Batman Trades Poll: Year Four

[nepenthes]

75 Favourite Batman trades


Year Four Poll Results

A huge thank you to everyone who helped out! Out of four voting rounds in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 I've counted up 108 submissions. Collectively we've voted for 178 different stories or collections - and though some of you have shocking taste (the guy who voted for Hush Returns ) overall I think the final result is a pretty decent run down of the best-of Batman comics.

Below are the Top 50 (and then some), with a score for total Points first and unique Votes second. If you'd like to see the spreadsheet then shoot me a PM.

Here we go...

1. Year One 1657/100 (1986)
2. The Dark Knight Returns 1471/91 (1985)
3. The Killing Joke 1144/81 (original colours) (1988)
5. Grant Morrison's BATMAN run 1066/72 (also printed as The Black Glove: Deluxe Edition, continues in R.I.P, Time and the Batman, The Return of Bruce Wayne) (2006-09)
4. The Long Halloween 1061/83 (continues in Dark Victory) (1995)
6. Grant Morrison's BATMAN & ROBIN run 800/59 (Batman Reborn continues in Batman VS Robin, Batman Must Die) (2009-10)
7. Hush 607/59 (2003)
8. The Black Mirror 593/48 (2010)
9. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House 589/56 (1988)

10. Gotham Central 561/41 (Book.1 In the Line of Duty continues in Book.2: Jokers & Madmen, Book.3: On the Freak Beat, Book.4: Corrigan) (2003-06)
11. Year 100 458/42 (2006)
12. Batman Incorporated 450/37 (continues in New 52 Vol.1 The Demon Star, New 52 Vol.2: Gotham's Most Wanted) (2010-13)
13. Batwoman: Elegy 427/40 (JH Williams run continues in New 52 Vol.1:Hydrology) (2006)
14. Knightfall 411/40 (continues in Vol.2: KnightQuest, Vol.3: KnightsEnd) (1993)
15. Mad Love and Other Stories 392/39 (including Dangerous Dames and Demons) (1994)
16. No Mans Land 372/36 (continues in Vol.2, Vol.3, Vol.4) (1999)
17. Zero Year 340/40 (ends in Vol.5: Zero Year, Dark City. Scott Snyder's Batman run includes The Court of Owls and Death of the Family) (2013)
18. The Dark Knight Strikes Again 305/24 (2002)
19. Prey 293/32 (1990)
20. All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder 284/32 (2005)

21. Ego and Other Tails 282/30 (including Selina's Big Score) (2000,02)
22. Strange Apparitions 282/28 (slightly cheaper in Legends of the Dark Knight: Marshal Rogers) (1977)
23. Joker 279/27 (2008)
24. Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? 272/34 (2009)
25. The Court of Owls 271/25 (ends in Vol.2: City of Owls with non essential tie-ins in Night of the Owls) (2011)
26. Gotham by Gaslight 263/33 (1989)
27. The Cult 258/25 (1988)
28. Heart of Hush 253/25 (Paul Dini's HUSH SAGA continues in Hush Money, House of Hush) (2008)
29. The Man Who Laughs 251/28 (2005)
30. Batgirl/Robin Year One 240/35 (2001,03)

[nepenthes]

31. Gothic 239/31 (1990)
32. Batman: Black & White 237/24 (continues in Vol.2, Vol.3 and the 2013 series Vol.4 ) (1990's, 2013)
33. Birth of the Demon 230/20 (collects Son of the Demon, Bride of the Demon, Birth of the Demon) (1987-91)
34. Paul Dini DETECTIVE run 197/23 (continues in Death in the City, Private Casebook) (2006)
35. Under the Red Hood 191/23 (2005)
36. Tales of the Demon 187/19 (1992 edition is original colours) (late 70's)
37. Blind Justice 179/17 (1988)
38. Dark Knight, Dark City 175/17 (including the Peter Milligan Detective run in Feb; current edition is cheaper at Comixology) (1990)
39. Batman and the Monster Men 173/19 (companion to Batman and the Mad Monk) (2006)
40. Batman Noir: Eduardo Risso 170/18 (collecting Broken City and Knight of Vengeance in black & white) (2003,11)

41. The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told 160/12 (1989-97 Editions are best) (various)
42. A Death in the Family 146/23 (1988)
43. Venom 143/15 (1991)
44. A Lonely Place of Dying 133/16 (1990)
45. JLA: Tower of Babel 117/12 (2000)
46. Batman Chronicles Vol.1 111/11 (1939!)
47. Going Sane 110/11 (1994)
48. Batman & Robin (New 52): Born To Kill 103/12 (Tomasi Batman & Robin run) (2011)
49. Batman Vol.3: Death of the Family 103/11 (with non-essential tie-ins in Joker: Death of the Family) (2013)
50. Gates of Gotham 99/11 (2011)

51. Legends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo Vol.1 96/8 (collecting the Bob Haney Brave and the Bold run) (early 70's)
52. Batman by Doug Moench & Kelley Jones Vol.1 93/14 (collecting the Moench/Jones Batman run; see also the Vampire trilogy) (1994)
53. Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol.3 89/9 (warning: modern colours) (late 70's)
54. Planetary/Batman: Night On Earth 89/9 (2003)
55. Robin: A Hero Reborn 80/13 (Chuck Dixon Robin run continues in Tragedy & Triumph and Flying Solo) (1989)
56. Death and the Maidens 79/10 (companion to Batman:Evolution) (2003)
57. Nightwing: Year One 77/11 (Chuck Dixon Nightwing run. New reprints beginning December in Vol.1:Bludhaven) (2005)
58. Stephanie Brown BATGIRL series 75/9 (2009)
59. Collected Legends of the Dark Knight 73/7 (collecting Hothouse and Blades) (1993)
60. Catwoman Vol.1: Trail of the Catwoman 70/12 (Ed Brubaker Catwoman run) (2001)

[nepenthes]

61. The Last Arkham 70/9 (from the Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle run, see also Batman: Anarky) (1992)
62. Nine Lives 67/8 (2002)
63. Batman/Huntress: Cry For Blood 66/6 (Greg Rucka saga continues in The Question: Five Books of Blood, The Question: Pipeline, Batwoman: Elegy) (2000)
64. Birds of Prey Vol.1: Of Like Minds 65/6 (Gail Simone BoP run) (2003)
65. Murderer/Fugitive 59/7 (the latest reprint has multiple errors and was reissued May; ends in Fugitive) (2002)
66. Shaman 57/8 ($50 at amazon, free at Comixology) (1990)
67. Batman VS Predator I 57/7 (1991)
68. The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told 57/5 (various)
69. Batman Adventures Vol.1 57/ (1992)
70. Tales of the Batman: Len Wein 56/6 (collects the Batman/Tec run along with Silver Age origin Untold Legend of the Batman) (late 70's)

71. Arkham Asylum: Living Hell 56/6 (companion is Arkham Reborn) (2003, 09)
72. Red Robin: The Grail 53/10 (2009)
73. Snow 53/6 (2005)
74. Legends of the Dark Knight: Alan Davis 50/6 (collecting the Mike Barr/Alan Davis run and Full Circle) (late 80's)
75. Penguin: Pride & Prejudice 50/6 (2011)
76. Faces 49/13 (1992)
77. War on Crime 44/7 (1999)
78. Cassandra Cain BATGIRL series 46/6 (2000)
79. Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol.1: Redemption 45/6 (Scott Lobdell RHatO run) (2011)

80. Four of a Kind 37/6 (1995)
81. Thrillkiller 51/5 (1997)
82. The Batman/Judge Dredd Collection 47/5 (1991-98)
83. King Tuts Tomb 46/5 (2009)
84. Noel 38/5 (2012)