I agree with you, you rarely get to see the detective aspect of Batman in most forms of media. I’d like to see more of him being a detective as it’s a defining aspect of the character
For me its Year One, Long Halloween, and Dark Victory (with a bonus Man Who Laughs). I see these books as a trilogy of one complete story. With Year One being the beginning, Man Who Laughs as being the 1.5, Long Halloween being the middle, and Dark Victory being the end. From there Batman's world expands into whatever comes next but those 3(4) stories start the journey all together.
My favorite Single Issue of a Batman comic was after Damian died there was an issue where there was no dialog or narration, just Batman doing this nightly routine occasionally seeing his dead son beside him. And at the end when he sees Damian's note and then he smashes the lockers and holds Damian's costume. God damn.
@@joekerry741 I'm trying to find a collected edition to buy but keep finding multiples called Batman and robin. Batman and robin reborn, new 52 and so on.
For me it’s 1. The Dark Knight returns 2. The killing joke 3. Year one 4. The long Halloween 5. The court of owls 6. Hush 7. Under the red hood 8. Black Mirror 9 knightfall 10. No mans land
Batman Court of Owls/Night of Owls is my favorite. I love story and the way everything looks. It also was the story that really sold me on reading comics
Since you put "The Long Halloween" on your Essentials List, I would add "Dark Victory" as one of mine. It gives a great continuing story to the fallout of what happened to Harvey, Batman, and Jim Gordon as well as the origin of Robin (Dick Grayson).
I think I would rank my top favorites like this 1 The dark knight returns 2 under the red hood 3 killing joke 4 death of the family 5 knightfall 6 year one
My top 10: 1. Batman Year One 2. Laughing Fish/Sign of the Joker 3. The Dark Knight Returns 4. Case of the Honest Thief 5. Messiah of the Midnight Sun 6. Giant Gorilla Boss of Gotham City 7. The Lazurus Pit 8. The Cape-and-Cowl Deathtrap 9. Deathmask 10. Tomb of the White Bat I would probably like Court of Owls and Death of the Family more if, like Zero Year, the stories had stayed in Batman and not had tie-ins in other Batman-adjacent comics like Birds of Prey.
george king I agree it's awesome, not as good as the long Halloween (in my opinion of course) but a phenomenal sequel one of the best sequels in any media
I guess he didn't mention it since it is a sequel to Long Halloween. If you were to pick it up as a stand alone based on his recommendation you wouldnt really enjoy it that much, I guess.
The Dark Knight Returns got me into comics. I still remember pulling it off the library shelf when I was 11. Definitely my favorite of all time. Followed by Batman Year one.
@@kunai455 I understand where your coming from. When I first started reading it I expected to read the best comic ever…. and I can’t say It lived up to it. I realized that the cause of this was that these Batman comics were a product of their time. At the time, dark and gritty comics that catered to adults were not common, many people viewed Batman as silly and goofy due to Adam west’s portrayal. Year one and TDKR revolutionized comics so now many comics, in tone and story, resemble the work of frank miller. So without that historical context in mind these two Batman stories seem like nothing special.
@@turtleanton6539 The Joker puts something in the water around Gotham that gives fish along the eaatern seaboard a Joker face similar to victims of his Joker toxin/venom. When the U.S. Patent Office denies him a patent for his Joker fish on the grounds of their being a natural resource, the Joker proceeds to kill the members of the Patent Office one by one, forewarning them. What works for me about that storyline is how absurd the Joker's plot to adulterate and patent the fish is (demonstrating his insanity), yet how deadly and extreme his response to being refused a patent is.
Turning on your videos while I work has become one of the best part of my days. Thank you, ComicPOP, for allowing this 20 something overworked designer to stay interested in our favorite heroes.
I really like these lists. I hope to see more of these. Personally, Black Mirror, Gothic, and Dark Knight Returns are currently my three favorite Batman books.
The Son of the Demon by O'Neill and Adams was my entry into Batman and will always be one of my favorites(along with O'Neill and the late great Marshall Rogers on Detective Comics). I also think the Doug Moench and Norm Breyfogle runs were pretty terrific.
Totally agree. I think it’s the best form of a detective Batman story and when I first read it, I couldn’t put it down no matter how hard I tried and I was able to finish it in like a little less than 2 hours
Thanks ComicPOP. Love your channel and you've helped me discover a whole lot of cool batman material. My personal top 10 Batman comics list: 1. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth 2. The Long Halloween 3. The Dark Knight Returns 4. The Black Mirror 5. The Killing Joke 6. Year One 7. The Court of Owls 8. Dark Victory 9. The Man Who Laughs 10. Death of the Family
My top Batman Books: The Dark Knight Returns The Long Halloween Dark Victory Killing Joke Court of Owls Black and White Vol 1 Earth One series Hush Batman and the Monster Men Gotham By Gaslight Batman and Son Son of the Demon Red Rain Mask of The Phantasm(Kinda cheating but deserves mentioning)
No "Batman: Year 100" (by Paul Pope)! Come on!!! A great concept, greatly executed! Really a masterpiece of comic book storytelling (either someone likes the art or not).
I think he does get Batman. The point of Earth One is that this Batman sucks. Prime Earth Batman is the Gary Stue Batsy that we all know, while Earth One Batman just...Isn't. I really Johns EO Batman, and I think it deserves another chance from a different point of view from its detractors.
i was just going to say, most everything Snyder did in his New 52 Batman run was a re-hashed/recycled idea already presented to us by Morrison/Miller/Moore/Dixon. i like the Court of Owls much better back when they were called The Black Glove, and i much preferred Year One before it got mashed up with No Man's Land and became Zero Year.
if Geoff Johns was put on as head writer of the main Batman title, then DC would crumble, because he would destroy their number one best selling comic. Funny, Geoff Johns writes Batman as a complete ineffectual putz, yet seems to have no problem writing Hal Jordan as a complete Gary Stue.
The Long Halloween is probably the best Batman story of all time due to its quality, it's like you say it has everything you can want in a Batman story and it's art is cinematic and it captures the setting of Gotham better than any other Batman book I think.
I remember, when I was getting into comics, I put off TDKR for a long time due to criticism it got for being overrated, but when I finally got to it, I loved. It's art works for me in a unique way that fits with the tone of the story. Top 3 for me.
The Long Halloween is number one for me because I love Batman more as a human being who has fears, loves, regrets etc. like animated series' Batman. I hate all of Frank Miller's Batman I get what he did was revolutionary but I don't like my Batman as an always brooding crazy asshole. Thanks for the video Sal you are Amazing.
I see what you mean with Frank Miller's Batman, but if you think of it in the light of it being an older Batman who is near the end of his rope and has decided to return back for some final ass-kicking it makes sense for him to seem a little unhinged.
Agreed, I respect what DKR did for comics, but I don't find it enjoyable and Miller's other Batman stories get progressively worse. Also agreed on _The Long Halloween_ (though I like _Arkham Asylum_ best). If nothing else, its one of the few Batman stories where he's actually a detective.
The first Batman story I read was The Dark Knight returns when I was 4 in 2001. I haven’t read one that I enjoy more than that. I always go back to it at least a few times a year. And the animated movie adaptation is amazing too
Great list, Batman Court/City of the Owls is my number one. It was the book that got me hooked on comics. Love how it pushes Batman to his limits against an awesome villian that he can barely handle.
Severus Snape Well, plot holes are EVERYWHERE (any movie, comic or anything that tells a story, so, FOR ME AT LEAST, it really does not matter) And yeah, the villain was not exactly memorable, but the story (for me) really nailed the dark and sometimes creepy atmosphere that it was trying to create, had great pacing (it did not feel to slow or too fast), the art is great, and while Lincoln was kinda lame, the court as a collective villain, made a strong impression on me (especially in issue 5 where they torture Batman psychologically and physically) and the Talon design looks just SICK!! It also expands the Gotham mythology and makes other characters backstories more interesting (Alfred’s father was murdered by the court, Nightwing was supposed to become a talon). I loved it, but I can understand why you did not.
Captain GV yes, it is finished, it starts in Batman #1 and ends in #11. Night of the Owls are all the tie ins in the other batbooks at that time (Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, Batwing, and so on) in which you get to see various members of the batfamily fighting other talons. But those are only optional.
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend "Blind Justice" by Sam Hamm, for the 600th issue of Detective Comics in 1989. Hamm is a screenwriter (see Tim Burton's Batman). For his comic arc, Hamm did NOT go for the predictable Joker story, or an "all the rogues gallery getting together to take Batman out" plot. Instead he creates a conspiracy within Wayne Technologies, compelling Bruce Wayne and Batman to make choices, and accept consequences, that must be lived with. Hamm's story is also based on science (even if it is science fiction, but no magic, supernatural, etc), and morality, which make the best stories imo, and it explores some of the true costs of being Batman, how Bruce Wayne reinforces his obsessive focus and motivation almost daily, and the price he pays for it.
My personal favorite is The Lomg Halloween. It features the origin to my (ironically) second favorite Batman villain in Two-Face. It's wide and expansive enough to be a city wide story about Gotham in general but also secluded enough to make you keep guessing who Holiday really is. And to this day, even the answers to certain questions lead to more questions. The Dark Knight Returns might be better in terms of a narrower Batman story. But The Long Halloween has a big roster of unforgettable characters that are hardly ever used anymore in comics. Even the little april fools joke with Riddler is priceless. The art style isn't for everyone. But neither is Arkham Asylum: a Serious House on Serious Earth's art style. But I also consider that a personal favorite. There are so many great Batman comics that even the best of the best rival eachother in their strengths.
Add: Strange Apparitions, Red Rain, Year 100, No Man's Land, Son of the Demon, Mad Love, Batmanandson-blackglove-Rip, Batman and Robin (Morrison), Born to Kill, New Gotham, Detective Comics 777-786 (Brubaker), Gotham Central, Eye of the Beholder (Helfer), Prey, Monster Men (Wagner), Gothic, Tales of the demon (Ras al ghul saga), Batman 1 (Finger), Annual 2 (King), Night of the Stalker. Not for me: snyder (except The Black Mirror), g jhons, knightfall.
Year 100 is my Favourite Batman story of all Time.A dream of mine would be to have it made into an anime by Japanese Studio 4C (Tekkonkinkreet) .Voice Cast for Batman-Michael Keaton and for Jim Gordon-Bryan Cranston.And for the Main Villain Jim Cummings.
Comics are great. While there are some that are really bad, there are gems like some of the comics in this video. Heck, there's a shelf in the library at my university that has some of the best comics ever on it. Long Halloween, Dark Knight Returns, Dark Victory, The Killing Joke, and Black Mirror are there, along with Marvels, Marvel 1602, Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V For Vendetta, Sin City, and many more. Just goes to show that while comics are considered entertainment for kids, there are plenty of great ones, which anyone of any age can read and enjoy.
My Personal Top 7 7: Death of the Family 6: Dark Victory 5: The Court of Owls 4: Year One 3: Earth One Vol. 1 & 2 2: The Dark Knight Returns 1: The Long Halloween
I just want to say you've really have been doing great work, Sal and the rest of Comic Pop. The new studio makes it so you guys can really ramp up quality, and make it the best it can be. That said you guys have ALWAYS been great (at least from the stuff I've seen), and the various changes through the years all have their special moments. But it just feels like we're getting more and more shows and videos of various types from you guys, and they are all great. You're really hitting it out of the ball park. Thanks for every single thing you guys do, each and every day. Now on to my favorite Batman stories: I have to throw in Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Both of them carry the best of the best for the Millerverse. They show a darker Batman, and one that has growth, power, and experience. They show the beginning and pretty much the end of his cycle. You could cut out everything else from the saga and be fine. It is a story that shows the best look at who Batman is. I also absolutely adore Venom, those D.A.R.E. style comics always are hit and miss but seeing Batman give everything and still fail only and have to come back is a story as old as time. But it's good as it always was. I love Black Mirror, Jock has some of the best art in the entire business..and Dick's version of Batman is good at everything Bruce wasn't but still has flaws and cracks at the seams. I love love LOVE: "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?" - the ideas it brings just mmf, it's so incredible. I love it every time. There's also: Speeding Bullets, and the Vampire trilogy, they are some fine Elseworld's stories and I think we can all admit we have our favorites if you guys have been reading them before. These are just SOME of my favorite Batman titles. Sorry for writing a book...
Comicpop is my go to channels for all comic past and current related goodness. I like this segment. Sal I enjoy your insights, please do more of these videos!
This is an awesome video, Sal. Great list. The ebst Batman story for me? Issue 320. Just a nice, simple story of Batman dealing witha sniper and thinking about an argument he had with his father.
I agree with your list. Court of owls is probably my favorite. I would request this as a permanent rotation show. Just expand to spiderman, x-men (which is so convoluted i dont know what to read), captain america, wonder woman, superman, ect on and on. You guys all rock and deserve everything you have earned.
So, here's my opinion. The first seven: Knightfall - Very fun, nothing amazing. Really liked that Batman fought almost his entire rogues gallery, although the story was a bit too long. 4/5 Venom - Great concept, OK story. I mean, Batman fights a freaking shark. 3/5 Death of the Family - It was a good story. Quite enjoyable, but I would never call it one of the best. 3.5/5 Hush - It was very fun and very good looking. Sure, it's not as good as The Long Halloween, but it was also a really solid mystery ( With a somewhat weird ending ). Just out of enjoyment, I'd give it 4/5 A Death in the Family - It got kinda goofy, but it's very important to the Batman mythos. A must read. 3.5/5 The Last Arkham - I haven't read it, but I'm planing to. Sounds like a good concept, so I'll check it out. I don't know/5 Zero Year - I liked The Riddler in this story. Otherwise, it's a good new origin, nothing too great. 3.5/5 The "solid" Batman books: A Lonely Place of Dying - I liked some elements of it, but Robin has never been my thing. 3.5/5 Earth One - One of my favorites. I really like the new origin. The art is fantastic and the story is probably my favorite origin ( Yes, I liked it more than Year One ). 4.5/5 Whatever Happened to the Capped Crusader - Again, haven't read it. Sounds cool and it is in my to buy list. Sounds cool/5 The Man Who Laughs - As you said, just a plain good story. Nothing amazing, nothing bad. 4/5 The Cult - One of my faves. Very dark and gritty. Great villain. I know Batman doesn't really act like Batman, but I found this to be a great story. 4.5/5 Gotham by Gaslight - I haven't read this one, but just from the concept, I give it a 4/5. Joker by Azzarello - I liked that it was told from the perspective of one of Joker's henchmen and that it didn't involve too much Batman. Not my favorite version of the Joker, but a solid one nontheless. 4/5 The "best" Batman books: Arkham Asylum - Very... artsy. It's very original and dark, but not one of my favorites. 3.5/5 The Black Mirror - Probably my favorite Batman book. I could just go on and on about why I love it so much. 5/5 The Killing Joke - Quite possibly the best Joker story, it just gets everything right. Amazing, but not pretentious. Only reason I don't give it a full 5/5 rating is because I don't like the Joker having an origin. I know it's interpretable but still. 4.5/5 Year One - Very solid origin. Really liked the Jim Gordon part, but it's not an amazing story, for me. 4/5 The Long Halloween - A great mystery story ( Again, with a weird ending. Hell, one could say Jeph Loeb is not so good at writing endings ). But you know what they say, it's about the journey, not the destination. And this one's journey was fantastic. 4.5/5 The Court of Owls - Haven't read and while the concept doesn't sound this amazing, it's definitely on my list. The Dark Knight Returns - A controversial opinion, but I found this book highly overrated. The new Robin was unsympathetic and not well developed, the Joker was very un-Jokery, Superman wasn't all that great, the art was horrible and those news sequences got unbearable. A terrific concept and some influence over the Batman we know today ( I'm saying some, because I don't think this is the first dark Batman book ), but not such a good story ( In my opinion ). 2.5/5 This is my opinion. I know it's very strange and unpopular, but everybody's entitled to his own. Please, tell me your rating of these books.
Great lists, Sal. I was totally stoked to see that you did this topic, as I wrote a question, for the 50k celebration episode, about this very topic. My wife loves Batman, but never read the comics. So I created a Batman book club for us, so she could get some incite into the world of the dark knight. And I'm pleased to say that you suggested some additional titles that I hadn't thought of. I'll be sure to add them to our syllabus. So, thank you for this and all your other amazing content. I love the channel. Keep up the great work.
10.arkham asylum a serious house on a serious earth 9.black mirror 8.court of owls/city of owls 7.dark victory 6.no man's land 5.under the red hood 4.long Halloween 3.year one 2.killing joke 1.dark knight returns
My favorite Batman story so far would have to be a toss up between Batman TDKR and Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin where Dick Grayson takes up the cowl. But i've just only started reading comics 2-3 years ago so i've got a bit of catching up to do.
My favorite batman story has to be death of the family. I know most people like it but don't love it, yet the first time I read it my jaw dropped on separate occasions. It's so twisted and sick that it makes you want to read more, yet not want it to end.
My number one favorite Batman comic ever is Year One. Why? Because it's a timeless character study on Batmans and Gordon's dynamic and what motivates and makes each character tick. Why they do what they do. Who they are and why they have such a mutual respect for eachother.
Of course some stories that came out decades ago are going to be dated, but good writting is being able to craft a story that can be meaningful no matter whether it's read 50 years before it came out or 50 years later.
Solid lists sal! Always love to see your opinions on comics and hear your breakdowns. I agree with all the books you put on here, great work man! Been a fan for 3 years now
I think soon we'll look back on victim syndicate from Tynion as a number 7 either in concept or on the solid story list depending on how fondly you liked that ark. I think it's personally some of the best work Tynon has done with Batman so far
I would like to add Grant Morrison's entire Batman run to this list, it's just so awesome, it basically inspired every Scott Snyder book from Court of Owls to DC Metal, but the thing that makes Grant's run even better than Scott's is that execution of the very idea of Batman as a character.
@@Vanderstein950 there would've been no wack ass court of owl if there was no amazing Black Glove, you dumbas😂, as a matter if fact take any comic written by SS after new 52 is just a lame rip off of something Grant and Alan did, Batman, JL, Swamp Thing, all of it. Maybe your newly born brain can't handle such truths🤣
@@Vanderstein950 it’s not about how many remember it, if anything that makes it more original. Popularity does not equal quality. Some don’t appreciate Grant’s take on Batman but to me it is the definitive take. It’s very subjective and that’s the point. Scott’s Court of Owls is very to the point and very objective. While Grant’s can be interpreted many ways and is therefore often misunderstanded by the general audience.
Batman RIP is my favorite Batman story. Really the whole Grant Morrison bat epic is my favorite, but as a single book RIP is my perfect depiction of the bat.^_^
10# Batman The Black Mirror 9# Batman The Killing Joke 8# Batman Dark Victory 7# Batman Death in the Family 6# Batman Knightfall 5# Batman The Court of Owls 4# Batman Year One 3# Batman Hush 2# Batman The Long Halloween 1# The Dark Knight Returns
Some underrated stories I wanna add: Batman: Absolution Eye of Beholder Birth of Demon Son of Demon Strange Apparations Dark Detective Monster Men Batman Noel
If I had to write my own top seven it might go a bit like this: 1. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (BTAS and Batman Adventures in general) by various 2. Batman: Detective by Paul Dini (kinda cheating since it's a trade full of stories) 3. Batman: No Man's Land by various 4. Batman: New Gotham by Greg Rucka 5. Batman: The Court of the Owls by Scott Snyder 6. Batman: The Black Glove by Grant Morrison 7. Batman and Robin: Born to Kill by Peter Tomasi
Based on Batmans rogues 1.Joker The Devils Advocate 2.Riddler Dark Knight Dark City 3.Bane Legacy 4. Madness Mad hatter 5. Mudpack Clayface 6. Batman RIP The Black Glove 7. Ras Tower of Babel while it is a JLA story its the story that gives us uber prep time Batman. And while not the greatest or even the best i feel these stories convey Batman and his rogues in a positive light plus i wanted to pick some fans might of not heard of from the usual top list Thanks for the Best of Batman Sal you have solid taste in the Bat Mythos
For me it's 7. Dkr 6. Batman and robin (Grant Morrison) 5. Superman speeding bullets 4. Under the hood 3.batman and robin new 52 2. Arkham asylum 1. Killing joke
Loeb & Sale’s Long Halloween might be my favorite. The complete Under The Red Hood run with the return of Jason Todd captivated me unlike any other & was my first Batman graphic novel. Haunted Knight while only being 3 issues long is so so so so amazing and more than a great prelude to Long Halloween. Miller & Mazucchelli’s Year One is my favorite origin telling of Batman. And The Dark Knight Returns will always be fucking classic
![[UNCUT] “ช่อ พรรณิการ์” ปะทะเดือด “มัลลิกา” ชี้หน้า สั่งหยุด! I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 22 ส.ค. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cJ_z_bHnvIE/mqdefault.jpg)
The best Batman story for me is The Long Halloween. I love the mystery and detective work
And Dark victory
I agree with you, you rarely get to see the detective aspect of Batman in most forms of media. I’d like to see more of him being a detective as it’s a defining aspect of the character
Yeah but he doesn't even solve the crime.
Mine is a tie. The dark knight returns and the long halloween/dark victory. I count those last two as one because they are basically one long story.
I agree 100%
Christopher Nolan said it best.
"It's more than a comic book. It's an epic tragedy."
For me its Year One, Long Halloween, and Dark Victory (with a bonus Man Who Laughs). I see these books as a trilogy of one complete story. With Year One being the beginning, Man Who Laughs as being the 1.5, Long Halloween being the middle, and Dark Victory being the end. From there Batman's world expands into whatever comes next but those 3(4) stories start the journey all together.
My favorite Single Issue of a Batman comic was after Damian died there was an issue where there was no dialog or narration, just Batman doing this nightly routine occasionally seeing his dead son beside him. And at the end when he sees Damian's note and then he smashes the lockers and holds Damian's costume. God damn.
How is that cold?
That's one of my favourite single issues too Batman and Robin#18
@@joekerry741 he dies in batman and robin number 18? Is this part of the Hellbat suit story?
@Richard Couillard. Yes it is the silent issue in the hellbat story
@@joekerry741 I'm trying to find a collected edition to buy but keep finding multiples called Batman and robin. Batman and robin reborn, new 52 and so on.
For me it’s
1. The Dark Knight returns
2. The killing joke
3. Year one
4. The long Halloween
5. The court of owls
6. Hush
7. Under the red hood
8. Black Mirror
9 knightfall
10. No mans land
Agreeed
Yup this seems about right
Dark victory is very good and should be on this list also
I totally agree
Personally id add Ego and War on Crime up there too
Batman Court of Owls/Night of Owls is my favorite. I love story and the way everything looks. It also was the story that really sold me on reading comics
Since you put "The Long Halloween" on your Essentials List, I would add "Dark Victory" as one of mine. It gives a great continuing story to the fallout of what happened to Harvey, Batman, and Jim Gordon as well as the origin of Robin (Dick Grayson).
I think I would rank my top favorites like this
1 The dark knight returns
2 under the red hood
3 killing joke
4 death of the family
5 knightfall
6 year one
I agree but i would add hush
Where's the Long Haloween? Lol go read Long Haloween first
KnightFall is fucking amazing
My top 10:
1. Batman Year One
2. Laughing Fish/Sign of the Joker
3. The Dark Knight Returns
4. Case of the Honest Thief
5. Messiah of the Midnight Sun
6. Giant Gorilla Boss of Gotham City
7. The Lazurus Pit
8. The Cape-and-Cowl Deathtrap
9. Deathmask
10. Tomb of the White Bat
I would probably like Court of Owls and Death of the Family more if, like Zero Year, the stories had stayed in Batman and not had tie-ins in other Batman-adjacent comics like Birds of Prey.
Wheres the long Halloween you gotta have the long Halloween 😂
What about Dark Victory? It's one of the greatest batman stories ever in my opinion
george king I agree it's awesome, not as good as the long Halloween (in my opinion of course) but a phenomenal sequel one of the best sequels in any media
I guess he didn't mention it since it is a sequel to Long Halloween. If you were to pick it up as a stand alone based on his recommendation you wouldnt really enjoy it that much, I guess.
The Dark Knight Returns got me into comics. I still remember pulling it off the library shelf when I was 11. Definitely my favorite of all time. Followed by Batman Year one.
bro i just read it and it was so boring for me i died
@@kunai455 have you seen the animated version? Maybe you'd like that one better it's really good
@@kunai455 I understand where your coming from. When I first started reading it I expected to read the best comic ever…. and I can’t say It lived up to it. I realized that the cause of this was that these Batman comics were a product of their time. At the time, dark and gritty comics that catered to adults were not common, many people viewed Batman as silly and goofy due to Adam west’s portrayal. Year one and TDKR revolutionized comics so now many comics, in tone and story, resemble the work of frank miller. So without that historical context in mind these two Batman stories seem like nothing special.
@@estabear86still, it's the best imo, the vibe it has is just unmatched, everytime i read some of the monologues it just sends chills down the spine
I personally Love "The Laughing Fish" story and think it is one of the best Joker stories of all time.
I rank Laughing Fish/Sign of the Joker above Killing Joke.
@@turtleanton6539 The Joker puts something in the water around Gotham that gives fish along the eaatern seaboard a Joker face similar to victims of his Joker toxin/venom. When the U.S. Patent Office denies him a patent for his Joker fish on the grounds of their being a natural resource, the Joker proceeds to kill the members of the Patent Office one by one, forewarning them. What works for me about that storyline is how absurd the Joker's plot to adulterate and patent the fish is (demonstrating his insanity), yet how deadly and extreme his response to being refused a patent is.
Isn’t that a tas episode?
@@noachlive yes it was adapted to an episode of BTAS
Turning on your videos while I work has become one of the best part of my days. Thank you, ComicPOP, for allowing this 20 something overworked designer to stay interested in our favorite heroes.
This just reminded me of a bunch of Back Issues I gotta rewatch.
I really like these lists. I hope to see more of these.
Personally, Black Mirror, Gothic, and Dark Knight Returns are currently my three favorite Batman books.
The Son of the Demon by O'Neill and Adams was my entry into Batman and will always be one of my favorites(along with O'Neill and the late great Marshall Rogers on Detective Comics). I also think the Doug Moench and Norm Breyfogle runs were pretty terrific.
Can you do the same for Superman.
+Comics drawer Yes!
Can you do the same for Metamorpho?
VGM Fighter II Thats a challenge
This is hands down my favorite format for the countdowns. I love having so many reading suggestions!
The Long Halloween is the best.
I liked it but it's very much a crime story as opposed to the light hearted super hero stories some peopl are use to.
Grim Q I don’t think many Batman readers are used to fun “lighthearted” super stories😂 at least I am not. The darkest ones are usually the best for me
Totally agree. I think it’s the best form of a detective Batman story and when I first read it, I couldn’t put it down no matter how hard I tried and I was able to finish it in like a little less than 2 hours
Batman under the red hood was good
I agree. I love Black Mask and he's really well used in this story.
I prefer the movie. The comic is a little too convoluted.
Great work! I really liked G.Morrison's run on Batman, especially from 'Son of Batman' all the way to 'R.I.P.'
1. Long Halloween
2. Dark Victory
3. The Killing Joke
4. Arkham Asylum: A serious house on serious earth
5. Hush
I'm not saying its better, but remember enjoying Dark Victory more than TLH
Yeah, so did I! I thought no-one else would think that, but it's awesome to see I'm not alone
Thanks ComicPOP. Love your channel and you've helped me discover a whole lot of cool batman material.
My personal top 10 Batman comics list:
1. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
2. The Long Halloween
3. The Dark Knight Returns
4. The Black Mirror
5. The Killing Joke
6. Year One
7. The Court of Owls
8. Dark Victory
9. The Man Who Laughs
10. Death of the Family
Strange Apparitions is so underrated!!
Long Halloween is my favorite Batman story of all time hands down.
My top Batman Books:
The Dark Knight Returns
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Killing Joke
Court of Owls
Black and White Vol 1
Earth One series
Hush
Batman and the Monster Men
Gotham By Gaslight
Batman and Son
Son of the Demon
Red Rain
Mask of The Phantasm(Kinda cheating but deserves mentioning)
No "Batman: Year 100" (by Paul Pope)! Come on!!! A great concept, greatly executed! Really a masterpiece of comic book storytelling (either someone likes the art or not).
BELTENEBROSGR - prob one of my top 10 favorite batman stories. Mysterious as shit
Earth One is really really good
Its groundbreaking stuff, I love it
I think he does get Batman. The point of Earth One is that this Batman sucks. Prime Earth Batman is the Gary Stue Batsy that we all know, while Earth One Batman just...Isn't. I really Johns EO Batman, and I think it deserves another chance from a different point of view from its detractors.
Severus Snape Snyder is amazing. The court of owls and black Mirror are instant classics
i was just going to say, most everything Snyder did in his New 52 Batman run was a re-hashed/recycled idea already presented to us by Morrison/Miller/Moore/Dixon.
i like the Court of Owls much better back when they were called The Black Glove, and i much preferred Year One before it got mashed up with No Man's Land and became Zero Year.
if Geoff Johns was put on as head writer of the main Batman title, then DC would crumble, because he would destroy their number one best selling comic.
Funny, Geoff Johns writes Batman as a complete ineffectual putz, yet seems to have no problem writing Hal Jordan as a complete Gary Stue.
Court of the owls is the best Batman story for me,the art was amazing and Snyder's script brought Gotham to life
The Long Halloween is probably the best Batman story of all time due to its quality, it's like you say it has everything you can want in a Batman story and it's art is cinematic and it captures the setting of Gotham better than any other Batman book I think.
I remember, when I was getting into comics, I put off TDKR for a long time due to criticism it got for being overrated, but when I finally got to it, I loved. It's art works for me in a unique way that fits with the tone of the story. Top 3 for me.
The Long Halloween is number one for me because I love Batman more as a human being who has fears, loves, regrets etc. like animated series' Batman.
I hate all of Frank Miller's Batman I get what he did was revolutionary but I don't like my Batman as an always brooding crazy asshole.
Thanks for the video Sal you are Amazing.
I see what you mean with Frank Miller's Batman, but if you think of it in the light of it being an older Batman who is near the end of his rope and has decided to return back for some final ass-kicking it makes sense for him to seem a little unhinged.
I can get why he is unhinged but it is just not my thing.
Agreed, I respect what DKR did for comics, but I don't find it enjoyable and Miller's other Batman stories get progressively worse.
Also agreed on _The Long Halloween_ (though I like _Arkham Asylum_ best). If nothing else, its one of the few Batman stories where he's actually a detective.
I don't understand why Frank Miller gets so much credit for Batman, it was Dennis O Neil who changed Batman.
The long Halloween is the best but it won’t be completed without Dark Victory the two are the best Batman comics but Dark victory deserves more credit
The first Batman story I read was The Dark Knight returns when I was 4 in 2001. I haven’t read one that I enjoy more than that. I always go back to it at least a few times a year. And the animated movie adaptation is amazing too
You should NOT have been allowed to read that at four my guy
I'm so damn glad a Lonely place of dying was on this. It just never gets enough love
Great list, Batman Court/City of the Owls is my number one. It was the book that got me hooked on comics. Love how it pushes Batman to his limits against an awesome villian that he can barely handle.
Court of owls is my first comicbook story, it will always hold a special place for me
Severus Snape Well, plot holes are EVERYWHERE (any movie, comic or anything that tells a story, so, FOR ME AT LEAST, it really does not matter)
And yeah, the villain was not exactly memorable, but the story (for me) really nailed the dark and sometimes creepy atmosphere that it was trying to create, had great pacing (it did not feel to slow or too fast), the art is great, and while Lincoln was kinda lame, the court as a collective villain, made a strong impression on me (especially in issue 5 where they torture Batman psychologically and physically) and the Talon design looks just SICK!!
It also expands the Gotham mythology and makes other characters backstories more interesting (Alfred’s father was murdered by the court, Nightwing was supposed to become a talon).
I loved it, but I can understand why you did not.
ENC98TV is the cort of owls finished after court/city of owls? And what is the night of owls? Is it conected ro the others?
Captain GV yes, it is finished, it starts in Batman #1 and ends in #11. Night of the Owls are all the tie ins in the other batbooks at that time (Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, Batwing, and so on) in which you get to see various members of the batfamily fighting other talons. But those are only optional.
My favorite batman story is batman dark victory
One of my absolute favorite Batman stories are the vampire Batman trilogy.
Such a hidden gem , doesnt get the love it deserves ! A must have .
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend "Blind Justice" by Sam Hamm, for the 600th issue of Detective Comics in 1989. Hamm is a screenwriter (see Tim Burton's Batman). For his comic arc, Hamm did NOT go for the predictable Joker story, or an "all the rogues gallery getting together to take Batman out" plot. Instead he creates a conspiracy within Wayne Technologies, compelling Bruce Wayne and Batman to make choices, and accept consequences, that must be lived with. Hamm's story is also based on science (even if it is science fiction, but no magic, supernatural, etc), and morality, which make the best stories imo, and it explores some of the true costs of being Batman, how Bruce Wayne reinforces his obsessive focus and motivation almost daily, and the price he pays for it.
The Dark Knight Returns is my favorite, it was actually the first comic I ever read when I was a kid.
My personal favorite is The Lomg Halloween. It features the origin to my (ironically) second favorite Batman villain in Two-Face.
It's wide and expansive enough to be a city wide story about Gotham in general but also secluded enough to make you keep guessing who Holiday really is. And to this day, even the answers to certain questions lead to more questions.
The Dark Knight Returns might be better in terms of a narrower Batman story. But The Long Halloween has a big roster of unforgettable characters that are hardly ever used anymore in comics. Even the little april fools joke with Riddler is priceless.
The art style isn't for everyone. But neither is Arkham Asylum: a Serious House on Serious Earth's art style. But I also consider that a personal favorite.
There are so many great Batman comics that even the best of the best rival eachother in their strengths.
My personal favorite Batman story is Year One because it actually my first Batman book.
Add: Strange Apparitions, Red Rain, Year 100, No Man's Land, Son of the Demon, Mad Love, Batmanandson-blackglove-Rip, Batman and Robin (Morrison), Born to Kill, New Gotham, Detective Comics 777-786 (Brubaker), Gotham Central, Eye of the Beholder (Helfer), Prey, Monster Men (Wagner), Gothic, Tales of the demon (Ras al ghul saga), Batman 1 (Finger), Annual 2 (King), Night of the Stalker.
Not for me: snyder (except The Black Mirror), g jhons, knightfall.
Year 100 is my Favourite Batman story of all Time.A dream of mine would be to have it made into an anime by Japanese Studio 4C (Tekkonkinkreet) .Voice Cast for Batman-Michael Keaton and for Jim Gordon-Bryan Cranston.And for the Main Villain Jim Cummings.
Comics are great. While there are some that are really bad, there are gems like some of the comics in this video. Heck, there's a shelf in the library at my university that has some of the best comics ever on it. Long Halloween, Dark Knight Returns, Dark Victory, The Killing Joke, and Black Mirror are there, along with Marvels, Marvel 1602, Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V For Vendetta, Sin City, and many more. Just goes to show that while comics are considered entertainment for kids, there are plenty of great ones, which anyone of any age can read and enjoy.
Wow lucky
Year one was the first comic book i ever read and i still to this day hold it up to be the best batman story
1. Year One
2. Endgame (please don't kill me)
3. Gotham By Gaslight
4. Killing Joke
5. Black Mirror
why? In my opinion endgame was amazing
I prefer battle for the cowl to black mirror
Endgame was great
Nicholas Kosasih Capullo's pencils and the colours they were going for. 😍😍
Endgame paired with death of the family is 10/10
I plan on reading The Long Halloween and Dark Victory back-to-back
Batman and Robin by Grant Morrison! One of the best run i of batman i ever read!
My Personal Top 7
7: Death of the Family
6: Dark Victory
5: The Court of Owls
4: Year One
3: Earth One Vol. 1 & 2
2: The Dark Knight Returns
1: The Long Halloween
I love how after every recommendation he finishes by saying ...its not that great.
I just want to say you've really have been doing great work, Sal and the rest of Comic Pop. The new studio makes it so you guys can really ramp up quality, and make it the best it can be.
That said you guys have ALWAYS been great (at least from the stuff I've seen), and the various changes through the years all have their special moments. But it just feels like we're getting more and more shows and videos of various types from you guys, and they are all great. You're really hitting it out of the ball park. Thanks for every single thing you guys do, each and every day.
Now on to my favorite Batman stories:
I have to throw in Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Both of them carry the best of the best for the Millerverse. They show a darker Batman, and one that has growth, power, and experience. They show the beginning and pretty much the end of his cycle. You could cut out everything else from the saga and be fine. It is a story that shows the best look at who Batman is.
I also absolutely adore Venom, those D.A.R.E. style comics always are hit and miss but seeing Batman give everything and still fail only and have to come back is a story as old as time. But it's good as it always was.
I love Black Mirror, Jock has some of the best art in the entire business..and Dick's version of Batman is good at everything Bruce wasn't but still has flaws and cracks at the seams.
I love love LOVE: "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?" - the ideas it brings just mmf, it's so incredible. I love it every time.
There's also: Speeding Bullets, and the Vampire trilogy, they are some fine Elseworld's stories and I think we can all admit we have our favorites if you guys have been reading them before.
These are just SOME of my favorite Batman titles. Sorry for writing a book...
Comicpop is my go to channels for all comic past and current related goodness. I like this segment. Sal I enjoy your insights, please do more of these videos!
Grant Morrisons run of Batman & Robin was amazing
I really like this video style! And it's perfect to send to a friend who wants to get into Batman.
Great job Sal! Writing a few of these down that I haven't read. Love this and the Spider-Man video. I'd love to see you do SuperMan next.
This is an awesome video, Sal. Great list. The ebst Batman story for me? Issue 320. Just a nice, simple story of Batman dealing witha sniper and thinking about an argument he had with his father.
Am I the only one who've never disagreed with Sal? I've never had an opposing opinion to his, I honestly love this channel!
No Man's Land is one of my favorites. Concept is ridiculous when you actually think about it, but the execution was so well done.
I agree with your list. Court of owls is probably my favorite. I would request this as a permanent rotation show. Just expand to spiderman, x-men (which is so convoluted i dont know what to read), captain america, wonder woman, superman, ect on and on. You guys all rock and deserve everything you have earned.
I first watched this video a year or two ago and it helped me a lot getting into batman comics so thanks!
Dark Night: A True Batman Story might not be for everyone, but I found it to be great. Really easy to overlook but well worth reading.
So, here's my opinion.
The first seven:
Knightfall - Very fun, nothing amazing. Really liked that Batman fought almost his entire rogues gallery, although the story was a bit too long. 4/5
Venom - Great concept, OK story. I mean, Batman fights a freaking shark. 3/5
Death of the Family - It was a good story. Quite enjoyable, but I would never call it one of the best. 3.5/5
Hush - It was very fun and very good looking. Sure, it's not as good as The Long Halloween, but it was also a really solid mystery ( With a somewhat weird ending ). Just out of enjoyment, I'd give it 4/5
A Death in the Family - It got kinda goofy, but it's very important to the Batman mythos. A must read. 3.5/5
The Last Arkham - I haven't read it, but I'm planing to. Sounds like a good concept, so I'll check it out. I don't know/5
Zero Year - I liked The Riddler in this story. Otherwise, it's a good new origin, nothing too great. 3.5/5
The "solid" Batman books:
A Lonely Place of Dying - I liked some elements of it, but Robin has never been my thing. 3.5/5
Earth One - One of my favorites. I really like the new origin. The art is fantastic and the story is probably my favorite origin ( Yes, I liked it more than Year One ). 4.5/5
Whatever Happened to the Capped Crusader - Again, haven't read it. Sounds cool and it is in my to buy list. Sounds cool/5
The Man Who Laughs - As you said, just a plain good story. Nothing amazing, nothing bad. 4/5
The Cult - One of my faves. Very dark and gritty. Great villain. I know Batman doesn't really act like Batman, but I found this to be a great story. 4.5/5
Gotham by Gaslight - I haven't read this one, but just from the concept, I give it a 4/5.
Joker by Azzarello - I liked that it was told from the perspective of one of Joker's henchmen and that it didn't involve too much Batman. Not my favorite version of the Joker, but a solid one nontheless. 4/5
The "best" Batman books:
Arkham Asylum - Very... artsy. It's very original and dark, but not one of my favorites. 3.5/5
The Black Mirror - Probably my favorite Batman book. I could just go on and on about why I love it so much. 5/5
The Killing Joke - Quite possibly the best Joker story, it just gets everything right. Amazing, but not pretentious. Only reason I don't give it a full 5/5 rating is because I don't like the Joker having an origin. I know it's interpretable but still. 4.5/5
Year One - Very solid origin. Really liked the Jim Gordon part, but it's not an amazing story, for me. 4/5
The Long Halloween - A great mystery story ( Again, with a weird ending. Hell, one could say Jeph Loeb is not so good at writing endings ). But you know what they say, it's about the journey, not the destination. And this one's journey was fantastic. 4.5/5
The Court of Owls - Haven't read and while the concept doesn't sound this amazing, it's definitely on my list.
The Dark Knight Returns - A controversial opinion, but I found this book highly overrated. The new Robin was unsympathetic and not well developed, the Joker was very un-Jokery, Superman wasn't all that great, the art was horrible and those news sequences got unbearable. A terrific concept and some influence over the Batman we know today ( I'm saying some, because I don't think this is the first dark Batman book ), but not such a good story ( In my opinion ). 2.5/5
This is my opinion. I know it's very strange and unpopular, but everybody's entitled to his own. Please, tell me your rating of these books.
Finally someone who has the same opinion as me back on the dark Knight returns
Arkham Asylum is my favorite Batman story of all time
This is why I love comic pop I love this take on the top ten reads genre video
Great lists, Sal. I was totally stoked to see that you did this topic, as I wrote a question, for the 50k celebration episode, about this very topic. My wife loves Batman, but never read the comics. So I created a Batman book club for us, so she could get some incite into the world of the dark knight. And I'm pleased to say that you suggested some additional titles that I hadn't thought of. I'll be sure to add them to our syllabus. So, thank you for this and all your other amazing content. I love the channel. Keep up the great work.
VENOM is one of my favourites.
Batman and Robin written by Grant Morrison and Peter J Tomasi
I really enjoyed how you broke down the list…and I love the inclusion of Batman Venom. Great book!
10.arkham asylum a serious house on a serious earth
9.black mirror
8.court of owls/city of owls
7.dark victory
6.no man's land
5.under the red hood
4.long Halloween
3.year one
2.killing joke
1.dark knight returns
My favorite Batman story so far would have to be a toss up between Batman TDKR and Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin where Dick Grayson takes up the cowl.
But i've just only started reading comics 2-3 years ago so i've got a bit of catching up to do.
Love splitting it into three sections Sal! Continuing to do these for a bunch of other characters would be awesome
My favorite batman story has to be death of the family. I know most people like it but don't love it, yet the first time I read it my jaw dropped on separate occasions. It's so twisted and sick that it makes you want to read more, yet not want it to end.
1. Long Halloween
2. Court Of Owls
3. Black Mirror
4. Year One
5. Killing Joke
6. Arkham Asylum
7. Prey
My number one favorite Batman comic ever is Year One. Why? Because it's a timeless character study on Batmans and Gordon's dynamic and what motivates and makes each character tick. Why they do what they do. Who they are and why they have such a mutual respect for eachother.
Thanks for the suggestions. I've never read a batman comic and this is a great reference point. Again thanks Sal and Comic Pop!
Of course some stories that came out decades ago are going to be dated, but good writting is being able to craft a story that can be meaningful no matter whether it's read 50 years before it came out or 50 years later.
Solid lists sal! Always love to see your opinions on comics and hear your breakdowns. I agree with all the books you put on here, great work man! Been a fan for 3 years now
Love these recommendation lists. There's a lot on here I still need to buy and read.
Great video! Idea and execution. Very good work.
Haven’t watched Comicpop in a long ass time. Watching your videos again makes me wish I made time for your videos. This was a great video
+MarineHulk Thanks man. Hope to see you again!
batman year 100 is my favorite
I think soon we'll look back on victim syndicate from Tynion as a number 7 either in concept or on the solid story list depending on how fondly you liked that ark. I think it's personally some of the best work Tynon has done with Batman so far
Earth one is great but the one I havent read but plan to start tomorrow is now "THE LONG HALLOWEEN"
I would like to add Grant Morrison's entire Batman run to this list, it's just so awesome, it basically inspired every Scott Snyder book from Court of Owls to DC Metal, but the thing that makes Grant's run even better than Scott's is that execution of the very idea of Batman as a character.
People will remember The Court of Owls idk how many people will remember the wack ass Black Glove
@@Vanderstein950 there would've been no wack ass court of owl if there was no amazing Black Glove, you dumbas😂, as a matter if fact take any comic written by SS after new 52 is just a lame rip off of something Grant and Alan did, Batman, JL, Swamp Thing, all of it. Maybe your newly born brain can't handle such truths🤣
@@Vanderstein950 oh, I'm sorry, how would you know about them if you can't even afford a graphic novel😂, I'm so sorry for your situation, idiot!
@@Vanderstein950 it’s not about how many remember it, if anything that makes it more original. Popularity does not equal quality. Some don’t appreciate Grant’s take on Batman but to me it is the definitive take. It’s very subjective and that’s the point. Scott’s Court of Owls is very to the point and very objective. While Grant’s can be interpreted many ways and is therefore often misunderstanded by the general audience.
batman year one
Batman RIP is my favorite Batman story. Really the whole Grant Morrison bat epic is my favorite, but as a single book RIP is my perfect depiction of the bat.^_^
One of my favourites is Batman: Jekyll & Hyde
The story that got me into Batman was Detective 374.
Batman has to figure out how , who injured Robin .
10# Batman The Black Mirror
9# Batman The Killing Joke
8# Batman Dark Victory
7# Batman Death in the Family
6# Batman Knightfall
5# Batman The Court of Owls
4# Batman Year One
3# Batman Hush
2# Batman The Long Halloween
1# The Dark Knight Returns
Some underrated stories I wanna add:
Batman: Absolution
Eye of Beholder
Birth of Demon
Son of Demon
Strange Apparations
Dark Detective
Monster Men
Batman Noel
nemesis3587 battle for the cowl?
Great video, hope you're able to do a, Superman one down the line. 👌👌👌
Love these types of videos, keep up the good work!
Sal! Do more of these! Great work man!
Now if I want to show people how awesome/informative ComicPOP is I can show them this!
If I had to write my own top seven it might go a bit like this:
1. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (BTAS and Batman Adventures in general) by various
2. Batman: Detective by Paul Dini (kinda cheating since it's a trade full of stories)
3. Batman: No Man's Land by various
4. Batman: New Gotham by Greg Rucka
5. Batman: The Court of the Owls by Scott Snyder
6. Batman: The Black Glove by Grant Morrison
7. Batman and Robin: Born to Kill by Peter Tomasi
Court of owls was the first comic were I really started to understand and like the character of batman.
Based on Batmans rogues 1.Joker The Devils Advocate 2.Riddler Dark Knight Dark City 3.Bane Legacy 4. Madness Mad hatter 5. Mudpack Clayface 6. Batman RIP The Black Glove 7. Ras Tower of Babel while it is a JLA story its the story that gives us uber prep time Batman. And while not the greatest or even the best i feel these stories convey Batman and his rogues in a positive light plus i wanted to pick some fans might of not heard of from the usual top list Thanks for the Best of Batman Sal you have solid taste in the Bat Mythos
For me it's 7. Dkr 6. Batman and robin (Grant Morrison) 5. Superman speeding bullets 4. Under the hood 3.batman and robin new 52 2. Arkham asylum 1. Killing joke
Sal...this is a great video and list, bravo man!!!
Loeb & Sale’s Long Halloween might be my favorite. The complete Under The Red Hood run with the return of Jason Todd captivated me unlike any other & was my first Batman graphic novel. Haunted Knight while only being 3 issues long is so so so so amazing and more than a great prelude to Long Halloween. Miller & Mazucchelli’s Year One is my favorite origin telling of Batman. And The Dark Knight Returns will always be fucking classic
Great vid! I love Batman & I think Snyder/Capulo's run was amazing! Loved all of their stuff! Too many good Batman stories to choose from lol
I really love “Year One”