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Over the 80-plus years of the character’s publication history, DC Comics has published many excellent Batman collections to read. The massive omnibus volumes are perhaps the most obvious examples of this, but there are several other smaller-scale collections that comprise the works of many talented writers and artists.
It’s especially helpful for creatives who don’t have omnibus books dedicated to their works — or at least not yet. The likes of The Dark Knight Detective brilliantly reprint the classic runs of the ’80s and ’90s, while Tales of the Demon is a historic collection of some of the Caped Crusader’s most important contributors.
The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 2-5
Though many of the greatest Batman comics from the ’90s were collected in limited series and storylines, the likes of Alan Grant deserve similar praise. DC Comics’ The Dark Knight Detective series is a superb compilation and reprinting of classics Detective Comics tales from the ’80s and ’90s.
Volumes 2-5 are some of the best books comprising Alan Grant, John Wagner, and artist Norm Breyfogle’s work, depicting the debuts of Ventriloquist and Scarface, Anarchy, and more. Just as well, they’re great spotlights on the Tim Drake iteration of Robin. These issues were excellent reflections of these eras’ dark, pulpy atmosphere.
9Legends Of The Dark Knight: Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner is one of the most underrated contributors to the hero’s mythos. Many of Wagner’s works are set in Bruce Wayne’s early years under the cape and cowl, even before his first meeting with the Joker.
Legends of the Dark Knight: Matt Wagner includes his best comics, including the superb reimaginings of Golden Age stories like The Monster Men — which detailed Hugo Strange’s debut — and The Mad Monk, which followed Batman’s first encounter with the supernatural. They’re this collection’s core, but Faces is a solid Two-Face story and The Better Man with Tom King is a touching highlight of Batman’s dynamic with Nightwing.
Tales Of The Batman: Gerry Conway Vol. 1-3
Gerry Conway is another somewhat overlooked writer in Batman’s history. As with writers like Alan Grant and Jim Starlin, his comic book collections mark a transformative time in the character’s world.
Tales of the Batman: Gerry Conway reprints his best work across three volumes, featuring appearances from villains like Deadshot and Killer Croc, who deserve more time in the spotlight. It also marks the landmark debut of Jason Todd as Robin and a refreshing highlight of Batman’s friendship with Superman. The artistic front can’t be understated either, with talents like Don Newton, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and more on display.
The Caped Crusader Vol. 4 & 6
The complement to the Dark Knight Detective compilation series is The Caped Crusader. Like the former, The Caped Crusader volumes collect some of the best classic runs on the mainline Batman book. Volumes 4 and 6 are particular standouts since these, once again, include the works of Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle.
In terms of these volumes’ more milestone arcs, The Caped Crusader Vol. 4 chronicles the early adventures of Tim Drake as Robin, the Boy Wonder, under Batman’s wing. Vol. 6 collects engaging smaller-scale ventures, including Ventriloquist and Scarface’s return to mirror the success of Batman: The Animated Series.
Tales Of The Demon
When the days of Silver Age campiness was dying down, the late Dennis O’Neil jumpstarted the character’s newfound acclaim by going back to his gritty roots and modernizing them. Alongside fantastic artists including Neal Adams, Tales of the Demon is a legacy collection of the best Batman stories involving Ra’s al Ghul.
Ra’s al Ghul remains one of the World’s Greatest Detective’s most formidable supervillains, functioning as a physical and intellectual equal to the hero with world-dominating ambitions. These ’70s stories are emblematic of the tonal shift in Batman comics at the time, and they have influenced his most celebrated incarnations to date.
5The Demon Trilogy
While many of O’Neil’s greatest Ra’ al Ghul-related comics came from the transition period of the ’70s, The Demon Trilogy is another solid collection featuring the Demon’s Head. After O’Neil’s Birth of the Demon, it particularly highlights Mike Barr’s time on Batman with the one-shots Bride of the Demon and Son of the Demon.
Together, they form a thrilling, almost swashbuckling trilogy showcasing how important of a villain Ra’s al Ghul is in Batman’s lore. Son of the Demon is especially important, as it was incorporated into mainline continuity for Grant Morrison, Andy Kubert, and Jesse Delperdang’s Batman and Son.
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4Tales Of The Batman: Len Wein
The ’70s were a tonal change for Batman. However, that’s not to say that there weren’t issues leaning into more lighthearted affairs. Tales of the Batman: Len Wein is a great creator-focused collection for those craving this now-retro style.
Wein’s comics also feature the co-efforts of artists like the legendary Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, Marshall Rogers, and more. They’re mostly simpler, one-off stories. Together, they become a revolving door of some of Batman’s best rogues from Joker and Riddler to Mr. Freeze and Ra’s al Ghul. It also collects the pre-Frank Miller origin story, The Untold Legend of the Batman.
3The Caped Crusader Vol. 1
One of the rarer Batman collections to find, The Caped Crusader Vol. 1 is another highlight from the ongoing compilation. It contains some underrated stories from the pages of Batman’s mainline series, featuring the work of classic writers and artists like Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo, Norm Breyfogle, and more.
As with other volumes from both Caped Crusader and Dark Knight Detective, this first collection is a memorable look into the tone of Batman comics in the ’80s. It contains Jim Starlin’s high-stakes fight between Batman and KGBeast, as well as the build-up to the rift in Bruce and Jason’s relationship.
2The Caped Crusader Vol. 2-3
Delving further into the ’90s era of Batman comics, The Caped Crusader Vol. 2 and 3 contain more pivotal moments in the hero’s life. It includes the works of another major DC Comics contributor, Marv Wolfman, along with other writers and artists like Grant, Aparo, Breyfogle, and Peter Milligan.
Most importantly, it shows the origins of Tim Drake becoming Robin to reluctant Batman in the wake of Jason’s murder. It delves into especially grim territory as the Riddler stoops to lower lows in Milligan, Kieron Dwyer, and Tom Mandrake’s Dark Knight, Dark City story arc.
Tales Of The Batman: Archie Goodwin
It’s the first and definitive collection of the writer’s comics for the brooding superhero, with Tales of the Batman: Archie Goodwin spanning the pages of Detective Comics, Legends of the Dark Knight, and more. This creator collection includes illustrators like Marshall Rogers, Jim Aparo, and Dick Giordano, with stories that fittingly focus on detective thrillers.
The most noteworthy inclusions are Goodwin’s Manhunter backup stories in his team-up with the World’s Greatest Detective, and the overlooked gem that is the Night Cries miniseries. The latter is a harrowing tale and meta-commentary that forces Batman to confront the horrors of child abuse.