Draft for Comic Vine Top 100 Batman Universe List (with nomination reasons)
Just a draft...
List items
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The world has turned it's back on all Superhero's. Darkseid has implemented his most insidious plan ever by turning the people the superheroes protect against the superheroes themselves. The arc is great but one thing that stuck me about this was Batman and Robin. Robin gets beaten to a pulp and hospitalized and later gets himself a shotgun. There is something about Robin walking around with a shotgun that just seems wrong. This is the story arc that leads to my favorite Justice League with Batman in command to Guy Gardner's dismay.
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Batman Confidential #7-12: What kind of person becomes a joker? This 6-issue arc retells the Jokers origin story with a new twist: he is now a violent, depressed nomadic assasin from out of town looking to put a little light back in his life. An arc to remember!
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#13-15: Batman comes to town to help Dick deal with the threat posed by Blockbuster, the two realize gradually that is no longer hero and sidekick, but equal partners as the two try to take down the criminal empire.
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Nightwing #140-146: Freefall is arguably the definitive Dick Grayson story. It really defines Dick's plays within the world and highlights what separates the light hearted, and optimistic Grayson from his brooding mentor. It's a delight to read, and the interaction between Dick and the expanded universe is more enthralling that the stellar fights.
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Nightwing #25: Not involving Batman directly, Dick and Tim take part in a training exercise that Bruce used on Dick in years past. As they ride the roof of a train while blindfolded, they share their thoughts on life and what they think of Batman.
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Nightwing #101-106: Nightwing, the first Robin, has always been somewhat at odds with his mentor after leaving him to become his own man. Year One goes back to his origins and allows the reader to understand what the essence of Nightwing is and his relationships with other members of his "family".
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Gotham city has gone through a wave of disease, a hundred days without a Batman, police starting gang wars, a new Batgirl, and complete isolation from the United States. And what does he do? She keeps on going. Detailing the lives of people trying to rebuild a somehow worse than ever Gotham, No Man's Land is a massive story with, dozens of wackos, rogue police squads, and even Lex Luthor. No Man's Land is the story that really got me into Batman. And how couldn't it? It has great characters, great plot, and a very emotional ending, one that even the Joker didn't find fun.
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Commissioner Gordon has been shot! Catwoman is the only witness. This is an interesting story, that actually doesn't feature Batman very much at all. While he mopes at his friend's hospital bed it's up to Robin, Nightwing, Oracle, Batgirl and Azreal to solve the case. There are some good moments between Bruce and Alfred here, and the G.C.P.D. get a real chance to shine with some issues based solely around them, showing they don't always need The Batman to get their job done.
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#1-8: The 1991 Ragman eight issue mini-series turned an interesting odd-ball superhero into a masterpiece. This mini-series is one of my favorite all-time stories. This is where Ragman is turned from a costumed vigilante into a super-powered hero wearing a suit of evil souls. Many consider Ragman to be a part of the Batman Universe although I would disagree. I believe Ragman is his own man starting in his own book. That said Batman appears in half of the issues in this story and is critical in helping Rory get control of his suit of evil souls. This is where Rags-n-Tatters is moved to Gotham. Now Ragman is a fixture in Batman's world and has on occasion been it's main protector when the the Dark Knight is away. Lastly, one of the great things about Batman and Superman is they are the approvers. In other-words, when ever there is a new "hero" inevitably they will need to get either Batman's or Superman's approval even if it is begrudgingly. Ragman got the Batman stamp of approval and support. This is a solid pick and one of the best comic series ever.
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#1-6: I saw that “Under The Hood” was already taken so I wanted to include another fantastic story featuring Jason Todd which fills in what exactly happened to him in the time between coming back to life and assuming the mantle of Red Hood. No one writes Jason Todd quite like Judd Winick. Jason Todd’s second life is one of the greatest modern additions to the Batman storylines. This particular story really establishes the tenuous mental state of Jason Todd with some nice retcon in the end setting the stage for Batman Hush.
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#1-5: The start of brilliant series. This first story arc was great, and showed that now Batman was gone, (set after RIP), Time Drake was now the 'World's Greatest Detective'. He is the only one who believes that Bruce isn't dead, and makes it his mission to set out to prove it. For fans of Tim, this whole series is a real treat, and the stories that follow couldn't be more recommended.
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This is an awesome, touching, crazy, kick-ass, emotional story about fathers and their children. Alfred, Bruce and Dick and Tim and Damian, of course, but also about Ra's Al Ghul, Talia, and a surprise addition at the end of the story. The heart of the story deals with the Robins who duke it out and learn to work together. Those boys have so much emotional baggage that it makes for a powerful story. Throw in the league of assassins, hired hitmen, and Ra's Al Ghul's quest for a younger vessel for his consciousness and you've got yourself one crazy ride. On top of all that, there is rumored implications for the effects of this story to be seen in upcoming Batman Inc. storyline!
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Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #185-189: My favorite Riddler story and honestly coming from me that means a lot,this story gives you everything a Riddler tale should give.A badass,non goofy,criminal mastermind who is not afraid to get dirty and the best part Riddler actually won and made a fool out of Batman.If only there were more quality Riddler stories like this.
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Robin #85: It is from the Batman Dies crossover which mostly went otherwise unnoticed by Batman fans. It was mostly a pretty weak stunt, but in issue #85 of Robin the Joker looks back on his life and figures that there must be multiple Robins and if there are multiple Robins that there must be multiple Batmans. Its an interesting look inside the mind of the killer as he wonders about just how many times he has killed Batman
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I really love this story, the story of the first year of the first robin surely has to be included. Some can be put off by the cartoony looks of it, but beyond that, this is a great tale showing robin learning his place, Bruce learning some responsibility and Alfred learning to balance his relationship with Bruce and dick. throw in just enough villains getting just enough space within the plot (freeze, hatter, two-face) and it's up there in my top 5.
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There are a lot of great origin stories for Batman's rogues. This is not the first series of its kind to provide a window into how they became the crazies they are today nor will it be the last. However, it is one of my favorite collections. Written by Neil Gaiman and Alan Grant, among others, this story examines Penguin's, Two-face's and Riddler's origins stories. I really like this because it is fun while still being realistic. When is a Door?
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#1-4: Intricate and intimate details are shared of how the bog two really feel toward each other and how they relate. This is a must and a HELL of a fun read for any comic book and/or Batman fan.
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Detective Comics #871-881: It's my belief that Snyder is going to go down as one of the greatest Batman writers ever and this is the story arc that will define him. Snyder's story really reflected Batman's typical noir roots, and conjured up one of the most devilish and memorable sociopaths ever introduced to the Batman mythos. The tale of the Gordon's, and how the deal with the return of James Jr. is paramount to the story, and will leave the reader fully empathizing with the emotional impact it has. James Jr. is a nutter, but damn is he a good one. Again, Jock's art is superb, and really emphasizes the noir tone.
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Redefined the entire Superhero and Comics genre Along with watchmen
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That's right, the Dark Knight Returns. Much lambasted as an inferior sequel, let's forget Frank Miller and the Dark Knight Returns for a moment and think how we might have responded if, out of the blue, this irreverent tale of an arse kicking bats and the mad, crazed, post punk world he lives in fell into our laps out of the blue? What would our response be then? Having our minds freaking blown. That's what.
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One of the best pieces of work that was written on Batman, it has since become a classic in the Batman reading, along with Frank Miller's the Dark Knight Returns and Strike again. It is the perfect book to show the relationship between the Batman and the Joker and expands upon the latter character's possible history. It also changed the life of Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, who became paralyzed in the events of the book, which led her to don the guise of Oracle and become, arguably, the primer Computer hacker on DC's earth.
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The Man of Steel #3: The first post-Crisis meeting between the world's finest, Superman and Batman, didn't get of to the best of starts. In this story, we see that though both heroes employ very different methods, their objectives are no less the same - a view which matches their highly contrasting personalities, backgrounds, and abilities.
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#1-3: One of the finest Elseworlds productions ever written! This features Barbara Gordon in the spotlight as a wealthy heiress and the stubborn, rebellious daughter of Jim Gordon. Set in the turbulent 60s after the election of JFK, Barbara Gordon becomes a vengeance seeking vigilante after the death of her mother (sound familiar?). She is joined by her boyfriend, a circus acrobat, who fights by her side (you may recognize him too)! To reveal anymore of the plot would be too spoil the surprise of an Elseworlds production but there are many twists and turns as Batgirl and Robin are thrust into the spotlight with beautiful lush artwork by Dan Brereton!
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The emotionally powerful return of Jason Todd (alright, just disregard the whole punching dimensions part). Todd is back and his fate at the hands of a cruel Joker with a crowbar has left him an emotional wreck. He's looking to clean up Gotham in his own style, but in the meantime, it never hurts to get a little revenge, right? A must read for anyone even remotely interested in the second Robin, Jason Todd.
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I am glad that I was allowed to use all three acts of this story, because it really is one of the biggest and best Batman epics out there. Gotham is having the worst gang war, with the city literally set on fire. But with [virtually] all the mob bosses in Gotham dead or missing, the big players are about to change, along with the rules to the game. But everything that is happening in Gotham seems all too familiar to Batman, and with such limited help from both his dwindling allies and the police department, Gotham may just loose a few heroes.
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Finally, this story shows what it would be like at the end of The Dark Knight's career. This is pretty much the last batman story if there ever would be one. What would happen if the Batman's story ended? Who would go to his funeral? Who would mourn him? What would people say about him? It answers a lot of interesting questions you've never realized you wanted to know.
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