The Dark Knight has a decades-long legacy of comic book stories, movie and animated series lore, and even an award-winning video game series. With so many Batman stories, it’s hard to pinpoint the fan favorites, but we can figure out which are the most widely read. I decided to take a numerical approach by revisiting the Batman books ranked by the highest number of ratings on Goodreads. This should give us a pretty good idea of which Batman stories most fans have read and used to shape their view of the world’s greatest detective.
Batman: Year One
Batman: Year One; Image credit: DC Comics
There are so many reasons Batman: Year One is the most-rated Batman comic on Goodreads. It was created by the iconic duo Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, collecting issues 404 through 407. This story was a gripping, groundbreaking reimagining of Bruce Wayne’s first years as Batman. Not only are the story and artwork a masterclass, but they also provide a good introduction point for new Batman comic book fans. There’s no doubting the impact this story had on both Batman and the wider world of superheroes. The storyline had a tremendous impact on later Batman films and TV shows, and its bleak, noir style created a generation of fans seeking grittier heroes throughout the late ‘80s to the ‘90s.
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Killing Joke, Joker and Barbara Gordon; Image credit: DC Comics
Fans of the Clown Prince of Crime know that this is the Batman story that shows us the Joker at his most twisted. Created by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, The Killing Joke pulls no punches in an often-horrifying tale about what can break a person and push them to become a villain like the Joker. In this dark comic, the Joker kidnaps Barbara Gordon (she’s not only Batgirl, but Commissioner Gordon’s daughter) and tortures her to the point of paralysis in a twisted act designed to break Batman and Gordon, who refuse to give in to their baser instincts on their mission to save her. Fans consider this story the defining explanation of what drives the Joker, who believes that one bad day is all it takes to turn an ordinary person into a monster.
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween #1; Image credit: DC Comics
Stories of Batman’s early days of crime-fighting seem extremely popular, and The Long Halloween is no exception. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale bring us a true detective story as Batman and Jim Gordon track down a mysterious killer who only attacks on holidays. Atmospheric and suspenseful, this story brings Batman up against some of the most famous members of the Rogues Gallery in a truly iconic tale that surely felt like an instant classic to fans when it was released in 1997. This is a can’t-miss story for Two-Face fans as it delivers a fresh take on his origin story.
Batman, Volume One: The Court of Owls
Batman, Volume One: The Court of Owls; Image credit: DC Comics
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo begin a long and celebrated run of writing Batman for the New 52 reboot in this volume. The Court of Owls offers fans a thrilling beginning to a new wave of Batman stories with a deep dive into Gotham lore. When Batman investigates a series of strange murders, he discovers that the murderers and their motives are buried deep in a mind-bending maze of a secret society formed by the Gotham elite. The Court of Owls has a long history of shadowy impact on Gotham City, and Batman will have to navigate to the heart of a literal labyrinth to stop them. Full of fascinating new characters and engaging artwork that sometimes requires the reader to turn the book upside down and sideways, this book’s popularity stems from its originality and its convenient starting point for reading a new era of Batman in the New 52.
Batman: Hush
Batman: Hush; Image credit: DC Comics
Another Jeph Loeb tale, Hush is a unique story featuring lush, detailed artwork from Jim Lee and Scott Williams. The story introduces a new villain who turns friend and foe alike against Batman and torments the Bat with the ghosts of his past. Hush is another story that emphasizes Batman’s detective side, loaded with red herrings in the style of a true mystery. These whodunit Batman stories may be widely read because casual readers can enjoy them as a one-off without delving into a long series or decades of Batman lore.
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Dark Victory, Joker and Two-Face; Image credit: DC Comics
Yet another Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale story makes the list! It’s not a shock since Dark Victory is the sequel to The Long Halloween. In this tale, Gotham City has transformed from a corrupt city run by organized crime into a land of chaos controlled by true wild cards like Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and the Joker. As Batman struggles to restore order, he’ll face off against the same serial killer we met in The Long Halloween, though it’s clear a different figure has taken up Holiday’s mantle.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns; Image credit: DC Comics
Frank Miller’s classic story has inspired countless Batman canon examples, from video games to television series. This dystopian story sees a future Gotham gone to seed ten years after Batman retired. Bruce Wayne can’t sit by and watch crime run rampant and society crumble any longer. He may be exhausted and jaded, but he dons the cowl again and returns with a vengeance. This time, he’s aided by a female Robin named Carrie Kelley as they fight off villains who have been locked within the horrors of Arkham Asylum for years and return with their own ideas of vengeance. Even passive Batman fans know this book is a classic, so many are curious to find out what dark, shocking stories Frank Miller serves up this time around.
Batman: Arkham Asylum – A Serious House on Serious Earth
Batman: Arkham Asylum – A Serious House on Serious Earth; Image credit: DC Comics
Grant Morrison and Dave McKean are a truly powerful creator team in this unique book. McKean’s painted art style brings Arkham Asylum to life on April Fool’s Day. The inmates have taken over the asylum and they have hostages with a demand for Batman in exchange. Batman runs through a wild gauntlet, fighting to keep hold of his own sanity to save innocents and reclaim an asylum that’s pivotal to the city of Gotham. This book is divisive, filled with footnotes and tarot-based layouts. It doesn’t work for all comic book fans, but some find it rich and brilliant. Either way, it’s very widely read.
Batman: A Death in the Family
Batman: A Death in the Family, Batman and Robin; Image credit: DC Comics
Fans always seem to reach the darkest Batman stories, and A Death in the Family is no exception. When this story arose in the Batman continuity, fans voted on how it should end, and they decided Robin should die. That spelled the end for Jason Todd and his rash, rebellious approach to Robin, which led to a fatal mistake. The death prompts Batman to question his decision never to kill any of his villains, and with Superman backing him, he sets out to end the Joker.
See more:
- A Complete Guide to the DC Animated Universe
- How to Get Started Reading DC Comics
- All Current Marvel Comics Series A–Z
Source: Goodreads
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