My curiosity was piqued with this book since while not a die hard fan, I find the character of Batman interesting due to his complexities. I’ve watched the TV series, the films and read some graphic novels however there is so many gaps in my knowledge within the source material These highlighted hits helped me become more familiar with additional characters and storylines that I was either unaware of or only heard in passing. The author had clearly done a lot of research with each of the entries not just mentioning storylines & characters but the writers, artists and editors.

My only issue was with the viewing of a pdf of the proof on a tablet as I was unable to read the panels from the comics/graphic novels properly. I couldn’t read the text as it was getting to blurry, I had to increase the size due to the formatting of the pdf. This was slightly disappointing as having examples that match the entries was a fantastic addition to show the various style of artwork. I’m sure they will look glorious in the print version.

Overall the book will look good with the artwork and the chart like information will appeal to fans.

Batman: 100 Greatest Moments, by Robert Greenberger, like his Flash: 100 Greatest Moments which I previously reviewed (and will borrow some of here due to the similarities) is a browser’s reference book that offers up a comic-reader’s cornucopia of illustrations, something one always hopes for in this sort of book. As the title says, it’s a look at a (obviously subjective) list of highlights from the near-century the classic character has been around. While some fans might quibble here and there, the list as a whole is most likely going to find general consensus.

As noted, while one can read it cover to cover, it’s more a browsing kind of book. I say that because it doesn’t go in chronological order, nor does it go into a deep dive in any particular area. So it’s not meant to be read as an analysis, say, of the character’s changes over time or their personality. If one is looking for that sort of thing, there are a slew of such titles. One picks up on Batman’s development as a character and as a hero while reading this work, but as the entries shift around in time, it’s not a unified, linear exploration and the content is broad but shallow (not a criticism, since that’s not the intent here).

Instead of going chronologically, Greenberger has organized the entries by the categories listed below, along with some of their included content

• “Origins” pretty self-explanatory but also includes the arrival of Dick Grayson
• “Creating the Mythos”: adding the various elements that are now synonymous with the character, like the Bat Signal, the Batmobile, The Batcave, etc.
• “The Batman Family”: the character’s chosen family: Alfred, the various Robins, Batwoman and Batgirl
• “Allies, Friends, and Lovers” Also pretty self-explanatory and including entries on Commissioner Gordon, Catwoman, Vicki Vale, Superman, and others
• “Enemies”: the famous Rogue’s Gallery, including Joker, Two-Face, Riddler, Scarecrow, Bane, and more
• “Out of This World” various fantasy, science fiction, and “what-if” tales

Each single entry is typically 3-4 paragraphs long, with a small illustration often accompanying them. The text is informative and readable, not academic and while it’s occasionally conversational it’s never too informal. Greenberger doesn’t delve into any of the controversy over credit for the character, keeping things lightly descriptive. Each category usually has a few good size covers scattered within its section, then each one is followed by full-page excerpts from the discussed comics, ranging from a single page to several pages. Having so many multi-page excerpts was a pleasant surprise and gives the reader a true sense of reading the comic as opposed to the usual single representative images. Even better, it allows you to get a strong sense of the range of artistic choices made by the various illustrators over the years.

The non-linearity can feel a bit chaotic/random, making it difficult to get a sense of unity or cohesive big picture look, though the division into segments helps somewhat with that. And because Batman has remained singular over his years, as opposed to The Flash who has had several people fulfill that role, this is less of an issue here than it was in The Flash: Top 100 Moments.

I confess that in the running “war” between the two titans of superhero comics, I long ago enlisted in the Marvel camp, though in my earliest comics reading days I did have a short period of time reading a few DC ones, more typically The Flash, though I did read some Batman in that short-lived period. And I have read several of the classic graphic novels over the years such as Year 100 or The Dark Knight Returns. Some of these moments reminded me of why I enjoy Marvel more, but others, particularly some of the later stories, made me think I might have missed a few good tales here and there.

I’m a huge Batman fan, and this book was the perfect trip down memory lane. I also think my sister who just got into DC comics might enjoy it as it’s a good introduction (so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed). I enjoyed this so much and I’ll probably have to get a physical copy to have in my collection. Thank you so much for the chance to read it.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read these books in return for an honest review.

This was nice to read as I could find out quite a lot throughout this book, this a lot like the Flash: 1oo Greatest Moments (as they are in the same series). The book also introduced me to comics that I will now want to read because of the moments they showcased! This book is chaptered which is nice as you can go to any specific moment that interests you!

The book showcases a lot of different artists and writers which has also influenced me to look at other works by new to me authors/artists
Rating: 4⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes
Would I Recommend it? Yes

A very good book for Bat-fans, as expected from seeing similar books in the past. Here we have, instead of a narrative walk-through of his life, or biography of all his creators, a mixture. We get full-page scans of a hundred key, most pertinent scenes from his DC continuity comics, that do nudge on the key creators but generally show the more surprising reveals, character clashes, and such like. Extended writing – on pages that themselves are highly pictorial – tells us all we need to know as background to each and every one. It can get a bit awkward having the writing before the scans, as while they might be intended to be a hundred mini-essays, and do try and have a narrative from one to the next where possible, some do have the style of an extended caption to something not seen for a further twenty pages. But so much is here, from the introduction to all the baddies, and the lovers, and the cars, to the great problems they had knowing what to do with Dick, that the benefits are both in the authority this is delivered and in the chance to visit rare pages of long-gone comics.

A great intro to Batman and his supporting cast for young readers and equally handy as a reference tool for those whose memories are not what they once were because of years immersed in comic books!

The history of the character is well laid out and there are lots of excellent images drawn from.

Space is given over to the wider Bat-family and of course to the rogues gallery of villains that help make Batman perhaps the best comic book hero, but given the wealth of lore around the character long time readers will note omissions as readily as they acknowledge the information contained here.

Provided by the publisher, Chartwell Books, in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating - 2.5 Stars

Here we have a collection of Batman's greatest moments in comics spanning from his earliest 1940s appearance to some of his most recent arcs. If you're a big fan of the Caped Crusader, then you might be interested in many of these 100 summaries that are split into six sections: (1) Origins, (2) Creating the Mythos, (3) The Batman Family, (4) Allies, Friends, and Lovers, (5) Enemies, and (6) Out of this World.

The pages are filled with Greenberger's summaries of key moments in Batman's life. We get a paragraph on Crime Alley, retelling the pivotal moment in a young Bruce Wayne's life when his parents were murdered right in front of his eyes. We get another paragraph on Introducing the Bat-Signal. Another on Catwoman's First Kiss. On and on, we get these descriptions of big moments and then, for some of the moments, we get to look at a page or two from the comic in question.

It's an okay idea, but I felt the summaries to be somewhat bland and uninspired. Some of the moments selected seemed unimportant and, to be honest, quite boring. And the few clips from comics that we did get didn't satisfy the desire to actually see the moments that we were being told about. Again, hardcore Batman fans might want this to add to their collection. It could serve as a nice "walk down memory lane." But most readers won't find this collection too appealing.

NaNaNa Batman!
What would you consider the greatest Batman moments to be? Robert Greenberger searches for the top 100 moments, through the long history of Batman. Notably, staying within the boundaries of the “core continuity” of the DC comics featuring Batman. Not that Greenberg refrains from referencing the 1960’s Batman TV Series, Batman: The Animated Series, or the Tim Burton movies in passing. Each moment has a well thought out description of the event and its significance. In no particular order of importance. Any comic passages referenced are fully represented and located in color at the back of each chapter. This is a great addition to the book, as it is nice to see the comics themselves.
As a casual reader of the batman comics there is quite a lot of information in this book, about the history and creation of Batman. A majority of the historical information is limited to the original Detective Comics through about the 90s, with brief mentions of the New 52 (2011-2015) through Batman Who Laughs (2019). So, fans looking for information about the newer comics will be somewhat disappointed. This also means there are no mentions of some characters, sorry Luke Fox. Also, surprisingly only brief mentions of the Justice League, and its coinciding superheroes as important moments.
A majority of these moments are categorized by how characters within the series meet, or some larger interesting main comic book events. How they effected Batman as a character or the overarching story, is up to the reader’s interpretation. As well organized as this book is, a timeline would be helpful. Events such as Earth-1, Earth-2, Crisis on Infinite Earths, post-Crisis, Rebirth, Prime Earth, New 52, etc. are not explained fully or written in order. So, a reader new to Batman comics will be left with a puzzling read.
Would I, as Greenberger assumes, have a different top 100 moments? Yes, but this book has some persuasive additions. There is a lot more to learn and read about Batman, and this book is a great introduction to the origins of Batman.

This book is so cool and entertaining to read! I learned so much more about the writers, the behind the scenes, the character of Batman, and why he is everyone’s favorite superhero! Thank you to NetGalley and Chartwell Books for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

This is a great reference book and with over 300 pages covers so much and gives out so much information. The structure and the way it is divided in terms of the chapters makes it easy to reference material quickly.
The book covers the early editions of the story through to the more recent. It is interesting to see how both the artwork and the panel placements have progressed over time. Included villains and comics from the original which really does give a marvellous insight into this DC character.
I must have reference book for those that are fans of the graphic novel, the history of them, DC comics and Batman.

This is awesome! If you love Batman and Comic Strip Magazines this is for you!
Thank you NetGalley for the Arc copy with Quarto Publishing Group.
This is effectively an encyclopaedia of Batman’s History since inception!

This book is beautifully presented panels of incredible detail and drawing.
It illustrates how Bruce Wayne becomes our Dark Knight hero becomes darker and depicts key moments it becomes edgier.

This is an awesome encapsulated time frame of Batman’s best stories. I really enjoyed these pinnacle moments.

I can’t wait to read this on a tablet to show my nephews who are batman crazy! This would be more epic in print hardback Glossybook and not just a PDF download file.

Batman’s 100 greatest moments!
My only complaint is that there is only 100! Batman has 1,000s of greatest moments 😀

Batman is one of my favorite Super-Hero, right along Wolverine, so this anthology was a great way to go back into old memories, even notice some moments that I never saw. It contains a bunch of information, part of stories so you can have a look at the various style, both story and art, that have come and go into the franchise and some cover artworks as well. This is just a great book, or even gift, for Batman fans!

For those of us who think Batman is all about Adam West and his pals on technicolor tv, there's a whole universe of Batman we've only scratched at. This great volume is chockfull of everything you never imagined you'd learn about Batman, Robin, Alfred, Catwoman, and all the rest of em. Presented in topical chapters which begin with information downloads of all kinds of interesting tidbits followed by clips from eighty years of comics. Don't look for a consistent comic story here. It's more of a greatest hits album and there were sure lots of hits.