10 Essential Batman Stories For New Readers

3. The Dark Knight Returns

On the other end of the spectrum is Frank Miller's classic Dark Knight Returns, which sees Bruce Wayne in his later years. He begins the story having long since hung up the Batman title, following the death of second Robin Jason Todd at the hands of the Joker.

After decades of screwball adventures and wildly shifting tones - the comics were still struggling to find their footing after the campy sixties Adam West TV show - the Dark Knight Returns reminded readers of why Batman did what he did, and why he has to do what he does.

Spurred to return to his double life by the degradation of society and the sorry state of Gotham City, having survived a car crash the elderly Bruce Wayne begins training again, although not always for the reasons you expect. As well as being a great story, the Dark Knight Returns hints that Wayne's reasons for becoming Batman weren't entirely altruistic - he reflects on the murder of his parents, but also admits to the kick he gets out of fighting bad guys - and explores his responsibility when it comes to the supervillains he has fought and possible even inspired, as each comes out of retirement themselves as a result of seeing their old enemy's return.