On The Cheap: Comixology’s ‘Batman’ Day Sale Has 1,001 Comics For A Buck Each (Literally)

Gather 'round, children, for Batman Day is once again upon us! Yes, it's that magical day in September (or sometimes June, and probably March) when we all put the teeth of criminals beneath our pillows so that Jolly St. Batman can drive down from the North Pole and leave Batarangs for the good children and severe beatings for the bad. Right? Is that how it works?

Listen, I'll level with you: I have no idea what the mechanics of Batman Day are actually meant to be, but I do know that the folks over at Comixology has offered up a gigantic sale to mark the occasion, featuring over a thousand comics dropped down to a dollar each. If you've got Bruce Wayne money, that's no problem, but if you need a guide, well, read on!

Before we get to the back issues, it's worth pointing out that the sale also includes the first arcs of Grayson, Gotham Academy and the Burnside era of Batgirl, which are easily three of the best comics DC is currently publishing. If you're a CA reader, I'm going to assume that you're already reading them, but if you haven't tried all three, they're well worth it --- I honestly don't remember a time since probably the mid-'90s where the extended Batman Family titles were all this good, and there's more variety in these than we've had since... well, ever.

As for the Dark Knight himself, there's a lot of great current stuff in there, too, like Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Zero Year and Snyder and Jock's Black Mirror. But for the digital back issue bins...

If you love Tim Sale's art in Batman: The Long Halloween and Dark Victory, then you really owe it to yourself to pick up "Blades," a three-part story that ran in Legends of the Dark Knight #32-34. It's probably James Robinson's best work outside of Starman, and while it doesn't get the attention of Grant Morrison and Klaus Janson's Gothic (also on sale, and also well worth it), it's one of the best stories ever published in that title. The focus is on the Cavalier, a relatively obscure villain, with the idea being that Batman's first year prompted a few copycat vigilantes who were getting into the game for reasons a little less noble than Batman's.

Also, while it's not part of the sale, Robinson also co-wrote the legendary Archie Goodwin's last story, "Siege" in LOTDK #132 - 136. You know, just in case those ever go on sale, too.

The other must-buy in the sale is Batman and the Monster Men, the first of Matt Wagner's two miniseries that retold stories from the Golden Age in a modern setting. This time, it's an extended take on Hugo Strange's first appearance from Detective Comics #36, combining the '40s Mad Science with the brutal setting that you'd expect from Batman's "Year One" era. It's some of Wagner's best work on the character --- and arguably some of his best work period --- and its follow-up, Batman and the Mad Monk, is every bit as good. That one's not part of the sale, but, y'know, those other 995 comics on the list can probably tide you over until it comes up.

Those are the top picks, but there are plenty more good ones in the sale --- Paul Dini's run on Detective Comics is full of underrated gems and great art from the likes of Dustin Nguyen and JH Williams III, and the Black Hand story from Morrison and Williams' Batman #667-669 is one of my favorite things from Morrison's long run on the character. Plus, I've got a lot of nostalgia for the '90s Nightwing and Robin, and Arkham Manor had a pretty amazing concept that it made the most of in its six issues.

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