"Masks" and "Tao" are my personal favourites both because of their intelligence and beauty, something hard to find together.
Masks is a disturbing and compelling tale of identity while the eastern quest of 'Tao' fits Batman's spiritual history quite well.

One of my favorite Batman graphic novels! I especially liked "Sanctum" and "Masks", both of which stand on their own as excellent Batman stories ("Sanctum" gave me chills!). The artwork is all first rate, too, making this one a winner on all counts!

I first read "Masks" one of the several stories featured in this excellent collection when I was a kid and it's haunting, dark imagery, has not ceased to entertain me. As well as the above mentioned story, Batman: Dark Legends also has a tale about Batmans first encounter with the Joker, which is one of the greatest Batman stories in print buy this book now, you'll treasure it forever! Peace.

I actually bought this when it was first released in 1988. It's just as good now, obviously, since it has been re-printed, and is still available. This is real Superman! No "Fabio" hair, no watered down powers. Clark Kent is, well, Clark Kent, not a "hip, slick and cool" yuppie. This is the Superman that flies through space and does amazing things, not the one who gets killed off by "Johnny-come-lately" no-brainer two bit villians. If you like the Superman, and don't think that improving him means changing his costume, identitiy, and powers rather than improving the stories (such as the way Frank Miller did with Batman), you'll likely enjoy this book. Excellent pre-"Doomsday" Superman! If you haven't bought it already, go ahead, you deserve it! I give it five stars(because six aren't a choice)!!

I enjoyed this story because it really showed off Superman's power.

This is a very entertaining story because Superman is challenged to find a way to free the planet Earth from captivity by extraterrestrial aliens. Superman's power is pushed to the limit, but this gives the reader a truly exciting look at what our hero can do if necessary. If you are a Superman fan or enjoy a good science fiction story with a super hero in it, than this book is a must read for you. It's definitely 5-star reading material.

Seeing the Dark Knight in black and white is what made me give this book 5 stars. The black and white artwork was awesome! I must admitt that the short stories were just average, however the artwork saved the short medicore stories.

Well worth the discounted price I paid for it from Bud Plant Comic Art. A solid 5 star read.

This hardcover collects the excellent 4-issue miniseries from DC Comics. Contains short stories (some serious, some not) by some of the best writers and artists around, plus covers, sketches, gallery, tipped-in plate by Jim Steranko, and a cover image by Jeff Jones. The covers are on art board stock, giving it a very unique appearance. Also includes work by Corben, Simonson, McKeever, Timm, Kristiansen, Toth, Windsor-Smith, Ross, Stelfreeze... that should be enough to get your attention! The only problem I had with it was the brief appearance of Lobo in the Gaiman/Bisley story - can't stand that character.

Mike Barr penned a few of the seminal works of the Bat, all centering around Batman and his strange relationship to Ras al Ghul and his beautiful daughter, Talia. If you can get your hands on these works, you will not be disappointed. While they do have an almost James Bond quality to the story, they deliver exactly what the Best Batfiction should: action, detective work, one helluva great villain, and a morality play within it all. BRIDE OF THE DEMON is well worth the investment.

This story is simply an awesome Ras Al Ghul story. It's probably one of the best Ras Al Ghul stories out there. This collected edition examines the ongoing relationship of Batman and Ras Al Ghul's daughter. A great story for any Batman fan.

Batman's beginnings--he received a message from beyond in the form of a bat and thereby became the Batman. This story is written excellently and the man behind the cowl came alive as I read this tale. One of the most dramatic parts is where Batman, directly in the face of a frightened thug, declares menacingly,"The streets belong to The Batman." If anyone wants to see Batman in true form, you must read this book.

This is perhaps the best Batman miniseries ever created. The story is chilling, featuring many twists that make you want to keep going till you're finished. If you ever get the chance, buy this book!

This book is THE complete guide to building an intranet. Killer examples and techniques.

Very impressive compendium of Intranet information and the latest HTML techniques

I've been a huge Judge Dread fun for a long time, and I was pleasently surprised to find these books of alternate universe fiction. His meeting with Batman was very well depicted, especially when the differences, as well as the hidden similarities, of the two heros were shown. A definite must read to all Judge Dread funs.

Birth of the Demon is possibly the greatest Ra's Al Ghul story of all time, and certainly the best post-crisis tale featuring him. Batman has discovered a way to use Ley lines to find out where Ra's will have to dig his Lazarus Pits, which are responsible for his prolonged life. This leads to an account of Al Ghul's history, his discovery of the Lazarus Pits, and how he became the man he is today. The inevitable confrontation between Ra's and Batman is spectacular. Denny O'Neil, one of our finest writers, agains demonstrates his complete mastery of the written word, and artist extraordinaire Norm Breyfogle provides the breathtaking painted art. This is a magnificent tale; if you're a Batman fan, it's required reading.

Bruce Wayne, an acolyte in the holy church, wants to know why his parents were murdered. On the way to finding out, he discovers that the church and government aren't nearly as pure as he thought they were. And so he dons the mantle of the bat in a terrifying world without superheroes.

This is the best book of the trilogy (I bought the other books because of this one). This book summarizes the personal hell of one man, addicted and alone, unable not to bring death to those he loves. It is about conflict, guilt, isolation, alienation ...about heroism in its rawest, truest form.

I first read this over five years ago, and it continues to fascinate me to this day. I don't care about the vampire monsters, per se, for to me they are only a necessary plot device. The same can be said for Selina's character. They only exist to further the true story, which is Batman's struggle with his own nature ...the horror of recognizing we receive pleasure from another's harm, the helplessness of an addiction to things we've not necessarily even experienced -- the overwhelming urge to satiate a thirst at the cost of our own soul. That is the heart and soul and core of this book for me.

What would we do, given his power, his isolation, and his horrible thirst? At one point he narrates this for us:

"Thirst haunts me,
Life tempts me,
Death mocks me.

Together, the three, they curse me."

That moment for me, sitting in that bookstore, galvanized an experience I had never been able to put words to ...his isolation, his thirst, his utter loneliness and despondency -- they were so real! Deep calls out to deep, as I've read elsewhere, and in spite of this book's gore and melodrama, that moment called out to me and still does to this day. I felt connected to his guilt, his shame, to his sinful pleasure and self-disgust in a way that no media ever has before or since. Selina's character, the strength and nobility she provides, and the heartbreak of her loss, bring the entire story to an unstoppable head between the maniacal Joker and a Batman now drenched in the blood of his lover.

The authors deserve top credit for making a Batman that is, ironically, more human as an undead vampire than he ever was in life. May he rest in peace...

Get this if such things interest you.

In many ways, Bloodstorm is superior to the book that is continues, Red Rain. Whereas Red Rain was bogged down by the need to introduce the concepts of vampire lore, character reaction and setup, and other formalities, this book can leap right into things and get to the important business of telling the story.
In this Elseworld's tale, Batman is now a vampire. In many ways it is a vindication of his self image as a creature of the night apart from normal humans. At the same time, Batman is built on the one thing that separates him from the monsters he fights- he will not kill. As the vampiric urge to kill grows, however, he must go to extraordinary measures to fight it or lose all that he is.
Great storytelling with an ending that even shocked the hell out of me. If you liked Red Rain, you'll love Bloodstorm.

This book explores all the dark side of batman. The Catwoman is also great, and the game of the Joker is great.