Help with Batman reading orders

[Emanresu]

Hi!

I wanted help with Batman reading orders if anyone could oblige.

Just a little history on myself...

Huge 80s and 90s Bat fan. I collected everything. Batman, Detective, Shadow, Legends, Chronicles, Robin, Catwoman, Nightwing, Azrael, one shots, minis, maxis, all of it.

From "Death in the Family" to "No Man's Land".

Anyway I'm looking to get back into reading. Just got a DCU subscription and even though they're a bit spotty pre-2000, they seem to have most everything fairly recent.

Soooo, reading order questions.

Grant Morrison reading order?

Rucka/Brubaker reading order?

Snyder run, some specifics...where do the 3 annuals and "Eternal" fit within his run?

Hush reading order? I know his main story but then I guess there are some sequels?

What else? Recommend what you think I'll like, and it's reading order. Anything Bat related.

[Emanresu]

And honestly, even though there's a bunch I missed, I would specifically like to know about Snyder's run.

I've heard great things haha.

[Emanresu]

Also, I'm a huge Tim Drake and Jean Paul Valley fan. Doing some research, I see they are both featured heavily in Tynions recent Detective run. Is that a comic I can jump into without knowing jack else about what's going on in others Bat titles after a 20 year absence?

[Restingvoice]

Snyder Run

Batman Annual #1 is set as part of Night of The Owls I think around hour 22:00
Each Night of The Owls issue has hour stamp on it to show where they are in the timeline. For example, if I remember correctly, Batgirl #9 started at 18:00 and Batman #8 started at 20:00 and Batman #9 at 21:00

I think it went like this. Batman #8, the first part of Batman #9, Detective Comics #9, the second part of Batman #9, Batman Annual #1, then Batman #10.

I don't remember exactly the time stamp, but for Snyder-only Batman, Batman Annual #1 is after Batman #9 and before Batman #10.

Batman Annual #2 was published between Batman #22 and #23. I haven't read it back to back. It says it has a story that ties to his origin in Zero Year (#21-33), but the story that I know inside this issue is set in the present day. After Batman #20 and before Batman #28.

Batman Annual #3 is a flashback issue set a year after Zero Year but the story ties into the Endgame arc when it was published (#35-40)

Batman Annual #4 is also another flashback issue set right after Zero Year, chronologically in the story it happened before the events of Batman Annual #3 but provide back story to the Superheavy arc (#41-50)

Batman Eternal is published while Snyder was doing the Zero Year origin arc. That is the story that in the present day happened after Batman #20 and Forever Evil and right before Endgame (#35).

Batman #28 and #34 is set in between the events of Eternal. I don't remember specifically when, since Eternal is long, but Batman #34 is set around the second or third paperback, Batman Eternal #22 to #35 and beyond. Batman #28 is a very early preview for what will happen in Batman Eternal #43 since it involved a fan-favorite character's return.

Batman and Robin Eternal is published during the Superheavy arc. Unclear when's the beginning, since this is more of a Dick Grayson story than Bruce Wayne, but it ended after Batman #50.

...it may be easier to read if I write it chronologically but it's been a while and it takes a while so there it is

[Restingvoice]

Also, I'm a huge Tim Drake and Jean-Paul Valley fan. Doing some research, I see they are both featured heavily in Tynions recent Detective run. Is that a comic I can jump into without knowing jack else about what's going on in others Bat titles after a 20-year absence?

Rebirth's main theme is reintroducing old elements that were missing in New 52.

Hard to say without a spoiler, but the gist is New 52 Tim had a very different story and much-hated back story, so Detective Comics Rebirth is bringing his old and beloved back story back, and so he acts as if that's always been his back story, but he hasn't remembered everything that happened before New 52. He's still mostly Tim from New 52 with New 52 experience.

Jean-Paul Valley is also purely New 52 character, but he didn't feature much in New 52. His first appearance was in Batman and Robin Eternal, which is only about a year or half a year before Detective Rebirth.

The way Detective Rebirth is written though, you can just jump in. You just need to view them as new characters.

[Starrius]

Rebirth's main theme is reintroducing old elements that were missing in New 52.

Hard to say without a spoiler, but the gist is New 52 Tim had a very different story and much-hated back story, so Detective Comics Rebirth is bringing his old and beloved back story back, and so he acts as if that's always been his back story, but he hasn't remembered everything that happened before New 52. He's still mostly Tim from New 52 with New 52 experience.

Jean-Paul Valley is also purely New 52 character, but he didn't feature much in New 52. His first appearance was in Batman and Robin Eternal, which is only about a year or half a year before Detective Rebirth.

The way Detective Rebirth is written though, you can just jump in. You just need to view them as new characters.

Why did you type that Jean-Paul Valley is a purely New52 character?
I don't understand.

[Talon1load]

I think restingvoice meant that the Azreal we see now seems to be the one from the New 52 which didn’t seem to be the same as the preFlashpoint Azreal. It was more like a reimagining of the character.

[bob.schoonover]

A few notes:

Snyder: Zero Year is a 12-month flash back - Eternal is the "what's going on in the present during the flashback" run, so read up to Zero Year, then choose between ZY and Eternal, then read the other (or flip back and forth), then jump back to Batman at 33 (or whatever the first post-ZY issue is). Batman and Robin Eternal goes in somewhere after the Endgame Arc (before 50).

After issue 52, Dark Days: The Forge, Dark Days: The Casting, Metal 1-3, Batman Lost, Metal 4,5, Dark Knights: Wild Hunt, Metal 6, then All-Star Batman, then Batman and the Signal

Morrison: Batman 655-658, 663-681, Final Crisis 1-4, Batman 682-683, Final Crisis 5-7, Batman and Robin (B&R) 1-10, Return of Bruce Wayne (ROBW) 1, B&R 11, ROBW 2, B&R 12, ROBW 3, Batman 700-702, B&R 13, ROBW4, B&R 14, ROBW 5, B&R 15, ROBW 6, B&R 16, Batman: The Return, Batman Inc 1-8, Batman: Leviathan Strikes, Batman Inc 1-13 (read zero sometime around issue 10, but can't remember specific placement).

Rucka and Brubaker: Batman 582-586, 591-599 (Bru), 'Tec 742-765 (Rucka) can be read however (read Bru first, then Rucka, go the other way, interweave, whatever). Then go here for the giant crossover that ends both their runs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_...#Reading_order
ETA: Oops, forgot Officer Down - read up to Batman 587 and 'Tec 754, then read the Officer Down x-over, then the rest of their pre-Murderer? runs.

[Emanresu]

Thank you resting and Bob!

I'm gonna start on Rucka/Brubaker today.

[cc008]

I recently started collecting Batman, Nightwing, and Red Hood beginning with the NEW 52 stuff. Should I add Detective Comics to that group?

[jb681131]

Hi! I wanted help with Batman reading orders if anyone could oblige.
...
Grant Morrison reading order? Rucka/Brubaker reading order?
Snyder run, some specifics...where do the 3 annuals and "Eternal" fit within his run?
Hush reading order? I know his main story but then I guess there are some sequels?
What else? Recommend what you think I'll like, and it's reading order. Anything Bat related.

Here it goes:

No Man's Land ends up with Batman #574 and Detective Comics #741

After No Man's Land you have the New Gotham era, the Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker run:

1. New Gotham vol.1 - Detective Comics #742-753
2. New Gotham vol.2 - Detective Comics #755-765 + Superman #168
3. Bruce Wayne Murderer ? - Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure + Detective Comics #766-767 + Batgirl #24,27 + Nightwing #65-66,68-69 + Batman: Gotham Knights #25-28 + Birds of Prey #39-41 + Robin #98-99 + Batman #599-602
4. Bruce Wayne Fugitive - Batman #603-607 + Detective Comics #771-775 + Batman: Gotham Knights #30-32 + Batgirl #29,33 + Birds of Prey #43 + Azrael: Agent of the Bat #91-92

In parallel to those stories you have, also by Rucka and Brubaker:

1. Gotham Central: In the Line of Duty - Gotham Central #1-10
2. Gotham Central: Jokers And Madmen - Gotham Central #11-22
3. Gotham Central: On The Freak Bat - Gotham Central #23-31
4. Gotham Central: Corrigan - Gotham Central #32-40

1. Catwoman vol.1: Trail of the Catwoman - Catwoman #1-9 + Catwoman: Selina's Big Score + Detective Comics #759-762
2. Catwoman vol.2: No Easy Way Down - Catwoman #10-24 + Catwoman Secret Files #1
3. Catwoman vol.3: Under Pressure - Catwoman #25-37
4. Catwoman vol.4: The One You Love - Catwoman #38-49
5. Catwoman vol.5: Backward Masking - Catwoman #50-65
6. Catwoman vol.6: Final Jeopardy - Catwoman #66-83

Then on Detective Comics' side comes the Gang War storyline:

1. Batman: War Drums - Detective Comics #790-796 + Robin #126-128
2. Batman War Games vol.1: Outbbreak - Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure + Detective Comics #797 + Batman #631 + Legends Of The Dark Knight #182 + Nightwing #96 + Batman: Gotham Knights #56 + Robin #129 + Batgirl #55 + Catwoman #34
3. Batman War Games vol.2: Tides - Detective Comics #798 + Batman #632 + Legends Of The Dark Knight #183 + Nightwing #97 + Batman: Gotham Knights #57 + Robin #130 + Batgirl #56 + Catwoman #35
4. Batman War Games vol.3: Endgame - Detective Comics #799-800 + Legends Of The Dark Knight #184 + Nightwing #98 + Batman #633-634 + Batgirl #57 + Catwoman #36 + Robin #131 +Batman: Gotham Knights #58
5. Batman: War Crimes - Detective Comics #809-810 + Batman #643-644 + Batman Allies: Secret Files & Origins + Batman Villains: Secret Files & Origins

After that you have the Jeff Loeb and Paul Dini's run with an ongoing Hush storyline:

1. Hush - Batman #608-619
2. Batman: Detective - Detective Comics #821-826
3. Batman: Death and the City - Detective Comics #827-834
4. Batman: Private Casebook - Detective Comics #840-845
5. Batman: Heart of Hush - Detective Comics #846-850
6. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 1: Hush Money - Batman: Streets of Gotham #1-4 + Detective Comics #852 + Batman #685
7. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 2: Leviathan - Batman: Streets of Gotham #5-11
8. Batman: Streets of Gotham, Vol. 3: The House of Hush - Batman: Streets of Gotham #12-14, 16-21

In between you have the comeback of Ras Al Ghul and Tim Drake (Robin II):

1. Batman: The Resurrection Of Ra's Al Ghul - Batman Annual #26 + Batman #670-671 + Robin #168-169 + Robin Annual #7 + Nightwing #138-139 + Detective Comics #838-839
2. Batman: Under the Hood - Batman #635-641,645-50 + Batman Annual #25
3. Red Hood: The Lost Days - Red Hood: The Lost Days #1-6

Finaly you get to the big Grant Morrison's run:

1. Batman: The Black Casebook - compilation of stories that inspired Morrison
2. --Batman #65 (A Partner For Batman! from June, 1951)
3. --Batman #86 (Batman - Indian Chief! from September, 1954)
4. --Detective Comics #215 (The Batmen of All Nations from January, 1955)
5. --Detective Comics #235 (The First Batman from September, 1956)
6. --World's Finest #89 (The Club of Heroes from July, 1957)
7. --Detective Comics #247 (The Man Who Ended Batman's Career from September, 1957)
8. --Batman #112 (Am I Really Batman? from December, 1957)
9. --Batman #113 (Batman - The Superman of Planet X from February, 1958)
10. --Detective Comics #267 (Batman Meets Bat-Mite from May, 1959)
11. --Batman #134 (The Rainbow Creature from September, 1960)
12. --Batman #156 (Robin Dies at Dawn from June, 1963)
13. --Batman #162 (The Batman Creature from March, 1964)
14. Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City - also a must read for Grant Morrison's run by Peter Milligan - Batman #452-454 + Detective Comics #629-633
15. Batman & Son - Batman #655-658, 663-666
16. Batman: The Black Glove - Batman #667-669, 672-675
17. Batman R.I.P. - Batman #676-683 + DC Universe #0
18. Battle for the Cowl - Battle for the Cowl #1-3 + Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead #1 + Gotham Gazette: Batman alive?
19. Batman & Robin vol.1: Batman Reborn - Batman & Robin #1-6
20. Batman & Robin vol.2 Batman vs. Robin - Batman & Robin #7-12
21. Batman & Robin vol.3: Batman & Robin Must Die - Batman & Robin #13-16 + Batman: The Return
22. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne - Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-6
23. Batman Incorporated - Batman: Incorporated #1-8 + Batman: Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! #1
24. Batman Incorporated New52 vol.1: Demon Star - Batman Incorporated New52 #0–6
25. Batman Incorporated New52 vol.2: Gotham's Most Wanted - Batman: Incorporated New52 #7-16 + Batman Incorporated Special #1

To conclude Grant Morrison's run you must continue with Peter Tomasi's run:

1. Batman & Robin vol.1: Born to Kill - Batman & Robin New52 #1-8
2. Batman & Robin vol.2: Pearl - Batman & Robin New52 #9-14, 0
3. Batman & Robin vol.3: Death of the Family - Linked to the Batman story of the same name - Batman & Robin New52 #15-17
4. Batman & Robin vol.4: Requiem For Damian - Batman & Robin New52 #18-23
5. Batman & Robin vol.5: The Big Burn - Batman & Robin New52 #24-28
6. Batman & Robin vol.6: The Hunt For Robin - Batman & Robin New52 #29-34 + Robin Rises: Omega
7. Batman & Robin vol.7: Robin Rises - Batman & Robin New52 #35-40

To complete this last run you should also read after:

1. We Are Robin vol.1: The Vigilante Business - We Are Robin #1-6
2. Robin: Son of Batman vol.1: Year of Blood - Robin: Son of Batman #1-6
3. Robin War - Robin War, Grayson #15 + Detective Comics #47 + We Are Robin #7 + Robin: Son of Batman #7 + Gotham Academy #13 + Red Hood/Arsenal #7 + Teen Titans #15
4. We Are Robin vol.2: Jokers - We Are Robin #7-12
5. Robin: Son of Batman vol.2: Dawn of the Demons - Robin: Son of Batman #7-13

In parallel to Tomasi's run, you have the well known Scott Snyder's run:
You can before read Snyder's previous works on Batman:

1. Batman: The Black Mirror - Detective Comics #871–881
2. Batman: Gates Of Gotham - Batman: Gates of Gotham + Batman Annual #28 + Detective Comics Annual #12

Then here is the main run (better to read the crossovers and not the main tpb):
I - THE COURT OF OWL SAGA

1. Batman: The Court of Owls - Batman New52 #1-7
2. Nightwing: Traps and Trapezes - Nightwing New52 #1-7
3. Batman: Night of Owls - Batman #8-11 + Nightwing #8-9 + All Star Western #9 + Catwoman #9 + Batgirl #9 + Batman: Dark Knight #9 + Batman & Robin #9 + Birds of Prey #9 + Red Hood and the Outlaws #9
4. Talon vol.1: Scourge of the Owls - Talon #0-7
5. Talon vol.2: The Fall of the Owls - Talon #8-17

II - THE JOKER SAGA

1. Batman: Death of the Family - Batman New52 #13-17
2. The Joker: Death of the Family - Batman New52 #17 + Catwoman New52 #13-14 + Batgirl New52 #14-16 + Batman & Robin New52 #15-17 + Nightwing New52 #15-16 + Detective Comics New52 #16-17 + Red Hood and the Outlaws #15-16 + Teen Titans New52 #15
3. Batman: Graveyard Shift - Batman New52 #0, 18-20, 28, 34, Annual #2
4. Batman: Endgame - Batman New52 #35-40

III - BATMAN: ZERO YEAR

1. Batman Zero Year: Secret City - Batman New52 #21-24
2. Batman Zero Year: Dark City - Batman New52 #25-27, 29–33

IV - SUPERHEAVY SAGA

1. Batman: Superheavy - Batman New52 #41-45
2. Batman: Bloom - Batman New52 #46-50 + Detective Comics New52 #27
3. Batman: Epilogue - includes #51–52, Annual #4 + the Futures End one-shot

On the side of this New52 run you can, without reading the rest read the Eternal run:

1. Batman Eternal vol.1 - Batman Eternal #1-21
2. Batman Eternal vol.2 - Batman Eternal #22-34
3. Batman Eternal vol.3 - Batman Eternal #35-52 + Batman New52 #28
4. Batman & Robin Eternal vol.1 - Batman & Robin Eternal #1-13
5. Batman & Robin Eternal vol.2 - Batman & Robin Eternal #14-26

During the New52 era, you also have the "Batman, the dark knight" title.
And after the New52 era, you have the Rebirth era.

I hope you've got all the information you want.

[Restingvoice]

I think restingvoice meant that the Azreal we see now seems to be the one from the New 52 which didn’t seem to be the same as the preFlashpoint Azreal. It was more like a reimagining of the character.

Yep. Though to be fair I never actually read Post Crisis Azrael. I've just seen a few scenes to notice that they don't have the same experience so I can't call them the same character. It's just safer to call him new.

I recently started collecting Batman, Nightwing, and Red Hood beginning with the NEW 52 stuff. Should I add Detective Comics to that group?

That's up to you since Detective Comics relevance in New 52 is a tie-in to Batman, the origin of new villains or reimagined origin of old villain, so it's supplemental.

[jb681131]

That's up to you since Detective Comics relevance in New 52 is a tie-in to Batman, the origin of new villains or reimagined origin of old villain, so it's supplemental.

I wouldn't say so, there are 2 interresting stories:

• Emperor Penguin - Detective Comics New52 #13-18
• The Wrath - Detective Comics New52 Annual #2 + Detective Comics New52 #22-29