Our expert panel counts down the very best from comics, film, TV and video games…
On March 27, DC Comics is publishing Detective Comics #1000. Three days later, March 30, is Batman’s 80th anniversary, marking the official publication date of Detective Comics #27 in 1939.
This is, as they say, a big deal – and we’re celebrating in a big way, with THE TOP 13 BATMAN COUNTDOWN.
This isn’t just some off-the-cuff list, either. We’ve convened a blue-ribbon panel of 16 creators and experts – including such luminaries as former DC publisher Paul Levitz and legendary Batman artist Neal Adams – to come up with a consensus list drawn from all media, including comics, movies, TV, video games and more. (The full panel roster – and how the vote was conducted — can be found below.)
Over 13 days, we’ll be unveiling a new entry until we get down to #1. And after we’ve published the top choice, we’re going to unleash THE ULTIMATE BATMAN READING AND VIEWING GUIDE, which will include not just the final TOP 13 but every single Batman story that received a vote from our panelists. It’s a remarkably detailed and comprehensive list and you will not want to miss it. (UPDATED: Here it is! Click here!)
Oh, and one more thing: On March 24, we’ll be launching BATMAN WEEK, a series of features that goes well beyond this countdown.
In the meantime, bookmark this post, because we’ll be adding links to each TOP 13 BATMAN COUNTDOWN installment below.
To the Batcave!
LINKS
13. Batman ’66: The Purr-fect Crime/Better Luck Next Time
12. Detective Comics #38: Robin, the Boy Wonder
11. Batman: The Animated Series: Heart of Ice
10. Batman ’66: Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle
8. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight
6. Batman: The Killing Joke
5. Batman #251: The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge!
4. Batman: The Original Ra’s al Ghul Saga
3. Detective Comics: The Englehart-Rogers Run
2. Batman: Year One
1. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
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THE PANELISTS – AND HOW THE VOTE WAS CONDUCTED
Panelists were asked to rank 13 Batman stories of their own choosing. Top choices received 13 points, second choices received 12 points, and so on. All Batman stories were eligible, regardless of medium.
Voters were also asked to explain their top choices — though some especially enthusiastic panelists wrote comments for each entry — and you’ll see those quotes throughout the countdown.
(NOTE: Stories that were part of larger arcs were counted toward the overall arc. For example, votes for the Englehart/Rogers classic The Laughing Fish were included as part of the overall run because it was the climax to a bigger story.)
Here are the panelists:
CREATORS
Neal Adams. Artist, writer and Batman pioneer.
Paul Levitz. Former DC Comics publisher, editor of DC’s new hardcover retrospective Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman and former monthly Batman editor.
Ron Marz. Comics writer for virtually every company under the sun, including DC.
James Tucker. Warner Bros. animator, producer of Batman: The Brave and the Bold and supervising producer of the two Batman ’66 animated films.
Tom Peyer. Editor-in-chief of AHOY Comics, satirist, former editor at DC and Batman ’66 comics writer.
Fred Van Lente. Comics writer, co-creator of The Comic Book History of Comics.
EXPERTS AND HISTORIANS
Dr. Christina Blanch. Educator, retailer and comics writer.
Dr. Charles Coletta. Educator and co-chair of April’s international Batman in Popular Culture Conference at Bowling Green State University.
John S. Drew. Host of The Batcave Podcast.
Anthony Durso. 13th Dimension contributor and owner of The Toyroom and Retropolis Tees.
Michael Eury. Editor-in-chief of Back Issue magazine and the co-writer of The Batcave Companion, both published by TwoMorrows.
Chris Franklin. Historian and co-host of Batman Knightcast.
Dan Greenfield. Editor and publisher, 13th Dimension.
John Morrow. Publisher, TwoMorrows Publishing.
Mark Reinhart. Writer of The Batman Filmography, published by McFarland.
Scott Tipton. 13th Dimension contributor, comics writer and retailer.
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MORE
— The ULTIMATE BATMAN READING AND VIEWING GUIDE. Click here.
— The Complete BATMAN WEEK Index of Features and Tributes. Click here.
March 17, 2019
So awesome. ^_^
March 19, 2019
Great idea – I will have to do my “Top 13” and see how it compares.
March 29, 2019
The most amazing thing about this list is not the top 5, but that the Batman ‘66 TV series actually holds 2 spots on this list. I am curious to see where Detective 27 made it on these lists, but I guess I’ll have to tune in tomorrow, same Bat channel, same Bat time.
March 30, 2019
I was surprised by that too, Lou. But that’s what can happen with a weighted ballot…
June 11, 2019
The Englehart, Rogers, Austin Batman issues were some of the best scripted best drawn/inked issues ever! Neal Adams, Bernie Wrightson, Jose “Joe” Queusada also among the best. Idk current writers/artists as I ceased collecting and reading comics (for the most part) in 1979 after our South (Southie) Boston OC Projects on St Patrick’s Day was set on fire and my entire collection of precious comic books bagged and stacked neatly in a huge bureau was thrown out of the window by firefighters and Many of my comics were stolen by a large number of kids. I was 19 at this time. Collection gone but list of Best complete.