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#ComicBytes: Five of the best Batman comic books ever created
Last updated on Oct 02, 2019, 12:57 pm
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Batman has had an illustrious life. Revered by many as a messiah and feared by even the most heinous criminals, he has always done the right thing, no what matter the cost.
Thousands of comics have captured his journey from being a scared little child to 'The Dark Knight of Gotham', but a few have been especially vital.
Here are five such stories.
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In this article'A Death in the Family': Despair and sadness galore 'The Killing Joke': Joker's probable origin 'Year One': A significant landmark for Batman and his origin 'The Dark Knight Returns': Another gem by Frank Miller The most iconic Batman vs Superman quote ever uttered 'Hush': One of the most interesting Batman stories ever told
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Story #5
'A Death in the Family': Despair and sadness galore
!['A Death in the Family': Despair and sadness galore]( "'A Death in the Family': Despair and sadness galore")
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Dick Grayson was the perfect Robin but he quit being a mere sidekick to explore more options.
Batman took in the street-smart Jason Todd but unfortunately, his birth mother betrayed him and sold him out to Joker who killed him by beating him up with a crowbar.
His death changed Batman's personality and he became reclusive.
Jason later reappeared as the anti-hero Red Hood.
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Story #4
'The Killing Joke': Joker's probable origin
!['The Killing Joke': Joker's probable origin]( "'The Killing Joke': Joker's probable origin")
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This one is more of a Joker story than a Batman one.
Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke explores Joker's probable origin and features him tormenting Jim Gordon and graphically paralyzing Barbara Gordon/Batgirl.
It has a movie adaptation as well but I'd recommend reading the comic book.
Interestingly, several fan theories suggest that Batman kills Joker in this one.
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Story #3
'Year One': A significant landmark for Batman and his origin
!['Year One': A significant landmark for Batman and his origin]( "'Year One': A significant landmark for Batman and his origin")
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Batman's origin has been explored a number of times in various media but Frank Miller's Year One does it better than anything else.
The 1987 comic book is dark, meaningful, and is considered a timeless classic.
It explores the dynamics between Bruce Wayne and James Gordon and boasts of some groundbreaking artwork in a story that features Gordon (not Batman) as the main protagonist.
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Story #2
'The Dark Knight Returns': Another gem by Frank Miller
!['The Dark Knight Returns': Another gem by Frank Miller]( "'The Dark Knight Returns': Another gem by Frank Miller")
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The Dark Knight Returns is arguably the darkest Batman story ever told.
It features a retired Batman in a future crime-infested Gotham. Batman is forced to return to the streets with a new Robin, Carrie Kelley, to fight a street-gang called 'Mutants'.
The story culminates with a mind-boggling confrontation between Batman and Superman.
A (surprisingly faithful) animated adaptation of the story released in 2013.
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Quote
The most iconic Batman vs Superman quote ever uttered
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"I want you to remember, Clark. In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember, my hand, at your throat, I want you to remember, the one man who beat you." -Batman in The Dark Knight Returns.
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Story #1
'Hush': One of the most interesting Batman stories ever told
!['Hush': One of the most interesting Batman stories ever told]( "'Hush': One of the most interesting Batman stories ever told")
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Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's 12-issue comic series gets more engaging with every page.
Batman: Hush features almost all the iconic Batman villains and even has a great Batman vs Superman fight.
From exploring Batman's romantic relationship with Catwoman to introducing a villain as clever as Bruce Wayne, it does everything just right.
An animated adaptation of the story will release this year.
