Batman and his lore have changed a lot since his 1939 debut. In recent decades, authors like Greg Rucka, Tom King, and Scott Syned have turned the Dark Knight comics into a synonym for enthralling mysteries, grim storylines, and psychologically complex yet weirdly relatable characters.
All these traits make most Batman comics a true joy for the fans, but some of them are even better than the average. Whether it's thanks to their dangerous villains or their emotionally realistic plots, these Batman stories are some of the most thrilling DC comics out there. It's impossible to stop reading them until every question has been answered.
10 Gotham Central Doesn't Focus On Batman, But It's Just As Entertaining
Gotham Central, by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, is a 2002 police series that focuses on members of the Gotham City Police Department and their lives as part of the force in this dangerous city. This 40 issues series is divided into 15 different stories drawn by many different artists, including Michael Lark, Greg Scott, and Stefano Gaudiano.
This series doesn't revolve around Batman. However, it's full of members of the Dark Knight rogues' gallery, like the Joker, Two-Face, and Mr. Freeze. Gotham Central is a very entertaining comic that expands on the history of Gotham through multiple crime stories.
9 Batman & Dracula Puts Batman In A Conundrum
After Batman discovers that Dracula and his subjects have been feeding off Gotham City's homeless population, he takes it upon himself to defeat him. In order to be as strong as the vampire, he becomes one too. Unfortunately, this turns him into an uncontrollable blood-sucking monster.
The Batman & Dracula trilogy, by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones, raises the stakes from the beginning. First, by pitting Batman against a classic sanguinary villain with very few weaknesses. But, additionally, by pushing Batman to transform into something he won't be able to stop, turning his battle against Dracula into a soul-crushing pyrrhic victory.
8 Batman: Cataclysm Keeps The Readers On The Edge Of Their Seats
Following a massive earthquake in Gotham City, Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Prison are destroyed. The surviving criminals now walk the streets freely, wreaking even more havoc. Batman: Cataclysm follows Batman and other members of the Bat-Family's attempt to help civilians while keeping the villains under control.
Batman: Cataclysm doesn't just confront these heroes with Gotham's villains, it also forces them to face the many civilian casualties of this natural disaster. As the reader moves forward in the story, there's something particularly stressful about seeing Batman and his allies do damage control all over Gotham while things keep spiraling out of control.
7 Batman: Hush Slowly Unfolds Its Mystery
After a mysterious villain called Hush starts sabotaging Batman and controlling other villains in Gotham City, the Caped Crusader launches an investigation to find their identity. At the same time, he deals with his romantic feelings for Selina Kyle, with whom he has a complicated relationship.
From its very first pages, Batman: Hush sets the ground for a mystery that will keep any reader going. Created by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, this series slowly pushes the fans towards unveiling said mystery while also treating them to many surprise appearances.
6 Batman: The Cult Is Full Of Shocking Moments
One of Batman's darkest stories, Batman: The Cult depicts Batman's experience as the victim of a religious cult. After Deacon Joseph Blackfire kidnaps him, the Dark Knight is brainwashed and drugged on a daily basis to become a subject. Even though he manages to escape, he realizes Blackfire has done more damage than expected.
Written by Jim Starling and illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, Batman: The Cult is a psychological horror story full of gruesome moments, like the panel where Blackfire bathes on his subjects' blood. Readers will notice their morbid curiosity will make it impossible to stop reading.
5 Batman: The Long Halloween Is A Classic Detective Story
When Holiday, a villain that only attacks on Holidays, gets in the middle of a mafia war in Gotham City, Batman teams up with Jim Gordon, Harvey Dent, and Catwoman to stop them before Falcone and the Marconi take it too far. Unfortunately, Holiday seems to be faster than the heroes.
The Long Halloween, written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale, is one of those stories where Batman actually does detective work. The series sets the ground for a mystery from the very beginning, guiding the reader through shocking revelation after shocking revelation. If only it was possible to read it again for the first time.
4 Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City Will Keep You Glued To The Comic
In Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City, by Peter Milligan and Kieron Dwyer, the Riddler chooses Batman as the human sacrifice in an ancient ritual to summon a bat demon. For this, he tricks him into performing several disturbing acts, such as bathing in human blood, killing a dog with a dagger, and cutting a baby's throat.
Since the Riddler's ritual connects to the Wayne murders, it's impossible to know if Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City is a paranormal history or just a psychological game by the villain, but this doesn't make the story less interesting. As it moves forward, the reader has more questions than answers. This prompts anyone to keep reading until the very end.
3 The War Of Jokes & Riddles Is An Emotional Ride
Dubbed as the emotional centerpiece of Tom King's amazing run on Batman, "The War of Jokes and Riddles" sees Batman as he tells Catwoman about a dangerous feud between the Joker and the Riddler that almost consumed Gotham. The conflict escalates to the point where Batman almost murders the Riddler, but the Joker stops him.
This moment changes Batman forever, and it's also the tipping point for the consolidation of his relationship with Selina. As happens with most books by Tom King, the emotional tensions that drive the characters in "The War of Jokes and Riddles" are central to its intriguing plot.
2 The Dark Knight Returns Is Full Of Action
A four-issue series, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley, The Dark Knight Returns follows an older Batman who returns from retirement to save a dystopian Gotham City from itself. When crime rises in the town, the U.S. Government sends Superman to fix things.
Most critics believe The Dark Knight Returns is one of the greatest Batman stories ever made. Its dark tone, action-packed scenes, and complex characters make for a compelling story from the very beginning. It is definitely, a must-read when discussing classic Batman comics.
1 Batman: The Court Of Owls Revamps Batman's Story
When a tortured murder victim with Dick Grayson's DNA under his nails appears in Harvey Bullock's apartment, Batman begins an investigation that confronts him with Gotham City's darkest, most ancient conspiracy. Created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, Batman: The Court of Owls created a new mythology for Batman lore.
From Haly's Circus's true intentions to the introduction of Harper Row, Batman: The Court of Owls adds new elements to Batman's story. Additionally, it sets the ground for Night of the Owls. The way Snyder and Capullo managed to slowly unveil the conspiracy behind everything is definitely worth the read.