I have been a very big batman fan all of my life, watching all the movies, playing all the good games, watching the TV Shows, and making characters based off the caped crusader... and yet... never once have I read a Batman Comic Book.

The main reason is because I look at the cover of the very first few issues that came out and realize that when Batman first started, he was not the Dark Knight I have come to know and love, but rather.... goofy, from the look of things.

I was wondering if anyone here knew at what point in the comics does the series take it's very dark turn, in terms of both, story, and art style. I would very much like to know, so that I can read all the bits I have missed out on.

Frank Miller's version of Batman in http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns?from=Main.TheDarkKnightReturns comes into mind.

Then follow along with the http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/Batman film in 1989 and later the animated series that was inspired by the said movie.

I'm just guessing, so ya.

The very first Batman story (from 1939) was actually quite dark, and that tone remained for nearly thirty years. It was in the 1960s that Batman became the "goofy" character you refer to. Starting in the mid to late 70s, various authors attempted to bring him back to his dark roots. These efforts culminated in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, as mentioned above.

The Killing Joke is very dark. As is Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.

I love both of these, Hush is pretty great too.

http://i.imgur.com/SnDBx.jpg :mellow:

If you're into Frank Miller stuff, as mentioned, The Dark Knight Returns is pretty good. I'm not usually a big Miller fan, but I did enjoy this one.

If you're looking to just get the stories without hunting for individual issues, just pick up some of the compilation books/volumes.

http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Year-One-Frank-Miller/dp/1401207529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321811016&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Long-Halloween-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1401232590/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321811016&sr=1-10
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Dark-Victory-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1563898683/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321811016&sr=1-11
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Hush-Jeph-Loeb/dp/1401223176/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321811016&sr=1-2

I've read The Dark Knight Returns and really enjoyed it. I want to buy more batman comics soon but I can't right now. I heard The Killing Joke is also really good.

I've always seen comics as soft core porm for nerds. I mean honestly have you seen cat woman in some of those. :laugh:

As you can tell I'm not big on comics, I'm sure there are some good ones.

I've never read a Batman comic in my life but I did love the Animated series and I love the games Arkham Asylum/City.