The Best Ever Batman Comic Is One You've Never Heard Of

2. What Lies Beneath The Mask

After returning to the Cave, Bruce finds himself questioning his role as the Dark Knight. As Batman, he was meant to protect, but his presence only gave way to a more extreme kind of crime and, whether directly or not, his arrogance (or ego), just cost the lives of an entire family. In a moment of desperation, Wayne dares to dream of a life after Batman: "I can't do it. Not anymore."

And then, quite literally, the spirit of Batman comes to life. Manifesting on the Bat-Computer, the ghostly figure of the Dark Knight berates Wayne for losing his will to avenge, with Cooke taking the opportunity to visually illustrate the duality of the character and, more importantly, how both are integral to his success. It shows Bruce at his most vulnerable (an important aspect, in light of the character's reticent nature both on and off the page), with Cooke's navigation of Bruce's formative years - as in, the ones immediately preceding and succeeding the death of his parents - a key highlight of the story.

It carries real emotional weight, and while there've been plenty of Batman origin stories over the years, none are as thorough in their analysis as Cooke's. It chronicles the psychological genesis of Batman as an entity, and while it's a moment steeped in tragedy, there's something almost triumphant in the way Bruce comes to terms with his role as Gotham's Dark Knight.

It doesn't lend itself to clichés that have stipulated that Bruce, not Batman, is the real mask, and proclaims with real confidence that you cannot remove the Bat from the Man - the two must cohabit to be who they are.