![battman classic comics battman classic comics](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d7b5nEeq7kQ/T0our6FzN7I/AAAAAAAAeiQ/UM-RWsMr-Xc/s1600/batman+178+001.jpg)
The Dark Knight Returns follows Batman as he returns to vigilante work. It lacks a cohesive story structure, but its depiction of older and jaded Batman makes for some great meta analysis, and Miller’s iconic artwork is still something to behold. However, even retrospectively the comic is still incredible. It was one of the comics that turned the character away from the camp of the 1960s and 70s and kicked off the dark and gritty stories that would proliferate the comics industry. Read MoreĪlongside The Killing Joke, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most influential Batman comics of all time. That’s why it remains one of the best stories in the Batman universe even today. The Killing Joke is the gold standard of Batman comics that all others are compared to.
![battman classic comics battman classic comics](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e5/b8/03/e5b803ae43615a6dd2305af127b8d974.jpg)
Moore’s script combined with the artwork of Brian Bolland makes for an unsettling and engrossing story, and the final moment is heavy and haunting. However, there are so many layers to this comic that is well-worth the read. The comic is a story of its time, especially in the way it utilizes and represents women. There is also a flashback story that follows a failed comedian and the one bad day that turned him into the Joker.
![battman classic comics battman classic comics](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K2PITcIU8sg/U1rCuI5VieI/AAAAAAAAaJw/4rV7HwOjojQ/s1600/Batman+(1).jpg)
The modern timeline follows the Joker as he tries to drive Jim Gordon insane, proving that one bad day is all it takes to turn you mad. Moore also wanted the comic to serve as a mirror reflecting Batman and the Joker’s similarities and differences. The comic serves as an origin for everyone’s favorite killer clown, the Joker. The Killing Joke is foundations of what Batman is today, and it is still one of the best Batman comics to have ever been written. Not only is Alan Moore’s script inventive and layered, but it set the precedent for Batman comics to come over the next couple of decades. The Killing Joke is one of the definitive Batman comics for good reason. If you’re looking for a dark and engaging mystery, The Cult is one of Batman’s most iconic. It was one of the comics that inspired Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises and the themes the film explores. It’s another one of those stories that is best read as cold as possible, but the story ended up being incredibly influential.
BATTMAN CLASSIC COMICS SERIES
Batman learns that the cult is enacting a series of events to punish Gotham for its vile behavior, and they aim to brainwash Batman into joining their cause.
![battman classic comics battman classic comics](https://batman-on-film.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/rainbow-batman-comic-cover.jpg)
After investigating the murder of small time criminals in Gotham, Batman is kidnapped by Blackfire and his cult. This arc is the first to introduce Deacon Blackfire -an enigmatic cult leader. The Cult is hands-down one of the best of this time, and it perfectly captures the dark aesthetic and story while never losing sight of the fact that it is a Batman story. It’s this era of comics that would solidify Batman as one of the top dogs in the comic book history, and as such we got a multitude of wonderful stories in this time period. However, while many characters seemed ridiculous with the sudden self-seriousness proliferating the genre, Batman thrived. This was part of a larger trend in the late eighties into the early 90s where comics followed a “grim dark” aesthetic. The 1980s saw a return to form for Batman - delving into darker and thematically heavy storylines. Death of the Family is one of the best Batman arcs of all time, and deserves to stand with the greats. It also has some of the most visceral and insane Joker moments in comic history. The story is best going in fresh, but its a thrill ride beginning to end, and it perfectly weaves action into Batman’s internal struggles. Death of the Family begins with the Joker attacking GCPD to retrieve his face, and thus begins a chain of events where the Joker kidnaps and attempts to murder the people closest to him - his surrogate family in the multiple Robins, Alfred Pennyworth, and Catwoman. Last readers saw him, the villain Dollmaker removed his face during one of the Joker’s stays at Arkham Asylum.
BATTMAN CLASSIC COMICS FULL
The story picks up after the Joker mysteriously vanished from any storylines in DC Comics for a full year. The comic was written by Scott Snyder during his hit run on the New 52 series and illustrated by Greg Capullo - otherwise known for artwork on the album covers for the heavy metal band Disturbed. However, the story isn’t just a knock-off, but a full-fledged an essential moment of the Batman canon that is thrilling and visceral. It’s also an homage to classic Batman stories like A Death in the Family, The Killing Joke, and Batman: The Man Who Laughs. It’s a huge crossover between a myriad of Batman-related comic arcs, including Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Detective Comics, and Nightwing. Death of the Family is perhaps one of the most interesting and ambitious entries on this list.