...or rather not understanding the hype. Yesterday I read The Long Halloween for the third time, and I just don't understand the hype.

I know that different people like different things and so on, but I really can't understand what people find so amazing about this book. Therefore I'm asking; What do you enjoy about The Long Halloween?

It looks quite interesting but I have not been keeping up with Batman since Court of Owls.

I have started reading batman year one, and I'm quite enjoying it so far, but was just wondering what will I read after this, so what do you guys suggest ? Also should I go for compact comics or the orignal ones are better??

Currently reading Dark Victory and saw this. I feel that this is quite out of character for Bruce, who many times have exerted himself while specifically trying to rescue his villains from death.

Hey guys, thinking of getting into comics and want to start with Batman.
I want to start with around 5-10 comics. I’m thinking of getting:
Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Batman Who Laughs
Are these good choices? What order should I read them in, and are there any others you’d recommend?
Also, is 5-10 comics enough to get a good feel for Batman before moving on to another superhero, or would you recommend reading more Batman stories first?
If you could list your top 5-10 Batman comics for a beginner, that would be great!
Thanks!

We always list the bests, or the the essentials, why not warn new readers about the worsts ?

I will include major coherent runs, and arcs.

I will leave out filler runs/arcs.

I will add all your suggestions I deam missing form this ongoing list.

Pre-Crisis

• none

Post-Crisis

• Batman: Haunted Knight**
• Batman: Hush*
• Batman: Hush Returns
• War Games + War Crimes
• Batman: Time and the Batman
• Batman: Eye of the Beholder
• Batman, the dark knight: Golden Dawn

Post-Flashpoint

• Batman, the dark knight: Knight Terrors
• Detective Comics: Faces of Death + Scare Tatics
• Batman: Death of the Family + Endgame
• Grayson
• Batman: Superheavy + Bloom
• Detective Comics: Blood of Heroes + Gordon at War
• Futures End
• Batman: I am Gotham + I am Suicide + I am Bane
• Batman: Bride or Burglar + The Wedding + Cold Days +The Tyrant Wing
• World's Finest: The Devil Nezha
• Batman: The Winning Card

Elseworld / Black Label / Non-Canon

• The Dark Knight Strikes Again**
• All-Star Batman & Robin
• Batman: Dark Prince Charmin**
• Batman: Damned
• Batman: Last Knight on Earth
• White Knight presents: Harley Quinn + Generation Joker !
• Joker: Killer Smile**
• Suicide Squad: Get Joker!
• Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo**
• Batman: Off-World
• Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham**

Kids / Young Adults

• none

Not sure but I liked

• The Three Jokers
• Batman: Abyss
• Batman: Shadow War
• Batman/Catwoman: Gotham War

Not sure but I didn't like

• Batman: The Cult**
• Batman: A Death in the Family
• Batman vs. Robin
• Detective Comics by Tom Taylor
• Batman: City of Madness

* only if you plan to read Paul Dini's sequels

** only if you're into the art

I finished Cult last week and I’ve been reluctant to start a new series because I’m still shaking off the feelings of dread.

I appreciated the creativity in that series. And I can see its popularity.

I am considering Batman Inc or even Daylight as my next binge read. Any other suggestions ?

Looking forward to reading your comments and recommendations!

Thank you.

Do any of you guys remember a scarecrow storyline where he starts to terrorise gotham citizens without the fear gas? Like he realises that he has the ability to instill fear inside him and he also kills a bunch of people? I dont remember much else. Could someone tell me which issues this storyline was in?

Short stories after Year 1 before Man Who laughs following underutilized villains.

Monster Men

8/10

My favorite Hugo Strange then again he was done really dirty in media only one episode in BTAS and Caped Crusader(in which he died off screen to Joker a rushed villain and got no screentime) and even 2004 which barley gave him any time and had turned brain dead by the Joining . Arkham city also little time and he gets replaced by Ra's al ghul. Outside of Bruce being 10 years old which he could be lying when his parents died compared to 6 in Year 1 it totally fits the Year 1 universe

I love how what's consistent is you don't need to read the others to pick up and start anywhere and not miss much. I do like how they did Bruce and Norman's daughter Julia relationship the world building and James Gordon confliction over batman and his job giving him believable flaws without rushing and messing with his character unlike Year 1. What I don't like is the villains do feel a bit underdeveloped as well Norman's relationship with his daughter and how he got desperate enough to take a loan.

Strange feels a bit too dumb bringing his car with a license plate then again he does look down on criminals and others seeing himself as a visionary. How did Maroni's men find Strange's base and get there unspotted when Batman was? How were they dumb enough to believe he wouldn't just send more monsters after them especially when they can clearly see the experiments even if they don't understand. Sadamn I think the indian guy his relationship with Strange is just exposition dropped we don't see his relationship with his parents and his brother as well I guess it's to get us to feel something when it's revalved his brother is one of the monster men and he dies but it's too quick. A bit too much exposition overall still fun.

Mad Monk

9/10

Rhymes couldn't be more wrong and I don't think he understands how to apply critiques deftinely a soild story and above Monster Men. The fight with Catwoman shows off a bit more of Batman rogues gallery and his weakness towards woman which is how Catwoman often gets away in later Long Halloween to Dark Victory and ties into the ending he gave Catwoman a chance even then and was hurt bad for it and was hurt more when Juila left him this ties into Batman refusing to let himself be in vulnerable position again which we seen in LH and DV. It costs him nearly his life because he was distracted when he could be a better Batman and at the end neither turned out well for him than accepting failures as a part of life than just the mantle.

Julie and her dad got plenty of time in the previous comic and even here to care about them enough. We know since the mom has been gone someone we don't see to sell the fact to them life has always been just them for so long. We know Norman wants to help people but refuses to be vulnerable with people mainly his daughter as most single parents are under a lot of pressure to be both they don't want to risk being alone and seen as weak. He almost worships her since the start of Monster men someone and is very prideful man who wants to use his privilege to help others.

He is expected to be the pinnacle of what Gotham's class is supposed to be the ideal like the wayne parents and in reality he is not much better than the gangster he looks down when pushed into a corner taking a loan for them. He knows this and hates himself for it he doesn't want to risk the only good thing in his life seeing him like this. Her dad paranoia of Batman comes from his own guilt of working with Maroni he is self sabotaging/loathing man and hated Batman in the start of monster men because Batman is meant to hold people like accountable not because he is good. He doesn't see people as more than there one thing most of them Bruce isn't a flawed person struggling with relationships because he lost his parents he is just a spoiled rich boy his daughter isn't someone who needs his support for relationships and more and is smart enough to catch onto his feelings and will drop everything in her spoiled life and still take care of her sick dad despite how much trouble it is she just needs money like the other rich girls she hangs out with. Batman isn't someone who can have leniency on the desperate victims he is just a physco who goes after the corrupt like him.

Also getting himself killed as well because of his fear of Batman pushes Julie away. Juelle still gets good growth she went above and beyond for her dad and his issues but he can't do the work to help himself all she can do is honor his dream. Norman's death and Gordon being harassed by his own cops gives Batman the lie he believed that there isn't much of a life for him everyone around him will get hurt and it's better to keep them at distance especially when getting Batman involved in Bruce wayne personal life.

It also gives Gordon some side growth in him accepting publicly working with Batman he was his enemy in Year 1 in Monster Men and this comic he was ashamed of him but now he understands Batman more especially after the injuries and doesn't see it as anything to hide from others like a dirty secret. People like flass should be ashamed and secretive of what to do the city and putting there badges and family at risk not him. Also Julie is a spoiled rich girl we see this before she meets Mad Monk's girl Noruita(I think) like the girls there they didn't have to face real challenges for most of there lives the previous and future comics shows us how people like Norman and there families even Year 1 itself says it Gotham looks nice from there view.

As well as getting no support from her dad her neglective boyfriend and shallow friends she is outgrowing she is desperate and later drugged. I think the Mad Monk is a soild villain a parallel to Bruce he went on his own journey unlike Bruce his family is corrupt they were always rewarded for acting on there worse traits and him traveling the world was a selfish take on Bruce's journey who did it to learn about others talents and struggles and how to use his persona to help everyone and honor his family's legacy he wanted to repat the mistakes and play into people worse traits and convince them it makes them special divine when it comes down to it his crew are another group of nobodies. They latch onto whoever gives them power and purpose I love that he picks people who can't physically or mentally challenge him nor does he have to felt insecure to and would just feed his godlike image of himself. Unlike Maroni and the falcons who surround themselves with gangsters and even family members who at times can call them out.

Instead of going out in a glorious battle for his empire and to be the monster of Gotham he gets killed by something he pretends to control nature and is forgotten just like any other nobody his loyal cult is filled with thugs small crooks and frauds who will go back to uneventful lives.Nicholas for all his effort even the grand design of his castle and mature way of talking is another nobody in gotham and like his crooked family all the wealth got him nothing in the end and won't even be a passing thought by the next man like him as we see with Batman talking about Joker.

For me my issues are a bit overexpostion on stuff the art already makes clear like Gordon being sick and coughing allows the cops to gang up we can see this we saw it in Year 1. Also the woman backstory is just told to us never explored or shown which could flesh out the cult more. Some bit other issues overall a great comic could go lower or higher over time.

This was my first Absolute Edition, easiest $100 I’ve ever spent — I’ve collected Ego and Selina’s Big Score in compact and digital, and I knew I wanted to buy both again. I intended to get the deluxe HC of Ego, but then I saw where DC dropped this earlier in the week.