Man I really don’t like the Morrison run. It has a fun concept, but it’s annoying to read. Intentionally so, like most of Morrison’s work.
My favorite? Scott Snyder’s. I love it.
But it’s definitely not the best. Objectively, Dennis O’Neil’s is. It did so much for the character. It reinvented Batman into the character we know today, and it deserves the credit that The Dark Knight Returns typically gets. Not that that’s a bad story. It just didn’t make most of the changes it is often credited for.
I’d love to say Paul Dini, but most of his best work with the character is in adaptations, so I’ll fall back on O’Neil. I’m personally partial to Chuck Dixon’s Detective Comics, but there’s nothing all that special about it to justify that opinion (Dixon’s work is more important if you focus on it as a complete body, and especially the development he gave the rest of the Bat-Family), whereas O’Neil produced one of the most innovative runs any character has had, ever.
Haven’t read Morrison’s work but I hate everything I’ve read by him and everything that came out of the run (Looking at you, Damian), I’ve liked what little I’ve read of Snyder’s work, haven’t read any of Tomasi’s Batman stuff but I enjoyed his Green Lantern Corps and Nightwing runs, Englehart is really good, and Grant is one of the worst writers I’ve ever seen working on “professional” content. None of them had the impact O’Neil did, though.
If we’re talking writers who’ve written Batman starring books outside of Batman itself, then for modern titles, I’d nominate:
-Devin Grayson for Batman: Gotham Knights
-Greg Rucka, David Lapham and Paul Dini, all for their respective turns on Detective Comics
-Peter Tomasi for New 52 Batman and Robin
-James Tynion IV for Rebirth 'Tec
Denny O’Neil’s a given on any Best of The Bat list, and in a class all his own.
Jeph Loeb has to come be because of the stories he told and the legacy they will continue to have, but my personal favorite has to be Peter J Tomasi’s Batman & Robin N52 run, that just kept my attention from start to finish.
Denny O’Neal for sure! Whether he was working with Neal Adams or Jim Aparo, his Batman stories are amazing. He brought Batman to a more mature level without going too grim and gritty a la Frank Miller. His Batman was balanced and he wrote some of the most iconic stories we know and love.
In addition to my original vote (Bill Finger), I would like to acknowledge some other major contenders with strong runs:
Grant Morrison (2006-2013)
Mike Barr (1983-1987)
Gardner Fox (1939, 1964-1969)
Dennis O’Neil (1970-1976, et al)*
Gerry Conway (1980-1983)
Honorable mentions to Tom King (whose work I love, but I can’t rank until it’s finished), Steve Englehart (brief as it was), Doug Moench (both runs), Frank Robbins, Len Wein, and Alan Grant.
*I admittedly like his classic Green Lantern/Green Arrow run better than much of his Batman stuff, but he deserves major credit regardless.
It Denny hands down. Credit to Bill Finger, but it was Denny that gave us the world’s greatest detective. (And I say that as a massive Sherlock Holmes fan.)
Virtually everything we think of any modern age, dark knight, Batman has its roots in Denny’s stories. From Wein, Miller, and everybody else who followed, he is the bedrock upon which they are built.
I think that Denny might be the greatest single writer in comics history, including Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. His stories stand the test of time of modernity the best.
I’ve ordered the first Deluxe edition for the current Batman. I’m looking for complete Batman runs to read. What are some of you guys’ favorite Batman runs?
My advice, start with Jeph Loeb’s run he has some of the most classic stories, then Grant Morrison and for a more modern version go with Scott Snyder. By the time you’ve read all this the current run by James Tynion which is amazing so far will be deeper into the run and you can pick the up. Tom King’s run is hit or miss with bat fans I didn’t really like it but I hope you do.
Its definitely pretty solid I usually stick with more modern runs for all characters starting in the 80s/90s post crisis (pre crisis is too confusing for me tbh) so I haven’t read a ton of his run but its very good from what I have read.
Dennis O’Neil is a bit dated for my taste, but you can feel the power of the run still. I especially adore The Man Who Falls and Detective Comics Annual #1.
My favorite Batman run (for the Batman title) is Tom King’s. Though I mostly fell in love with it post 30s, especially post 50s, which is where most people dropped off. Ah, well.
