What's the right book for me?

[Max_Eckhardt]

I want to start reading Batman comics again. I took a look at DC's website today but didn't find it all that helpful.
Let me explain my preferences: I enjoy reading more realistic tales featuring a solo Dark Knight. No Bat-family, no crossovers, minimal fantasy elements.
I also prefer more mature tales, less action, more plot and characterization.
I used to enjoy reading Ultimate Spiderman because the story took its time and didn't feel the need to crame the stories with too much action, some issues took place almost entirely in Peter's basement for example :-)
Is there a book for me?

[Vakanai]

You said again, so when/where did you leave off?

[Restingvoice]

Batman Earth One
Early dark knight, gadgets failing...

[batnbreakfast]

Gotham Central
standalone, very little Batman, detectives of the GCPD versus Batman's rogues gallery starting with Mr.Freeze

[jb681131]

I want to start reading Batman comics again. I took a look at DC's website today but didn't find it all that helpful.
Let me explain my preferences: I enjoy reading more realistic tales featuring a solo Dark Knight. No Bat-family, no crossovers, minimal fantasy elements.
I also prefer more mature tales, less action, more plot and characterization.
I used to enjoy reading Ultimate Spiderman because the story took its time and didn't feel the need to crame the stories with too much action, some issues took place almost entirely in Peter's basement for example :-)
Is there a book for me?

Well for that you have Batman stories from his early years:

1. Batman: Year One
2. Batman: Shaman
3. Batman and the Monster Men + Batman and the Mad Monk
4. Batman: Prey + Batman: Terror
5. Batman: Gothic
6. Batman: The Man Who Laughts
7. Batman: Long Halloween + Batman: Dark Victory

Then you have Batman after the big crossovers Knightfall and No Man's Land:

1. New Gotham
2. Batman: Turning Point
3. Bruce Wayne: Murderer ? + Bruce Wayne: Fugitive

After that you can read the Hush Saga

1. Batman: Hush
2. Batman: Detective
3. Batman: Death and the City
4. Batman: Private Casebook
5. Batman: Heart of Hush
6. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 1 – Hush Money
7. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 2 – Leviathan
8. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 3 – The House of Hush

Then I would suggest the Batman, the dark knight New52 serie:

1. Batman: Knight Terrors
2. Batman: Cycle of Violence
3. Batman: Mad
4. Batman: Clay

A good read is also Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato:

1. Batman: Icarus
2. Batman: Anarky

or

• Batman by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato: The Deluxe Edition

For a more recent you should read Peter J. Tomasi's run:

1. Batman: Detective Comics: Mythology
2. Batman: Detective Comics: Arkham Knight
3. Batman: Detective Comics: Greetings From Gotham
4. Batman: Detective Comics: Cold Dark World

Have fun

[Chubistian]

From recent years, I highly recommend Batman: Cold Days, by Tom King and Lee Weeks. It's part of a bigger story, but it works as a standalone arc too. It goes from Batman (2016) #51 to #53, in case you prefer to buy it as single issues

https://www.dccomics.com/graphic-nov...ol-8-cold-days

[Laufeyson]

I want to start reading Batman comics again. I took a look at DC's website today but didn't find it all that helpful.
Let me explain my preferences: I enjoy reading more realistic tales featuring a solo Dark Knight. No Bat-family, no crossovers, minimal fantasy elements.
I also prefer more mature tales, less action, more plot and characterization.
I used to enjoy reading Ultimate Spiderman because the story took its time and didn't feel the need to crame the stories with too much action, some issues took place almost entirely in Peter's basement for example :-)
Is there a book for me?

Tom King's Batman, Long Halloween - Dark Victory, Earth One, White Knight, Hush, Paul Dini's Batman story.

[Ying Ko]

Recent Batman stuff I've enjoyed:

Batman/The Shadow: The Murder Geniuses by Scott Snyder
Batman Universe by Brian Michael Bendis
The Batman's Grave by Warren Ellis
Batman: The Three Jokers by Geoff Johns

[Max_Eckhardt]

I read Detective comics for a while when Paul Dini was doing a run.

[Max_Eckhardt]

I want Batman though.

[Max_Eckhardt]

Well for that you have Batman stories from his early years:

1. Batman: Year One
2. Batman: Shaman
3. Batman and the Monster Men + Batman and the Mad Monk
4. Batman: Prey + Batman: Terror
5. Batman: Gothic
6. Batman: The Man Who Laughts
7. Batman: Long Halloween + Batman: Dark Victory

Then you have Batman after the big crossovers Knightfall and No Man's Land:

1. New Gotham
2. Batman: Turning Point
3. Bruce Wayne: Murderer ? + Bruce Wayne: Fugitive

After that you can read the Hush Saga

1. Batman: Hush
2. Batman: Detective
3. Batman: Death and the City
4. Batman: Private Casebook
5. Batman: Heart of Hush
6. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 1 – Hush Money
7. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 2 – Leviathan
8. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 3 – The House of Hush

Then I would suggest the Batman, the dark knight New52 serie:

1. Batman: Knight Terrors
2. Batman: Cycle of Violence
3. Batman: Mad
4. Batman: Clay

A good read is also Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato:

1. Batman: Icarus
2. Batman: Anarky

or

• Batman by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato: The Deluxe Edition

For a more recent you should read Peter J. Tomasi's run:

1. Batman: Detective Comics: Mythology
2. Batman: Detective Comics: Arkham Knight
3. Batman: Detective Comics: Greetings From Gotham
4. Batman: Detective Comics: Cold Dark World

Have fun

I've read year one, Gothic, The Man Who Laughs, The Long Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory, Hush, DKR, Anarky, Strange Apparitions, Court of Owls etc...

[Adekis]

I want Batman though.

What, like as opposed to Detective Comics? Kind of a distinction without a difference, don't you think? Or did you mean Batman as opposed to "Batman and Robin"?

But wanting solo Batman in fairly grounded low-action stories is a good place to start.

Maybe "Batman: Prey" if you haven't read that?