The post-Crisis era officially ended in 2011 as the New 52 launched, and the conclusion of Grant Morrison’s Batman Inc. run allowed fans to put a cap on Post-Crisis Batman, and come up with a “finished product”. I’m not going for complete here by any means, but I do try to hit all of the major events. Everyone has their own different Batman chronology, especially when it comes to the first few years of his career. A lot of people try to include Loeb and Sale’s The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. However, those two epics prevent a lot of other issues from fitting in. Instead, I used Batman Annual #14 for the first Two-Face, and Robin Annual #4 as the first Robin, and built a map around those issues.
Some volumes contain links to other maps that might provide more detail and explanation.
Year One (Deluxe HC)
Batman #404-407
Dark Moon Rising
Batman and the Monster Men #1-6
Batman and the Mad Monk #1-6
The Man Who Laughs #1
Legends of the Dark Knight
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #1-10 (“Shaman” and “Gothic”)
Batman/Catwoman (DCP 100-Page Spectacular)
Batman/Catwoman: Trail of the Gun #1-2
Venom (TPB)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #16-20
Year Two
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #0
Batman: Gotham Knights #10 (black and white backup)
Batman Annual #14
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #21-23 (“Faith”)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #32-34 (“Blades”)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #42-43 (“Hot Hands”)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #7 (Pulp Heroes)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #80-82 (“Idols”)
Batman Annual #19 (Scarecrow: Year One)
Detective Annual #8 (Riddler: Year One)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #159-161 (“Loyalties”)
Long Halloween #4 (Joker pages only)
There are some minor potential continuity issues with Batman Annual #19 and Detective Annual #8, but I have chalked those up to unreliable narrators. It wasn’t worth throwing out entire issues for one panel. Regarding The Long Halloween #4, I had a copy of the Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told that had the Joker scenes excerpted from that issue. Since I was cutting up the trade for other projects, I opted to include the story at the end of this book. Any scenes not involving the Joker are not included in this reprint.
Monsters (HC)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #71-73 (“Werewolf”)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #83-84 (“Infected”)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #89-90 (“Clay”)
This book was released by Eaglemoss as volume 103 of “The Legend of Batman” – a partwork series of hardcovers released in the UK. While “Clay” is said to occur during the third week of Batman’s mission (placing it during “Year One”), I don’t see any reason why the other two stories can’t go around here.
Faces (TPB)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #28-30
The Dynamic Duo
Robin Annual #4
Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet
Turning Points #2
Robin: Year One #1-4
Legends of the DC Universe #6
Superman #700 (second story)
Times Like These
Batman Confidential #49
Gotham Knights #3, 29 (black and white backups)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #38 (“Legend of the Dark Mite”)
Legends of the DC Universe #10-11
Batman: Hidden Treasures #1
Swamp Thing #7 (as reprinted in Hidden Treasures #1)
Gotham Knights #25 (black and white backup)
Detective Comics #411 (as reprinted in The Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #1)
Batman #232 (as reprinted in The Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #1)
Batman #235 (as reprinted in The Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #2)
Batman #240 (as reprinted in The Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #2)
Batman #242-245 (as reprinted in The Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #3-4)
Detective Comics #410 (“A Vow from the Grave” as reprinted in The Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #4)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #1 (“Duel”)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #132-136 (“Siege”)
I only included Detective #410 because it was in the Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul #4 and shared a page with the end of Batman #245.
Changing of the Guard
Nightwing #101-106
Batman #410-411
Girlfrenzy: Batgirl
Batman #416
Batgirl Special #1
The Killing Joke
Death in the Family
Batman #414
Batman #421-430
Turning Points #3
Blind Justice (TPB)
Detective Comics #598-600
A Lonely Place of Dying (TPB)
Batman #440
New Titans #60
Batman #441
New Titans #61
Batman #442
Heroes and Madmen
Batman #448
Detective #615
Batman #449
Detective #617
Batman #450-451
Detective #622-624
Just for fun, as a bonus feature, I included the Joker story from Batman #66, as reprinted in the Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told.
Dark Knight, Dark City (DCP 100-Page Spectacular)
Batman #452-454
Detective Comics #633
Rites of Passage
Detective #618-621
Batman #455-457
Detective #625
Batman #458-459
Detective #626
Batman #460-461
Detective #628
Batman #465-466
Art of Gotham
Batman #474
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #27
Detective #641
Batman #475
Detective #642
Batman #476
Detective #643
Batman #477-478, 480
Detective #651-653
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #2
Shadow of the Bat
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-15
Sword of Azrael (TPB)
Sword of Azrael #1-4
Sword of Azrael could be added to the beginning of the Prelude to Knightfall volume if you are so inclined.
Prelude to Knightfall
Sword of Azrael #1-4
Vengeance of Bane
Batman #484-487
Detective #654-656
Detective #657 (p. 1-2)
Batman #488
Detective #657 (p. 3-22)
Detective #658
Batman #489-490
This book is where the subplot of Batman starting to get run down begins. LOTDK Annual #2 (marriage of Gordon and Essen) probably should have gone in this volume, because the wedding is mentioned as upcoming in the earlier issues, and in the past in later issues. However, since that story doesn’t directly tie into Knightfall and slows the pacing of this book down, I fudged it a little and included it in the Art of Gotham book above.
Knightfall
Batman #491
Batman #492
Detective #659
Batman #493
Detective #660
Batman #494
Detective #661
Batman #495
Detective #662
Batman #496
Detective #663
Batman #497
Detective #664
Showcase ’93 #7-8 (lead stories only)
Batman #498
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #16-18
Detective #665
Batman #499
Detective #666
Batman #500
Contrary to what DC has tried to say since the original TPB publication, this is the correct placement of SOTB #16-18. They try to place it based on the bat signal on the cover, but if you read the comics, you’ll see why it can’t work between Detective #665 and Batman #499.
KnightQuest 1
Turning Points #4 (optional, published in 2000)
Justice League Task Force #5-6 (Search)
Detective #667-668
Robin #1 (pgs 1-5)
Detective #669
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-20
Batman #501-502
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #21-23 (Search)
Detective #670
Catwoman #6
Batman #503-504
Catwoman #7
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #24
Detective #671-673
KnightQuest 2
Batman #505
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #25
Batman #506-507
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #59-61 (Search)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #26-27
Detective #674
Batman #508
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #28
Detective #675
Robin #7
KnightQuest may or may not fit into one book, depending on your binding preferences. It’s 36 issues, but with the thicker newsprint of the early 1990s. The main reason I kept the Search and Crusade issues integrated is because Az-Bats shows up in his latest costume in the LOTDK arc. I chose this uneven breakpoint, because Batman #505 starts the Abbatoir and new costume subplots, which make the stories thereafter much more consistent. Prior to that, the only main theme of KnightQuest was “the adventures of Azrael as Batman”.
Knightsend
Batman #509
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29
Detective #676
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62
Robin #8
Catwoman #12
Batman #510
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #30
Detective #677
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #63
Robin #9
Showcase ’94 #10 (first story)
The original printing of the Knightsend TPB works fine. It does not include the Showcase story, and it cuts out a few pages of Robin #9 that are not completely relevant to the Batman plots. It is not necessary to include any other Catwoman issues (even #13 which was labelled as Aftermath).
Zero Hour
Showcase ’94 #8-9 (lead stories)
Batman #511
Superman: Man of Steel #37
Zero Hour #4
Superboy #8
Superman #93
Zero Hour #3
Zero Hour #2
Adventures of Superman #516
Action Comics #703
Guy Gardner: Warrior #24
Zero Hour #1
Zero Hour #0
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #31
Detective Comics #678
Robin #10
Showcase ’94 #10 (last story)
This DCU crossover volume stays with my Superman collection. The map linked in the title explains the order of the issues contained within.
Prodigal
Batman #0
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #0
Detective #0
Robin #0
Batman #512
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #32
Detective #679
Robin #11
Batman #513
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #33
Detective #680
Robin #12
Batman #514
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #34
Detective #681
Robin #13
Batman #515
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #35
Detective #682
Robin #14
Nightwing: Alfred’s Return
Vengeance of Bane 2
I put Vengeance of Bane absolute last to mirror it’s placement as the first issue in the Prelude to Knightfall volume.
Shadows Over Gotham
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #36-43
Catwoman #26
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #44-47
As I mentioned in the Shadow of the Bat map, I wanted to include more of the Batman and Detective issues regarding the mayoral election that rounded out this volume. However, I am not a fan of Kelley Jones’ art, hence not getting any of those issues. When I got the Detective issues, they didn’t fit in well with the story arc in SOTB. Both series were running two-parters that should have been taking place on the same night, but the chronology just did not fit.
Contagion
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #48
Detective Comics #695
Robin #27
Catwoman #31
Azrael #15
Batman #529
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #49
Detective Comics #696
Batman Chronicles #4
Catwoman #32
Azrael #16
Robin #28
The original TPB only includes the last two stories from Batman Chronicles #4, skipping the Hitman story. It also cuts the last page of Robin #28, which has a bit of a cliffhanger that leads into the next two issues of Robin. The “big cliffhanger” is that Tim’s girlfriend dyed her hair. Eventually, I bound my own version which included the full Batman Chronicles #4 and also scans of the first two pages of Robin #29 to resolve the “big cliffhanger”.
Legacy
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #50-52
Detective #697-699
Robin #31
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #53
Batman #533
Detective #700
Catwoman #36
Robin #32
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #54
Batman #534
Detective #701
Robin #33
Detective #702
I have Final Night mapped in my Superman collection, but the only Batman issue included is Detective #703.
Knight Out (HC)
Detective Comics #703-718
This hardcover covers all of the Detective issues between Legacy and Cataclysm. Since the individual series were so self-contained in this period, this book and the three following could probably go in any order. I have placed it immediately after Legacy since the first issue is the Final Night tie-in.
Pulp Heroes
Nightwing Annual #1
Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #5
Batman Annual #21
Azrael Annual #3
Detective Annual #10
Robin Annual #6
These can go in just about any order. I grouped them by category.
Gordon of Gotham (TPB)
Batman: Gordon’s Law #1-4
Batman: GCPD #1-4
Batman: Gordon of Gotham #1-4
These three minis come from the mostly self contained era of 1996-1998, and I don’t see any reason they can’t fit together here.
Shadow of the Mind
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #55-72
Depending on how you map out Cataclysm and Aftershock, Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness #1 could be placed at the end of this volume.
Cataclysm (TPB)
Detective Comics #719 (last 4 pgs)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #73
Nightwing #19
Batman #553
Detective Comics #720
Catwoman #56
Blackgate: Isle of Men #1
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #74
Batman Chronicles #12
Nightwing #20
Batman #554
Huntress/Spoiler: Blunt Trauma #1
Detective Comics #721
Robin #53
Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness #1
This is one case where the TPB — and I’m referring to the original version, not the 2015 expanded edition — offers a better reading experience than the original release of the crossover. Several of the secondary series and one-shots slowed down the main narrative. The original TPB release omitted the non-quake subplot pages from Nightwing #19, but also put one of the stories from Batman Chronicles #12 in the wrong place. I came up with this better map.
Aftershock
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #75
Batman #555
Detective Comics #722
Robin #54
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #76
Batman #556
Batman Chronicles #16 (first story)
Batman Chronicles #14 (third story)
Green Arrow #134 (Brotherhood of the Fist part 1)
Detective Comics #723 (Brotherhood of the Fist part 2)
Robin #55 (Brotherhood of the Fist part 3)
Nightwing #23 (Brotherhood of the Fist part 4)
Green Arrow #135 (Brotherhood of the Fist part 5)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #77
Batman #557
Detective Comics #724
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #78-79
Batman Chronicles #14 (first and second stories)
Batman #558
Detective Comics #725
Batman #559
Detective Comics #726
Yes, the Arkham one-shot was labeled as part 16 of Cataclysm. However, the TPB skipped it for good reason. It was completely self contained, and had no effect as the penultimate chapter. In fact, it completely halts the momentum building towards the conclusion, and would have been better served as a release during the first month of the crossover. It does not affect continuity as the lead story in this Aftershock volume. The events of that issue are referenced in the Shadow of the Bat chapters of Road to No Man’s Land.
DC One Million
DC One Million #1
Action Comics #1000000
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1000000
Nightwing #1000000
Green Lantern #1000000
DC One Million #2
Batman #1000000
Superman: Man of Steel #1000000
Starman #1000000
Superman #1000000
Superboy #1000000
Detective Comics #1000000
JLA #1000000
DC One Million #3
Martian Manhunter #1000000
Adventures of Superman #1000000
Resurrection Man #1000000
Catwoman #1000000
Robin #1000000
Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1000000
DC1M #4
Chronos #1000000
Again, another DCU crossover that sits with my Superman collection.
Road to No Man’s Land
Azrael #47
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #80
Batman #560
Detective #727
Azrael #48
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #81
Batman #561
Detective #728
Azrael #49
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #82
Batman #562
Detective #729
NML #0
Batman Chronicles #16 (stories 2-3 / first story is included in “Aftershock”)
NML #0 could be a tough one, since it does spoil some of the mysteries of the first half of NML. But that goes to personal preference. If you’ve read it all before, there’s no reason not to put it there.
No Man’s Land Volume 1
NML #1
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #83
Batman #563
Detective #730
Azrael #50-51
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #116
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #84
Batman #564
Detective #731
Azrael #52-53
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #117
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #85
Batman #565
Detective #732
Batman Chronicles #17
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #118
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #86
Batman #566
Detective #733
Young Justice in NML
Azrael #54-55
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #119
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #87
Batman #567
Detective #734
No Man’s Land Volume 2
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #120
JLA #32
Azrael #56-57
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #88
Batman #568
Detective #735
Nightwing #35-37
Batman Chronicles #18
Nightwing #38-39
JLA #33
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #121
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #89
Batman #569
No Man’s Land Volume 3
Detective #736
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #122
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #90
Batman: Harley Quinn
Batman #570
Detective #737
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #123
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #91
Azrael #58
Batman #571
Detective #738
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #124
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #92
Batman #572
Detective #739
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #125
No Man’s Land Volume 4
Catwoman #72-75
Azrael #59
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #93
Azrael #60
Batman #573
Detective #740
Catwoman #76-77
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #126
Batman #574
Detective #741
Azrael #61
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #94
Additional commentary can be found in the full NML map.
New Gotham 1
Detective Comics #742
Batman: Gotham Knights #1-2
Detective Comics #743-746
Batman: Gotham Knights #3-5
Detective Comics #747
Batman: Gotham Knights #6-7
Detective Comics #748-750
The B&W backups from GK 4-7 can all go in place. #1 could probably go in published order. #2 is a John Byrne Generations story, and #3 takes place earlier in Batman’s career.
New Gotham 2
Batman: Gotham Knights #8-11
Detective Comics #751-753
Batman #582-586
Batman: Turning Points #5
Batman: Gotham Knights #13 (B&W)
Batman: Gotham Knights #17 (B&W)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #168
None of the GK B&W backups from the issues in this volume actually go in place. I opted to skip Gotham Knights #12, since it was a fill-in. The story originally scheduled for GK #12 was finally published in a Zsasz TPB in 2020. Either one of those stories would go before or after Turning Points #5. LOTDK #168 is from a few years later, placed here due to costume details and Commissioner Gordon. I only included it because I obtained it from a TPB for a different issue.
Officer Down
Batman #587
Robin #86
Birds of Prey #27
Catwoman #90
Nightwing #53
Detective Comics #754
Batman: Gotham Knights #13
Detective Comics #755
Unknowing
Batman: Gotham Knights #14-15
Superman #168
Detective Comics #756-757
Batman: Gotham Knights #16-17
Batman #591-592
Detective Comics #758 (backup – Oracle)
Detective Comics #758-760
Batman: Gotham Knights #18-19
Batman #593-594
Detective Comics #759-762 (backups – Slam Bradley/Catwoman)
The backup in GK #16 can go before the main story. Other than that, none of the other backups fit in this book.
Family Business
Detective #761-762
Batman: Gotham Knights #20-21
Batman #595
Batman: Gotham Knights #22
Detective Comics #763
Batman #596
Detective Comics #764
Batman: Gotham Knights #23
Batman #597
Detective Comics #765
Batman: Gotham Knights #24
Batman #598
None of the GK B&W backups from the issues in this volume actually go in place.
Bruce Wayne: Murderer?
Batman: The Ten Cent Adventure #1
Detective #766
Batgirl #24
Nightwing #65 (pg 1-8, 12-14, 18-21)
Batman: Gotham Knights #25
Birds of Prey #39 (pg 8-9, 11-16, 18-22)
Batman #599
Detective #767
Nightwing #66 (pg 1-6, 10-18)
Batman: Gotham Knights #26
Birds of Prey #40 (pg 1-4, 9-10, 19-22)
Batman #600
The cut pages and issues are mostly due to Chuck Dixon continuing his own subplots that did not intersect with the Batman storyline. Even though they are labelled as official chapters, Robin #98 and #99 barely tie into the storyline and actually contradict some of the internal continuity of the story, which is why I left them out. I only included the main feature of Batman #600, saving the backups for Batman Through the Ages.
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
Batman: Gotham Knights #27
Birds of Prey #41 (pg 1-3, 6-7, 9-10, 12-17, 21-22)
Batman #601-602
Batgirl #27
Detective #768-771
Nightwing #68 (pg 1-5, 7, 9, 11-12, 14-16, 20-22)
Batman: Gotham Knights #28-29
Nightwing #69 (pg 1-7, 10-11, 13-14, 16-17, 19, 21-22)
Birds of Prey #43 (pg 1-3, 7, 17)
Batman #603
Batgirl #29
Batman: Gotham Knights #30
Azrael #91
Azrael #92 (pg 1-9)
Batman #604
Detective #772
Batman: Gotham Knights #31
Batman #605
Detective #773-774
Batman: Gotham Knights #32
Batman #606-607
Detective #775
Fugitive was a status quo/subplot that marketing turned into a crossover. Part numbers should largely be ignored.
Dead Reckoning
Detective Comics #777-782
Detective Comics #782 (backup)
Detective Comics #784-786
Batman: Gotham Knights #28 (B&W backup)
Batman: Gotham Knights #32 (B&W backup)
Detective #763-772, 784 (Josie Mac backups)
The Gotham Knights backups were left over from Fugitive, and were some of the few that could fit into regular Batman continuity. As for the Detective backups, #777-780 continued a story started in #776, so I left them out. #782 stayed in because it shared a page with the lead story. #781 also shared a page, but since it was the middle of the arc, I had to scan and print anyway. I used the reprint from “Man Who Laughs” for #784-786, so had to make copies of the Josie Mac story in #784.
Hush (20th Anniversary HC)
Batman #608-619
Also includes the two page origin sequence, a six page interlude from Wizard, and a new epilogue also by Loeb and Lee.
Death and the Maidens (TPB)
Detective #783 (backup)
Death and the Maidens #1-9
City of Crime
Detective #800 (b/u), 801-808, 811-814
As the Crow Flies (TPB)
Batman #626-630
War Drums (TPB)
Detective Comics #790-795
Detective Comics #795-796 (back-ups)
Robin #126
Detective Comics #796
Robin #127-128
War Games
Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure
Detective #797
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182
Nightwing #96
Batman: Gotham Knights #56
Robin #129
Batgirl #55
Catwoman #34
Batman #631
Detective #798
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #183
Nightwing #97
Batman: Gotham Knights #57
Robin #130
Batgirl #56
Catwoman #35
Batman #632
Detective #799
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #184
Nightwing #98
Robin #131
Batman: Gotham Knights #58
Batgirl #57
Catwoman #36
Batman #633
Identity Crisis occurs between these volumes.
War Crimes
Detective #800
Gotham Central #25
Batman #634
Detective #809
Batman #643
Detective #810
Batman #644
Under the Hood
Batman #635-641, 645-650, Annual #25
Infinite Crisis occurs around this time.
Face the Face (TPB)
Detective #817
Batman #651
Detective #818
Batman #652
Detective #819
Batman #653
Detective #820
Batman #654
Batman: Detective
Detective #821-826
Batman #659-662
Detective #827-837
If I were to redo this book, I would probably just focus on the Dini issues, which would be Detective #821-824, 826-828, 831, 833-834, and 837.
Batman and Son
Batman #655-658, 663-669
Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul
Batman Annual #26
Batman #670
Robin #168
Nightwing #138
Detective #838
Batman #671
Robin #169
Nightwing #139
Detective #839-840
Detective #842
Detective #840 is labeled as the epilogue. #842 was a fill-in by Peter Milligan about the Suit of Sorrows.
Heart of Hush
Detective #841
Detective #843-850
R.I.P.
Batman #672-675
DC Universe #0 (pg 8-10)
Batman #676-681
Final Crisis
DC Universe #0
Justice League of America #21*
Final Crisis #1
Final Crisis: Requiem*
Final Crisis #2-3
Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2
Final Crisis Secret Files*
Final Crisis: Resist*
Final Crisis: Submit
Final Crisis #4-5
Batman #682-683
Final Crisis #6-7
* denotes issue not written by Grant Morrison, although he did contribute a text piece to Final Crisis Secret Files, and only co-write DC Universe #0.
Last Rites
Detective Comics #851
Batman #684
Nightwing #152
Detective #852
Batman #685
Nightwing #153
Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead?
Battle for the Cowl #1
BFTC: Commissioner Gordon #1
BFTC #2-3
Batman #687
Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive
Batman #686
Detective #853
Batman and Robin: The Hole in Things
Batman and Robin #1-12
Batman #700-702
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-6
Batman and Robin #13-16
The Black Mirror (HC)
Detective #871-881
The Gates of Gotham (TPB)
Gates of Gotham #1-5
Batman, Incorporated
Batman: The Return #1
Batman Inc #1-8
Batman Inc: Leviathan Strikes! #1
Batman Inc (volume 2) #0-10, 12-13
And with that, the post-Crisis Batman saga ends.
Very interesting map…I am not well versed enough in Batman to comment on its accuracy but I love the idea behind it!
Other issues that were considered, but ultimately not included:
-Turning Points 1 — cannot fit into any Batman continuity, unless you skip from Year One to Knightfall and don’t want to include any other stories.
-LOTDK 11-15 (Prey) — conflicts with Batman and the Monster Men. There is a way to reconcile the two arcs, but I didn’t feel it was worth it for binding. Instead, I got the Prey/Terror TPB to have as part of my “not quite continuity” collection, along with TLH and DV.
Here’s a list of LOTDK issues I have, and where they show up in the map:
#1-10 – Legends of the Dark Knight
#11-15 – Prey TPB (outside of main continuity)
#16-20 – Venom TPB
#21-23 – Year Two
#27 – Art of Gotham
#28-30 – Faces TPB
#32-34 – Year Two
#38 – Times Like These
#42-43 – Year Two
#50 – Batman Through the Ages (outside of main continuity)
#59-61 – KnightQuest
#62-63 – Knightsend TPB
#0 – Year Two
#79 – DCU Christmas volume 2 (could be outside of main continuity)
#80-82 – Year Two
#100 – Batman Through the Ages (outside of main continuity)
#116-126 – No Man’s Land
#132-136 – Times Like These
#137-141 – Prey TPB (outside of main continuity)
#159-161 – Year Two
#168 – New Gotham 2
#182-184 – War Games
Annuals
#1 – Times Like These
#2 – Art of Gotham
#4 – Elseworlds (outside of main continuity)
#7 – Year Two
Isn’t “Scarecrow Year One” a continuity inconsistency? In that story Robin was already around before Scarecrow debuted, but in “The long Halloween” Scarecrow was around before Robin debuted.
By “Scarecrow Year One”, are you referring to Batman Annual #19 or the special that came out a few years ago?
If it’s the former, there’s no Robin in the issue, and TLH isn’t part of this map/chronology.
If it’s the latter, I believe the Batman Chronology Project put forth several reasons why the story was non canon.
What are you saying bluedevil? Turning points #1 can easily be put without having to skip to Knighfall. If not in your opinion tell me why.
It’s been a while, so I’m a little fuzzy on details, but I think it’s mostly dealing with Gordon’s personal timeline. Turning Points #1 was written as if it took place immediately after Year One concluded, with Gordon just making Captain, and his wife and son leaving him. Gordon makes a reference to getting a house like Harvey and Gilda, which implies a pre-Two-Face Harvey Dent.
So skipping to Knightfall might be an exaggeration, but TP #1 does conflict with many issues that make up several of the early volumes on this list.
In Batman Year One Harvey Dent isn’t Two-Face yet so it fits with TP #1.
I don’t see any issue which conflicts with it. Could you please tell me which ones are these issues?
I discussed this with the guy that runs the Batman Chronology Project, and that discussion is shown on this page: http://www.therealbatmanchronologyproject.com/the-modern-age/the-year-one-era/year-five/
The biggest problem is with Batman Annual #14, the Two-Face origin story. Based on story clues, that story would take place around May and June of year 2.
1.) Gordon says he should get a house like Harvey and Gilda.
—–I doubt he’d be thinking that after Dent becomes Two-Face.
2.) Gordon’s wife and son leave him.
—–They are both present in Batman Annual #14, with no signs of any separation having happened yet.
3.) People are grumbling about Gordon’s promotion to Captain.
—–Makes sense if this happens immediately after Year One. But if this gets pushed into Year Two or Three, it just seems odd that people would still be griping so much.
4.) Gordon yells at Batman that they are not friends.
—–Perhaps this goes before LOTDK #161, where they agree to be friends? Unless Gordon is angry and lashing out, so it could go after.
5.) Batman keeps going on about how he’s new and wants Gordon’s blessing.
—–Doesn’t seem like Batman would still be in that mindset after Two-Face.
Technically, you can see it also in wikipedia, TP#1 is right after Batman Year One so Two-Face doesn’t exist yet. Even if it’s been released on January 2001 it doesn’t mean you can’t read it after Year One. If it’s read after Year One and before Annual #14 there aren’t any problems, are there? I have a question that you probably know since you made this list: is there any comic which Gordon’s wife and son return to Gotham?
2.) Gordon’s wife and son leave him.
—–They are both present in Batman Annual #14, with no signs of any separation having happened yet.
sorry I hadn’t understood. Yeah it isn’t very clear, but you can imagine they came back in the meantime. Let’s say you can choose whether put it in continuity or not because technically as far as I know DC considers it canon but it makes that error, so the reader chooses if imagine that they came back in the meantime or consider it a continuity error.
bluedevil may I ask you something? I already know that Batman TH and DV make some continuity errors, but I’m wondering if they are big continuity errors. Since you didn’t put them in your continuity could you tell me what are the biggest ones?
They’re not so much as errors as an alternative telling of events. Those two stories lock in two entire years of Batman continuity, and they also deal with the origins of Two-Face and Robin. They can fit in, but then you’re dumping many other stories. Not including those stories allows for more flexibility in building a continuity around the other stories.
which stories do you dump? and anyway did you read all the comics that appear in the list? sorry for all the questions but I just started reading batman (2 months ago), and finding all the post crisis batman stories in chronological order is pretty difficult; for now I read the best ones like Batman Arkham Asylum, Year One, TLH, DV, the Killing Joke, TDKR and the Man Who Laughs but now I want a complete Batman from the beginning to the end, so I’m searching and asking everywhere. So I thank you for all your answers.
so?
I dont know if you still respond, but I was reading the comics in your chronology and they refer to Batman’s fight with the red hood in each of the three dark moon rising comics. What comic is that from?
I believe the Red Hood incident was only ever shown in flashback, if at all.
Alright thank you
Please: can tell me if Arkham Asylum goes before or after A Lonely Place of Dying?
No Batman going sane? Does it contradict in some way?