Batman: No Man's Land Omnibus Vol. 1

Background. In 1999, DC pushed Gotham to its absolute limit. An earthquake destroys the city; the federal government declares it an emergency zone and decides to abandon it: the bridge connecting it to the rest of the United States is destroyed; anyone who wants to leave is free to do so, and anyone who stays inside is outside the law. Gotham becomes a lawless territory where criminal gangs, villains escaped from Arkham, and Batman fight for control street by street.

What it contains. The first part of the No Man’s Land saga, with Batman returning to Gotham after a period of absence to find an unrecognisable city divided among warlords. It includes the introduction of Cassandra Cain as the new Batgirl, the redistribution of territories among the villains, and Batman’s first moves to regain control. A large team of writers and artists.

Why it’s worth reading. No Man’s Land is one of the boldest narrative experiments DC has undertaken with Gotham: for over a year, the Batman comics weren’t about detectives or rogue villains, but about a city in ruins and the people who live there. It is the Dark Knight’s finest political story. It inspired the tone of several films and series, and remains a benchmark for any writer wishing to portray Gotham as a real urban setting.

Publication details. 1136 pages. First volume of the complete omnibus of the saga. US edition published by DC Comics. ISBN 9781779513229.