8. Batman: Strange Apparitions
DC ComicsFirst published in the late 1970s, this collection remains the high water mark for many a Bat-fan to this day. Strange Apparitions gives us Batman at his absolute finest, stripped back to his core essentials. A nocturnal vigilante detective who is also an absurdly wealthy (not to mention sexually promiscuous) playboy by day; this is Batman as wish-fulfilment. Dont expect months long story arcs, multiple crossovers and futile, ego-driven attempts to reinvent the wheel here. In this book, Batman does what he damn well does best; he kicks seven shades of sh*t out of the bad guys, then he retires to his penthouse (no wayne Manor here, kiddies), to brood, perchance to hook up with his gorgeous platinum blonde squeeze, Silver St. Cloud. If it sounds simplistic, dont be fooled, the 1970s offered readers a darker, more complex Batman of a kind not seen since the Golden Age of comics. Writer Steve Englehart ensures that his depictions of Batman and his supporting cast (in particular the villains) are psychologically nuanced and satisfying. In this volume, Englehart introduces us to corrupt Gotham City Council Head Rupert Thorne, a wonderful foil for Batman who is part Carmine Falcone and part Modern Age Lex Luthor - although he predates both. He also makes great use of The Joker, with the forever-classic Laughing Fish story that, frankly, every true Bat-fan needs to read at least once. Elsewhere, Batman is pitted against Professor Hugo Strange, whom Englehart resuscitated after a 30-odd-year absence in comics, as well as the malevolent Dr. Phosphorus, another of his own, nightmarish creations. There are also some nice Penguin and Deadshot moments, too, as well as the debut of an all-new Clayface (before that became annoying), created by Len Wein (yes, the guy that came up with Wolverine). In fact, this collection of stories proved to be so popular that it became the foundation for the entire decade of Batman comics to come (and, as any fan will tell you, the 1980s was a great time for Batman comics). This volume also features the pencil talents of the wonderful Walt Simonsen, as well as the star-making turn of soon-to-be superstar artist Marshall Rogers, whos ruggedly rendered, yet also fluid and exuberant, style compliments the gritty tone of these stories perfectly. If dialogue heavy, overly complex and extraordinarily long Batman sagas arent really your thing, then this is probably the book for you. As daft and funky as the 60s TV show, but with a dark, deco undercurrent that permeates everything around it, Strange Apparitions remains not only the blueprint for the modern eras Batman, but also a damn fine set of timeless stories in its own right.