The Four Most Underrated Batman Stories

With 75 years of history and by virtue of being the most popular Pop Culture character of all time, there are a hell of a lot of great Batman tales out there. From comics to animation to movies, great Batman storytelling spans all media. While most people know the hits, there are plenty of stories that have fallen through the cracks. Here’s a short list of what I consider to be the most underrated Bat-tales of all time.

"First up, one of my all time favs: Batman: Gothic. Written by the illustrious Grant Morrison (awesome early Grant Morrison) and drawn by the iconic Klaus Janson, Gothic is a dark, daring story spanning centuries. In it Bruce tracks a brutal killer who was granted near immortality in a deal with the devil. The book flashes back to both the murderous Mr. Whisper’s atrocities and a terrifying and disturbing event from Bruce’s childhood. The story is moody and dark, dealing with the nature of true evil. I honestly think of it as one of the few genuinely scary books I’ve ever read about the Caped Crusader. The ending is a bit disappointing, but the overall concept and masterfully crafted tone carry the book pretty far. I recommend it for anyone who wants an atypical Batman story and a cool, creepy comic."

"Batman: The Animated Series is one of the best incarnations of the Dark Knight of all time. Modeled after the old Max Fleischer Superman cartoons, the epic cartoon series defined Batman for an entire generation. Arguably even more so than Tim Burton’s 1989 film. While there were dozens of episodes I could include on this list, I thought we’d focus on one that most people may not remember. It’s called Almost Got ‘Im and it revolves around a poker game being played by Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery. Each one tries to one-up the others with tales of how they almost defeated Bats but were foiled in the end. The episode is fun and funny without silly or campy, it plays on the mythological gestalt of Batman, and it’s got a great twist ending. A classic and not well known example of just how brilliant that series was."

"While technically not an episode of the series, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is part of that universe’s continuity. Think of it as Batman: The Animated Series: The Movie. Phantasm is a full-length theatrical release from the brain trust of TAS, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm and should be mentioned in the same breath as its live-action brethren. In it we flash back to Bruce’s early days of crime fighting as he tracks an enemy who is killing off mobsters tied to a single event is the past. Not only that, but we explore the rarely seen love life of Bruce Wayne (that doesn’t include Catwoman). The film treats the characters in a pure and classic way that always rings true, far more so than most of the live-action films. Hell, until the Nolan era films, I thought Phantasm to be the best Batman film ever on screen."

"Bruce Wayne: Murderer? is the book that got me back into comics after high school. It’s a fantastic story-arc that felt fresh, new and shone the spotlight on the twisted psyche of The Dark Knight. In it Bruce Wayne finds the murdered body of his girlfriend in Wayne Manor just as police arrive to respond to her 911 call. He’s charged with her death by GCPD and imprisoned, only to escape in an attempt to ‘investigate’ the incident. He pushes the Bat-family away and refuses their help, leading Robin and Nightwing to question whether Bruce might have killed her to keep his identity secret. It’s a gripping crime drama and honestly makes you question just how far Batman would go in his mission. The confrontation between Bruce and Nightwing in the Batcave nearly brought me to tears and I’ve been re-hooked ever since. The arc includes these issues but can also be read in trade paperback form.Bruce Wayne: Murderer?:Prelude: Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure #1Part 1: Detective Comics #766Part 2: Batgirl #24Part 3: Nightwing #65Part 4: Gotham Knights #25Part 5: Birds of Prey #39Part 6: Robin #98Part 7: Batman #599Part 8: Detective Comics #767Part 9: Nightwing #66Part 10: Gotham Knights #26Part 11: Robin #99Part 12: Birds of Prey #40Bruce Wayne: Fugitive:Part 1: Batman #600Part 2: Birds of Prey #41Part 3: Batman #601Part 4: Detective Comics #769Part 5: Batgirl #27Part 6: Nightwing #68Part 7: Gotham Knights #28Part 8: Detective Comics #770Part 9: Nightwing #69Part 10: Birds of Prey #43Part 11: Batman #603Part 12: Detective Comics #771Part 13: Batgirl #29Part 14: Gotham Knights #30Part 15: Azrael #91Part 16: Detective Comics #772Part 17: Gotham Knights #31Part 18: Batman #605"

Well, that’s my list, Bat-fans. Feel free to comment if you have more to add.