Summary

For over 80 years , Batmanhas been a risible Word icon , but finding a unspoilt place to start read through his fearless and bluff escapade can be frighten off . The reading order forBatmancomics changes depending on how readers desire to come near the history of The Dark Knight . Some start with his very first appearing back in 1939’sDetective Comics#27 , while others set forth with the more recent or most iconic Batman tales , likeThe Dark Knight Returns .

As a newfangled version of the Dark Knight head to field of operations inBatman : The Brave and the Bold , new fans will be looking to the comics to research the character and his extended phratry . With more fib and famous series than can be consider , finding the proper route through DC persistence will be easier thanks to our ready to hand guide .

24Batman: Year One (1987)

Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli

While Batman ’s mythology had been developed for many years prior to Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’sBatman : Year Onefour - egress plot line from 1987,it has become the definitive stock narrative for Bruce Wayne ’s evolution into the Dark Knight .

class Onealso details future police force commissioner James Gordon ’s first twelvemonth in Gotham as well as other Gotham City role like the Falcones and Catwoman . Year Onealso partially urge on Christopher Nolan’sBatman Begins , shit it a must - read for fan of the former film franchise .

The possessor of the greatest rogues ' gallery in comics , The Dark Knight has dealt with a rough gang over the years . Here are the best Batman villains .

Batman’s Villains In DC Comics

23Batman: The Man Who Laughs (2005)

Ed Brubaker, Patrick Zircher

Batman : Year Oneserves as a perfect introduction to Batman and his mission in Gotham City . ButYear Oneprimarily focalise on Batman facing off against gangster such as Carmine Falcone and Sal Maroni . This was long before any of Batman ’s more coloured villains appeared in Gotham , butBatman : The Man Who Laughsby Ed Brubaker and Patrick Zircher .

This comic showcases the first canyon confluence betweenBatman and the Joker . This meeting would be referenced several times over the years , most notably in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’sDeath of the Family , which had Joker repeating some of his earliest crimes ( like trying to envenom the Gotham City water supplying , which was first attend here ) .

22Batman: Year Two (1987)

Mike W. Barr, Alan Davis, Todd McFarlane

Batman : Year Twomay not have the same name credit as its predeccesor , but it nevertheless had a major influence on the integral mythos of Batman . This 1987 fib continued to fictionalise the extraction of Batman , after the history revise event ofCrisis On Infinite Earths .

The write up pit him against The Reaper , forcing Batman into a status of potentially having to use guns , which he swore never to do . As an added fillip , The Reaper also provided somevisual influence on The Phantasmfrom the alive movieThe Mask Of The Phantasm .

21Batman: The Long Halloween (1996)

Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale team up for a few machine-accessible serial that explore the other twenty-four hours of Batman ’s mission in Gotham City while also exploring his allies and enemies in 1996’sThe Long Halloweenand 1999’sDark Victory .

The Long Halloweenfeatured important moments in the development of Batman ’s rogue ’s galleryas he investigated the mystical Holiday Killer , whileDark Victoryserves as a direct sequel and foreground the new partnership between Batman and Dick Grayson / Robin .

20Batman: Dark Victory (1999)

Batman : Dark Victorywas the sequel toThe Long Halloween . While the first Batman comic book story arc dealt with how his rogues ' gallery developed after he go his warfare on offense , this sequel dealt with him taking Dick Grayson under his flank and turning him into the raw Robin .

This was around the third or 4th year of Batman ’s conflict to protect Gotham City , and he had to work out a series of murders while also stopping a family war between Two - Face and what was go forth of the Falcone crime family .

For fans who need to watch over the career of Robin , there is aRobin : Year Oneseries that followsDark Victory .

Batman stands above a bright Gotham city skyline, framed by the moonlight.

19Robin & Batman (2022)

Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen

After readingDark triumph , the perfect next step would beRobin & Batmanby Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen . This story follows the former days of Dick Grayson ’s prison term as Robin , admit absolutely beautiful watercolor picture that captures the serial publication ' fantastical / aspiration - like energy . The story also provides a bewitching connection between Dick and Killer Croc , having them both grow up in the same circus .

While everyone knows Dick Grayson as Nightwing , few multitude are as familiar with his Robin days , and this short comedian , coming in at only three result , providesthe perfect glance into the former days of the boy who came to define the role of Robin .

18The War Of Jokes And Riddles (2017)

Tom King, Mikel Janin

Another tale that deal out withBatman ’s second year as a crime fighter isThe War Of Jokes And Riddlesfrom 2017 . This write up from writer Tom King sought to give new life and perspective to bothJoker and Riddlerby giving them a showdown worthy of their bequest .

With creative person Mikel Janin hand over unforgettable visuals for this untold chapter in Batman ’s history , the eight - part story is told in flashbacks as Batman wait for Catwoman ’s answer to his proposition for wedding .

DC confirms Batman ’s one reliable dearest is an ideal , not a mortal , and factoring this in makes Bruce Wayne ’s many failed Romance make much more sense .

Comic book art: batman by arkham asylum

17Batman: Son of the Demon (1987)

Mike W. Barr, Jerry Bingham

One of Batman ’s most formidable , and most august enemies is unquestionably Ra ’s al Ghul AKA the Demon ’s Head , the century - honest-to-god drawing card of the League of Assassins whose human relationship with Batman is unlike any of his other villains . Unlike those other rascal , Ra ’s to begin with take Batman to be his successor .

While the ancestry of Ra ’s al Ghul were n’t unveil until 1999’sBirth of the Demonby Denny O’Neil and Norm Breyfogle , it was 1987’sSon of the Demonby Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham that exploredhis complicated relationship with Talia al Ghul that would go on to have a major impact on Batman ’s mythology

16Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (1989)

Grant Morrison, Dave McKean

Released in 1989 by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean , Arkham Asylum : A Serious House on Serious Earthtook Batman , and fans , inside the iconic hospital and showcased many of the inmates who had shoot over the instauration .

This Batman story was a perfect example ofhow all Batman ’s villainswere mirror versions of the hero himself and showed how they possibly only be because he is there as well . For fans of the videogames , this is the amusing book that also influence that franchise .

15The Killing Joke (1988)

Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, John Higgins

When it come to Batman , it is n’t just about the one hero fighting criminal offense in Gotham City , but his intact supporting cast . Joker claims the second spot in the comic mythos of Batman , and no better spotlight on the fiber has ever been released thanThe Killing Joke .

InBatman : Year One , the story mostly followed Jim Gordon arrive in Gotham and deal with the new Batman fight criminal offense . InThe Killing Joke , Gordon is pushed to the limitwhen Joker shoots andparalyzes his girl Barbara , who is also Batgirl . This entire deed of wildness was just to attempt to repulse Gordon over the edge , and it was all he could do to not wipe out Joker , and a lot of that was thanks to his trust on Batman as a confidant .

many faces of batman

Batman covering himself with his cape in Year One cover art

Joker is grinning as he holds two playing cards, one labeled joker, the other Batman.

Batman and The Reaper on Year Two Cover

Batman: The Long Halloween getting 2-part animated film

Batman’s neon-red silhouette in Dark Victory cover art.

ROBIN & BATMAN #3

Batman stuck in the middle of Joker and Riddler’s gang war in DC comics

The artwork from Batman - Son of the Demon.

An image of Batman standing in a doorway in Batman Arkham Asylum Serious House Art

The Joker in the moment he loses his sanity in The Killing Joke

Comics

Batman