Essential Reading: Batman

I jumped into DC Comics/Batman right after Battle for the Cowl, so I have a lot of back story that I need to cover in order to understand the full picture.

The problem is that every time I go to the comic book store or the bookstore I get confused as to what trade I need to buy first. So this is a list for my required reading in order to understand the pivotal moments in Batman history. (Maybe after this people won't be mad at the fact that my Batman and Robin are Dick and Damian rather than Bruce and Dick).

List items

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  1. Batman: Year One

  Out in 1987 - Origins = Essential

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  2.

  Out in 1988 - Reason why Barbara Gordon is in a wheelchair

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  3. The Long Halloween

  Out in 1999 - I don't really know why this is "Required Reading" but I was told it was good and I need to read it!

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  4. HC/TPB

  Out in 2009 - I know he died. Now I need to know how he dies!

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  5. Final Crisis

  Out in 2009 - I don't understand how or why, but apparently he died here too.

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  6. HC

  Out in 2009 - I read one issue and dropped it without realizing it was essential to what I was getting into.

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  7. HC

  Out in 2010 - I read some of it, but did not understand it, so I dropped it. After following the story this will probably make more sense.

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  8. Volume 1: The Court of Owls

  Court of Owls