Return To Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Series Next Month With 1,648-Page Comics Omnibus

Can you ever have too much Batman in your life? Science says no, even if you’re planning to read this gigantic 1,648-page hardcover collection of comic book stories based on Rocksteady’s brilliant Arkham trilogy. Now available to preorder for $150 and scheduled to arrive on September 24, Batman: The Arkham Saga is an essential companion piece for anyone who’s a fan of the Arkham games developed by Rocksteady and Warner Bros. Montreal. And the new omnibus edition compiles the whole saga in one volume that may or may not require Batman levels of strength to carry around.

If the price sounds high, just tell yourself it only costs 11 cents per page, which is a pretty great deal. Joking aside, the omnibus could realistically be split into five volumes (at least) at $30 each, which sounds very reasonable. Also, Amazon frequently discounts books before launch, and you won’t be charged for your preorder until it ships. If Amazon drops the price before then, which is a common occurrence for big comic book omnibuses, you will pay the lowest price offered since placing your order.

With Batman: Arkham Asylum a smash-hit after it was released in 2009, DC Comics didn’t waste any time creating extra content for fans to dig into. This omnibus collects all of the Arkham comic book backstories, from the Dark Knight’s first years on the streets in Batman: Arkham Origins to the dark and deadly stories of Batman: Arkham Knight Genesis and everything in between. The full list for this collection includes:

Batman: Arkham Asylum: The Road to Arkham
Batman: Arkham City #1-5
Batman: Arkham City: End Game #1
Batman: Arkham Knight #1-12
Batman: Arkham Knight Annual #1
Batman: Arkham Knight: Batgirl & Harley Quinn #1
Batman: Arkham Knight Genesis #1-6
Batman: Arkham Knight: Robin Special #1
Batman: Arkham Origins Special
Batman: Arkham Unhinged

These are all great mini-series and one-shots featuring several of DC’s best creators at the helm, and Batman: Arkham Unhinged is notable for being a digital-first series that has been added to this collection. While it was later reprinted in traditional comic book form, it is nice to have it included with the other series in this omnibus. Another cool thing about this hardcover is that the Arkham City series was illustrated by Carlos D’Anda, who worked with Rocksteady to create several unique redesigns for Batman and his rogues gallery in the Arkham games.

It’s worth checking out how these games came together, and there is a superb book detailing all this work, although it is pricey because it’s out of print. Alternatively, there’s nothing wrong with going back to the original source material, as you can grab Batman: The Arkham Collection on PC for just $8.40 at Fanatical.

The collection includes Arkham Asylum, Arkham City City, and Arkham Knight–sorry folks, no Arkham Origins–and an 86% discount is hard to beat. Not only do you get a selection of games that have aged well, you’re also getting all of their DLC and expansion pass content as well. If you’re up for a replay, you can unlock some superb concept art, character models, and more with these games.

Batman: The Arkham Saga isn’t the only upcoming 2024 omnibus or graphic novel featuring the Caped Crusader and his Gotham City foes. One of the highlights is the Absolute Batman edition of Grant Morrison’s and Dave McKean’s Arkham Asylum, which unsurprisingly served as inspiration and lended its title to Rocksteady’s first Batman game. Absolute Batman: Arkham Asylum releases later this month. Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight: The Master Race will also receive the Absolute Batman treatment on September 17.

The premium Absolute Batman hardcover series is awesome, but it’s not the only series where classic Batman stories are being reissued. DC is also re-releasing some stellar Batman books in collections dubbed DC Finest. Batman Year One & Two is the first book in the new DC Finest series. The $40 paperback clocks in at nearly 600 pages and is slated to release on November 5.