10 Essential Batman Stories For New Readers

10. The Court Of Owls

The New 52 might be dead and buried, but the first story arc by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo that reintroduced old fans to the Dark Knight and made new readers just as welcome is still very much reading.

The Court of Owls - and its sequel, City of Owls - didn't bother going over the tragic childhood of Bruce Wayne that led to him adopting the cowl, instead heading straight into an established crime fighter facing the toughest challenge of his career thus far. Capullo's art is certainly stylised, but teamed with colourist FCO Plascencia he creates a dark, cold version of Gotham City instantly familiar from the Christopher Nolan films.

Scott Snyder, meanwhile, focusses on Batman's reputation as the World's Greatest Detective as he uncovers a decades-long conspiracy that is engaging and exciting, whilst also giving us a peek into the character's family history and building to a confrontation which reminds us that, unlike most superheroes, Bruce Wayne is only human.