J-Roderton
Member
Old as in battered, grouchy, aged Bruce Wayne. I’m reading the current run of Batman and really digging it, but I’d like to go read a few older trades preferably with older Bruce. Never had to chance to check them out.
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What are some of the better old Batman comic stories?
- Thread starter J-Roderton
- Start date
Don't know about older Bruce Wayne, but you can't go wrong with the Engleheart-Rogers Batmans. They're compiled into a trade paperback. Also, Mike W. Barr and Alan Davis did a great run on Batman/Detective that's been reprinted.
I guess by older Bruce Wayne you mean Frank Miller's Dark Knight series?
I guess by older Bruce Wayne you mean Frank Miller's Dark Knight series?
AV
We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Well, The Dark Knight Returns is widely considered the pinnacle of Batman comics. That's Bruce coming out of retirement in a bizarre near-future to deal with a new gang of nihilistic young people, and subsequently a few old faces. Part 2 sucks, haven't read 3 but also haven't heard a thing about it. If you're reading any Batman though I'm probably wasting my breath even mentioning this.
J-Roderton
Member
That's the second mention of Dark Knight Returns so I'll check that out for sure.
wipeout364
Member
I thought the Court of Owls was a pretty good story. I personally always thought the Dark Knight Returns saga was very overrated. It’s entertaining and worth reading but not as good to me as the the Legends would indicate.
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AV
We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Oh man, you're in for a treat, as I said many consider it the best Batman thing ever written. There's also a 2.5 hour animated adaptation which is pretty damn good, but yeah, read the book.
I also strongly suggest Hush, it's not old Batman, but Batman as his peak.
Also this, the New 52 run was excellent. Court of Owls (vol 1+2) and then the Joker arc (vol 3) were so good.
plushyp
Member
Batman Beyond comic book series. Doesn't star Bruce in the main role but he's great as an old, badass man mentoring the new Batman aka Terry McGinnis. (ongoing)
Kingdom Come is an ensemble comic with Bruce in one of the lead roles with great art and a very interesting story. (4 issues)
Batman: Futures End features a a battered Bruce struggling to survive. (Single issue)
Flashpoint has Bruce's old dad as Batman. He's the co-lead with the Flash in a world where everything has gone to hell. (5 issues)
If you like FP Batman then check out Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance. (3 issues)
Superman & Batman: Generations is basically what if the characters aged in real time (4 issues)
Kingdom Come is an ensemble comic with Bruce in one of the lead roles with great art and a very interesting story. (4 issues)
Batman: Futures End features a a battered Bruce struggling to survive. (Single issue)
Flashpoint has Bruce's old dad as Batman. He's the co-lead with the Flash in a world where everything has gone to hell. (5 issues)
If you like FP Batman then check out Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance. (3 issues)
Superman & Batman: Generations is basically what if the characters aged in real time (4 issues)
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J-Roderton
Member
Generations sounds awesome. Forgot to mention I just bought and read Kingdom Come a couple months ago. So, if anyone else hasn't read it, It is excellent.
TheShadowLord
Member
top of my head:
Batman year one
No Man's Land
The Long Halloween
black glove
GCPD(spin-off as it has no Batman but focus on the Gotham police)
Arkham Asylum
gotham by gas light
Batman year one
No Man's Land
The Long Halloween
black glove
GCPD(spin-off as it has no Batman but focus on the Gotham police)
Arkham Asylum
gotham by gas light
ResurrectedContrarian
Suffers with mild autism
Heretic over here: I really don't like The Dark Knight Returns, or Miller's involvement in Batman in general. It doesn't get the character right. I read Batman comics as a kid for a number of years, and grew up to be told that DKR is an adult-worthy story--but upon finally digging in, I came away profoundly disappointed in what passes as "adult" for the franchise. Basically, a capitulation to things that don't belong to this franchise.
The other suggestions here are fine though. : )
The other suggestions here are fine though. : )
J-Roderton
Member
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. Just look at this insane yet beautiful artwork.
What in God's name...
AV
We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Read Arkham Asylum. It's super short because it's mainly just god-tier artwork with a real edge to it.
J-Roderton
Member
Borrowed a copy of this today from the library. I’m probably half way through it. Love what they’re doing with different holidays and seasons so far. Thanks for the tip.
This is a drawback task.
zombie_gamer87
Member
The Long Halloween
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: Hush
Arkham Asylum
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: Hush
Arkham Asylum
tkscz
Member
It's not Batman but it's close enough, the recent Redhood and the Outlaws (rebirth) has been soooooo good. It somehow managed to take Jason Todd and make him not only relatable, but likable. He even grew to finally get over his own death by choosing to let go of it, rather than hold on to it. It got a new writer with the last issue and it doesn't seem as good so far. Not bad by any means, definitely better than what we got with Nu52, but it's got a little too much edge on it and the new costume just kind of looks like some sort of Casey Jones rip-off.
AlteredForms
Banned
The Long Halloween, Batman: Year One and The Killing Joke are all superior in my opinion.
J-Roderton
Member
The Killing Joke a good read? Compared to the movie that is? I've seen it.
tkscz
Member
A really good one. Firstly, the first half of the movie is not in the book. Hell, the only part Barbara gets is when she gets shot. That entire Batman/Batgirl plot that no one liked was only in the movie. The entire second half of the movie is the book and that book, oh boy that book is good.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
Those are excellent.
The Heart of Hush is good too.
The Man Who Laughs
Knightfall (infamous Bane fight with Bruce)
The Killing Joke is a better graphic novel than it is an animated show.
So we are ignoring all of Snyder's run right?
Edit: A few on my bucket list are Batman and Son, Earth One, and and The Black Mirror
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ResurrectedContrarian
Suffers with mild autism
Get the Knightfall volumes for more variety than any single book would otherwise give you. Each chapter moves through the different Batman comics (Shadow of the Bat, Detective Stories, etc) and that gives you a wonderful variety of presentations. Then you can move all the way through Knightquest and see Bruce return, etc. For me, that's far more meaningfully "canon" to who Batman is than any of the bizarre Frank Miller takes
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Northeastmonk
Gold Member
The self titled "Joker" graphic novel by Brian Azzarello is a very dark and twisted story about the Joker. It isn't a Batman/Bruce Wayne story, but its very dark. I'd say its the darkest Joker story I've ever read. If you are looking for that type of thing.
J-Roderton
Member
Yo. Anyone pick up Batman Damned yet? Snagging my copy tomorrow. Looks to have a lot of Justice League Dark type stuff going on.
TheShadowLord
Member
I think it was the inspiration for Heath Ledgers Joker, too.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I had no idea. Interesting.
Wasn't there talk going on about Heath Ledger locking himself away and reading all the Joker comics? As if his death was partially caused by trying to become the character. I know it was a drug overdose, but I remember hearing much more.
I saw somewhere where they show Batman's naked junk and there's a controversy about it. Not even kidding.
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Rekki-Maru
Banned
year one, the dark knight returns, batman vs. predator, knightfall was good too. (vengence of bane#1 is a prequel)
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J-Roderton
Member
This is true. It's going to be censored in later runs.