Batman is my all time favorite comic book character. So, this list is my personal favorite Batman stories that I've ever read. There may be some stuff left out because I haven't read it but I have read A LOT of Batman so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. This list will be updated if I read something that I believe truly warrants an addition.
This is my favorite comic book story of all time. I re-read it just about once a year and every time I am captivated. It is the definitive origin for Batman in my opinion. It'd be a tough task for anything to come close to Year One for me.
This includes the entire arc (Court and Night of Owls). Scott Snyder did something with this story that truly amazes me. He was able to show Batman's weakness without ever disrespecting the character. Court of Owls is one of the most well written and well drawn story arcs in the long history of the character.
This one has become more and more divisive as time goes by. That may have to do with the apparent age of the story or the obvious insanity of it's writer. Neither of those things matter to me at all. This was the first book that I bought once I decided to give comic books a full go. I never looked back after reading this. When I imagine the end of The Dark Knight's career, this is the story I think of.
Another entry from the mind of Scott Snyder. This time it is Dick Grayson behind the cowl and that only enhances the impact of this story. Scott was able to re-introduce a long absent character (if you could even call him that before this story) and do it in a way that felt natural. Aspects of this story are downright creepy and it is truly a master work of art.
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale are a dynamic duo akin to Batman and Robin. The combination of those two creators results in a Batman story that feels like a Batman story should. It is a mystery that allows Batman to flex his often forgotten detective skills rather than simply punch people in the face. This story is a must read for anyone and especially for fans of the Caped Crusader.
Now, this one seems to be more controversial than it deserves to be. A lot of people expected a character death at the finale of this story but it is the writer's integrity not to take the easy way out that makes me love this story. The Joker wins. He accomplishes what he set out to do and that is split up the family that Batman had come to rely too heavily on. Due to the nature of comics as well as the death of Damian, the true impact of this story didn't have as much time to breathe as I would have liked but it still stands as one of the greatest Joker stories ever in my humble opinion.
This is technically a Justice League story but it is as much a character study of Batman as anything else. It puts on display the paranoia that plagues Batman and uses it to nearly destroy the JLA and much of the world. The JLA voting on whether to kick Bruce out of the League or not is one of my favorite bits of comic book writing. Especially when they open the door and Batman is already gone.
This one may not pop up on everyone's list but this story is a personal favorite of mine. It feels very much like an episode of BTAS but with a darker tinge to it. The Joker is my favorite villain and this is one of my favorite interpretations of him.
This is a trippy book. The art style really hammers home the atmosphere that this book is going for. Everything about this story is cerebral and it asks the question of whether Batman is truly as crazy as the inmates of Arkham Asylum. The story and art are both abstract and it truly pays off.
Grant Morrison loves the weird aspects of comics and quite frankly, I love them too. RIP is a whacked out experience to read and at the end of the day it is all the better for it. Morrison had a lengthy run with Batman and this is the very best of that run in my opinion.
