Best Batman Stories

[Guest Sassquatch]

SOTD was released in Hardcover format (1987) and Softcover format (1989). The books are not easy to find but if you look hard enough, you should be able to find a copy.

[Guest pochorenella]

Unfortunately Marvel has not put out any TPB's of Captain America like that unless they are Essential TPB's or a Visionaries TPB

 

I have a couple of Cap TPBs that have nothing to do with Visionaries series or Essentials. They are Operation Rebirth and Man Without A Country. The first one deals with that Sharon Carter return that Sass hates so much, but that aside I think it's a fine story, as is MWAC.

 

There's also the first 7-8 issues of Captain America vol.3 also on TPB (don't recall the name), where Cap finds himself in Japan or something right after the Heroes Reborn. This is also were he loses his shield.

 

I also believe there's another out-of-print Cap TPB that deals when he almost ran por President, but I may be wrong here.

[Guest Sassquatch]

I completely forgot about the MWAC TPB along with Operation: Rebirth TPB's.

 

The President storyline was going to be reprinted as a Visionaries title for John Byrne. Since Byrne and Quesada are on the outs with one another, that plan has been put on hold. Marvel is going to supposedly also do an Essentials TPB with Jack Kirby's runs on the books (#100 - #109, #193 - #214). Along with Kirby's Cap run, Marvel is also planning on releasing a TPB with the Red Skull Saga. It was the storyline that had the Red Skull reveal that he was an old man while Cap was still young and later aged Cap to be as old as him (#290 - #301).

 

I never hated Operation: Rebirth. In fact, I have praised the shit out of it except for Waid brining back the big titted bimbo who called herself Sharon Carter.

 

 

Other than that it's a damn fine story that had its legs cut out from underneath it when Marvel decided to send Cap into the Heroes Reborn Universe.

[Guest HellSpawn]

1st of all, I dont know if we should continue on this Cap topic or or move to a new thread, but anyway...

 

I recently read in an old wizard about another Cap. TPB: Streets of Poison the issues are: #372-377. I remember Sass told me that are good issues, so I guess I'll try to find one f'n copy here on Mexico. I already post a message on the main comic store about issues #368-383, with priority for #371, I hope they have that comics.

[Guest Sassquatch]

If you think the threads can go off topic a lot than I suggest you check out the Recent Hulk thread.

 

We've talked about 4 other topics in that one thread.

 

Don't look at me...

 

 

 

Batman: Dark Knight Returns 10th Anniversary TPB is also a good pick.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I bought Long Halloween last night and somehow managed to read last night as well. I really enjoyed the book because it provided an interesting character study as well as a decent mystery. The mystery wasn't too hard to solve though because it was somewhat obvious who the holiday killer was, but the little swerve at the end made most people only half right if they successfully guessed who the killer was. I'm waiting for Bruce Wayne Fugitive to come out in December so I can buy that too.

[Guest converge241]

It'a a cliche, but Arkham Asylum

[Guest HellSpawn]

Some questions...

 

Batman and I think all the Batman "family" knows who is the Huntress, but, Does Helena knows who are this guys?

 

Same on Catwoman, does Batman or the Batman "family" knows who is she?

 

And again, Gordon.. does he know who is the Batman? I remember one arc post NML (I think, not sure) when Bats shows his face to Gordon, or maybe as usual, all turned to be just a gimmick and nothing happened.

 

 

Damn... I think I had more Q's, but Im freezzin here, maybe I should move this post and turn it into a Questions / Answers thread for the forum, when everyone coan post his/her FAQ... oh well. F'n Cold.

[Guest areacode212]

Batman knows that Selina = Catwoman. His lackeys probably know too (I'm not sure).

 

It's never been clearly stated whether or not Gordon knows that Wayne = Batman. They're kind of leaving it up to you to decide if he knows.

[Guest Sassquatch]

"Some questions..."

 

- HellSpawn

 

 

Some answers.

 

 

"Batman and I think all the Batman "family" knows who is the Huntress, but, Does Helena knows who are this guys?"

 

- HellSpawn

 

 

Helena does know who Batman really is along with the identities of the other Bat Family members.

 

"Same on Catwoman, does Batman or the Batman "family" knows who is she?"

 

- HellSpawn

 

 

Batman/Robin/Nightwing/Oracle all know that Selena is really the Catwoman and have known this for some time.

 

"And again, Gordon.. does he know who is the Batman? I remember one arc post NML (I think, not sure) when Bats shows his face to Gordon, or maybe as usual, all turned to be just a gimmick and nothing happened."

 

- HellSpawn

 

 

That would be Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #125 where Batman went to Gordon's house and took off his cowl to show Gordon who he is. Gordon turned his head before he could see Batman's face and did not let Batman talk to him so that he would not be able to figure out his identity.

 

Gordon most likely *does not* know who Batman is but has his own suspicions.

[Guest HellSpawn]

Thanx guys.

[Guest Sassquatch]

I'd also *highly* recommend that everyone go and check out "Ten Nights of the Beast" where the KGBeast makes his debut and is set to assassinate government officials.

 

This story also has one of the Top 5 greatest knock-down-drag-out Batman fights of all time in it and the finish to the fight between the men will shock you.

 

Awesome stuff.

[Guest HellSpawn]

"Ten Nights of the Beast"

 

Agreed.

 

Maybe right now is a little "out of time", because all that USSR vs USA is kinda too 80's, but its nice to find a man better (gasp!) than Batman on some level.

 

I just disagree in one thing Sass, well maybe not disagree at 100%, 'cause you are right, it leave me shocked, but the end of the battle was... I dunno, I know it was the only way to end, but it was like way back on Capt. America after Acts of Vengeance, and that way it was more powerful.

[Guest Sassquatch]

"I dunno, I know it was the only way to end, but it was like way back on Capt. America after Acts of Vengeance, and that way it was more powerful. "

 

- HellSpawn

 

 

Are you talking about the storyarc where Cap and Diamondback leave Skull house with a promise from the Skull that he will kill Cap?

[Guest HellSpawn]

Nope, Im talking about Magneto vs Red Skull, I know I said Capt. America, but I was talking 'bout the book not the hero.

I think that Magneto's payback was cool, and Batman's was well, just a bunch of wood against a door is not too much if you have a body like the KGBeast.

Oh well, it doesnt matter, thats the problem when you want to talk about incidents and dont want to spoil stories. The point is... yeah, 10 nights is a good story too.

BTW, what do you think 'bout the 2nd part... NKVDemon (spelling?) ?

[Guest Sassquatch]

"BTW, what do you think 'bout the 2nd part... NKVDemon (spelling?)?"

 

- HellSpawn

 

 

I felt that the NKVDemon storyarc was decent but nowhere near as good as "Tean Nights of the Beast" which Marv Wolfman was trying to recreate along with trying to pander to the general public with it's Russian/Batman relations which felt forced at times. The Demon had promise as a super villain but he was too one dimensional to amount to anything interesting besides being just someone who wanted to avenge his master (The KGBeast).

 

Decent storyarc that did not mean anything to Batman in the long run.

[Guest BA_Baracus]

"Ten Nights of the Beast" .

 

I'd forgotten about that one.

 

I've always really liked the KGBeast villian for some reason. Bane is basically the KGBeast without the Russian elements (and yes, I realize you probably have some reason why that's totally wrong Sass, I don't care).

[Guest Sassquatch]

Quit crying and actually explain yourself Baracus.

 

I'm somewhat interested to see how you came up with the Bane/KGBeast comparison.

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

I'd agree that on the surface the KGBeast and Bane seem to be cut from the same cloth. They're both big, masked men who can physically dominate Bats and I wouldn't be shocked if Bane was partly inspired by The Beast. Of course, they are different characters when you get down to it.

 

BTW, does anyone remember their fight in "Vengeance of Bane II"? I remember thinking it was really cool at the time.

[Guest Sassquatch]

The fight scene where Bane and Bats fight the Venom-crazed bad guys I liked a lot.

 

I can see where someone might make the Bane/KGBeast comparison but I'd like to hear from the guy who came up with the thought.

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

Sorry to step all over BA_Baracus' answer, but 10 Nights of the Beast is one of my favourite stories and I wanted to toss in my $0.02.

 

BTW, how did The Beast escape after the end of that story? The next thing I saw was him getting beaten by Robin.

[Guest Mattdotcom]

Ah, having finally read The Killing Joke (it came in the mail the other day), I can recommend it. Kinda creeped me out. I knew what was coming and everything, but damn.

[Guest Sassquatch]

It's okay Grunt and I'm glad that someone else was able to explain the KGBeast/Bane comparison.

 

The Beast was freed by a group of former Super Soviet (not Marvel) agents that had gone rogue after the fall of the USSR and they helped eqiup the Beast with more technological weaponary.

[Guest pochorenella]

Am I the only fan of the "Sword of Azrael" story? Nobody's mentioned it around here. I think it's a pretty good story with great art by Joe Q (but then, I always like his work, so I may be biased).

 

It was the introduction of a pretty important character in the Batman mythos, and the guy who actually took the mantle of the Bat after he got crippled. So a great Batman story from the last 15 years or so(?).

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

I liked it, but I thought they made Bats look too weak against Lehah at the end. The interogation scene was nice, but I didn't like how Azreal had to come to the rescue. He probably could have escaped on his own.

 

I really like foreshadowing on the cover of the 1st issue.

 

Another good Batman story was the first crossover with Grendel. Maybe I'm just a Grendel mark, but I think he's the perfect foil for Batman. The story is probably better if you're familiar with the Grendel character, but it's still good reading

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Why didn't Dick Grayson become the new Batman after the encounter with Bane? I mean Bruce and Dick had had their share of falling outs but they loved each other. Dick is very much the heir to the Bat-Empire, more so now that he has been adopted by Wayne.

 

I liked this issue of Det. Com. where Batman fights Deathstrike the Terminator alot as well. At the end he takes Deathstrike's rifle as a Batcave trophy.

 

There was a hardback (non-comic) book called "Tales of the Batman" that had a Batman themed Black Widowers story by Issac Asimov called "Northwestward".

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

IIRC, Azreal got the spot for several reasons; First, it all happened very suddenly and Az was the only option at that moment. Second, Az acted as a stand in before in the issues before Kinghtfall started. Finally, Dick had started is own life with the Teen Titans and Bruce felt that he didn't have the right to ask him back.

 

Dick did fill in for a few months after the "Knight" saga ended, but I would have liked to see how he would have done against Bane.

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

Edit: double post

[Guest Sassquatch]

"Why didn't Dick Grayson become the new Batman after the encounter with Bane? I mean Bruce and Dick had had their share of falling outs but they loved each other. Dick is very much the heir to the Bat-Empire, more so now that he has been adopted by Wayne."

 

- MrZsasz

 

 

Grunt already covered the comic book reasons as to why Dick did not become Batman after Bane had taken him out. The real reason that Dick was not given the cape and cowl was because Denny O'Neil felt that the Bat family needed another member to it. He also did not want to have Dick and Bruce fight for the title because if Dick just simply gave up the title to Batman when he returned then Dick would look weak and more of a lame duck than he would have already been. Denny also did not want to have the big Batman/Nightwing showdown at that point and wanted to save it for a later date.

 

I think the big Batman/Nightwing showdown has been put on hold indefinitely (Batman #600 does not count).

[Guest HellSpawn]

Hey pochorenella, I picked Sword of Azrael.

 

Oh and btw, talkin 'bout my picks post, I made a mistake, I guess I was infected for some Hypertime virus and named Hyperion to the martian leader on JLA NWO, but I read it a few days ago and his rightful name is Protex.

 

BTW, 'bout Bats #600, do you guys like that "plus" stories? I didnt, I recently found my Bats #500 (AzBat v. Bane) and that was a nice and rightful anniversary issue or 'Tec #700 (Batman v. Ra's al Ghul), #600 was good, but that other stories made the book a regular issue with crap added.