Hi. This is a thread for all questions, advice or opinions on Batman trade collections or monthly series. If you've never read a Batman comic in your life; or if maybe you've read a few and are wondering where to go next; if you're interested in picking up the monthly comics or just looking for general recommendations, begin here. And with that...



The best Batman comics for new readers...




^ this is them!

Pretty much every fan here was introduced to the character through movies and TV; then one day we picked up a comic book and fell into a deeper, richer, crazier Gotham City with a history stretching back to 1939. Interested? I think you are. But what the hell am I supposed to read first?

Fortunately there is a standard answer to this question - ask around and you'll see the same handful of comics invariably referred to as the classics, the bedrock of the lore, best primers on the continuity or simply just essential reading when it comes to Batman on the page.


Year One The definitive origin of Batman and the industry-wide landmark event by Frank Miller (Sin City, 300). The stylistic basis for the Batman Begins film
W: Frank Miller A: David Mazzucchelli (1987)
READ NEXT: Scott Snyder's modern companion Batman Vol.4: Zero Year - Secret City (2013)

The Dark Knight Returns The game-changing epic featuring an older Bruce Wayne in a nightmare future setting, redefined the Batman concept and the comic book medium in general, again by Frank Miller. Dark, dense and critically celebrated, the major influence to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
W: Frank Miller A: Frank Miller (1986)
READ NEXT: Frank Millers The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2003), All Star Batman & Robin (2005)

The Killing Joke The iconic Joker origin from Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta), also notorious for its treatment of Jim Gordon and his daughter Barbara and highly influential to The Dark Knight film.
W: Alan Moore A: John Boland (1988)
Note that recent editions feature very different colours - for originals look for the cover pictured above and not the 2008 Deluxe Edition with white text
READ NEXT: Alan Moore's Watchmen (1986) / Scott Snyder's follow-up Batman: The Black Mirror (2011) / Current series Batgirl Vol.1 Batgirl of Burnside (2014)

Hush A hugely popular and best-selling "summer blockbuster" style event featuring a huge cast of traditional villains and Bat Family and recaps of major lore; an excellent introduction to the "classic" Batman universe; big, brash and fun.
W: Jeph Loeb A: Jim Lee (2003)
READ NEXT: Jeff Loeb's The Long Halloween (1995) / Return of Jason Todd continues in Under the Hood (2005) / Scott Snyder's modern Hush-child Batman Eternal (2013)

Batman & Son: New Edition First chapter of the recent and groundbreaking epic from Grant Morrison (All Star Superman, New X-Men), introducing the fourth Robin Damian Wayne along with Batman Incorporated, SPYRAL and many other key concepts to the current lore.
W: Grant Morrison A: Andy Kubert, JH Williams (2006)
Note that previous editions are titled The Black Glove: Deluxe Edition - it's the exact same book
READ NEXT: Grant Morrison's Batman Saga (2006-2014) / Legacy series Grayson Vol.1: Agents of Spyral (2014), Robin: Son of Batman #1 (2015)

Batman Vol.7: Endgame The latest major arc in the current series features Batman vs the Justice League, the return of a meaner and scarier Joker and an unlikely alliance of heroes and villains to face him down. Bold, innovative and contemporary, key events from Batman 35-40 set the stage for the current line of Batman titles.
W: Scott Snyder A: Greg Capullo (2015)
READ NEXT: Current arc "Superheavy" in Batman #41


Do I need to read them in order?
Not at all! Each of the above is self-contained and does not ANY require earlier reading. While they do take place at various stages in Batman's fictional timeline, this chronology is at best a loose framework for interpreting separate stories and not an actual reading requirement. Generally speaking, it's best to not over think timelines or continuity at all; just read whatever looks interesting and you'll figure it out as you go.

Singles & Trades
There are two basic formats for reading comics - monthlies and trades. Monthlies are the thin 24 page single issues published in print but also online - many people prefer reading a story in real time, anticipating the next events and waiting for a new issue. Trades are the catch-all term for a variety of "thicker" formats, short for trade paperback and often confused with a Graphic Novel. A trade collects a sequence of single issues; for instance Batman 404-407 originally published in 1986 is now available in trade as Batman: Year One. A graphic novel is a self contained original story that was never released in singles, for example The Killing Joke was first published in 1988 as a standalone "one-shot". Trades are perfect for discovering past story lines and classic lore, or for getting up to speed with current events.