Reddit reviews Batman: Year One
We found 51 Reddit comments about Batman: Year One. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
DC Comics
We found 51 Reddit comments about Batman: Year One. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Batman: Year One is a fantastic way to begin. It introduces the major elements, tells a solid story, and the art work is fantastic.
The Long Halloween and Dark Victory are my next two suggestions. They're also my personal favorites (and Christian Bales!).
Others of note:
The Killing Joke
Arkham Asylum
Batman: Absolution
Batman: The Cult
A Death in the Family
Batman: Hush
I've got a few more but they're a bit scattered in terms of story line or canon. I'm also an outlier but I didn't care for "The Dark Knight Returns."
> It’s so confusing, why shouldn’t I just be able to follow his story from beginning to present?
> (I’m using Batman as an example but really I’d like help understanding how to follow comics in general as they’re all laid out this way, with overlapping arcs and timelines and such)
This isn't entirely how comics work. In general, it's not the only way other mediums work either. The REQUIREMENT that everything follows a strict, traditional/conventional 3-act structure (beginning, middle, end) is self-imposed and not necessary for good story-telling. The "beginning" of comics happened decades ago and the "end" is nowhere in sight; comics are perpetually stuck in the "middle".
You're already used to non-traditional narrative structure; it's used very often in other mediums. Why does Star Wars get a pass but not superhero comics? Did you see how Darth Vader "became" Darth Vader before he was introduced for the first time? Do you refuse to watch/read/play anything that will potentially have a prequel and ruin your "sense" of chronology? Did Memento or even Pulp Fiction melt your mind? When you go watch Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, there aren't going to be in-depth introductions for every character.
It's OK to embrace your preferences. Most people like following stories from beginning to end. Now that there is 70+ years of comic history to explore, third parties have attempted ordering it all in some subjective, complicated chronology. It's not really possible, though. How do you handle flashbacks, especially when they're embedded in another story? Do you have to change the chronology to per-panel precision? What about simultaneous story releases? Alternate universes/timelines that are fully/partially "canon" and/or merged/retconned later? Varieties of characterization by multiple writers/artists?
Most of what made these superheroes "cool" in the first place was very topical. What powers do they have? What does their costume look like? Their backstories and character growth/development were fleshed out over the coming decades, more specifically in the "modern" age of comics when the demographic started transitioning to include adults.
There's no "perfect" or "definitive" sequence of events that Batman's story occurred in. That severely limits creators from writing new stories for the character without requiring hard continuity reboots. If you start solidifying that Batman grew up in X, met character Y, fought character Z, in a strict order that can't be changed, then you can't write stories that occur in between those moments. If you plan out Batman's entire chronology to fit a realistic calendar where Bane broke his back on Wednesday and the Court of Owls revealed themselves on Friday, then you (1) will find it won't make sense (because that's not how comics are made) and (2) are stripping all of the "magic" of comics away. Keep in mind: 70+ year old shared universes are an unprecedented achievement of storytelling. No other medium has accomplished something of this scale for this long. You should expect to think of something unique like that a little differently than you might be used to.
I think it's easier to get into comics when you drop the "need" to read EVERYTHING, IN ORDER. You should just read self-contained stories and treat them like separate stories. Think of it like a jigsaw picture puzzle that you're solving one piece at a time. You won't see the big picture (continuity) until you manually piece random pieces of it together over time. You even start to develop your own "methodology" (head-canon, community discussion, etc.) of putting those pieces together (reading comics) in a way that makes sense to you personally. Comics should feel more like self-discovery/exploration than procedure/work.
This is (roughly) how I got into Batman and what I suggest to new readers:
Did anyone else actually read the article? 'Telos', 'Night Force' or 'Blue and Gold' would not count.
>Before fans get too excited about finally pitching their untold stories about Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, they should know that DC Universe is NOT asking for narratives. It appears that they are not looking for fans to redefine a character’s origins, à la Batman: Year One, or for fans to provide alternate takes on a character, à la Superman: Red Son. Instead, they are looking for “non-narrative ideas inspired by the world of DC.” This could range from reality shows, game shows, travel shows, documentaries, or any other non-narrative category fans can think of.
Hush is often regarded as one of the best Batman trades out there, so you're off to a good start.
Here's a rough list of other books you might enjoy, all widly embraced by fans of Batman while staying with a darker tone similar to Hush.
I''d also suggest reading Identity Crisis. Batman isn't the only character of the story, and while he doesn't make many appearances when he does he certainly makes an impact. Lastly, Gotham Central is also a great read, but it focuses on the GCPD MCU rather than on Batman himself, and how they deal with supervillains and working in a city with a masked vigilante.
Hope this helps.
Batman Year One
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401207529/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_iRgNDbRCC8PMX
I also got into comics with Batman Rebirth, afterwards I found this list here on reddit and all of them are just great, few of them are even extraordinary and without any of them we wouldn't have the Batman we have right now.
If I had to pick some highlights, it were The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, No Man's Land, Black Mirror and Hush, especially Hush was fantastic.
Still love Batman Rebirth though.
EDIT: Formatting
Here's a big list of DC recommendations I've made before. You can pick them up in trades, or as single issues. Check Amazon, or Comixology, or InStockTrades.
> For New 52 Batman and Batman-related books, I recommend the following:
 
>For other New 52, I would recommend:
 
>And here are some good pre-N52 that you should definitely check out:
On the Marvel side, I personally recommend Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, Mard Waid's Daredevil, Nathan Edmondson's Black Widow, Cullen Bunn's Magneto, and Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man.
Based on what you've said, here's some stuff I'd recommend taking a look at:
I'm going to list what I think are important, or perhaps emblematic, Batman graphic novels with links to their
wikiamazon page, because the wiki pages were surprisingly unhelpful, so you can check them out. Hopefully you find something that interests you.The Dark Knight Returns: The book that revitalized the genre in the 80s. An important Batman read; however, I think there are better reads.
Year One: Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy borrows from Year One, and a lot of others I've listed, in some pretty cool ways. As the title suggests this comic tells the story of the beginning of Bruce Wayne's career as Batman.
The Killing Joke: The quintessential Joker story told by one of the most important men in comics, Alan Moore. The story is short, especially for a graphic novel, but fantastic.
The Long Halloween: One of my personal favorites. TLH highlights Batman's detective roots following him on a year long hunt for a serial killer. Much of the rouge gallery makes an appearance and the murder mystery elements are classic Batman at his best.
Hush: A good example of a newer Batman comic; it was first published serially during 2002 and 2003. Very good read, definitely take a look.
Arkham Asylum: A newer comic that I have yet to read but thought I would add it to the list because it usually comes up in conversations like this one. I'm hoping to read it soon.
From Batman: What Ever Happened To The Caped Crusader?
>"I'm the Batman, I protect the city. I rescue people. I investigate crimes. I guard the innocent. I correct the guilty. And I GET it. I mean I REALLY get it. The end of the story of Batman is he's DEAD. Because in the end the Batman dies. What ELSE am I going to do? Retire and play golf? It doesn't work that way. It CAN'T. I fight until I drop. And one day, I WILL drop. But until then, I FIGHT."
The image
From Batman Year One
>"Ladies. Gentleman. You have eaten well. You've eaten Gotham's wealth. It's spirit. But you're feast is nearly over. From this moment on -- none of you are safe.
> Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is strongly influenced by "The Dark Knight Returns" and another of Frank Miller's comics, "Batman: Year One" (1987). A lot of what those comics did seem pretty obvious (even campy, in their own way) nowadays, but at the time they were fairly revolutionary.
I'd offer that Year One has held up remarkably well. Except for being somewhat anti-climatic, it's damned good.
The Dark Knight Returns hasn't held up as well, IMO. There are massive pacing issues. Fortunately, the animated version is very faithful to the story and more accessible to a modern audience. So for people who want to see the story but aren't keen on reading the book, the animated version is a good alternative. (I'm still not a huge fan, but it works better, IMO.)
I'll also throw out a recommendation for The Long Halloween, 'cause it's awesome and also influenced Nolan (and the Arkham games, to some extent).
Oh shit, one of my favorite comic book artists on reddit!
In case you haven't read the comic this image comes from I'd recommend reading Daredevil: Born Again. After that, read Batman: Year One, same creative team, easily the most beautiful superhero book ever made.
Happy 21st!!!!!
Been wanting to getting around to reading this. Thanks for the contest :)
Batman - Year One, the Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Hush , the New 52 era.
Green Lantern - Secret Origin, Green Lanterns, the Green Lantern , Earth One
Stephanie Batgirl - Batgirl: Stephanie Brown, Batman Inc, Tynion's Detective Comics
Arkham Games Based - Year One, Arkham Asylum, Hush, Under the Red Hood
You would probably be better off picking up issues collected in graphic novel/trade paperback/omnibus form, especially since you said your SO isn't interested in collecting. Superboy, Batman, and Justice League are all popular, long-running series with hundreds of issues which is both prohibitively expensive and takes up a lot of space.
It also depends on which iterations your SO is most into. Superboy is a title that's been held by multiple characters (Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Jon Kent, etc), the same goes for Batman (Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, John Paul Valley, etc), and the Justice League cast is a rotating ensemble.
You can check the sidebar for recommendations but here are a few I'd recommend to get you started (my Superboy knowledge is very limited so take those with a grain of salt):
Superboy:
Batman:
Justice League:
These books, probably in this order, make for a really good intro to Batman comics and also fit with the general feel of the show, either setting up origins or focusing on the city as a character:
Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One - Classic. Big influence on both Gotham and Nolanverse.
Jeph Loeb’s [Long Halloween](Batman: The Long Halloween https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401232590/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_f4FqDbZZ35GEQ) and Dark Victory which are kind of a Year Two and Year Three (don’t read the books called Y2 and Y3 though)
Chuck Dixon’s Robin: Year One - What it sounds like—Robin’s first cases, not his origin. Robin faces off against Mad Hatter, Two Face, and more. The copy I linked also has Batgirl: Year One which is pretty fun.
Jeph Loeb’s Batman: Hush - A great intro to all of the villains as Batman faces off against each one, ultimately revealing a new villain rooted in his past.
Paul Dini’s Heart of Hush and Streets of Gotham (it has 3 volumes—good to know that midway through, Bruce “dies” and is replaced by Dick Grayson as Batman, but it’s still accessible without reading all of that) - HOH is a sequel to Hush and has a lot of Bat/Cat. Streets focuses on the life of the Gotham underbelly, with characters like “the Carpenter” who builds all the booby traps for the villains and the realtor who finds their hideouts. Also acts as a sequel to Heart of Hush.
Scott Snyder’s Gates of Gotham - also has Dick as Batman but delves into cool Gotham history
Scott Snyder’s Black Mirror - again, Dick is Batman. Takes place before Gates but Streets goes into Gates more fluidly. This book is creepy AF and gets into some of the Gordon family history.
Scott Snyder’s Court of Owls - Though this can be read without any of the others as it was designed as an entry point for new readers. It’s also probably the best book on the list. REALLY good.
Peter Tomasi’s Batman and Robin - The issues collected here are a great storyline that are about Bruce and his 12-year-old biological son Damian, whose mother is Talia al Ghul (daughter of Ra’s and sister of Nyssa).
If there’s a particular character or aspect of the show you like, there may be others as well but these are a good core starting set.
(You can also check your library for these—many have graphic novels on the shelves but some also have a subscription to something called Hoopla which lets you “check out” digital versions of comics/graphic novels.)
Ok, I think I should be able to help. For the most part, it is the same story within, it just depends on your preference of how you wish to keep and store your comics for longevity purposes.
This is the standard trade paperback, it contains the standard four chapters (which is the complete story) featuring I believe the modern recolouring, plus a few extras like word from author or else glimpses of art as it was in development. Trade paper backs are probably the most convenient way to read a comic, as they collect all the single issues needed into one self contained book. Some people though feel that trade paper backs do not keep well over time due e.g. the way the pages are bound together. I still I have my versions I bought in 2016, and it appears to have kept well.
There is the recent Deluxe edition, which again contains the same story, which is similarly recoloured, though it appears there are a few extra material pages from other artist commentaries, more behind the scenes arts and the like (mostly trivial unless your really keen on knowing the behind the scenes process). The big difference though comes from it being hardback, and being a higher quality product i.e. binding is better. It will probably keep better over time. There are many fans who prefer to buy Deluxe editions for their favourite stories to preserve them better for longer, but it does make collecting more expensive. It really is up to you on how much you are willing to pay for, how you store your comics (i.e. keep them standing up right on a bookshelf rather than stacked lying down on the floor), how long you intend to keep your comics around, how many other comics you are considering getting. Trade paper backs are the easiest ways to start for newbies, Deluxe are usually for more serious investments and collectors.
There is another version available that I'm not sure whether you had seen, but I will explain for clarity, too. That would be the Absolute Edition. The Absolute edition is the most expensive, and hence most fancy-pants way of collecting comics. It comes with anything you could imagine wanting to collect. For example, this version of Year One collects the modern recolour, scans of the original in original colour, full artist break down of each chapter, etc. I believe it would even be a larger size (to take in more detail), it is obviously hard cover, probably comes with it's own box, and is a serious luxury item.
Why would they make three different versions of the same story? Because they know some fans will buy it first in single issue, might collect it later in trade (either paper back for casual fans, or Deluxe for more long term keeping), and again there will be some fans whose love for the comic is so great that on a significant anniversary they can release a luxury item like this and some fans again will buy it all over, to pour over all the details and more again, and to show how much they love particular stories. Not every comic story will get an Absolute (just really notable ones, like Watchmen, The Killing Joke, etc.), but the ones that do will most likely have a largely dedicated fan base that will surely buy it all over again (and it's not as if they aren't gaining something from it too, if they do love it, and want more from it. You know, I'm not trying to be too cynical or anything, because I do understand wanting to get more from what you like, just like how movies might come with Director's cut, Director's commentary, etc, Absolute's are like that).
So, I hope I have been able to help, or at least clarify what it is you are looking at there. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like extra information on!
Introduction to Comics
How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) | Patrick Willems
Consider your intent/commitment. Think about your favorite shows, movies, books, etc. Reading primarily for enjoyment or encyclopedic knowledge? Collecting? Have the time/resources to read 50 or 500 comics per character?
Don’t try to read everything at once. There’s too much. Forget about catching up, continuity, universes, etc. for now. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so they aren’t necessarily ideal starting points. Writers change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told. Remember, there are many great characters, creators, publishers, etc. to explore.
Pick an interesting character/team and seek their most popular/acclaimed stories. Focus on self-contained, complete stories in one corner of the universe. There will be unexplained references/characters, just persevere or Wiki. Don’t let the tangled web of shared-universe comics overwhelm you. Think of it like solving a jigsaw puzzle one small piece at a time until you finally see the big picture.
Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Don’t get stuck preparing/over-analyzing, just start reading. Do you like/dislike old/new comics? Specific writers/genres? Cartoony/realistic art? Familiar/weird concepts? References/self-contained? All-ages/mature content? Follow these instincts. Didn’t understand a reference? Maybe read that next.
Acquire/Buy comics:
Marvel
DC
You can skip to the 2016 re-launch with DC Universe: Rebirth and then any Rebirth series #1.
Other
I recommend Batman: Year One, or anything else written by Frank Miller. Much better starting point than Watchmen, imho. Save Watchmen for later.
Batman: year one is a great place to start, written by Frank Miller which is considered one of the best comic book writers ever, and the one who wrote tDKR.
The animated film is also amazing.
First off, I think this is the most elaborate contest I've ever participated in, so congratulations for that :P Fear cuts deeper than swords. I hope some of my items are awesome enough for some extra credit ;) Also I wasn't sure if duplicates are allowed. I will revise if necessary.
1.) Something grey and it's been on my wishlist.
2.) Rain, well not technically rain, she is a water bender :P Previously on my wishlist.
3.) Unusual, I think this is something I would use like twice a year. With ice cream or cereal.
4.) Someone else My sister and I want to start playing tabletop games. Previously on my wishlist.
5.) "Book" I took a little bit of liberty with this one because it's a graphic novel. But it's Batman, so...(Previously on my wishlist).
6.) Under a dollar.
7.) Cats There's a catbus in it, which is pretty much the best part of the movie. Previously on my wishlist.
8.) Beautiful As a Star Wars fan having the original trilogy on Blu Ray would be beautiful to me. I love high definition movies, especially ones that are aesthetically pleasing. Previously on my wishlist.
9.) Movie As a Browncoat, I would encourage anyone who has a remote interest in Sci-Fi to give this a chance. Previously on my wishlist.
10.) Zombie tool I don't think this needs explanation.
11.) (Updated) Useful for future. I have a desire to create meaningful video games. Previously on wish list.
12.) Add on I actually had this on my wishlist but removed it because add-on items are lame.
13.) Most expensive As previously stated, I want to be a game developer/designer so not only would it be fun to play with, I could create with it too. Previously on list.
14.) Bigger than breadbox Total in the box it is bigger than a breadbox. Previously on wishlist.
15.) Bigger than a golf ball It's a large book. Previously on wishlist.
16.) Smells good As a guy...I enjoy the scent of lavender.
17.) Safe for children toy I don't think this needs any introduction of why it's awesome.
18.) Back to school drawing helps keep me sane. Previously on my list.
19.) Current obsession I'm a noob to tabletop games. But have been wanting to get into it obsessively within the past month or so. And this also takes my love of A Song of Ice and Fire into the mix. Previously on list.
20.) [Amazing] (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-XBR-65X900A-65-Inch-120Hz-Ultra/dp/B00BSREQI6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1376281533&sr=8-4&keywords=4k+tv) I've seen one of these in person at the mall and it literally made me stop walking the resolution was so incredible. I know it's as expensive as dicks...but man...when these are affordable...
Bonus 2) Made in Oregon I would have put Tillamook Ice Cream, since it's pretty awesome...but alas not on Amazon.
Edit: Changed an item because I saw it won't count because it's a duplicate.
Edit: Added some links to clarify, just 'cause I'm such a chill guy. Also, there are some other DC Year One books, definitely Green Arrow and Batgirl, probably some more.
OK. Just read their descriptions, see if you find them interesting. I loved or liked all of these, so I'll vouch for their quality, but you won't love everything you read.
For DC:
For Marvel:
Sadly, I can't speak for DC Rebirth. I haven't read any of it. I can say that I loved the New52.
Batman list, in order of what I would read first.
Staples for Batman
Flash list (I don't know as much about the Flash)
Batman/Flash related things
I do not want a boat like this. I want one like this!
I have wanted to start reading the Batman comics for a long time now and this is the perfect place to start. Plus, who doens't like Batman? Communists, thats who.
Is this the right graphic novel ?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Year-One-Deluxe-SC/dp/1401207529/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=batman+year+one&qid=1558821103&s=gateway&sprefix=batman+year+&sr=8-1
Thanks
There's good and bad. As you can see above, I'm really liking Snyder's new take on the first year of Batmannery, but IMO, the new Robin origin sucks the balls of a million and one feral donkeys. Or something a normal person might say.
So with that in mind, my pre new 52 recommendations...
Batman: Year One Wouldn't be too surprised if you'd read this already. A gritty, 4-issue take on Batman's formative Batmanning, this has long been regarded as the gold standard. Highly recommended.
Teen Titans by Geoff Johns, Vol1 This features wildly different characterisations than New 52, however, I think it's solid work, and just fun comics. Features Tim Drake Robin. If this interests you, also consider Young Justice by Peter David, based around Tim Drake, Superboy, Bart Allen(Kid Flash,basically) and Wonder Girl. It's lighthearted and pretty accessible if you like teen drama/comedy.
If you're looking at Batman's early years, there's The Man who Laughs for the first Joker encounter, or Batman and the Mad Monk.
Batgirl: Year Oneis super fun, and Robin: Year One is also pretty good, this is Dick Grayson Robin.
Also, if we're talking about essential Joker stories and Batgirl, I can't avoid talking about the seminal The Killing Joke.
The whole Damien thing really requires reading all of Grant Morrison's trippy, sci-fi Batman run, a guide to which can be found here. This might be what you call intermediate Batman.
And I think that's a good primer for the Batman universe. Anything in particular you're interested in, i.e Batman and other heroes, Batman as detective, Batman as superhero? There are tons of paper devoted to whatever you're into.
P.S While it seems I haven't shut up in ages, this is just important stories of the last 20 or so years. I've got nothing if you want anything on Batman from 1939-1987. If you need some more Adam West-ish Batman in you're life you'll have to ask someone smarter :(
Ninja Edit: Singing Batman
Advice from a woman in her mid-thirties who has worked in a comic book store:
Whiteout - not much romance, but great crime/mystery
http://www.amazon.com/Whiteout-Definitive-Oni-Press-v/dp/193266470X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313775790&sr=1-4
Strangers in Paradise - so awesome (6 volumes I think)
http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Paradise-Pocket-Book-Collection/dp/1892597268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313775719&sr=8-1
Fables - if she likes fantasy (many volumes, ongoing)
http://www.amazon.com/Fables-Vol-1-Legends-Exile/dp/1563899426/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313775940&sr=1-1
Excellent comic writers your mother might like:
Greg Rucka
Darwyn Cooke
Neil Gaiman
Bryan K Vaughan
Brian Michael Bendis
Vertigo and Oni, along with other independents and smaller publishers, are great places to look for stuff. Watchmen, Dark Knight, etc are all comic classics, but not good for those not already familiar with the genre.
There is lots of great fantasy out there like Bone, and many comic book stories in tv (Doctor Who, Buffy, etc) or novel universes (Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Lauren K Hamilton, etc).
I would stay away from anything superhero to start, if she isn't into that genre already. When/if she is interested, try easing her into it with something like:
Any Astro City graphic novel by Kurt Busiek
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Big-City-Astro-Vol/dp/156389551X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776496&sr=1-2
Superman For All Seasons (Superman)
http://www.amazon.com/Superman-All-Seasons-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1563895293/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313776360&sr=8-1
Batman: Year One
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Year-One-Frank-Miller/dp/1401207529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776472&sr=1-1
Top Ten - superhero police procedural
(there's also Powers by BM Bendis or Gotham Central)
http://www.amazon.com/Top-Ten-Book-Alan-Moore/dp/1563896680/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776536&sr=1-1
Daredevil: Yellow
http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Yellow-Unnumbered-Jeph-Loeb/dp/0785134441/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313776756&sr=1-2
Many of these you can order online, but consider supporting your local comic shop by buying through them.
This just looks amazing- the designs are beautiful!!! x3 and I want this so I can get into comic books properly! Thank you for the competition :) x p.s. Toy Story is awesome
To infinity and beyond!
Good choice.
I'd also recommend (in no particular order):
Aaand...that's it...those are all the Batman comics I've read. *sob*
My strongest connection was from Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, when Bruce Wayne saves Lieutenant Gordon's baby from falling off a bridge. Bruce doesn't have his mask on, but Gordon's lost his glasses, so can't identify the hero. Probably not what you were looking for, but damn fine comic book.
In that case, I'd say pick a character and start from the beginning of a "run" - meaning, a series of issues written by the same author. The best way to do this is via "trades" which are paperback books that collect a bunch of issues into one.
A few suggestions that I've personally enjoyed and are good to start with (with Amazon links to the first trade, but also, make sure you use your local library - either taking out physical copies or digitally via Hoopla):
Ultimate Spider-Man - Brian Michael Bendis
Fantastic Four - Waid / Wieringo
Gotham Central - Michael Brubaker
Daredevil - Mark Waid
Astonishing X-Men - Joss Whedon
Batman: Year One - Frank Miller
There are also tons of guides online, so if you have a specific character you want to start with, you can just google "best _____ comics to start with" and get some suggestions.
Don't be afraid to just jump in. Individual story lines for the most part can stand alone without any background.
EDIT: added the hyphen for the bot :)
Batman; Year One
Daredevil, vol 1
Daredevil; Born Again
Walt Simonson's Thor
Watchmen
All Star Superman
Marvels
Kingdom Come
V for Vendetta
X-Men; Dark Phoenix Saga
This because I love batman but to be honest anything from my wish list would make me super happy
Betrayal At House on the Hill. Kickass board game. Also, Batman Year One and Identity Crisis.
I would love THIS as the start to my Doctor Who comic collection. Barring that, I'd love to finally read Civil War.
There's a penguin on top of the telly.
Okay new friend, I was born with bright blue eyes, but now they've settled into a green/brown hazel.
I like batman...a lot.
There's a pretty good Batman trilogy: Haunted Knight, The Long Halloween, and Dark Victory. It has more of the Gotham crime families in two of them, which is interesting. Also, I liked Frank Miller's Batman: Year One a lot.
If you also like graphic novels that aren't really "comics", I recommend Asterios Polyp (a man examines his life and a failing relationship through architecture and design), Maus I and II (a story about a Jewish family in the holocaust depicted as mice) and Persepolis (a memoir of a woman who grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution).
And by all means, for sure, read the Sandman books.
if he's never read a single comic I would get him Batman: Year One or the Earth One Series. The Golden Age Omnibus is from a more lighthearted time as well.
If you're just looking for the Origins, and a damn good telling of them, try Batman Year One! Batman: Year One https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401207529/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9LuyybS3BCASH
A couple of recommendations...
If you like any of these, check out what else the writer and/or artist has done and expand from there. For instance, I liked Frank Miller's early Batman comics and was then introduced to his run on Daredevil, which I loved even more. Also, a lot of modern creators are also doing creator-owned comics at companies/imprints like Image and Vertigo and I would implore you to check those out as well. Happy reading.
Now, as for which character to start with, I'd advise you to start with Batman comics. His comics are very accessible, and he has tons of fantastic stories. Of course, with Batman stories, rarely do you need any pre-reading. Some stories have some required reading and/or are sequels to a previous story, though.
The de facto first trade to get is Batman: Year One by Frank Miller. The first major Batman story chronologically, but more importantly, it's a fantastic story overall.
Another great story is the KnightSaga. You mentioned you were interested in Bane. Well, this is as interesting as Bane gets. It's a trilogy of storylines, consisting of Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1, Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 2: Knightquest, and finally Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 3: KnightsEnd. The Knightfall Saga does not require any pre-reading, by the way.
Now, another way to go, is that you can just forget about everything pre-new52 (post-Crisis) and just jump into Batman Vol. 2, which is the New 52 relaunch of the Batman title. I wouldn't recommend completely dismissing every Batman story that isn't 52, though. Because even though his new 52 stories have been consistently superb, you'd be missing out on a lot of good shit. If you do feel overwhelmed, though, and just want to jump into the relaunch so you can catch up and then read it monthly, start with Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52). It's one of the best Batman stories of all time, by the way, so regardless of whether or not you wanna put off post-Crisis stories, read Court of Owls, which is the first 5 New 52 Batman trades currently out.
Other Batman/Batfamily recommendations:
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You also asked for Vixen recs. I'd really recommend getting Vixen: Return of the Lion, which is a 2008 mini-series, written by G Willow Wilson. She is a brilliant writer, I think this mini-series will peak your interest. It doesn't require pre-reading as well.
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Sorry for the late reply. Hope this helped :)
When they came out with Absolute Batman: Year One a couple years back, the coloring was back to Richmond Lewis’ original recoloring (the good coloring) for the trades. Hopefully, DC got the memo that the coloring for the 2012 deluxe edition, that went against Mazzucchelli’s wishes -and was ugly as hell — needed to be changed, and the Black Label edition is back to the pre-2012 editions. If you don’t want to wait, your best bet is to find the edition from 2005. It’s still available.
What Mazzucchelli had to say about the 2012 edition:
DC just sent me this book last week, and I really hope people don’t buy it. I didn’t even know they were making it, and I don’t understand why they thought it was necessary — several years ago, DC asked me if I’d help put together a deluxe edition ofBatman: Year One, and Dale Crain and I worked for months to try to make a definitive version. Now whoever’s in charge has thrown all that work in the garbage. First, they redesigned the cover, and recolored my artwork — probably to look more like their little DVD that came out last year; second, they printed the book on shiny paper, which was never a part of the original design, all the way back to the first hardcover in 1988; third — and worst — they printed the color from corrupted, out-of-focus digital files, completely obscuring all of Richmond’s hand-painted work. Anybody who’s already paid for this should send it back to DC and demand a refund.
To get the 2005 edition, if you want it, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Batman-Year-One-Frank-Miller/dp/1401207529
DC is kicking some serious ass with Rebirth now, which is an initiative to bring their characters back to their roots, or what made them great and famous.
There's this big, overarching thing called "continuity" in the comics world, that is, 'where does every series belong in the universe timeline?' DC Comics is known for doing "reboots," which is when you wipe out old continuity and start over again. They did this back in 2011, which wasn't too long ago if you think about it. You could always start there if you'd like. That doesn't mean that some older stories from before 2011 aren't worth a read, as well!
Marvel hasn't really rebooted hardcore before, making anything from the 1950's onward fair game. The only Marvel character I'd consider myself fairly knowledgeable in is Spider-Man, as well as a few Marvel crossover events through history (I mainly read DC).
There's other comic publishers besides DC and Marvel (or "The Big Two"). The Walking Dead comic series is something I always suggest for new readers. This is published by a different company.
I would recommend reading Batman: Year One or Batman: The Long Halloween if you wanted to get into Batman
I'm going to give you a set of recommendations... All of which can be had for $15 or less.
This is hands down, one of the best Batman stories I've ever read. It can be had for $11 on Amazon.
You won't need to know anything going into it. It's a little different from The Animated Series (as it's a bit dark), but the storytelling and pacing are just as good - if not better - than The Animated Series. You will think like Batman by the end of this book, putting clues together and trying to see the big picture. Probably the first book that comes to my mind when I think about Batman's detective abilities.
And if you like that, you can pick up vol. 2. (should be on the Amazon page aswell). This is actually the beginnings of the current Batman run taking place right now in the comics. So if you get into it, you're already halfway there to catching up on Batman (there's only 5 volumes out).
If you DON'T want to get into the whole serialized comics and you just want good, self-contained stories (they're called "One Shots" in the comic world) then these would be good stories:
The Killing Joke - probably considered the most famous Batman one-shot of all time. It took more than 4 years to deliver these beautiful, jaw dropping 64 pages. It tells the classic story of Batman and the Joker... Some say it's the best Batman and Joker story ever written. OP's note: this was the comic that got me into comics.
Batman: The Long Halloween - covers Batman's early days working with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent and meeting some of his most recognizable foes. This will feel very similar to your Animated Series days.
Batman: Year One - considered THE origin story of Batman for many, many, many years. This was Frank Miller at the peak of his abilities, writing Batman in a way that did not feel very cartoony at all. This book will feel the most different from The Animated Series. I put it in here because while it is much different from what you're looking for, it really shows you how even Batman made a few mistakes during his early days and it gives you a good idea of his first year on the job.
Generally, for the easiest entry, you can look at when a certain writer starts writing for a particular series, and jump in from there. If you search on Amazon (for physical trades) or Comixology (for digital issues), you can find collected volumes that put together related issues for a convenient reading experience. For example, you mentioned that you are interested in Batman. Here are some recommendations that are relatively easy on new readers:
New 52 on-going (Batman and Bat-related books):
Batman (Scott Snyder) - Start with Vol. 1 - The Court of Owls. Jump-in point of the current arc is Batman #35.
Batman and Robin (Peter J. Tomasi) - Start with Vol. 1 - Born to Kill. Jump-in point of the current arc is Robin Rises: Omega #1.
Detective Comics (Brian Buccellato) - Start with Detective Comics #30.
Grayson (Tim Seeley and Tom King) - Start with Grayson #1.
Catwoman (Genevieve Valentine) - Start with Catwoman #35.
Modern Pre-New52:
Batman: The Black Mirror (Probably the best modern Batman story IMO)
Batman: Gates of Gotham
Grant Morrison's run across multiple series is quite the doozy, but may be unfriendly to new readers. It's been collected in several different trades.
Classics:
Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: The Killing Joke
I'm awake because its time to get ready for work, 9am here!
Song I can't stop listening to at the minute is this by Steve Mason
And if I win I would love this to read
You should browse my wishlist. I have too many Batman things on there to link them all. [This] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MUAPOO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I217LY4KTSIWBE) is an especially funny one. If you haven't started the comics, I'd suggest [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Year-One-Frank-Miller/dp/1401207529/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394674615&sr=1-1&keywords=year+one) or [this.] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Vol-The-Court-Owls/dp/1401235425/ref=pd_sim_b_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=1SEG7D15HAGHW6JJYR1A)
MY PARENTS ARE DEEEEEEEAAAAAD!!!!
batman lego
book
year one
sticker
MY PARENTS ARE DEEEEEEEAAAAAD!!!!
anything new here? =)
Batman: Year One is this the one I should get or another specific edition?
All-Star Superman is this the right one?
Wonder Woman is this what I'm looking for? Is there a cheaper alternative?
Flash right one?
Omega Men is this all? Any volume 2 or beyond?
Thanks for your help.