the comics are brilliantly drawn: no one drew Batman like Tim Sale.

"Batman: Year One Hundred"

Batman: Year 100

DC Comics, 2006, Paul Pope

Year 100 is one of the most distinctive graphic novels of the 2000s. Indie comics star Paul Pope has taken Bruce Wayne and his eternal enemies out of the Batman mythos and set the action in the 2039 cyberpunk world of Heavy Liquid and 100%, where a police state polices its citizens. Who cares who is under the helmet: Batman is always a legend, an urban nonconformist guerrilla who behaves like a cypherpunk, always tries to get to the bottom of the truth and never bends to power. By crossing the techniques of manga and European comics, Pope created a fresh take on the character. In addition, this is simply exciting reading: in fact, the entire narrative is a series of dynamic chases that are impossible to tear yourself away from. An excellent fusion of mass and author's comics.

"Batman: Gotham by Gaslamp"

Like every other important superhero, Batman has experienced great amount strange interpretations and migrations to alternative realities and time periods: from the Middle Ages and the distant future to vampires and zombies. Gotham by Gaslight is a steampunk Batman in late XIX century, conceived by Brian Augustin and drawn by Mike Mignola (by Hellboy). A short story, literally fifty pages long, in which young Bruce Wayne returns to America from a trip to Europe and, of course, brings with him Jack the Ripper, with whom he has to fight. Gotham by Gaslight became the first comic in the Elseworlds series (they included it there, however, after its release), in which Batman was placed in different alternate realities, but Mignola and Augustin did it better than all subsequent authors.

"Batman and Dracula: Red Rain"

Batman & Dracula: Red Rain

Red Rain, DC Comics, 1991, Doug Moench, Kelly Jones

An amazing comic that pits Batman against the main vampire in history: Gotham is attacked by Dracula, who begins to turn its inhabitants into his vampire servants (and he manages to convert many - for example, the Joker). Of course, the only person who can stop him is Batman; but only Bruce Wayne is also infected and turned into a vampire. Batman is often called a creature of the night (this makes sense considering he dresses up in a bat suit), and in “Red Rain” this is interpreted literally. Comic book authors became fascinated with vampires long before the creators of films and TV series - and Red Rain is almost the best thing they managed to do with them. The comic teeters on the edge of farce, but is absolutely brilliantly drawn, which greatly helps the story.

"Batman Black and White"

A book made from a simple idea: gather all the best writers and artists in comics, give them a few pages each and ask them to write and draw short and exciting Batman stories - and also make them black and white. As you might guess, Black and White is not as deep and cohesive as other Batman stories, but the anthology is full of witty ideas; The main thing is that all the stories are very different, from serious to funny. There is, for example, a story from Neil Gaiman and Simon Beesley in which the Joker and Batman are presented as actors playing roles on the pages of a comic book. Or the story of Batman as a legend, which a mother tells to her son in the distant future.

"Batman: Black Mirror"

The Black Mirror story arc, released in the Detective Comics series in the first half of 2011, is the most new story on this list, and it's arguably the best thing to happen to Batman in the last five years. Scott Snyder constructed a series of frightening and mysterious short stories flowing into each other about the life of Gotham - the city here appears not just as a background, but as a separate character in the story - and thereby elevated himself to the rank of the main author of DC Comics. Everything about Black Mirror is great: the detective story and the art. (Jock and Francesco Francavilla were responsible for it), and the characters come first (spoiler) this is the crazy son of Commissioner James Gordon.

"Batman: Hush"

Sometimes the journey is more important than the result, and one of the most popular stories of the 2000s, created by the duo of the aforementioned Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, is a great example of this. Hush is like a summer blockbuster movie: a very effective story that, over the course of a dozen issues, goes through all the key superheroes of Gotham and surprises with unexpected plot twists, but in the end, rather, leaves the reader in bewilderment. Hush introduced the eponymous villain into the world of Batman and resurrected former Robin Jason Todd, killed by the Joker, but that’s not what makes him interesting. Although Loeb again used his favorite detective suspense with a gallery of characters, the plot turned out to be weak point novel. But the fighting here is very nice (and punches Superman in the face)- and a very sexy Catwoman. Why anything else?

"Batman: Gothic"

Batman (English Batman), originally Bat-man (English Bat-man, Russian Man - bat) is a fictional superhero, the gloomy defender of the city of Gotham, which is a collective image of Chicago and New York in the USA. Possesses the strength and reflexes of a human at the peak of his powers, similar to an Olympic athlete. He makes full use of an extensive collection of high-tech gadgets and equipment with the prefix “Bat”: batarangs, Batmobile, Batplane, etc. The main base, called the Batcave, is located underground on the territory of the Wayne family estate. Batman - Comic book character from Detective Comics (Russian) Detective comics), first appearing in No27 in May 1939. Along with Superman, Batman is one of the earliest and most famous comic book heroes. It was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. He is sometimes called the Dark Knight or the Greatest Detective.
Batman is the alter ego of Bruce Wayne, the extremely wealthy owner of Wayne Enterprises. He launched a crusade against crime after his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, were killed in front of him by a robber. Shocked by the cruelty and injustice of this act, little Bruce vowed to become stronger and protect the innocent so that a similar tragedy would never happen again.
It was not long before he adopted the image of a bat. Bruce Wayne left the city and spent several years traveling, training in hand-to-hand combat, the art of escape, studying the psychology of criminals and many other skills. The return to Gotham coincided with the promotion of police officer James Gordon, Batman's future ally, to the position of lieutenant. This is discussed in more detail in the comic book “Batman. Year one." Subsequently, the list of Bruce Wayne's enemies and allies expanded significantly. In the sequel to Batman. The Long Halloween" he will face Catwoman, and in the comic book "Batman" that closes the trilogy. Dark Victory" will acquire a permanent partner - Robin. However, Batman doesn't always fight ordinary mafiosi. One of the most recognizable opponents of the Dark Knight is the insane maniac clown nicknamed the Joker. It was their first meeting that the comic book “Batman, the Man Who Laughs” is dedicated to. Bruce is the founder and one of the longest serving members of a group called the Justice League. Comic book “Justice League. Book 1. The Beginning" tells the story of the first meeting of a team of superheroes and their joint struggle against alien invaders. The Dark Knight doesn't shy away from working with other superheroes. For example, the Superman/Batman series focused on the adventures of the superduo. Of particular interest are the so-called alternative universes. Masterpiece comic “Batman. The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of an older Bruce Wayne who has retired from fighting crime but decides to return amid violent gang activity. Batman also appears in an unexpected role in the story “Superman. Red Son,” in which Batman’s parents were killed by the KGB, so he vowed to fight the system and the Soviet Superman.

Batman is one of the most popular comic book characters. Everyone knows the story of millionaire Bruce Wayne, whose parents were shot by a robber in an alley near a movie theater. When Bruce grew up, he used all his knowledge, strength and money to fight crime, wearing a bat suit to intimidate him.

But if everything is simple with films about Batman - there are only about a dozen of them - then understanding the history of comics is much more difficult. Many people have a question: where to start?

It may seem that the answer is obvious: you need to get to know the character from the very first issues. But in the case of Batman, this is hardly worth doing. Firstly, comics about this hero have been published for almost 80 years, and it would take too much time to read. Secondly, most of the old stories will seem too simple to the modern reader, and the graphics will seem uninteresting. Thirdly, even among modern issues, a significant part are passable stories that are unlikely to attract a new reader. So if you're not going to write scientific work according to Batman, studying the entire huge archive is not at all necessary.

Moreover, over the past years, the hero’s biography has been repeatedly rewritten along with the entire DC Comics universe, as well as in the form of separate branches. Therefore, to begin with, it is better to choose a dozen generally recognized best works.

10 comics to start with

1. Batman: Year One

One of the best Batman comics and a great way to get to know the hero's history. It was written by the famous Frank Miller - the author of "", "300" and many other popular comics.

In the story, young orphan millionaire Bruce Wayne returns to his native Gotham. He encounters crime thriving on the streets and decides to defend the city as a night vigilante. At the same time, the first steps of Commissioner Jim Gordon are shown - he is transferred to Gotham, and he tries to fight corruption in power. One could even say that it was Gordon who - main character this comic. And Miller's main goal is to show the darkness of life in Gotham, mired in crime.

Batman in a suit appears here little; more emphasis is placed on how Bruce Wayne comes up with an image for himself - this, by the way, was quite accurately copied in the film “Batman. Start".

The artist for the Year One series is David Mazzucchelli. But, according to him, Miller did most of the work himself; all he had to do was finish the drawings. Moreover, the comic can be found in two versions: a standard one, where everything is drawn in Miller’s traditional pale colors, and a special edition with brighter colors. There is also a 2011 cartoon of the same name, where this story is retold almost frame by frame.

2. The Killing Joke

The work of the brilliant comic book writer Alan Moore. A very short but very atmospheric story about how Batman can sometimes be as obsessed as those he hunts.

In the center is the confrontation between the hero and his eternal enemy the Joker. And it is the famous clown who is trying to prove to Batman that it only takes one bad day for a person to turn into a psychopath. To this end, he kidnaps Commissioner Jim Gordon, and before that he shoots his daughter Barbara in the spine.

The comic is also important because it tells the origin story of the Joker, although he himself is not sure of his memories.

He himself admitted his love for The Killing Joke. And Jared Leto, before trying on the image of the Joker in “Suicide Squad,” posted a photo in which he copied the character from the cover of the comic book.

In 2016, a cartoon of the same name was released, in which the backstory of the love relationship between Batman and Barbara was added to the plot of The Killing Joke. But many fans of the comic found this part unnecessary, and they prefer to watch the cartoon from the middle.

3. The man who laughs

Chronologically, the events of this comic take place before the plot of The Killing Joke and directly continue from Year One. However, the Joker's origin story is revisited here, so it's best to read them in that order.

Batman is investigating the appearance of a new maniac in the city. He announces in advance on television the names of his victims - rich people from Gotham. But, despite all efforts, not a single one of them can be saved; they all die with a smile frozen on their faces. Batman tries to catch the criminal and realizes that this case is connected with a man who once fell into chemical reagents at the factory.

Interestingly, this comic is essentially a remake of the Joker's very first appearance in the pages of DC Comics in 1940. Authors Ed Brubaker and Doug Mankey only modernized the plot and picture and connected it with later events of the DC universe. And the name itself refers to the novel by Victor Hugo, or rather to its main character, from whom the Joker was once copied.

4. "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory"

Two detective stories from the famous author Jeph Loeb (he now runs the television division). These are two separate stories, but it is better to read them back to back, since they are both drawn by the same artist, Tim Sale, and literally continue each other.

The first plot is more confusing. And here Batman more often has to justify his title as the best detective than as the best fighter. A maniac appears in the city, killing exclusively on holidays, and he chooses victims among members of large mafia clans. And indeed, until the very end it is almost impossible to guess who the killer is.

In "Dark Victory", a maniac kills police officers, leaving clues at the crime scene in the form of the children's game "gallows". Here the story is a little simpler, but those who liked “The Long Halloween” will definitely appreciate the sequel.

It is in this comic that prosecutor Harvey Dent has his face doused with acid and becomes the madman Two-Face. Here the Grayson family of circus acrobats dies, and Batman takes on his assistant for the first time - Dick Grayson, the first Robin.

Visually, these comics are very gothic. Batman's cape often appears as a black blob on the floor. By the way, Christian Bale, who plays Batman, said that he tried to copy his image from these stories.

5. Death in the family

One of the rather old comics, which now looks rustic. But to understand the depth of the character, it is simply necessary. Moreover, old comics seem to many to be entirely bright and positive.

First, you need to consider that Batman had several partners with the common name Robin. The first of these is Dick Grayson, his story begins in The Long Halloween. Later he moved to another city and took the name Nightwing - there is a separate series of comics about him, and now they are filming a TV series. After this, Batman found a new assistant - homeless orphan Jason Todd. He became the second Robin. But the readers didn’t really like this character, and then the authors decided on a really cruel move. In the "A Death in the Family" story arc, the Joker locked Jason in a warehouse and beat him to death with a crowbar.

6. Knightfall

And one more important, although not very visually interesting, plot. For those who watched Nolan's film The Dark Knight Rises, the comic book is definitely recommended reading. After all, it is here that Batman faces an opponent superior in strength and cunning, Bane, and he breaks his back in a duel.

This story significantly changes the perception of Bruce Wayne. Firstly, he loses the image of an invincible hero. And secondly, the authors show that Batman is not only Wayne, his costume can be transferred to another person. And the one who tried on the image of a bat was the warrior Azrael, who used completely different methods of fighting the villains.

7. Batman: Quiet!

Another work by Jeph Loeb, and again a detective story. Although this time the plot is much less twisted.

The mysterious character Hush (the word hush translated means “quiet”) appears in Gotham. He subjugates all criminals and plays some very strange game. And his main goal, of course, will be Batman.

What distinguishes this comic from The Long Halloween is primarily its graphics. The artist here was the famous Jim Lee, and it is impossible not to recognize his style. Firstly, he draws in detail a lot of little things: the background, details of clothing, vehicles and weapons. And secondly, he draws heroes very specifically. He is often criticized by critics for this, because all the men in his comics have strong chins and clenched teeth, and the women have large breasts. But that's why his fans love him.

In Batman: Quiet, Jim Lee was allowed to enjoy portraying female characters - almost all the main heroines of DC comics appear here, at least briefly: from Harley Quinn to Catwoman. And by the way, this is where the relationship between Batman and Cat will reach a new level.

8. Arkham Asylum. House of sorrows on a sorrowful land

Those who still think that comic books are just stories about superheroes in pictures should definitely read the work of Grant Morrison and Dave McKean. Because it was not created to tell the reader anything. It's just scary. The plot of Arkham Asylum is simple: the Joker starts a riot in a psychiatric hospital, where he has once again been hidden, and takes the staff hostage. He is ready to release the hospital employees on one condition - Batman must voluntarily surrender to him.

At the same time, the story of the man who built the clinic is revealed. He tried to cope with childhood traumas and even help others, but in the end he himself went crazy.

It would seem that the authors are not telling anything new, but here the approach to the main character changes. Once in the hospital, Batman asks himself the question: what if this is the place for a person who dresses up in a bat costume. In addition, the authors implemented their ideas in a very non-standard way. The comic features a collection of scary pictures, photographs, hard to read and many hidden symbols on each page.

All this immerses the viewer in a world of madness and nightmares. If you are left alone with this comic late in the evening, then reading will turn into watching a real horror film, when every rustle is frightening.

9. The Dark Knight Returns

And again, a lover of hard stories, Frank Miller. In contrast to the Year One comics, this is a story about an elderly Batman who plans to retire. Bruce Wayne is over 50 and has been away from Gotham for a long time. During this time, the government banned all superheroes, and Superman now follows the orders of the president. Wayne begins to fight a gang of mutants, but then he will have to confront Superman himself in an unequal battle.

Fans of finely drawn characters will have a hard time with this comic, because Miller illustrated it himself, and he does everything crudely and sweepingly. But the plot many times compensates for the simplicity of the drawing. Here, each character is presented ambiguously, and it is impossible to tell who is the hero and who is the villain.

Based on the plot of the comic, a cartoon of the same name was shot, which accurately conveys the content. And Zack Snyder took it as a basis when he filmed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Although the director turned many themes on their head, the middle-aged Bruce Wayne and the fight in the iron suit came straight from Miller's story.

10. Batman: Earth-1

For those tired of the endless repetition of Batman's origin story, DC has an outlet - Earth-1. This is, one might say, a parallel world where the heroes are more like real people.

The creators of this comic book about Batman decided to tell a slightly different story about the hero's youth. Yes, his parents also die, but the motive for turning young Bruce Wayne into Batman is not revenge, but rather a feeling of guilt. And the butler Albert plays no less role. Here he not only serves and helps Bruce - the former military man turns into his main mentor. It seems that the authors of the series "" were guided by this story.

Earth One is a great way to see more believable and grounded characters. The novice Batman has his favorite gadgets breaking down here, he falls, loses and is afraid. Everything is like in life.

10 more comics for those who are already hooked

Those who have read and enjoyed the main comics can also take on more complex stories.

11. A lonely place to die

After the death of Jason Todd, Batman got a new Robin - Tim Drake. And this is the only case when the boy himself found Bruce Wayne, figuring out who was hiding under the bat mask. But, like all Batman's partners, tragic events occur in the life of young Tim.

12. Under the red hood

The return of Jason Todd was hinted at in the comic book Batman: Hush!, but then it turned out to be a hoax. But in the episode “Under the Red Hood” he really came back to life. True, in a different image: now Todd acts as an anti-hero - a kind of reflection of Batman’s cruelty.

13. Gotham by Gaslight

If you're tired of watching the same characters over and over again, be sure to read this comic. What if Batman lived in the Victorian era rather than in modern times? And who, if not him, should identify the world's very first maniac? Except unusual idea and surroundings, this plot is also interesting because of its complete departure from the canons. This means that anyone could be the killer.

14. Flashpoint: Batman. Knight of Vengeance

In the DC universe, global events regularly occur that restart the stories of all the heroes. One such event was "Flashpoint", a plot where Flash returned to the past and saved his mother from murder, thereby changing the course of history. And in a parallel world, it was not Bruce Wayne’s parents who were killed in the alley, but the boy himself. As a result, his father, Thomas Wayne, became Batman, much more aggressive than his son. But it’s better to find out what happened to the mother from the comic book.

15. Injustice: Gods Among Us

In this comic, Batman is just one of many characters. But for those who have already read the book of the same name, it will be useful to know the background of the events. The Joker tricks Superman into killing a pregnant Lois Lane. After this, the Man of Steel goes crazy and decides to build his ideal world without crime. Over time, he turns into a real tyrant. And then some of their former colleagues, including Batman, go into resistance, trying to overthrow the power of Superman.

16. Court of Owls

It would seem that Batman has brought order to the streets of Gotham and eradicated all crime. But then he finds out that his city has long been secretly controlled by certain “Owls”. And now the Dark Knight will have to face them.

17. Noel

One of the most strange ideas- combine the classic "" by Charles Dickens, where the spirits of Christmas came to the gloomy old man Scrooge, with characters from Batman comics. However, as it turns out, it can look very interesting.

18. Gothic

Another work by Grant Morrison that addresses hidden fears. Here Batman will have to confront not so much various enemies as his memories from childhood. You can familiarize yourself with interesting facts from the hero's youth.

19. Cult

Where else can you see Batman, who has fallen under the influence of a dangerous cult? The Dark Knight even goes so far as to pick up a firearm. Although, it would seem, the founder of this cult, like the main character, wants to cleanse the city of crime.

20. Black and white

And finally - more elegant than meaningful comics. Four short but truly exciting stories from the life of Batman, done in black and white.

Description:
No one has ever been able to stop the dark crusade. Not the Joker. Not Two-Face. Not even all the members of the Justice League. But what will Batman do when a new hero comes up against him and wants to save Gotham from the Dark Knight?

Reviewed by Yellow Geek - Batman #1. Much immediately catches your eye. For starters, drawing and colors. In my humble opinion, everything has become better and more enjoyable. I especially liked the colors. Second. Compared to the first issue of Batman Rebirth, it's like they gave us a different Batman. Although in the story the same person comes out. Only last time, he hung over the abyss without fear, clutching the handrail of the helipad with slippery sweaty hands, and now, diving on a blown up plane into the cold waters of Gotham Bay, he asks Alfred to give everyone a couple of pleasantries for the road, and ends this with a tearful moment , when Bruce asks Alfred, "Would my parents be proud of me? Is this a good death? Where's the brutality in the bat suit? Or is it something hormonal? But if we put aside the incredible speed of Bets’ mood changes, I must say that this guy is more interesting to me than that pumped-up monster in tights. Two numbers with opposite images. Now I wonder what direction King will take the character next. The third point is references to the creators of Batman - Kane and Finger. Just a pleasure. The last element of the comic only takes up one page, but it's hard to miss. Two new characters - Gotham and Gothamgirl. Well, the passengers of the crashing plane complained that they didn’t have a “normal” hero like Superman or the Flash, and now they got two flying burlies at once. How do I feel about this? With interest. New characters are always an opportunity to develop something interesting. The main thing here is a skillful author. The only thing I don't like is their appearance. These suits with the gothic letter G on the chest look awkward. Maybe I’ll get used to it, or maybe they’ll give it away new uniform. The issue gave me a reason to read the series further. I wonder where King will take the story. Although, to be honest, I began to feel secondary. I feel like I've already seen all these scenes in All-Star Superman, when Supes returns to Metropolis, and two other Kryptonians are in charge there.

Review from Regular Punks - Batman #1 - Something weak. I’ll say right away that Finch’s drawing is ordinary. It doesn't hurt the eyes, but it's not pretty either. The backdrops are cardboard, the color is still normal. He tries to draw only the characters, but forgets about the background. The plot is... well, soooo. A collection of cliches about Batman. Shit happens, Bates finds out that the league (OH NIAJIDANNESS) cannot answer the call, Bates decides everything himself, says that he is going to die, remembers mom and dad (this WOULD have worked, but we already had the death of Batman, just recently, but that’s why the drama doesn’t work here), but Deus Ex Machina, in the guise of Gotham and Gotham Girl, saves the situation. Gotham and Gotham Girl? What?! Yeah, they're also superhuman. They fly, they lift airplanes with their hands. Zbs, as soon as our Super topic ends, another one begins. It would be much better if they weren't superhumans. It’s just that, judging by the description of the next issues, there will be a plot that Gotham and Gotham Girl will become better heroes than Batman and supposedly that Batman is a symbol of the past and in general... Well, King, just don’t do that. Let's do a feint with your ears and do something cool, okay?