What is the best Batman story

[babyblob]

What do you consider the best Batman story? What story do you love to read and why? For me it was No Mans Land. I can read that story over and over again. I dont know what it is about this story. Maybe it was the grim feel. maybe because it was so outside what was done in Batman comics in the past.

So what stories do you love and why?

[Jim Kelly]

When I think of the best story, I tend to think of one story in one issue--or at most a very contained story arc in no more than six issues.

Not to be difficult, but isn't "No Man's Land" a big sprawling event consisting of many many stories? I never read it. At the time I had cut down on my Batman titles and was just reading the Doug Moench and Kelley Jones BATMAN, which I liked very much, but when the event that resulted in "No Man's Land" happened it derailed their run, which got me angry.

And I would have had to buy multiple titles for months and months to get the whole story. That irked me and I had no desire to give Denny O'Neil my money, so I've always avoided "No Man's Land" and it seems like too much of an investment to get all those comics even now. It stands out in my mind as the event that broke my Batman comics addiction.

[babyblob]

I read no man's Land in the trade. I didnt get made at how long it took because I didnt have to wait for each issue to come out. I can see how that would make people mad but I enjoyed it.

[Batman Begins 2005]

Batman: Year One. Bats and Gordon in their early days.

[jb681131]

I've liked (in no order and from what I've read):

* Arkham Asylum: A serious house on a serious earth
* Batman, the dark knight: Cycle of Violance
* Batman: White Knight
* Batman & Dracula triolgy
* Vengeance of Bane
* Batman & Robin annual #1: Batman Impossible
* Joker by Brian Azzarello

[Restingvoice]

Detective_Comics_457.jpg

"There is No Hope in Crime Alley," tells a story how every specific night Batman went out without telling Alfred where he went. He was visiting a fearless old lady called Leslie Thompkins in Crime Alley. In this particular night he asked her why she never want to move out of the crime ridden neighborhood despite almost becoming a victim herself.

Leslie told how he once saw a young boy whose parents were shot dead in front of his eyes and just like how she comforted the boy back then, she decided to dedicate her life to help people like him. Batman helps Gotham from above, she helps down below in her own way.

"I've heard there's no hope in Crime Alley, Miss Thompkins-- that's wrong! You and those like you... you're the hope of Crime Alley-- maybe the only hope our tormented civilization has left"

In the morning Alfred found Batman fell asleep on the armchair, smiling.

[bob.schoonover]

Batman: RIP

Strong consideration to (in no particular order than my memory being weird):
The Dark Knight Returns
24/7 (Gotham Knights 32)
Year One
Return of Bruce Wayne
Rooftops (Tom King)
World's Finest (Tom King) - really, a great story in which Batman appears, less so a great Batman story
Final Crisis #6

[Vakanai]

For me it probably has to be The Long Halloween. It is a long story to read, but man is it worth it.

Edit: I suppose maybe I should go into why, although it feels sort of unnecessary to do so with a classic like this. It's a dark, pulp, noir crime story, the kind of thing that manages to be gritty without being edgey, like a good pulp noir murder mystery is supposed to be. There's a tragic story in there with Dent and his turn into Two-Face, it has a lot of that tone from Year One but on a longer timeline while mixing in the rogues gallery and the more traditional Batmanery, and just a lot of great character moments and beats (that sort of contrasting view of Gordon and Falcone on Father's Day was great).

[K7P5V]

A few more that haven't been mentioned:

- Son of the Demon (considered Bingham's best artwork ever)
- Gotham by Gaslight (a trendsetter with very strong artwork)
- Master of the Future (the sequel to Gotham by Gaslight)
- Batman: Black & White #1-4 (which has a plethora of excellent stories in black & white)

[K7P5V]

For me it probably has to be The Long Halloween. It is a long story to read, but man is it worth it.

Edit: I suppose maybe I should go into why, although it feels sort of unnecessary to do so with a classic like this. It's a dark, pulp, noir crime story, the kind of thing that manages to be gritty without being edgey, like a good pulp noir murder mystery is supposed to be. There's a tragic story in there with Dent and his turn into Two-Face, it has a lot of that tone from Year One but on a longer timeline while mixing in the rogues gallery and the more traditional Batmanery, and just a lot of great character moments and beats (that sort of contrasting view of Gordon and Falcone on Father's Day was great).

Totally agree, an excellent choice.

And don't forget the Haunted Knight trilogy which is also from the team of Loeb & Sale.

[Batman Begins 2005]

Batman: Year One. Bats and Gordon in their early days.

My honorable mentions:

The Long Halloween
The Killing Joke
The Dark Knight Returns

[Batman Begins 2005]

I've liked (in no order and from what I've read):

* Arkham Asylum: A serious house on a serious earth
* Batman, the dark knight: Cycle of Violance
* Batman: White Knight
* Batman & Dracula triolgy
* Vengeance of Bane
* Batman & Robin annual #1: Batman Impossible
* Joker by Brian Azzarello

Nice to see. That needs bigging up more.