Batman not only one of the most enduringly popular comic book characters of all time, he's also easily one of the best-known and loved fictional characters ever committed to page or screen. Since his debut in 1939, the Dark Knight has avoided multiple attempts to ruin him and has blossomed into a cultural phenomenon on the same grand scale as Star Wars, Apple and Mickey Mouse.
As a result, his back catalogue is as rich, interesting and varied as any comic book character to have ever appeared on-panel and even contemplating reading them all is unimaginable. That said, there are a select few that stand head and shoulders above the rest as the essential publications that all Batman fans must read.
From individual issues with historical relevance and landmarks within them to entire story arcs featuring the saviour of Gotham City, some Batman comics are too important to ignore and, if you can afford them (given that some are valued ridiculously high, even in poor condition), you have to own them (or, at the very least, give them a read somehow) without question...
30. Detective Comics #27
This single issue from 1939 marked the very first appearance of Batman in a comic book.
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It also marked the first appearance of key supporting characters like Jim Gordon - though you would have to pay a hefty price to get your hands on it if you don't already own it.