And you don’t have to live in a city as gloomy and dark as Gotham nor live among bats in a cave under his mansion. And of course, despite the fact that many people believe in it, you don’t need to read it first. batman comics or be an expert to go to a store, bookstore or your trusted website and immerse yourself in this amazing world of comics for the first time.
Yes, that’s how it is. While the world of comics may seem too vast and overwhelming from the outside, anyone can, with the right choice, live first-hand the stories of their favorite superheroes or characters, and at Libertad Digital we will help you fully enter this world. comics about Batman and other mythical characters. Be warned if you are already an expert on the subject, we also invite you to re-read some of the best stories, in this case from Bruce Wayne.
To do this, we are going to select a few works from which you can start discovering this universe, since DC and ECC comics They have stories available to the reader in different formats and at different prices that you cannot miss. Some of them are part of a long series and have continuity, but there are also stories with start and end that will let you join Batman in Gotham with a graphic novel that will have a start and end, meaning not necessarily make you buy braces and braces or volumes and volumes to experience the complete adventure. Thus, Batman is available to both the most loyal customers and casual readers. Before starting with this little guide, ECC, with their editor Gustavo Martinez and in collaboration with Libertad Digital, answers a few questions about the cloaked crusader.
Question. What three Batman comics would you recommend to someone who wants to experience the adventures of Gotham’s Bat for the first time and why?
Answer: Although it is not easy to choose between more than 80 years of Man-Bat adventures, there are three works that I consider capital. On the one hand, the two titles with which Frank Miller redefined the character and the entire superhero genre in the eighties: Batman: Year One D Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. On the other hand, I think Batman: The Killing Jokethe work of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, is an important title in the Batman bibliography and should not be missing in any fan of the character’s library.
Q.- ECC’s brief assessment of the impact that the Batman universe has had on the Spanish public in recent years, especially from the resurgence of the Nolan movie character to the present day with the new Batman.
A: Batman is one of the most famous fictional characters in the world. The fact that it has periodic reviews in various media such as cinema, video games or television only confirms its relevance after more than 80 years of history.
Q: Has there been a change in character focus as these stories become more realistic and perhaps even further removed from the first Burton or Schumacher films to the average Batman reader?
A: The focus hasn’t really changed since the comics. Such a versatile character with such a long publishing career has had different versions and interpretations over the years, and all the great filmmakers who have approached his figure have been inspired by one or more of these versions. The grown-up tone that now stands out in the new Batman adaptation has long been present in his illustrated stories and is perfectly visible in the comics that helped Matt Reeves create his film, such as Batman: The Long Halloween, Catwoman: Selina’s Big Heist, Batman: ego or Batman: Year One.
Now yes, we’re moving on to Digital Freedom’s top 5 recommendations, some of which have already been mentioned and expanded upon here, always keeping in mind that you can access these stories through different formats (paperback, hardcover, staples, or special editions) and prices.
1.- Batman: Year One
Every hero has a beginning, a moment of revelation, and while most of the world knows where Bruce Wayne’s crusade came from to avenge the murder of his parents, Batman: Year One is the best starting point to learn the ins and outs of that source. Year One is one of the classic comics as it tells us the story of Batman’s origins in great detail, including his return to Gotham, the city’s corruption, and his relationship with characters like future Commissioner James Gordon.
The work dates from 1986 and has a script by the legendary Frank Miller and art by David Mazzucchelli. If you want to know how both Wayne and Gordon’s early days in Gotham went, don’t miss this comic.
2.- Batman: The Long Halloween
Ask Christopher Nolan if he’s a great Batman comedian or not. The Long Halloween is, without a doubt, and with the permission of its sequel, Dark Victory, one of the best Batman stories you can find. A masterpiece with a script by Jeph Loeb and art by Tim Sale, also the authors of its sequel.
Wondering where Nolan got the idea for the Dark Knight trilogy from? Want to learn about the corruption of Gotham’s most powerful families, like the one led by Carmine Falcone? Do you want to see Catwoman, the Joker or the Riddler? Want to see how prosecutor Harvey Dent tries to fight the poison of corruption along with Batman and Gordon? You have everything here. Darkness and light facing each other. Hope versus despair. Funambulismo is on the fine line between fairness and honesty. Without a doubt, a very mature and very worthy comic.
3.- Batman: Dark Victory
Not a single word above another to reveal nothing about the plot. A sequel to The Long Halloween that some say is on par with or even superior to its predecessor. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale repeat. When you finish the first part, I’m sure you’ll be looking for the second, and when you’ve read the second, you’ll pick up the first again to eventually repeat the second part. Wonderful loop.
All this in order to find out the identities of the two killers, the Festival (Long Halloween) and the Hanged Man (Dark Victory). Side by side thriller. Robin liked it. Shh, I’m not talking anymore.
4.- Joker: The Killing Joke
Where did the Joker come from? Where are you from? Do I have any origin story of Batman’s most important villain handy that I can read as a first reading of the character? Well yes, you have it, and also in a classic that never goes out of style.
In “Joker”, a murderous prank articulated by Alan Moore, drawn by Brian Bolland and colored by John Higgins, a mythical outlaw clown will push Batman and Gordon to their limits, transporting us back in time… to his past. Light, intense, unsettling and a highly recommended read.
5.- Catwoman: Selina’s Big Flip
Selina Kyle and the mystique of Catwoman that captivates readers and readers alike. She says that she has seven lives, but Catwoman has many more, and one of them, one of her best stories, is described in this comic.
Screenplay by Darwin Cook and Ed Brubaker, with art by Cook and Brad Rader. If you like Catwoman, get this story.
6.- Various recommendations
We’ve picked the Top 5 to start reading Batman comics or related comics, but we leave you with a few more gift options.
Batman Ego: Batman, Joker, Catwoman, important death…
Batman Arkham Asylum: The bat ends up in Arkham Prison, full of madness and illustrations of high symbolism and suffering.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: An iconic comic by Frank Miller that sees veteran retired Batman return to his final mission.