The Definitive Batman

[TomServofan]

I have been working on my Green Lantern list recently and while watching the movie Son of Batman, it got me thinking about the Batman trades and what are the major stories to be read in the Batman universe. So basically what I'd like to do is make a big chronological list (DCU timeline-wise).


The list will go on here and I'll add more information to the OP as people come in and give suggestions.

Here's just a small list of important stories off the top of my head. Info is what I found from Amazon so if you have a better trade recommendation let me know. I might add some info on each story as I build our list.

Batman Solo

Batman Vol. 4 Zero Year - Secret City (Bv2 #21-24 176 pgs.) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Batman Vol. 5 Zero Year - Dark City (Bv2 #25-27, 29-33 240 pgs.) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Batman Year One (Bv1 #404-407 136 pgs.) by Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli
Batman: The Long Halloween (Mini-series #1-13 384 pgs.) by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale
Batman: Dark Victory (Mini-series #0-13 499 pgs.) by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale
Batman: The Killing Joke (One-shot 64 pgs.) by Alan Moore & Brian Bolland
Batman: A Death in the Family (Bv1 #426-429 272 pgs.) by Jim Starlin & Jim Aparo
Batman: Knightfall Vol. 1 (Bv1 #491-500, DCv1 #659-666, SoBv1 #16-18 640 pgs.) by Various
Batman: Knightfall Vol. 2 - KnightQuest (DCv1 #667-675, SoBv1 #19-20 24-28, Bv1 #501-508 656 pgs.) by Various
Batman: Knightfall Vol. 3 - KnightsEnd (Bv1 #509-510 512-514, SoBv1 #29-30 32-34, DCv1 #676-677 679-681, LotDKv1 #62-63) by Various
Batman: Hush (Bv1 #609-619 320 pgs.) by Jeph Loeb & Jim Lee
Batman: Under the Red Hood (Bv1 #635-641 645-650 384 pgs.) by Judd Winick & Doug Mahnke
Batman: Batman & Son (Bv1 #655-658, 663-669, 672-675 384 pgs.) by Grant Morrison & Andy Kubert
Batman: The Court of Owls (Bv2 #1-7 176 pgs.) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Batman: The City of Owls (Bv2 #8-12 208 pgs.) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Batman: Death of the Family (Bv2 #13-17 176 pgs) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
The Joker: Death of the Family (Various Bat-titles 456 pgs.) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Mini-series #1-4 224 pgs.) by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson

Bat-family



Justice League and other team ups

JLA (Book 7): Tower of Babel (JLA #43-46 160 pgs.) by Mark Waid

Legend
B - Batman
DC - Detective Comics
SoB - Shadow of the Bat
LotDK - Legends of the Dark Knight

More to come!

My picks definitely and let's not forget O'Neil's take which is excellent and there's also Batman TAS for definitive Batman toon and Nolan's TDK trilogy for the definitive live-action Batman.

[CapeandCowl]

The reason Batman is so great is there is no definitive Batman. He works on so many different levels from pulp to campy to dark & brooding to less somber,,,etc.

What an enlightened mind you have!
I agree that Batman means something different to different people.