Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight

by Scott Beatty

Orphan Bruce Wayne swore to strike fear into the hearts of the criminals ruling the streets of Gotham City -- and the mysterious legend of Batman was born. This definitive celebration of one of the world's most popular fictional heroes contains full details of the extraordinary events and bizarre and sinister characters in Batman's thrilling career. Created by Bob Kane in the late 1930s, Batman is on the of the world's greatest fictional heroes. "The Caped Crusader," "The Dark Knight," "The Guardian of Gotham" -- each generation has coined its own favorite nickname to describe this ultimate crime fighter as he wages war on a gallery of bizarre villains. For Batman: the Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight, DK Publishing has been permitted unparalleled access to the archives of DC Comics, shapers of the Batman legend. Spectacular artworks reveal the secret workings of key installations and equipment such as the Batcave, the Batmobile, Batman's suit, and the weaponry contained in his Utility Belt. Panoramic views of Gotham City and Arkham Asylum with its villainous inmates, allow readers to enter into Batman's world. Crucial events and characters of the Batman legend are illustrated with drawings from the original DC comic books. The result is a unique, in-depth approach to the thrilling story of Batman's crimefighting career which is sure to dazzle and delight fans of all ages.

Genres: Batman, Comics, Reference, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Scott Matthew Beatty is a comic books writer.

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

They're not kidding when they titled this the ultimate guide. It's especially good for those who don't know much about Batman besides the movies and it's a nice addition for standard Batman fans or those who simply did not acquire every graphic novel about him in the past several decades.

Each topic is typically two pages that are 85% pictures and 15% information.

Contents are divides as follows: Batman's World (which covers the Bat-Suit, Bat Gadgets, Lovers and so forth), Allies of the Bat, Rogues Gallery (Arkhan Asylum and the usual villains) and then Batman's Career (which has a history of the highlights of Batman's career up until 2005).

As an intermediate of Batman culture I learned several new things and had a few clarified.

ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus to A minus; INFORMATION: A minus; CONTENT SETUP: B to B plus; WHEN READ: late September 2012 to early October 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as I can tell, a good intro to the mythos of Batman. I really appreciated that there was a timeline in the back of the book--it helped me put the characters and plotlines into a historical context. I underestimated how well-written and literary some of the characters and stories are; some of them seem downright elegant. I feel like a snob. (But then, some of the shit in the Batman universe sounds hokey and terrible and just really silly, so I guess, as with any medium, there's good and bad.)

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big, fun book full of color pictures and stories that walk the reader through the history of Batman.

Heavy on images but light on information.

Notes
Good reference material for old and new readers.

Learning Curve
Low: Good for new readers

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I also love this book too! It really appeals to a limited audience (mainly Batman nerds like me) but it's still really cool!

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good and enjoyable guide to all things Batman. I especially got a kick out of the gadgets section of this book.

[VebamaHu · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is absolutely amazing and I like the reviews.

[cia sunshine ☭ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good introduction to Batman without having to go back and read every single comic! But a part of me would prefer to just read the comics.

[Shahid Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is cool.i like this book.

[Maryse · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it said "Ultimate", I thought it would cover everything. It does, in a way, but most of the facts come from the modern, dark Batman comics rather than the Bob Kane incarnation. I would have appreciated it more if it traced the Batman's story through the years and how it changed, similar to what Tim DeFalco did for Spiderman's ultimate guide. Nevertheless, considering that it came at a cheaper price than my Spidey guide, I'd say it's still a pretty good guide.

[Rahmat Romadon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seneng banget pertama kali dapetin buku ini. Seperti ensiklopedia yang isinya menjelaskan segala sesuatu tentang Batman mulai dari sejarah, rekan/musuh, hingga aksesoris/peralatan terkecil yang dipergunakan Dark Knight saat memberantas kejahatan di Gotham City. Wajib dimiliki bagi para fans berat Batman.

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

a great brief introduction to the batman universe. it covers the batfamily, associates, gadget & vehicles and rogues gallery; although now horrendously outdated as this is pre-New 52. although thsat is about to get muddled around with so i doubt there will ever be a definitive guide to Batman any time soon :)
a good selection of pictures from across the decades and a fun read.

[Ismail menasterly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because batman is another one of my favorite heroes, and this book tells of all his adventures and all of his weapons. it tells of every villain he encounters and all his allies and his looks throughout the silver age, golden age and now

[Tue Le · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read. I loved it when I first encountered it. I love it still. I think it should be updated, though, to include some of the finer stories published or aired since it was published in 2001.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems to me that quite a bit of what I consider to be essential Batman was missing...but it was still cool.

[Jack glatz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book but to many pictures

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great guide to batman, his allies, and his foes.
all batman fans, read this!

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, simple and informative. An absolute must have for any fan of the Dark Knight and his fellow caped crusaders.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, I'm partial to superheroes.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice book about batman!

[Eloise-mae Varga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book their is nothing rong with its book exept its so cool.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. Tons of info in this. I learned a few things, this is great if You want to know some origin stories of villains and Batman's allies as well.

[Victor Orozco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little rundown on the history of the Dark Knight. B-

[Marcos Yannelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a best guide to know more better the Caped Crusader