I have never read a Batman comic in my life.  I want to start getting in to them.  I want to read about Bruce Waynes' story from beginning to end (if there even is an end).  So what comic should I start out with to start the entire story of Batman as it was released?  I don't want to skip over any important story details.  Any advice on where to begin?  With the comic name and Issue number.  Thanks.

If I just start on Dark Knight, will I be missing anything?  And if I "dive in" like you say, does it really matter what order I read the other comics in?

go to amazon.com and get batman: year one, the long halloween, dark victory, knightfall, the killing joke, death in the family, and hush volumes 1 and 2 and you'll be set

Depends on what you want:

Listen, you might want to have a look in the REAL Batman's first stories from the golden age from the comic books which were published in the Batman Chronicles volumes.

But these stories suck! and besides most of it its considered non-canon, so if you want to start reading Bats from the point it makes sense reading I suggest this list below ( by the way you shoud read it in the order I left in the list cause it's in the order things happened in the comics and not when they were released):

-Batman: Year One (1987-Frank Miller and David Mazzuelli- That's surely the best place where you should be beggining it shows Bats first year of activity)
-The Man who Laughs (2004-Ed Brubacker and a bad artist)- It's like a sequel to year one and ot sows Bats firs fight with the Joker , surely it's the perfect place to you continue)
-The Long Halloween (1996-Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale- Another Year One-like story, it's an exiting noir/mystery-like story that shows Gotham's mafia beginning to ruin and also shows Two-Face origin...oh, have told about a seria kiler too!)
-Dark Victory (1999-Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale- sequel to Long Halloween, shows the fall of the mafia and the maniacs taking over Gotham leaving it like it is today, it's also where Robin is introduced -he was already introduced before but this is the best olace if you want to first meet him)

-Batman #408(1987-Unknown- It's only an issue but it shows the oficial origin of Jason Todd, the second Robin)

-The Killing Joke(1987-Alan Moore and Brian Bolland- A CLASSIC! It turns Barbara Gordon in an usefull character- she was the former Bargirl, you shoudn't bother in knowing anything about her past life- and more importantly, shows the origin of the Joker and defines his relationship with Batman)
-A Death in The Family(1989-Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo- The story where the Joker KILLS Jason, incredibly important for what Batman is today)
-A Lonely Place of Dyng(1990-Marv Wolfman and George Pérez- It's not a very good story but it shows the origin of Tim Drake, the new Robin)
-Arkham Asylum(1991-Grant Morrisson and Dave Mckean- Another classic that shows the origin of the Asylu where the loonies are kept and it also shows the nature of the maniacs lunacy and indicate that Bats is also a one)
-Hush(2003- Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee- I left Hush to the end because it's a far more contemporany story and you must have a deeper knowledge on the Bats' Mythos to understand something in this story that even though it's an excellent story it's not as good as everyone says but it also is extremely important to the chronology)
P.S.
IMPORTANT: YOU SHOULD ALSO READ THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (1986- Frank Miller and Frank Miller- It's a non-canon story but still it's considered the best Batman story and one of the best graphic novels EVER and it shows a 55 year-old Batman in an epic and futuristic Gotham City. It revolutioned the comic books. I would indicate reading it after Batman # 408)

I hope this list helps! ;-)

P.S.
I don't think you actually need to read Knightfall and No Man's Land

Thanks for the last man.  So what would I read after Hush?  And what about the other Batman villains?  Riddler, Freeze, Ivy, Bane, Catwoman, Penguin, Ra's Al Ghul, Scarecrow???   It just seems like the list you gave me was about Batman VS Joker.  I mean, the Joker is an amazing villain, but I'd like to see th others.  And what about the villains who haven't been featured yet in a Batman movie?  Surely there are many others.  Also, I think Scarecrow and Two-Face tie as my 2 favorite Batman villains.  Dissapointed that Scarecrow got such a small role in Dark Knight movie.

Also, to get another perspective on Batman, its worth picking up some Robin and Nightwing comics.

"Depends on what you want:Listen, you might want to have a look in the REAL Batman's first stories from the golden age from the comic books which were published in the Batman Chronicles volumes.But these stories suck! and besides most of it its considered non-canon, so if you want to start reading Bats from the point it makes sense reading I suggest this list below ( by the way you shoud read it in the order I left in the list cause it's in the order things happened in the comics and not when they were released):-Batman: Year One (1987-Frank Miller and David Mazzuelli- That's surely the best place where you should be beggining it shows Bats first year of activity)
-The Man who Laughs (2004-Ed Brubacker and a bad artist)- It's like a sequel to year one and ot sows Bats firs fight with the Joker , surely it's the perfect place to you continue)
-The Long Halloween (1996-Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale- Another Year One-like story, it's an exiting noir/mystery-like story that shows Gotham's mafia beginning to ruin and also shows Two-Face origin...oh, have told about a seria kiler too!)
-Dark Victory (1999-Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale- sequel to Long Halloween, shows the fall of the mafia and the maniacs taking over Gotham leaving it like it is today, it's also where Robin is introduced -he was already introduced before but this is the best olace if you want to first meet him)-Batman #408(1987-Unknown- It's only an issue but it shows the oficial origin of Jason Todd, the second Robin)-The Killing Joke(1987-Alan Moore and Brian Bolland- A CLASSIC! It turns Barbara Gordon in an usefull character- she was the former Bargirl, you shoudn't bother in knowing anything about her past life- and more importantly, shows the origin of the Joker and defines his relationship with Batman)
-A Death in The Family(1989-Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo- The story where the Joker KILLS Jason, incredibly important for what Batman is today)
-A Lonely Place of Dyng(1990-Marv Wolfman and George Pérez- It's not a very good story but it shows the origin of Tim Drake, the new Robin)
-Arkham Asylum(1991-Grant Morrisson and Dave Mckean- Another classic that shows the origin of the Asylu where the loonies are kept and it also shows the nature of the maniacs lunacy and indicate that Bats is also a one)
-Hush(2003- Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee- I left Hush to the end because it's a far more contemporany story and you must have a deeper knowledge on the Bats' Mythos to understand something in this story that even though it's an excellent story it's not as good as everyone says but it also is extremely important to the chronology)
P.S.
IMPORTANT: YOU SHOULD ALSO READ THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (1986- Frank Miller and Frank Miller- It's a non-canon story but still it's considered the best Batman story and one of the best graphic novels EVER and it shows a 55 year-old Batman in an epic and futuristic Gotham City. It revolutioned the comic books. I would indicate reading it after Batman # 408)

I hope this list helps! ;-)

P.S.
I don't think you actually need to read Knightfall and No Man's Land"

Ok, perharps he should read only the first part where he is beaten, but the rest with Azrael and all it's just useless.
I, particulary never liked Knightfall and I think it's just anothe mega-Ultra-Jumbo saga that only tries to sell more comics.
I like to consider it like the Clone Saga of Batman.
Of course if mninp wishes to read he can do that at his will, however I think that the fact of Bats first time being beaten don't make any difference at all considering the detective side of Batman always was far mre important than the fighting part and that's why the writers always made him some kind of clobbering machine.
(Man, I'm writng a lot in this topic)