(2012)
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–FLASHBACK: From Robin Rises: Omega #1—originally told in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #5-6. Another solar eclipse sends cowboy Bruce from the 1880s to roughly 1990, the time period shortly after the murders of his parents. In 1990, a memory-less Bruce gets involved in some film noir-esque intrigue involving his family and Simon Hurt. A fedora-wearing Bruce reads his Mordecai-diary and realizes that it is written in his own handwriting, which brings back some of his lost memories. The Black Glove, including Hurt, John Mayhew, and Carter Nichols, assemble to perform an occult ritual that will attempt to summon the demon Barbatos using black magick and an early Nichols time-portal prototype. They also need a sacrificial lamb, so they choose Bruce, who they think is just some amnesiac bum. However, Nichols turns his back on the Black Glove and refuses to open the time-portal. In the chaos, Bruce saves his own life by activating the machine and teleporting into the distant future. Hurt doesn’t kill Nichols for his disobedience, but instead dooms him to a life of obscurity and failure, which is why Nichols, despite being one of the smartest scientists in the entire DCU goes largely unheralded and largely unseen. Bruce emerges at the furthest point Nichols’ time machine can take him: Vanishing Point, a mere hour before the total destruction of the universe and the literal “End of Time.” The Bush Robot Archivists that oversee Vanishing Point completely restore all of Bruce’s lost memories, capture the Hyper-Adapter, and quarantine the beast, albeit only temporarily. Knowing that the Hyper-Adapter will escape at any moment and that the creature is linked to his own body/mind, Bruce comes up with a plan. Bruce has the Archivists once again strip his memory blank (in an attempt to sever the mind-link between he and the Hyper-Adapter). Bruce then has the Archivists give him immense power via a bizarre hybrid Archivist/cyborg Bat-suit before traveling back to the present via a time-sphere. Back in 2011, a radioactive Bruce confronts Red Robin and the JL, who are surprised to see him, especially wearing the Archivist/cyborg Bat-suit. With Bruce’s mind scrambled and his memory wiped, Tim removes his mask and calmly talks down Bruce. Wonder Woman uses her “lasso of truth” on Bruce, who immediately explains his plan to confuse the Hyper-Adapter by erasing his own memory and returning to the present. Eventually, the detached Hyper-Adapter is thrown into a time-sphere that self-destructs. The Hyper-Adapter, defeated, metamorphoses into a giant primordial bat, an animal consistent with both the man it had been linked to. The giant bat then retreats backward through time. It appears in 1765 where it endowed Simon Hurt with extended life and in 38,000 BCE where it was killed and worn as a costume by Bruce when he first arrived there three months ago! But back to the present. Moments after the defeat of Darkseid’s Hyper-Adapter, Bruce is back in his familiar Dark Knight garb. Bruce Wayne, the Batman, is back! NOTE: The “Batman and Robin Must Die!” flashback from Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2 and reference in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #15 (detailed in the next bullet post) completely overlaps with the events of “The Return of Bruce Wayne Conclusion” flashback from Robin Rises: Omega #1 (this bullet post). While Bruce was making his epic return, Dick and Damian have been fighting and losing a battle against Simon Hurt and his 99 Fiends, who now completely control Gotham. How did this happen? Read the next bullet to find out!
–FLASHBACK: From Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2 and Robin Rises: Omega #1. This event is also referenced in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #15, in the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3, Grayson #12, and Nightwing Vol. 4 #17. This event was originally told in “Batman & Robin Must Die!” (from Grant Morrison’s Batman & Robin #13-15). The single-panel flashback from Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2 shows Robin beating the tar out of Joker with a crowbar in the aforementioned cell. In the single-panel flashback from Robin Rises: Omega #1, Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin fight Simon Hurt. These flashbacks are directly connected. Here’s what’s happening: Simon Hurt and his 99 Fiends have taken over Gotham City and are trying to kill Batman (Dick Grayson), Robin, and Joker. Joker has just been detained in a GCPD cell. Batman introduces Robin to Joker, but makes the mistake of leaving the unimpressed Robin alone in the cell with the villain. Robin angrily “interrogates” the villain with a crowbar. Meanwhile, Hurt captures Dick and holds him hostage at Wayne Manor. Concurrently, Joker escapes from his cell by poisoning Robin. Joker puts a clown nose on Robin and throws him into a coffin. While the Boy Wonder is in the coffin, Joker kills-off the remaining Black Glove “fingers.” Joker then releases Robin, who quickly recovers and winds up charging against a swarm of 99 Fiends warriors all by himself, getting easily captured in the process. Eventually, Batman and Robin break free of Simon Hurt’s clutches take the fight to the villain inside Wayne Manor.
–FLASHBACK: From Nightwing Vol. 4 #17—and referenced in the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3, Robin Rises: Omega #1, Grayson #12, Nightwing Vol. 4 #20, and a few other New 52 Batman titles. Bruce Wayne returns from his Omega Sanction, having defeated Darkseid’s Hyper-Adapter just in time to help Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin in their fight against Simon Hurt and the 99 Fiends. Robin reunites with his approving father at Wayne Manor. Batman (Bruce) rescues Alfred while Batman (Dick) defeats Simon Hurt. (Note that it was Bruce that defeated Hurt in the Modern Age, not Dick. This is a specific change depicted in Nightwing Vol. 4 #17.) A beaten Hurt tries to flee, but Joker trips him up with a banana peel, poisons him with Joker Juice, and buries him alive in Wayne Cemetery. Batman (Dick) then corrals Joker. Bruce’s return creates an upcoming span where there are dual Batmen. Notably, Nightwing Vol. 3 #1 tells us that Dick is Batman for “almost a full year.” Dick has been Batman since September (for about four months now) and he’ll continue to be co-Batman along with Bruce for the next eight months, thus totaling about one year.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0—originally told in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6. Bruce Wayne, back in his Batman costume for the first time in a while, addresses his inner circle. He speaks about his origin, the Thögal ritual, and his recent missing time—referring back to the haunting vision of a world in flames with dual tombstones, stressing that they must avoid this future (i.e. the future from Batman #666, Modern Age Batman #700, the questionably canonical dream sequence from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #5, and the possibly apocryphal Damian: Son of Batman miniseries) at any cost. This vision is a combination of what Bruce has seen during the Thögal ritual, his nightmare about the “third Batman,” and a vision of the future as glimpsed during his missing time. Batman doesn’t realize that the double tombstone imagery represents the eventual deaths of Damian and Talia and that the dream implies that either the tombstones or the apocalyptic future will occur, but not both. (Although, thanks to the commonplace re-occurrence of resurrection in the world of comic books, both could still happen anyway).
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0. And also referenced in Grayson #12. Now that the original Batman has returned, Bruce Wayne returns to his head position at Wayne Enterprises. (Nobody even knows he was missing thanks to a lookalike Hush having played his role while he was gone.) In a private board meeting, Bruce announces his plans to unveil a global network of crime-fighting agents known as Batman Incorporated, with himself and Lucius Fox publicly heading the organization. One of the board members, the corrupt embezzler Treadwell, nervously tries to duck out of the meeting, but is met and apprehended by Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin. Shortly thereafter, Bruce and Lucius activate a small group of GI Bat-Robots—the first wave of (non human) Batman Incorporated warriors. Lucius is also made the head of Batman Incorporated R&D, the agency’s tech and weaponry division (as referenced in Batwing #9).
–REFERENCE: In Green Lanterns #16. The Bat-Family fills-in Batman on the events of “Blackest Night,” explaining its link to the evil Yellow Power Battery, Sinestro, and the Black Power Battery.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #1 and Batgirl Vol. 4 #4-6. Bruce partners with various domestic design firms to start an initiative to start rebuilding some of Gotham’s most derelict industrial neighborhoods. This is but the first step of a major gentrification project that will be fully fleshed out about a year from now (in Batman Vol. 2 #1). In order for everything to fit cleanly on our timeline, this gentrification project has to be initiated before the opening arc of Batgirl Vol. 4 in which the project is mentioned and shown.
–FLASHBACK: From Batwing #20. Lucius Fox’s pro MMA-fighting son Luke Fox (recently turned twenty-one-years-old) plays vigilante, dressing up like a bargain basement ninja. During a fancy Bruce Wayne-attended gala for rich folks, the gang called The 99%—actually a bastardization of the actual Occupy 99% since these guys steal from the wealthy and keep for themselves—strikes, but is stopped by the masked Luke Fox. (Luke has been dealing with the 99%ers for several years now.) Batman discovers that Luke Fox is the man beneath the mask and is impressed enough to pick him as his top choice to become Batwing. However, Batman will be circumspect of endangering Lucius’ son and soon meet super-cop David Zavimbe. Despite being Batman’s second choice, Zavimbe will become Batwing instead of Luke.
–FLASHBACK: From Batwing #6 and Batwing #0. (This event is actually a combination of a flashback within a flashback from Batwing #6 and Batwing #0.) Batman (Bruce Wayne) travels to Tinasha, Democratic Republic of Congo and witnesses police-officer-by-day, masked vigilante-by-night David Zavimbe as he beats up a crook named Blood Tiger (Masika Kunto). Batman offers him a spot within Batman Incorporated. Zavimbe, along with his best friend and former guardian Matu Ba, travels to America. In Gotham, at the secret underground Batman Incorporated armory, Batman and Lucius Fox give Zavimbe and Ba the grand tour. Zavimbe accepts Batman’s offer and becomes Batwing! This item supposedly takes place one year before Batwing #6. However, this item must go after Bruce has returned from Omega Sanction and started Batman Incorporated, so the most time it can occur prior to Batwing #6 is about ten months.
–FLASHBACK: From Robin Rises: Omega #1. Bruce, Alfred, and Damian share an awkward dinner at Wayne Manor. Bruce desperately wants to connect with his son, but is having trouble. Damian remains confused about the sudden recent return of such an intense father figure. The boy stays distant and angry with a constant chip on his shoulder. Damian, as per his dad’s orders, reluctantly begins homeschooling with Alfred.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #26—originally told in “House of Hush” from Batman: Streets of Gotham #21. Batman (Bruce Wayne) defeats Hush. During the fight, Hush’s face (which is already surgically altered to look like Bruce’s face) gets sliced-off, disfiguring him once again. (In the Modern Age, this story included Jane Doe, but, in the New 52, Jane Doe hasn’t debuted yet, so she definitely isn’t a part of this tale. Suffice to say, all we know is that Hush has to return to his non-Bruce Wayne face at this point.)
–REFERENCE: In Grayson #15. Batman (Bruce Wayne) speaks to Damian and sums up being Robin with one word: “Suffering.”
–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #7, and Grayson #12—originally told in Batman: The Return #1. Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Robin (Damian) travel to Yemen and confirm that Leviathan, a worldwide criminal organization that has been around for decades, is on the rise like never before. In Yemen, at a grotesque bio-engineering lab designed to create metahuman bodyguards for celebrities and rich people, Bruce and Damian meet the new creations Traktir and Spidra, who have been built as pabulum for—and have been subsequently injured by—the mysterious Heretic (also known as “Fatherless”). The Heretic, a hulking masked figure, has been recently literally born out of the belly of a whale (held in a tank at the lab). Despite having only just been born, the monstrous Heretic is already physiologically an adult thanks to bio-engineering. Despite being ordered to stand down by his father, the brash Damian dangerously confronts the Heretic, who threatens the Boy Wonder before jetpacking away. (SPOILER: The Heretic is an adult clone of Damian, genetically bio-engineered by Talia and her Leviathan scientists.) Batman invites Traktir and Spidra to become the first overseas Batman Inc agents. Back home in Gotham, Bruce chastises his son for disobeying orders. An emotional Damian rips off his Robin emblem and quits! After Dick calms everyone down, Bruce says that he won’t be able to work with Damian, but that Dick and Damian should remain partners with his full blessing. All parties agree.
–NOTE: In a reference in Batwoman Vol. 2 #2. Batman Inc has recently been publicly launched, but there aren’t any overseas agents on the team yet (besides Traktir and Spidra). However, there are a few confirmed de facto members that are already a part of the Bat-Family or linked Bat-network: Batman himself, Batman (Dick Grayson), Robin, Red Robin, Jim Gordon, Freight Train, Looker, and Element Man. All of the names on this long list are taken from a mural-like panel in Batwoman Vol. 2 #2 except for Gordon and the Outsiders. Gordon is Batman’s “unofficial agent” within the GCPD (as referenced in Batman: The Dark Knight #4)—a fact that would cause serious problems with Internal Affairs if made public. The Outsiders (a duo of only Freight Train and Looker) are mentioned as being Batman Incorporated agents via a reference in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1. Halo is also referenced as a third Outsider, but this is a continuity error, since Halo won’t debut until much later. Traktir and Spidra were made Batman Incorporated agents following their recent meeting with Batman in Yemen. I should also note that Renee Montoya, Black Canary, Huntress, Catwoman, Katana, Black Lightning, Batman Japan, and Gaucho are all pictured on the mural as well—but at this point none are Batman Incorporated members. Montoya is pictured in the Batwoman mural dressed in her Modern Age Question garb. Montoya definitely wasn’t ever the Question in the New 52. Therefore, we must ignore her. Batman Japan’s debut, in the New 52, is coming up next. Plus, he never wears the “Mr. Unknown” costume as a Batman Inc member anyway. Gaucho’s activation as a Batman Inc agent, like Batman Japan’s, is also coming soon. The others simply are not Batman Inc members in the New 52, nor will they ever be, and therefore shouldn’t be pictured at all. For example, Huntress would not have even met Batman yet (as made clear in Worlds’ Finest #3). Also, Black Canary would know absolutely nothing about Batman’s operations at this point (as made clear in Batgirl Vol. 4 #7). Similarly, despite being former Outsiders, Black Lightning and Katana would be in the same boat as Black Canary—totally out of the loop. Therefore, their presences within the Batwoman mural must be ignored completely.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #10 and Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #12—originally told in Batman Incorporated Vol. 1 #1. Batman (Bruce Wayne) acquires a giant photonic crystal made out of an experimental meta-material with a negative refractive index. He gives it to Lucius Fox for further lapidary study. Fox will eventually use the gem to create an invisibility cloak. The original version of this event detailed in Batman Incorporated Vol. 1 #1 involved Catwoman and Dr. Sivana’s lab. We need to ignore the inclusion of Catwoman and Sivana for the New 52 version of this event.
–REFERENCE: In the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3 and in Talon #17. Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Catwoman travel to Tokyo to recruit a new member of Batman Incorporated. Note that Catwoman’s presence here is purely a hired gig or a favor—she has nothing to do with Batman Inc. In Tokyo, they run into the immortal super-villain Lord Death Man and his skeleton costume-wearing cronies. Lord Death Man has just murdered whom he believes to be Japan’s top superhero Mr. Unknown (as referenced in the flashback from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #11). However, the real Mr. Unknown, Jiro Osamu, is still alive and well, having taken the mantle of Mr. Unknown from the original some years ago. Mr. Unknown helps Batman and Catwoman defeat Lord Death Man, who goes down despite killing dozens, including a bus full of kids. To get rid of the immortal Lord Death Man, Batman puts him into a tiny satellite and rockets him into space. By assisting Batman, Mr. Unknown becomes the newest Batman Incorporated recruit: Batman Japan. Batman Japan is given a standard issue Batman costume (one with a yellow oval), as referenced in the flashback from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #11). However, Osamu is a bit shaky, so Batman puts him on a three-month probationary period to see if he can hack it (as referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0).
–FFLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0. Batman (Bruce Wayne) helps Knight and Squire defeat Jack the Smasher in London and recruits the Dynamic Duo of England as official members of Batman Incorporated. Knight’s first mission is to go to Australia and recruit Johnny Riley into the fold, which he does. Riley is the original Dark Ranger’s sidekick, who now becomes both a new Batman Inc agent and the new Dark Ranger. Meanwhile, in Russia, Batman, along with Robin,[1] helps superhero Ravil bust some bad guys. He then recruits Ravil as a Batman Inc member.
–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins Vol. 3 #3 Part 3. Tim moves out of Wayne Manor and says goodbye to Bruce and Alfred. He moves into a double penthouse in New York City.
–NOTE: In a reference in Batman & Robin Eternal #5. Red Robin, now fully independent of Batman and chock-full of fiery spirit, decides that he’s not satisfied with the government’s witness-protection of his mom and dad. Tim takes it upon himself to protect them. Using his superior hacking skills, Tim takes his parents off the grid and builds them completely new identities—albeit, ridiculously, also using the last name “Drake.” Tim also moves mom and dad back home, shuttling them into a high-tech safe house (of his own design and construction) in Bristol County, Outer Gotham. Overbearing and creepy teen-genius Tim also implants into his parents’ minds post-hypnotic suggestions, which will hypnotize them into taking safe non-panicked action should anything penetrate the barriers of their new super-home. Ludicrously (and dangerously), Tim also reveals his secret ID as Red Robin to his parents as well! Oy, sweet Jesus to all of this. Oh, it’s unknown whether or not Batman is aware of all of these radically wild moves by Red Robin in order to provide safety for his parents. Though, we do know that, at some point in the near future, Tim tells all to Dick.
–REFERENCE: In the flashback from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #11—originally referenced in Batman Incorporated #8. Bruce publicly launches Internet 3.0—a virtual reality web world accessed via a VR helmet that allows the user to control a personalized avatar. While engaged with the system, one can literally wander and explore the rich 3D environment.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0. Batman (Bruce Wayne) takes a trip to Paris in attempt to recruit the veteran Musketeer into the Batman Incorporated fold. After a shake-down of some masked thugs with both Musketeer and Nightrunner (Bilal Asselah), the Musketeer decides to stay retired. However, the young and talented Nightrunner becomes a new Batman Inc agent. Batman then sends a long distance invitation to Man-of-Bats and his sidekick son Raven Red (formerly “Little Raven”), who publicly accept during a live televised press conference in the States.
–FLASHBACK: From Batwing #2. This item is actually a flashback within a flashback that takes place approximately eight months before Batwing #6. Batman (Bruce Wayne) meets with Batwing at the latter’s headquarters (a compound called The Haven) in Tinasha, Democratic Republic of Congo and delivers unto him a brand new armored costume.
–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 3 #18—originally told in Detective Comics #872-873. Batman (Dick Grayson) fights and defeats The Dealer (Étienne Guibourg), an auctioneer who sells super-villain weapons and memorabilia. The Dealer commands a mobile auction house/evil cult known as Mirror House.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0. Batman (Bruce Wayne) teams-up with Batman Inc’s own Dark Ranger for the first time and helps him take down some criminals in Australia. Later, back in the States, Bruce chats with Alfred about Batman Inc and how great the recruitment drive has been thus far.
–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2 and Detective Comics #935. Batman (Bruce Wayne) builds a high tech training facility inside the Batcave, which he calls “The Danger Room.” Not very original, Batman. Via a “fight terminal” within the Bat-Computer, the Danger Room provides simulations that are designed to stump Batman.
–REFERENCE: In Forever Evil: Arkham War #2 and Swamp Thing Vol. 5 #1—originally told in Brightest Day #23-24. Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin deal with a mini-crisis in Gotham. The Green, an elemental force/mystic realm that binds all vegetal life together, has taken over all of Gotham. Unknown to the world, Swamp Thing had been taken over by Nekron during the “Blackest Night” event that happened last year. (In case you were unaware, Swamp Thing is an Earth Elemental/Plant Elemental that works for the Parliament of Trees, a sort of sentient hive-mind collective that resides within and protects the Green.) Now, the evil Swamp Thing has corrupted the Green and used it to take over various parts of the planet, including Gotham. Eventually, Swamp Thing splits into two halves: an evil half and a good half. His good half wins out in the end. Notably, in the New 52, Alec Holland has nothing to do with this item. In fact, he’s been dead for years. However, he will become Swamp Thing for the first time later this year.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0—originally told in Batman Incorporated #3-4. Batman (Bruce Wayne) teams with an uncooperative El Gaucho in Buenos Aries. There, the heroes rescue some kidnapped children from El Papagayo. Afterward, they defeat Scorpiana and El Sombrero—fist fighting each other with electrified brass knuckles along the way. After that, they learn of a Leviathan threat—keyword “oroboros”—on the Falkland Islands. El Gaucho says he doesn’t want to join Batman Inc, but gets drafted anyway.
–REFERENCE: In the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3—originally told in Batman Incorporated #3-4. Batman (Bruce Wayne) wraps-up his adventure with Gaucho in Buenos Aries before returning to Gotham where the murderous Johnny Valentine (aka “Son of Pyg” aka Professor Pyg’s son) and his accomplice Una Clairemont (who dresses in an old Kathy Kane Bat-Woman costume) run amok. Valentine drops an “oroboros” clue that also points to the Falklands as well. Valentine escapes, but Una Clairemont gets put behind bars thanks to help from Batwoman.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1 and in the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3. Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Gaucho, along with The Hood (George Cross) and Batwoman, converge on the Falkland Islands—home of the supposedly imprisoned Doctor Dedalus, ex-Nazi spymaster Otto Netz, former head of Spyral and biological father to Kathy Kane. There, the heroes deal with multiple Leviathan threats, including Scorpiana. The villainess gets defeated, despite the fact that the Hood and Gaucho hate each other’s guts and don’t work well together. The heroes stop the Leviathan threat on the Falklands after discovering a fake Doctor Dedalus and learning that the real Doctor Dedalus has been secretly free since the mid 1980s, which is highly troubling to Batman and company. Meanwhile, at the Leviathan satellite HQ, the real Otto Netz, having manipulated the events on the Falklands, laughs with his comrade and new leader of Leviathan: Talia al Ghul. The Hood becomes an official Batman Inc agent following this event.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0—originally told in Batman Incorporated #6. Batman (Bruce Wayne) sends Gaucho to bust up some shrouded Leviathan cultists, a task that requires him to wade through raw sewage. As a reward, Batman finally introduces Gaucho to his fellow Batman Inc teammates, specifically the lovely ladies of the Outsiders (as also seen in a separate panel from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0).
–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 2 #8 Part 1. The Justice League accidentally booms to Apokolips for the second time (making this their third trip to Apokolips). Stranded on Apokolips, the JL fights off an army of Parademons until Cyborg can reboot his systems and return them back to Earth. The Mother Boxes malfunction on average once every 1,000 boom jumps, sending its users to Apokolips by accident.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0. Batman (Bruce Wayne) meets with Batman Japan at the end of his three-month probationary period. Batman Japan now debuts his brand new custom-made goggle-cap karate outfit. Batman reviews his performance and helps him nab Veiniac. The Dark Knight tells Batman Japan that he will be an official Batman Inc agent if he can defeat Doubleface, which we can assume he does, since Batman Japan becomes an official member of the team! From this point on, Batman Japan will operate with his very own Tokyo “Batbase” that mirrors Batman’s Gotham Batcave and he will go on various solo missions independent from the Caped Crusader’s guidance (as referenced in the flashback from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #11). Before they part ways, Batman orders Batman Japan to take down the Japanese Clayface (Clayface II). Batman Japan asks Batman for a shrink ray (to use on himself so he can date the tiny superhero Lolita Canary).
–REFERENCE: In Superman/Wonder Woman #13. June. Bruce purchases a typewriter that was previously owned by Ernest Hemmingway. He gives it to Clark for his birthday. (Superman’s birthday has long supposed to have been in June, hence my placement of this item here. Geoff Johns once said Clark’s b-day was in December, but I’m going with the more classic June.)
–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #21-22—originally told in Batman: Gates of Gotham #1-5. Batman (Dick Grayson) fights the terrorist bomber known as The Architect (Zachary Gate), who is the revenge-obsessed scion of the Gate family of architects who were supposedly screwed-over by Gotham’s “first families” nearly a hundred years ago. Gotham’s “first families” included the Waynes, Kanes, Cobblepots, and Elliots. Batman (Dick) is able to defeat The Architect, but not before he blows-up a building and several bridges.
–REFERENCE: In All-Star Batman #9. Batman learns that several major criminal and terrorist organizations are trying to get their hands on new disruptive multilingual nano-processors (DMNs aka “Daemons”), computers that essentially co-opt and control other computer systems. However, the existence on one powerful enough to take over global computer systems doesn’t exist at this point, and won’t for a few more years.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. #2 #1. Batman sets official clearance levels for access into the Batcave/Bat-computer system. Alfred has the highest clearance (“very high”). Dick and Tim are given the next clearance level down (“high”).
–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #35-36. Lucius Fox and Batman upgrade the Batmobile with Batman Inc R&D tech, installing tracking devices, emergency computer overrides, and remote-control options. Batman and Alfred also put in secret override codes of their own just in case they need to override the overrides. Lucius and Batman also attempt to adhere Wayne Enterprises’ latest invention, “ultra-heated wire mesh,” to the Batmobile’s outer layer, but it doesn’t take.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #39. Batman has a few single-man-operated mechs (which look a lot like ED-209 from Robocop) produced for Batman Incorporated.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #39. Batman learns about a secret pact that his rogues gallery has formed. Joker, Penguin, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Bane, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Clayface have all agreed to light up an upside-down Bat-Signal and meet at ACE Chemicals, should Batman ever die.
–REFERENCE: In The New 52: Future’s End #0. Batman meets and befriends super-genius superhero Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt).
–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #5. Much to the annoyance and chagrin of Batman, Red Robin sets up multiple “Robin’s Nest” headquarters all over Gotham.
–REFERENCE: In Superman Unchained #6. A Metropolis mattress company, without the Man of Steel’s endorsement or consent, begins airing a TV ad that shows a fake Superman sleeping on a cloud. Clark tells Bruce that the commercial bothers him. Bruce offers to sue the company on his behalf, but Clark tells him not to bother.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #12. Batman smashes out of a glass holding cell and apprehends the in-prison-again-out-of-prison-again Two-Face once more.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #35. Batman begins inquiries into obtaining Hephaestus’ Bind of Veils from the magickal black market. This relic of the Greco-Roman Gods, once used by Odysseus to fool the Cyclops, can be used to cast illusions (misdirection spells) that cause the affected person to live out a scenario that isn’t actually happening in real life. Batman wants this item to add to his anti-Justice League contingency plan, specifically to combat a rogue Wonder Woman. However, he won’t get this rare item just yet.
–NOTE: In references in Batwoman Vol. 2 #0-2 and a flashback from Batwoman Vol. 2 #0—originally told in Detective Comics #857-860. Batman is not involved in this item, but it is pertinent and relevant to future events that do involve the Dark Knight. Here’s the synopsis. Batwoman’s long lost twin sister Elizabeth “Beth” Kane returns as Alice, the super-villain leader of the Religion of Crime. Alice attempts to bomb Gotham Harbor, but is stopped by Batwoman, Kyle Abbot, and Jake Kane. Alice seemingly perishes during the chaos after falling into the harbor from a plane. Angry at her dad for keeping the details about Alice a secret, Kate cuts off all communication with Jake.
–REFERENCE: In We are Robin #2. Batman repurposes an old warehouse as an interrogation space.
–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 4 #8. Batman rescues Dr. Anisa Williams from a group of would-be rapists, putting the attackers in the ER where the good doctor later treats them.
–NOTE: In Flashpoint Vol. 2 #1-5. Flash has inadvertently screwed up the Modern Age (a previous continuity, or in narrative terms “reality,” if you will) and turned it into a new reality where things are very different, including the fact that Bruce was shot to death in Crime Alley all those years ago, causing Thomas Wayne to become Batman and Martha Wayne to become Joker. Flash interacts with a host of new characters, including the Thomas Wayne Batman (aka Flashpoint Batman). Before Flashpoint Batman and Eobard Thawne (aka Professor Zoom aka Reverse-Flash) kill each other in battle, the former gives Barry a handwritten letter to give to Bruce, should Barry be able to revert everything back to status quo. In an effort to return things to how they were, Flash is able to locate himself in the timestream at the point just before he screwed things up. However, without the aid of the Cosmic Treadmill, Flash simply uses the Speed Force to haphazardly travel through time, a slipshod act that results in even more anomalies. Then, Flash fights himself as he travels back through the timestream, causing the Speed Force to go all kablooey even more, which causes time itself to alter further. Flash is addressed by a hooded godlike female entity (Pandora) who explains that the “history of heroes was shattered into three long ago, splintered to weaken your world for their impending arrival.” The “World of Flashpoint” (aka Thomas Wayne Batman reality) fades from existence—although Flash retains all memory of it. (As referenced in Batman Vol. 3 #21-22 and Flash Vol. 5 #21, the sneaky Dr. Manhattan secretly keeps the “World of Flashpoint” as an alternate timeline.) Pandora then literally merges the Vertigo Universe (the parts that never overlapped with the Modern Age DCU proper), the Wildstorm Universe, and the Modern Age DCU. She reforms the three universes into one single DCU with a brand new history. But, as referenced in DC Universe: Rebirth #1, Flash Vol. 5 #21-22, Doomsday Clock #3, Doomsday Clock #7, and Doomsday Clock #9, Pandora gets played. Dr. Manhattan—who in turn himself is being secretly manipulated by the Great Darkness—forcibly “guides” her world-sculpting hands, becoming a co-creator of the New 52. Notably, Pandora attempts to create a New 52 that is similar to the Modern Age—with a longer timeline containing the original JLA lineup, Identity Crisis, Barry Allen dying during the original Crisis, the Justice Society of America’s complete history, and a 31st century Legion of Superheroes that shapes and guides a young Kal-El. However, Dr. Manhattan slips-in and takes actions to ensure these moments do not occur/never come into existence, thus shortening the timeline and “stealing” a decade’s worth of relationships, legacy, and continuity. For instance, as referenced in Doomsday Clock #10, Dr. Manhattan ensures that Ma and Pa Kent die the night of Clark’s high school prom. And, as referenced in Action Comics #987, Dr. Manhattan saves Jor-El (Superman’s father) from dying.[2] As referenced in Batman Vol. 3 #21-22, Flash Vol. 5 #21, and Batman Vol. 3 #84, Dr. Manhattan also secretly resurrects Flashpoint Batman and Eobard Thawne, knowing that the latter will usher the former in the direction of Batman. (As already mentioned, Dr. Manhattan’s main MO is to bum out Superman, but he’s clearly also targeting our Batman with these moves.) Thawne, meanwhile, becomes obsessed with finding out who brought him back to life. When all it told and the dust settles, the previous incarnation of Batman i.e. Modern Age Batman is erased. A new era of the DCU is born, and with it, an extensive and new history as well, which includes everything on our New 52 chronology up to this very moment. Overwhelmed, Flash slips into unconsciousness. (Note that all of the Dr. Manhattan stuff attached to Flashpoint—aside from DC Universe: Rebirth #1—comes from Rebirth Era material.)
–Flashpoint Vol. 2 #5 Epilogue
Late August. Flash has just run circles through space-time in an effort to redress the broken timestream (in which Bruce had died on Crime Alley instead of his parents and Thomas Wayne became Batman). Before running himself into unconsciousness, Flash met Pandora, who helped him whip-up a brand new continuity. Cut to now. The frazzled Flash wakes up and immediately visits the Batcave. Thankfully, Thomas Wayne is no longer Batman. Bruce is indeed wearing the cape and cowl again. Barry then explains all that has happened and delivers Thomas’ letter to a teary-eyed Dark Knight.
–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 2 #9. Batman puts “Flashpoint” Thomas Wayne’s letter into a display case in the Batcave.
–FLASHBACK: In Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #5. Red Hood (Jason Todd)—having ditched his spandex costume and returned once more—calms down long enough to have a civil conversation with his former mentor. Jason is back in Gotham for good and Batman accepts this fact. However, the Dark Knight gives the former Boy Wonder a “my city, my rules” speech. Jason scoffs at Batman’s dialogue, saying that some bad guys should be killed. (Note that this flashback mirrors a scene from Red Hood & The Outlaws: Rebirth #1, but it is a separate scene.)
–Hawk & Dove Vol. 3 #6
Hawk and the new Dove (Dawn Granger)—the Avatars of War and Peace, respectively—trail Blockbuster, who is being controlled by the occult villainess known as Necromancer, to Gotham. Batman and Robin meet the crime-fighting duo and reluctantly team-up with them to defeat Necromancer and Blockbuster. (This issue is also shown via flashback in Grayson Annual #2.)
–Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1-3[3]
Late August—one week prior to the anniversary of the Wayne murders. A month ago, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo), their mentor Splinter, and their rivals Shredder and his ninja Foot Clan somehow all wound up getting transported and stranded on Earth-0 from their own Earth-IDW. Cut to now. With his parents’ death anniversary coming up, Batman, as usual, is particularly moody. The Dark Knight sends Damian away on an unspecified but “important” mission overseas and begins distracting himself, as he has done in the past, by starting a new pet project—this time, an armored robo-costume called the Intimidator Suit. After the Foot Clan steals a few Powers Industrial resonance engines (in hopes of using them to return to their correct Earth) and then fights the Turtles, Batman interrogates some Powers Industrial workers that bore witness to the clash. Bruce orders Lucius to ship a high-tech resonance engine from a WayneTech R&D facility to Central City. After arguing with Alfred in the Batcave, Batman then sets up a holographic ninja lure at the WayneTech R&D facility. Sure enough, the Foot Clan arrives in time to get their butts kicked. Shredder appears, threatens Batman, and then disappears. Meanwhile, Killer Croc, with a new scheme that involves wanting to steal the Batmobile, accidentally wanders into the Turtles’ sewer hideout. Killer Croc and his henchmen get beaten up for trespassing. Above ground, the Turtles and Splinter run smack dab into Batman! Batman kicks the four Turtles’ asses and steals one of Raphael’s sais before Splinter makes the save and helps them escape. Bruce has Lucius Fox analyze the sai and they learn there are traces of a trans-dimensional mutagen. Bruce then suits into his Batman costume, unaware that Splinter has been spying on him the whole time. Meanwhile, on the docks, Shredder meets with Penguin to purchase a previously stolen WayneTech resonance engine. But the double-cross is on as the Foot Clan swoops in and steals it. Penguin is able to bargain for his life, joining Shredder’s team. Splinter and the Turtles then break into the Batcave and confront Batman, telling him that the evil alien Krang sent them to Earth-0, a place where their mutated DNA will become inert, reverting them back into regular animals. The Turtles and Batman join forces and take the fight to Shredder and the Foot Clan at Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge. Shredder is defeated, but destroys the interdimensional portal, murders the only man with the knowledge to build another one (Dr. Naveen Khan), and savagely injures Raphael. Shredder then escapes on a helicopter only to find himself face-to-face with Ra’s al Ghul!
–Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4-6
Late August to Early September. Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spend a few days training and patrolling together, busting Foot Clan members and Mad Hatter. Batman also puts the Turtles in touch with the Justice League. Cyborg tries in vain to figure out the Turtles’ blood situation. Dr. Mahreen Zaheer processes a bunch of Foot Clan ninjas into Arkham, much to the glee of Joker. Meanwhile, an impatient Raphael angrily storms off, prompting Batman to chase after him. A transdimensional portal controlled by Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul then activates, allowing the Turtles’ best friend Casey Jones, bearing canisters of Mutagen that can save the Turtles’ lives, to come through. (Casey is aware of the Turtles’ situation and has been able to jump to Earth-0 thanks to the genius of the Turtles’ super-scientist pal Harold Lillja.) As the portal is activated, an alarm goes off in the Batcave, sending the remaining Turtles to Casey’s location. Batman gives Raphael a tour of Crime Alley. By the time all the heroes arrive at Casey’s location, he’s been beaten-up and Shredder has stolen the Mutagen and headed to Arkham Asylum with Ra’s al Ghul. Later, Batman and the Turtles respond to the Bat-Signal to find Commissioner Gordon with Penguin, who claims he is now helping to stop Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul. Gordon—drawn incorrectly with gray hair—tells the heroes that the Foot Clan has taken over Arkham Asylum. Back at the Batcave, a returning Robin confronts and fights Michelangelo, Donatello, and a recovered Casey Jones. Batman arrives in time to stop them, carrying a sick Leonardo—who is succumbing to de-mutation—in his arms. Casey produces a “time-slingshot”—created by Harold Lillja—that can send them back to Earth-IDW. The only catch is that if they don’t use it now, they’ll have to wait another three weeks before dimensional positioning and planetary conditions are in alignment. Robin tells Batman that he’s tracked a legion of League of Assassins members heading to Gotham. Splinter says that, despite their partnership, both Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul will undoubtedly betray one another, causing a ninja war. After the Turtles say their goodbyes, Batman and Robin go to Arkham where they find Penguin, who has been turned into an actual mutated penguin-man as punishment for his betrayal. Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Joker, Mad Hatter, Two-Face, Riddler, Bane, Harley Quinn, and Ventriloquist (with Scarface) all appear to face the Dynamic Duo—and each has been turned into a mutated animal-human hybrid by Shredder. The combined might of the mutated rogues is enough to capture Batman, who is presented before Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul. Meanwhile, Casey travels back to Earth-IDW. The Turtles and Splinter, having decided to stay, arrive to aid Batman. After freeing the Dark Knight and handing over his new Intimidator Suit, the heroes brawl with the bad guys, bringing them all down. Outside, Robin single-handedly defeats an entire army of League of Assassins ninjas and Foot Clan ninjas. Casey and April O’Neil appear via an interdimensional portal created by Harold Lillja. The heroes round up the Foot Clan members and, along with Shredder, toss them through the portal. The Turtles and Splinter say their goodbyes. Raphael gives his mask to Batman as a gift before the IDW-crew goes back home and the portal shuts for good. As the sun comes up over Gotham, Batman and Robin chat with Commissioner Gordon, who tells them that the mutations are wearing off. Robin notes that it is now the anniversary of Batman’s parents’ deaths. Batman and Robin decide to spend the morning fixing the damaged Intimidator Suit. Presumably, Batman puts Raphael’s mask on display in the Batcave as well. On what is usually a brutal day for Batman, he is now finally inspired instead of dejected. This is the perfect narrative lead-in to the first issue of Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #1.
–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #1
Early September—our tale begins on the anniversary of the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne, meaning this story begins on the same day that Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ends. Remember, Damian is eight-years-old, but only biologically speaking. He was actually born about three-and-a-half years ago. In Moscow, Nobody (Morgan Ducard) begins his one man war on Batman Incorporated by murdering Ravil, the Batman of Russia. In Gotham, now that Batman (Bruce Wayne) is done with the main recruitment drive for Batman Incorporated, the Dark Knight has decided to permanently separate Damian from Dick and to make his son his official full-time partner instead. The new Dynamic Duo pays tribute to their deceased family in Crime Alley for the final time. From now on Batman will honor his parents’ wedding anniversary instead of their death anniversary. (Note that we don’t know when the Waynes’ wedding anniversary is, so we will simply have to imagine Batman honoring this date in the future on our timeline.) A bickering Batman and Robin then stop a robbery attempt by brothers Ronnie, Reggie, and Robbie at Gotham University. When the thieves try to escape in the Bat-Gyroball, Robin stops them, but they accidentally blow themselves to smithereens. Ronnie, Reggie, and Robbie don’t die in the blast, but instead fuse into the melted-together three-faced monster Smush, who will swear revenge against the Dynamic Duo (as referenced in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #10).
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #12. Batman, now motivated less by the nightmarish image of his parents being killed and more by the memories of the great lives they lived, begins thinking of his parents in a more positive light as well, choosing to remember them laughing and happy. This will be the way Batman thinks of them, moving forward.
–REFERENCE: In Batgirl Vol. 4 #1. September. The main action of Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 doesn’t occur until December of this year, but since we’ll see Barbara Gordon as Batgirl in numerous upcoming issues prior to that, her triumphant return must go here. Very recently, Babs miraculously recovered from her paralysis after receiving a radical new treatment in a special South African clinic. (As we learn in Secret Origins Vol. 3 #10 Part 1, this treatment is a surgical procedure involving a cybernetic implant that networks with Babs’ nervous system by tuning a sentient algorithm to her unique internal data scan.) The rejuvenated Babs now re-dons the cape and cowl of Batgirl. Gail Simone and her editors tell us that Babs’ full recovery occurs three years after becoming paralyzed. This is dead wrong and will be the start of a litany of bad errors associated with the Batgirl Vol. 4 series—arguably the most erroneous title of the New 52, putting it in the running for most erroneous title of all time. It’s been two years since Batgirl was paralyzed. We know this because she was seen standing upright at Jason Todd’s funeral two years ago. Unless you choose to ignore that (and also opt to place her paralysis well before Jason’s death, which is quite at odds with prior canon placing it close to Jason’s death), then the “three years” comment from Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 and the “three years” tag in the title card of each of the first six issues of Batgirl Vol. 4 should be ignored. They should instead read “two years ago.”
–FLASHBACK: From Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2—and referenced in Nightwing Vol. 3 #1 and Nightwing Vol. 4 #16. September. Similarly to Babs returning as Batgirl, the main action of Nightwing Vol. 3 #1 doesn’t occur until December of this year, but since we’ll see Dick as Nightwing in numerous upcoming issues prior to that, his return to his old moniker must go here. As such, Dick now retires his Batman costume and becomes Nightwing again. The single-panel flashback image from Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2 simply shows Nightwing (Dick) posing with Batman (Bruce) and Robin (Damian) right around this time. As referenced in Nightwing Vol. 4 #20, Dick ends his official partnership with Robin—although he briefly considers keeping him as a sidekick. Dick also retires the flying Batmobile. Bruce puts it into Batcave storage with all the other vehicles. Nightwing Vol. 3 #1 also reminds us that Dick was Batman for “almost a full year.” This is correct and also helps us place this item.
–REFERENCE: In the second feature to All-Star Batman #6. September. As he does every year (whether he is in prison or not), Riddler celebrates the anniversary of his Zero Year attack by initiating a new pre-planned puzzle-themed strike on Gotham. Since the reference to the anniversary attacks in the second feature to All-Star Batman #6 is vague and does not give specifics, we don’t know what this attack entails. Nor are we told whether or not Batman is able to stop Riddler’s plot.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1. Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum, prompting Batman to begin chasing after him. The hunt will last a little over a month, ending in Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman & Robin Vol. 2 Annual #2. In this issue-ending splash page, Batman, Robin, and Nightwing swing into action.
–FLASHBACK: From the second feature to Detective Comics Vol. 2 #50—originally told in Detective Comics #50. Batman and Robin defeat “The Three Daredevils,” acrobatic ninja jewel thieves that wear red devil costumes.
–FLASHBACK: From the second feature to Detective Comics Vol. 2 #50—originally told in Detective Comics #70. The Dynamic Duo fights the telepathic Carlo the Amazing on an isle off the coast of Gotham Bay. Robin is nearly killed when Carlo stuffs him in a bathysphere and sinks it to the bottom of the ocean. Batman saves Robin and the case ends when Carlo is shot to death by a man who lives on the island.
HYDROLOGY
———————–Batwoman Vol. 2 #1-2
———————–Batwoman Vol. 2 #5
Kate Kane visits Maggie Sawyer at GCPD HQ, getting momentarily distracted by a picture of her ex-girlfriend Renee Montoya (with whom she’s recently broken up). Later that night, Batwoman begins training a sidekick, her cousin and former teen hero known as Flamebird (Bette Kane). In a sort of hazing ritual, Flamebird is forced to wear plain gray fatigues and is renamed “Plebe” while training. Meanwhile, the Department of Extranormal Affairs (DEO), a government organization designed to keep tabs on superhumans, or “metahumans” as they call them, has taken an interest in Batwoman. DEO director of operations, Mr. Bones, sends his best agent and woman-of-action, Cameron Chase, to Gotham to figure out who Batwoman is. In Gotham, Batwoman and Plebe take down small-timers like Q-Ball and the Pool Hall Gang, but quickly wind up working a darker, more serious case—a ghost known as La Llorona (translated as “The Weeping Woman”) has been abducting and killing children. Just as the case begins, Batman pays Batwoman a visit and invites her to join Batman Incorporated. (Note that Batman Inc still technically exists at this point, but it is basically in a limbo state of non-activity, especially in the States. Batman inviting Batwoman to join Batman Inc likely just means an invitation into the Bat-Family or it could be the Dark Knight’s attempt to re-start it with whom he sees as a potential capable new leader.) Batwoman turns down Batman’s offer but says she will think it over. Kate soon begins dating GCPD Detective Maggie Sawyer and watches her from a distance as she examines a bloody crime scene that had involved a gory metahuman battle between the remaining Religion of Crime cultists (led by Kyle Abbot) and a new terrorist group called Medusa. Later, Batman warns Batwoman about Chase. A couple days later, Flamebird argues with Batwoman and goes off on her own only to get badly injured. Batwoman temporarily exorcises La Llorona, exposed as the ghost of a troubled mother that had been conjured-up and controlled by Medusa agents. Meanwhile, Cameron Chase and Director Bones have just learned Batwoman’s secret identity after picking up the injured Flamebird. Bones and Chase give Kate an ultimatum: turn down Batman’s offer to join Batman Incorporated and join the DEO instead—or they will court-martial her dad for aiding a vigilante. Left with no choice, she accepts. At the hospital where Bette is recovering, Kate meets with Batman and tells him about the unfortunate situation.
–Justice League International Vol. 2 #1-5 (“THE SIGNAL MEN”)
Head of UN Intelligence Andre Briggs (basically the Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations) and his assistant Emerson Esposito form the Justice League International, a superhero team composed of metahumans that have publicly-known identities and answer directly to the UN. The JLI comprises: team leader Booster Gold (USA), Green Lantern (Guy Gardner—USA), August General in Iron (Fang Zhifu—China), Vixen (Mari Jiwe McCabe—Zambesi), Rocket Red (Gavril Ivanovich—Russia), Fire (Beatriz Bonilla de Costa—Brazil), Ice (Tora Olafsdotter—Norway), and Godiva (Dora Leigh—England). At the first team meeting at the Hall of Justice in Washington DC (former home to the Justice League), a predictably angry Gardner storms out of the room when he learns that Booster is leader. Outside, Batman, who has appointed himself as secret liaison between the JL and JLI, tries to convince Gardner to give Booster a chance. Batman then joins the team on their first mission, searching for a missing UN research team in Peru. In Peru, the JLI battles rock creatures and a 500-foot-tall robot that rises from under the ground. Back in DC, unnamed anti-UN terrorists bomb the Hall of Justice, leveling the building. After a quick fight against the rock men in Peru, Booster orders a retreat and the JLI flees home. Booster’s computerized assistant Skeets alerts the team that three more giant robots have emerged. The team splits into pairs and goes off to tackle the robots. Eventually, the entire JLI is captured and teleported back to Peru. There, the Thanos-like cosmic warlord Peraxxus reveals himself as the culprit behind the appearance of the giant robots, called Signal Men. Peraxxus further reveals that eons ago an ancient and now extinct alien race billeted dormant Signal Men on various planets in order to chronicle their development. Peraxxus now controls all of the Signal Men and has been slowly traveling the universe and using his colossal warriors to strip planets of their natural resources, and in the process, obliterate them completely. As the Signal Men begin to tear the entire planet asunder, the JLI breaks free, busts into Peraxxus’ orbiting spacecraft, beats him in a showdown, and cuts off the ship’s power. Defeated, Peraxxus bolts into deep space. His ship crashes on Earth and the Signal Men are destroyed.
–Justice League Vol. 2 #7
When David Graves steals a mystical artifact known as the Orb of Ra from Army scientist Samuel Street, Street is morphed into the ravenous symbiote-like creature known as Spore. The Justice League booms to Baltimore and suppresses Spore, who tries to kill his ex-wife. Afterward, as he does following every non-confidential JL case, Steve Trevor addresses the media on behalf of ARGUS and the JL. After that, Trevor meets with high-ranking US congressmen and congresswomen for a debriefing. The senators angrily grill Trevor about his past sexual relationship with Wonder Woman and also stress a yen to have more control over the JL. Trevor then video chats with a haughty JL aboard the Watchtower and fields numerous piffling niggles. Batman tells Trevor that the JLI is a complete joke and he wants them shut down—this seems a bit harsh coming from Batman, but he is probably just be messing with Trevor’s head and hiding his connection to the other team. Afterward, an overworked and dejected Trevor chats with his assistant Etta Candy. Trevor, down in the dumps not only because of his stressful career, also reveals that he harbors a deep unrequited love for Wonder Woman. Elsewhere, David Graves, aware of Trevor’s growing frustration, begins formulating a plan to bring down the JL by manipulating the lovelorn ARGUS liaison.
–Stormwatch Vol. 3 #2
The cosmic entity known as The Scourge of Worlds takes over the Moon and plans on very, very bad things for planet Earth. Stormwatch, a group of heroes that have furtively controlled the ebb and flow of chaos and order for thousands of years, steps in to intervene. Stormwatch consists of Martian Manhunter, Jack Hawksmoor, Apollo, Midnighter, Engineer, Jenny Quantum, The Eminence of Blades (Harry Tanner), The Projectionist (Adele Benson), and Adam One (Merlin Ambrosius aka Merlin the Magician of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table fame). While Stormwatch clandestinely deals with the Scourge of Worlds, the Projectionist manipulates the global news media into reporting that the anomalies on the lunar surface are the direct result of a small-timer known as The Fox. Batman accompanies the Justice League International to the Fox’s lair and helps take down the confused super-villain. The existence of Stormwatch continues to go unnoticed.
–Justice League Dark #1
When the powerful magickal entity known as Enchantress becomes separated from her human host, June Moone, all hell breaks loose. From a small shack in rural America, the confused Enchantress begins unleashing evil energy across the globe. While Batman monitors the situation and chats with Zatanna at Justice League HQ, JL members Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg approach Enchantress’ shack. (Notably, this is the first time we’ve seen Wonder Woman fly on our timeline. That’s right, Diana only recently gained the power of flight thanks to a gift from the god Hermes in the Batman-less Wonder Woman Vol. 4 #12.) The trio is easily defeated by a giant ghoulish Enchantress and a tsunami of razor sharp bones and teeth. Despite their combined power, the heroes are completely useless against foes wielding high-level magickal ability. At JL HQ, Batman watches the scene with solicitude and decides it’s time to act. However, knowing that Batman would likely suffer defeat as well, Zatanna casts a spell binding him in vines and goes off to confront Enchantress on her own. Zatanna will eventually be joined by Madame Xanadu (Nimue Inwudu), John Constantine, Deadman (Boston Brand), Mindwarp (Jay Young), and Shade the Changing Man (Rac Shade) to bind June Moone back with the Enchantress, thus preventing global disaster (as seen in Justice League Dark #5).
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1. Bruce begins dating the daughter of Mayor Sebastian Hady, journalist Charlotte Rivers.
–REFERENCE: In Batwoman Vol.2 #2 and Justice League Dark #7. Knowing what Babs is capable of and how strong she really is, Batman gives her a spot on the Batman Incorporated roster. I’ve added this here because Batgirl is among the list of Batman Incorporated agents pictured in Batwoman Vol. 2 #2 and because she will clearly be a part of the Bat-Family during the upcoming Justice League Dark #7.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #14. The Victoria Cat, a stuffed animal, is stolen from the Gotham Museum of Fine Art by Catwoman. Batman is unable to locate the Victoria Cat nor is he able to link Catwoman to the crime. Catwoman, over the course of the next four years, will fill the toy with diamonds from various heists. Batman will continue to investigate the Case of the Missing Cat for a while to come, but he won’t crack it.
–Justice League International Vol. 2 #6 Part 1
“A couple weeks” have passed since Justice League International Vol. 2 #1. Batman and Booster Gold apprehend the terrorists that bombed the Hall of Justice back in that issue. Batman offers Booster some words of encouragement as leader of a difficult JLI team. A little later, the UN meets the JLI to decide whether or not the team should remain active. Ultimately, the decision is made to keep the team going. The first part of the issue ends here, with the second part supposedly picking up “weeks” later. However, since the second part of the issue will connect to other items next year, the ellipsis must be longer. We’ll actually pick up with this story about four months later.
–Legion Lost #3
This story has absolutely nothing to do with Batman as it details the efforts of a few key members of the Legion of Superheroes as they try to make their way back home from 2012 to 3012. However, on the page two and three splash, Legionnaire Tellus maintains a telepathic link to every superhero in the DCU, including Batman, who can be seen swinging around Gotham on patrol. NOTE: As mentioned earlier, but worth re-mentioning, there are at least three versions of the Legion each attached to different universes in the New 52 multiverse. The Legion featured here in Legion Lost (which is the same one featured in Legion of Superheroes Vol. 7 #23) might be from the future of Universe-2. We can infer this thanks to a reference in Legion of Superheroes Vol. 7 #23, which nods to the Superman of their history having been “sent to his doom” by Steppenwolf. This implies heavily that this Legion, in the New 52, hails from Universe-2 since Earth-2 Superman was captured by Steppenwolf before being tortured (by Desaad) for years until his eventual death.
–Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1-4[4]
This item supposedly occurs nine months before Detective Comics Vol. 2 #10, but that whopping amount of time that just doesn’t jibe with our timeline. The most Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1-4 can go before Detective Comics Vol. 2 #10 is around four months. Commissioner Gordon is on Batman’s side, but the GCPD, under the orders of the corrupt Mayor Sebastian Hady, has been mandated to shoot the Dark Knight on sight. As the GCPD tracks down Batman, Batman tracks down Joker and watches as he brutally murders the uncle of eleven-year-old Olivia Carr. Batman saves Olivia, but Joker flees. Later that same day, Batman finds Joker again and this time is able to apprehend the villain and send him to Arkham Asylum. However, the new villain known as The Dollmaker literally slices Joker’s face off (Joker wants this to happen for some unknown criterion) and helps him escape. The Dollmaker is Barton Mathis, the son of a serial killer that Gordon apprehended a decade ago. Batman, upon receiving the message regarding what has happened to Joker, quickly deduces that Joker is in cahoots with Dollmaker, and it is further implied that Batman believes the faceless Joker is planning a lengthy hidden “retirement” for some time to come (as mentioned in Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #2). Detective Comics Vol. 2 #2 begins the next morning after Joker’s facial removal and escape from Arkham. During the workday Bruce and Lucius Fox gain a new scientific research partner in Hugh Marder, head of HM Industries. Bruce then takes a break to have sex with the sensual Charlotte Rivers. When the sun goes down Batman is back in action with Commissioner Gordon. However, Batman and Gordon cross paths with Dollmaker and his Texas Chainsaw Massacre-esque patchwork family of “living dolls.” Each member of the fam—Dollhouse (Matilda Mathis), Bentley, Jack-in-the-Box, Sampson, and The Gimp—has been surgically altered by Dollmaker and each has a permanent Ed Gein skin mask.[5] Batman eludes the family, but Gordon is detained in the abandoned Mercy Hospital, where his kidney is harvested! Olivia is at the hospital and reveals that she is a member of the Dollmaker’s family, but wants to help. Of course, this is merely a trap and Olivia lures Batman into captivity at Mercy Hospital. Batman is strung up like a puppet and forced to fight “living dolls” that are dressed up as Joker. Penguin’s henchmen, led by his number one man Raju, arrive to watch the scene and offer Dollmaker a valise full of gold bars in exchange for Batman. While Gordon frees himself, the Dark Knight fights his way free as well. Dollmaker is phoned by his mysterious boss and told that an escape vehicle is on its way. In minutes, Dollmaker and Matilda ride off in a police chopper. After the Dollmaker affair ends, Bruce takes a short Colorado vacation with Charlotte and little Olivia is sent to Arkham for observation.
–Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1-7[6]
Batman rushes over to Wayne Enterprises to deliver (as Bruce) a speech at a black tie corporate gala. At the gala, Lieutenant Jack Forbes of GCPD Internal Affairs accuses Bruce’s Batman Incorporated group of being illegally partnered with Commissioner Gordon. Also at the gala, Bruce meets the sexy socialite Jaina Hudson. Meanwhile, a riot breaks out at Arkham when all three hundred inmates are injected with a new strain of Venom by the scantily-clad lingerie-wearing super-villain known as White Rabbit. Batman returns to Arkham and fights several of his rogues, including The Great White Shark, The Key, The Mortician, Mr. Freeze, Clayface, Rag Doll (Peter Merkel), Vortex, Fright, Philo Zeiss, Two-Face, and the Phantasm. (Some sources list this Phantasm appearance as a Reaper II appearance, but it looks way more like Phantasm if you ask me.) A tumescently musclebound Two-Face pummels Batman until the former begins bleeding from his eyes and passes out. The riot is quelled, but thirty-six inmates escape, among them: Ventriloquist, Zsasz, the Cavalier (Mortimer Drake), Clayface, Spellbinder, the Electrocutioner, and Clock King.[7] The Dark Knight then meets with Gordon, who tells him that Forbes has turned his own officers against him. Across town, Gotham’s superhero community nabs Arkham escapees. Nightwing and Robin apprehend Ventriloquist. Batgirl apprehends Zsasz. The Birds of Prey—Black Canary, Starling (Evelyn Crawford), and Katana—apprehend Clock King. And Batwoman busts the Cavalier. Meanwhile, Batman goes after Clayface, who morphs into a Joker lookalike and allies himself with White Rabbit. Batman knocks-out Clayface aboard a passenger train, but the villain’s massive body pins the Dark Knight to the floor. When Flash shows up to help Batman crawl out from underneath Clayface’s muddy girth, White Rabbit flees. Afterward, Batman threatens Lieutenant Forbes and tells the Internal Affairs man to back off of both Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon. Bruce goes on a date with the seductive Jaina Hudson—um, yeah, Bruce is definitely romantically involved with Charlotte Rivers already, but whatever? Anyway, after his date Batman does a chemical analysis of the new Venom drug and finds a link to Poison Ivy. Batman and Flash visit Ivy’s lab, but find that she has vanished without a trace and has possibly been abducted. Batman contacts Wonder Woman and asks for the Justice League’s assistance in locating Poison Ivy, but the JL is busy apprehending Spellbinder and The Electrocutioner (escapees from the previous week’s Arkham jailbreak). Meanwhile, Commissioner Gordon broods in his crummy apartment and gets vodka drunk.[8] Worried that Forbes is close to outing him as a Batman Incorporated agent and ruining his career, Gordon tries in vain to get through to Bruce’s phone. Batman eventually unearths Ivy’s position on Harmon Island, just off the coast of Gotham Bay. En route via the Batplane, Batman is attacked by a Venom-engorged Deathstroke the Terminator, who destroys the Batplane. The Caped Crusader plummets to the ground below, but is able to land safely. On Harmon Island, Batman is attacked by Scarecrow and injected with Venom. Superman shows up and a fight breaks out between the Venom-ized Batman and the Man of Steel! Superman knocks-out the confused Batman. After the effects of the drug wear off, Superman departs. Batman then chases after White Rabbit and Scarecrow and is able to collar the latter. White Rabbit then introduces Batman’s next challenge, the one, the only, Bane! Bane, juiced up on super-Venom, starts a knockdown drag-out fight. Batman dodges Bane long enough to rescue Poison Ivy before returning to the fray. The Dark Knight is getting his ass kicked by Bane until Flash saves his life and helps him take down the super-villain, who washes away into the surf. Later, Bruce cancels a date with Jaina Hudson, who we learn has nefarious plans for both Bruce and Batman. We also learn that White Rabbit is actually an avatar double of Jaina. Jaina has the metahuman power to project her White Rabbit alter-ego and to then re-encapsulate her into her own body.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #8. Scarecrow made a clean getaway while Batman fought Bane in Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #7. With Scarecrow at large, the Dark Knight cooks up and delivers a new Anti-Fear agent to Commissioner Gordon to combat against any possible future threat.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #5. Batman begins keeping tabs on crook Axel Bellamy.
–I, Vampire #5 Part 1
This first part of I, Vampire #5 intersects with Batman’s third day of constantly monitoring Axel Bellamy. For several months now, good vampire Andrew Bennett, along with vampire hunters Tig Rafelson and Professor John Troughton, has been tracking his ex-lover, the Queen of Blood (Mary Seward), vamp leader of the Cult of the Blood Red Moon. When the Queen of Blood and her followers enter Gotham and massacre an entire train full of people and take the bodies, Batman takes a brief aside from his Bellamy case to check out the scene. The Dark Knight meets Bennett for the first time. They briefly scuffle and Bennett tells Batman that he is a good guy. Batman doesn’t have time for this and takes off to re-track Bellamy.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #5. Batman, after meeting Andrew Bennett, immediately returns his attention to surveilling the actions of Axel Bellamy. Noting that the blood-drenched crime scene at the train (from the first part of I, Vampire #5) is a big deal, but being currently too busy to deal with it himself, Batman instructs Alfred to check into the matter, specifically asking him to figure out if Bennett is trustworthy. Bruce, knowing that Charlotte is going to be attending the grand opening of Penguin’s Casino & Hotel later that night with intentions of writing an expose on Penguin, also instructs Alfred to send her a dress with a GPS tracer sewn into it so that he can keep tabs on her.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #11. Nearly all of Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #11 is a random flashback to a Batman Japan adventure. Jiro Osamu and Lolita Canary (of the Super Young Team) are interrupted by Batman while on an Internet 3.0 VR date—(Internet 3.0 is the only place they can be together and be the same size). From Gotham, Batman alerts the heroes to a situation in downtown Tokyo involving an all-female Leviathan gang consisting of Power Ranger styled bikers. Batman Japan and Lolita Canary eventually infiltrate the biker secret HQ and confront their leader, Lady Tiger Fist, a cyborg warrior woman that has pet robot tigers, whose heads pop off and become her fists. The heroes convince the biker gals to turn on their abusive Leviathan momma and then defeat the super-villain by entrapping her mind within Internet 3.0.
–REFERENCE: In Batwing #24 and Batwing #26. Batman recruits the newest member of Batman Incorporated in Rome, Italy: sleeper agent/sexy spy gal Pippi Giovanni. Pippi takes over the costumed legacy of her deceased father and becomes the brand new Legionary!
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Special #1. Man-of-Bats and Raven Red trail their arch rival Coyote to Gotham. Atop a tall skyscraper under construction, the Native American Dynamic Duo busts Coyote just in time for Batman to pick him up in the Batplane.
–Detective Comics Vol. 2 #5-7
Detective Comics Vol. 2 #5-7 takes place “weeks” (roughly two weeks) after Detective Comics Vol. 2 #4. Ever since Joker’s face was literally sliced off by Dollmaker, a large pro-Joker/anti-Batman Occupy-like protest group has gathered in Gotham’s Old Grant Park. A canard has bruited about Joker’s mutilation being at the hands of the Dark Knight. Not only that, many also believe that Batman has even murdered Joker, since the villain hasn’t been seen in weeks. Meanwhile, Batman, continues his third night of tracking Alex Bellamy. While spying on a drop-off meeting between Bellamy and Russian mobsters, a clown-masked newcomer shows up, murders the crooks, and steals their loot. The clown-masked villain is Charlotte River’s long-lost twin sister Jill Hampton, better known as the super-villain Jill Chase. Batman chases Chase, but the latter gets away, exchanging the stolen bills for a VIP entry card into Penguin’s brand new Iceberg Casino & Hotel. Chase needs the VIP card, which she acquires from crime-boss Mr. Mosaic, in order to infiltrate and scam the casino with her partner Snakeskin (Jack Houston), who has the ability to shapeshift his face. Unknown to Snakeskin, Chase is actually helping Penguin eliminate some visiting super-villain competition in exchange for Penguin supporting her dad Mayor Hady’s reelection campaign. Meanwhile, at Penguin’s Iceberg Casino & Hotel, Charlotte begins snooping around in an attempt to locate evidence of Penguin’s latest secret criminal activity. Instead, Charlotte is surprised and disconcerted to run into her super-villain sis. Elsewhere in the casino, Penguin holds a meeting with the aforementioned colorful visiting metahuman baddies Hypnotic, Mr. Combustible, Mr. Toxic (pejoratively referred to as “The Gas Man” by Hypnotic), Imperceptible Man, and one unnamed other. Across town, Batman beats on some thugs and learns that Chase has killed Bellamy, Raju, and several other gangsters. Batman hightails it over to Penguin’s casino, and upon entering, witnesses Snakeskin stab Charlotte! Snakeskin then traps the Dark Knight and the blood-soaked unconscious Charlotte inside a giant ice machine shaft—(Penguin’s casino is built on a man-made iceberg in Gotham Harbor.) Alfred rams the Bat-Sub into the casino, allowing Batman to escape and deliver Charlotte into medical care. Batman then calls in a bomb threat, which causes the GCPD and US Coast Guard to swarm Penguin’s casino and order an evacuation. During the evacuation, Snakeskin tries and fails to assassinate Penguin. Meanwhile, Batman confronts Chase and then meets Mr. Toxic, Hypnotic, Mr. Combustible, and the other newbs face-to-face and tells them that Penguin isn’t their ally. While Batman beats the stuffing out of the new guys, Chase meets with Penguin in his secret bunker beneath the casino. Naturally, Penguin double-crosses Chase and authorizes his henchwoman Lark to shoot her. Before Lark can pull the trigger, Batman busts in and takes down Lark, Penguin, and Chase. Later in prison, Chase is visited by Mr. Mosaic, who tells Chase that her father has sent for a top attorney to represent her case. The attorney enters, but reveals himself as Snakeskin, hired by Penguin to kill her.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #10. Bruce’s inamorata Charlotte Rivers was recently very badly injured by Snakeskin in Detective Comics #7. (We won’t see her again until Detective Comics Vol. 2 #10, where she will be receiving the last of a string of surgeries. Detective Comics Vol. 2 #10 tells us that nine months pass between Detective Comics Vol. 2 #2 and Detective Comics Vol. 2 #10, during which Charlotte will be hospitalized. Again, this is a continuity error as she will only be in the hospital for four months. In any case, Bruce visits her at the hospital now and will remain “persistently” faithful to her for the next four months, visiting her as often as he can (invisibly on our timeline), despite the fact that she be immediately distant and will only grow exponentially more distant as time goes on. Even though Bruce will visit her often, he can take a hint. Their romantic partnership is effectively over.
–Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 Annual #1
October 31. Halloween. Wanting to spare himself the usual trouble involved with All Hallow’s Eve, Batman sends false invitations to Mad Hatter, Penguin, and Scarecrow, which bring each villain to the old abandoned Arkham Detention Facility for Youth. Despite the fact that Bruce spends a leisurely and relaxing time in bed the entire night, Mad Hatter, Penguin, and Scarecrow are convinced that the Dark Knight is hunting them within the confines of the facility’s property. All night long, the three scaredy-cats scare each other half to death, running from shadows.
–I, Vampire #5 Part 2
Batman confronts Andrew Bennett and his partners (having received detailed information from Alfred about Bennett) and reluctantly joins them in the quest to stop the Queen of Blood. The victims from the train are still missing and a dozen more Gothamites have gone missing in the past thirty-six hours. Our heroes unearth the missing persons in the basement of the old Gotham Court House, but by the time they get there the Queen of Blood has turned them all into her enslaved vampires.
–I, Vampire #6
Batman, Andrew Bennett, Tig Rafelson, and John Troughton fight a horde of vampires. Bennett is able to kill the vamp who sired the recently abducted dozen Gothamites, thus transforming them back to human—this is possible to do provided the sire is slain within seventy-two hours after turning a new vamp. Unfortunately, its been longer than that since the train victims were turned, so the vampire hunter crew has some serious slaying to do. However, Batman stops Bennett and company from killing the Queen of Blood, citing that even vampires deserve real justice instead of execution. During a brief calm brought about by Batman’s plea, Tig betrays Bennett, spikes him through the heart, and decapitates him! As Bennett’s body crumbles to ash and his soul is sucked into Limbo, the most powerful vamp of them all rises from the abyss—the original vampire, Cain!
RISE OF THE VAMPIRES
——————––Justice League Dark #7
——————––I, Vampire #7
——————––Justice League Dark #8
Cain takes control of the Queen of Blood’s vampire army and turns them loose on the whole city, prompting Batman to call his troops—Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl—and assign them to different fronts. Eventually, Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, and Zatanna join Batman, Tig Rafelson, and John Troughton atop the Gotham Courthouse where the bloody slaughter continues. Batman leaves to help Nightwing and Robin fight vampires across town. Meanwhile, Shade, Zatanna, Rafelson, and Troughton are joined by the Queen of Blood, who decides to switch sides. Xanadu projects herself to the Astral Plane to seek help, while John Constantine and Deadman attempt to bring back Andrew Bennett from Limbo—Bennett is the key to defeating Cain. On the Earthly plane, things are going bad. Gotham is completely overrun with vampires. Batman is cornered. Shade panics and exiles himself in the Realm of Madness. Zatanna and Xanadu are pretty much magickally tapped-out. Constantine and Deadman return from Purgatory empty handed. When all hope seems lost, Bennett, who didn’t want to return at first, has a change of heart and uses all of his afterlife powers to come back from the (un)dead. Oh, for anyone wondering, Batman isn’t featured in the finale of “Rise of the Vampires.” Suffice to say, Bennett reunites with the Queen of the Damned, takes over the vampire army and defeats Cain. Bennett, with new-found powers due to his visit to Purgatory, erases the entire world’s memories of the vampire attack on Gotham except for all heroes present—so, I’m not sure if Batman’s memory of “Rise of the Vampires” is erased or not. Also, Constantine’s supernatural team has thus far avoided giving themselves an official name, but they finally reflect their series title and reluctantly become the Justice League Dark.
–FLASHBACK: From Batwing #1-2. In Tinasha, Democratic Republic of Congo, Batman and Batwing apprehend Blood Tiger and find a gangster hideout filled with chopped-up corpses. At the Haven (Batwing’s HQ), Batman, Batwing, and Batwing’s trusted assistant Matu Ba learn that one of the victims was ex-superhero Earth Strike, a former member of The Kingdom (Africa’s short-lived version of the Justice League). David returns to his police precinct to find twenty-three of his fellow officers dead by the hand of newcomer Massacre, who has an axe to grind with ex-members of the Kingdom. Massacre stabs David, nearly killing him. David will be comatose for the next two weeks, and when he awakens Matu Ba will claim that Batman has been tracking Massacre for that entire time. Batman probably does go after Massacre for a bit in Africa, but since Massacre goes off the radar pretty quickly and Batman is a busy dude, we can probably assume that the Dark Knight doesn’t literally spend the entire next two weeks devoted to this case.
–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2. Batman apprehends a group of unnamed arms dealers. Batman will apprehend arms dealers from this same group of thugs three more times over the course of the next eight weeks.
–REFERENCE: In My Greatest Adventure Vol. 2 #2—originally told in Weird Worlds Vol. 2 #2. After a suspicious explosion that kills several people at a chem lab outside of Gotham, Batman decides to investigate. Batman briefly tangles with Garbage Man (Richard Ethan Morse), one of the victims of the explosion that has turned into a Swamp Thing-like trash monster as a result. The Dark Knight is able to collect a sample of Garbage Man’s disgusting muddy hide. While we won’t see it on our timeline ahead, Batman will continue to work the Garbage Man case for the next couple weeks.
–Detective Comics Vol. 2 #8
Scarecrow sends a message to Batman via Commissioner Gordon that says someone will get hurt unless the Dark Knight helps him retrieve the Anti-Fear agent, which has been stolen from a disease control lab by Catwoman. Batman locates and subdues Catwoman, who has been dosed with Fear Gas. Once she calms down, she points Batman in the direction of crime-boss Digger Jones. After Batman interrogates (i.e. beats up) Jones, the crook says that he is working for a higher authority, who supposedly has a kidnapped young boy trapped at a warehouse on Dearborn Street. But before heading there, Batman confronts Scarecrow, who has been tailing him, and has a few choice words before taking-off. At the Dearborn Street address, Batman finds that there is no kidnapped victim. He beats up on some Scarecrow henchmen and their boss Eli Strange, son of Hugo Strange, who has masterminded a robbery attempt at the Dearborn Street warehouse from a remote location. Eli goes to jail and Batman never even knows that Hugo was involved.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics Vol. 2 #16. The anti-Batman, pro-Joker protesters that have been gathered at Old Grant Park ever since Joker’s face-off routine are still camped out. Only now, a myriad of violent Joker-inspired gangs have joined the Occupy-esque movement. In a hugely invasive move, Batman flies overhead in the Batplane and takes snapshots using high-tech facial recognition software in order to catalog these potential future villains. Among the protestors are the following clown-themed gangs: Die Laughing, Joy Buzzers, Best Medicine, The Cut-Ups, Funny Bonez, and Punchline; and the solo arsonist known as Rodney “The Torch” Spurman.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #35. Bruce begins construction on an anti-JL war-bot, the most expensive one-man weapon ever made, which will have specific methods of dealing with each Justice Leaguer (should they come under enemy control or go rogue).
–REFERENCE: In Catwoman Vol. 4 #1. A sexual relationship begins between Batman and Catwoman. Catwoman still doesn’t know Batman’s true identity—the masks stay on during sex with these two. Writer Judd Winick will tell us in Catwoman Vol. 4 #1, during a controversial Bat/Cat sex scene, that it isn’t their first time engaging in intercourse—they have a routine, implying that they have had dalliances more than a few times. Thus, we can assume that Batman visits (and has sex with) Catwoman regularly for the next week or so. The Caped Crusader has always had a tumultuous continuous flirtation with Catwoman for years and they even briefly dated once, but this is the first time they’ve been a legitimate hot’n’heavy item. The shared passion of Batman and Catwoman cuts through the tortured nature of their lives. As we learn in Batman Vol. 3 #12, both feel that “the pain goes away” whenever they kiss.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #18. Batman stops Tweedledum and Tweedledee (and presumably the Mad Hatter) from robbing Gotham Trust. During the botched robbery, which results in several deaths, Batman permanently injures Tweedledee’s face, resulting in maxillary wiring for two months.
–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2. Batman apprehends some more of “the arms dealers group.”
–My Greatest Adventure Vol. 2 #2-3
For a couple weeks now, Batman has been investigating an explosion at a chem lab that killed several people. Batman, searching for those responsible for the deaths, attacks Garbage Man in a Gotham Alley. They briefly fight before the Dark Knight realizes that Garbage Man is one of the good guys.
–My Greatest Adventure Vol. 2 #6
Garbage Man seeks revenge against those who tried to kill him (and accidentally turned him into the monster he is now). Batman runs tests on Garbage Man’s DNA and also links the chem lab murders to corporate tycoon Ivan Manchester, head of Titan Corp. Batman and Garbage Man confront Manchester in his palatial mansion and tell him that the jig is up and he’s going to see jail time for what he’s done. Immediately after Batman and Garbage Man leave, Manchester commits suicide.
–Catwoman Vol. 4 #1-3
Catwoman’s apartment was recently blown up by a gangster named Louis “Bone” Ferryman (leader of the gang aptly known as The Ferrymen). Batman now visits her at her new temporary pad to check up on her—and by “check up on her” I mean have rough, dirty talk, kinky superhero sex with her. Like always, the clothes come off, but the masks stay on. The next night, Catwoman uses the Wayne Foundation Children’s Trust gala as a meeting spot where she will supposedly exchange a stolen painting for a large sum of cash from the Russian mob. In reality, the drop is actually a setup, as Catwoman has also invited a rival Russian mob to the gala hoping that opposing forces will eliminate each other. After flirting with Bruce, who plays fake drunk and acts out his playboy routine to perfection, the disguised Catwoman initiates the chaos and, sure enough, the mobs blast each other to smithereens. Catwoman swings over to her best friend Lola MacIntire‘s home only to find Lola murdered at the hands of Bone and this thugs. Bone beats up Catwoman and ties her to a chair before leaving and ordering his men to kill her. Catwoman frees herself, escapes, tracks down Bone, abducts him to the top of a skyscraper, and proceeds to pummel him with a baseball bat. Batman shows up and stops her from going too far. While they kiss, Catwoman pushes Bone over the edge of the tower, forcing Batman to save him and giving her an opportunity to flee back to Lola’s. At Lola’s, Catwoman has a run-in with the GCPD.
–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 2 #37. Batman invents a spiffy hazmat uniform to use on cases involving radiation, chemicals, or viruses. Robin gets his dad to officially call the new costume the “Haz-Bat Suit.”
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #38. This item occurs two years prior to Detective Comics Vol. 2 #38. A tech genius calling himself Moneyspider hacks into Wayne Enterprises’ airtight computer system. Batman tracks Moneyspider and exposes him as pre-teen prodigy Lonnie Machin. Feeling sorry for both Lonnie and his down-and-out stripper single mom Greta Mitchell, Bruce decides not to press charges. But since someone needs to take the fall for the hacking, Batman goes in disguise mode and takes the rap for the crime as Matches Malone. From this point on, Batman will keep secret tabs on Lonnie (which will occur invisibly and periodically moving forward on our timeline).
–Swamp Thing Vol. 5 #1
December—this date connects directly to the Animal Man Vol. 2 series and “Rotworld” arc. When strange phenomena begin occurring globally—including birds falling from the sky in Metropolis, fish dying in the oceans, and all the bats dropping dead inside the Batcave—Superman visits the recently reincarnated Alec Holland (recent host vessel for Swamp Thing ever since his resurrection six weeks ago). Holland can’t help Superman, but the former is visited by a dramatically weakened Swamp Thing, who explains that the ancient menace known as Sethe is responsible for the bizarre happenings in nature. (Sethe is the Avatar of The Black aka The Rot, which is the mystic elemental force that binds together all death and decay in the universe.) This item basically sets the tone for the rest of the series where Holland will eventually permanently merge with Swamp Thing in order to protect the planet.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #30. Taking notice that Robin loves his motorbike, Batman tries to use it as a way to engage the Boy Wonder in auto-mechanics lessons, but Robin isn’t interested. Batman will try to teach Robin more about auto-mechanics, moving forward, but Robin won’t really respond. Batman also promises Robin he will add a special installment onto the motorbike, although he won’t actually get around to doing it for another two years from now.
–FLASHBACK: From Flash #750 Part 6. The Justice League assembles for unspecified action, teaming-up with Red Robin, Swamp Thing, and others. Pandora secretly watches the heroes.
–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2. Batman apprehends more of “the arms dealers group.”
–Catwoman Vol. 4 #6
About two weeks have passed since Batman last interacted with Catwoman in Catwoman Vol. 4 #3. Catwoman is in another bind. A group of crooked cops allied with the powerful metahuman Reach has kidnapped Catwoman, who has stolen their cash cache and hidden it from them. When the bad officers try to run Catwoman’s fingerprints, she comes up as a Jane Doe with no record—Batman has wiped her criminal record clean! After getting worked over by Reach (and then working over Reach), Catwoman escapes and grabs the loot, but soon finds herself face-to-face with Batman. Batman lectures her for taking so many risks and for continuing to steal. They fight over the duffel bag of money, but ultimately Batman gives in and lets Catwoman go. Catwoman swings away in tears, knowing that their romantic relationship is over and their friendship has been jeopardized.
–FLASHBACK: From Batwing #5. This event takes places about three weeks after David awakes from his coma following being stabbed by Massacre (meaning roughly five weeks after Batwing #1). After several more encounters with Massacre and the assassinations of more former Kingdom members, Bruce returns to Tinasha and decides to try to lure Massacre into a trap by funding a new museum honoring the history of the Kingdom—built inside the team’s old HQ, The Citadel. At the grand opening gala—which Bruce personally hosts with the Kingdom’s old chief and weapons designer Josiah Kone—Massacre doesn’t take the bait, but sends a bunch of hired henchmen who successfully bomb the building. Batman and Batwing rescue as many people as they can, take down the skull-masked goons, and learn that Massacre is in Egypt stalking another ex-Kingdom hero.
–Batwing #6-8
Batwing #6 picks up where the six-week-long flashback story from Batwing #1-5 leaves off. Technically, the first ten pages of Batwing #6 are also a part of the flashback story. Batwing defeats Massacre in Giza, Egypt, saving the life of ex-Kingdom hero Steelback (Daniel Balogun). Massacre, slightly injured, makes a clean getaway. Later, Batman and Batwing interrogate Steelback and learn that the final two Kingdom members, Razorwire (Moses Gowon) and Staff (Kofi Ironsi), live in Gotham City, USA. Batman immediately contacts Alfred, Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl and orders them to begin searching for Razorwire and Staff. Batman then hops into the Batplane with Batwing and Steelback and begins flying back home. Nightwing and Robin locate Razorwire and Staff at a safe house outside of Gotham, but they are anything but safe. Nightwing and Robin watch in horror as Massacre, with the aid of Steelback’s old armored robot mech, murders the African superheroes. During the brutal melee, our heroes learn two awful truths; first, Massacre is Batwing’s long lost brother, Isaac Zavimbe, and second, that Josiah Kone is his master, responsible for the deaths of all the ex-Kingdom members. Kone is apprehended, but Massacre goes missing following the explosion of the Steelback mech. Later, Batman consoles Batwing in the Batcave.
–REFERENCE: In Batgirl Vol. 4 #4. December 22.[9][10] Thanks to the amazing smartphone Batman App (!), which keeps relative tabs on Batman via GPS, criminals can keep clear of the Dark Knight. While we don’t actually see Batman in Batgirl Vol. 4 #4, the Batman App tells us that the Caped Crusader stops a robbery at Cape Carmine. Meanwhile, Batgirl works towards bringing down The Mirror (Jonathan Mills).
–Batgirl Vol. 4 #5-6
December 22-23. Batgirl #5-6 picks up immediately where Batgirl #4 leaves off (on the very same night). Babs’ mom (Barbara Gordon) has just returned to Gotham after years of deadbeat absence, but Batgirl has bigger things to worry about. An Occupy Gotham protest (!) has formed in response to Bruce’s continued plan to gentrify Gotham’s derelict industrial neighborhoods. Hundreds gather at a ground-breaking ceremony, which is set to commence. Batgirl learns that super-villain newcomer Gretel (Lisly Bonner), who has the power to control people’s minds (possibly using post-hypnotic suggestion), is going to attack Bruce while en route to personally address the protesters. Batgirl fights off Bruce’s mind-controlled chauffeur, but quickly finds herself under the assault of a brainwashed Bruce. Batgirl eventually snaps Bruce out of his funk and Gretel hightails it outta there. The next morning, Bruce attempts to give his speech for a second time, but is shot at by Gretel-controlled cops. Batgirl makes the save, Bruce discreetly suits up in the bedlam, and the duo takes down Gretel, delivering her to GCPD Detective Melody McKenna. We don’t learn who hired Gretel to attempt an assassination of Bruce (but it is presumably someone linked to the protestors).
–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2-8
After Batman and Robin stop some more members of “the arms dealers gang,” Alfred bespeaks that Bruce should try to be a better dad to the troubled Damian. Bruce’s response is to buy Damian a Great Dane (that he later names Titus). Nobody (Morgan Ducard) then makes his presence known and threatens Bruce face-to-face. Fearing for Damian’s safety, Batman makes him stay at home for three nights straight while going on solo patrols. On the third night, Robin has had it and takes to the streets on his own. After Robin roughs up some muggers, Nobody introduces himself to the Boy Wonder. Batman shows up, but Nobody captures both heroes and whisks them to an abandoned drive-in theater where he plays film of the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery while scolding him for letting them all live. Alfred saves the Dynamic Duo by piloting the Batplane via remote control. Back at the Batcave, Bruce and Damian argue. Bruce tells Damian about his past, training with Morgan Ducard’s father, Henri Ducard, but hides crucial details. In the cemetery on the Wayne Estate, Nobody approaches Damian and offers him a partnership. Thus begins, Nobody’s “join the Dark Side” campaign. Damian leaves with Nobody to assault the Ragandian Embassy, which houses a corrupt ambassador. Panicked, Batman searches for Damian, first using the Human Kinematic Program (a computer program that searches for Damian’s body-type while monitoring every single security camera in the city), then by hitting the streets. While Batman takes his frustrations out on some common lowlifes, he records a message for Damian and retells of his complete past with the perfidious Ducards. Robin, having earned Nobody’s trust, accompanies him (with the ambassador in tow) to a yacht in Gotham Harbor. The Boy Wonder then reveals he has been playing Nobody to whole time and turns on him. However, Nobody is able to restrain Robin. Batman, locating Robin’s GPS signal, rushes to Gotham Harbor. By the time he arrives, Nobody has already beaten the living shit out of Robin, including having broken all the fingers on his left hand. The Dark Knight proceeds to wail mercilessly on Nobody, and a bloody and brutal fight erupts. Eventually, an unmasked Batman thrashes Nobody within an inch of his life and ties him up. After a subtle embrace, Batman works at getting off the yacht, which is now aflame and slowly sinking. A badly injured Nobody, still playing the role of Emperor Palpatine to a tee, dares Robin to execute him. Before Batman can react, Damian strikes and kills Nobody! Batman grabs his badly beaten son and they rocket out of the ruble. Back at the Batcave, Alfred patches up Damian and Batman, who both have broken bones and concussions. Bruce then plays the recording that he made for Damian and talks to him about why it is so important that they don’t use lethal force. Bruce then goes fishing with Damian and plays fetch with Titus. Alfred states that Batman is to be out of action for twenty-four hours and Robin should be out for two weeks. However, when the Bat-Signal shines high in the Gotham sky, the Dynamic Duo is costumed-up and off into the night (for an unnamed case).
–REFERENCE: In the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3—originally told in Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! #1. Batman shuts down St. Hadrian’s Finishing School for Girls outside of London. This so-called “School of Night” is a longtime Spyral training academy that has been infiltrated by Leviathan and turned into their brainwashing facility to create young female super-villains. The school houses Johnny Valentine and is run by the deadly assistant headmistress Miss Hexley, who reports directly to Talia al Ghul. Of course, Batman still doesn’t know that Talia leads Leviathan.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1—originally told in Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! #1. Batman and his entire Batman Incorporated group enter into an all-out hot war against Leviathan. Let me remind you that the events of the Modern Age Batman Incorporated series, including Leviathan Strikes, cannot take place exactly as they did with all of the continuity changes in the New 52, but their basic structure must remain intact. Ergo, here’s the canon narrative that crystalizes: Leviathan attacks and attempts to leave the planet in ruins with a series of more-than-nuclear “meta-bomb” blasts that are set to detonate shortly. Following the last of a series of clues involving the Oroboros and Borromean Rings, Batman and his agents swarm upon a Leviathan mobile sea base. Doctor Dedalus (Otto Netz), despite his Alzheimer’s condition, nearly succeeds in Leviathan’s nefarious world-dooming task and also nearly kills Batman and Gaucho, but Robin stops Doctor Dedalus by using lethal force. (SPOILER ALERT: Decades ago, shortly after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Otto Netz initiated a plan that would essentially allow him to “live forever” by dividing up his lucid consciousness and uploading it into five separate parts. The first three divisions would be assigned to a triumvirate sentient computer algorithm called Spyder. Likewise, as part of the same plan, Otto Netz prepared his two daughters, Kathy Kane and Dr. Elisabeth Netz, via hypnotic brainwashing techniques, to be human host vessels for his consciousness. According to the plan, Spyder/Dedalus will eventually choose the better suited daughter with which to use as a vessel for his return. The Spyder program will secretly run Spyral from this point onward. This is all referenced in Grayson #6, Grayson #14, and Grayson #19.) In London, Batman Incorporated agent The Hood, who has actually been secretly working against Batman Incorporated since its inception, is betrayed and left for dead by his employer Matron. Likewise, in Mtamba, Batwing is attacked by ninja man-bats and left for dead as well. Aboard the Leviathan space platform in Earth’s orbit, Freight Train and Looker are similarly assaulted and presumed dead following a massive explosion. Leviathan gloats over the deaths of so many heroes, but don’t worry; we will soon discover that no one has actually perished. Freight Train, Looker, the Hood, and Gaucho go into hiding in San Francisco’s Batcave West, which is hidden behind a secret wall in a sex shop (!) and has an amazing Outsiders “Hall of Trophies” inside. They will remain hidden there for months to come. (Note that, in the Modern Age, Batwing also remained hidden in Batcave West with his pals, but in the New 52 that isn’t the case.) After all is said and done, Batman prevents global destruction. All of Batman Incorporated is shocked when Talia al Ghul reveals herself as the leader of Leviathan. Before closing out the opening chapter of the Leviathan-Batman Incorporated War, Talia also displays the mutilated severed head of Jezebel Jet (as referenced in the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3) and reveals that she has placed a half-billion dollar bounty on Robin’s head. Again, all of these occurrences originally happened in the Modern Age’s Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! #1, but are only canon in the New 52 since they have been referenced in the New 52’s Batman Incorporated Vol. 2.
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<<< Year Four <<< | >>> Year Six Part 1 >>>
- [1]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman mentions that Damian is eleven-years-old here. Later this year and next, he will refer to him as a ten-year-old. As if Damian’s age bullshit wasn’t convoluted enough. We know Damian celebrated his “eighth” b-day earlier this year, but due to his artificial aging and mutated development, it’s hard to determine his “true age.” He biologically looks like an early pre-adolescent boy, but has actually only been alive for three years now. In any case, both of Batman’s references to Damian’s age are totally incorrect. He is eight.↩
- [2]COLLIN COLSHER: One of Dr. Manhattan’s main goals in recreating the DCU is to reshape Superman more to his liking i.e. to make him darker and more introverted. Able to view the entire metaverse (i.e. all previous continuities), Dr. Manhattan pinpointed the people that helped teach young Clark Kent/Kal-El to become the most endearingly hopeful of all the superheroes—Ma and Pa Kent, the Legion of Superheroes, and the JSA. Thus, Dr. Manhattan played a central role in the deaths of Ma and Pa Kent in an effort to make Superman darker and introverted. Keeping alive Jor-El, who has decidedly different values in comparison to the Kents, was was another part of Manhattan’s same effort to re-shape Superman into a darker individual. Likewise, prevention of the existence of the JSA and the Legion, and therefore prevention of them influencing Superman, was meant to grim-darken the Man of Steel as well.↩
- [3]COLLIN COLSHER: The only place Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles can occur is here in late August of Year Four. In late August of Year Eight, Jim Gordon is Batman. In late August of Year Seven, Penguin is in jail. In late August of Year Six, Damian is dead.↩
- [4]COLLIN COLSHER: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1, Batman seems unfamiliar with Joker’s murderous methodology, questioning if Joker always removes his clothing before slaughtering someone. Strange, no? I guess we can assume that while Batman has dealt with Joker for six years (which includes the villain’s time as Red Hood), he still hasn’t quite figured him out despite an extensive knowledge of the criminal mind. At one point, Batman says “I’ve tried and always failed to get into the Joker’s mind.” Joker obviously isn’t your average criminal brain. Batman also usually has found Joker’s murder victims after the fact and rarely has caught him in the act bloody red-handed. Batman even says in Batman Vol. 2 #13 that “Joker normally doesn’t do his own dirty work” and strikes from afar.↩
- [5]COLLIN COLSHER: Dollmaker (Barton Mathis), as we will learn in Catwoman Vol. 4 #12, is the biological father of Dollhouse (Matilda Mathis). Barton Mathis’ father is a serial killer named Wesley Mathis. However, in Catwoman Vol. 4 #12, Matilda claims that Barton Mathis’ father is the Toyman. This is not true. However, the Toyman’s son, Anton Schott, was the original Dollmaker, hence young Matilda’s confusion.↩
- [6]K CODY HUNT: Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1-4 tell a continuous narrative, so those issues are linked. Likewise, The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1-7 also tell a continuous narrative, so those issues are linked as well. Thus, the first Detective Comics Vol. 2 arc can (and should) go entirely before the first Dark Knight Vol. 2 arc. Other chronologists (like JayMudd of Canonology.net) inexplicably break up The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1-7 issue to issue, but there’s really no room for any ellipses whatsoever within the first seven issues.
COLLIN COLSHER: Another couple of notes about Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #2. Note #1: Writers Paul Jenkins and David Finch have Alfred make reference to Game 5 of the World Series in Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #2. Now, this could be taken in two different ways. One, as a joke made by Alfred, which would mean nothing to the narrative or placement of this issue. Or two, as a literal topical reference which would place our story in late October or November. We could be in October, but I’m not sure about late October. I’d lean toward the former. And last but not least, note #2: Batman, in Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #2 mentions that Scarecrow is at large. Alfred responds by explaining that Scarecrow was recently in Arkham, but was only incarcerated there briefly, meaning he must have escaped prior to Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1.↩
- [7]COLLIN COLSHER: The Clock King featured in Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 is indeed the original Clock King. However, in the New 52 he is not William Tockman. His name is never revealed. Another William Tockman—Billy Tockman, to be exact—will later debut as a second acting Clock King.↩
- [8]COLLIN COLSHER: In this brooding scene from Dark Knight #4, Gordon tries in vain to call Bruce and mumbles about his face still “looking like hamburger” as a result of his recent interactions with Dollmaker. Gordon also mentions Batman’s confrontation with Forbes as occurring “last week.” Originally, I thought this dialogue inferred that the Dollmaker fight (from ‘tec #4) happened mere days ago and Batman’s confrontation with Forbes (from Dark Knight #3) took place a literal week ago—and the timeline was quite complicated to accommodate. However, “last week” can simply mean “last week” and the Dollmaker incident could still have taken place before Dark Knight #1.↩
- [9]COLLIN COLSHER: Gail Simone’s Batgirl Vol. 4 #1-6, an uninterrupted continuous tale, takes place entirely in December. Batgirl Vol. 4 #4-6 picks up right here, specifically on December 22, then going into December 23. However, we’ve already mentioned some bad continuity flubs in regard to Batgirl Vol. 4 above (which we’ll address again below), but there a bunch more that must sadly be addressed too. First, we are told right out of the gate (in Batgirl Vol. 4 #1) that Babs recovered from her paralysis mere weeks ago, but this happened about three months ago. Then, Batgirl Vol. 4 #7-8 is said to happen “all these months after Christmas,” which is misleading and should actually read as “a couple weeks after Xmas” at the most. Batgirl Vol. 4 #9 then seemingly happens a couple months after that, acting as a tie-in to the “Night of the Owls” crossover. However, since “Night of the Owls” occurs next month, Batgirl Vol. 4 #9 must occur only a week or so after Batgirl Vol. 4 #7-8. Even JayMudd (of Canonology.net) seems mystified by this, claiming that Simone might have been operating outside of the bounds of editorial oversight. He goes so far as to suggest that Batgirl Vol. 4 #7-8 should be read out of order—after “Night of the Owls” and Batgirl Vol. 4 #9! Even if we were to take that route (and I wouldn’t), it would cause issues with other pre-“Night of Owls” titles that are undeniably linked to Batgirl Vol. 4.
As mentioned above but worth repeating here, Batgirl Vol. #4 #1 says that it’s been three years since Batgirl was paralyzed. Plus, while title page text is typically never good canon reference material to begin with, the first seven issues (Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 through Batgirl Vol. 4 #7) each have an editorial caption attached to its title page that says “Three years after a savage attack…” However, starting with issue #8 onward, it simply says “After a savage attack…” (sans any “three years” specificity). However, the first six issues occur definitively in late 2012 whereas issues #7-8 are in 2013. This means that only the issue #7 “three years ago” title card info rings true whereas the previous six issues’ title card info is false. Again, we know Babs was paralyzed only two years ago because she was seen standing upright at Jason Todd’s funeral two years ago. Unless you choose to ignore that, then the “three years” comment from Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 and the “three years” tag in the title card of each of the first six issues of Batgirl Vol. 4 should be ignored, instead reading as “two years” ago. If you choose to ignore that and place her paralysis three years prior to now, then the title cards from Batgirl Vol. 4 #1-6 are correct (whereas the title card info for Batgirl Vol. 4 #7 would be wrong). Another option is simply to ignore the Xmas setting for the first six issues of Batgirl Vol. 4, putting them in early 2013 instead of late 2012. After all, holiday settings must be ignored with other titles when they don’t make any sense. This all is a personal headcanon call. Suffice to say, no matter the direction one takes, Batgirl Vol. 4 is a goddamn mess. And we aren’t even done yet.
While all the above might seem like an impossible conglomeration of huge problems, there’s an even bigger conundrum that starts with Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 and runs throughout the next three dozen issues of the title. (This is Simone’s run, edited by Katie Kubert, Bobbie Chase, and Mike Marts, but there other players involved, namely Ray Fawkes, Marguerite Bennett, and Mark Doyle.) This problem stems mostly from a later issue, Batgirl Vol. 4 #28, which states outright that Batgirl #1 through Batgirl #28 comprises a mere “few month” time period. This is impossible—the chronological calculus just doesn’t add up. Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 through Batgirl Vol. 4 #28, by its own internal logic, should span close to one year and eight months! “A few months?” No way, Jose. While Batgirl Vol. 4 #28 might contain the prime error of the series, it is but one of many passage-of-time errors that the series will have, moving forward. To put it lightly, all of Batgirl Vol. 4 is a continuity nightmare of epic proportions.
BATFAN REBORN: On Batgirl Vol. 4 #28 and Batgirl’s “A few months since #1” comment. It’s easy to give this comment a pass because it is within hours of the mind-altering events of “Gothtopia” so Babs’ head is a bit screwed up regarding time. Also, the oft used “few months ago” terminology is actually a very natural way of thinking in inner monologue. While we may prefer it if the characters thought “2 months, one week, and 5 days ago,” it really isn’t the way people think. Also, it’s very easy to underestimate the amount of time that has actually passed. We can think of various time lengths, including things that happened over a year ago, as having occurred “a few months ago.” It is quite necessary to let go of the very rigid “few equals three” to deal with comic book continuity. It’s also worth remembering that these characters often deal with very traumatic events which stay fresh in the mind for longer. That all being said, we still cannot deny passage of undeniable time and ostensible time compression. My theory regarding Gail Simone’s time compression created by text in Batgirl Vol. 4 #28 (and also in Batgirl Vol. #33) revolves heavily around the fact that Simone didn’t write issues #17 or #18, which were by Ray Fawkes, nor did she write issues #25 and #30, which were by Marguerite Bennett. These non-Simone issues are interesting regarding the continuity of Batgirl because both are significant in aligning the book with other events in the wider DCU or Batverse: #17-18 move us post Damian’s death and add a time jump of “a few months” and #30 moves us post-Forever Evil with references to Dick’s “death,” again adding a significant ellipsis. Only Simone or others at DC will know whether she refused to write these issues because they messed with her narrative timeline or whether the editors used the issues she was sitting out for other reasons to bring the book into line with everything else. Either way the effect is the same: other writers extended Simone’s run by adding extra passage of time. (Fawkes was also given free rein to cement the lengthier version of the timeline via his Batgirl story in the Young Romance Valentine’s Special.) My suspicion is that an overly sanguine Simone had her eye on an Omnibus publication of her run, featuring only the issues that she wrote. Simone’s version of things, with the Fawkes and Bennett issues omitted, tells the story of Batgirl’s return with a timeline that runs around sixteen months—(Simone’s Batgirl Vol. 4 Annual #2 seems to make this quite evident). This means the “few months” from Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 to Batgirl Vol. 4 #28, instead of being three years, would have equaled sixteen months, fitting somewhat more aptly with the “few months” reference.↩
- [10]BATFAN REBORN / COLLIN COLSHER: The opening issues of Batgirl Vol. 4 and Nightwing Vol. 3 are linked together in the same period of about five days by the presence of Haley’s Circus in Gotham City. (Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 occurs about five days prior to Nightwing Vol. 3 #1.) Nightwing scribe Kyle Higgins (like Gail Simone and other writers) is “a few months ago” fanatic, often using the phrase to mean a liberal span of undetermined time. In 2011-2012, writers not only utilized this vague type of language quite often, but they also were seemingly operating incommunicado with one another, leaving readers to fill in gaps and insert hidden ellipses until issues crossed-over. For example, the Batman-less Nightwing Vol. 3 #1-3 immediately follows Nightwing’s return (i.e. this item), overlapping completely with the Batman-less Batgirl Vol. 4 #1-2. Nightwing then appears in Batgirl Vol. 4 #3. After that, both Nightwing Vol. 3 and Batgirl Vol. 4 titles crossover with their #4 issues, the latter of which contains a Batman appearance reference, which is our very next item on the chronology below. Following Nightwing Vol. 3 #4, there will be a short break until the Batman-less Nightwing Vol. 3 #5. After another wee gap, Nightwing Vol. 3 #6-7 will connect to the point just prior to “Night of the Owls.” (Overall, Nightwing Vol. 3 #1-9 spans about a month-and-a-half in duration. JayMudd, main chronologist of Canonology.net, has Nightwing Vol. 3 #1-9 spanning about three months in duration, but, due to the series’ connections to everything else, the duration simply has to be tighter than that.) Returning to Batgirl, following Batgirl Vol. 4 #5-6, which features Batman and is listed on our chronology below, the Batman-less Batgirl Vol. 4 #7-8 will come up early next year with tiny gaps before and after it. Batgirl Vol. 4 #9 will directly overlap with/connect to “Night of the Owls,” at which point all the Bat-Family titles will align again.
Notably, at the outset of the New 52 in 2011, DC’s idea was to try to link many of its initial launch titles together. As such, not only are Batgirl Vol. 4 #1 and Nightwing Vol. 3 #1 tied to each other, but they are also tied to Supergirl Vol. 6 #1, Superman Vol. 3 #1, Superboy Vol. 6 #1, Teen Titans Vol. 4 #1, Birds of Prey Vol. 3 #1, and Aquaman Vol. 7 #1. In this last month of 2012, the following titles will lead right up to New Year’s Eve: Supergirl Vol. 6 #1-7, Superboy Vol. 6 #1-5, Teen Titans Vol. 4 #1-4, Superman Vol. 3 #1-5, Nightwing Vol. 3 #1-4, and Batgirl Vol. 4 #1-6. This is also the reason why so many late 2011 publications actually take place on our calendar in late 2012!↩
OK, so Night of the Owls…
Jason Todd becomes Red Hood again during Court of Owls. So am I right in thinking he must IMMEDIATELY begin the story of Red Hood and the Outlaws and go through the first eight issues during the brief time Bruce in trapped in the maze?
Also, do you have a definitive order for all the tie-ins to this one? I’ve looked at a dozen websites now and not only are they all different orders, the Nightwing issues involved don’t include #6 & #7. Do those two go directly before Court begins, or during the maze Interlude, or somewhere else? I honestly feel like I’m a little crazy for even trying to make sense of the New 52 already and we’ve barely even begun 😅
Nightwing #7 completely overlaps with (and even shows duplicated scenes from) Batman #7, so it goes prior to “Night of the Owls.” Jason debuts as Red Hood in opening months of Y5. Red Hood & The Outlaws #9 is a direct “Night of the Owls” crossover (which I have in December), so the first eight issues obviously occur prior to that. I haven’t read them since they first were released, but I don’t think they need to go smashed in immediately before “Night of the Owls.”
If you feel crazy now, strap in tight. It only gets much much worse lol.
So the first 8 issues of Red Hood & The Outlaws occur before his stint as Wingman?
Red Hood and the Outlaws #1-8 specifically runs about 8 days in length (that’s the specific timeline given in its own internal narrative). Issue #8 occurs on “The Night of the Owls.”
Upon a closer re-read of RH&TO #7, the Outlaws intercept a Batman Inc message and Red Hood def isn’t Wingman yet… The Batman Inc message is dubious to begin with (especially since it’s post Leviathan Strikes so Batman Inc would be laying low, not sending messages willy-nilly, but oh well). In any case, this tells us that Jason doesn’t become Wingman until just prior to Batman Inc Vol. 2 #1, which is what was definitely intended by Morrison and others—until the mega snafus in Lobdell’s RH&TO #17-18. (RH&TO #17-18 are royally fucked up continuity-wise.)
I’m gonna take another look and follow-up in a little bit.
Okay so here’s the deal. Red Hood’s timeline clearly is meant to go: RH&TO #1-8, then The Night of Owls, then RH&TO #9-16, then “Death of the Family,” then he becomes Wingman, then Batman Inc Vol. 2 1-#5, then RH&TO #17-18, then the rest of Batman Inc Vol. 2.
(RH&TO #17-18 specifically references/flashes-back to Batman Inc Vol. 2 #1-5. The problem is that there’s really no room for RH&TO #17-18 within Morrison’s Batman Inc Vol. 2 narrative, so I had previously done fanwank gymnastics and added major caveats in order to place said references/flashbacks earlier while keeping Batman Inc Vol. 2 #1-5 unbroken.)
In fact, here’s my old footnote about this situation… “The only adjunct action, which is actually messier if you can believe it, is to split Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #5 in two in order to place Red Hood & The Outlaws #17-18 right before the final page conclusion where Leviathan blows up the Batman Inc team in a shelter on Crime Alley. Many other chroniclers have done exactly this, but with the same ‘an error has been made’ memorandum attached. It’s really up to your discretion.”
Doing the latter is the only way to uphold the sanctity of Red Hood’s timeline. Although it disrupts Batman Inc Vol 2 and requires the addition of a hidden ellipsis in Batman Inc Vol. 2 #5, I think this is the change I’ll have to make.
The New 52 is very broken, my man. Lobdell definitely messed up here. HOWEVER, this fix actually makes the timeline much cleaner than it was before. So, thanks!
OK that all makes sense and immediately males the timeline more sensible. My only follow-up worry would be the flashback you mention of Jason Todd crying to Bruce after an Inc mission. Didn’t that occur around here and feature him in the Wingman costume? If that’s been moved as well, I don’t think there’s any other problems.
Yep, it’s been moved!
OK so the Teen Titans Mk.II debuts this year. The initial story is pretty well tied into the New Year celebrations. Is that still the case here, or is it moved to a different time like “Halloween Times Square celebrations”?
The note about Damian working with them implies they’re brand new, so linking it to the Halloween directly before is the closest “celebration” people could feasibly be in Times Square making a big deal out of. Before that I suppose the Fourth of July is the next best option?
Hey Mike! I think that their formation on New Year’s Even (technically New Year’s Day, right after the ball drops) can still be canon. And now that I’m thinking about it, Batman would surely be following along if Tim was starting a new team, so I’ll likely add this as a reference note at the very beginning of Y5. Thanks!