The Wellington Comic Lover’s Guide to... Batman: Part 1

After witnessing the death of his parents at the hands of a petty crook, Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to avenging them. Deciding that Gotham City needs someone who can work outside the law to bring wrongdoers to justice, Bruce trains his mind and body to peak performance and adopts the bat as a symbol to strike fear in the hearts of criminals.

He is vengeance. He is the night. He is Batman!

Given that Batman is one of DC Comic’s most published heroes, this particular guide covers some classic Batman stories, young Batman, the new 52, and DC rebirth. See Part 2 for more Batman series, or read the full guide!

Updated September 24, 2024
W
Wellington City Libraries Youth team at Wellington City Libraries
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Batman : year one
Miller, Frank
Paper Book
In 1986, Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli produced this groundbreaking reinterpretation of the origin of Batman-who he is, and how he came to be. Sometimes careless and naive, this Dark Knight is far from the flawless vigilante he is today. In his first year on the job, Batman feels...
Batman, zero year
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
Discover the New 52 origin of the Dark Knight in BATMAN- ZERO YEAR! Witness the twists and turns as Bruce Wayne takes the final steps toward his destiny and confronts the dangers of Gotham City at this point in time. New York Times bestselling author Scott Snyder...
Hush
Loeb, Jeph.
Paper Book
Gotham City's worst criminals--Joker, Riddler, Ra's al Ghul, Clayface and others--have emerged to throw Batman's life into utter chaos. However, these villains are part of a much more elaborate, sinister scheme to destroy the Dark Knight once and for all, one headed by a mastermind much closer to...
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (30th Anniversary Edition). Volume 2
Miller, Frank
Ebook
Batman : haunted knight : the legends of the Dark Knight Halloween specials : three tales of Halloween in Gotham City / Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale, storytellers ; Gregory Wright, colorist ; Todd Klein, letterer
Loeb, Jeph.
Paper Book
This graphic novel by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale-the creative team behind the classic BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN-includes three dark tales of horror and intrigue featuring Batman facing off against his most demented and wicked foes. Taking place on the most evil of holidays, Halloween, the Darknight...
Batman : the Knight
Zdarsky, Chip
Paper Book
The origin of Batman and his never-ending fight against crime in Gotham City is modern mythology, but what of the story in between? Superstar writer Chip Zdarsky (Daredevil) and acclaimed artist Carmine Di Giandomenico (The Flash) will take Bruce Wayne on a fraught journey, making...
Batman. Vol. 1, I am Gotham
King, Tom
Paper Book
Batman is Gotham City's greatest protector. But now he's not alone. There are two new heroes in town-a pair of masked metahumans with the powers of Superman and a devotion to preserving all that is good about this twisted city. Calling themselves Gotham and Gotham Girl, they've saved Batman's life,...
Batman. Vol. 2, I am suicide
King, Tom
Paper Book
Bestselling writer Tom King continues his epic run on the Dark Knight! Still reeling from a cataclysmic battle, Batman finds himself up against some of the biggest (literally) threats he's ever faced within the city limits of Gotham. To save the city he loves, Batman enlists the help of the toughest...
Batman: The Imposter. Volume 1
Tomlin, Mattson
Ebook
Batman: Black & White. Volume 2
Azzarello, Brian
Ebook
Batman : Arkham Asylum
Morrison, Grant
Paper Book
Where all compulsions meet. In 1920, following the death of his disturbed mother, brilliant psychologist Amadeus Arkham began the conversion of his ancestral home into a hospital for the treatment of the mentally ill. More than half a century later, the Arkham Asylum...
Batman: Knightfall. Volume 1
Dixon, Chuck
Ebook
Batman: Prodigal. Volume 11
Dixon, Chuck
Ebook
Batman. Under the red hood
Winick, Judd
Paper Book
Batman is confronted with a hidden face from the past-it's the return of the vigilante Red Hood who appears to be Batman's one-time partner Jason Todd, the same Jason Todd that died many years ago. But the Red Hood's violent ways pit him against the Dark Knight in his hunt for the very person...
Batman. The black glove
Morrison, Grant.
Paper Book
Written by Grant Morrison Cover by Williams Art by J.H. Williams III, Tony Daniel & Jonathan Glapion Writer Grant Morrison (ALL STAR SUPERMAN, FINAL CRISIS) brings Batman and a group of global heroes to a mysterious island to face a killer in this volume collecting BATMAN #667-669 and 672-675. Then,...
Batman. Time and the Batman
Morrison, Grant.
Paper Book
Written by GRANT MORRISON and FABIAN NICIEZA Art by DAVID FINCH, TONY DANIEL, ANDY KUBERT and FRANK QUITELY Cover by DAVID FINCH and SCOTT WILLIAMS Grant Morrison returns to BATMAN with tales from issues #700-703, illustrated by an all-star roster of artists including Andy Kubert, Tony Daniel and...
Batman. The return of Bruce Wayne
Morrison, Grant.
Paper Book
Written by GRANT MORRISON Art by CHRIS SPROUSE, FRAZER IRVING, RYAN SOOK, YANICK PAQUETTE, LEE GARBETT, GEORGES JEANTY KARL STORY and MICK GRAY Cover by ANDY KUBERT Grant Morrison's best-selling multipart Batman epic continues with this collection of the six-issue miniseries!Witness Bruce Wayne's...
Batman: His Greatest Adventures
Templeton, Ty
Ebook
Batman : night of the owls
Snyder, Scott.
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLER As evil spreads across Gotham City, Batman's allies, including Red Robin, Batwing, Robin, Batgirl, the Birds of Prey, Nightwing and even Catwoman find themselves in a battle coming from all sides. The Court of Owls have shown their hand, and it...
Batman : universe
Bendis, Brian Michael
Paper Book
In this all-new original story written by Brian Michael Bendis, Batman is pushed to his limit as he sets off in search of an item with the potential to destroy the universe as we know it! Batman isn't the only one looking for this item though. It's a race to the finish line with the fate of the...
Batman. Whatever happened to the Caped Crusader?
Gaiman, Neil
Paper Book
The story that truly defines the years of Batman's life. New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman (THE SANDMAN) joins a murderer's row of superstar artists in lending his unique touch to the Batman mythos! Spotlighting the story "Whatever Happened to the Caped...
Batman : last knight on earth
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
Powerhouse creative team Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo (Batman- The Court of Owls, Dark Nights- Metal) conclude a decade-long partnership with the Caped Crusader in Batman- Last Knight on Earth. Twenty years in the future, Bruce Wayne wakes up in Arkham...
Batman Beyond. Volume 1
Jurgens, Dan
Ebook
Batman. Volume 3, Death of the Family
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! One year ago, the Joker limped off the streets of Gotham, mutilated and scarred when someone had taken the pale white skin right off of his face. But now, the Dark Knight's greatest foe has returned but for once, Batman doesn't...
Batman. Volume 4, Zero Year-Secret City
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
In this first volume of the critically acclaimed ZERO YEAR storyline, the #1 New York Times bestselling creative team of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo present an astonishing new vision of the Dark Knight's origin--and his first encounters with the Riddler, the Red Hood, and others! ...
Batman. Volume 5, Zero Year-Dark City
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
Before the Batcave and Robin, the Joker and the Batmobile ... there was Zero Year. The Riddler has plunged Gotham City into darkness. How will a young Dark Knight bring his beloved hometown from the brink of chaos and madness and back into the light? From the critically acclaimed...
Batman. Volume 6, Graveyard shift
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
In the wake of the death of his son Damian, Batman is in danger of losing his humanity. However, the foes of this grief-ridden Dark Knight mean to strike him when he's at his weakest. Has Batman's worst foe become... Bruce Wayne? Plus, three pivotal chapters from the epic ZERO YEAR...
Batman. Volume 7, Endgame
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
HA. HA. HA.    Batman's greatest foe has returned for one last gag. But this time, not even the Joker is laughing. In their last encounter, the Dark Knight failed to live up to Joker's grand plans, so now the Joker is deadly serious. The games are over, and for their final...
Batman. Volume 8, Superheavy
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
COMMISSIONER GORDON IS THE NEW BATMAN!   Following the disappearance and presumed death of Batman, former police commissioner Jim Gordon has been called to carry on the Dark Knight's legacy and become the Dark Knight's successor.   But while the name and what it...
Batman. Volume 9
Snyder, Scott
Ebook
Batman. Volume 10, Epilogue
Fawkes, Ray
Paper Book
The conclusion of creative team Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's #1New York Timesbest-selling run! The people of Gotham all know who truly runs their city- GothamisBatman. The fate of their home is time and time again tied to that of the Dark Knight, who would do anything to...
All-star Batman. Volume 1, My own worst enemy
Snyder, Scott
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times best-selling author of BATMAN returns to the Dark Knight in ALL-STAR BATMAN VOL. 1! But he's not alone. Critically acclaimed, legendary illustrator John Romita Jr. joins him on this epic new series! In this new graphic novel, Batman finds himself trying to help old...
All-Star Batman. Volume 2
Snyder, Scott
Ebook
All-Star Batman. Volume 3
Snyder, Scott
Ebook
Batman. Night of the monster men
Orlando, Steve
Paper Book
Thanks to the machinations of macabre scientist Dr. Hugo Strange, the storm of the century has unleashed a rain of monsters upon Gotham City--and onto Batman, Nightwing and Batwoman. Colossal creatures are stomping through the streets, terrorizing the citizens and challenging the skills of even...
Batman. Volume 3
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman/The Flash : the button
Williamson, Joshua
Paper Book
The road to Doomsday Clock begins here, with the invasion of the Watchmen into the DC Universe! Batman/The Flash: The Button Deluxe Edition is the prelude to this epic story from Geoff Johns and Gark Frank.    During the unforgettable events of DC...
Batman. Vol. 4, The war of jokes and riddles
King, Tom
Paper Book
Zero Year. 12 months in which Gotham City was left without power, without laws, without hope. 365 days in which the Riddler ruled the streets. But once again, Batman was victorious. In the aftermath of Zero Year? War. The Joker vs. The Riddler. They called it the War of Jokes and...
Batman. Vol. 5, The rules of engagement
King, Tom
Paper Book
When Catwoman accepted Batman's marriage proposal, she changed more lives than just Bruce Wayne's and Selina Kyle's. A union between the World's Greatest Detective and one of Gotham City's fiercest criminals is a shake-up that will rattle everyone in the Dark Knight's life--from the young...
Batman. Vol. 6, Bride or burglar?
King, Tom
Paper Book
The path to the altar has never been so dangerous! Not long after Batman announces his engagement to Catwoman, he and Wonder Woman are called to honor an old commitment requiring them to fight for Earth in a distant, magical realm. But time flows strangely in this new land, and...
Batman. Volume 8
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman. Volume 9
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman. Volume 10
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman. Volume 11
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman. Volume 12
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition - Book 2. Volume 3
King, Tom
Ebook
Batman. Vol. 1, Failsafe
Zdarsky, Chip
Paper Book
Superstar writer Chip Zdarsky joins red-hot artist Jorge Jimenez to define a new era in Batman with their critically acclaimed and bestselling Failsafe arc! Batman has battled all manner of criminals, monsters, and super-villains, but nothing could have prepared him for what's...
Batman. Vol. 2, The Bat-Man of Gotham
Zdarsky, Chip
Paper Book
Gotham City has never been darker or deadlier. And after Failsafe, there is no Batman to save it. The mean streets of Gotham City have gotten meaner as the likes of Harvey Dent and Killer Croc roam free, brutalizing the population. Where is Batman and why hasn't he responded to...
I Am Batman, Vol. 1
Ridley, John.
Paper Book
The age of a new Dark Knight starts now! Spinning out of the events of The Next Batman- Second Son, Jace Fox thrusts himself into action when the Magistrate's crackdown on Alleytown begins! With his own Bat-Suit, Jace hits the streets to inspire and protect... ...
I Am Batman, Vol. 2 Welcome to New York
Ridley, John.
Paper Book
Jace Fox is moving from Gotham City to the Big Apple...is New York City ready for Batman? Batman's arrival in New York City went even more smoothly than Jace could have hoped. The mayor and law enforcement are trying to cooperate with their new Dark Knight in ways Gotham never...

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