When it comes to Batman’s origin story, Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli is without a doubt the definitive story and one of the most influential comic. This was the recount of Batman’s first year as a crime-fighter in the Post-Crisis reality.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo went on to redefine the origin of Batman in the New 52 era with the year-long crossover story Batman: Zero Year. Their goal was to create something completely different from Year One: something bigger, crazier and more epic in scope and tone.
The result is a twelve-issue story separated in three distinct arcs, representing different moments in Batman’s first year, from his confrontation with The Red Hood Gang to the Riddler terrorizing Gotham City. To accompany this long tale, DC Comics also released several tie-ins focused on other characters during the events of Zero Year.
Let’s take a closer look at this modern Batman origin story with our Complete Zero Year Reading Guide, from Bruce Wayne’s return to Gotham City to his battle against the Riddler to save the city.
What to read before Batman: Zero Year?
In a way, Batman: Zero Year is the third act in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run on Batman, following the Court of Owls Saga and Death of the Family. So you can read those stories before jumping into Zero Year.
That said, this is an origin story, so no background reading or prior knowledge is necessary to enjoy this comic. You can simply start reading!
Collecting Batman: Zero Year
The Main Event: Batman: Zero Year is a twelve-issue story published in Batman #21-27 and Batman #29-33. Those issues have been reprinted in different books, from the standard trade paperback to the oversized Absolute Edition. Find the best edition for you here:
- Absolute Batman: Zero Year – The Absolute Edition, a premium oversized hardback. Bigger format, bigger price, same story.
- Batman, Vol. 4: Zero Year – Secret City & Batman, Vol, 5: Zero Year – Dark City – The original paperback printing in two volumes collecting the main story. The two volumes have also been released in hardcover.
- Batman: Zero Year – Batman’s origin story in one trade paperback.
- Batman by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo Omnibus Vol. 1 – The first half of the Snyder/Capullo run through the Court of Owls to Zero Year.
The tie-ins: This volume is a collection of tie-ins, telling early tales of other heroes and heroines such as Nightwing, Green Arrow, Batgirl, Superman, Birds of Prey, Catwoman, and more, set mostly around the storm that hit Gotham City during Dark City.
- DC Comics: Zero Year
Collects Batman #24-25, Detective Comics #25, Batgirl #25, Batwing #25, Batwoman #25, Birds of Prey #25, Catwoman #25, The Flash #25, Green Arrow #25, Green Lantern Corps #25, Nightwing #25, Red Hood and The Outlaws #25 and Action Comics #25). - The tie-in Batman (Volume 2) #0 is collected in Batman, Vol. 6: The Graveyard Shift.
DC marketed Batman Annual (Vol. 2) #2 as a Zero Year tie-in, because the story contains a short flashback taking place during this era. However, the issue is set in the present-day and filled with many references to recent events in Batman’s life (this is spoiler-y if you are not up to date). This really adds nothing of value here, and should be read later.
Batman: Zero Year – An Issue-by-Issue Reading Order
Prelude: Training
The following stories are backup stories published in Batman #21-23. You don’t have to read them before the main event, as this has no impact on the story, but simply be aware that they are all set before Batman’s return to Gotham City.
- Batman (2011) #21 – “Where the Hell did he learn to drive?!”: Backup story featuring a 19-year-old Bruce Wayne at a time when he learned stunt-driving.
- Batman (vol. 2) #22 – “That One Time”: The Six-month training with Sergei Alexandrov, world-renowned inventor, ends after Bruce has turned 21.
- Batman (vol. 2) #23 – “The Pit”: 24-year-old Bruce Wayne is training in Norway.
Part. 1: Secret City
The first arc in Zero Year. Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham City to start his fight against crime and has been working undercover to bring down the Red Hood Gang before making his debut as Batman.
- Batman (Volume 2) #0 – “Bright New Yesterday”. A Prologue issue published months before the launch of the story.
- Batman (vol. 2) #21 – Duke Thomas makes his first appearance on the first pages of this issue.
- Batman (vol. 2) #22
- Batman (vol. 2) #23
- Batwing #25 – “Keep Your Enemies Closer”: There are reports of the storm approaching and of potential citywide blackouts, making Gothamites of the lower part of the town concerned, placing this story actually before the city is sent into darkness. Batman makes a cameo.
- Batman (vol. 2) #24 – While this issue is the first one of the ‘Dark City’ story arc, it actually concludes the Red Hood Gang arc, with only the last pages launching the next arc. So I prefer to place it in the first part.
Part. 2: Dark City
Gotham City has been hit by a total blackout. To make matters worse, a storm is approaching the city and is set to become a Category 5 hurricane/superstorm. At the same time, law enforcement is trying to arrest the Batman while The Riddler continues to create chaos.
Most of the tie-ins take place during this section of the story. They are also completely optional. While some are better than others, none of them really stand out. The following is the chronological order that I could establish, but I would recommend reading the tie-ins in chunks to avoid interrupting the main story told in Batman #25-27.
- Nightwing (Vol. 3) #25 – Takes place on the night of the blackout.
- Birds of Prey (Vol. 3) #25 – “Sunrise”: The story takes place at the beginning of the blackout but before the superstorm hits Gotham City. It does not rain in this issue.
- The Flash (Vol. 4) #25 – “Starting Line”: Young graduate Barry Allen is among the members of law enforcement sent to help Gotham to deal with the effects of the EMP blackout.
- Batwoman (Vol. 2) #25 – “… Or High Water”: It starts after the events of Batman #24, as a storm (just upgraded to a Category 3) approaches the city. It only starts to rain at the end.
- Detective Comics (Vol. 2) #25 – “Whistleblower’s Blues”: Gotham has gone dark and the superstorm is approaching (a lot of rain!), and good cop Gordon must face the Black Mask Gang. This is a sort of prequel/origin story for the Bat-Signal.
- Action Comics (Vol. 2) #25 – “Stormbreaker”: Takes place when the storm is still a category three, at the beginning of the blackout, two leagues off the coast of Gotham.
- Catwoman (Vol. 4) #25 – “Before the Claws Come Out” – The issue begins at the start of the blackout, with the superstorm approaching Gotham City. We can imagine the storm is still a category 3 at this stage. It seriously rains during a big part of the issue. There’s also a reference to the events of Detective Comics #25. Worth noting that this is a fun, silly issue, more entertaining than the tie-ins for the previous events!
- Batman (vol. 2) #25 – Two days have passed since the previous issue, meaning we’re two days into the blackout. Gordon informs us that a major storm named Rene is bearing down on the area. There’s only light rain. The backup story (“People in the Dark”) focused on Harper Row and her brother during the blackout.
- Batman (vol. 2) #26 – Bruce is unconscious for the better part of a day during the issue. The rain gets heavier.
- Green Lantern Corps (Vol. 3) #25 – “Powers That Be”: Sergeant John Stewart is part of a platoon responsible for evacuating citizens who took refuge in the Seaside Coliseum when the power went out, a few days ago. Batman makes a cameo.
- Green Arrow (Vol. 5) #25 – “The Prodigal”: Oliver Queen makes his return as the blackout is “nearly a week old”, setting the action during Batman #27 (Batman makes a cameo). Lucky for him, it doesn’t rain!
- Red Hood and the Outlaws #25 – “The Beckoning Dark”: It’s been almost a week since the power has been cut, meaning the story must take place around the same time as Green Arrow. Except, it is raining during the whole issue, so we’re going to suppose it’s a little bit later.
- Batman (vol. 2) #27 – The storm is approaching the city rapidly and for narrative purposes, better to read with issue #29!
- Batman (vol. 2) #29 –The issue is picking up where #27 left off. Jim Gordon and the GCPD are working to evacuate those in areas vulnerable to flooding. The storm hits Gotham City and Riddler’s plan is revealed.
- Batgirl (Vol. 4) #25 – “Homestead”: Set during Batman #29, After a full week of rain, the superstorm is hitting Gotham City and Barbara Gordon must evacuate and protect her brother during this meteorological event. This is one of the most solid tie-ins, showing how the storm affects the people of Gotham City.
Part. 3: Savage City
In the aftermath of the superstorm and the blackout, Gotham City is now overgrown and in chaos. Riddler has taken over the City and “no one can come in or out until Gotham gets smart”! The calendar has changed, and this is now Zero Year.
- Batman (vol. 2) #30
- Batman (vol. 2) #31
- Batman (vol. 2) #32
- Batman (vol. 2) #33 – This is Batman vs. The Riddler, the conclusion of the story.
Part. 4: Epilogue
Zero Year is over, but Batman’s fight against crime has only just begun! Now, the two following stories published during this part are set after those events, with the second feature in Batman (Vol. 2) #0 wrapping up nicely what Batman means for the city.
- Green Arrow (Vol. 5) #25 – “New Tricks”: One month after Zero Year. Concludes Diggle and Oliver’s story.
- Batman (Volume 2) #0 – “Tomorrow”: The second story in this annual is set “five years earlier”, meaning after the events of Zero Year. It’s a nice follow-up to DC #25.
What about Batman (2011) #28? Released in February 2014, this issue titled “Gotham Eternal” is not part of Zero Year. This is instead a preview for Batman Eternal, a year-long weekly series that was published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Batman character and was launched in June 24. The events depicted in Batman #28 take place concurrently with Batman Eternal #43.
What to read after Batman: Zero Year?
We are going back to present-day Gotham! If you haven’t check out the last part of Grant Morrison’s run on Batman (with Batman Inc.), you need to do it right now, before seriously picking up Batman, Vol. 6: The Graveyard Shift, the next volume in Snyder and Capullo’s Batman. This trade paperback is a collection of stories that includes the issue Batman #0 listed above, as well as tales set in the present dealing with the repercussions of the events that happened at the end of Batman Incorporated. It also features the stories “The Meek” (from Batman #34) and “Gotham Eternal” (from Batman #28), both set during Batman Eternal.
And this is the moment to read Batman Eternal, a year-long storyline for Batman’s 75th anniversary, by writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, and artist Dustin Nuygen and others. This story takes place before the next arc in Snyder and Capullo’s run, Endgame.
What about the Riddler? You can reconnect with the character in the present day, during Forever Evil (set before Batman Eternal), in the issue Batman (2011) #23.2: The Riddler, collected in Batman: Arkham: Riddler or Batman by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo Omnibus Vol. 1. For more classic stories with Edward Nygma, check out our Riddler Recommended Reading Order.
Note: An earlier version of this guide appeared on our site in 2020. It has been completely refreshed and updated with a new revised reading order, new information, and new images!