Are the full SOB and LODK runs essential for Batman continuity?

[Matches]

I’m a completist so I must be careful in collecting because I want to own it all!!!!!


I read a few digital issues of SOB as well as LODK, wasn’t to impressed but probably just crappy issues


Would I be best served to just get a few important story lines from these series or are all issues a big part of the Batman timeline?

[jb681131]

I’m a completist so I must be careful in collecting because I want to own it all!!!!!


I read a few digital issues of SOB as well as LODK, wasn’t to impressed but probably just crappy issues


Would I be best served to just get a few important story lines from these series or are all issues a big part of the Batman timeline?

Well, a big chunk of those stories are part of the Big Batman event: Knightfall, Contagion, Catclysm, No Man's Land.
Then Lots of the other stories are very good and available as tpb, some are even considered the best Bat-stories ever.
I would say you should get them all.

[K7P5V]

LotDK was a veritable treasure trove of excellent reading material.

My personal favorite will always be...

HEAT
(LotDK #46, #47, #48, #49)

[K7P5V]

Well, a big chunk of those stories are part of the Big Batman event: Knightfall, Contagion, Catclysm, No Man's Land.
Then Lots of the other stories are very good and available as tpb, some are even considered the best Bat-stories ever.
I would say you should get them all.

Another one of those "Big Bat-Events" which is also a personal favorite would be...

Prodigal
(B:SotB #32, #33, #34)

[Toreador]

While both are great series except for tie-ins to some of the events they're not really essential to Batman continuity and are hardly mentioned in other Batman series. But LODK does have some great multi-part stories you should look into and collect. I'd suggest starting off with 'Shaman' and 'Tao', they focus on Batman's early career and training.

[Gotham citizen]

Well, most of my favorite Batman's stories were published on "Legends of the Dark Knight" (Prey, Terror, Heat…) so I can only suggest to collect this title: in my opinion is the one with the highest quality rate of the entire franchise.

[batnbreakfast]

The first issues of Shadow are collected in trade but not that many :-((
Hope we get some Legends, too

[jb681131]

The first issues of Shadow are collected in trade but not that many :-((
Hope we get some Legends, too

A lot are collected !

Omnibus

1. Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.1 - Shadow of the Bat #1-12
2. Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.2 - Shadow of the Bat #13-23 + annual #1
3. Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.3 - Shadow of the Bat #24-31, 0 + annual #2
4. Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.4 - Shadow of the Bat #32-42
5. Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.5 - to come

tpb

1. Batman: The Last Arkham - Shadow of the Bat #1-4
2. Batman: Knightfall Vol. 2 - Shadow of the Bat #16-18 + various
3. Batman: Knightquest: The Crusade Vol. 1 - Shadow of the Bat #19-20 + various
4. Batman: Knightquest: The Search - Shadow of the Bat #21-23 + various
5. Batman: Knightquest: The Crusade Vol. 2 - Shadow of the Bat #24-28 + various
6. Batman: KnightsEnd - Shadow of the Bat #29-30 + various
7. Batman: Prodigal - Shadow of the Bat #32-34 + various
8. Batman: Troika - Shadow of the Bat #35 + various
9. Batman: Anakry - Shadow of the Bat #40-41 + various
10. Batman: Contagion - Shadow of the Bat #48-49 + various
11. Batman: Legacy - Shadow of the Bat #53-54 + various
12. Batman: Cataclysm - Shadow of the Bat #73-74 + various
13. Batman: No Man's Land vol.1 - Shadow of the Bat #83-84 + various
14. Batman: No Man's Land vol.2 - Shadow of the Bat #85-87 + various
15. Batman: No Man's Land vol.3 - Shadow of the Bat #88 + various
16. Batman: No Man's Land vol.4 - Shadow of the Bat #92-93 + various
17. Batman: No Man's Land vol.5 - Shadow of the Bat #94 + various

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Maybe SOTB, the majority of LODK were not in continuity.

You could probably just by the crossover issues and be fine. I only have issues of each that Tim Drake appears in.