Batman is one of the most popular comic characters ever created. He’s starred in multiple movies, TV shows, video games, and novels, but his main home will always be comics. For over eighty years, Batman’s stories have entertained millions, introducing fan-favorite heroes and villains and telling epic stories that have propelled the Dark Knight to the forefront of the comic industry.
Some of the greatest comic talents have worked on Batman, creating a mythology that has grown in numerous ways over the years. Some Batman stories have gone farther than others, redefining the character and creating the Batman fans love today.
10 Detective Comics #38 Introduced Dick Grayson
There are few characters more important to the Batman mythos than Dick Grayson. The first Robin, he’s an indelible part of Batman’s life and was the missing piece of the puzzle. Batman was popular from the beginning, but Dick Grayson’s Robin took the whole thing to the next level. Introduced in Detective Comics #38, by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he’s still one of the most popular Batman characters ever.
Robin became the character that every little kid wanted to be, hanging out with Batman. As Batman’s origin morphed over the years, Robin’s importance to it did as well, bringing light and life into Batman’s crusade.
9 Batman #1 (1940) Introduced The Joker And Catwoman
Batman’s villains are just as important as he is, and none more so than the Joker and Catwoman. Both of these characters were introduced in Batman #1 (1940), by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane. It’s pretty much impossible to imagine Batman without either of these characters, their existence completely changing the future of Batman.
Catwoman would go from villain to love interest and one of Batman’s most important allies. As for the Joker, he made the perfect arch-nemesis for the Caped Crusader and would go on to become one of the greatest villains in comic history.
8 Batman #232 (1940) Began The Rivalry Between Batman And Ra’s al Ghul
Batman villains were pretty much just various colorful criminals until Batman #232 (1940), by writer Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams. This issue introduced Ra’s al Ghul, a character who would go down as one of Batman’s greatest foes and a challenge unlike any other. Like Bruce Wayne, al Ghul was a man of means and the power of the Lazarus Pits gave him the experience of several lifetimes.
Ra’s al Ghul represented a different kind of Batman villain. He took the Dark Knight out of Gotham, away from his comfort zone, and tested him like few others. He’s now an icon and his storied rivalry with Batman is a fan favorite.
7 Batman: A Death In The Family Was A Major Turning Point In Batman’s Life
If fans loved Dick Grayson, they were mostly ambivalent towards Jason Todd, with a vocal minority downright hating him. This led to DC doing something revolutionary and giving fans the chance to vote on whether the second Robin would live or die. Fans choose death, and Batman: A Death In The Family, by writer Jim Starlin and artist Jim Aparo, did the reader’s bidding.
A now-classic Batman tale, the death of Jason Todd had major ramifications on the Batman mythos. Todd’s death was a turning point in Batman’s life and changed the way he approached his war on crime forever. Todd’s return as the Red Hood would play into a lot of this and this title’s impact can’t be denied.
6 Batman And Son Introduced Damian Wayne And Began Morrison’s Classic Run
Batman And Son, by writer Grant Morrison and artist Andy Kubert, is important in two ways. To begin with, it kicked off Grant Morrison’s legendary Batman run, which would go a long way in canonizing every event in Batman history. It changed the way readers looked at Bruce Wayne and the Batman mantle forever.
It also introduced Damian Wayne, the son of Batman. Damian’s violent tendencies and bad attitude were apparent from the start and his introduction brought a new factor into Bruce Wayne’s life. The role he’d play in Batman’s life to come can’t be understated and he changed the way everyone looked at Robin and the relationship between Batman and his sidekick.
5 Batman: Knightfall Made Batman Vulnerable For The First Time
Batman was always the human superhero, so he took some beatings. He would get captured and be forced to break out but there was always a sense of invulnerability to him. Batman: Knightfall changed all of that. Running through all the Batman titles of 1993-94, the brutal battles Batman fought against the escaped Arkham inmates beat him down until he finally faced the author of the whole thing- Bane.
Bane broke Batman’s back and it changed the way fans looked at Batman forever. Not only could Batman be hurt but Batman could lose. It was a sobering moment for the character and fans alike, one that make an indelible mark on the Batman mythos.
4 Batman And Robin: Batman Reborn Gave Readers A New Dynamic Duo
Batman And Robin: Batman Reborn, by writer Grant Morrison and artists Frank Quitely and Phillip Tan, literally redefined Batman, as it was the beginning of the Dick Grayson as Batman years. While Dick wasn’t even the first replacement Batman, nor was this comic even Dick’s first stint as Batman, he’s the most important and this book showed what made him different than Bruce.
Highlighting his relationship with Damian Wayne as Dick trained the boy to be Robin, this story had a very different feel than any other Batman book in years. It introduced new villains and kicked off one of the most unique eras of Batman.
3 Batman: I Am Suicide Changed The Way Readers Looked At Batman
Tom King’s Batman run did a lot for Batman as a character and Batman: I Am Suicide, with art by Mikel Janin, went deep into Batman’s head to reveal some hard truths about the Dark Knight. In the book, fans learn what Batman represented to a young Bruce Wayne and why he became the hero. It wasn’t to stop crime; Bruce knew that was impossible. It was a long-form of suicide.
Bruce Wayne became Batman because he wanted to die, a massive revelation that played into King’s tendency to play up the psychological aspects of superheroes and the trauma they suffer. Beyond all of that, it’s an action-packed epic with beautiful art.
2 Batman: Year One Recast Batman’s Origin
Post-Crisis DC was all about redefining its icons for the new era. Batman: Year One, by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli, focused on the beginning of Bruce Wayne’s days as Batman, painting a new picture of him, Gotham, Jim Gordon, Catwoman, and so much more. It’s become the de facto Batman origin, surviving every reboot since, and is a must-read for Batman fans.
Year One took what everyone already knew about Batman’s origin and expanded upon it. Miller’s hard boiled noir combined perfectly with Mazzucchelli’s elegant pencils to create a masterpiece that has informed Batman history since its publication.
1 The Dark Knight Returns Changed Batman Forever
While a darker Batman had been featured in the O’Neil/Adams and Englehart/Rogers runs on Batman and Detective Comics respectively, the portrayal in most comics was closer to the old ’60s TV show. The Dark Knight Returns, by writer/artist Frank Miller, changed all of that. Miller’s darker portrayal of a Batman who comes out of retirement changed the character and comics forever.
Considered one of the most important comics of all time, TDKR made a massive splash. It changed the way Batman and comics were perceived by the general public. While one can blame a lot of the grim and gritty excesses of later years on this book, one can’t deny its quality and what it meant for Batman and comics.
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