The Dark Knight’s Greatest Hits
The Caped Crusader has had countless adventures over the decades both on the page and on the screen. Some were thrilling, others were whimsical, while a few made a couple of us break down from its sheer weight. However, we think its fair to say that outside of animated outings, the source material in recent years hasn’t exactly been honored cinematically. Of course, when making a big budget movie all manner of corners need to be cut, but if Warner Bros’ handling of The Dark Knight Returns meets The Death of Superman is anything to go by, Batman is in dire returning to his gritty roots.
With The Batman set to start production within the next few months, we’ve decided to list the iconic stories that we feel deserved to serve as a basis for the Dark Knight’s next iteration!
#3: The Court of Owls
In terms of a mystery-thriller, you couldn’t ask for a better example than Scott Snyder’s magnum opus. A tale that weaves together Gotham’s chequered history along with a truly haunting set of villains, adapting this series would not only demonstrate why Batman truly is the World’s Greatest Detective, but also push him to his limits as he finds himself caught inside the Court of Owls’ talons.
#2: Death of the Family
Not to be confused with Death in the Family. This story marked what has to be one of Batman and the Joker’s bloodiest feuds. After reclaiming his recently removed face, the Clown Prince of Crime sets out on a mad quest to show how Batman doesn’t need anyone but him…by means of going after the rest of the Bat Family. A grim game of cat and mouse that would be incredible to watch unfold, just so long as they nail the Joker this time.
#1: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
Psychological warfare and a battle for survival all mesh together as Batman finds himself locked in the titular asylum with his greatest foes. With elements of horror and the supernatural along with the ancient mystery regarding Arkham’s creation, a faithful adaption of this story would take Batman from the rooftops and into the madhouse, where a world of nightmares await him. It would be a bold new direction for an onscreen Batman, but one that has the potential to be unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Be sure to check out our video below and see if you can guess our picks for the Top 10 Batman Comics!