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This set was created to be the cornerstones or tentpoles of the Rebirth “reboot” that started in 2016.  However, due to a lot of behind the scenes drama, the narrative was pulled in a lot of different directions and didn’t fully resolve until 2021.  The goal of this set was to create volumes that could fit between volumes of my ongoing Superman and Batman sets of the same period.  In some cases, the sets will share volumes.

Two runs that I purposely ignore are Tom King on Batman (those will exist in an alternate continuity for me) and Scott Snyder on Justice League and Year of the Villain.  If you are trying to create maps that include or reference those runs, good luck, because there is a lot going on that can’t always be reconciled.

Volume 1 – DC Universe Rebirth #1

Fortunately DC put out a deluxe edition of this issue.  It is also possible to add the Flash Rebirth special, Titans Rebirth special, and first six issues of Titans to continue the story of Wally West.  But those could also go into a separate book.  If you continue binding the Titans series, there needs to be a volume break between #6-7 to allow for the first Superman Rebirth volume to take place prior to Superman’s appearance in Titans #7.

Volume 2 – Superman Reborn
Action Comics #973-974
Superman #18 (784)
Action Comics #975
Superman #19 (785)
Action Comics #976
Trinity #8
Action Comics #977-978
Supergirl #8 (minus last three pages – “Days Later…”)

This volume also doubles as the third volume of the Superman Rebirth set.

Volume 3 – The Button
Batman #21 (786)
Flash #21 (682)
Batman #22 (787)
Flash #22 (683)

I went with the deluxe edition hardcover of this story, as 4 issues is a bit small on their own, and I couldn’t find any other material to go along with it.

Volume 4 – The Oz Effect
Action Comics #987-991
Detective Comics #965-968
Action Comics #992-998
Superman #37 (803)
Supersons #11
Teen Titans #15
Superman #38 (804)
Supersons #12

This volume also doubles as the fifth volume of the Superman Rebirth set.

Dark Nights: Metal occurs here.

Three Jokers occurs here.

Three Jokers was set up in Rebirth #1, but ultimately did not actually play a role in the overall narrative.  It’s still a good story and would go nicely into any Batman collection.

Volume 5 – Heroes in Crisis
Heroes in Crisis #1-2
Flash Annual #2
Heroes in Crisis #3-4
Batman #64 (829)
Flash #64 (725)
Batman #65 (830)
Flash #65 (726)
Heroes in Crisis #5-9

Volume 6 – Doomsday Clock
Doomsday Clock #1-12

There is also a story in the Green Lantern 80th Anniversary Special drawn by Gary Frank that goes into Alan Scott’s origin through the lens of Doomsday Clock.  I plan to include it somewhere in this set, but I’m not sure exactly where yet.

The entire Brian Michael Bendis run of Superman occurs between these two stories.

Volume 7 – Flash Forward
Flash Forward #1-6
epilogue from Flash #750
expanded epilogue in Flash Forward TPB

This story spins out of the end of Heroes in Crisis, but has to take place closer to the beginning of Death Metal. The epilogue to Flash Forward was published in Flash #750, with an expanded version originally scheduled for a 2020 Free Comic Book Day issue that set up the 5G project that Dan DiDio was spearheading.  However, between his firing, the pandemic, and the pivot away from 5G, the epilogue was made a TPB exclusive.

Volume 8 – Dark Nights: Death Metal
Death Metal #1-3
Death Metal:  Trinity Crisis #1
Death Metal:  Speed Metal #1
Death Metal:  Multiverse’s End #1
Death Metal #4
Death Metal:  Rise of the New God #1
Death Metal #5-6
Death Metal:  Secret Origin #1
Death Metal #7

Unlike Dark Nights:  Metal, I did not opt to include every single tie-in.  At the bare minimum, I would keep the Trinity Crisis, Speed Metal, and Secret Origin tie-ins.  Those issues tie back into the main Rebirth storyline or other reboots.  All of the other tie-ins are up to personal preference.  I originally included the two anthology one-shots that occurred around Death Metal #5-6, but removed them when I realized that I didn’t like the pacing.  Too many of the stories were just “there”, and every time I read those issues, I felt like I was just marking time waiting to get back to the main action.