The Batman Movie: 10 Comics Matt Reeves NEEDS To Adapt

3. The Black Mirror

Batman Black Mirror
DC Comics

Before Scott Snyder was handed the keys to Batman during the New 52, he first tried his hand at the character in The Black Mirror, a storyline from Detective Comics which actually spotlighted Dick Grayson's Batman, rather than Bruce's.

Released after Bruce Wayne returned from the grave after the events of Final Crisis, Black Mirror places a mirror right in front of the former Robin and analyses the character's relationship to the identity of Batman, and to its legacy. Yes, this element would be downright impossible to translate with Bruce underneath the cowl, but the idea of legacy is something that has dominated Batman's story's for decades, and the way in which Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla approach it makes Black Mirror the best Batman story of the decade.

It has everything, from Dick tracking down an underground auction that sells the most decrepit artefacts from DC's history (the first of which is the crowbar used to murder Jason Todd), to James Gordon Jr. returning to the family.

It really is a perfect Batman story, providing chills, mystery and emotion in spades whilst exuding an atmosphere that drips from right off the page.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.