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Batman Guide

Welcome to Our Batman Guide! From his debut in 1939 to the present day,  Batman has starred in more titles than any other DC Character and has become one of the most iconic characters in popular culture. He may not have any superpowers, but it didn’t stop him from being listed among the greatest comic book superheroes! Since his first appearance, Batman has been quite busy protecting Gotham City, in the main or out continuity, in movies, animated series, or video games.

If you are looking to dive into the world of Batman, this guide will help you navigate his comic book history. From Batman’s origins and standout stories for beginners to various eras of DC Comics, important runs and major events, we’ve got you covered!

Where to start with Batman?

New to Batman? We invite you to explore the Dark Knight’s origin stories and discover iconic tales to kickstart your journey into the world of the Caped Crusader:

For most of his crime-fighting career, Batman has not been alone. To get more familiar with the Batfamily, we invite you to explore our introduction guide to Members of the Gotham Knights.

 

 

Batman Reading Order - Logo 1998

Batman Comics by Era

Before exploring in more details each era of Batman, here’s a guide for the Omnibus Collector out there, listing in order all the Omnibus released by DC Comics starring Batman (and the Batfamily):

I. Pre-Crisis Batman (1939-1986)

Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (1939), with his first sidekick, Robin, debuting in Detective Comics #38 (1940). Early villains included the Mad Monk, Hugo Strange, Catwoman, and The Joker.

The early years established key characters like Alfred and Batman’s first team-up with Superman. Later, Batman’s world expanded with Bat-Mite, Batwoman, and the Justice League. By the 1970s, Batman became darker with new villains and allies, including Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, and new Robin, Jason Todd.

Batman New 52 Reading Order Icon

Batman Modern Age, a Post-Crisis era (1986-2011)

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Batman: Year One rebooted Batman’s origin. Jason Todd was briefly Robin before being succeeded by Tim Drake. The Bat Family grew with allies like Spoiler (Stephanie Brown), Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), and Harold Allnut. New villains such as Bane, Hush, Red Hood, and Black Mask emerged. Major events included a crisis and Gotham’s disaster, along with personal challenges and and new threats.

In 2006, Grant Morrison’s run began, introducing Damian Wayne, reshaping Batman’s world until the continuity-resetting Flashpoint event in 2011.

Batman Related-Events during the Modern Age:

Batman New 52 Reading Order Icon

Batman New 52 (2011-2016)

A darker and edgier era for DC Comics began in 2011 with a soft reboot of Batman’s history, featuring a younger Bruce Wayne and updated origins while retaining the existing Robins. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run quickly made an impact with the now-classic Court of Owls storyline, introducing a formidable new villain. During this period, new allies joined Batman, including Harper Row (Bluebird) and Duke Thomas, who later became the hero known as Signal.

Batman Events during New 52:

Batman New 52 Reading Order Icon

Batman DC Rebirth Era (2016-2021)

With the Rebirth Initiative, DC Comics soft rebooted its universe in order to restore legacy and optimism. Don’t be fooled, the world of Batman was still dark and gritty, with Tom King at the helm of the main series. The writer introduced Gotham Girl, make Batman’s relationship with Catwoman a significant focus, and from his own words, teared Batman apart to get him to his lowest point. During that period, Detective Comics shifted to a team format while Scott Snyder returned with All-Star Batman, expanding the Bat-family’s adventures. Major events like Dark Nights: Metal (and Death Metal) and The Joker War were significant moments of this era.

Batman Related Events during New 52:

Batman New 52 Reading Order Icon
Batman Infinite Frontier/Dawn of DC Era (2021-2024)

Following the events of Dark Nights: Death Metal, Generations, and Future State, the DC Multiverse expanded into a larger Omniverse, making everything canon. This period began in the middle of James Tynion IV’s run on Batman. Significant events in the life of the Caped Crusader followed, including Fear State and Shadow War, leading to a new DC era after Dark Crisis. As the Infinite Frontier era ended, new creative teams took over the main Batman series (Chip Zdarsky & Jorge Jiménez) and Detective Comics (Ram V & Simon Spurrier), continuing their storylines into the Dawn of DC era, making these two periods quite interconnected.

Batman Related Events during the Infinite Frontier/Dawn of DC Era

Batman Reading Order - Logo 1998

Batman by Writers

Batman Reading Order - Logo 1998

Alternate Versions Of Batman

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