Batman

Batman: Joker War Reading Order, a Batman event by James Tynion IV

by Fabien
Updated on December 15, 2022

Batman: Joker War Reading Order

Written by James Tynion IV and illustrated by Jorge Jimenez, Batman: The Joker War is taking us to issue #100 of the series with a story in which The Clown Prince of Crime and the Dark Knight Detective go head-to-head for the last time.

So, here is the official synopsis: The Joker has never wanted to win before, he’s never wanted his battle with Batman to end, but now his motivation has shifted. As The Joker’s plan to assemble an army materializes, the only person who can save Batman from the brink of true madness is Harley Quinn. And while all this is happening, the villains of Gotham City are waiting out the carnage Joker has unleashed—and Catwoman assembles an army of her own!

What to read before Batman: Joker War?

Batman: Their Dark Designs
Collects Batman #86-94. This is the previous storyline written by James Tynion IV, which took place before the Joker War. It’s a new day in Gotham City, but not the same old Batman. With Bane vanquished and one of his longtime allies gone, Batman has to start picking up the pieces and stepping up his game. Batman has a new plan for Gotham City, but he’s not the only one. Deathstroke has returned as well, under a mysterious new contract that could change everything.

You can also find a little bit of a prelude to the Joker War in the following issues, showing Joker preparing for the War. These storylines are optional:

Detective Comics #1022-1024
Nightwing #71-73

Dark Nights: Metal Reading Order, a DC Comics event introducing the dark multiverse

by Fabien
Updated on October 25, 2024

Published in 2017, Dark Nights: Metal is a Batman Event written by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. The two collaborators are back with a new ambitious story about the mysterious Nth metal and the dark multiverse.

Investigating a strange metal, Batman discovers the existence of a dark multiverse and eventually releases seven evil versions of himself into his own universe. That event is led by Barbatos, the dark god who plans to unleash darkness across every Earth. Stopping him will change the DC Universe forever.

What to read before Dark Nights: Metal?

Like any big comic book event, you don’t really need to read anything as all the information necessary should be provide in the story! The event kicked off with a two-issue prelude titled Dark Days, collected in Dark Days: The Road to Metal as well as in the Dark Nights Metal Omnibus – which are the issues you shouldn’t miss before diving into the main event.

For those interested in exploring for more backstories, Dark Nights: Metal event builds on elements introduced during Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run on Batman during the New 52 era. This run is collected in two omnibuses, but the most important issues for Metal are the last part of the run, collected in the second omnibus.

If you want to familiarize yourself a little with the myths of Barbatos, you can check out The Return of Bruce Wayne by Grant Morrison.

Batman: Zero Year Reading Order (Batman New 52)

by Fabien
Updated on June 16, 2022

Zero Year is a yearlong crossover event published between June 2013 and July 2014 and written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV.

This story takes us back six years in the past and redefines the origin of Batman in The New 52 version of the DC Universe (go to The Batman New 52 Reading Order for more details).

Everything begins with Bruce Wayne’s return to Gotham City. He starts fighting the Red Hood gang. Those events will lead to the birth of the Batman and to a flood in Gotham that will leave him for dead. When he comes back, he has to free the city that has fallen and is now under the control of one of his worst enemies.

What to read before Batman: Zero Year?

Zero Year is a prequel storyline that was published after the Death of the Family storyline (go to Death of the Family Reading Order for more). The story takes place a few years before The Court of Owls.

You can read it here or at another moment before. Some people recommend reading it before The Court of Owls, but I think that being familiar with the style and direction of Snyder’s Batman is better to appreciate this story.

Batman New 52 Reading Order, from The Court of Owls to the end of the DC You

by Fabien
Updated on September 25, 2025
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In 2011, DC Comics launched the New 52 initiative, a company-wide relaunch that redefined the status quo of its characters, presenting new origins and updated continuity for many heroes. Some characters received a complete reboot, while others experienced more subtle revisions. Batman was among the latter.

When writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo assumed creative duties on Batman (Vol. 2), they did not discard the core elements of the character’s history from the Post-Crisis era. Instead, they integrated much of that history while introducing a revised backstory and developing a new mythology around Gotham City. Their run became one of the most influential of the modern era, beginning with the acclaimed “Court of Owls” storyline and continuing through major arcs such as “Death of the Family” and “Endgame.”

During the New 52 period, Batman appeared in multiple ongoing series, reflecting his central role in the DC Universe. These included: Batman, Detective Comics, Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison, Batman and Robin by Tomasi and Gleason, Batman Eternal and Batman & Robin Eternal, and Batman: The Dark Knight.

What comics should you read before Batman New 52?

The DC Universe was rebooted as the New 52 following the events of Flashpoint (2011), which is not a necessary read before going into this era of Batman stories (but it’s still a good book to read).

Although the New 52 was designed as a new entry point for readers, Batman’s continuity was not fully rebooted. Key elements of his Post-Crisis history were retained, and several storylines launched before Flashpoint remained relevant. In particular, you’ll need to take a look at Grant Morrison’s Batman Incorporated volume 1 before jumping into volume 2 and Batman and Robin by Tomasi.

Also, while optional, Batman: Gates of Gotham by Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, and Trevor McCarthy is a miniseries that explores Gotham’s history and acts as a thematic prelude to Snyder’s run on Batman. And if you want more, you can go through our guide to reading the Batman: The Modern Age comics in order.

Batman: Death of the Family Reading Order: How to read the Batman’s event by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo ?

by Carole
Updated on June 24, 2022

Batman: Death of the Family is a cross-over event in the Batman universe, a 23-issue story arc published in 2012-2013 including the titles Batman, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Red Hood, and the Outlaws, Suicide Squad, and Teen Titans. The event takes place during the Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo run.

The story deals with the Joker’s return to Gotham with a plan to get revenge on all the people Batman has come to rely on over the years, and then destroy the family. The title is, obviously, a reference to the classic story arc A Death in the Family, published in 1988.

What to read before Batman: Death of the Family?

There is no reading requirement before going into the Batman: Death of the Family event. At best, Detective Comics #1, collected in Detective Comics: Faces of Death can serve as a prelude, but completely unnecessary to understand the story as everything you need to know will be mentioned in the main storyline.

All there is to know is that the Joker cut his face off then vanished for a long time – a piece of information mentioned in the story. The main story takes place in Batman.