Scott Snyder is widely considered one of DC’s most prolific creators of the past several decades, best known for his work onBatman– andnow that he is returning to the Caped Crusader at the helm of DC’sAbsolute Batmanseries, it is worth revisiting his most ambitious and epic stories.
During his tenure onBatman, Snyder did everything from reimagining Batman’s origin story, to crafting the tale of his final fight.Absolute Batmanpromises to be both a fresh take on the character’s legendary mythos, as well as a return to form for Scott Snyder.
The title promises its writer more creative freedom than ever, allowing him to fully reinvent the world of Gotham and the world of the Dark Knight. Before picking up this series, the author has plenty of great Batman stories for readers to dive into, which will help set their expectations for the latest incarnation.
10"All-Star Batman"
Written By Scott Snyder; Art By John Romita Jr, Danny Miki, & More
When DC rebooted through itsRebirthevent in 2016, one of the best series to drop was Scott Snyder’sAll-Star Batman. A reboot of the title that flopped under Frank Miller, Snyder made it one of the era’s best Bat-books, using contained story arcs to explore the hero’s best villains. The series begins with a road trip with Harvey Dent that sees both characters fending off attacks from villains looking to collect the bounty on their heads (placed by Two-Face).
All-Star Batmanstands as its ownexploration of the world of Batman,allowing Snyder and a slew of distinct artists to leave their mark on each of Gotham’s best villains.Concluding with a deep look at Alfred Pennyworth, the series offers readers a fun window into one of the most iconic rogues galleries in comics, with no prior reading necessary.
9"Batman: Endgame"
Written By Scott Snyder; Art By Greg Capullo
TheNew 52Batmanseries played up therivalry between the Caped Crusader and Jokerto great effect, as seen in stories like Death of the Family. The most epic demonstration of this feud came in “Endgame,” which begins with the vigilante taking on his Justice League colleagues, who are controlled by a new version of Joker’s toxin. From there, the villain declares all-out war on the Batman, spreading his toxin throughout Gotham. In his desperation to stop his enemy once and for all, Bruce fights the villain almost to the death.
Who is the best member of the Batfamily in DC Comics?
There are many superhero families in DC Comics, but I think the most interesting of them is the Batfamily. Batman is obviously DC’s most popular hero; however, there are many exciting characters within the Batfamily. Among my favorites are Barbara Gordon, who delivers many fun and emotional moments as Batgirl and Oracle; Damian Wayne, the youngest Robin and the grumpiest of them all; and Jason Todd, aka Red Hood, the edgier character of the bunch, though there is a heart hidden down there. That said, Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, is the Batfamily’s best leader, brother, and overall character.
“Batman: Endgame” is one of the most epic Batman comics of all time, featuring Joker at his most powerful and dangerous levels since his creation.The story is a testament to Snyder’s over-the-top treatment of the Dark Knight, and ends with one of the most brutal fight sequences of his writing career.
8"Batman: Zero Year"
Written Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV; Art By Greg Capullo
One of many collaborations between Snyder and Greg Capullo,Zero Yearreimagines the early career of theNew 52Dark Knight. The story begins with Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City after a lengthy absence, in which he traveled the world to train himself into a master fighter and expert detective. Upon arriving back in his hometown, he dons the cape and cowl and begins his war on the city’s criminal element, beginning with the Red Hood Gang.
As one of the best stories to come out of theNew 52, Zero Yearoffers a modernized take on “Year One,“exploringa more decompressed look at the hero’s origins. From taking on the Red Hood to cleaning up the aftermath of Riddler’s control of the city, the lengthy arc showcases a rookie Batman learning the ropes of what it takes to defend Gotham.
7"Dark Nights Metal”
Just one year after DC’sRebirthinitiative began, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo took the reins of the universe for theirDark Nights Metalevent. The story follows the arrival of the Bat-god Barbatos andhis army of Nightmare Batmenfrom the Dark Multiverse, led by the Batman Who Laughs, to wage war on reality. Targeting the Justice League, the villains, each of whom has a specific Justice League power, confront their counterparts as their leader tries to unmake the universe.
Dark Nights Metalsports some of Greg Capullo’s best art, and showcases Snyder’s writing at its most epic; the event is also one of the rare cases of major initiatives where the tie-in comics are just as entertaining as the main story, with readers being given a slew of tragic alternate Batmen.
6"Dark Nights: Death Metal”
As the finale to theirMetalsaga, Snyder and Capullo’sDeath Metaltakes the Batman Who Laughs' war to extremes. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by Perpetua and the evil Batmen’s war, the event follows Wonder Woman’s leadership of the heroes against the Nightmare Dark Knights. Replete with a Grim Reaper-inspired Batman and undead heroes, the story combines dark fantasy with all-out war as the heroes fight to save their world.
10 Best DC Comics That Killed Off Major Heroes
The world of DC is populated with some of the best heroes in print. Many of these protagonists have been killed off, some more than once.
Death Metalis, without a doubt, the most epic, densely-written tale in Scott Snyder’s career, packing one event full of classic DC heroes and an endless stream of fan service. While Batman is a key player in the story, the saga actually places Wonder Woman front and center, as she takes on the Batman Who Laughs for the fate of the universe. The event is heavy metal meets high fantasy, and its excesses make it all the more enjoyable.
5"The Batman Who Laughs"
Written By Scott Snyder; Art By Jock
In the aftermath of theDark Nights Metalevent,the Batman Who Laughsflees into Gotham City, where he enlists the aid of the Grim Knight. The pair of Nightmare Batmen target Joker, prompting the Clown Prince of Crime to infect the regular Batman with his toxin, believing it will make him unpredictable enough to defeat the villains. With time running out before the corruption of his mind is complete, an increasingly unstable Bruce Wayne pursues his enemy through Gotham.
Batman Who Laughsessentially follows through on the popularity of the titular villain, while showcasing the slow descent into madness for Earth-Prime Bruce Wayne. The best part of the story actually comes fromthe exploration of the Grim Knight, a gun-loving Bruce Wayne with a tragic backstory.The miniseries also returns to Snyder’s exploration of Jim Gordon Jr, who plays a key role in the story’s resolution.
4"Death Of The Family"
Standing out as one of the most disturbing of Scott Snyder’sBatmanstories,“Death of the Family"follows the return of Joker to Gotham. With his face horrifically surgically reattached to his face after having it removed, the Clown Prince of Crime targets the Caped Crusader’s closest allies, taking a classic story line to extremes.
“Death of the Family” is a combination of body horror and psychological thriller as Bruce Wayne tries to save his loved onesfrom the violence and torture of the Joker. Featuring some of the most shocking moments of the New 52, this story brought the Bat-family to its knees, and reminded everyone of the threat posed by the sadistic clown.
3"Batman: Last Knight On Earth”
As theElseworldsconclusion to a story told by Snyder and Capullo in the New 52’sDetective Comics#27,Batman: Last Knight On Earthfollows a Bruce Wayne clone in the aftermath of the apocalypse. After realizing what he is, the young Batman sets off on an adventure across the wasteland to learn how the world ended, and is accompanied by a disembodied Joker head in a lantern.
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Black Canary goes face-to-face with Lady Shiva this fall in a new six-issue miniseries, BLACK CANARY: BEST OF THE BEST, by Tom King and Ryan Sook.
Batman: Last Knight On Earthisn’t just a great post-apocalyptic comic, it also compares the heroic and cynical sides of Batman, with the hero forced to confront a traumatized, evil counterpart. One of the best parts of the miniseries is seeing Bruce join a resistance of his best allies in a dystopian Gotham, not to mention seeing Joker becoming Robin.
2"The Black Mirror"
Written By Scott Snyder; Art By Jock & Francesco Francavilla
As the story that put Scott Snyder on the map for Batman fans, “The Black Mirror” has remained a fan-favorite since it was first released in 2010. Set in the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s death in Final Crisis, the story follows Dick Grayson in the role of The Dark Knight as he navigates anincreasingly chaotic Gotham City. With a new villain, the Dealer, selling classic items from Batman’s history, such as the crowbar that killed Jason Todd. At the same time, Jim Gordon Jr returns home, but his dark past starts to boil to the surface.
“The Black Mirror” is viewed by some as Snyder’s best work on Batman,in no small part due to it exploring Dick Grayson in the role, satisfying the question of Bruce Wayne’s rightful successor. The story is as much a tale of Gotham City itself, delving into its past and how the void left by the hero’s death threw its streets into disarray.
1"The Court of Owls"
As the inaugural story arc of the New 52’sBatmanseries,“The Court of Owls"delves into the origins of Gotham itself. Here, it’s explained that the city has been under the watchful eye of a secret society of elites, who have manipulated events to their own benefit – and at the expense of the downtrodden. With undead assassins, Talons, at their command, the villains attempt to recruit Bruce Wayne, incurring the wrath of Batman in the process.
“The Court of Owls” defined Snyder’s tenure on Batman, and has remained a modern classic for DC, thanks to its conspiracy-driven plot and showcasing Bruce as the protector of the city. Replete with the Caped Crusader stepping into his mechanized suit of armor, the twelve-issue arc is a perfect blend of epicBatmanaction, character exploration and conspiracy thriller – all of which is elevated by Capullo’s art.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
