10 Best Batman Comics To Read Right NOW

Summary

• Gotham By Gaslight and The Kryptonian Age expand the Elseworlds imprint with steampunk Batman.
• Chip Zdarsky’s “Failsafe” arc explores Batman’s contingency plans and modern lore.
• Ram V’s Detective Comics introduces supernatural horror to Batman’s realm.

As DC Comics’ best-selling character and flagship property, Batman is never short on action-packed and entertaining stories for audiences to enjoy. From classic tales like The Dark Knight Returns to modern icons like “The Court of Owls,” the hero consistently stars in some of the best superhero comics in print.

That also means readers of current Batman comics are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding a great story, from Elseworlds books to in-continuity arcs. For people getting into the character, or for those who want to branch out and explore his best new tales, the recent years have plenty of places to start. With all-star creative teams, fresh angles on the hero and stellar art, these books are the best Batman comics to start reading now.

10 Gotham By Gaslight: The Kryptonian Age

Andy Diggle & Leandro Fernandez

When the first Gotham By Gaslight story released (by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola), it became the face of the Elseworlds imprint. Translating Batman into the Victorian Era with a steampunk makeover, the book had the hero pursue Jack the Ripper. In 2024, readers have finally been given a miniseries sequel, The Kryptonian Age.

The Kryptonian Age expands the world of Gotham By Gaslight, bringing more of Batman’s supporting cast and relationships into the fold. With DC relaunching Elseworlds, this miniseries is a perfect return to form, and satisfies readers who enjoy seeing the Caped Crusader cast in period pieces that challenge his regular depictions.

9 Batman: Failsafe

Chip Zdarsky & Jorge Jimenez

After the conclusion to his popular run on Daredevil, Chip Zdarsky made the highly-anticipated jump to Batman, where he kicked off his tenure with the “Failsafe” arc. Revisting the seminal “Tower of Babel” story, which explored the hero’s contingency plans, the story follows his battle with Failsafe, a machine he designed to take him down should he ever murder someone.

The “Failsafe” story dives deep into modern Batman lore, returning him to his “back-up personality” of Zur-en-Arrh to elude his enemy. For a jumping on point, Zdarsky’s first arc is a great action-heavy story that picks up on some of the threads left by Grant Morrison’s own tenure on the book.

8 Flashpoint Beyond

Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, Tim Sheridan & Xermanico

In 2011, DC Comics rebooted their universe to the New 52, in the aftermath of Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert’s Flashpoint event, which saw Barry Allen fighting to undo changes to the timeline. Here, readers were introduced to Thomas Wayne’s “Flashpoint Batman,” a grimdark version of the Caped Crusader who was closer to the Punisher than Bruce Wayne. After making his way to the regular timeline and joining the Justice League Incarnate, Thomas returned to the Flashpoint timeline.

Flashpoint Beyond follows Thomas Wayne in a now-restored Flashpoint timeline, where he’s the only one who recalls its destruction. There, he tracks down a mysterious serial killer, the Clockwork Killer, and seeks answers behind his world, taking in an orphaned Dexter Dent as his new Robin.

7 Batman: The Adventures Continue

Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Ty Templeton & Jordan Gibson

To say that Batman: The Animated Series remains one of the finest pieces of Batman media of all time would undersell the show’s enduring popularity. DC has returned to this continuity several times, but the ongoing Batman: The Adventures Continue is the best follow-up to the animated continuity.

Batman: The Adventures Continue brings the show’s original continuity in line with DC history since the series ended, including recent creations like the Court of Owls. Drawn in the style of the series, the title explored everything from Deathstroke’s new apprentice and classic DCAU villains like Roxy Rocket to revisiting the iconic friendship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.

6 Bat-Man: First Knight

Dan Jurgens & Mike Perkins

Batman’s Golden Age history has been explored by modern creators in several books, but Dan Jurgens and Mike Perkins’ Bat-Man: First Knight stands out among the best. Taking readers back to the late 1930s, the story follows a Noir-themed Caped Crusader near the start of his career as he solves a slew of murders while Gotham’s society fractures.

Bat-Man: First Knight is one of the best Golden Age-themed comics since New Frontier, casting the hero in a true detective story with psychological and murderous threats. The miniseries showcases some phenomenal action sequences and odes to the early days of Detective Comics, sending the hero against a new villain: The Voice. For those who want a look back at both the Golden Age and a very different take on Batman, this is the ideal title.

5 Batman: Last Knight On Earth

Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo

In 2011, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo took over the main Batman title at the launch of the New 52, beginning with the instant hit “Court of Owls” story. The pair took Bruce Wayne through some of his best modern stories, such as “Endgame” and “Zero Year.” In Detective Comics #27, they wrote a story that teased the true legacy of the hero as one to be continued on through cloning, a story finally wrapped up in Last Knight On Earth.

The Last Knight On Earth follows a young Bruce Wayne clone in the aftermath of the end of the world, as he sets off across the wasteland to discover how the world ended. With the disembodied head of Joker at his side, he fights his way to Gotham, where he learns a devastating truth. The story serves as the conclusion to Snyder and Capullo’s Batman, and is a key story for New 52 fans.

4 Ram V’s Detective Comics

Ram V, Rafael Albuquerque, Ivan Reis, Dexter Soy, Stefano Raffaele, Riccardo Federici & Dustin Nguyen

The main Detective Comics series has played host to some of the best Batman arcs in the hero’s history, and Ram V’s tenure on the book has been no different. Beginning in Issue #1062, the writer has led the Caped Crusader into the realm of supernatural horror, pitting him against demons who plot to rid Gotham City of the memory of their hero.

Ram V’s Detective Comics run has been a unique take on the book for the modern era, with its numerous artists giving Gotham an eerie, almost psychedelic feeling at times. For readers who enjoy the weirder, darker side of Batman, this is the best current title they can jump into, and recently opened a new chapter in the hero’s ethos.

3 Batman and Joker: Deadly Duo

Marc Silvestri

Batman and Joker: Deadly Duo follows in the footsteps of stories like Batman: Europa in casting the hero and villain as uneasy allies on a road trip. The story begins when a mysterious villain kidnaps Jim Gordon and Harley Quinn, forcing the team-up as The Dark Knight and Clown Prince of Crime share a common enemy — who has it out for them both.

Deadly Duo was one of the longest-awaited comics in DC history, with Marc Silvestri long teasing a Batman story that finally came to fruition in 2022. Both in story and art, it stands out as one of the best Black Label comics to date, and offers up a fun, self-contained examination of the impact of the hero and villain’s rivalry in Gotham.

2 The Batman: White Knight Universe

Sean Gordon Murphy & Matt Hollingsworth

Batman: White Knight begins when, after the latest fight with Joker, the Caped Crusader forces a fistful of anti-psychotic pills down his enemy’s throat, turning him sane. Reverting to his old personality of Jack Napier, the reformed villain launches a run for public office — and makes bringing down Batman his signature campaign pledge. However, as the meds begin to wear off, the Joker’s influence returns, forcing Bruce into an impossible situation.

Batman: White Knight has become one of the most successful Elseworlds universes at DC, spawning three core titles as well as one-shots and spin-off books. Under Sean Gordon Murphy, the entire Gotham mythos has been reimagined in a genuinely unique and fresh way, blending political thriller, murder mystery and cape and cowl adventure.

1 Batman/Superman: World’s Finest

Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Travis Moore & Travis Mercer

Since the 1950s, World’s Finest has been the home of arguably the best friendship in comics, Batman and Superman. With a more Silver Age-inspired tone, the series has followed the heroes from their battle against the Devil Nezha to their return to Kingdom Come and a fight against Mr Mxyzptlk.

While not strictly a Batman title, World’s Finest holds a special place for The Dark Knight’s current stories. Not only has it revisited key DC stories like Kingdom Come, it also casts the character in brighter tales, giving readers a break from the grim and gritty nature of regular Bat-books. With a revolving door of guest star characters and returns to DC history, this comic is arguably the best in print today.