Current Batman Reading Order (New 52)

shaneb

I don't have a really long history with superhero comics, but have been getting really deeply into the new Batman. I am a little confused of the reading order as of late.

So Batman Inc was the final chapter in the Morrison run that went through Batman and Son, Batman RIP, Batman and Robin, etc. But is in the New 52 universe, and seems to have continuity from the previous universe. Am I wrong here? Is there more of a connection between pre and post-New 52 than I am getting.

I am also now getting caught up on Batman Eternal. So I am getting that Arkham Manor starts at about Batman Eternal #30, but does Gotham by Midnight start after Batman Eternal ends at issue #60? Does endgame (starting at Batman #35) start after Batman Eternal ends? If this is true, I guess I just have to ask why. That seems unreasonably awkward and confusing.

Where does Detective Comics, Dark Knight, Gotham Academy and Gotham Central play into the regular Batman and Batman Eternal continuity? What other bat-books are playing into the Batman Eternal storyline? Also, will I need to read the crossover titles to get what is going on in Endgame?

SolitaireRose

I get very confused with the books that continued from New Earth to New 52, so I tend to think of Morrison's Batman as Pre New52, and he does as well...and he's expressed a bit of annoyance at DC for doing a reboot as he was working toward the end of his massive Batman story without discussing it with him until very late in the project.

And if someone can explain the Batman and Green Lantern timelines in the New52, I'd love to read it. Some of this stuff makes Post-Crisis Hawkman and Dr. Fate seem linear.

CaptShazam

I am not sure if Batman even has a comic book continuity anymore. The character is involved in so many titles that fitting everything in any type of normal linear fashion within the confines of the N52 universe may be impossible.

shaneb

Are people reading any of the new bat-books(Gotham Academy, Gotham by Midnight, Arkham Manor)? These seem a little difficult at times to tie with the regular Bat-books, and all of them are hard to tie into Eternal.

compsolut

@shaneb‌ I have the first two issues of Gotham by Midnight. I know there are some on the forums that have enjoyed the book, but I have to admit that I am not going to keep that in my purchase pile. The writing is interesting, but I do not really like the art (personal taste!). As far as where they tie in . . . I am lost at this point. I wish I had a clue, but can't seem to connect the dots.

Chuck_Melville

CaptShazam said:

I am not sure if Batman even has a comic book continuity anymore. The character is involved in so many titles that fitting everything in any type of normal linear fashion within the confines of the N52 universe may be impossible.

Yeah, that was a factor in my dropping all of the New52 Batman titles. Not the main reason, but certainly a contributing one. I couldn't make heads or tails of where the continuity between the books was, and it bugged the heck out of me to no end.

shaneb

To kind of contribute to this very piecemeal way of figuring out what could possibly be going on, it is actually in Batman Eternal #36 where Wayne Enterprises is taken by the state and then Wayne Manor is handed over to Arkham, setting up for Arkham Manor #1. I am really going to spend some time trying to figure this out.

On another note though, why would Endgame take place after Eternal? Wouldn't that seem like a very strange way to forcast what actually happens in Eternal? For example, In the beginning of Endgame, Selena Kyle is the Queen of the crime syndicates, but that had not yet happened in Batman Eternal. Same thing with the new Batcave location. It just seems like a strange choice to have these current series taking place in continuity after something else that is ongoing.

compsolut

I just found this site, it looks like it could be a starting point for a reading order of New 52 Bat Family. http://ultimatebatmancomicswebsite.weebly.com/new-52-timeline.html

shaneb

Yeah, I saw that. That was the most solid, it just doesn't really go past Zero Year and Forever Evil. I'm guessing it is after those that it gets a little confusing.

shaneb

Doing my best to list a complete New 52 Batman reading order, but still kind of incomplete(or at least not entirely sure it is correct):
http://vertigology.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/batman-new-52-reading-order-maybe/