iFanboy Video Podcast
Show Notes
It is an iFanboy given that the three best Batman stories are The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, and Arkham Asylum (the guys have talked about them enough, those three win just from airtime alone!).
But what are the Top 5 Batman Stories that aren’t those three? With almost seven decades of stories to choose from, picking the five best was no easy task, my friends! What did they end up with?
An international story of high adventure with present day implications, a disturbing look at a killer clown, the tragic (or was it?) death of a soldier, a hero reborn, and a nigh-miraculous years long crossover event! Want to know what they are? Find out inside!
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Best thing about this ep, the angry voicemail about excluding Long Holloween. I’d also go as far as to say that every single batman related book Brubaker or Rucka did is fantastic. I’m not sure if the trades are still in print, but their really cheap at cons (as are the issues) and their all pretty fab. Also, anything Neal Adams is a personal fav.
I’d say Long Halloween should be up there as one of the best Batman stories. Maybe in the top 10, not in the top 5. It has a great mystery and some of the best art you’ll see in a Batman book.
Of course I am kinda bias on this, cause Long Halloween was one of the very first things I read coming back into comics. (Next to Kingdom Come I mean)
This was the First Episode I ever saw of iFanboy….
Back then I liked Connor and Josh…. Good times.(Kidding)
My favorite Batman stories: No Man’s Land, Batman: Year One, Dark Knight Returns, Batman/Grendel, The Killing Joke, Long Halloween
I think Morrisons run may be up there (specifically RIP).
@JohnVFerrigno – Batman/Grendel doesn’t get enough attention. It is a very solid book.
I’m a big fan of Arkam Asylum Living Hell by Dan Slott and Ryan Sook.
It was one of the Funniest and Creepiest books I’ve ever read, and Batman is in it all but 7 pannels. It also was the second Batman Story I read after Dark Knight Strikes Back.
I love the irony of Gordon saying a pink flamingo has nothing to do with Batman. Meanwhile, this week: http://www.ifanboy.com/comics/dc_comics/batman_and_robin/6
The greatest Batman story is Year One. It is Frank Miller’s only real achievement with the character. I like DKR too, but it isn’t even in the same league as Year One.
I still don’t believe that the same guy who wrote Year one, is writing "Holy Terror Batman!"
@calebthetimetraveler- frank miller wrote year one and alan brennert wrote holy terror which is also a very good else worlds story. one of my favorits that isnt listed is the hush story the ending fell flat but that really really got me into reading batman
@peterporker: I think Caleb is refering to Frank Miller’s proposed Batman vs. The Taliban story dubbed "Batman: Holy Terror!" that he talked about doing after 9/11. It’s almost been 10 years so I imagine it’s not actually going to happen.
Conor, you’re the man on this show I trust the most and when I saw this first time round I bought the Batman No Man’s Land first trade as the whole thing sounded brilliant but I was very disappointed. I don’t think it’s anywhere near the standard of the other things you mention; were the other parts better? Agree that Long Halloween shouldn’t be in there; the art is good but the story doesn’t really go anywhere and the twist at the end is weak. Would have like to have seen some Neal Adams stuff or, a personal favourite, Dave Gibbons’ World’s Finest Miniseries. And Killing Joke and Son of the Demon I think are both better than Arkham Asylum, but to each his own, it’s really splitting hairs at that level. Great videocast, more like this please. Maybe a Spidey one?
@RickyStardust: If you didn’t like the first NO MAN’S LAND trade you probably won’t like the rest. I reread it after we did this show and it’s still one of my all-time favorite Batman stories. Of course, the four collections only include half the issues that encompassed the story. It was enough comics to collect in 8 trades, but they cut it down to 4.
While we’re on the subject of Batman, did anyone get the deluxe edition of Whatever Happened to the Cape Crusader? Enough has been said about the main story but the back-ups were so good. Neil Gaiman mini Batman stories that I’d never seen before and reminded me of his greatest Sandman work.
I think HUSH or Batman & Son had way more business being on this list then No Man’s Land! Long Halloween was good too, although the sequel sucked. I think RIP and Heart Of Hush also need mentioning if there is ever a 5 Most Have Batman Arcs part two.
After the first Crisis, was Jason Todd retconned just so they could kill him off? I don’t think there are ANY stories in the modern age with Grayson or Todd as Robin. Seems kinda weird to reboot the whole universe just to skip right over the first two Robins, but I’m not DC, what good is my opinion?