Thanks to davextreme at the Uncollected Editions forum for the snapshot that I was able to transcribe.

************

Little did I suspect when I accepted the BATMAN writing assignment back in 2006 that I’d wind up spending the next seven years writing the longest continued comic story I’ve ever attempted. I thought I’d said most of what I had to say about the character with Arkham Asylum, Gothic, and Batman’s appearances in JLA. Clearly, I was wrong.

The original pitch was for 15 issues winding up with BATMAN R.I.P. but something happened along the way, as I was researching his rich history, I became fascinated by the idea that every Batman story was in some way true and biographical — from the savage, young, pulp-flavored “weird figure of the dark” of his early years, through the smiling, paternal figure of the 1940s and the proto-psychedelic crusader of the ’50s, the superhero detective of the ’60s, the hairy-chested globetrotting adventurer of the ’70s, to the brutally physical vigilante of the ’80s and snarling, paranoid soldier of the ’90s.

By taking his entire publishing history as the story of his life, I was able to approach Batman from a different angle, and the multifaceted character that was revealed became the subject of my story.

What would such a man be like, realistically? This was a man who had saved countless lives, faced innumerable perils, and even prevented the destruction of the world itself. This was a master of martial arts, meditation, deduction, yoga, and big business. This was a man who had tamed and mastered his demons and turned personal tragedy into a relentless humanitarian crusade.

Taking that man seriously meant I had to throw out a few of the accepted ideas about Batman as a semi-unhinged, essentially humorless loner struggling with rage and guilt. The totality of his history and accomplishments made that portrayal seem limited and unconvincing, so instead, my Batman was a true superhero at the height of his powers and the peak of his abilities, surrounded by a network of friends and associates, all of whom had been inspired by his lead.

I chose to build my story around the basic trauma, the murder of his parents, that lies at the heart of Batman’s genesis. It seemed to me there would be a part of Bruce Wayne that resented his parents for leaving him and especially resented his father for not being Batman that night, so the principal villains were an archetypal bad father figure in the form of Dr. Hurt and a dark mother in the form of Talia, our villain for the concluding chapters of the story.

This master theme of damaged and ruined families was nowhere more in evidence than in the creation of Damian, the first “Son of Batman” to be acknowledged in the canon. In many ways this has been Damian’s story as much as it has been the story of Bruce Wayne, and it’s a story that had its end planned a long time ago — for what son could ever hope to replace a father like Batman, who never dies?

And so, via Batman, Batman and Robin, Return of Bruce Wayne, and Batman Incorporated, this epic tale has finally reached its finale.

Thanks to all the artists who helped realize the story — Andy Kubert, JH Williams, John Van Fleet, Tony Daniel, Ryan Benjamin, Lee Garbett, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan, Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Frazer Irving, Scott Kolins, Chris Sprouse, Ryan Sook, Yanick Paquette, Georges Jeanty, David Finch, Scott Clark, and of course, Chris Burnham.

Thanks to the inkers, colorists, and letterers, and to my indefatigable editors.

Thanks to the readers who joined in the fun and contributed to the thought-provoking debates and analyses online.

The conclusion is finally here, with only one issue to go. One issue which takes Batman to dark places he has never had to visit before. One issue and I’m done, while Batman himself continues into as yet unimagined future adventures. He’ll still be here long after I’m dead and forgotten; long after all of us have come and gone, there will be Batman. It’s been a joy and a privilege to spend so much tim in the company of pop culture’s greatest character but it’s going to feel weird waking up and not having Bruce Wayne’s calm, commanding, ever-so-slightly cynical voice in my head.

BATMAN FOREVER . . .
GRANT

Batman and Son
Batman 655-658
Batman 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, 842

(Obviously, not the most necessary GM book, since he only writes two issues. Still, I included it for completeness’s sake.)

R.I.P.
Batman 672-675
DC Universe 0 (three pages with Batman and Joker)
Batman 676-681

Final Crisis
DC Universe 0
JLA 21*
FC 1
FC: Requiem*
FC 2-3
Superman Beyond 1-2
FC Secret Files*
FC: Resist*
FC: Submit
FC 4-5
Batman 682-683
FC 6-7

(* denotes issue not written by GM, although he did contribute a text piece to FCSF, and only co-write DCU 0).

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

Batman, Incorporated

Batman:  The Return #1
Batman Inc #1-8
Batman Inc: Leviathan Strikes! #1
Batman Inc (volume 2) #0-10, 12-13

DC has decided to hand the keys of the Batman Universe over to the mad man known as Grant Morrison. Not known for thinking small Morrison decided to turn the Batman Universe on it’s ear and his first act? Give Batman a son. Mothered by Talia Al Ghul, Damian Wayne is the little snot we all love to hate. Raised and trained within the League of Assassins he is a deadly fighter with a unique view of the world as well as the arrogance and immaturity of an 8 to 12 year old.

This set collects Morrison’s story arcs as well as the other key Batman storylines going on in the various series.

52 30 Bruce Wayne/Robin/Nightwing parts
52 47 Bruce Wayne/Robin/Nightwing parts
Batman 655-658, 663-669
Batman Annual 26 – Origin of Ra’s Al Ghul
Robin Annual 7 Damien story
Batman 670 – Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul Prologue
Robin 168
Nighwing 138
Detective Comics 838
Batman 671
Robin 169
Nightwing 139
Detective Comics 839
Detective Comics 840 Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul Epilogue
Detective Comics 842 – Suit of Sorrows
Batman 672-681

The story continues in Final Crisis!

Vol 2: Batman Family RIP

The villain named Hush makes a dramatic return to the life of Batman. What will this mean for Bruce Wayne? Secrets shared years ago between Bruce Wayne and Tommy Elliott begin to have dangerous repercussions in the present. Why is this mystery driving Hush to destroy Batman’s life? What part does Catwoman play in Hush’s plans?

As the rumors of Batman’s death reach Gotham City Nightwing and Robin begin to work overtime to compensate for the surge in crime. Unsure about the true fate of Batman they continue to their battle against crime. First, Robin must stop the gang warfare that threatens to overrun the city but what does the mysterious Red Robin have to do with the situation? Then the Dark Knight’s adversary Two-Face steps in to take a bite out of the Big Apple, it’s up to Nightwing to pluck the city from the crazed madman’s grasp.

Detective 826- Just for the fun of it since I’m not going to bind any past issues.
Detective 846-850- Heart of Hush
Robin 175-176- RIP
Batman/Outsiders 11-14
Nightwing 147-150- RIP
Robin 177-182- Search for a Hero, 182 FOE issue
Detective 852- FOE issue continues in
Batman 685- FOE issue
Nightwing 152- FOE issue
Detective 851- Last Days of Gotham pt 1
Batman 684- Last Days of Gotham pt 2
Nightwing 151- Last Rites damn good way to end the volume
Superman/Batman 51-52 just for the fun of it

Vol 3: Battle for the Cowl

“Batman: R.I.P.” and FINAL CRISIS saw the end of Batman. Now, months following the disappearance of her protector, Gotham City sits at a precipice and it may be too far gone for Nightwing, Robin, Commissioner Gordon and the rest of the city’s heroes to save the day. Amid the fires, rioting, looting and gang warfare, one question rings out from the souls of Gotham’s desperate citizens: Where is Batman? With guest-stars galore, the destruction of a sacred Gotham City institution and an ending that will have everyone talking. Who has earned the right to take on the Mantle of the Bat? Who thinks they deserve it? Robin? Nightwing? Jason Todd? Two-Face? Catwoman? Batgirl? Who will ultimately win the BATTLE FOR THE COWL?
Batman/Outsiders Special
Robin 183
Nightwing 153
Outsiders 15
BftC Gotham Gazette Batman Dead?
Battle for the Cowl 1
BftC Commissioner Gordon
Battle for the Cowl 2 (1/2) stop Black Mask shaking Adam Bomb’s hand
Azrael 1
BftC Arkham Asylum
BftC The Underground
Azrael 2
BftC The Network
Azrael 3
Battle for the Cowl 2 (2/2)
Battle for the Cowl 3
Batman 687
Superman/Batman 76
BftC Gotham Gazette Batman Alive?
Batman 688-692
Arkham Reborn 1-3
Batman 693-697
Detective 864-865
Batman 698-699
Batman 686- Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader pt 1
Detective 853- Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader pt 2

Batgirl/Red Robin 1: Collision Course

Following the aftermath of BATTLE FOR THE COWL, a new Batman watches over Gotham City. But not everyone is ready to give up on the old one. Someone believes that Bruce Wayne may still be alive…and that someone is Red Robin. But who is wearing the Red Robin costume, and why is he traveling the globe looking for a dead man? Whoever he is, he’s not alone in his search and has been targeted by the League of Assassins.

Plus Stephanie Brown, the vigilante formerly known as The Spoiler and Robin has taken on the identity of Batgirl as she begins her nocturnal crusade to take back the night from the underworld. Now she has become the target of both Gotham City’s heroes (who don’t take kindly to a new person wearing the cape and the cowl) and its villains (who want to see the entire Bat-family six feet deep!)
Red Robin 1-8
Batgirl 1-4
World’s Finest 3-4
Batgirl 5-7
Red Robin 9
Batgirl 8
Red Robin 10-12
Batgirl 9-13
Red Robin 13-14

Vol 4: Gotham 

My first attempt at a flip book.

Since Batman’s fall, things are so dangerous on the streets of Gotham that even the crooks feel unsafe. Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are tired of playing by other people’s rules regardless of which side of the law they’re on. These tough ladies have a new agenda that’s all their own, and they’ll use any means necessary to pursue it. But can they get along and work as a team? And who will get hurt along the way? And how will the police feel about thie new Batman — and can he control the crime in Gotham the way the old Batman did? Commissioner Gordon’s about to find out as he teams with the new Batman to combat the fiery threat that Firefly has spread across Gotham City. In a secret bar within the city where magic is used to keep the peace, heroes and villains gather to enjoy a pint and talk about their days. But what happens when the magical barriers that prevent fighting are dropped and a building full of heroes and villains confront each other all at once? Knight and Squire have to find a way to save both friend and foe!
Streets of Gotham 1-13
*-flipped-*
Gotham City Sirens 1-15

Vol 5: Batman and Robin

Grant Morrison unexpectedly calls on the caped-crusader’s campy Silver Age incarnation to give the wildly popular new series a unique tone. With the original Batman—Bruce Wayne—dead, the new Batman struggles to take over the role and find a balance with the impatient 10-year-old-semi-homicidal new Robin, who is actually Wayne’s own son. The two crime-fighters contend with loads of new villains including the Circus of Crime, the Flamingo, Professor Pig, and a resurrected but ersatz Batman while still dealing with old threats such as the Red Hood, Robin’s own mother Talia Al Ghul and the Black Glove’s ultimate plan. However, the dynamic duo won’t face these threats alone as Knight, Squire, and Batwoman lend a hand! Plus clues to the mysterious death of Bruce Wayne begins to surface! This collection is a must-have for both new readers and longtime fans of Grant Morrison’s Batman epic as the superstar writer unveils more of his genre-defying masterplan!

Batman and Robin 1-9
Batman 700-702
Batman and Robin 10
Return of Bruce Wayne 1
Batman and Robin 11
Return of Bruce Wayne 2
Batman and Robin 12
Return of Bruce Wayne 3
Batman and Robin 13
Return of Bruce Wayne 4
Batman and Robin 14
Return of Bruce Wayne 5
Batman and Robin 15 – 16
*Return of Bruce Wayne 6
Batman: The Return

*There has been much debate about the placement of this issue. Some say it should go before Batman and Robin 15 but I like it where it is. The issues were released in this order and the mystery at the end of Batman and Robin 15 is compounded without Return of Bruce Wayne 6.

Batgirl/Red Robin 2: Days of Death

Stephanie Brown’s second semester at Gotham U. starts like any other – new classes, new allies, a vigilante stalker – everything a gal could want! But what Gotham City’s Batgirl isn’t prepared for is the arrival of the mysterious “Order of the Scythe.” Who are they, and why have they set their sights on her? “The Lesson” begins here! The “Order of the Scythe” has drawn first blood, framing Batgirl for a crime she didn’t commit. Can she outrun Gotham City’s Finest long enough to prove her innocence? The birth of Batgirl’s gallery of rogues begins here as “The Lesson” continues!

When Red Robin and his friends are trapped in the unknown world of the Unternet by the Calculator’s fail-safe program, it’s Batman and Robin to the rescue – but which Batman and Robin is it? Unable to control the Unternet, Red Robin is determined to destroy the villains’ communications grid – but may hurt his allies in the process. Finally Batgirl has been given her first sanctioned Batman Incorporated assignment solving a series of high-profile kidnappings, and she’s thrilled! Well, she was – until Robin decided to ride shotgun. Can the Dysfunctional Duo stop fighting long enough to save the children of Gotham City’s elite?
Batgirl 14
Bruce Wayne: The Road Home – Batgirl
Batgirl 15-17
Red Robin 15-20
Teen Titans 92
Red Robin 21
Batgirl 18-21
Red Robin 23-26
Batgirl 22
Batman Inc: Leviathan Strikes (first story only)
Batgirl 23
Batgirl 24
Knight and Squire 1-6