Tim Drake continues his efforts to prove himself worthy of picking up the Robin mantle, while Batman puts himself through Hell to keep Gotham City safe! Despite having a worthy ally beside him, the Dark Knight’s refusal to give Bruce Wayne a break is building up to something catastrophic. And with a fall just around the corner, Batman will need to consider a successor to pick up the cowl when the time comes that he’s no longer able to wear it…
This era includes stories from writers Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Peter Milligan, Doug Moench, Denny O’Neil, John Ostrander, Kelley Puckett, Louise Simonson, John Wagner & Marv Wolfman, and art by Jim Aparo, Norm Breyfogle, Jim Fern, Tom Lyle, Steve Mitchell, Graham Nolan & Joe Quesada.
A huge thank you to DCU Guide, Comics Back Issues and, in particular, the mammoth efforts of the Batman Chronology Project for their assistance in assembling this reading order.
See more DC Universe Character & Team Reading Orders.
Must Reads: Story arcs in bold in the Core List or marked with a ✔ in the Full Reading Order are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a look.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Chronology: Every appearance of the Batman Family from this time period is included in chronological order, laying out the timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
The Family: For this reading order, the ‘Batman Family’ includes Batman, Catwoman, Huntress and Robin (Tim Drake); though Nightwing sporadically returns, he’ll be covered in more detail in the Teen Titans reading order as well as his own until he moves closer to the Bat-Family again; likewise with Barbara Gordon, following her recovery, her history will be covered in both the Suicide Squad and her own reading order.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
See Batman‘s formative years in chronological order:
- BATMAN, Origins I – Year One to the Long Halloween
- BATMAN, Origins II – Batman & Robin
- BATMAN FAMILY, 1987-1988 – Deaths in the Family
- BATMAN FAMILY, 1989-1990 – The Many Deaths of the Batman
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the core reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns – just the stories:
- Detective Comics #625
- Batman #458-459
- Detective Comics #626
- Captain Atom #50
- Starman (1988) #34
- Justice League Quarterly #3
- Detective Comics #627 [3/4]
- Robin (1991) #3
- Batman #460-461
- Detective Comics #628
- Batman #462-464
- Detective Comics #629-632
- Robin (1991) #4
- Batman: Run, Riddler, Run #1-3
- Robin (1991) #5
- Batman 80-Page Giant #2 [4/7]
- Batman #465-466
- Batman Versus Predator (1992) #1-3
- Detective Comics #633-634
- Batman #467-469
- Batman Annual #15
- Detective Comics #635-637
- Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham
- Justice League Europe #22
- Justice League International Special #2
- Wonder Woman #57
- Justice League America #52
- Justice League America #53
- Detective Comics Annual #4
- Armageddon 2001 Special #2
- Action Comics #670
- Wonder Woman (1987) #59
- War of the Gods #2
- Batman #470
- Wonder Woman (1987) #60
- War of the Gods #3-4
- Batman #471
- Detective Comics #638
- Suicide Squad (1987) #59-62
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #1
- Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #1
- Batman #472
- Detective Comics #639
- Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #2
- Batman #473
- Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #3
- Detective Comics #640
- Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #4
- Batman #474
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #27
- Detective Comics #641
- Armageddon: Inferno #1
- Armageddon: Inferno #4
- Justice League America #59
- Justice League Europe #35
- Superman (1987) #65
- Adventures of Superman #488
- Action Comics #675
- Superman: The Man of Steel #10
- Superman (1987) #66
- Challengers of the Unknown #4
- Justice League Spectacular #1
- DC Retroactive: 1990s – Batman #1
- Batman #475
- Detective Comics #642
- Batman #476
- Deathstroke the Terminator (1991) #6-9
- Batman: Gotham Nights (1992) #1-4
- Detective Comics #643
- Batman #477-489
- Ragman #5-8
- The Demon (1990) #23-24
- Detective Comics #644-646
- Justice League Europe #37-40
- Batman #479-480
- Aquaman (1991) #8
- Batman #481-482
- Batman/Green Arrow: The Poison Tomorrow
- Detective Comics Annual #5
- Catwoman: Defiant
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat (1992) #1-4
- Green Arrow Annual #5
- Robin Annual (1992) #1
- Batman #483
- Batman Annual #16
- Detective Comics #647-651
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat #5-6
- Justice League America #66
- Penguin: Triumphant
- Batman: Birth of the Demon
- Detective Comics #652-653
- Batman #484-486
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat #7-9
- Batman #487
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat #10-15
- Batman: Sword of Azrael (1992) #1-4
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #625 (1991) The serial killer Abattoir has escaped Arkham Asylum and set his sights on a mayoral rally for Henry Etchison, endangering Vicki Vale; Batman discovers the link between Etchison and Abattoir. 1st appearance: Abattoir/Arnold Etchison | |
| ✔ | Robin #2 (pp.18-20) (1991) Robin and Clyde Rawlins agree to join forces to find King Snake… | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Batman #458 (1991) Batman saves Harold Allnut from judgemental Gotham City residents and offers him a role in the Batcave. | |
| ✔ | Batman #459 (1991) Detective Comics #626 (1991) Commissioner Jim Gordon has a life-changing experience; Batman chases down the new Electrocutioner who’s taking out members of the mob. 1st appearance: Electrocutioner II | RETURN OF THE ELECTROCUTIONER |
| Captain Atom #50 (1991) Batman, Blue Beetle and Martian Manhunter are assigned to protecting the King Family from the Ghost. | ||
| Starman #34 (1991) Starman disrupts Batman’s sting on the Shadow King‘s gang; Batman and Starman join forces to oppose Shadow King. 1st appearance: Julius Barrow, Shadow King/Roscoe Barrow | ||
| Justice League Quarterly #3 (1991) Batman cameo; Batman attends a meeting between Justice League America and Justice League Europe. | ||
| ✔ | Detective Comics #627 [3/4] (1991) Pesticyde attracts Batman’s attention when she begins killing a syndicate of high-ranking members of CLRS Chemicals. 1st appearance: Pesticyde/Priscilla Stryker |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Robin #2 (pp.18-20) (1991) Robin #3 (1991) Having tracked him and for some time, Lady Shiva offers to train the new Robin; Lady Shiva, Clyde Rawlins and Robin head to France to resume their mission to thwart King Snake. | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Batman #460-461 (1991) Catwoman, Sarah Essen and Vicki Vale form an unexpected alliance against human-trafficking Leo Londis. 1st appearance: Arizona | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #628 (1991) Batman investigates a killing spree with Abattoir’s signature all over it, despite him being locked up in Arkham Asylum. | |
| Batman #462-464 (1991) The murder of Batman’s friends by a motorcycle gang leads to a more sinister, supernatural showdown with Two-Hearts and Twisted Billy; Batman adopts a dog. 1st appearance: Ace the Bat-Hound | ||
| ✔ | Robin #4 (pp.1-9) (1991) Robin, Lady Shiva and Clyde Rawlins monitor King Snake’s activities in Hong Kong… | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #629 (1991) Batman faces an invisible killer. 1st appearance: Blackgate Penitentiary | |
| ✔ | Robin #4 (pp.10-15) (1991) Lady Shiva continues to train Robin… | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #630 (1991) Stiletto arranges for Two-Tone to die right before Batman’s eyes. | |
| ✔ | Robin #4 (p.16) (1991) Robin and Clyde Rawlins plan their entry to King Cobra’s building… | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #631-632 (1991) Batman tries to intervene in racial attacks, but is set upon by a Golem! | |
| ✔ | Robin #4 (pp.17-22) (1991) Robin #5 (pp.1-19) (1991) Robin proves his skill to Lady Shiva; the trio break into the Dorrance Building, though the plan doesn’t quite go as expected; Robin faces off against King Snake… | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Batman: Run, Riddler, Run #1-3 (1992) Real estate magnate Donna DiForza hires the Riddler as her security consultant; Riddler tries to encourage Batman to work with him against the brutal Perfect Security. | |
| ✔ | Robin #5 (pp.20-23) (1991) Batman finds out Robin’s been back in Gotham for a week, shutting down the rest of King Snake’s schemes; Batman and Robin reunite! | ROBIN REBORN |
| ✔ | Batman 80-Page Giant #2 [4/7] (1999) Nightwing and Robin give each other advice. |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Batman #465-466 (1991) Robin goes on his first patrols with Batman, impressing the Dark Knight. | |
| ✔ | Batman Versus Predator #1-3 (1992) Batman’s investigation a series of murders in Gotham City leads him into a direct conflict with a Predator in a fight in may not win; the run for mayor of Gotham is directly impacted. 1st appearance: Predator, Yautja | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #633-634 (1991) Bruce Wayne discovers he was never Batman, thanks to the Synaptic Kid; Batman receives unlikely assistance from the Biddee Sisters when he investigates a murder. | |
| ✔ | Batman #467-469 (1991) Robin finds out King Snake is alive when he and his Ghost Dragons return to Gotham City; Batman’s showdown with King Snake leads to his first falling out with the new Robin. 1st appearance: Jimmy Lei Wing | |
| Batman Annual #15 (1991) The time-travelling Waverider peers into Batman’s future to assess whether or not he’s the hero-turned-villains who plagues Waverider’s future timeline. | ARMAGEDDON 2001 | |
| Detective Comics #635-637 (1991) After Batman deals with multiple threats caused by the transformation of Gotham City in lethal video game levels, he realises the true threat is coming from Arkham Asylum! | ||
| Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham (1992) Judge Death is transported from his reality to Gotham City; Batman accidentally trigger’s Death’s Dimensional Jump Belt, sending him to Mega-City One where he and Judge Dredd tackle Mean Machine Angel; back in Gotham City, Judge Death joins forces with the Scarecrow; Batman, Dredd and Judge Cassandra Anderson jump back to Gotham to end the alliance. | ||
| Justice League Europe #22 (1991) Batman cameo; Batman refuses the JLE’s request to help them find their missing cat, Stinky. | ||
| Justice League International Special #2 (1991) Huntress gets back in the costume and assists Justice League America against the mob. | ||
| Wonder Woman #57 (1991) Bruce Wayne cameo; Bruce Wayne watches Wonder Woman‘s televised press conference, addressing alleged murders in Gotham and Boston by Amazons; an assassin tries to kill Wonder Woman on live TV. | WAR OF THE GODS | |
| ✔ | Justice League America #52 (1991) Seeing the behaviour of his team mates, Batman decides to turn his back on the JLA; Maxwell Lord is assassinated. | |
| Justice League America #53 (1991) Bruce Wayne cameo; Bruce Wayne sees the news report covering the assassination of Maxwell Lord that’s left him in a coma. | BREAKDOWNS | |
| Detective Comics Annual #4 (1991) Armageddon 2001 Special #2 (1991) Action Comics #670 (1991) Waverider looks into Batman’s possible futures again; Batman is among the heroes who witness Monarch‘s unmasking; Batman joins in the clean-up following Monarch’s defeat. 1st appearance: Atomic Skull/Joseph Martin | ARMAGEDDON 2001 |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| Wonder Woman #59 (1991) War of the Gods #2 (1991) Wonder Woman calls on Batman and Robin for help. 1st appearance: Kingu | WAR OF THE GODS | |
| ✔ | Batman #470 (1991) Wonder Woman #60 (1991) War of the Gods #3-4 (1991) Batman and Robin seek out the Themysciran Goblet for Wonder Woman and dicover it’s in the clutches of Maxie Zeus; Batman gives Wonder Woman some bad news; Batman discovers the US Military’s plans to bomb Themyscira; Batman, Robin and members of the Outsiders battle Beastiamorphs. | WAR OF THE GODS |
| ✔ | Batman #471 (1991) Having escaped Arkham Asylum, Killer Croc tries to build a new life with an underground society, but his bestial tendencies get the better of him. | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #638 (1991) A methuman atom-splitter called the Bomb is accidentally released from a secret military base into Gotham City; Batman finds himself opposing the military, again. | |
| ✔ | Suicide Squad #59-62 (1991-1992) Batman investigates the death of the Atom (Ray Palmer), only to end up on a mission with Aquaman and Superman that pits him against the Suicide Squad when they realise the Atom may not be as dead as they thought. 1st appearance: Cabal, Piscator | |
| ✔ | Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #1 (1991) Having recaptured the Joker abroad, Batman’s plane crashes in the Korean Mountains; against all odds, Batman needs to drag the Joker home, even though letting him die in the cold would be infinitely easier. | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #1 (pp.1-11) (1991) While Batman’s out of town, the Joker is broken out of Arkham Asylum… | |
| Batman #472 (pp.1-8) (1991) Batman arrives in Rio de Janeiro in search of the Queen of Hearts, only to discover a dangerous new drug called the Idiot Root… 1st appearance: Queen of Hearts, Idiot Root | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #1 (pp.12-22) (1991) Robin soon runs into the Joker who doesn’t realise this isn’t the same Robin he killed; the Joker becomes obsessed with killing this new Robin 1st appearance: Kevin Hudman, Hudson, Sebastian Ives | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| Batman #472 (pp.9-22) (1991) Detective Comics #639 (pp.1-13) (1991) Both Batman and the Queen of Hearts accidentally take a hit of the Idiot Root and face the Idiot who causes users to lose their minds… 1st appearance: The Idiot/Caesar Lopez | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #2 (pp.1-4) (1991) Robin searches for the Joker… | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| Detective Comics #639 (pp.14-22) (1991) Batman #473 (pp.1-6) (1992) Batman drags drug-dealer Zeno to the Amazon Rainforest where Dr Crosby has a new plan to distribute the Idiot Root; Crosby’s ‘Angels’ take the Batman down and Crosby prepares to pump him full of the Idiot Root… | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #2 (pp.5-22) (1991) Tim Drake‘s school work suffers from his late night searches for the Joker; both Robin and the Joker initiae their respective plans to draw each other out! | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| Batman #473 (pp.6-18) (1992) Batman mentally enters the Idiot’s reality, while Crosby threatens his body in the real world… | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #3 (pp.1-7) (1992) The Joker unleashes a computer virus into Gotham’s government computers… | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| Batman #473 (pp.19-22) (1992) Batman comes out if his trip and finds an unexpected ally in Zeno! | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #3 (pp.8-22) (1992) The Joker’s hacker gets him into the Batcave computers; Robin convinces Jim Gordon to let him lead the search for the Joker! | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| Detective Comics #640 (pp.1-21) (1992) Batman and Zeno return to Rio to face the Idiot in the real world… | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #4 (pp.1-4) (1992) Robin – in costume – visits his sleeping father in hospital; Robin and Alfred Pennyworth initiate their final plan to trap the Joker as Robin confronts the Clown Prince of Crime in a snow-covered Gotham City… | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| Detective Comics #640 (p.22) (1992) Bruce Wayne takes a flight back to Gotham City. | THE IDIOT ROOT | |
| ✔ | Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #4 (pp.5-24) (1992) Robin takes on the Joker directly in a battle which almost costs him his life; Batman returns to Wayne Manor to find Robin recovering. | THE IDIOT ROOT |
| ✔ | Batman #474 (1992) Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #27 (1992) Detective Comics #641 (1992) The Destroyer blows up building in Gotham City to improve the skyline. 1st appearance: Destroyer/Andre Sinclair, Wayne Tower | THE DESTROYER |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| Armageddon: Inferno #1, 4 (1992) Waverider returns, taking the heroes into the future to face the threat of Abraxis; Batman helps locate the missing Justice Society of America. 1st appearance: Abraxis, Daemen | ARMAGEDDON 2001 | |
| Justice League America #59 (1992) Justice League Europe #35 (1992) Batman momentarily returns to the Justice Leagues to check in on them, joining the teams on a mission to Kooey Kooey Kooey where Silver Sorceress makes a sacrifice to save her world. | BREAKDOWNS | |
| ✔ | Superman #65 (1992) Adventures of Superman #488 (1992) Action Comics #675 (1992) Superman: The Man of Steel #10 (1992) Superman #66 (1992) Brainiac and Maxima take control Warworld and use it to lay siege to Earth; Batman finds himself allied with Lex Luthor to tackle Brainiac’s ground forces in Metropolis. | PANIC IN THE SKY |
| Challengers of the Unknown #4 (1991) Red Ryan sets himself in Gotham City as the crime-fighting 9mm Vigilante; Batman convinces Red to leave town. | ||
| Justice League Spectacular #1 (1992) Batman turns down Maxwell Lord’s offer to lead to new Justice League; instead, Batman asks Superman if he’d like to lead the new League. 1st appearance: Jack of Spades, Weapons Master New identity: Martian Manhunter/J’onn J’onzz as Bloodwynd (unrevealed) | TEAMWORK | |
| ✔ | DC Retroactive: 1990s – Batman #1 (2011) The Ventriloquist is released from prison and immediately engage in activities that draw in the Batman. | DC RETROACTIVE |
| ✔ | Batman #475 (1992) Detective Comics #642 (1992) Batman #476 (1992) The Ventriloquist’s puppet Scarface upends his plans for retirement and starts a war with the Street Demonz; Jim Gordon gets a new assistant, Renée Montoya; Bruce Wayne considers telling Vicki Vale he’s Batman. 1st appearance: Renée Montoya | THE RETURN OF SCARFACE |
| Detective Comics #643 (pp.1-2) (1992) Batman investigates a number of incidents in which skeletons are showing up randomly in Gotham… | ||
| ✔ | Deathstroke the Terminator #6-9 (1992) Deathstroke heads to Gotham and ‘rescues’ a hitman who took on a mob hit that was turned down by Deathstroke himself; Batman fights Deathstroke to reclaim the hitman, until he realises why he rescued him. | |
| Detective Comics #643 (p.3) (1992) More skeletons show up in Gotham… | ||
| ✔ | Batman: Gotham Nights #1 (1992) Dio Viella kidnaps a baby, and finds himself in Batman’s sights! | |
| ✔ | Batman: Gotham Nights #2 (1992) Gotham City is seen through the eyes of its citizens. | |
| ✔ | Batman: Gotham Nights #3-4 (1992) Batman locates the missing baby; the Wayne Foundation helps those affected by the incident. | |
| Detective Comics #643 (pp.4-22) (1992) Batman finds out who’s been leaving skeletons around Gotham City. | ||
| ✔ | Batman #477-489 (1992) Batman concocts a clever ruse to entrap the Gotham Gargoyle! 1st appearance: Gotham Gargoyle | |
| Ragman #5-8 (1992) Ragman looks into another Golem – this time it’s one who’s killing drug dealers; Ragman and Batman throw down, but the citizens of Gotham have Ragman’s back! | ||
| ✔ | The Demon #23-24 (1992) Robin and Etrigan the Demon team up to chase off demon/werewolf crossbreeds known as Howlers; Batman and Glenda Mark soon join the fight against the Howlers. | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #644-646 (1992) A third Electrocutioner – the brother of he original – is introduced, and he’s looking to bring down the vengeful Buzz who also has electricity powers; Batman and Robin are caught in the middle; Commissioner Gordon gets engaged! 1st appearance: Buzz/Elmo Galvan, Electrocutioner III/Lester Buchinsky, Zesti Cola | |
| Justice League Europe #37-40 (1992) Batman assists the new JLE against the artist Deconstructo, refusing to lead the team and making way for the Green Lantern to take charge, instead. 1st appearance: Deconstructo/Archibald Tipple | TEAMWORK | |
| ✔ | Batman #479-480 (1992) New vigilante Pagan hunts down and kills sexual predators, clashing with the Batman’s ideology; Robin’s mother’s grave is vandalised by the Y-Dogs gang. 1st appearance: Pagan/Marian Mercer |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| Aquaman #8 (1992) Aquaman is targeted for death by Nicodemus, an NKVDemon; Batman arrives in time to save Aquaman’s life. | ||
| ✔ | Batman #481-482 (1992) Upheaval in the ranks of Maxie Zeus’ leaderless gang leads to his girlfriend, Iris Phelios, taking over as the Harpy; Tim Drake and his father move into the property near Wayne Manor. 1st appearance: Harpy/Iris Phelios, Shondra Kinsolving | |
| ✔ | Batman/Green Arrow: The Poison Tomorrow (1992) When Black Canary is poisoned, the Green Arrow teams up with Batman to seek out Poison Ivy – possibly the only person who can save the Canary’s life. | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics Annual #5 (1992) The Ventriloquist breaks the Joker out of Arkham Asylum; some of the Black Diamonds that hold the essence of Eclipso are now in Gotham City; Eclipso’s essence possesses Jim Gordon who seeks out the Joker! Identity revealed: The Ventriloquist’s real name is Arnold Wesker | ECLIPSO: THE DARKNESS WITHIN |
| Catwoman: Defiant (1992) Batman calls on Catwoman to help him shut down Mister Handsome and his Model Army gang. | ||
| ✔ | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-4 (1992) Dr Jeremiah Arkham takes over at Arkham Asylum, but he isn’t keeping a close eye on the serial killer Mister Zsasz; Batman becomes an inmate to find out Zsasz continues to kill people on the streets of Gotham while still being locked up; Nightwing helps Batman solve the mystery. 1st appearance: Amygdala/Aaron Helzinger, Dr Jeremiah Arkham, Mister Zsasz/Victor Zsasz | |
| Green Arrow Annual #5 (1992) Black Canary gets ‘Eclipsed’ by a Black Diamond; Batman travels to Seattle to help Green Arrow release her. | ECLIPSO: THE DARKNESS WITHIN | |
| ✔ | Robin Annual #1 (1992) Anarky is Eclipsed by a Black Diamond; Batman is delayed, leaving it up to Robin to undo Eclipso’s corruption. | ECLIPSO: THE DARKNESS WITHIN |
| ✔ | Penguin: Triumphant (pp.1-15) (1992) The Penguin decides to become a legitimate businessman, but is actually planning on manipulating the stock market; Penguin soon finds a rival in financier Randall Holmes… | |
| ✔ | Batman #483 (1992) Batman and Robin face two explosive thieves, Crash & Burn! | |
| ✔ | Batman Annual #16 (1992) The Joker willingly allows himself to be Eclipsed, so Batman does the same in order to match him; the sun restores them to their normal states, allowing Batman to apprehend the Joker. | ECLIPSO: THE DARKNESS WITHIN |
| ✔ | Batman: Birth of the Demon (pp.1-7) (1993) Batman finally tracks down one of Ra’s al Ghul‘s Lazarus Pits; Batman is exposed to toxic waste; Ra’s al Ghul appears to be dying… | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #647-649 (1992) The Cluemaster has been cured, but Batman and Robin find themselves investigates crimes that match his modus operandi; Cluemaster begins to lose control; Robin meets the Spoiler! 1st appearance: Crystal Brown/Agnes Bellinger, Spoiler/Stephanie Brown | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #650 (1992) Harold Allnut makes a discovery beneath the Batcave; Robin and Alfred Pennyworth investigate the contents of a gangster’s vault. 1st appearance: Roy Raymond Jr | |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #651 (1992) Detective Harvey Bullock turns to Batman for help when someone starts threatening his life. | |
| Batman: Shadow of the Bat #5-6 (1992) The Black Spider escapes prison and begins a killing spree, inspired by the news that the mother of his son is addicted to heroin; Batman’s interference inspires the Back Spider to make one last move against drug dealers; later, Batman faces the super-powered assassin, the Ugly American, whose racist tendencies become more extreme. |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances |
| ✔ | Justice League America #66 (1992) Batman drops in on the Justice League and finds Guy Gardner fighting with Superman; Batman convinces Superman to allow Guy to rejoin the League. |
| ✔ | Penguin: Triumphant (pp.16-46) (1992) It’s only taken a few weeks for the Penguin to earn an impressive amount of money; Randall Holmes assigns his bodyguard Cale the job of killing the Penguin; Batman & Robin figure out Penguin’s scheme. |
| ✔ | Batman: Birth of the Demon (pp.8-108) (1993) Talia al Ghul reveals her father’s origin to Batman; the weakened Ra’s al Ghul clashes with Batman who’s on his last legs thanks to the exposure to toxic waste, making Batman’s need for the Lazarus Pits as urgent as his foe’s. |
| ✔ | Detective Comics #652-653 (1992) The Huntress gains a new costume and teams up with Batman to track down a jewel thief; their mission proves to be more complicated and triggers an international incident. |
| ✔ | Batman #484-486 (1992) Batman #487 (pp.1-3) (1992) Recent events have put Bruce Wayne through the wringer; things escalate when Black Mask kidnaps Lucius Fox and orders arson attacks on Bruce Wayne’s properties and businesses; the search for Black Mask is interrupted by Metalhead‘s clash with the Dark Knight… 1st appearance: Metalhead |
| ✔ | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #7-9 (1992-1993) Calendar Man, Catman, Chancer and Killer Moth form the Misfits when they set up a ransom plot, which accidentally results in a murder; Dean Hunter is falsely accused of the killing and becomes the Nomad to track the Misfits down, clashing with the Batman as he goes. 1st appearance: Chancer, Misfits, Nomad/Dean Hunter |
| Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #2 (1992) James Gordon and Sarah Essen get married, though there’s a major continuity reason why this can’t be in mainstream Batman continuity (see the Alternates section). | |
| ✔ | Batman #487 (pp.4-22) (1992) Bruce Wayne starts to realise he’s no longer at his peak and needs professional therapy; Sarah Essen and Jim Gordon are revealed to be married; Essen and Batman go after the Headhunter who’s intent on picking up the price on Jim Gordon’s head. 1st appearance: Headhunter |
| Batman: Shadow of the Bat #10-15 (1993) Bruce Wayne follow up on an dinner invitation he receives that’s addressed to his father; Batman and the Human Flea team-up when they learn of Mortimer Kadaver‘s plot to unleash a plague into Gotham; a homeless man learns Batman’s secret identity and sells it to a crime boss; Batman goes undercover to apprehend Mirage. 1st appearance: Human Flea/Martin Kemp | |
| ✔ | Batman: Sword of Azrael #1-4 (1992-1993) Jean-Paul Valley takes on the mantle of Azrael when his predecessor is murdered by Carelton LeHah; Batman initially clashes with Azrael, but the two of them soon team up to battle LeHah. 1st appearance: Azrael/Jean-Paul Ludovic Valley, Azrael/Jean-Paul Valley, Biis/Carleton LeHah, Nomoz, Order of St Dumas |
The Batman Family’s complete New Earth reading order continues…
- BATMAN FAMILY, 1993-1994 – Breaking the Bat
Batman Family stories from across the DC Multiverse from this period:
| Titles & Synopsis |
| Detective Comics #627 [4/4] (1991) Another modern retelling of “The Case of the Criminal Syndicate”. |
| Batman: Holy Terror (1991) Reverend Bruce Wayne becomes Batman to battle corporate corruption in his dystopian future. |
| Batman: Master of the Future (1992) EARTH-19 – The Victorian Era Bat-Man returns, fighting to defend the skies from air pirate Alexandre LeRoi who’s intent on disrupting the turn-of-the-century celebrations. |
| Titles & Synopsis |
| Batman & Dracula: Red Rain (1992) EARTH-43 – Batman‘s confrontation with Dracula results in the Dark Knight becoming a vampire himself. |
| Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #35-36 (1992) Batman teams up with the descendent of a Viking Prince and learns the legend of the Bat Man who allied with the first Viking Price centuries ago. |
| Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #2 (1992) James Gordon and Sarah Essen get married; Arnold Flass is the main protagonist, despite his death during ‘Dark Victory’ from 1999-2000, meaning this story is set outside regular continuity. |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.1 | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-12 |
| Batman: Shadow of the Bat vol.2 | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #13-23 |
| Batman: Sword of Azrael | Batman: Sword of Azrael #1-4 |
| Batman: Sword of Azrael – The Deluxe Edition | Azrael/Ash #1 Batman: Sword of Azrael #1-4 |
| Batman: The Caped Crusader vol.4 | Batman #455-465 Batman Annual #15 |
| Batman: The Caped Crusader vol.5 | Batman #466-473 Detective Comics #639-640 |
| Batman: The Caped Crusader vol.6 | Batman #475-483 Detective Comics #642 |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Detective vol.6 | Detective Comics #622-633 |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Detective vol.7 | Batman #474 Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #27 Detective Comics #634-638, 641, 643 Detective Comics Annual #4 |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Detective vol.8 | Detective Comics #644-653 Detective Comics Annual #4 [corrected printing] Detective Comics Annual #5 |
| Batman: The Demon Trilogy | Batman: Birth of the Demon #1 Batman: Bride of the Demon #1 Batman: Son of the Demon #1 |
| Batman: The Last Arkham | Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-4 |
| Batman Versus Predator: The Collected Edition | Batman Versus Predator #1-3 |
| DC Comics/Dark Horse Comics: Batman Versus Predator | Batman Versus Predator #1-3 Batman Versus Predator II #1-4 Batman Versus Predator III #1-4 |
| Robin: Tim Drake Compendium One | Batman #455-457, 465-469, 480 Batman 80-Page Giant #1 Detective Comics #618-621 Robin (1991) #1-5 Robin (1993) #1-5 Robin II #1-4 Robin III #1-6 Robin III #1-6 Robin Annual #1-2 Showcase 93 #1-6, 11-12 Superman #70 Superman: The Man of Steel #14 |
| Robin: A Hero Reborn | Batman #455-457 Robin #1-5 |
| Robin vol.1: Reborn | Batman #455-457 Detective Comics #618-621 Robin #1-5 |
| Robin vol.2: Triumphant | Batman #465, 467-469 Robin II: The Joker’s Wild! #1-4 Robin III: Cry of the Huntress #1-6 |
| Suicide Squad: The Final Mission (vol.8) | Suicide Squad #59-62 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Batman: Arkham – Penguin | Penguin: Triumphant |
| Batman/Judge Dredd Collection | Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham |
| Batman: Knightfall Omnibus vol.1 | Batman #484-487 |
| DC Finest – Catwoman: Life Lines | Catwoman: Defiant |
| Deathstroke the Terminator vol.1: Assassins Deathstroke the Terminator by Marv Wolfman Omnibus vol.1 | Deathstroke the Terminator #6-9 |
| Justice League International Omnibus vol.2 | Justice League Europe #22 |
| Justice League International Omnibus vol.3 | Justice League America #52-53, 59, 66 Justice League Europe #35, 37-40 Justice League International Special #2 Justice League Quarterly #3 |
| Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle vol.2 | Batman #458-459 |
| Superman: Panic in the Sky Superman: The Triangle Era Omnibus vol.2 | Action Comics #675 Adventures of Superman #488 Superman #65-66 Superman: The Man of Steel #10 |
| Wonder Woman by George Perez vol.6 Wonder Woman: War of the Gods | War of the Gods #2-4 Wonder Woman #59-60 |
| Wonder Woman by George Perez Omnibus vol.3 | War of the Gods #2-4 Wonder Woman #57, 59-60 |
| Wonder Woman: War of the Gods Omnibus | Batman #470 War of the Gods #2-4 Wonder Woman #59-60 |
Reading Order Copyright © 2026 Omniverse Comics Guide
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