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Batman Beyond Reading Order, Terry McGinnis is the Batman of the Future

Like Harley Quinn, Terry McGinnis was created for television, more specifically in his case for the Batman Beyond animated television series (1999–2001), as a continuation of The New Batman Adventures, originally meant as a character for the DCAU. And it would take 10 years for Terry to make his first appearance in the main DC Universe, in Batman #700.

Created by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, and Alan Burnett, Batman Beyond takes place in a futuristic Gotham City where Terry McGinnis has taken over the mantle of Batman, under the tutelage of an elderly Bruce Wayne. He is a high school student and a former delinquent. Under the pretense of doing errands for Bruce, Terry fights crime as the new Batman.

Where to start with Batman Beyond/Terry McGinnis?

This is where we naturally recommend watching Batman Beyond, the animated TV Series, comprised of three seasons, 52 episodes, and one direct-to-video feature film.

Batman Beyond Comics Order:

Related! Consult our Guide to the Batfamily for an introduction to the many members of the Gotham Knights.

Batman Beyond and DCAU tie-ins

The year is 2039 and it’s been decades since anyone last spotted the Batman. Gotham has prospered into a megalopolis of neon and steel. But for all its glitz and advanced tech, it is still one of the most dangerous cities on the planet. When fate brings teenager Terry McGinnis into the life of reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne, the time will come for a new Dark Knight to rise.

Finding the first adventures of Batman Beyond in comics was quite complicated, as the first volume was out of print and the second one had never been collected in its entirety. It all changes now with the recent release of a Batman Beyond Compendium collecting the first two volumes set during the events of the animated show (2039-2042). Some issues were retconned by later episodes.

Having earned the mantle of Batman, Terry McGinnis must now find his place among the Justice League and the wider DC Universe. Those comics are now (as of April 2026) collected in one big 1240-page omnibus. 

  • Batman Beyond Unlimited Compendium [2026]
    Collects Batman Beyond (vol. 3) #1-6, Batman Beyond (vol. 4) #1-8, Batman Beyond Unlimited #1-18, Superman/Batman Annual #4, Superman Beyond #0, stories from the Justice League Beyond digital series #21 and #25, and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker #1.

What you find in this omnibus edition was previously only available in trade paperbacks. What follows is a breakdown of that era to understand the link between the multiple series:

After Batman #700, Batman Beyond (vol. 3) is an attempt to mesh the DC animated universe television series Batman Beyond with the mainstream DC continuity.

Unlike the previous volume, Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond, Volume 4 serves as a continuation of the DC Animated Universe.

The Batman Beyond universe continues with Batman Beyond Unlimited, comprised of Batman Beyond, Justice League Beyond and Superman Beyond digital-first series.

Also a digital-first title, Batman Beyond 2.0 is set a year after the events of the previous Batman Beyond digital series.

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Futures End and the Prime Earth Continuity

Batman Beyond becomes part of the mainstream DC Universe, with Futures End, an event taking place in an alternate future for the DC Universe, with Terry McGinnis, who travels back in time to save the world. To know more about it, we invite you to consult our full reading order of Futures End. The story continues after that in Batman Beyond vol.5.

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Batman Beyond Rebirth Comics

When you’re part of the official continuity, you are also affected by relaunch, and Batman Beyond offers here a new entry point with its Vol. 6, taking place after the previous series.

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Batman Beyond, Neo Comics in Order

This is a new beginning and a new timeline for Terry McGinnis, under the creative team made of Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Max Dunbar. Bruce Wayne has died, and it’s left Terry McGuiness on his own, taking on the mantle of Batman. It starts with a battle against an evil A.I. and continues with the exploration of the remains of Old Gotham…

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