No comic book character has been blessed with as many must-read stories as the Batman. In forming a list of the 25 greatest Batman stories ever told, I read and reread well over 100 books, slowly narrowing the list down to the essentials. These are the books everyone should read; the can't miss home run tales of the Dark Knight.
There are great Batman stories that didn't make the list. I love Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin run, Scott Snyder's Detective Comics tales, and Jeph Loeb's early Batman/Superman stories. Their exclusion, and the exclusion of numerous other great reads, doesn't reflect on the quality of those books. Only 25 could make it. There are dozens of others I simply didn't have room for on this list.
Six years have passed since I created IGN's original 25 Greatest Batman Graphic Novels list. And in that time a number of other tales of the Caped Crusader have hit the shelves. Some of those deserved consideration for inclusion, though few actually made the cut. More importantly, our perception of "classics" change over time. I wanted to reread the books already on the list and see which stood the test of time. As you'll see, one or two fell and one glaring omission went from "off the list" and jumped into the top 10.
In the end, this remains a list of the 25 Batman stories every comics fan should read.
Our Criteria
When making our selections, it became necessary to set up some ground rules. After all, Batman's adventures go beyond his own books. Do we count the JLA? What about something like Robin: Year One? Books were weighed against four criteria.
- Format - Though we call this list "The 25 Greatest Batman Graphic Novels," it's in a loose sense. Prestige format books (such as The Killing Joke), graphic novels (Son of the Demon) and trade paperbacks (Tales of the Demon) are all eligible.
- A Batman Story - Batman needs to be involved in the story as a vital character. We love books such as Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood and Batman: Birth of the Demon, but these great tales are origins of other characters that scarcely utilize the Dark Knight. A JLA or any other story is eligible, provided Batman is in the lead role.
- A Good Read - Sometimes too much importance is placed on the significance of a story rather than the quality of the storytelling. A story needs to be compelling beyond just the plot twists.
- Indelible Mark - Great stories are unforgettable. It's not enough just to be a good read, each of these books must linger in our memories. Every book on this list has stayed with us even after the last page was read. These are books you tell people, "You just have to read this, if not your life will have less meaning."
 | Batman: Nine Lives Written by Dean Motter, Art by Michael Lark | |
Who killed Selina Kyle? That's what private detective Dick Grayson and the mysterious Batman hope to discover. These two might be partners in another universe, but in Nine Lives, Grayson doesn't care much for the Batman and the Batman, well, he doesn't care much for anyone.
Noir is a natural fit for Batman villains. Joker becomes a two-bit card shark, Harvey Dent a two-faced lawyer, the Penguin a mob boss, and Mr. Freeze a stone cold hitman. The fun noir twists on Batman's Rogues Gallery is great, but Grayson's the one who shines here. I'm a Grayson fan, but I have to say, he's never been as visceral, fun, and interesting as he is here.
 | Batman: The Man Who Laughs Written by Ed Brubaker, Art by Doug Mahnke | |
A mad man is targeting Gotham's elite and next on his hit list is millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. This is Batman's introduction to his most nefarious villain, the Joker. Where Alan Moore's The Killing Joke tells the origin of the Clown Prince of Crime, The Man Who Laughs details the first tussle between Joker and Batman.
Brubaker is one of the best crime writers in comics. He manages to bring some of that noir flair to The Man Who Laughs while maintaining the proper tone and pace for a good Batman yarn. To my knowledge this is the only story to ever suggest that, like Bruce Wayne, the Joker had to practice to perfect his art. And that's ultimately what makes the Joker so frightening. His psychosis is not chaotic, not as random as you might think. There's a methodology and a purposefulness to many of his actions.
 | Batman: Venom Written by Dennis O'Neil, Art by Trevor Von Eeden & Russell Braun | |
Venom opens with one of the biggest failures in Batman's career. A little girl is trapped. Drowning. And Batman isn't strong enough to save her. Distraught, the Dark Knight finds a new alternative to strength training -- a little pill that triples his strength. Of course, it's highly addictive and the always-in-control hero loses his grip, nearly assassinating Jim Gordon just to get his fix. It's a look at a side of Batman we rarely see.
Venom is one of those stories I always struggle to rank. The premise is stronger than the actual writing. Batman fights a shark. So, there's that. But there are moments, strong moments, where O'Neil tests the limits of Batman's commitment to his crusade. And it's enough to make Venom one of the more memorable Batman stories ever told.
 | Batman: Thrillkiller Written by Howard Chaykin, Art by Dan Brereton | |
During a time of political and social turmoil, the citizens of Gotham put their hopes on the city's Dynamic Duo to maintain order. I'm talking about Batgirl and Robin, of course. Set in the early '60s, this Elseworlds story imagines the Joker as a hot babe, Bruce Wayne as a reluctant hero, and Barbara Gordon as a tormented crusader of vengeance. As if that weren't enough, there's a really awkward sex scene between Bruce Wayne and Black Canary.
Thrillkiller takes familiar characters and nudges them slightly to the left, creating surprises at nearly every turn of the page. No Gotham City denizen is quite their true selves here, but none are so far removed as to be unbelievable. What that really means is that you have a story that offers a fresh take on the Batman mythos. It still feels new even after nearly 15 years.
 | Justice League of America: Tower of Babel Written by Mark Waid, Art by Howard Porter | |
Two stories solidified the notion that Batman can kick anyone's ass. The first was Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, where Batman outwits and outduels Superman, the other is Mark Waid's excellent JLA story, Tower of Babel.
Batman, we discover, has a plan for everything. That includes what to do if any of his allies in the Justice League go rogue. He's prepared to take down any of his friends when necessary. And when an enemy unlocks those secret plans and uses them against the JLA, we get to see Batman's obsessive planning come to fruition.
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