Everyone has a favoriteBatmanstory, but for one beloved comic creator, there’s actually two that they really love more than any others. The Dark Knight has a panoply of stories that have inspired fans for generations. But what tales featuring the World’s Greatest Detective stand out to one particular fan-favorite creator?
Recently, Mark Waid,writer ofJustice League UnlimitedandBatman/Superman: World’s Finest, attended WonderCon to speak at DC Comics' Superman panel. PerComic Book Club, the writer provided fans with a lot of information regarding upcoming titles, his favorite characters, and even revealed he’s readevery Superman comic andalmost every Batman comic.
Speaking of Batman, at one point, Waid also revealed what some of his favorite Batman stories are. Waid has two favorites, one of which is “To Kill a Legend” fromDetective Comics #500. The other is the iconic “Heart of Ice” episodefromBatman: The Animated Series.
Mark Waid Picks Two Classic Batman Stories As His All-Time Favorites
The DC Legend Has Some Seriously ‘Cool’ Choices
For those unfamiliar,Batman: The Animated Series'“Heart of Ice” was a notable episode, lauded for its reinvention of Mister Freeze. It was this episode that introduced a tragic backstory to the iconic villain, particularly for the element of Victor Fries’ wife, Nora and Freeze’s struggles to save her.Detective Comics #500, on the other hand, was a story that saw Batman and Robin travel to another Earth in an attempt to save its versions of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Despite history almost repeating,Batman pulls it off, giving his variant the chance to live the life Bruce never had.
It says a lot that these two are some of his favorites. To be fair, even among the other stellar episodes ofBatman: The Animated Series, “Heart of Ice” isthatgood. So good, in fact, the change to Mister Freeze’s backstory became his canon origin in the Prime DC Universe continuity. “To Kill a Legend” is also a fascinating hypothetical scenario that dives into how things could have shaken out if Bruce hadn’t lost his mother and father. Waid is someone who knows his stuff andBatman fans may want to take his cue and check these stories out.
If Mark Waid Says These Batman Stories Are Good, They Have to Be
Who Would Doubt a Super Fan Like Waid?
While comic creators are generally fans of the superhero genre, few have an intense passion like Mark Waid. The man admits he’s read hundreds, if not thousands, of comics, and he’s got fascinating insights into a lot of characters, especially Batman.He’s someone who knows what it takes to make a good Batman story, so if he’s saying that these two are his favorites, there’s no doubt they’ve got great qualities.
Sure, ‘favorite’ doesn’t necessarily mean something is objectively good. But given the body of work Waid has put out, it’s interesting to look at the Batman stories he loves and see how they’ve possibly impacted or inspired his work. Truth be told, he’s got a couple of solid picks andBatmanfans who are looking for some good stories to engage with would do themselves a favor checking these two out.
