10 Must-Read Modern Batman Runs Since Frank Miller’s Year One

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Batman has developed one of the densest catalogs of comic book runs under DC Comics. Many creative teams of writers and artists teamed up to bring something meaningful to the Dark Knight’s mythos. However, Dark Knight Returns​​​​​​writer Frank Miller and Daredevil: Born Again​​​​​​artist David Mazzucchelli’s Year One​​​​​​was a turning point. This classic Batman comic book arc from the flagship title reimagined the hero’s origins after DC’s first major reboot—Crisis on Infinite Earths.

The brooding DC hero is known for how flexible the character can be in stories of varying genres and tones, but this new origin helped set the tone for Batman runs going forward. Since then, excellent teams, like the underrepresented Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle’s Detective Comics, Grant Morrison’s sprawling Batman, and Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s New 52 reboot run, became landmarks for the Caped Crusader.

The New 52 Batman Run Was Among the Reboot’s Highlights

The Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo Batman​​​​​​run comfortably remains among the most prolific. It’s no secret that reboots and maintaining canonical order in superhero comics can be frustrating. However, the Caped Crusader makes the best of the New 52 with everything from riveting mysteries featuring original villains to some of the best Joker stories ever told. Greg Capullo’s stylish modern art has practically become synonymous with Snyder’s stories in this run as well.

Together, the team created story arcs like the Court of Owls that pushed Batman to shocking limits not seen since Grant Morrison’s run. Likewise, even if it could never replace Year One, the Zero Year arc was a compelling reimagining of Batman’s origins and how the Riddler gave him his most punishing first test as a vigilante hero. It’s still an excellent starting point for Batman comics today, and the stakes Joker raises in Death of the Family and Endgame could have been satisfying final appearances for the villain in their own right.

9

Scott Snyder’s Detective Comics Brings an Era to an End

Bruce Wayne’s First Adopted Son Carries the Batman Mantle

Though it’s not necessary to read before Scott Snyder’s acclaimed Batman tenure for the New 52, the writer’s time on Detective Comics deserves just as much praise. This storyline would close the curtains for the hero—across all Batman comics at the time—before said reboot. It also lets Dick Grayson shine as the Dark Knight once more before Bruce would return to don the cape and cowl in Gotham City.

Scott Snyder worked with two unique and talented artists in Jock and Francesco Francavilla to visualize what would become Batman’s grimy, noirish The Black Mirror​​​​​​arc. As Dick Grayson’s stint with the mantle leads him through supervillain black markets and a psychotic killer from the Gordon family on the loose, the writing and art complement one another to complete this Detective Comics run’s macabre atmosphere. Snyder is also known for injecting horror elements into some of his work, and this is no exception.

8

Grant Morrison’s Batman Was a Saga of Epic Proportions

Much of Batman’s Storied History Influenced Morrison’s Opening Act

Alongside names like Frank Miller and Alan Moore, writer Grant Morrison contributed to the early days of Batman’s “modern era” in the ’80s. Then, it was the grueling psychological-horror Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth into Gothic in the early ’90s. But their largest contribution to the Dark Knight’s lore came in the mid-late ’00s. Morrison would jumpstart an overarching Batman tenure spanning seven years and multiple titles on top of the flagship book.

Their run on the main Batman comic series was known for drawing on decades’ worth of the character’s mythos. With this, Morrison reintroduces Damian Wayne for Batman and Son and sows the seeds for a sprawling international conspiracy, uprooting Batman’s psyche and sense of self. This can certainly feel convoluted to the uninitiated reader. Even so, stories mixing themes and genres, including conspiracy thrillers, an Agatha Christie-like murder-mystery, and psychological horror climax in R.I.P.— a triumphant celebration of Batman’s history.

7

Paul Dini’s Detective Comics Has a Revolving Villainous Cast

This Detective Comics Stint Told Standalone & Crossover Stories

Batman fans were spoiled with top-notch talents on the hero’s main DC Comics titles. Alongside Grant Morrison’s main Batman run, famed Batman: The Animated Series writer Paul Dini took the reigns of Detective Comics​​​​​​with various artists, including Don Kramer and Dustin Nguyen. Dini brought his writing prowess from the DC Animated Universe to the historic comic, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the series with a more mature light.

This Detective Comics run followed the classic street-level grit longtime Batman fans expect from the Dark Detective. He also makes great use of the character’s revolving rogues gallery to tell almost episodic-style stories with villains like Poison Ivy, Penguin, and even a new version of Ventriloquist. Perhaps the biggest highlight of this run is the Heart of Hush arc, following up on the antagonist’s debut in Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s iconic Hush. After he emerges to kidnap Catwoman and surgically remove her heart, this storyline delves much deeper into the dark machinations of Hush’s mind.

6

Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely’s Batman & Robin Marked a New Age

Batman & Robin’s Debut Ongoing Comic Featured a New Dynamic Duo

In the second “act” of Grant Morrison’s Batman odyssey, they pair with artist Frank Quitely Batman and Robin​​​​. The then-new ongoing book premiered with Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne as the Dark Knight and Boy Wonder, respectively. It opened in the wake of the cataclysmic R.I.P. and Final Crisis arcs that resulted in the supposed death of Bruce Wayne. Batman and Robin was the start of a bold new age for the Dark Knight’s mythos, as it followed Dick Grayson grappling with the daunting responsibility of the cowl.

Meanwhile, the angsty Damian went through his own struggles as he learned to be a team player in his father’s absence. This unlikely Dynamic Duo had a compelling chemistry, and while it certainly wasn’t without its hardships, it laid the groundwork for one of the best brotherly bonds in the Bat-Family. Morrison and Quitely complemented Dick and Damian’s internal struggles with worthy stakes, from the grisly serial killer Professor Pyg to the vengeful Jason Todd’s return (the second Robin).

5

Peter Tomasi & Patrick Gleason’s Batman & Robin is a Strong Follow-Up

Batman & Robin’s New 52 Era Sees Bruce Wayne Back as Batman

The influence of Morrison and Quitely’s Batman and Robin​​​​​​debut can be felt even today. The ongoing series continues to enjoy success, and the first successor to the original team didn’t skip a beat in quality but stands on its own. Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason took over Batman and Robin for the New 52 reboot, and it kept Damian as Robin while returning Bruce to Gotham City as Batman.

The series’ original run tied into the zaniness of Morrison’s overarching Batman narrative, while Tomasi focused on the bond between father and son. The Dynamic Duo pairing of Bruce Wayne and his biological son was a long time coming, as feelings were left unresolved from his chaotic introduction in Morrison’s Batman​​​. This Batman and Robin run was a moving deep dive into Bruce’s parental side and Damian’s coming of age, which helped smooth out the latter’s abrasiveness into a rewarding character arc.

4

Paul Dini & Dustin Nguyen’s Streets of Gotham Was Another Ongoing Comic

Streets of Gotham Features Different Character Perspectives & More Hush

Paul Dini’s time on Batman comics in the ’00s extended beyond Detective Comics, as he joined artist Dustin Nguyen for Streets of Gotham​​​​. The comic was another ongoing series at the time and coincided with Grant Morrison’s Batman: Reborn crossover event. The Batman comic follows Dick Grayson filling in as Batman in Bruce’s absence, exploring how the GCPD feels about this change while villains run rampant.

Streets of Gotham opted for a unique storytelling approach, viewing the Dark Knight from various villainous perspectives while maintaining his protagonist role and a ground-level feel. It was an exciting change of pace to stand apart from the other ongoing Batman comics of the era. Fans of Paul Dini’s work also saw this concept explored in The Animated Series episodes like “Amost Got ‘Im.” Streets of Gotham also featured bookended Hush storylines to bring the villain’s arc full circle.

3

James Tynion IV’s Detective Comics is a Bat-Family Saga

Batman Co-Leads the Gotham Knights for This Detective Comics Run

In one of the more recent Batman runs, writer James Tynion IV spearheaded an exciting Bat-Family storyline for Detective Comics. Tynion IV’s run came during DC Comics’ Rebirth-era relaunch and was fittingly dubbed the Rise and Fall of the Batmen in the omnibus comic collection. This run begins with Batman forming a team of Gotham-based heroes to tackle threats the World’s Greatest Detective can’t on his own.

With Bruce placing him and Batwoman—his cousin Kate Kane—as the Gotham Knights’ co-leaders, this diverse group of crimefighters embarks on high-octane missions and larger-than-life enemies. These conflicts brilliantly highlight the bonds and friction within the team, as Tynion IV excels in making each personal arc feel substantial. It certainly has the foundations of a Batman story. But this Detective Comics run blossoms as a Bat-Family saga, with characters including Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Kate, and even a moving redemption arc from Clayface, balancing action with heart.

2

Doug Moench & Kelley Jones’ Batman Was a ’90s Gem

Batman Explores Gotham and the DC Universe’s Supernatural Elements

The Doug Moench and Kelley Jones run of Batman did feature some crossover obligations with event arcs like Contagion and Legacy. Regardless, this team’s ’90s run with the Caped Crusader stood out for the tone of its storytelling and the striking art direction. An interesting element of their Batman comics was how the story arcs were more segmented yet concise. This is unique when the flagship Batman​​​​​​comic title is often known for using longer-form narratives.

This Batman run is notably dark in tone, and Kelley Jones’ art is bold and—much like Tim Sale or Neal Adams—is immediately recognizable. His artwork makes Batman and his supporting cast fearsome and larger than life, making the hero feel like a creature of the night. Moench and Jones delved more heavily into elements of supernatural horror, and it showed in the stories steeped in mystery and the use of villains like Scarecrow, Killer Croc, and Mr. Freeze.

1

Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle’s Detective Comics Was an ’80s/’90s Hit

Detective Comics Enjoyed Consistent Success With Street-Level Batman Stories

Writer Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle have an important piece in shaping the modern age of Batman comics. The duo aren’t quite as talked about as the Frank Millers, Dennis O’Neils, and Grant Morrisons of the world. Nonetheless, this creative team brought a compelling and consistent edge to the pages of Detective Comics​​​​​​in the ’80s and ’90s. Grant and Breyfogle were even co-creators of cult-classic Batman rogues Ventriloquist (with John Wagner), Ratcatcher, and Anarky (who’s moved into antihero territory) for Detective Comics.

Their run set the perfect tone for the comic series’ detective premise, not being edgy for edginess’ sake and tapping into Batman’s pulpy, street-level roots as a crimefighter. Much like Dennis O’Neil with artist Neal Adams, Breyfogle’s artwork was an immaculate match for Grant’s depiction of the character and world. Their Dark Knight wasn’t without heart, but Breyfogle played with shadows and sharp, angular features to paint Batman as a menace from the villains’ perspectives.

“}]] Frank Miller kicked off a new era for the Batman with ‘Year One,’ and many of the best modern runs are still chasing the success of the storyline.  Read More