Really Want to get into the Batman Comics, but.....

[sadmoongaze]

There's just too many of them. I know that sounds really lame, but anytime I go to the comic book store, I just get overwhelmed and end up skipping over any of the batman stuff that's currently out. So, any suggestions as to a good place to start?

[Batarang]

They made the new 52 for new fans just like you actually. New 52 is a new reboot of the DC Universe. The Batman side of it starts and goes on with

Court of owls vol 1
City of owls vol 2
Death of the family vol 3
Zero Year- Secret City vol 4
Zero Year- Dark City vol 5
Greaveyard Shift vol 6
End Game vol 7

These are the new 52 trades of Batman which are out for now... (chronologicly listed. Well.. if you want trades)

[sadmoongaze]

Thanks, I probably will look into those.

[joybeans]

Look into bookstores or libraries, and see if you can pick up any of these older stories:

Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequel Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: The Black Mirror
Batgirl/Robin: Year One
Batman: Hush (basically a beginner's guide to Batman)
Batman: Heart of Hush
Batman: No Man's Land (4 volumes)
The Dark Knight Returns

[Joker]

I agree with these. Bold is a couple more books by Loeb and Sale, given you liked the first two.

Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequel Batman: Dark Victory Batman: Haunted Knight and Catwoman When In Rome
The Dark Knight Returns

I also like Cult and there's a ton of great one shots that took place over the years in Legends of the Dark Knight and the Batman Black and White series is pretty fantastic.

Most of this stuff is pretty light on continuity, so it's pretty new reader friendly and I vastly prefer it to the new 52 books.

[Rory]

There's just too many of them. I know that sounds really lame, but anytime I go to the comic book store, I just get overwhelmed and end up skipping over any of the batman stuff that's currently out. So, any suggestions as to a good place to start?

Hey sadmoon. I was exactly the same as you. Overwhelmed by the amount of Batman comics. I read some issues of all the comics that were released and ended up sticking with Batman and Batman and Robin. Now this is when the New 52 started.
At the moment I am collecting New 52 graphic novels. Completed Batman series up until Endgame.

[ngroove]

BATMAN or DETECTIVE COMICS. Pick one.

[t hedge coke]

BATMAN or DETECTIVE COMICS. Pick one.

This.

Or, better (in my opinion), look over collections on Amazon or at a bookshop and just get one or two that look interesting to you. I'd recommend Year One if you're looking for something low key and serious, Batman Inc if you're looking for something crammed with characters and all over the world, or Officer Down for a many writers/many artists adventure mystery.

[batnbreakfast]

I second NO MAN'S LAND and HEART OF HUSH both are great but heavy on continuity. You should try YEAR ONE and GOTHAM CENTRAL, very mature and good for multiple reads.

[MajorHoy]

One thing to be aware of with many of these suggestions: most (but not all) are for books that really have little to do with the current monthly Batman titles. So, the first thing you may want to decide is:

* Are you interested in the overall character of Batman and how he's been written during the past few decades

or

* Are you more interested in focusing on the version of Batman as he's presently written in the monthly on-going comic books?

[poroto678]

Well... DC isnt like Marvel. Every time an arc ends, it pretty much goes back to a status quo, so you can start wherever you want. There's a couple of classic you should read, like Year One, Killing Joke.

I started reading Batman when Loeb wrote Hush (Batman #608). I recommend to start from there. I liked Hush. Then Judd Winick made Red Hood. After that comes Grant Morrison's glorious run, Batman Inc and Batmand and Robin, all awesome.

I enjoyed those stories a lot more than the New 52 run.

Here's a detailed reading order:

- Batman #608-630
- Batman: Death and the Maidens.
- War Games (there are TPB)
- Batman #635-642
- War Crimes
- Infinite Crisis (Countdown, Project Omac and the main mini series, that's all you need)
- Batman: One Year Later.
- Grant Morrison's Batman: #655-669
- The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul
- Batman RIP
- Final Crisis (Main series only)
- Last Rites
- Battle for the Cowl
- Batman #686-699 and Batman & Robin #1-9
- The Return of Bruce Wayne
- Batman Inc. (vol 1 and 2, plus Batman #704-713, B&R #17-26)
- Detective Comics by Scott Snyder (pretty good, but feel free to skip)

Im not a HUGE fan of Bats, but I enjoyed all those years.

Also I recommend a few less connected to continuity.
- Superman/Batman by Jeph Loeb
- Batman: Long Halloween (Loeb and Sale)
- Batman Earth One 1 and 2.

Good luck!

[SmokeMonster]

Google "Best Batman comics" and start from the top.

Go to dccomics.com to read them online if you want.