The Dark Knight has been around protecting people since his first appearance in the 27th issue of Detective Comics in 1939. Since then, he has gone by various names. The Bat. The Caped Crusader. The World’s Greatest Detective. Bruce Wayne. The DC hero has kept Gotham safe as fans celebrate the 80th anniversary of his creation by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. Nerds and Beyond were fortunate enough to get a copy of Batman 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of the Dark Knight through NetGalley to review.
“He’s called the Dark Knight, The Caped Crusader, The Gotham Guardian, The World’s Greatest Detective, The World’s Greatest Escape Artist. He’s a father, a lover, a friend, and an ally. At his core, though, he is an angry little boy who lost his parents in a gruesome robbery gone wrong.”
Put together by DC Comics writer Robert Greenberger, this anthology breaks Batman’s story into six key chapters. The chapters are “Origins,” “Creating the Mythos,” “The Batman Family,” “Allies,” “Friends, and Lovers,” “Enemies,” and “Out of This World.” Each highlight points of Bruce Wayne’s life from putting on the mask, various Robin sidekicks, and other places and timelines he has been in. This is a book that would be a great addition to Batman fans and collectors.
The variety of mentions from older plot lines to the more current was great. Before each comic strip showing each significance were discussed was in-depth text breaking down the moment and the writer’s style. Then the readers get to see the various ways artists have drawn him over the years, and under the image is the issue and the people that worked on the comic. As you read, your memory recalls back to the first time you heard those stories, taking you back to the reason you were initially drawn to Batman.
Despite seeing the DC hero on our screens for so long, from actors like Adam West, Lewis G. Wilson, Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and many more, including the latest actor to portray Batman, Robert Pattinson, Batman did start on the page of a comic book. I loved revisiting the complex story. As his story continues, I had forgotten parts since certain aspects are not as focused on as others — for example, the various Robins and what that did to him, especially his spiral after Jason Todd. In older versions, he was married to Catwoman, which depending on the writer and where they took the story, didn’t always carry forward. The different versions of his origin story and where he ended up after his parent’s death, who took care of him, and the ways that got altered. It was a good refresher.
While this is a look back on the hero, it is also a look back and credit to those telling Batman’s story for the past 80 years. You can get your copy of Batman 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of the Dark Knight and the other 100 Greatest Moments for DC here.