Kondorr

This user has not updated recently.

102 1412 22 15
Forum Posts Wiki Points Following Followers

DC Timeline - (The Bat-Family & friends) Part 1

DISCLAIMER:

There will be spoilers justifing some of the book placements.

This is suposed to be a BATMAN list, BUT obviously no human functions in a social vacuum, therefor you will find other characters, that at some point become kinda important to him or his closest.

Superman beeing the obvious one, but I never liked Byrne's MAN OF STEEL run, somehow to naive, it will for now be replaced with BIRTHRIGHT.

Besides the standard Gothamites (the Robins, Batgirls, Birds of Prey etc.) you definetly will find Wonder Woman and I do intend to read some Supergirl. So maybe calling this a Batlist would be wrong, it rather should be a Gotham list with the occasional weekend visit to one of it's neighbours.

Inconsistencies are unavoidable, so there will be remarks regarding contradictions. Some worth noting are Gordons rank for example, Two-Faces origin or the companywide crossovers, like LEGENDS (impossible to make it work, no matter how much head-cannon you spin on it), MILLENIUM and INVASION (Which is the only one that might work KINDA within this custom timeline), those that are the least contradictory will be implementend, the rest will remain as footnotes in SUICDE SQUAD or WONDER WOMAN issues.

At some point I will mix it up with some stuff from before the Crisis, so it will only KINDA work (I am speaking in regards to the NEW TEEN TITANS).

In order to do this list I used the following sources:

  • http://www.therealbatmanchronologyproject.com
  • http://therealbatmanchronoproject.blogspot.com
  • http://andrewcutterinc.weebly.com/index.html
  • http://www.thedcu.net/continuity/continuity1.html
  • http://multiversitycomics.com/columns/a-crisis-of-chronology-grant-morrisons-batman-epic/ (Morrisons run)

And sorry for disregarding the offical year numbering... but I feel that if one reads YEAR ONE... and then MONSTER MAN... it reads more like a sequel and not an interquel. And that is why my Batman years will not be the official onces... I will update upon reading the books.... so stay tuned...

This is of course a WIP...

Summary (spoilers):

The first part of the timeline covers the origin events of the Gothamites, starting with Batman and Catwoman and expanding through time to three Robins, two Batgirls, Oracle, Huntress, the informal formation of the Birds of Prey and Nightwing (and even a muddy origin for the JL).

Amongst those trials are deadly viruses, one whole asylum of nut cases, numerous crime bosses an estranged ward, the other one killed violently, a broken back, Gotham City in ruins and a dear friends family devoured by the Joker himself.

Bruce and Gotham go through trials and tribulations, but as the Bat grows stronger the city might not be able to cope with these disasters…

I have exchanged many out of print editions with new ones.

This list continues in the second one, which is still a heavy work in progress: List 2

Last update 2019-01-27

List items

  • TIMELINE: All of this has happened before and will happen again

    (all hail Ron Moore's BSG)

    PLOT: What if RED SON was NOT alternative, but prehistoric. It is a tale that ends with it's beginnig, but what if the ending leads to the proper Universe we know as Post-Crisis and Pre-52.

    I like it, and I am going to go with it.

    CONTINUITY: Destiny took one wrong step, which forced time to loop itself in order to correct itself.

    This is my personal idea for this timeline, which someone else might have already used, or not.

    Just imagine the cycle repeated itself so long, that finally the last paged showed Kansas...

  • STATUS: Essential to SUPERMAN

    Prelude - One of the many post Crisi Origins... my preference.

    TIMELINE: Before YEAR ONE

    PLOT: Origins to the Man of Steel

    CAMEOS:

    VILLIANS: Lex Luthor and Van-Gar

    CONTINUITY: Superman is mentioned in all the earliest Batman books, so I think he should be first to read. I chose Birthright over Byrne's MAN OF STEEL out of personal preference. Wayne Enterprises and Lexcorp are already in direct oposition.

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR ONE (obviously)

    January - December (April 6th - Batman's 1st patrol)

    PLOT: Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham and starts his one man war against crime.

    CAMEOS: Celina Kyle/Catwoman, Sarah Essen, Superman is mentioned

    VILLIANS: Arnold Flass, Commissioner Loeb, Carmine Falcone

    CONTINUITY: The Origin of Batman

    TABLOIDS: New most wanted bachelor returns to Gotham after 12 years.

    COMMISSIONER OF POLICE: Gillian Loeb

    GORDON's RANK: Lieutenant

    GORDON's OFFSPRING: James Jr. is born

    Obviously, this is the inspiration for Nolan's BATMAN BEGINS

    X

  • STATUS: Catwoman Interlude or spinoff to YEAR ONE & not essential

    Timeline: YEAR ONE

    PLOT: Celina Kyle, inspired partly by Batman, takes the mantle of the Cat and begins her career as a burglar.

    CAMEOS: Bruce Wayne/Batman

    VILLIANS:

    CONTINUITY: The Origin of Catwoman

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to the WORLDs FINEST

    TIMELINE: YEAR ONE

    PLOT: The Bat meets the Steel.

    VILLIAN: Magpie

    CONTINUITY: Bats still has no Batmobil

    COLLECTED: Man of Steel Vol. 1 TPB

  • TIMELINE: Year 2 up to year 11

    The first three stories hardly fit anywhere. But if you must, you can read them between th BLACK CASEBOOK and TALES OF THE DEOMN (Year 7 - 11 ), be prepared for massive contradictions though.

    SHADOW OF THE BAT: YEAR ONE

    Year 2

    The First encounter in the post crisis world. Bats still has no car, therefore it must be before MONSTER MEN

    HOT HOUSE

    Year 3

    This is the second encounter, but Ivy was suposedly rehabilitated.

    SECRET ORIGIN

    Year 4 - 11 ?

    Task Force X is testing Ivy, if she might be a good fit for the Suicide Squad.

    Ignore Robin in two Panels and it all makes sens.

    BATMAN POISON IVY

    Year 4 Before LONG HALOWEEN

    (Just ignore Two-Face beeing mentioned again).

    Ivy settled on an uninhabitted island/

    PASSION's FRUIT

    Year 5

    Back i Arkham

    (Just before DARK VICTORY)

    DEFLOWERD

    Year 8 (?)

    This could take place literally everywhere before CATACLYSM.

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMLINE: YEAR TWO

    PLOT: Batman is still focused on his war on crime, but in the shadows a new nemesis rises... one that could turn out to be even more dangerous than the mob.

    CAMEOS: Superman and Essen are mentioned,

    VILLIANS: Dr. Hugo Strange, Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni

    CONTINUITY: Pretty much a direct sequel to Batman Year One. Gordon still tries to forget Essen. The first Batmobil in action, The Red Hood incident is mentioned. It is more than once mentioned, that this is not the first year of Batman's career, but rather (as already written) after YEAR ONE.

    TABLOIDS: Bruce Wayne dates Julie Madison.

    ARKHAM ASYLUM: Sells inmates for experiments.

    COMMISSIONER OF POLICE: Peter Grogan

    While it never got the official credit, big chunks of the mafia storyline have been adapted into Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT.

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR TWO

    PLOT: After defeating Dr. Strange, Batman is eager to return to his fight against the mob, but yet another mysterious danger rises.

    CAMEOS: Celina Kyle/Catwoman and the Graysons are teased

    VILLIANS: Mad Monk, Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni, Joker is mentioned at the end

    CONTINUITY: Conclusion to MONSTER MEN and lead in to THE MAN WHO LAUGHS

    TABLOIDS: Bruce Wayne breaks up with Julie Madison.

    Here to you will find small elements, which made their way into Nolans THE DARK KNIGHT

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR TWO

    PLOT: Having just defeated the Mad Monk, Batman must focus on a new enemy: The Joker.

    CAMEOS: None

    VILLIAN: Joker

    CONTINUITY: We see the Batsignal at the end

    ARKHAM ASYLUM: Is beeing renovated, all inmates have been transfered

    GORDON's RANK: Captain

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR TWO

    PLOT: Dr. Strange returns and turns the Police force against Batman. Even Gordon has to choose between his job and his dark ally.

    CAMEOS: Celina Kyle/Catwoman,

    VILLIANS: Dr. Hugo Strange, The Night Scourge

    CONTINUITY: Origin of the Bat-Signal and the second Batmobil is beeing build (the first one must have been destroyed somewhere between MAD MONK and PREY)

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and BATGIRL I - best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR TWO

    PLOT: The Joker is set to trial, but even in prison he manages to wreck havoc outside of his cell.

    CAMEOS: The Riddler, Ventriloquist (mentioned as caught), Barbara Gordon

    VILLIANS: The Joker, The Bad Cop

    CONTINUTIY: Sequel to THE MAN WHO LAUGHS

    GORDON's OFFSPRING: Barbara is refered multiple times as his daughter

    ARKHAM ASYLUM: It seems the Arkham renovation got privatised in order to sell it as living space, but Jokers appearance scrapped this insane idea. By the end it is operating with Joker beeing patient zero.

    CONTINUITY-ERROR ON GORDON's RANK: He should be Captain at this point, yet he is an LT.

    X

  • STATUS: Standalone but worthy

    TIMELINE: YEAR TWO

    PLOT: After being caught in the previous book, Edward tells someone his origin in Arkham.

    CAMEOS:

    VILLIANSs: The Riddler

    CONTINUITY-ERROR: Just erase the mention of Two-Face from this, and it fits perfect

    X

  • STATUS: Have not yet read this... still waiting for delivery :(

    TIMELINE: YEAR TO BE DETERMINED

    PLOT: Formation of JLA without the Trinity

  • STATUS: Non-essential but best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR THREE

    PLOT: Bruce Wayne crosses off with Luthor

    CAMEOS: Lucious Fox

    VILLIANS: Lex Luthor, who was hired in HAUNTED KNIGHT: GHOSTS

    CONTINUTIY: Bruce establishes the Wayne Foundation later mentioned in TERROR.

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR THREE

    PLOT: Sequel to PREY, Strange returns seemingly from the dead to haut Batman and enlists a strawboy, who might be out of his league.

    VILLIANS: Scarecrow, Dr. Hugo Strange, Selina Kyle/Catwoman

    CONTINUITY-ERROR: Two-Face is referenced although he still does not exist.

    CONTINUITY: Arkham Asylum is already functioning. Inside are Scarecrow and the Joker. Did Batman recapture Joker after DEAD TO RIGHTS?, or are parts of the stories overlapping? Death of Strange.

    As the BAT he figths crime, but as Bruce he starts a foundation to prevent it.

    TABLOIDS: First kiss between Batman and Catwoman.

    GORDON's RANK: Aaaand he is Captain again

    I prefer to have this here, because it closes out the remaining open threads started way back in YEAR ONE and MONSTER MAN. I like this to be the Season Finale, to speak in TV terms.

    X

  • STATUS: Unessential CATWOMAN spin off, skipable but good and beautiful

    TIMELINE: YEAR THREE

    PLOT: The Catwoman is obsessed with stealing a new kind of gun, one that never misses, while Batman tries to talk some sens into her, before things go very wrong... Which they do, of course...

    VILLIANS: The Catwoman

    CONTINUITY: This might be both beffor or after TERROR, but I prefer it here...

    X

  • STATUS: Standalone

    TIMELINE: YEAR THREE

    PLOT: Bruce and the crime families have a common elemnt of the past that hunts all of them.

    VILLIANS: Mr. Whisper

  • STATUS: Essential to WONDER WOMAN

    TIMELINE: Starts out thousands of years ago and happens somewhere around first two, maybe three years of Bats and Supes careers

    PLOT: The Origin of Wonder Woman

    CAMEOS: Greek pantheon of gods, Superman and Hawkwoman are mentioned, Steve Trrevor, Julia Kapatelis and her daughter Vanessa Kapatelis

    VILLIANS: Ares, Decay, Phobos, Deimos

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and best read in sequence

    TIMELINE: YEAR FOUR

    PLOT: The Origin of Bane starts here... the drug that fuels him gets introduced and Wayne gets addicted...

    CAMEOS: Bruce dreams of Superman, have they already met?

    VILLIABNS: Slaycroft, Porter & Drug adiction

    CONTINUITY: Prequel to KNGIHTFALL (this takes place during a very long period of time), at one point it is said that even a year.

    X

  • TIMELINE: YEAR FOUR

    PLOT: The Man Who Falls and remember his beginnings

    CAMEOS: Ducard

    CONTINUITY: This could happen actually anywhere. We get to know more about the pre-Batman Bruce Wayne and his travelles around the world.

    At one point it is said that he MIGHT have done THIS a thousand times... so kinda three years if he did it every night... so, here we are... year three

    X

  • TIMLINE: YEAR FOUR

    PLOT: First confrontation between Batman and Mr. Freeze. Batman tries to find allies, but his initial concept is deemed a failure.

    VILLIANS: Mr. Freeze

    X

  • FEARS TIMELINE: HALLOWEEN YEAR 3

    FEARS PLOT: Scarcrow and a myserious Woman appear in Gotham

    TABLOIDS: Bruce dates Jillian Maxwell

    -------------

    STATUS: Essential to BARBARA GORDON aka BATGIRL I

    MADNASS TIMELINE: HALLOWEEN YEAR 4

    MADNESS PLOT: Mad Hatter attacks while Gordon has problems with his adopted daughter

    MADNESS CRONOLOGY: Doctor Thompson seems not to know of Batman's identity, Gordon has just adopted Barbara

    -------------

    STATUS: Essential to LICIOS FOX

    GHOST TIMELINE: HALLOWEEN YEAR 2

    Bruce hires Lucios and discusses setting up the Wayne Foundation, needs to be before RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

    GHOSTS PLOT: The three haloween villians 9instead of three christmass ghosts) visit Bruce for some short lived advice.

  • STATUS: Essential to WONDER WOMAN

    TIMELINE/CROSSOVERS: This book is a timeline nightmare, but one can work through it.

    worst offender is the Journal entry by Prof. Kapatelis regarding G. Gordon Godfrey from the LEGENDS event.

    It does not fit here... So for easy reading... skip CHAPTER ONE entirely, or at the very least the first Journal entry. The rest of chapter I does mention her meeting other JLers, or the Godfrey affair, but ar not that detailed.

    So best you read Chapter Two, which needs to happen before WHEN IN ROME, after which Diana leaves Man's world. There she has some epic tolkienesque adventures only to reutrn in time for TRINITY.

    CONTINUITY-ERROR: In one panel, when Diana visits the Green Lanterns, there is also Batman and Superman. But they have not yet met.

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN

    TIMELINE: YEAR FIVE

    October of YEAR 4 to October of YEAR 5

    PLOT: Someone kills mobsters one by one every given holiday. Harvey Dent, Gordon and Batman vow to pursucute without crossing the line.

    CAMEOS:

    Villians: The Catwoman, Harvey Dent/Two-Face, The Joker, Poison Ivy, The Penguin, The Riddler, Solomon Grundy, Calendar Man, Holiday, Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni

    CONTINUITY: Harvey Dent becomes Two-Face, the crazies take over Gotham from the mob, Carmien Falcone dies

    TABLOIDS: Bruce Wayne dates Selina Kyle

    GORDON's RANK: Captain

    Obviously, this is a huge inspiration for Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and ROBIN I and best read in sequence

    TIMLINE: YEAR SIX

    August 2nd of YEAR 5 to August of YEAR 6

    PLOT: Dick Grayson is orphaned and taken in by Bruce Wayne. Soon he becomes the first Robin.

    CAMEOS: Dick Grayson/Robin, Selina Kyle/Catwoman

    GORDON's RANK: Commissioner

    GORDON's FAMILY: Seperation? - They seemed quite happy during the Holiday murders...

    Villians: The Hang Man, Joker, Two Face, Hatter, Ivy, Freeze

    Continuity:

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to CATWOMAN

    Timeline: YEAR SIX

    March to September

    PLOT: Selina tries to unravels her lifes mysteries while indulging in all sort of things.

    VILLIANS: The Riddler, CHEETAH

    CONTINUITY: Cheetah's appearance places all of the early Wonder Woman stories before Long Halloween.

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN, WONDER WOMAN & SUPERMAN

    TIMELINE: YEAR 7

    CAMEOS: Dick Grayson (deemed fit to fight down to earth villians, not superhuman ones), Aquaman

    VILLIANS: Ra's Al Ghul, hus PURGE, Bizzarro and Artemis

    CONTINUITY: Bruce and Clark already know each other. They meet Diana for the first time.

    The Demon already considers the detective to be his biggest enemy, there also is already SOME story with Bruce and Thalia.

    This need to be read after Challange of the gods (but skipping it's Intro chapter). Batmans treatment of Robin indicates, that the Boy Wonder did not yet finish the GAUNTLET, they are definetly not yet partners.

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN & ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: YEAR 7

    July 2nd - July 3rd

    PLOT: Batman tests Robin after months of intense training

    Continuity, there is a circa 10 months gap here, were the training is suposed to happen. Considering how Batman treats Robin in TRINITY, I think that book fits perfectly between DARK VICTORY and GAUNTLET

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN and ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: YEAR 7

    Middle Summer Year 7 to Early Summer Year 8 (?)

    PLOT: The early months of Robin training.

    CAMEOS: Dr. Leslie Thompkins, Barbara Gordon

    VILLIANS: Mad Hatter, Two Face, Shrike of the League of Assassins, a dumb version of Blockbuster

    CONTINUITY: The first year in Dick Graysons hero carrier. Gordon adopts Barbara. Doctor Thompkins know Batmans identity.

    X

  • STATUS: Optional

    TIMELINE: The framing narrative of Secret Origin is set between Wonder Woman Vol. I and Vol. II (directly after LEGENDS).

    As almost all stories are one-shots, this could be stretched from year 3 all through year 8 (last arc is happening in winter time).

    CAMEOS: Is Ben Truner before or after his career with the League of Assassins? He is worked up about SOMETHING.

    CROSS-OVERS: Again we get heavy LEGENDS remarks, as that seems to have been their true first mission... I might have to need to read it someday. One of the stories even is a direct sequel to it.

    The last panel teases the MILLENIUM cross-over event I am going to ignore as I did LEGENDS... for now at least.

    VILLIANS: The Jihad, Darkseid and the Furies

    CAMEOS: Ferris Aircraft build the Squads "bird". Penguin is in the Belle Reve prison. The squad visits Central City, but Flash is not there any more.

  • Replaces Wonder Woman: Beauty and the Beasts & Wonder Woman: Destiny Calling.

    PLOT: Diana faces Silver Swan, a date with Superman and cosmic challanges. Among those a scheme by Darkseid leads to the olympic exodus and a new dawn.

    TABLOIDS: Mindy Meyer and Clark Kent organize a date between Wonder Woman and Superman.

    VILLIANS: Silver Swan, Circe, Phobos, Ixion, Euryale

    POLITICS: Themyscira declares readyness for cultural exchange with patriarch's world.

    CAMEOS: Palmer Aircraft build the Icarus jet. A cloaked woman is searching for the suposed sister of Diana: Donna Troy.

    CONTINUITY-ERROR: As I will mostly ignore the LEGENDS affair with Gordon G. Godfrey, when it's mentioned, simply think of TRINITY and the Al-Ghul affair.

    CROSS-OVERS: At the end Etta Candy teases the INVASION Crossover, that I am going to treat for the time beeing equally as LEGENDS and MILLENIUM.

  • STATUS: Essential to BATGIRL and ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: Year 8

    End of Year 8 to sometime year 9

    CAMEOS: Dick Grayson/Robin, JSA and JLA is mentioned, Black Canary, Wildcat, Dr. Fate

    VILLIANS: Killer Moth (fresh out of Blackgate), Firefly, Blockbuster (dumb as a brick)

    CONTINUITY: It is alluded, that Batman is off fighting Ra's somewhere in Tibet.

    POLITICS: Rupert Throne campaigned for congress.

    CHRONOLOGY: There was a recent JSA reuinion with some wizards interuption, Robin/Dick is already part of the Teen Titans.

    GORDON'S RANK: Soon to be Commisioner... yet he already was Commissioner in DARK VICTORY... his rank is a consistent inconsistency...

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to Matrix

    COLLECTED: Man of Steel Vol. 9 TPB

    COMMENT: I only really enjoyed the stuff with Supergirl appearing - I truly am not Byrne's fan - the Supergirl stuff is strewn throughout the whole book: one page here, two pages there. Only in the final three issues does the focus shift totally on her and Kal-El.

  • STATUS: Essential to BATGIRL I

    TIMELINE: Year 9 (sometime during BATGIRL YEAR ONE, or just after it).

    PLOT: Joker escapes

    VILLIANS: JOKER

    CAMEO: BATMAN

    TIMELINE: Batman is gone again. The Joker scares her here, so the Joker scene in CAT and the BAT makes sense to after this book.

  • STATUS: Droky but ESSENTIAL to BATGIRL I & kinda to Catwoman

    TIMELINE: Year 9

    3 weeks after Batgirl: Year One

    PLOT: Kinda direct infamous but fun sequel to Batgirl: Year One

    VILLIANS: Riddler, Chavalier, Two-Face, Joker, Clayface and yet again the dumb as a Brick Blockbuster

    CAMEO: Batman

    CHRONOLOGY: Batman is on a mission with the JL

    GORDON's RANK: Commissioner

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to BATGIRL and CATWOMAN

    TIMELINE: Year 9

    Some rather short time after THE CAT AND THE BAT

    PLOT: Babs discovers the body of a young girl and starts an investigation

    VILLIANS: Ryder Burnham, Erich Darque aka Damon Krimson (Stuart Sacks) the Vampire

    CAMEO: Batman and Robin, the JANUS Corporation is responsible for the electrical spine

    CHRONOLOGY: Batman is in Quebec on al Ghul matters. Robin considers university.

    X

  • STATUS: Essential to Superman

    PLOT: After the culmination of the SUPERGIRL SAGA Kal wrestles with his deeds and commits to a tough decision.

    VILLIANS: BRIANIAC, Lex Luthor

    CAMEOS: Gangbuster, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Matrix

    CONTINUITY: The Invasion crossover starts somewhere half way through.

  • STATUS: Kinda Essential (but not really for Batman)

    COMMENT: After LEGENDS and MILLENNIUM this is the third POST-CRISIS companywide CROSSOVER, but this is the first one I could wholeheartly include here. There are no continuty remains from the previous timelines (which were everywhere in the previous two crossovers).

    PLOT: A great assembly of extraterestrial races races to invade earth.

    CONTINUITY: Invasion happens concurently to some of the middle issues from EXILE

    CAMEOS: Hundreds of them...

  • STATUS: Essential to WONDER WOMAN

    TIMELINE: After LEGENDS and MILLENIUM Crossovers, the first issue leads into INVASION #1 and the second issue into INASION #3

    PLOT: We finally get to know what happened to the Amazons, which chose to leave paradise.

    CAMEOS: Jonn Jonnz, Balck Canary, Captain Atom, Guy Gardner is Green Lantern.

    VILLIANS: Khunds, Cheetah

  • TIMELINE: Summer of Year 7 untill some time in year 11

    Important characters: Dick Grayson/Robin

    These stories are suposed to take place during the period of approximatley 15 years, but the post-crisis timeline require to squeeze it down into ca. 4 years.

    I will not get into detail with this... let's just say, there is some truly crazy stuff in here.

    X

  • STATUS: Optional

    TIMELINE: Winter of year 11

    PLOT: Two-Face escapes

    CAMEOS: The curious thing here is the non-cameo of Robin... he is unheard of through out of this.

    Maybe he is unmentioned, because he is at the university?

    VILLIANS: Two-Face

    CONTINUITY: Two Face escapes and is not seen and heard from for two years. We do not know how long he was behind bars, so this could also happen a few years later.

  • STATUS: ESSENTIAL

    TIMELINE: Year 4 & Year 11 until Year 12

    PLOT: Batman faces of against the demons head

    CAMEOS: Thalia, Origin of Matches Malone, Ben Turner, the bronze Tiger without memory, Kathy Kane (a retired Batwoman)

    VILLIANS: Ra's Al Ghul, Ubu, Dr. Darrk

    CONTINUITY:

    "Into the Den of the Death Dealers" the first story of this collection is fairly standalone and should be read before DARK VICTORY.

    "Daughter of the Demon" has Robin already enlisted at Hudson University, therefore it and all following tales need to be after the BLACK CASEBOOK.

    Bruce and Alfred abandoned the manor in favor to a Penthouse.

    "The Lazarus Pit" takes place months after "Daughter of the Demon"

    As this is a collection of stories, many of those one-shots, they could/should be spaced out with other tales, like FACES or KING TUT's TOMB or even better the BATMAN ARKHAM series of collections of tales of specific villians (you get much more Dick Grayson as Robin this way too)

    CONTINUITY-ERROR:

    This contradicts massivly with TRINITY, yet I like both to much to erase one of them, therfore I chose to believe, that Batmans Mind and Space-time bending adventures from the BLACK CASEBOOK created a rift in time, causing Ra's and Bruce to be strangers yet again, even though they fought many times before.

    X

  • STATUS: Essential for ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: Sometime Year 12

    PLOT: Dick has visions of a new team fighting an extra-universal foe.

    CONTINUTY: Dick leaves the university

    CAMEOS: The Justice Leauge

    VILLIANS: Trigon, The Fearsome Five, Deathstroke

  • STATUS: Essential to HUNTRESS but also of interest for BATGIRL I

    TIMELINE: Catwoman says, she is 29 years old and that she has been at "it" with Bats for ca. 3 years, but that is absolutly impossible.

    PLOT: Helenas vendetta and Huntresses origin

    CAMEOS: Selina Kyle, Alfred, Bruce Wayne

    TIMELINE: Barbara works for a law firm as legal librarian, also coopeates closer with Batman.

  • STATUS: Essential for ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: Sometime Year 12

    PLOT: A fight with Deathstroke hurts one of the Titans and only the Amazon of Themyscira can help.

    CONTINUTY: This is Themyscira before CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, so there will be SOME inconsistencies.

    The Olympians are back on Olympus, so lets assume, that they have indeed rebuild it, as planned in the third volume of Wonder Woman by George Perez.

    CAMEOS: Supergirl is mentioned (the one that died in the mentioned CRISIS, but for MY purposes, we can just assume they are talking about MATRIX), the Olympians

    VILLIANS: Deathstroke, Hyperion, the Titans of Myth

  • STATUS: Essential for ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: Year 12

    PLOT: An epidemic outbreak and origin stories.

    CONTINUTY: Robin mentions returning to work with Bruce and resuming university education.

    CAMEOS: Original Starfire

    VILLIANS: Dr. Light, Trigon,

  • Timeline: Year 12

    Plot:

    Cameos:

    Villians: The Riddler

    Continuity: Dick is at the Univercity after a break, he went there 5 years after his parents death. Bruce and Alfred moved to a Penthouse.

    X

  • STATUS: Essential for ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: Year 12

    PLOT: Brother Bloods sect explodes into an intergalactic crisis

    CONTINUTY: Superman mentions having his powers halved.

    CAMEOS: Superman

    VILLIANS: Brother Blood, Blackfire (Komand'r) the Citadel

  • STATUS: Essential to BATMAN, ROBIN I and ROBIN II

    TIMELINE: Year 12

    PLOT: The Bat meets the Todd

    CONTINUTY: This intertwines with NIGHTWING YEAR ONE and NEW TEEN TITANS vol. 7 in regards to Dicks status as Nightwing and Jason Todds status as Robin II

    READING ORDER:

    Befor NEW TEEN TITANS Vol.: 5

    Issues #408 & #409 - Batman fires an injured Robin I, meets Jason Todd

    Before NEW TEEN TITANS Vol.: 6

    Issue #410 & #411 - 6 months of training pass

    Before NEW TEEN TITANS Vol. 7:

    Issues #412 - #414, #402 - #403

    After NEW TEEN TITANS Vo. 7 and NIGHTWING: YEAR ONE

    Issues #416 & Batman Anual #11

    The MILLENIUM tie in issue I consider not canon.

    CAMEOS: Robin I, Robin II

    TABLOIDS: Bruce Wayne kinda dates VICKY VALE

    VILLIANS: Joker, Pengiun, Two Face

  • STATUS: Essential for ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: End of Year 12 / Beginning of Year 13

    PLOT: Loose threads..

    CONTINUTY: New Years Eve Party, Dick has been moody for a longer time, essentially putting his relationchip with Starfire on hold. The fallingout with Batman already happened, and Bruce took Jason in, even though Dick still goes out as Robin.

    CAMEOS: Speedy, Tera, and (a blond!!) Jason Todd

    VILLIANS: Brother Blood, Brotherhood of Evil

  • STATUS: Essential for ROBIN I

    TIMELINE: Year 13

    PLOT: Showdown with Brother Blood as the differences in the team rise

    VILLIANS: Brother Blood

  • STATUS: Essential to ROBIN I, now NIGHTWING

    TIMELINE: Year 13

    PLOT: The Judas Contract

    Continuity: Rise of Nightwing, this intertwines with NIGHTWING YEAR ONE and BATMAN 2nd CHANCES in regards to Dicks status as Nightwing and Jason Todds status as Robin II

    Cameos: Batman

    Villians: Deathstroke

  • STATUS: Essential to ROBIN I, Batman and Batgirl

    TIMELINE: Year 12 - Year 13

    PLOT: Robin/Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing<br><BR>

    Jason Todd becomes Robin (there is another hard to get TPB 2nd CHANCES, that also features J.T.'s origin)

    CONTINUITY: This intertwines with NEW TEEN TITANS Vol.7 and BATMAN 2nd CHANCES in regards to Dicks status as Nightwing and Jason Todds status as Robi II.

    The events happen in slightly diffrent order, but they all do happen as in the other books, so I guess this is best read here.

    CAMEOS: Batgirl, Batman, Superman, The Teen Titans

    VILLIANS: another Clayface, Two Face, Waylon Jones, aka Killer Croc, makes his first appearance in Gotham City

    X

  • STATUS: ESSENTIAL to BATGIRL I

    TIMELINE: Year 13

    This seems to lead into THE LAST BATGIRL STORY (as Barabra is worn out by her encoutner with Zsasz)

    PLOT: Batgirl wants to get Zsasz before Batman

    VILLIANS: Zsasz

    CAMEO: Batman

    CHRONOLOGY: Zsasz escaped Arkham, Batman has business in Nepal

    X

  • Batgirls Last mission.

    X

  • Important characters: Barbara Gordon

    X

  • X

  • Chronology: Oracle's first "intervention"

  • TIMELINE: YEAR 13

    X

  • X

  • X

  • X

  • X

  • X

  • X

  • X

  • Blockbuster grows a brain.

  • X

  • Batman: Legacy 1

  • Batman: Legacy 2

  • Year sixteen

    Continuity Comment: Disaster strikes.

    X

  • Timeline:

    Plot:

    Cameos:

    Villians:

    Continuity: Dick and Helena have a fling, which obvously ticks of Babs.

    Halfway through we have the CATACLYSM crossover issues.

    Dick enlists in Bludhaven PD.

  • Year sixteen

    X

3 Comments

Avatar image for kondorr
Kondorr

102

Forum Posts

1412

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 24

User Lists: 13

Edited By Kondorr

@fanoflinoa: Hi there, I am glad you like it and thank sfor your comments.

With DC there is almost no chance at having a perfect chronology, but I believe that BIRTHRIGHT and TRINITY do not cancle each other out.
I also do not have all stories, so I am still searching for the right ones to fill some gaps, like you mentioned, we do not get to see Batman join the League, or get to now Superman.
Your comment in regards to Dick as Robin is also true, and there is a reason for that... there are very little stories with Dick as Robin in the late 80ties.
Hope you will have fun, this is part 1 of 3, the other ones requires MUCH more work.

Bye!

Avatar image for fanoflinoa
fanoflinoa

1

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By fanoflinoa

Hi and thank you so much for this list, it is the one i’m Following to discover the adventures of the coolest superhero of all time.

I’m Actually at Nightwing year one in my reading and I would like to provide some feedback respectfully :

Overall the order is perfect

The trinity story should be removed (since you changed to Birthright as an origin for Superman, there’s no indication prior to the story that he and Batman have met before, Wonder Woman is also all wrong with the flying jet and all, also Ras Al Ghoul is only introduced later in Tales of the Demon and therefore he should not know Batman).

In Wonder Woman vol 2 tpb there’s a build up to a meeting with Superman and in the middle it is only mentioned that they met and fought Darkseid but we don’t see it(it’s probably in a crossover Superman story that would be a nice addition).

Batman becoming a JLA member is not present, he just all of a sudden becomes a member in New teen titans (maybe a story about his debut with them could be fun to add)

A story about the first meet between Batman and Superman would be nice prior to new teen titans

There’s not a lot of stories about Dick as Robin besides The black casebook (we see his training in Year one and then he is in college all of a sudden, maybe add some with preferably Batman joining the JLA and or meeting Superman)

I know it’s a gigantic task to find a good canon reading order especially with so many characters and comics, so once again thank you very much.

I will continue if it’s okay to post some feedback as my reading progresses.

Bye.

Avatar image for mak13131313
mak13131313

1601

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

mak13131313

I see questions on the Batman forum about reading orders every once in the while. Now I know where to send them for the answers. Great reading order lists!