Lots of good responses in here. The big point is that there are so many takes on the Batman, that if you’re at all interested it won’t take long to find something you like.

I have been buying Batman books for years, and the one I’ve read the most often, hands down, is Batman Year One. I bought it in a bookstore in the science fiction section, before bookstores had things like graphic novel, manga, or teen paranormal romance sections. Anyway, it stands the test of time and was a big influence on the Nolan films.

And as has as big lists go: any list of the top graphic novels of all time worth reading should have a few Batman books on them. Read those. And the ones everybody says to read? It’s not like popular music - with only a few exceptions, the popular Batman books really are the best. Happy reading.