Favorite/Best Bat-Story

[GreenLantern]

In your opinion what is your favorite or the best batman story? (TPB's included)

[DocDoom]

I think most of us will agree is in the Dark Knight returns/Year One/Log Halloween area

I'll say

1.Year One
2.DKR
3.Long Halloween,

how about yours GL?

[Fanatix]

Yeah, if trade paperbacks are included it would be Dark Knight Returns, Year One, and maybe (even though it isn't just a batman story) Kingdom Come because it got batman sooo right.

But just batman storylines. Well I've only been reading batman 10 years or so(and that was very on and off, I didn't read a lot of the smaller storylines) it'd be,
1. Hush
2. The beginning of No Man's Land
3. The middle of Knightfall

[Adam Chapman]

Year One
The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Year Two
Year Three
Hush
War Games
Cataclysm

[GreenLantern]

oh yeah - thanx fanatix - if there is a story that you liked which batman plays a role in (which is not truly a batman story) you can post that too

Note: he has to play a role in it. no camoes of him

[Adam Chapman]

Tower of Babel arc in JLA. His part in the first 7-8 issues of JUSTICE LEAGUE, which introduced Maxwell Lord, Booster Gold, and made Blue Beetle a member of the Justice League.

[S.A. Parvaze]

1. DKR
2. Year One
3. Arkham Asylum
4. Batman/Deathblow
5. JSA - The Liberty File
6. No Man's Land

Something like that...

[GreenLantern]

my favorite from when i was 6 or 7 is a worlds finest comic (not sure if it was post or pre crisis story, i think it was a old story that they were re-selling for some reason). In the story lois lane gets real suspicious of clark's secret to the point that she thought she had enough proof to tell the bugle (how could she do that!?). Batman said he had him covered (literally) and went on a "date" with her and on the date he had clues and hints (he set them up) that showed he was actually superman (ex: he broke the blades of a scissor so when she tried to cut his hair they broke making it seem like he had super-strong hair. At the end she was real confused but i think she knew they were setting her up (not too sure).

[Cardiac]

No Man's Land
New World Order
Rock Of Ages

[LEGENDKILLER]

Dark Knight Returns
Year One

[GreenLantern]

I see alot of you like these frank miller batman stories

[Mark Blicharz]

Dark Knight Returns and Hush are by far my two favorite.

[Downfall]

Knightsend (if only because I thought it was awesome seeing the real Batman beat the crap out of that weirdo Jean Paul...), Dark Knight Returns (NOT DK2, however), and Hush.

Runners up in no particular order are As the Crow Flies, Death in the Family and Arkham Asylum.

[Adam Chapman]

I forgot about The Killing Joke... that's a damn good one. And A Lonely Place of Dying

[GreenLantern]

I like Killing Joke also. that would have made a good short film is done properly.

P.S - what does it mean to be a sticky?

[Adam Chapman]

A sticky means that the Mod for this forum has stuck this thread, so that it appears at the very top of all the other threads in the forum, regardless of when the last poster posted. :D

[GreenLantern]

oh...... Mwahahahahahahaha, finally I have blinded you all with the emerald light that flows from the ring on my finger!

and the first 4 issue arc of Superman/Batman wasn't all that bad either

[S.A. Parvaze]

I forgot about The Killing Joke... that's a damn good one.Ah, I knew that I had forgotten something.

[GreenLantern]

those clown midgets that were with Joker were pretty creepy looking

[DocDoom]

Killing Joke!! Or course!, that's my number 3, so it would end up like this

1.Year One
2.DKR
3.Killing Joke
4.Long Halloween
5.JLA :NWO (The first morrison issues)
6.JLA Rock of Ages
7.Arkham Asylum

and so many more.....

[Blake Petit]

Wow, this is harder than I thought it'd be. I'd probably say...

1. Long Halloween
2. Killing Joke
3. No Man's Land
4. Dark Knight Returns
5. Hush

But that list is variable, depending on my mood at the time.

[Bigby Wolf]

Year One
Tower of Babel
Hush

I have yet to read DKR or Killing Joke, I still have quite a bit of Batman stories to catch up on.

[GreenLantern]

how about yours GL?

lol, sorry doom i got that mixed in with your signature, mines is

Note: these are a list of ones I like, the order doesnt mean least favorite to most favorite ( I'm not good at that kinda thing anyway)

1) Killing Joke
2) Death in the Family
3) Superman/Batman 1-4
4) DKR
5) Worlds Finest ( I dunno which number it was though)

[DocDoom]

I definetely have to reread SupesBats 1-4, i hear a lot of people reference it, but all i remember is my letdown for that arc, i mean, it was ok, but nowhere near a top 5, or 20.....
I'll get back to you

[Blake Petit]

Superman/Batman would definitely be in MY top five... if we were talking about Superman stories. ;)

Superman/Batman on the whole is more of a Superman book or a DCU book than a Batman book, though.

[GreenLantern]

ah well, I liked Bats in it. ( Possible Spoiler!!!) the way batman was about to bark on superman? that would have been funny and that future superman beat the crap out of both of them (mainly, supes but what else is new) (Possible Spoiler End)

and it was a 4 issue arc right? i'm not so sure now...

[Blake Petit]

Actually, it was 6 issues. ;)

And I like Batman in it too, don't get me wrong. I'm just saying that, ultimately, the stories in that title haven't been about him, they've been about Superman, with Batman there as support and back-up.

[Magnus2k]

1. Long Halloween
2. Hush
3. Dark Knight Returns
4. Dark Victory
5. No Mans Land (All of it)
6. Killing Joke
7. Death in the family

[GreenLantern]

Alot of people like Long halloween too. I gotta read that. But Batman looks like Bane streched is head out and squeezed the area above his upper lip. But Mad Hatter looks cool. The Joker's head is also exceptionally long (makes you wonder how he opens his mouth)

[Adam Chapman]

I just read a pretty great Batman story, although technically it features the Golden Age Batman from Earth-2 pre-crisis. It was "The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne" from Brave and the Bold #197 from 1983. A fantastic story, about Batman fighting Scarecrow, and because of the fear gas, believing he's lost Batwoman, Robin, Alfred, the Kents, Gordon, everyone close to him, so he convinces Selina Kyle to come out of jail and work with him as Catwoman, to bring down Crane, and in the process opens himself up to her, and her to him, and the two fall in love. The story is campy, yet revealing, and ultimately emotional. A very interesting story.

[GreenLantern]

OOOOh, I get it...... Huntress is Batman'sdaughter on Earth - 2 right? I guess there telling you how they managed to get together to have her.

[Blake Petit]

I've read that one too, Adam -- it was in the "Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told" TPB. Very good, that one.

[GreenLantern]

Anyone know that Batman story where he saves Ra's life and in exchange Ra's gives him the chance to talk with his parents? If you have what did they about Bruce as Batman and Bruce about bruce in general?

P.S - I'm not sure if it's part of the main continuity, but I doubt it is.

[S.A. Parvaze]

Anyone know that Batman story where he saves Ra's life and in exchange Ra's gives him the chance to talk with his parents? If you have what did they about Bruce as Batman and Bruce about bruce in general?

P.S - I'm not sure if it's part of the main continuity, but I doubt it is.It was Batman: Death and the Maidens, and it's supposed to be in continuity though I don't know where any of its effects have played out yet.

As for what his parents said, they were basically disappointed in his career path, wanting him to do something better with his life, but they still believed in his power to do good.

[Blake Petit]

Well, the fact that Ra's al Ghul is dead has been frequently referenced in continuity...

[S.A. Parvaze]

Well, there is that. But Nyssa herself hasn't shown on the scene yet.

[GreenLantern]

they were basically disappointed in his career path, wanting him to do something better with his life, but they still believed in his power to do good.

.........ouch..........all that to get that from his parents..... geez they should be appreciative that he even did that for them but still......well, at least they commented him

[Blake Petit]

I didn't read it quite the way that S.A. did -- It wasn't exactly that they disapproved of him becoming Batman, it was the fact that Bruce Wayne was essentially destroyed in the process that hurt them. That he had no life outside of the costume.

[GreenLantern]

You mean read his reply differently? or the book?

[Blake Petit]

I meant the book -- I think I took something different away from it than he did.

[GreenLantern]

What is the message/moral/lesson you took away from the book?

[Blake Petit]

Just what I said in the white text in my other post. :LOL:

[GreenLantern]

Oh, Lol :LOL: - just realized there was white text there!

[Mark Blicharz]

That was a good story as well. I read it the same way Blake did.

[ForeverZeroV1]

killing joke and year one are at the top for me

[GreenLantern]

it was the fact that Bruce Wayne was essentially destroyed in the process that hurt them. That he had no life outside of the costume.

- not like they were lying, he even pretends to be Bruce Wayne and even considered being Batman full-time and letting go of his Bruce Wayne Persona for good!

But you can't blame him, he believes bruce to be his weaker side that was unable to protect his parent's in their time of need.

So in other words Batman is kinda disturbed......but I know you knew that

[S.A. Parvaze]

I didn't read it quite the way that S.A. did -- It wasn't exactly that they disapproved of him becoming Batman, it was the fact that Bruce Wayne was essentially destroyed in the process that hurt them. That he had no life outside of the costume.
Poor word choice on my part. I was shooting for something closer to your description. :o

[Jimmy-San]

Tie between The Killing Joke, Hush, and The Long Halloween.

[demon]

1) Hush
2) Bruce Wayne: Fugitive- come on guys wheres the love?
3) Batman/Superman: Public Enemies
4) Tower of Babel
5) War Games

[GreenLantern]

1) Hush
2) Bruce Wayne: Fugitive- come on guys wheres the love?
3) Batman/Superman: Public Enemies
4) Tower of Babel
5) War Games

oh yeah, Bruce Wayne: Fugitive......

I know! where's the love! :D

[toastmeister]

Batman books make up a large part of my collection...
1.Dark Knight Returns
2.Year One
3.Long Halloween
4.Dark Victory
5.Killing Joke
6.Volume One of Neal Adams Batman(it cost me so much...)
7.Hush
8.Gotham By Gaslight
9.Blind Justice
10.Family Reunion(I'm sorry, but that was an amazing story)

I couldn't believe how cripplingly good Long Halloween was when I read it. Such an amazing story, full of tension and completely noir-ish. Dark Victory lost some of the charm, but was still an amazing read.

[thetrooper516]

1. Hush
2. Killing Joke
3. Year One

[Cardiac]

Am I the only one who thinks DKR is over-rated? Yes, it's a good story, but it's a crap Batman story. Batman using guns, going mental, Superman wildly out of character, etc. It's a great story, but it's not a good Batman story at all. It's a fun elseworlds triviality at best.

[GreenLantern]

True, but at the time it was great because batman was a goody-two-shoes boy scout. It kinda brought him to his dark roots but your right though.

[toastmeister]

Am I the only one who thinks DKR is over-rated? Yes, it's a good story, but it's a crap Batman story. Batman using guns, going mental, Superman wildly out of character, etc. It's a great story, but it's not a good Batman story at all. It's a fun elseworlds triviality at best.
I sort of agree with you, but I think the sheer psychology of the character lifted it above normal boundaries. Plus its darned exciting.

[DocDoom]

You want to talk about overrated bat stories..

I think Hush has no flow or rithym, it was a huge let down, pretty art though, but i expected more from Loeb, who did one of my fave batstories, Long Halloween..

[Arrrggghhh]

1.) Batman: Year One - this series is Miller's best work in my eyes. (Very close is his Daredevil run)
2.) Killing Joke - Visually, one of the few comics that has branded several images into my head. Chilling . . .
3.) Best run in a Batman series (other then #1 above): Detective Comics #471-#476
This had it all -- Deadshot, Joker Fish, Penguin, Hugo Strange . . . all with the terrific art style of Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin.
4.) Batman #251 “The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge.” Not only my favorite Batman cover by Neal Adams - but O'Neal made the Joker deadly. This issue was a turning point of making the Joker more of the killer he is today, then just an annoying prankster.
5.) Best Elsewhere Batman Story: Red Rain

Arrrggghhh!

[Arrrggghhh]

2) Bruce Wayne: Fugitive- come on guys wheres the love?
You know, I did enjoy that storyline. The murder mystery was well done. But to me, this wasn't really a Batman story . . . the star of that story was Sasha. She was the one who sacrificed: keeping his ID secret, doing time, "dying" . . . and it's so great to see her continue on in the Omac-related series.
(I just hope she doesn't die . . . it would be so annoying to have her die after everyone already thought she was dead!)

Arrrggghhh!

[Sogolan-Man]

I haven't been reading Batman that much but loved it in my younger days!

Son of a Demon
Arkham Asylum
Full Circle
Batman Vs Predator(1st one, the rest were pants)

[Kevin Reeves]

#1. The Breaking of the Bat story that was sparked in the Venom mini-series & went on through the end of Knightfall, culminating in Bruce's back being broken.
#2. No Man's Land.
#3. the story that arced from Contagion through Legacy.
#4. Batman: The Long Halloween.
#5. Batman: Family mini-series.
#6. the story that arced from Bruce Wayne: Murderer through Bruce Wayne: Fugitive.
#7. Arkham Asylum.
#8. Mudpack story concerning Looker from the Outsiders & all versions of each Clayface...featuring Clayface's classic first performance as a guilt-trip-dishing Jason Todd ghost.
#9. Brotherhood of the Monkey story concerning Green Arrow & various tiers of martial arts students including the Paper Monkey.
#10. Dark Night, Dark City story concerning flashbacks to early colonial Gothame, an evil bat-demon cult, and a possessed Riddler's involvement in bloody rituals & corpse dancing.

[Gabriel Sosa]

No Man's Land.
War Games.
are my favorite big crossovers.
Kevin did mention two great stories: the mudpack and Dark Knight, Dark City, awesome ones.
And Cardiac you are not alone, I do believe DKR is over rated, I mean it is good but not groundbreaking.

[Lizard Man]

DKR, Killing Joke, Year One

Am I the only one who thinks DKR is over-rated? Yes, it's a good story, but it's a crap Batman story. Batman using guns, going mental, Superman wildly out of character, etc. It's a great story, but it's not a good Batman story at all. It's a fun elseworlds triviality at best.

You have to take into account that in the era it was first published most people still thought of Batman as Adam West. This was bringing back the hardcore Batman.

I don't think Superman was wildly out of character. DKR was set in the future and it is explained that Supes sold out because that was the only way he could continue being Superman and making a difference. That would definately change his outlook on things. At the end when he realises that Bruce is still alive he doesn't give him up.

[Justin Byrd]

DKR because it changed the Bat back to being dark again. I agree that Superman was out of character, but it's believeable what he was doing because he was protecting everyone else's identity in turn for his servitude. He redeemed himself in the end though.

Year One, nuff said.

Long Halloween/Dark Victory, nuff said.

Killing Joke, nuff said.

[Gabriel Diaz]

No Man's Land
War Games
DKR
Long Halloween/Dark Victory

Knightfall (at least until Jean Paul Valley took over the mantel)

[tomb rocket]

Dark Knight Returns
Year One
Killing Joke
The Cult
The Long Halloween
Year Two
Hush
Dark Knight, Dark City (don't think anyone's mentioned this one yet)
Son of the Demon

[LeatherWings]

The Long Halloween.

Nothing beats it and nothing ever will, besides maybe it sequel Dark Victory, but yeah those two are the best. DKR was mediocre, and Year One was too Gordon(but Year One was good, just nowhere near as good as those)

Man if only Loeb could write some more Batman, well he did write Hush, and Hush was good, but man these two just take the cake.

PS Buy your Dark Victory shirts NOW!!!

EDIT=Face it folks, Miller's just not suited for writing Batman, he's good, but every Bat book he does he has to mess with continuity and make it to elseworldish. Now Daredevil, yeah no one beats Miller's Daredevil.

[Justin Byrd]

The Long Halloween.

Nothing beats it and nothing ever will, besides maybe it sequel Dark Victory, but yeah those two are the best. DKR was mediocre, and Year One was too Gordon(but Year One was good, just nowhere near as good as those)

Man if only Loeb could write some more Batman, well he did write Hush, and Hush was good, but man these two just take the cake.

PS Buy your Dark Victory shirts NOW!!!

EDIT=Face it folks, Miller's just not suited for writing Batman, he's good, but every Bat book he does he has to mess with continuity and make it to elseworldish. Now Daredevil, yeah no one beats Miller's Daredevil.
DKR is good based on that it was the thing that destroyed the Adam West era and replaced it with the Dark Knight era, he became a cool, scary character again.

Year One was great because of Gordon...it was the dichotomy between the two men, how they came into town differently, how they fought for the same goal differently, and in the end how they came together as a pair. I thought finding out that Gordon was such a badass (beating down Flass was a favorite scene of mine) brought great depth to the character.

[LeatherWings]

Um the first few comics written by Bill Finger were just as cartoony as say Denny O'Neil's 70's. DKR made Batman dark, but it hardly stopped the Adam West era, that happened a decade before.

Year One was good I said that, but compared to Long Halloween it just doesn't look so good when you compare them.

But yeah DKR was...well when I watch Legends of the Dark Knight ep on Volume 4 of B:TAS(TNBA actually) I laugh at how in a way they make fun of DKR, I mean DKR is cool at first where Batman is nomore he's just a normal guy, then he puts on the cape and becomes Rambo. I mean come on Batman's not evil like that.

But yeah in a sense its Miller's fault for the way the Bat books are right now(aka crappy) but yes Year One was good, maybe great, bur DKR, gets over-credited, sure the whole Joker fight and Superman fight are cool, but I mean they coulda been way cooler if they were better written. I mean DKR wasn't crap, I'm not saying that, but its hardly worthy of so much praise, and it hardly brought Batman back from nananananananananaBATMAN!!!

Still I'll never forgive Miller for what he did in DKSA, I litterally through the book at my window when I got to Joker Grayson, fortunately it missed hit the banister underneath, then I read the rest and thankfully didn't throw it at the window again, for the window's sake, instead I opened the window up and then threw it out the window, I almost hit my neighbor's window in my rage, but instead it fell in their yard, and got ran over by a lawn mower...okay so maybe that didn't happen, but I pictured it in my mind by the time I got to the chapter with the 60 year old/16 year old loving.

But yeah basically if DKR had had a WAY WAY WAY better sequel it could've got more credit, but DKSA just brings down all those little cool hints Miller throws in DKR.

[Arsenal7]

Long Halloween- far and away my fave. One I can pick up once a year and see something new everytime;

Dark Victory- not as good, but still pretty amazing;

Hush- first eleven issues;

No Man's Land- the tail end in particular I thought was really good, once it was pretty much all Rucka at work;

Brubaker's Chameleon story that ran roughly opposite Hush was a really good mystery for me.

[Nick Vandergrift]

Tales of the dark knight by frank miller, was soooooo damn good

[GreenLantern]

Anyone know that batman story where batman is defending the Joker in court so joker doesn't get the death penalty by proving to the court he is insane?

[Jim Wright]

Man I feel old, one of my favorite Batman stories was during the O'Neill/Adams era...Batman's in pursuit when he comes across this sideshow whose performers don't trust him all that much...
I can't remember the issue number specifically, but I do remember this one kid was a seal boy...

They later took this story and put Croc in it and made it an episode of the animated series.

[GreenLantern]

Man I feel old, one of my favorite Batman stories was during the O'Neill/Adams era...Batman's in pursuit when he comes across this sideshow whose performers don't trust him all that much...
I can't remember the issue number specifically, but I do remember this one kid was a seal boy...

They later took this story and put Croc in it and made it an episode of the animated series.

Was it DETECTIVE COMICS #410?

[Nick Vandergrift]

Did this event have something to do with robin also or no?

[GreenLantern]

Check #410 on this (http://www.nealadams.com/detectcomics.html) (is that it?)

[Jim Wright]

That's it Detective Comics #410..thanks GL :)

All those covers bring me back to my days as a kid going to the flea market with my mom and finding all kinds of comics for cheap...

[erichssf]

Favorite Batman story:
Hush
(that is having to pick one)

Now if the plots of the movies are included, I would say the story involved in Batman Begins.

[loganalpha75]

I have not read a lot of Batman. Looks like Dark Knight Returns is a must read. I will probably pick it up at Barnes and Noble or just read it there because funds are a bit low right now.

[Sasquatch]

killing joke, bar none

[jonsnow]

Story-wise nothing comes even close to The Long Halloween. Art wise (concerning runs on Batman) there is no one in the same stratosphere as Jim Lee, so Hush. The only exception to that rule is Tim Sale's Joker, which is just sweet.

[mcilroga]

Easy, Year One. It was my very first Batman GN, and it got me into the Batman franchise, and for that I give it gratitude. I also like The Dark Knight Returns, Arkham Asylum, and of course... The Killing Joke.

[Mathew Smith]

Batman vs Predator

The first one I think, where the Predator goes after the Boxer guy(?!)

That blew me away, the art was perfect the storyline was great and seeing Batman getting busted up and having to use armour OH and seeing Alfred with the Blunderbuss, reminding us all that he's much more than just a Butler.

[Sogolan-Man]

Batman vs Predator

The first one I think, where the Predator goes after the Boxer guy(?!)

That blew me away, the art was perfect the storyline was great and seeing Batman getting busted up and having to use armour OH and seeing Alfred with the Blunderbuss, reminding us all that he's much more than just a Butler.


I love that book. It is a great depiction of Alfred!
BvP 2 was rubbish but BvP 3 was good.

My choices in no perticular order.

BvP
Son of a demon
Full Circle
the one after NightsEnd when Dick took the Mantle
Nightfall

[Tanjint]

tales of the DK by frank miller? is this in a compilation of some kind? or is it that Batman/santa story or what? Seriously, I have to know.

My list?

1.DKR-The way I see it, and this is just me: It's cool to say that this book isn't the best, the same way it's cool to say Conor Oberst is better than Bob Dylan you know? People are just tired of seeing 'em on top, but there's a reason more than the anti-adam west factor. This story gives fans so much that they had never gotten to see in so many ways. Stories like Hush and Batman/Superman(as we know them) wouldn't exist if not for DKR.
2.The Killing Joke-A heartbreaking work of staggering genius. A truly stunning piece of art.
3.Hush-Addictive, enjoyable, well made: The perfect drug.
4.Year One-I wish this was 6 ish instead of 4. So good.

-T

[Steelysam]

1. Knightfall - Dance with the one that brung ya. Before Knightfall, I was almost exclusive to Marvel. I saw one ad in the Death of Superman, and I never looked back.
2. Year One. 'Nuff Said.
3. The Long Halloween. Still one of the best mysteries I've ever picked up.
4. Tower of Babel. I know, it's a justice league story, that doesn't make it any less cool.
5. Fugitive. It really made you appreciate Bruce Wayne.
6. Cateclysm
7. Wargames

Honorable mention - Dark Knight 1 & 2.

[Slade Wilson]

The Killing Joke is hard to beat for me. I also really liked Broken City by Brian Azzarello from a few years back. But, I think I might be the only one.

:D

[swerv]

I definitely agree with the general consensus being shown here;


Year One
The Killing Joke
The Long Halloween & Dark Victory
Arkham Asylum
Knightfall & Knights End
DKR etc etc


But out of my Batman GN collection the ones I've probably read the most are shorter and less conventional stories like;


Venom
Gotham by Gaslight
Batman: Aliens
and even Batman & Dracula: Red Rain


My favourite would probably have to be Venom.

[Morbius]

I hav only read Batman since 1 year ago, so so... I gotta say the best story from Batman I've ever read is the Hush saga...

I bought the War Crimes TPB and I didn't understand it very well, maybe I'll have to read it again...

I also liked so much the stories from Batman Bloodstorm and Batman Red Rain of elseworlds... too damn good...

I also posses "A death in the family" TPB but I'm afraid of read it, the time I tried to start reading it my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer... :no: :no: :no:

[Jabs]

I like a lot of them lol. I can't pick my favourite. So in no particular order:

Hush
Knightfall
Year One
Killing Joke
No Man's Land

The list could go on and on lol.

[Terry Verticchio]

DKR
Year One
Killing Joke
Arkham Asylum

...classics

[virtuadept]

I haven't really read a whole lot of Batman stories yet but of the ones I have read, I would say The Dark Knight Returns is my favorite. I also think Dini's Detective Comics of recent times is top notch. Some of the ones mentioned really didn't do it for me. For example, I thought Hush was stupid.

[Morbius]

I haven't really read a whole lot of Batman stories yet but of the ones I have read, I would say The Dark Knight Returns is my favorite. I also think Dini's Detective Comics of recent times is top notch. Some of the ones mentioned really didn't do it for me. For example, I thought Hush was stupid.

WTF??? Hush stupid??? what a masterpiece man... you can't be serious...

[virtuadept]

It had great art but I was highly disappointed with the ending. Definitely did not satisfy like TDKR did.

[Mark Blicharz]

My favorite? The Killing Joke. My least favorite? The Dark Knight Returns.

[WhereIsTony]

Once there was a great war between the beasts and the birds. Bat was on the birds' side. In the first battle, the birds were badly beaten. As soon as Bat saw that the battle was going against them, he crept away, hid under a log, and stayed there until the fight was over.

When the animals were going home. Bat slipped in among them.

After they had gone some distance, they saw him and asked one another: "How is this? Bat is one of those that fought against us!"

Bat heard them and he said: "Oh, no! I am one of you; I don't belong to the bird people. Did you ever see one of those people who had teeth and hair? You can say that I belong to the bird people, but I don't; I am one of your own people."

They didn't say anything more; they let Bat stay with them.

Soon after, there was another battle; in that battle birds won. As Bat's side was getting beaten, he slipped away and hid under a log. When the battle was over and birds were going home, Bat went in among them.

When they noticed him, they said: "You are our enemy; we saw you fighting against us."

"Oh, no," said Bat, "I am one of you; I don't belong to those beasts. Did you ever see one of those people who had wings?"

They didn't say anything more; they let him stay with them.

So Bat went back and forth as long as the war lasted. At the end of the war, birds and beasts held a council to see what to do with him. At last they said to Bat, "From now on, you will fly around alone at night, and you will never have any friends, either among those that fly, or those that walk."

[WhereIsTony]

The bat feeling lonely said, can I have an under aged boy to fight crime with.

and they said sure take the robin, his gaudiness offends us.

and so a legend was born.

[Morbius]

Good story Tony, excellent tale...

[Joker]

Batman:The Killing Joke