As one of the oldest superheroes, with his comic book premiere dating to 1939, Batman has amassed hundreds of storylines over the decades. As such, those who watched the live-action or animated Batman movies and would like to start reading the comics as well might not know where to begin. The sheer number of Batman comic book storylines available might seem intimidating for the beginner reader.
The good news is that even among all the more or less popular storylines, some of them stand out thanks to their quality and suitability for those previously unfamiliar with Batman's comic books. The best must-read Batman storylines for beginners help the readers to understand the character better, and introduce them to Batman's complex and fun world.
5 Year One
Frank Miller's Year One is easily one of the most iconic Batman comics. What's more, it's an ideal read for those who aren't familiar with Batman's comic book adventures and want to know what Batman's superhero beginnings looked like. In his first year of being a superhero, Bruce is still finding himself and makes more mistakes than later on. That offers a refreshing take on the concept of a seemingly unstoppable superhero that so often appears in other comics.
Year One gives the readers the chance to get to know another popular character closely associated with Batman - James Gordon. Even though one is a vigilante and one works for the police, both of them are fighting crime, albeit differently. As a result, Year One not only succeeds at introducing Batman and Gordon but also manages to highlight the similarities and differences between the two men.
4 Earth One
Similar to Year One, Batman: Earth One written by Geoff Johns chronicles Batman's earlier superhero days. Unlike other comics, this storyline puts emphasis on Batman's detective skills, making for a refreshing change as opposed to comics focused on action. Other than that, Batman also works on building the tools and resources necessary for his superhero activity.
However, the majority of the story is focused on Batman and James Gordon trying to find a serial killer. As such, the comic book manages to combine the heroes' characterization with a crime mystery that keeps the audience hooked, regardless of whether they read a Batman comic book before or not.
3 The Long Halloween
Since The Long Halloween takes place shortly after the events of Year One, it's a good way for beginner readers how to learn more information about Batman's early superhero days. In this comic book storyline, Batman is trying to solve murders happening over the course of one year, always during holidays. During his investigation, he comes across multiple iconic villains which serve as their introduction. The comic book also offers a more detailed look into Gotham's criminal underworld, with multiple influential people fighting for power.
Despite the larger number of characters, it's easy to recognize who's who and what they want, as long as the reader is paying close attention to the storyline and isn't just skimming through the book. As a whole, The Long Halloween works as an excellent origin story for multiple characters, not just Batman himself. What's more, it helps to understand why Batman is called a detective, since the focus here lies as much on investigating the crimes as it does on Batman fighting his opponents.
2 The Court Of Owls
Considering its prominence in the comics, it's surprising to learn that the Court of Owls is a relatively new villainous group, having first appeared only in 2012. In the series beginning with this book, Scott Snyder introduces the mysterious Court of Owls that are controlling Gotham from the shadows, making sure that everybody who could present trouble for them dies. Since it's a start of a new series, it takes care to introduce both the main character and the city of Gotham itself.
What's more, since the storyline primarily works with a new villain, and not an established one, such as Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, or the Joker, the readers are in the same starting position as Batman who learns new information about the Court of Owls at the same pace as they do.
1 Superman & Batman: Generations
Anybody who only saw Superman and Batman interact in the DCEU might mistakenly believe that the two superheroes aren't so close. The opposite is the truth. Superman and Batman have a long and complicated shared history in the comics. Getting into their friendship can present a challenge, however, Superman & Batman: Generations is a good place to start.
Unlike in other comics, the characters age in this one, which allows exploring Batman's friendship with Superman over multiple decades. The readers can not only see why the two become friends but also get to understand the deeper nuances of their relationship. Since the comic book spends so much time establishing the heroes' characters, it's easy to understand where they're coming from even for those who haven't read a single comic book about Superman or Batman before.