Another favorite of mine is BATMAN 300 from June 1978, by David V. Reed, with art by Walt Simonson/Dick Giordano.
An out-of-continuity "imaginary" story, touted as the "Last Batman story". I liked the way they ended Batman's career by having him abandon his Batman identity to...
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...become a U.S. Senator and fight on through anti-crime legislation, rather than with his fists.
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It makes sense, that at some point he would slow down and not be able to continue fighting crime the same way, and this gives him another way to carry on the battle. He also seems in the story to be happier, and not as driven and tormented as he was as Batman. A pleasant "last story".
I consider this to be an under-appreciated big event, that on a more modest scale details Batman's future, just as Frank Miller later did along different lines in his 1986 series THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS.
