10 Essential Batman Stories For New Readers

2. Year One

Not content with penning the greatest story ever told of Batman's later years, Frank Miller teamed up with artist David Mazzucchelli to produce the greatest story ever told of Batman's early years.

One of the main influences on Batman Begins and the Gotham TV show, Year One is as much the story of Bruce Wayne's rise to the mantle of Batman as Jim Gordon's rise to Police Commissioner of Gotham City, and of the City's own descent into the crime-ridden hell hole that required these two heroes to try and save it.

Year One is the perfect introduction to almost every one of the main facets of the Batman mythos. We get the retelling of his origin story - not just the death of his parents, but all of his training, and the inspiration to dress as a Bat - as well as his initial meetings with the gangs of Gotham, Jim Gordon's early experience of the corruption in the city, and early appearances by Selina Kyle (later to become Catwoman) and Harvey Dent, ending with a nod and a wink to the Joker.

Basically any incarnation of Batman you've come across that's led you to picking up the comics? It was down to this story. So there's a good chance you'll enjoy it a lot.