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Batman The Court of Owls Reading Order

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Created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, The Court of Owls first appeared in Batman (vol. 2) #2 in 2011, at the start of the New 52 era. Previously, the Owls were not part of the DC Universe, but Snyder provided hints about the organisation in his earlier Batman work, Batman: Gates of Gotham.

The shadowy Court of Owls is an organised crime group and secret society made up of wealthy Gothamites. It has existed in Gotham City since colonial times. For a very long time, the Court was just an urban legend, until Batman discovered one of their secret base of operations. There, he found a series of old photographs of the Court’s members with one of their assassins, the Talon (William Cobb), an undead, reanimated killer. The Court kidnaps child circus performers to train and transform them into assassins known as Talons.

The Court of Owls is composed of some of Gotham City’s oldest and wealthiest families. It has controlled Gotham City for centuries, wielding political influence throughout history through murder and money. They revealed themselves to Batman when they decided to send their killer after Bruce Wayne, who had announced plans to rebuild and reshape Gotham City for the future.

“Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time,
Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime.
They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed.
Speak not a whispered word about them, or they’ll send the Talon for your head.”

Following this first major storyline, the Court of Owls became a recurring villain in the DC Universe, rather than just being Batman’s antagonist. Sometimes the Court simply exists in the background. At other times, it is the target.

Batman: The Court of Owls Comics Collection

The Original Court of Owls Saga

The storyline that started it all, Batman: The Court of Owls Saga, is a best-selling success for DC Comics, which led to numerous printings in multiple formats. What you need to know is that the story begins in Batman (Vol. 2) #1 and runs through issue #11, with additional material in related titles and the Night of the Owls crossover. Not all collected editions add the Night of the Owls crossover, but this is not obligatory reading; what matters most was published in Batman.

From the standard trade paperback to the oversized Absolute Edition, there’s an edition of The Court of Owls for every kind of reader! Below is a listing of the various reprints of this modern Batman classic. All (except one) collect Batman (vol. 2) #1-11, some have bonuses, some don’t..

Batman: Night of the Owls

Night of the Owls is a crossover event tied to the Court of Owls Saga. It’s a complementary story that involved the other members of the Bat-Family, including Nightwing, Robin (Damian Wayne), Batgirl, Red Hood, Red Robin, and others who, when the Court of Owls unleashes their army of Talons on Gotham City to eliminate key political and social figures, have to defend specific targets to stop those assassination attempts.

I’m directing you to our complete breakdown article for the Night of the Owls event, where you’ll find a dedicated issue-by-issue reading order. If you only read the Batman side of the stories (which includes Batman #8-9), you don’t have to read the event to understand what’s happening.

  • Batman: Night of the Owls (The New 52)
    Collects Batman #8-11, Nightwing #8-9, All Star Western #9, Catwoman #9, Batgirl #9, Batman: Dark Knight #9, Batman and Robin #9, Birds of Prey #9, Red Hood and the Outlaws #9.

[optional] While titled Batman: The Court of Owls, the prose novel by Greg Cox is not a direct adaptation of the famous storyline, but a sequel set after the Court’s comic debut.

Gotham is shaken by a string of brutal, mysterious murders involving charred, mutilated bodies, each victim killed by a Talon. Batman, with help from Nightwing and Batgirl, investigates and uncovers a hidden thread connecting the present murders to a secret experiment in 1918 involving a painter-scientist and his model, Lydia Day.

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The Talons of The Court of Owls

William Cobb was not the only Talon of the Court of Owls. There were multiple resurrected and highly trained assassins throughout the ages. A few have been explored following the conclusion of the original saga.

Mary Turner

Introduced in Batgirl #9 (during the Night of the Owls event), Mary Turner was a Talon resurrected by the Court of Owls. Originally a mute girl who survived a traumatic event during WWII, Mary was later transformed into an undead assassin. Her story continues in Batgirl Annual #1 (2013), and she subsequently appears in Birds of Prey, joining the team under the codename Strix, after breaking away from the Court. 

The Western Talon

A 19th-century version of the Court of Owls appears in All-Star Western (the New 52 Jonah Hex book), set during the early years of Gotham City. With Dr. Amadeus Arkham imprisoned and allies Jonah Hex, Hawkeye, and Cinnamon separated, Gotham faces a growing threat as the Court begins to execute its long-standing plan to gain control over the city.

Talon, The Series (by James Tynion IV)

From a young age, Calvin Rose was secretly being raised to be a Talon while performing with Haly’s Circus. The Talons have always served the mysterious Court of Owls, but after defecting, Rose is marked for death and spends the next few years using all his training to hide from his former masters. After years on the run, he finally returns to Gotham City in the aftermath of the horrors of The Night of Owls. He sets off to investigate the remnants of the Court of Owls.

Previously, the series was collected in the following two paperbacks:

Calvin briefly came back as “Gothamite” in the Detective Comics issues of the Gothtopia storyline and resurfaced in the concluding issue of Batman Eternal and three issues of Batman & Robin Eternal (#24-26).

Forever Evil

During the Trinity War / Forever Evil crossover event (2013–2014), the Justice League is defeated and presumed dead, leaving a power vacuum that villains rush to fill, including in Gotham City. Amid the chaos, Talon operatives appear across tie-in issues. A notable exploration of the Court’s background appears in Batman and Robin #23.2: Court of Owls, a Villains Month special. This issue explores the history and inner workings of the Court, revealing how it adapted its methods over the centuries to retain control of Gotham, even in times of crisis.

Last seen at the end of the Night of the Owls arc, Lincoln March returns as the final antagonist in Batman Eternal #52 (2015), the concluding issue of the weekly series:

The Court of Owls briefly came back in Batman during the Endgame storyline (optional):

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Robin War

Robin War is a crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 2015-2016, running through various Bat-family titles (follow our guide to know more about the reading order). The event brings together past and present Robins, including Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, and members of the We Are Robin movement, a group of Gotham teens inspired by Robin’s legacy.

The conflict begins when one of the teen Robins accidentally causes a police officer’s death, prompting Gotham to outlaw the Robin identity under the “Robin Laws.” As tensions rise, the Court of Owls manipulates events from the shadows, aiming to take control of Gotham by exploiting the chaos.

  • Robin War
    Collects Robin War #1-2, Robin: Son Of Batman #7, Grayson #15, Detective Comics #47, We Are Robin #7, Gotham Academy #13, Red Hood/Arsenal #7 ,and Teen Titans #15.

The Court of Owls briefly came back in Batman during the Epilogue, for just three pages (really optional):

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The Parliament of Owls

With the start of DC Rebirth in 2016, the Court of Owls returns in the Nightwing series, but it is now operating globally under the name the “Parliament of Owls.” The shift from “Court” to “Parliament” reflects their expanded international influence beyond Gotham.

In Nightwing (Vol. 4) #1–4, Dick Grayson is blackmailed into working for the Parliament, who threaten to destroy everything he cares about. He is partnered with Raptor, a mysterious and morally ambiguous figure, to carry out covert missions on their behalf. While outwardly complying, Nightwing works from within to undermine and dismantle the organization.

Then Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, travels to Gotham City for a special “hunt,” in pursuit of the Ninth Circle, a global criminal organization that involves the Owls. He crosses paths with Batman, and the two team up to investigate financial corruption tied to the city’s elite in:

Dark Nights: Metal

In Dark Nights: Metal (2017–2018), Scott Snyder reimagines the Court of Owls as part of a broader mythos connected to the Dark Multiverse. It emerges that the Court has long worshipped the dark god Barbatos, incorporating their rituals and resurrection practices, such as the creation of Talons, into a broader occult tradition.

The key issue to read is Dark Nights: Metal – The Casting #1, where the Court’s cult-like nature is highlighted. They view the arrival of Barbatos as the fulfillment of their ancient prophecies, aligning themselves with the approaching darkness rather than opposing it.

  • Dark Days: The Road to Metal
    Collects Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Dark Days: The Casting #1, as well as classic DC stories that built the foundations of Metal, including Final Crisis #6-7, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1, Batman #38-39, Nightwing #17 and more.
  • Dark Nights: Metal
    Collects Dark Nights: Metal #1-6, and Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1 and Batman Lost #1.

Nightwing: The Gray Son Legacy

In Nightwing again, Dick (or Ric) Grayson struggles with his fractured identity after his time working for the Parliament of Owls. Haunted by his past as a potential Talon and his complicated family legacy, Dick is not the same hero Gotham once knew.

The Court of Owls exploits this vulnerability, seeking to recruit him again as the Gray Son, a prophesied figure destined to lead their order.

The Joker by James Tynion IV

During the Infinite Frontier era, after having concluded the Joker War, James Tynion IV reconnected with the Court of Owls in his 2021 Joker series. He introduced a new Talon, James Gordon Jr., in issue #4. The Court plays a more background role in the story, which ultimately leads to reconnecting with threads from Tynion’s Talon series through a vengeance story.

Talon in the Suicide Squad

At the same time, in Suicide Squad Vol. 7 (2021–2022), William Cobb as Talon is recruited by Amanda Waller to join the Squad. 

The Halo Corporation

In the WildC.A.T.s (2022) series by Matthew Rosenberg and Stephen Segovia, the Court of Owls returns as a major hidden power operating beyond Gotham. In issues #2, #3, and especially #8-12, it’s revealed that the Court has infiltrated the global tech conglomerate Halo Corporation, orchestrating a silent coup from within.

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Did I miss some notable appearances of the Court of Owls? Leave a comment.

Note: An earlier version of this guide appeared on our site in 2021. 

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