What should a new Batman fan start with?

[Tupiaz]

I was in my teens a few decades back. Well into my 30s now. It has nothing to do with age, but taste, and I just find does stories BORING.

My favorite all time story is The Black Mirror and not Hush actually. For a Hush story, give me DINIs Heart of Hush, followed by Streets of Gotham, all really good stuff.

I'm not trying to convience you or anyone else to not like Frank Miller's Batman, that's why I noted for him/her not to take even my word for it and to buy a lot of #1s to see what jumped out for them.

Give me Snyder and Dini all day over O'Neil and Miller.

I'm not doubting their importance or influence, I just don't personally like their work.

Well, the reason I guess you where a teenager is that the taste you are advocacy is something you see at younger readers. Older readers will usually prefer Frank Miller and O'Neil over Scot Snyder, Dini and Jeph Loeb. It is always nice to have you prejudges check a bit (which was the main reason for my post). However your taste still confuses me.

[db105]

Anything prior to Batman #404 (1987) in my opinion, is totally a waste of time. Unless you really like hokey childrens comics. (Many will agrue with this, like I said above, but thats all they are. But all comics were pretty much like this at the time).

Wow. I mean, so far I disagreed with a lot of your advice, but in matters of taste there is no dispute. However, what I quote is just misinformed and wrong. You seem to be implying that the Silver Age ended in 1987, that before Batman #404 it was all Batman and Robin having goofy adventures, and that's not true at all. Some of the greatest runs on Batman came before that. What about Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams’ run on Batman and Detective Comics back in the early 70s? Or about Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers' Detective Comics in the late 70s? I mean, please... moments like this, a total waste of time?

rasalghul_bythegods.jpg


Anyway, my own advice: Unless it's very important for you to read the current comics (which are not bad), if you are completely new to Batman I would advice you to check a lot of his classic stories. Recently we had Morrison's run, which was very long and great, but it's not really the best place to start, in my opinion. Leave it for when you have read more about the character.

So you could start with these basic titles:
http://community.comicbookresources....l=1#post210226
You won't enjoy all of them equally (that would be impossible, with so many different styles and authors), but all of them are interesting and will give you an idea of what Batman comics are about.

Once you do that, start choosing titles from a list of best Batman trades, like these ones:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/...graphic-novels
http://community.comicbookresources....249#post210249
Read the descriptions and try what appeals to you.


Starting with Year One makes sense, but I wouldn't be too worried about reading everything in chronological order. Batman's history is too rich and complex to be read in a linear fashion. Just read great stories (maybe check the wikipedia occasionally if you don't know who a character is) and the whole picture will get clear little by little.

[CoffeeCup]

Well, the reason I guess you where a teenager is that the taste you are advocacy is something you see at younger readers. Older readers will usually prefer Frank Miller and O'Neil over Scot Snyder, Dini and Jeph Loeb. It is always nice to have you prejudges check a bit (which was the main reason for my post). However your taste still confuses me.

I'm not sure how or why my taste in comics should confuse you based off my age?

I certainly understand the significance of Miller's work, I do. However, I personally believe there is a huge difference in appricating someone work and actually liking it. I love the direction he took batman and that is still paying off today. But that doesn't mean it is a good story. (Actually, I don't dislike Year One, just think its a bit on the boring side). I'm not trying to talk anyone out of liking it, its just not for me.

There are numerous TV shows I loved when I was younger (namely the X-files) and believe it paved the way for all sci fi serialized shows that followed but going back and watching it now, its tough to watch. I certainly value it, but its just not a very good show.

[CoffeeCup]

Not going to argue taste with you. It's just not mine. That reads extremely corny to me.

Wow. I mean, so far I disagreed with a lot of your advice, but in matters of taste there is no dispute. However, what I quote is just misinformed and wrong. You seem to be implying that the Silver Age ended in 1987, that before Batman #404 it was all Batman and Robin having goofy adventures, and that's not true at all. Some of the greatest runs on Batman came before that. What about Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams’ run on Batman and Detective Comics back in the early 70s? Or about Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers' Detective Comics in the late 70s? I mean, please... moments like this?

rasalghul_bythegods.jpg


Anyway, my own advice: Unless it's very important for you to read the current comics (which are not bad), if you are completely new to Batman I would advice you to check a lot of his classic stories. Recently we had Morrison's run, which was very long and great, but it's not really the best place to start, in my opinion. Leave it for when you have read more about the character.

So you could start with these basic titles:
http://community.comicbookresources....l=1#post210226
You won't enjoy all of them equally (that would be impossible, with so many different styles and authors), but all of them are interesting and will give you an idea of what Batman comics are about.

Once you do that, start choosing titles from a list of best Batman trades, like these ones:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/...graphic-novels
http://community.comicbookresources....249#post210249
Read the descriptions and try what appeals to you.


Starting with Year One makes sense, but I wouldn't be too worried about reading everything in chronological order. Batman's history is too rich and complex to be read in a linear fashion. Just read great stories (maybe check the wikipedia occasionally if you don't know who a character is) and the whole picture will get clear little by little.

[db105]

Not going to argue taste with you. It's just not mine. That reads extremely corny to me.

Neither am I going to argue with you. I'm not saying you should like anything you are determined not to like. I'm just saying that it's not "hokey childrens comics".

These are hokey children's comics, straight from the Silver Age period (click on them to enlarge image):

batbaby1.jpg

50sbatcovers.JPG

[Tupiaz]

I'm not sure how or why my taste in comics should confuse you based off my age?

I certainly understand the significance of Miller's work, I do. However, I personally believe there is a huge difference in appricating someone work and actually liking it. I love the direction he took batman and that is still paying off today. But that doesn't mean it is a good story. (Actually, I don't dislike Year One, just think its a bit on the boring side). I'm not trying to talk anyone out of liking it, its just not for me.

There are numerous TV shows I loved when I was younger (namely the X-files) and believe it paved the way for all sci fi serialized shows that followed but going back and watching it now, its tough to watch. I certainly value it, but its just not a very good show.

Because those who have disliked Frank Miller and Dennis O'Neil and prefers newer and more action orientated books to my experience has been younger people.

The X-Men's 90 show is btw one of the best animated series. Animated series was probably the best thing about the comics in the 90's.

[GrandKaiser]

Golden/Silver Age Batman is amazing in my opinion...I've never had so much fun reading comics in my life before picking up the original Batman and World's Finest comics. There are lot of fantastic stories and incredible artwork/coloring. I would never tell someone to avoid it as it's a matter of taste. I made a thread about a week ago about Batman fighting the Monk, one of the original Batman stories, and how great it was.

[yorickbrown]

Scott Snyder's run on Batman is the only good current Batman, but before the New 52 there are plenty of great storylines. The Long Halloween and Dark Victory which both have no continuity problems. Same with The Dark Knight Returns and Year One. There was also an ongoing series called Legends of the Dark Knight with each storyline having no place in continuity, though it sometimes crosses over with other batman series.