In the middle of James Tynion IV’s run on Batman, the DC Universe was once more softly relaunched. Following the events of Dark Nights: Death Metal, Generations, and Future State, the DC Multiverse has in fact expanded into a larger Omniverse (and everything became canon). This was how the Infinite Frontier era was introduced—and launched in March 2021. It concluded with the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event, in December 2022.
It was less than two years, but a lot has happened in Batman’s life with events like Fear State and Shadow War, and a new costume at one point. As usual, the Dark Knight’s adventures were published in Batman and Detective Comics, but also in the anthology Batman: Urban Legends, the team books Batman/Superman and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, and more!
There’s also a new Batman Incorporated series and a new and different Batman in I Am Batman—Jace Fox is first introduced as the new Batman during Future State, but soon got his own series, written by John Ridley—, and a lot of miniseries, most being out-of-continuity.
Of course, this is mostly about Batman, but the BatFamily is also featured. Nevertheless, their books are not necessarily included. Though, you can find them on their dedicated pages: Nightwing, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Batwoman, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Terry McGinnis (The Batman Beyond).
What to Read Before Batman Infinite Frontier?
As this new era started during James Tynion IV’s run, it is recommended to be up-to-date with his work.
- Batman Vol. 1: Their Dark Designs
Collects stories from Batman (vol. 3) #85-94 and Batman Secret Files #3 - The Joker War Saga
Collects Batman (vol. 3) #95–100; Batgirl (vol. 5) #47; Detective Comics #1025; Red Hood: Outlaw #48; Nightwing (vol. 4) #74; The Joker War Zone #1; material from Harley Quinn (vol. 3) #75 and Catwoman (vol. 5) #25 - Batman Vol. 3: Ghost Stories
Collects Batman (vol. 3) #101–105, Annual (vol. 3) #5; Detective Comics #1027
Following Dark Nights: Death Metal, the DC Universe went to the future with Future State. It may be skipped, but it is better to be familiar with some elements of this story to fully apprehend what is at stake, especially during the Fear State event. You can learn more about Future State in the dedicated reading order.
- Future State: Dark Detective
Collects Future State: Dark Detective #1-4 (main story), Future State: Catwoman #1-2, Future State: Harley Quinn #1-2, Future State: Robin Eternal #1-2, Future State: Batman/Superman #1-2. - Future State: The Next Batman
Collects Future State: The Next Batman #1-4, Future State: Nightwing #1-2, Future State: Dark Detective #1 & 3 (select stories), and backup stories.
Batman Infinite Frontier Reading Order
Like it is usually done, the Infinite Frontier era started with a one-shot comic that established the key element of the new DCU:
- Infinite Frontier #0
- collected in Infinite Frontier
Unlike with the Batman ongoing series, the new creative team started here on Detective Comics.
- Batman Vol. 4: The Cowardly Lot
Collects Batman (vol. 3) #106–111; Infinite Frontier #1 - Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: The Neighborhood
Detective Comics #1034-1039 - The Next Batman: Second Son – Feat. Tim “Jace” Fox as another Batman.
Collects The Next Batman: The Second Son #1-4. - Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 1
Collects stories from Batman: Urban Legends #1-6. - Batman/Superman: The Archive of Worlds
Collects Batman/Superman #16-21.
Batman: Fear State
James Tynion IV concluded his Batman run with a crossover event called Fear State. Gotham City is on the brink of martial law as Batman fights a two-front battle! The Scarecrow is unleashing a devasting attack on the city while the Magistrate has made their move to invade! To know more about it, follow the reading order.
- Batman: Fear State Saga
Collects Batman #112-117; Batman Secret Files: The Gardener #1; Batman Secret Files: Peacekeeper #1; Batman Secret Files: Miracle Molly #1; Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1; Batman: Fear State: Omega #1. The Secret Files issues are also available in the Batman: Secret Files TPB. - Also in Batman Vol. 5: Fear State (Collects Batman #112-117).
- Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2: Fear State
Collects Detective Comics #1040-1046 and Batman Secret Files: Huntress #1. - Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 2
Collects Batman: Urban Legends #7-10. Batwoman’s story in issues #8-9 takes place during Fear State. - Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 3
Collects the stories “Batman & Zatanna: Bound to Our Will” and “Hounded” from Batman: Urban Legends #11-16. - Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 4
Collects stories that originally ran in issues #7-8. - I am Batman Vol. 1 (Optional, feat. Jace Fox)
Collects I Am Batman #0-5. Issues #1-3 take place during Fear State.
After Fear State, some new developments occurred in the Batverse, like the launch of a new Batgirls series, but mostly Joshua Williamson become, for a short time, the writer of the main Batman title (with art by Jorge Molina), sending the caped crusader in the middle of the Shadow War. Also, Mariko Tomaki started writing in Detective Comics the Shadows of the Bat storyline that included most of the BatFamily.
- Batman Vol. 6: Abyss
Batman (vol. 3) #118-121, 124. - Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: Arkham Rising
Collects Detective Comics #1044-1046 and Detective Comics Annual 2021.
- Batman: Shadows of the Bat: The Tower
Collects the complete “Shadows of the Bat: The Tower” story from Detective Comics #1047-1058. - Batman: Shadows of the Bat: House of Gotham
Collects the complete “House of Gotham” story from Detective Comics #1047-1058. - I Am Batman Vol. 2: Welcome to New York (Optional)
Collects I Am Batman #6-10.
Batman: Shadow War
The Road to Shadow War
- Robin Vol. 1: The Lazarus Tournament
Collects Robin #1-6. - Robin Vol. 2: I Am Robin
Collects Robin #7-12; Robin 2021 Annual #1. - Deathstroke Inc. Vol. 1
Collects Deathstroke Inc. #1-7 and a story from Batman: Urban Legends #6.
When Deathstroke assassinates Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul demands revenge and sends her League of Shadows to kill Deathstroke and Deathstroke Inc.! Batman and Robin must team up to track down Deathstroke and bring him to justice … but do they? Follow the Shadow War Reading Order.
- Batman: Shadow War (hardcover edition)
Collects all the parts of the Shadow War story from Batman #122-123; Robin #13-14; Deathstroke Inc. #8-9; Shadow War: Alpha #1; Shadow War: Omega #1; Shadow War Zone #1.
- Arkham City – The Order of the World
Collects Arkham City: The Order of the World #1-6. - Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 4: Riddle Me This
Collects Detective Comics #1059-1061. - Batman: The Knight (by Chip Zdarsky)
Collects Batman: The Knight #1-10. - Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 5
Collects stories that originally ran in previous issues. - Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 6
Collects stories that originally ran in previous issues. - I Am Batman Vol. 3: The Right Question (Optional)
Collects I Am Batman #11-18. - GCPD: The Blue Wall (by John Ridley and artist Stefano Raffaele)
Collects GCPD: The Blue Wall #1-6.
As the Infinite Frontier era comes to an end, new creative teams are taking over the main Batman series (Chip Zdarsky & Jorge Jiménez) and Detective Comics (Ram V & Simon Spurrier). The next book will probably get pushed over to the Dawn of the DCU era, the timeline around Dark Crisis is still a bit murky for now.
The new Batman Incorporated series from Ed Brisson and John Timms features Ghost-Maker and his team of Batmen!
- Batman Incorporated Vol. 1: No More Teachers
Collects Batman Incorporated (2022) #1-7 and the Batman 2022 Annual. - Batman Incorporated Vol. 2: Joker Incorporated
Collects Batman Incorporated (2022) #8-12.
Also available in Batman Incorporated: The Complete Series.
Coming from Mark Waid and Dan Mora, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest is set in a not-too-distant past, but the series timeline joined with the present to introduce the Batman Vs Robin miniseries that (apparently) takes place after Dark Crisis. The series was launched after a short introduction at the end of Detective Comics #1050.
- Batman/Superman: World’s Finest Vol. 1: The Devil Nezha
Collects Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1-6.
In Justice League #75, Batman and the other members of the Justice League are “killed.” It is how the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths began, and how the Infinite Frontier era concluded. See our Dark Crisis Reading Order for more information.
Batman Infinite Frontier: The Out of Continuity Stories
As always, Batman’s universe expands beyond the limit of the DC regular ongoing series. The following books are stories published during the Infinite Frontier era that are not considered part of the main continuity.
- Batman: The Detective (Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert)
Collects Batman: The Detective #1-6. - Batman: Fortress
Collects Batman: Fortress #1-8 - Batman: Killing Time
Collects Batman: Killing Time #1-6 - Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (a Digital-first comic)
Collects Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #1-8. - Batman: Reptilian (by Garth Ennis)
Collects Batman: Reptilian #1-6. - Batman/Catwoman (the end of Tom King story)
Collects Batman/Catwoman #1-12 and Batman/Catwoman Special #1. - Gotham City: Year One (by Tom King)
Collects Gotham City: Year One #1-6. - The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox (by Matthew Rosenberg and Jesús Merino)
Collects The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox #1-7. - Batman: The Imposter (by Mattson Tomlin and Andrea Sorrentino )
Collects Batman: The Imposter #1-3. - Robin & Batman (by Jeff Lemire & Dustin Nguyen)
Robin and Batman #1-3. - Batman: One Dark Knight (by Jock)
Collects Batman: One Dark Knight #1-3. - Batman: Knightwatch
Collects Batman–Knightwatch #1-5. - Batman and the Joker: The Deadly Duo (by Marc Silvestri)
Collects Batman and the Joker #1-7. - Batman: Beyond the White Knight (A Murphyverse story)
Collects Batman: Beyond the White Knight #1-8. - Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood (A Murphyverse story)
Collects Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood #1-2.
- Dark Knights of Steel Vol. 1 (by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri)
Collects Dark Knights of Steel #1-6. - Dark Knights of Steel Vol. 2 (by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri)
Collects Dark Knights of Steel #7-12, Dark Knights of Steel: Tales of the Three Kingdoms #1. - Batman Vs. Bigby: A Wolf in Gotham (Batman meets Bigby from Fables)
Collects Batman Vs. Bigby #1-6. - Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point (set in the universe of the video game)
Collects Batman/Fortnite Zero Point #1-6. - Batman: Gotham Knights–Gilded City (set in the universe of the video game)
CollectsBatman: Gotham Knights–Gilded City #1-6. (coming soon) - Batman: The Adventure Continues Season 2 (set in the universe of the animated TV Show)
Collects Batman: The Adventures Continues #1-7. - Batman ’89 (set in the universe of Tim Burton’s Batman movies)
Collects Batman ’89 #1-6. - Pennyworth (set in the universe of the TV Show Pennyworth)
Collects Pennyworth #1-7 - Batman: The Long Halloween Special #1
- Batman: The Audio Adventures (set in the universe of the podcast show)
Collects Batman: The Audio Adventures #1-7. - The Riddler: Year One (Paul Dano, set in the universe of The Batman movie)
Collects The Riddler: Year One miniseries
After Batman Infinite Frontier
Following the events of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, the DC Universe went in a slightly different direction, but not a lot has changed for Batman. The new creative teams are continuing what they started, and a new event is already in preparation.
Batman is entering the Dawn of DC era.
Hi, you’re missig the Joker series that follows the Joker War and Joker story line.
I didn’t read the Joker series, I thought it was without Batman. I’ll have to look into it, thanks for your input.
So the fear state saga does not include the detective comics issues? Also is Batman urban legends connected to the main batman title/storyline or it can be skipped?
First, yes, The Fear State Saga TPB doesn’t include the Detective comics issues. They are optional for this event, I recommend you to take a look at our Fear State Reading Order for more info.
As for Urban Legends, it’s an anthology. The importance of the stories in connection to Batman is variable. It’s mostly interesting for the Batfamily members. IMHO, if you really stick to Batman, you can skip this book.
Detective Comics 5 Road to Ruin is missing
It takes place before. The series was launched in the Infinite Frontier era with Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: The Neighborhood.
But the volume 5 of that run is detective comics joker war which comes before batman joker war, so isnt it supposed to come after that?
Hi GioSantangelo,
So I think there was a number mixed up in that conversation. So we have:
– Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 5: The Joker War, obviously taking place during the Joker War event.
And:
– Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 6: Road to Ruin which comes after the Joker War but those are the last issues before Future State. Those issues were written by Tomasi. It’s still part of the previous era
Mariko Tamaki became the main writer of Detective Comics with issue #1034, marking the beginning of a new run at the beginning of the Infinite Frontier era.
Tell me if that helps!
Hiya, where does Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing fit into this?
Hi Momo,
For what I gather, “Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing” takes place some time after the Dark Crisis and Task For Z (for Jason) but it seems to be before Lazarus Planet.
Hope it helps!
Where does flashpoint beyond fit in this?
Hi Giovanni,
I admit we haven’t take the time yet to check out more closely to Flashpoint: Beyond.
You need to read Justice League Incarnate before, and I would place that before Shadow War.
Hope it helps and don’t hesitate to tell me what you think!
When are you guys putting Dawn of DC here? Your site has been helping me for two years following Batman’s latelast adventures
Hi Evelyn,
I’m glad we could help you! As for Dawn of DC, I have to say we haven’t yet take any step forward in that direction for Batman yet. We have to check it out to see what we can do on that subject. Honestly, we will not publish anything like that before the end of the year, but if DC has released enough trades, then we will publish at the beginning of 2024.
In all cases, be sure I take into consideration your comment and will try to update when we can!