New 52 Year Four

(2011)

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–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. #3 9. Bronze Tiger, who has always had close ties with Ra’s al Ghul, now officially begins his rookie training with the League of Assassins (as we learn in Red Hood & The Outlaws #20). Despite this connection to evil, Batman befriends Bronze Tiger, forming what will become a long-lasting relationship of based on mutual respect.

–REFREENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #16 and Super Sons #2. Batman begins using high-tech state-of-the-art facial recognition software as a part of his crime-fighting repertoire and to add to his criminal computer database.

–FLASHBACK: From Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #12. The Harley Quinn-Joker relationship is on the rocks. As Batman chases after the duo, Joker pushes Harley backward into Batman’s arms in order to escape. Suffice to say, Joker and Harley will call it quits shortly after this event.

–REFERENCE: In DC Rebirth: Holiday Special #1 Part 3. The anthropomorphic chimpanzee private-eye Detective Chimp deduces Batman’s secret identity! Detective Chimp meets and impresses Bruce with his knowledge and sleuthing skills. Detective Chimp and Bruce become friends. Alfred and Detective Chimp particularly hit it off and become drinking buddies. Bruce and Alfred will hang out with Detective Chimp from time to time in the future (although we won’t see these undoubtedly amazing hangouts listed on our timeline).

–REFERENCE: In Suicide Squad Most Wanted #3 Part 1 (Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Killer Croc) and Suicide Squad Most Wanted #4 Part 1 (Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Killer Croc). Batman defeats the diabolical Sin Tzu. (Sin Tzu is a Jim Lee character that only previously appeared in the 2003 video game Batman: The Rise of Sin Tzu and the 2003-2004 Batman: Shadow of Sin Tzu webcomic. This is the first time he is canon in mainstream continuity.)

–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #5, Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3, and Batman Vol. 3 #8. Batman and Alfred set up their Batcave computer system to link up to every single security camera or CCTV feed in Gotham. Coupled with the “Human Kinematic Program” (a computer program that searches for certain faces and body-types while monitoring all the security cameras in the city), Batman has a powerful “Big Brother” surveillance tool on his side. He can view these feeds with a special type of echolocation sonar-vision. (This technology is taken straight out of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight film.)

–FLASHBACK: From Teen Titans Vol. 4 Annual #3. Batman and Red Robin chase after Joker.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #2. Talia al Ghul forms a team consisting of the DCU’s top villains. This elite group comprises Lex Luthor, Dr. Psycho (Edgar Cizko), The Calculator (Noah Kuttler), and Deathstroke. The Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #2 panel that shows this team being formed includes Black Adam. However, since Black Adam wouldn’t have debuted yet, his addition in the panel (and inclusion on the team) must be ignored. In the Modern Age, this team was known as the Secret Society of Super-Villains, and for a short time united the entire DCU super-villain community. In the New 52, this cannot be the case, since the Secret Society that debuts in the pages of Justice League of America Vol. 3 will be the first of its kind. Thus, this team must be more clandestine, running things from the shadows, since they won’t appear on the heroes’ radar. While Batman isn’t specifically a part of this flashback, he surely would have been aware of Talia’s activities up to a certain point, and would have known of her underworld gatherings, possibly including this one.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 4 #10. Batman updates his anti-Superman “Kryptonian Protocols” by learning and adding-in information about Lex Luthor’s power-suit.

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #12—originally told in Infinite Crisis. Of course, Infinite Crisis is non-canon in the New 52. However, the “Battle of Metropolis” is canon albeit in a heavily modified/re-contextualized form, sans any re-formation of Earths or villainy by inter-dimensional characters. Here instead is the likely New 52 scenario that better suits our current timeline. Several members of Talia al Ghul’s aforementioned clandestine group break a bunch of super-villains out of prison, unleashing them upon Metropolis. An army of heroes re-captures the bad guys and wins the day. However, during the chaotic melee, Nightwing is badly injured. Barbara Gordon nurses Dick back to health, but decides to end her on-again-off-again sexual relationship with him for good. Batman tells the Bat-Family that he will depart to undergo the “Thögal ritual,” also known as Tögal.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3 and Batman and… #31 (“Batman & Frankenstein”). Mid January to Early March.^[1] Bruce undergoes the Thögal ritual. The first stage is a sort of vision quest in the desert, lasting a few days. The second stage, called “Yangti,” takes place in the Himalayan stronghold of Nanda Parbat. Bruce is in complete isolation in a darkened cave for seven weeks straight. During the Yangti stage of Thögal, Bruce remembers his original Zur-En-Arrh hallucination and finds the negative trigger word “Zur-En-Arrh” deep within his mind. (He still doesn’t know Simon Hurt is responsible for implanting it there, but he does know it’s bad news.) Fearing that one of his enemies will take over his mind (or worse) using the trigger word, Bruce creates a post-hypnotic “backup identity.” In case of intense psychological attack, Bruce will become “The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh,” the very character he imagined during his time in the deprivation tank with Hurt two years ago. While undergoing the Thögal ritual, Batman also witnesses a vision of a possible future featuring two headstones and world in flames (as referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0). What is this world of flames that Batman sees? Why, it’s the future as previously described in Batman #666 and shown/canonically referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #5. In this future, a much grimmer version of Batman exists in a harsh world of evil chaos. In this future, the new Batman has been played by Simon Hurt and Talia al Ghul, leading to the death of everyone in Gotham and the utter destruction of the entire city. Of course, Batman will later realize that this version of Batman is his son Damian, whom he has yet to meet. But is Damian the usher of doom, is it someone else, or is this future merely a possibility? One way of interpreting the vision/dream is to realize that it means that the future holds two possibilities: The two tombstones, representing the deaths of Talia and Damian or the world in flames, representing the apocalyptic future where Talia and Damian cause the destruction of Gotham.^[2]

–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #0
March. Enter Damian Wayne, the lovechild of Talia al Ghul and Batman, born three years ago but genetically engineered so he now appears as an early pre-adolscent. (See Year Zero and Year One for the wild details regarding Damian’s conception, birth, and age.) Damian, on his biological eighth birthday, defeats his mother in combat, earning the right to finally meet his famous papa, who had zero knowledge of his son’s existence until now.^[3] Talia, along with an army of ninja man-bats (injected with Man-Bat Serum stolen from the famous Dr. Kirk Langstrom), subdues Batman and introduces the little hellion to him for the first time. The events of this tale were originally told in Grant Morrison’s “Batman and Son” arc from Batman #655. Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2, Robin Rises: Omega #1, and Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3 also show single-panel flashback images from this story that replicate the final splash page from Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #0. Batman/Superman Annual #2 shows a random image of Batman fighting ninja man-bats, likely from this event.

–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3—originally told in in the Modern Age “Batman and Son” arc from Batman #657. March. Immediately after being dropped in the lap of Batman, Damian goes home with dad and becomes the terror of Wayne Manor (and Gotham). First he tries to fight his own dad and then he knocks down and bloodies poor Alfred. Damian, showing alacrity when it comes to using lethal force, then murders the Spook (as referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1). Not only that, Damian decapitates the Spook, shoves a grenade in his severed head, and attacks (and nearly kills) Red Robin using it as a weapon (as referenced in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #10).

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #2 and Robin Rises: Omega #1—originally told in the Modern Age “Batman and Son” arc from Batman #658. March. Batman, with Damian in tow, returns to Gibraltar to confront Talia and the League of Assassins. After a bit of explosive ninja man-bat/submarine chaos, Damian soon winds up back in the temporary care of his mom, despite wanting his mom and dad to join together as a cohesive unit. The highly apocryphal and facultative Damian: Son of Batman #1 bluntly tells us that Damian is killed during the Gibraltar submarine explosion and then immediately resurrected by Talia. It could be true—or you could take it with an Andy Kubert-sized grain of salt.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #6. Batman meets Jim Corrigan, the new host of the Spectre during an unspecified supernatural case. At some point during this case Corrigan also separately meets Bruce (as Bruce) and Alfred at Wayne Manor. Due to the fact that Alfred, in 2014’s Batman Eternal, is creeped out by Corrigan and knows his favorite drink, we must assume that Corrigan meets with Bruce and Alfred several more times after this, although those undefined meetings will be invisible on our timeline. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that in previous continuities, Corrigan was the first Spectre, well before Hal Jordan ever temporarily hosted the Wrath of God. However, I’ve placed the debut of Corrigan as Spectre here instead of earlier simply because it seems to work better for our timeline. Of course, an alternative would be that the Spectre is Corrigan and then Hal then Corrigan again, but that seems unlikely behavior for a divine entity, no?

–REFERENCE: In Forever Evil #4. Batman collects a Lightning Rod from a time-traveling 31st century Legion of Superheroes. The Dark Knight places it into Flash’s “contingency briefcase” as a weapon to use against Flash, should he go rogue or get mind-controlled. The Lightning Rod is mystical item from the distant future that, in previous continuities (Silver and Modern), could be used to resurrect the dead at the expense of the life of another. In the Modern Age’s “Lighting Saga,” the Lightning Rod was used as a receptacle to hold Flash Bart Allen’s spirit within the Speed Force. So, presumably in the New 52, a Lightning Rod could be used to trap Flash. But how did Batman acquire the Lightning Rod in the New 52? We just don’t know. The Lightning Rod originally was a 31st century magick/technology of the planet Winath—also known as “The Lightning World.” The only way Batman would have been introduced to or given a Lightning Rod would have been via contact with the Legion of Superheroes. NOTE: Since there are at least three versions of the Legion each attached to different universes in the New 52 multiverse, we cannot be sure which Legion Batman meets.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #10. Batman apprehends an unnamed small-time criminal and leaves him hanging for the cops. This corpulent crook is “emotionally scarred” from the experience and will later seek revenge against the Caped Crusader.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #12. In this single-panel, Batman fights an escaped Killer Croc.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics Vol. 2 #17. Bruce meets Arkham Asylum’s Dr. Byron Merideth at a high-society gala. Merideth, who uses extreme techniques of behavioral modification that are equipollent to torture, will soon draw the concern and ire of his colleagues at Arkham and retire to private practice where his sadistic methods will continue.

–REFERENCE: In Worlds’ Finest #19 and Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3. Batman obtains an living infant specimen of an aquatic alien-like creature that appears to be part turtle, part squid. The creature goes into a tank in the Batcave. I will give anyone a gold star if they can figure out what this is a reference to. I have no idea. I’ve added Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3 as a reference here because, while heavily stylized by the brilliant Ian Bertram, alien spore-like creatures are shown in a tank in the Batcave in that issue. We can assume that these creatures are linked to the creature from Worlds’ Finest #19.

–FLASHBACK: From Catwoman Vol. 4 #14. Joker catches wind of the nature of Batman’s close relationship with Catwoman as he watches the Dark Knight save Catwoman’s life when she falls through a skyscraper window. It is heavily implied that Batman has saved (or will save) Catwoman’s life other times as well. We must simply imagine those occurrences as taking place randomly on our chronology.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 3 #11. Batman busts both a small-time crook named Steven and his sister. Steven’s sister winds up in the hospital. An angry Steven will eventually join a super-villain team called the Republic of Tomorrow, which is led by Paragon.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #18. Batman has been keeping tabs on Marcus Row, lifelong criminal and father of Harper Row and Cullen Row, for years. Unfortunately, Marcus is one bad apple and Batman is finally forced to bust him. Thus, Marcus is put back into the penal system and will eventually wind up in Blackgate Penitentiary.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #955 and Batman Vol. 2 Annual #2. Batman makes tiny surgical incisions on his palms and feet in order to insert hidden lock picks under his skin (as referenced in Detective Comics #955). While he is at it, Batman makes a surgical incision on a callus on his palm and inserts a tiny non-metal bio-degradable capsule of carborane acid, to use in case of emergency, under the skin as well (as referenced in Batman Vol. 2 Annual #2).

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #12—originally told in Trinity #10. This Easter Egg reference quote, originally part of dialogue between Dick and Tim as they investigate the actions of the “Evil Trinity,” canonizes Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza’s epic (and awesome) Trinity. However, in the Modern Age, Trinity was fifty-two issues long and had one of the most cosmically and spiritually complex narratives ever. There’s simply no place for it here in the New 52. For the purposes of our current timeline, things must be completely re-contextualized. Here is what happens. The “Evil Trinity”—a super-villain team-up of Morgaine Le Fey, Enigma (Earth-3’s Riddler), and Kanjar Ro—create the new metahuman warriors Swashbuckler, Sun-Chained-in-Ink, Primat, and Trans-Volitional Man to do their bidding. These villains try to steal a bunch of stuff, but the Bat-Family and the Justice League defeat them. That’s all.

–REFERENCE: In the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3. Bruce begins dating Jezebel Jet. Jezebel is actually an evil agent working for Simon Hurt.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #6. Batman fights two former cops dressed as Batman: Josef Muller and Branca. Here’s what goes down. First Batman defeats Josef Muller, who dresses as the Dark Knight, but totes a gun. Batman later interrogates some sex workers, including Ellie, who will later become the lead receptionist in the Wayne Tower front lobby (as referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #7). Batman then meets Branca, who stomps on the Caped Crusader pretty hard. Immediately following the altercation, Batman has a nightmare about a mysterious “third Batman” that will usher in Gotham’s doom in the future (as referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #6). Bruce explains this nightmare, which is linked to his dark visions of the future witnessed during the Thögal ritual, to members of the Bat-Family. The dream features a killer Batman, bestial Batman, and the “third” who would sell his soul to the devil and destroy Gotham. Batman’s nightmare sparks a forgotten memory in his brain, one that was altered/erased by Simon Hurt. Upon consulting the Black Casebook, Batman realizes that he had written of a hallucination while undergoing sleep deprivation testing where he fought three substitute Batmen. The Dark Knight now realizes that his was no hallucination, it was real, and that the first two of these evil substitutes have returned (Muller and Branca). In spite of recalling this pertinent information, Batman still won’t remember the name “Simon Hurt” quite yet. Batman and Red Robin take to the streets, confront Branca, and take him down.

–REFERENCE: In the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3, in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0, and in Batwing #26. John Mayhew invites all the old members of the failed Club of Heroes venture to a reunion on his private island. Batman, along with the new Knight (Cyril Sheldrake) and his sidekick Squire (Beryl Hutchinson), attends the reunion, which includes all the other former members. However, the nostalgia doesn’t last long because a video is played which shows a mystery man—Simon Hurt, although no one knows this yet—who has seemingly murdered Mayhew. Mayhew isn’t actually dead, but will be executed by Hurt at the conclusion of this event. Moving on, the mystery man explains that he controls the criminal organization known as the Black Glove and the heroes will soon suffer. The Legionary and the Ranger (now going by “Dark Ranger”) are both killed by a traitorous Wingman, who reveals he is in league with the Black Glove. Unfortunately for Wingman, the Black Glove is just using him. Mayhew shoots Wingman dead. But Mayhew’s failure to defeat the great Batman isn’t looked kindly upon by the Black Glove, which monitors the situation from afar. Hurt, from his secret distant location, makes sure that Mayhew is fatally stranded on the island as a bomb is activated. Batman is now aware of the Black Glove, but he knows virtually nothing about the organization, and has yet to learn of Hurt’s involvement with the group.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0. Batman and the ex-Club of Heroes members barely survive their adventure on John Mayhew’s island, which blows to smithereens in a puff of explosive smoke (courtesy of a mystery man that, unknown to our heroes at this point, is Simon Hurt). Batman chats with his old chums before returning to Gotham.

–REFERENCE: In Forever Evil #4—originally told in Green Lantern Vol. 4 #24-25 and various Tales of the Sinestro Corps titles. Green Lantern Hal Jordan’s arch-enemy Sinestro, bearer of an evil yellow power ring, recruits his yellow-ringed army known as the Sinestro Corps and attacks Earth. The Sinestro Corps is defeated and Earth is saved by a large conglomeration of hereos, including the Justice League. Afterward, Batman places his anti-Green Lantern weapon into Hal’s contingency briefcase in the Batcave vault, a yellow power ring.

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #12 and the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3—originally told in The Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul. Ra’s al Ghul, thanks to help from his League of Assassins loyalists, is resurrected from the dead via a fountain of youth hidden in the Himalayan forbidden city of Nanda Parbat. The current head of a splinter faction of the League of Assassins—Ra’s al Ghul’s biological father known only as The Sensei—tries immediately to send his son back to the grave. In Tibet, Batman, Red Robin, Nightwing, Damian, Talia, the Sensei, Ra’s al Ghul, and the latter’s elite fighting team known as The Seven Men of Death all engage in a shambolic melee that ends with the Sensei’s defeat. The Seven Men of Death, in case you were wondering, are Merlyn, Hook, Maduvu, Shellcase, Whip, Detonator, and Razorburn. Note that, in the New 52, Merlyn is Tommy Merlyn, former friend of Ollie Queen. Merlyn has only recently been recruited by the League of Assassins (as seen in Green Arrow Vol. 5 #0).

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #12—originally told in Nightwing #140. Dick has taken up a new hobby of sky-diving and does so, plummeting into Wayne Manor from 20,000 feet above. In the Batcave, Dick talks about the exhilaration of free-falling. Tim thinks Dick’s extreme hobby is awesome, whereas Bruce is not so amused. The Bat-Family then discusses the new threat that Ra’s al Ghul, now resurrected, poses against them.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #6. The Black Glove organization begins to make serious waves in Gotham. Michael Lane, Simon Hurt’s third Batman substitute, returns and attacks Batman. Batman finally recalls the name “Simon Hurt,” which had been previously blocked from his mind, and realizes that Hurt is responsible for messing with his head during sleep deprivation. Michael Lane, though, winds up being a red herring in regard to being the “third Batman” that will usher in Gotham’s doom. Batman will soon come to believe that it is Damian. But is it? More on that later.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 3 #1, Batman and… #19, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0, Batman Eternal #26, and any issues that refer to Batman’s missing time or “death”—originally detailed in the “Batman R.I.P.—Heart of Hush” arc from Detective Comics #846-850. Batman apprehends Hush, who has surgically-altered his own face to look exactly like Bruce Wayne. While there are no specific references to “Heart of Hush” in the New 52, it must have happened since Bruce Wayne’s upcoming absence will never be realized by the public-at-large. This is an indicator that the surgically-altered Hush will play “Bruce Wayne” until his return.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #11 and the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3. Simon Hurt recruits individual arch-enemies of the failed Club of Heroes members—specifically El Sombrero, Scorpiana (Tristessa), and Charlie Caligula—into his Black Glove organization, announcing that Batman will soon be ruined forever. These arch-rivals of the Club of Heroes aptly call themselves the Club of Villains. Shortly afterward, Hurt and Jezebel show/read Bruce his post-hypnotic trigger word, “Zur-En-Arrh.” Bruce goes into convulsions, is drugged by Hurt, and then dumped on the streets. The eccentric villain then dons Thomas Wayne’s old masquerade ball Bat costume and turns the Batcave into his new HQ. Confused, intoxicated, and without memory, Bruce’s Thögal backup defense kicks in and, with the assistance of pimp Lone-Eye Lincoln, he becomes the bizarre “Batman of Zur-En-Arrh!” (Charlie Caligula’s involvement here is gleaned from a reference in Batwing #24.)

–REFERENCE: In the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3. Simon Hurt and the Black Glove, revealed as a small elite group of sadistic international diplomats that place bets using human beings as game pieces, lure the “Batman of Zur-En-Arrh”—complete with his Bat-Radia—to Arkham to face-off against Joker in a life-and-death battle. Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #2 tells us that Talia al Ghul has secretly appointed General Malenkov, one of the Black Glove “fingers,” as her mole within the group. Eventually, Batman shakes off his Zur-En-Arrh persona, regains his composure, and defeats Joker, Hurt, and the Black Glove with the help of the Bat-Family and Talia al Ghul. Talia chases down Jezebel Jet and kills her as well.

–FLASHBACK: From Robin Rises: Omega #1. Batman makes a serious attempt to connect with and nurture his son Damian. They team-up and take on Killer Croc in the sewers. (Note that there is no equivalent to this item from the Modern Age, but Robin Rises: Omega #1 places it right before Batman’s “death.”)

–FLASHBACK: In Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3. Batman, still trying to connect with his son, makes headway as he and Damian take out Mr. Freeze together. (Again, note that there is no equivalent to this item from the Modern Age, but Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3 places it right before Batman’s “death.” In the Modern Age, Batman never had this brief quality time.)

–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #5. Batman connects further with his son, Damian, as he guides him through Gotham, showing him how to avoid security cameras and teaching him to memorize where they are all over the city. (Once more, as above, note that there is no equivalent to this item from the Modern Age. In the Modern Age, Batman never had this brief quality time with his son before getting Omega blasted.)

–FLASHBACK: In Red Hood & The Outlaws #20, Secret Origins Vol. 3 #5 Part 2, and Red Hood/Arsenal #6. And also textually referenced in Red Hood & The Outlaws #2, Grayson #12, and Red Hood/Arsenal #3—originally told in “Under the Hood.” August. Last year, Jason Todd was secretly resurrected from the dead. Now, Jason Todd debuts as the super-villain known as Red Hood. Before directly striking, Red Hood makes his presence felt in the Gotham underworld by murdering eight top mob lieutenants and delivering their severed heads in a duffel bag to their bosses. Red Hood then plays head games with both Batman and Nightwing as the heroes deal with Black Mask and some high-tech weapon smugglers. Red Hood attacks Batman one-on-one, shockingly unmasks, and points a gun at his former mentor, angrily asking him why he hasn’t killed Joker.^[4]

–FLASHBACK: From Red Hood & The Outlaws #6 and Red Hood & The Outlaws #26. August. Red Hood’s vengeful assault on Batman continues. As stated above, Jason Todd blames Batman for letting him die and is pissed that Joker is still alive and well. Nightwing shows up and helps the Dark Knight temporarily fend off Jason’s assault.

–FLASHBACK: From Red Hood & The Outlaws: Rebirth #1. August. Red Hood briefly departs from his battle versus Batman and Nightwing to abduct Joker and put a gun to the villain’s head. Batman, with Red Robin, comes face-to-face with Red Hood yet again and manages to stop him from executing Joker. Ultimately, Batman’s fight against Red Hood ends in a stalemate. (Note that the flashback in this issue shows a Robin that doesn’t much resemble Tim, but more resembles Dick. Obviously, this is impossible. This Robin should be the Red Robin variety.)

–REFERENCE: From Batwoman Vol. 2 #1 and Detective Comics #949. (Note that this reference incorrectly lists this item as happening two years prior to Year Ten. We are six years prior to Year Ten.) The new Batwoman (Bruce’s cousin Kate Kane) quietly debuted about a month ago. Remotely guided by her dad Jake Kane, Batwoman now begins spying-on, trailing, and shooting video of Batman while he goes on patrol. Batman becomes aware of someone tailing him immediately, but can’t get a fix on who it is. Batwoman’s tailing of Batman will continue for weeks to come. In-between tailing and spying on Batman, Batwoman—along with Kyle Abbot and her girlfriend Detective Renee Montoya—takes on The Religion of Crime.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #948-949. (Note that this flashback incorrectly lists this item as happening two years prior to Year Ten. We are six years prior to Year Ten.) Batwoman—guided by her dad Jake Kane—continues trailing and spying-on Batman. After five straight days of watching him on patrol, Batman finally sees her, despite the fact that she is half-a-mile away. The Dark Knight investigates and learns that Batwoman is his estranged cousin Kate. The next day, Batwoman shoots some video footage of Batman pummeling a gangster. Batman then surprises Kate at home, which gets him shot in his bulletproof leg. Batman tells Kate that he doesn’t approve of her vigilantism, but he won’t stand in her way. Unknown to Batman and Batwoman, they are being secretly watched via hidden camera that belongs to Jake Kane’s clandestine paramilitary group known as The Colony. (The Colony has been watching Batman since his debut.) Jake and his top man Simon Samuels (codenamed “Colony Prime”) view Batman conversing with Batwoman. Samuels tells Jake that Kate can’t join the anti-superhero Colony because she is too obsessed with both being a superhero and the Caped Crusader in general. A couple days later, a limping Bruce arranges for and meets with his cousin Kate. They have lunch and part ways. Kate realizes that Bruce is Batman and that he is testing her.

–the second feature to Action Comics Vol. 2 #14
The entirety of Action Comics Vol. 2 #14 is a flash-forward (!) from three years ago that takes place roughly here and now. The second feature to that same issue (as detailed in this entry) occurs a week after the aforementioned flash-forward, hence its placement here. Action Comics Vol. 2 #15 reveals the information regarding the flash-forward.^[5] The Justice League battles the giant inter-dimensional reptilian alien known as N’rrssshk’t the Conqueror, who attempts to take over Earth with an army of thought canons, multiphase quantum blades, and Encephalobots. Despite overwhelming odds, the JL has everything under control, which allows Superman to take a leave of absence from the fight so he can visit Neil deGrasse Tyson (!) at the planetarium in New York City. There, we learn that Superman is twenty-seven years old. Twenty-seven years ago Krypton exploded and baby Superman quickly rocketed to Earth via worm hole technology. Only now is the light from Krypton’s massive explosion finally reaching Earth. Superman, Tyson, and a few others watch the “ghost” of Krypton disintegrate into the night sky.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2. Batman creates fully-automated surveillance drones known as “Witches’ Eyes.” He begins using them in the field right away.

–FFLASHBACK: From Superman/Wonder Woman #18—also referenced in Justice League Vol. 2 #8 Part 1. The Justice League, which has been using Boom Tube technology to travel from mission to mission ever since its inception, finds out the hard way that one in every one-thousand boom jumps screws up and accidentally sends the team to Apokolips. Stranded in Apokolips, the JL fights an army of Parademons.^[6] It is highly likely that, on this accidental Boom Tube-leap to Apokolips, Batman secretly gets Omega Sanctioned and doesn’t return home with his teammates. This occurrence, which will be detailed in our upcoming note, originally took place in the Modern Age’s Final Crisis. However, Final Crisis basically doesn’t occur in the New 52—or rather, it does but it’s a massively altered version that only includes Darkseid’s secret Omega Sanction and Bat-clone replacement of Bruce and Nix Uotan helping the heroes save the multiverse against Mandrakk. Other things that had previously been central to narrative in the Modern Age version of Final Crisis, such as Barry Allen returning, simply aren’t a part of the New 52 version.

–FLASHBACK: From Robin Rises: Omega #1. This item is also referenced in Batman and… #19, Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #37, and The Multiversity #1. While the JL escapes back to Earth after having been trapped on Apokolips thanks to an errant Boom Jump, Batman is left behind, kidnapped by minions of Darkseid and psychically and physically drained of his essence and memories in an attempt to create an evil army of cloned Batmen. Of course, this plan fails and Darkseid’s scientists are left with only a single dead Batman clone. Darkseid then hatches a devious new plan from the ashes of his failed one. First, Darkseid zaps Batman with his Omega Beams, catapulting him backward through time into the distant past.^[7] Then, Darkseid sends the Caped Crusader’s lifeless clone back to Earth as a substitute for the legitimate thing. After Earth’s superheroes join the last Monitor Nix Uotan to defeat evil former Monitor Mandrakk, they mourn the “death” of Batman and have a funeral ceremony/burial as they mistake the clone for the real deal. In actuality, the real Bruce is lost in time and must claw his way back to the present piecemeal while battling a deadly creature known as a Hyper-Adapter, which has been secretly attached to him and which is capable of destroying the world should it return to the present. This is Darkseid’s cruel “Omega Sanction,” dooming the Earth should Batman return. Batman, believed to be dead by all of his peers, will be gone for a lengthy period of time (about four months). (Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0 shows a psychedelic panel depicting part of Batman’s Thögal vision—with the Caped Crusader falling through a silvery tunnel. This silvery tunnel fall presumably represents his trek through time via Darkseid’s Omega Sanction. The Batman clone is canonically referenced in Green Lantern Vol. 5 #7 and a splash page mural reference in Batwoman Vol. 2 #0. We also know that Batman definitely has to “crawl through time” to get back to the present thanks to a reference in All Star Western #22.)

–FLASHBACK: From Robin Rises: Omega #1. Also referenced in Grayson #12 and Batman Vol. 2 #51—originally told in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-2. (Obviously, since Bruce is trapped in the past, this flashback overlaps with the next few items on the list.) Bruce has been sent to the year 38,000 BCE thanks to Darkseid’s Omega Sanction. There, after bearing witness to the death of an elderly Anthro (one of the last of the Bear Tribe), an amnesiac Bruce spends some time recovering in a cave before getting involved in a war between the Deer People, a Native American tribe local to Gotham, and the Wolf Tribe. (Originally, in the Modern Age, Vandal Savage was a big part of this tribal war, but there is no indicator that he was in the New 52.) Bruce dons the skin of a giant bat as a makeshift costume—this giant bat is the corpse of the defeated Hyper-Adapter in giant bat form, having retreated backward through time to 38,000 BCE four months from now (BUT we will get to THAT at the end of Bruce’s time trek)! Bruce’s direct involvement in this tribal war will lead to the Deer People renaming themselves the Miagani (meaning “Bat People”), making bat-themed cave drawings, and taking on bat-themed customs. These indigenous customs will form into tribal bat-religions that will spread to Europe, Asia Minor, and the Middle East. Unknown to the time-displaced Bruce and all other parties involved, the real Barbatos watches events from the Dark Multiverse, becoming instantly obsessed with the time-traveling superhero. (Barbatos is an evil demon god from the Dark Multiverse, which is the evil mirror version of the local Multiverse that contains various Negative Universes within.) After peeping Bruce in 38,000 BCE, Barbatos initiates a plan that will involve 40,000 years of manipulating various minions—including the Hath-Set-led Bat Tribe (the Eurasian offshoot of the Miagani), then the Strigydae (cult priests of the Judas Tribe, who are ancient ancestors of the Court of Owls), and then the Parliament/Court of Owls themselves. Through these minions, Barbatos will subtly influence events around the world and, eventually, once Bruce is born, influence his life as well. Barbatos’ plan is to culminate with “The Mantling,” an occult ritual that will turn an adult Bruce’s own body into a conduit through which Barbatos can breach into and take over the regular Multiverse. (Note that, thanks to reboots, this Mantling event will begin but won’t come to fruition in the New 52. Also note that many folks in the DCU—notably Simon Hurt—have long mistaken Darkseid’s Hyper-Adapter for Barbatos. They are not one and the same.) Back to our story at hand. Bruce spends a short amount of time in 38,000 BCE following the tribal war. Eventually, a solar eclipse, in accordance with the rules of the Omega Sanction, sends Bruce hurtling thousands of years into the future where he winds up in the Puritanical Gotham of 1640. Naturally, the Hyper-Adapter follows him—(this is the Hyper-Adapter which Darkseid attached to Bruce as a doomsday device when sending him back into time AS OPPOSED TO the deceased Hyper-Adapter that retreats backward through time in giant bat form after being defeated, BUT LIKE I SAID, we’ll get to that in four months’ time). In 1640, Bruce, still amnesiac, fights the Hyper-Adapter and then assimilates into society by taking the name “Mordecai Wayne.” Bruce will live at quiet life in 17th century Gotham for the next two months-plus until we pick up his story again further below on our timeline.

–Secret Origins Vol. 3 #4 Part 3
September. Alfred puts Bruce’s Batman costume on display in the Batcave. An angry Damian takes to the streets to fight crime in his father’s place. Damian slices and dices up members of the clown-themed Clown Gang and a League of Assassins ninja man-bat—while Alfred (via the Batcave computer system linked to all the security cams in town) and Nightwing watch him in action. (Nightwing is now wearing his more contemporary black-and-red New 52 costume, which he changed to earlier this year. The switch from the blue-and-black costume to the red-and-black costume is referenced in Nightwing Vol. 3 #1.) After Damian takes down a Hell-obsessed demon gang, Mr. Zsasz, some mutated pig men, and Killer Croc all by himself, Nightwing chats with the boy and gives him a “letter from his father.” In actuality, Alfred has forged the letter, which tells Damian to become the new Robin—an attempt to give the boy some much needed direction. Back in the Batcave, Robin suits up and is joined by his new partner. Dick has taken up the mantle of his mentor and become Gotham’s new lead protector. Dick is the new Batman and Damian is his new Robin! Dick will be Batman for about one year with the concluding part of that interval occurring after Bruce returns (the remaining duration of which there will be two Batmen). For anyone wondering about Red Robin, after Bruce “dies,” Tim begins sporting a new flashy winged-costume and goes off on his own.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #1, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #7, Forever Evil: Arkham War #1, Grayson #12, and Nightwing Vol. 4 #16—originally told in Batman & Robin #1-3. The new Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin (Damian Wayne) make their operative home-base the Bat-Bunker in the sub-basement of Wayne Tower. They move into the penthouse above. Dick and Damian then build and debut the brand new flying Batmobile. After returning home following the arrest of Mr. Toad, Dick tells Alfred that he’s not sure he’s good enough to fill Bruce’s shoes. Damian overhears and gives Dick a hard time about it. Later, while en route towards an emergency at GCPD HQ, Robin tells Batman that he must earn his respect. At police HQ, Batman and Robin battle the Circus of Strange—Big Top, Siam (Kushti), and Phosphorus Rex, but the new Dynamic Duo has very little chemistry and the end-result is a disaster with several cops getting injured. Despite their debacle against the Circus, Batman and Robin do learn that the leader of the Circus, Professor Pyg (Lazlo Valentin), a villain that burns masks onto the faces of his brainwashed Dollotron henchwomen, is plotting an attack on Gotham. An upset Robin takes-off alone after Pyg, but gets captured. Batman rescues him and brings down Pyg and his Circus, who, unknown to the heroes, all work for Simon Hurt.

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to All-Star Batman #6. September. As he does every year, 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. We are not told whether Batman stops Riddler’s plot or fails to stop it.

–FLASHBACK: From Grayson #12. Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin (Damian Wayne) pose, looking proud and boastful with smiles and arms crossed. This scene, a background image in Grayson #12, functions as a flashback that mirrors the sardonic cover-stance of Batman and Robin from the Modern Age Batman and Robin #1. Suffice to say, this flashback image is a strong New 52 indicator of Dick “getting it together” as Batman and forging a strong partnership with Damian in the wake of Professor Pyg’s defeat.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #17. Now that he is getting is act together as the new Batman, Dick believes he has finally come into his perfect form. Despite feeling a bit uneasy wearing his mentor’s costume, Dick is ready to kick ass.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 3 #1, Batman and… #19, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0, and other issues that refer to Batman’s missing time or “death”—originally detailed in the “Batman R.I.P.—Heart of Hush” arc from Detective Comics #846-850. With Bruce gone, the Bat-Family forces a surgically-altered Hush, who looks exactly like Bruce, to play his part for appearances. Hush will play Bruce Wayne while under the close watch of the Bat-Family until the real Bruce returns. While there are no actual references to this in the New 52, this has to happen since Bruce Wayne’s absence will never be realized by the public-at-large.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #10—originally told in Azrael: Death’s Dark Knight #1-3. Batman (Dick Grayson) meets Michael Lane, who has been chosen by the Order of Purity to be their champion, Azrael. By donning the ancient Suit of Sorrows, Azrael is gifted with intense mystical power. Recently, Lane fought at the side of Simon Hurt against the Bat-Family, but now wants to make amends. Azrael, ever troubled due to a history of abuse at the hands of Hurt and the Black Glove, will fight on Gotham’s good side from here on out (mostly—he still thinks he is destined to be evil, but desperately wants to be a hero). The Order of Purity is a splinter faction of the Order of St. Dumas, a violent religious sect that has existed since Medieval Times that was once a part of the Knights Templar. Since those times, the Order has cultivated a long string of “avenging angels,” each called an Azrael. Lane is the newest in a long chain of Azraels. This concept is very similar to the methods of the Court of Owls, with its long chain of warrior Talons.

–FLASHBACK: From Grayson #20. Batman (Dick) soars through the night while on patrol.

–FLASHBACK: From Nightwing Vol. 3 #8. When someone named Rossini is supposedly killed with a “Bat weapon,” the media is whipped into a frenzy and chastises the Bat-Family for the high-profile murder. Batman (Dick Grayson) is blamed for the supposed Batarang murder of Rossini and plays damage control until he can convince the GCPD that he is innocent (as seen in Nightwing Vol. 3 #10). It is originally heavily implied that GCPD Detective Nie is responsible for framing Batman. However, Nie is simply a red herring.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Vol. 2 #9—originally told in the Modern Age’s “Life After Death” storyline from Batman #692-697. Dr. Jeremiah Arkham succumbs to the darkness that surrounds him at Arkham Asylum and adopts the criminal mantle of Roman Sionis, becoming for a short time the new Black Mask. Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin shut down his operations and are able to restore Jeremiah Arkham’s sanity and position at the prison. In the original “Life After Death” storyline, Jeremiah Arkham’s tenure as Black Mask proved to be devastating, a place from which the doctor could never return to sanity, and thus more permanent. Obviously, the framework of “Life After Death” happens in the New 52, but on a much smaller and less-lethal scale since Dr. Arkham is reinstated afterward.

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #12—originally told in Red Robin #4. Red Robin finds ancient cave paintings that are seemingly influenced by Batman, leading him to believe that Bruce is not actually dead, but merely lost in time. He tries to tell Batman (Dick Grayson), but Batman won’t hear of it. They briefly fight before Red Robin departs to continue searching for Bruce.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #13, and the questionably canonical 666 Future dream sequence from Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #5—originally told in Batman #700. Batman (Dick Grayson) tells Robin about the adventure he and Bruce shared with Carter Nichols a couple years ago while on their way to Nichols’ old lab to meet Commissioner Gordon. (In the Modern Age, Batman and Robin had a more intimate relationship with Professor Carter Nichols and went on a few time traveling adventures with him. However, in the New 52, it would appear that the Dynamic Duo only met him once two years ago.) At the old lab, the heroes examine the corpse of Nichols, a supposed suicide, although all the doors are locked from the inside and no weapon can be found. Also, curiously, Nichols appears to be nearly thirty years older. What’s going on here, you ask? Well, Nichols, distraught at his life of failure thanks to Simon Hurt, time-travels to just under thirty years into the future, kills his older self, and then sends the body back to now (2011) so that the authorities (and Hurt) will think he is dead and so that he can then go forward living a free life. Pretty cool. Later, Batman and Robin fight some Mutant Gang members, meet with Lone-Eye Lincoln, and retrieve Joker’s old joke book from a super-villain auction being held by Hatman.

–NOTE: In references in Batwoman Vol. 2 #0, Green Lantern Vol. 5 #7, Green Lanterns #16, and many other Green Lantern Vol. 5 issues. The “Blackest Night” event occurs, where many of the universe’s deceased temporarily rise up from the grave as evil zombies courtesy of Nekron, Black Hand, and the dark energy of the Black Power Battery. Evil Yellow Lanterns and Sinestro are involved as well. While the main action of “Blackest Night” doesn’t really involve any member of the Bat-Family, Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin do encounter some zombies in Gotham. “Blackest Night” is also important because it alerts Batman (Dick), Robin, Alfred, and all the other heroes to the fact that Bruce isn’t actually dead. The Black Power Battery summons “Bruce” out of his grave revealing that it was actually his mindless clone that they buried last year, not the real Bruce. Bruce’s clone-corpse, in specific relation to “Blackest Night,” is referenced in Green Lantern Vol. 5 #7 and Batwoman Vol. 2 #0. Again, Batman isn’t involved in the final combat, but the good guys win against evil thanks to a mega-team-up of all the multicolored Lantern armies of the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum: the Red Lantern Corps, Blue Lantern Corps, Indigo Tribe, Star Sapphires, Green Lantern Corps, and Larfleeze (the sole “Agent Orange,” who controls a few zombified Orange Lantern ring-constructs).

–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins Vol. 3 #8 Part 1—and referenced in Batman Vol. 2 #1, Batman Eternal #27, Red Hood & The Outlaws #1, the “Leviathan web display” in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #3, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #6, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #8, and Grayson #12. Originally told in Batman & Robin #4-6. Immediately following “Blackest Night,” before Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin can confirm 100% whether or not Bruce is actually dead, they are interrupted by a returning Red Hood (Jason Todd), who wears a new spandex-and-cape costume. Red Hood’s female sidekick Scarlet—permanently facially-scarred by a grotesque Dollotron mask melted onto her face by Professor Pyg—now debuts along Red Hood’s side as well. The anti-Dynamic Duo makes their presence felt by brutally murdering a room full of gangsters. Standing before Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin, Red Hood makes an impassioned speech about doing the job Bruce should have done years ago. Red Hood and Scarlet then fight the trio of heroes to a draw. Shortly thereafter, Red Hood and Scarlet upload a series of online videos promoting their brand of justice. The videos immediately go viral and the Bat-Family is disgusted. Not long after, Batman and Robin are in battle against Red Hood and Scarlet again. This second fight pitting Batman and Robin versus Red Hood and Scarlet is specifically referenced in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #6—Jason yells “Batman is dead!” during the fight. After a brief pause in the action, a third round begins and Red Hood gains the upper hand by knocking out the heroes, stripping them naked, and placing them in front of a live webcam designed to switch on if enough folks call a publicly advertised phone number. Of course, our heroes escape, but the fight against Red Hood and Scarlet ends in a stalemate yet again as Eduardo Flamingo—flamboyant face-eating assassin representing Simon Hurt’s Mexican El Penitente drug cartel—appears, forcing everyone to reluctantly team-up against the even greater threat. Scarlet winds up saving Robin’s life from a violent Flamingo assault. Batman and Robin defeat Flamingo, while Red Hood and Scarlet leave the scene. Before his defeat, Flamingo shoots Robin in the spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Damian is rushed by the League of Assassins to his mother’s care. At Talia’s tropical island HQ, Alfred watches as League surgeons utilize state-of-the-art sci-fi level technology to replace Damian’s spine with an insensible robotic replacement. Notably, Red Hood & The Outlaws #1 places this item mere months prior to its main action. But Red Hood & The Outlaws #1 doesn’t occur until early 2013, so that must be disregarded entirely.

–REFERENCE: In Batwoman Vol. 2 #0 and Grayson #12—originally told in the “Blackest Knight” arc from Batman & Robin #7-9. With Eduardo Flamingo defeated and Damian recovering from injuries, Batman (Dick Grayson) gets back to the important task of finding out the truth about Bruce’s death. Batman, Batwoman, Knight, and Squire take the dead clone of Bruce to a Lazarus Pit in England to confirm that it is indeed a fake Bruce. Sure enough, after being submerged into the Pit, the clone not only comes out alive, but as an evil Darkseid-engineered zombie-like monster hellbent on killing anyone who comes near him. The Batman clone goes to Gotham and attacks Damian and Alfred, almost killing both of them. Eventually, Batman, Robin, and Alfred defeat the Batman clone, which disintegrates. The real Bruce won’t return just yet, but now that they know he isn’t dead, the entire superhero community will begin working towards finding him and returning him home.

–NOTE: In references in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1 and several other various titles. Damian becomes publicly recognized as Bruce’s son. This originally happened in the “Revenge of the Red Hood” arc, but we know it also happens in the New 52 since Damian quickly becomes a well-known public figure in Gotham from this point forward.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #12. Batman (Dick Grayson) apprehends the debuting Tiger Shark.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #1. Batman (Dick Grayson) apprehends James Gordon Jr, serial killer and son of Commissioner Gordon. The appearance of James Junior here, even if he is in his late teens, means that, unlike in the Modern Age, Batman (Bruce Wayne) never interacted with James Junior when he was a baby. And while James Junior makes his ostensible first New 52 appearance as a prisoner of Arkham Asylum in Batman Vol. 2 #1, this is merely a pure reference and not an actual appearance since we learn (in Batgirl Vol. 4 #12) that James Junior escapes in the prison riot from this year’s Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1 and replaces himself with a lookalike (whom we actually see in Batman Vol. 2 #1).

–FLASHBACK: From Robin Rises: Omega #1. Also referenced in Grayson #12—originally told in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2-4. Flashback to the 1640s. Bruce, as “Mordecai Wayne,” has been living in Puritanical Gotham for over two months, having various interactions with Wayne ancestors and other townsfolk. Bruce has also recorded every detail of his experience into a handy journal. Hoping to send a clue as to his whereabouts into friends in the future, Bruce commissions a painting of himself (as “Mordecai”) with detailed instructions to his later relatives that will ensure eventual placement of the portrait into Wayne Manor. (This painting will indeed wind up in Wayne Manor for the Bat-Family to discover hundreds of years later.) Eventually, Bruce rides a solar eclipse that hurtles both he and the deadly Hyper-Adapter roughly 75 years into the future to 1718. Bruce, with his memory of the 1640s fading fast (luckily he has with him a detailed journal which he kept during his time as “Mordecai Wayne”), washes up on the shores of Gotham Bay where he is mistaken for a famed pirate. Thus, a pirate adventure ensues. (Vandal Savage featured heavily in the rest of the Modern Age version of The Return of Bruce Wayne, including this pirate adventure, but it is more than likely that he doesn’t factor into the New 52 version.) From 1718, another solar eclipse Omega-leaps Bruce to the late 19th century where he quickly settles-in and becomes a masked cowboy vigilante on horseback, starting an overnight full-scale war-on-crime against various outlaws. (While All Star Western #22-24 makes reference to Batman’s time jaunt, it implies that Batman never met Jonah Hex before, even though in the Modern Age he did meet him during the 1880s portion of the Omega trip. Like Vandal Savage, who was also featured big-time in the Modern Age version of The Return of Bruce Wayne, Hex cannot have been in the New 52 version.)

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #12—originally told in Red Robin #13. The Justice League confirms Red Robin’s suspicions that Bruce is lost in time and begins the daunting task of figuring out how to locate him. Batman (Dick Grayson) makes peace with Red Robin and goes on patrol with him. The next day, Tim visits Dick, Damian, and Alfred at the Wayne Tower penthouse for breakfast.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #7, Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #15, and Grayson #12—originally told in Batman & Robin #10-12. Dick is wowed when Damian, even though he is just a young boy, meets with the Wayne Enterprises board of directors and uses his genius-level wit to straighten out WayneTech finances. Damian is also able to link a Wayne Enterprises high-level executive named Treadwell to an embezzling scheme, but is unable to expose him completely. (Treadwell’s debut was also originally in Batman & Robin #10, but made canon in the New 52 via a reference in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #0.) Later, Batman, Robin, and Alfred visit Wayne Manor to look for anything that might possibly help the Justice League bring Bruce back home from his time displacement. While they scour the mansion, Robin laments the fact that if his dad comes back, Dick will have to return to his old Nightwing role and he might not be able to the Boy Wonder anymore. Batman, Robin, and Alfred find a huge clue in Wayne Manor in the form of a painting of Mordecai Wayne, a man that never seemed to fit into the Wayne genealogy very well and whose portrait was discovered quite a curious while after it was painted. (SPOILER: This is because Mordecai is the time-displaced Bruce.) Meanwhile, Simon Hurt returns to Gotham with an army of assassins called The 99 Fiends. Hurt’s ultimate goal is to kill Batman, Robin, and Joker and take total control of Gotham. A small first wave of the 99 Fiends assaults Wayne Manor, but Batman and Robin fend them off. Talia al Ghul remotely activates a switch within Robin’s artificial spine, which gives her control of her son’s body. From Talia’s tropical island headquarters, a hired Deathstroke uses Robin like a puppet to violently spar against Batman. The Dark Knight electric shocks Robin to sever the connection. Batman and Robin immediately pay Talia al Ghul a visit at her tropical headquarters. Damian chats with his mom, but the conversation is not a good one. Talia permanently casts Damian out of the al Ghul family and shows him a fetus in an artificial womb, an exact clone of Damian that will soon be born as Damian’s “replacement” in the family. This evil version of Damian will be known as The Heretic.

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<<< Year Three <<< | >>> Year Five >>>

1. ^[1]COLLIN COLSHER: Like everything in the New 52, the Thögal ritual is tremendously truncated in comparison to its Modern Age design. Instead of a year, it can be only weeks long. (By its very ritualistic nature, Thögal must be an extended engagement, so it has to at least be weeks long.) Much of the monthly specificity this part of our chronology, including the dates for Thögal, have to do with Damian’s birthday being in March. Thögal must go shortly before Damian gets dropped into Batman’s lap for the first time, which is said to happen on the boy’s biological birthday this year.↩
2. ^[2]COLLIN COLSHER: The apocalyptic vision shown in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #5 reflects the possible vile future detailed in Batman #666 and Batman #700). Here is what Batman sees in more detail. Batman (actually Dick, not Bruce) is killed in action when Damian is a teen, prompting him to be manipulated by Talia into making a deal with the devil (aka Simon Hurt). This “deal” eventually comes back to haunt Damian, who not only takes up the mantle of the Bat, but is also partly responsible for the death of Commissioner Gordon. Tragedy also (re)strikes Barbara Gordon, who loses the use of her legs once again, but becomes the new commissioner. With most of the planet in chaos, Batman and Commissioner Babs fight off the entire populace of a government-quarantined Gotham, which has been Jokerized. Per Talia’s orders, Hurt (who has ascended to the highest levels of American government) authorizes a US Government nuclear strike on Gotham, killing literally everyone and wiping the city clean off the face of the planet.

   Eventually, Batman will seemingly prevent the future of Batman #666/Batman #700/Batman Inc Vol. 2 #5 from happening, but at the cost of his son’s life. However, Damian will get resurrected, meaning that there is credence to the idea that the 666 Future could still happen on our primary timeline. It is a distinct possibility that is not to be ignored.↩

3. ^[3]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #0 shows the history of Damian, but, as stated before, it is pretty vague. Not only that, but the issue supposedly shows Damian’s TENTH b-day. Damian appearing on his tenth b-day jibes with the Modern Age version of things, but NOT the New 52. Damian would only be turning eight here, so the mention of age ten is an out-and-out error. Rebirth has Damian turning thirteen in Year Nine, hence his turning eight here. Every birthday, Damian fought his mom in combat in an attempt to earn the right to meet his dad, as seen via montage. (He finally wins and meets his dad on his retconned eighth birthday.) Thus, the Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #0 montage of Damian’s b-days—featuring six b-days including the one where he bests Talia in 2011—then we must assume Talia and Damian have celebrated a couple biological birthdays each year for everything to work correctly.↩
4. ^[4]COLLIN COLSHER: Here are the troublesome notes regarding placement of the “Return of Jason Todd Saga,” which is very loosely based off of the Modern Age’s “Under the Hood” arc, Red Hood: The Lost Days #1-6, and Batman Annual #25. Things are slipshod to begin with, but things are even more confusing thanks to writer James Tynion IV contradicting writer Scott Lobdell. What do I mean? First, here’s undeniable fact number one: Red Hood & The Outlaws #1-2 (written by Lobdell) tells us that, when Jason gets resurrected as a mindless zombie, his Lazarus bath quickly follows, which is in turn immediately followed by the start of his All-Caste/League of Assassins trainings. We can take this sequencing and first fact as gospel. Here’s where things go south. “Fact” number two: Red Hood & The Outlaws #1-2 tells us that Jason was resurrected and started his training “a year-and-a-half ago.” Since RH&TO #2‘s in-story narrative occurs in early 2013, that makes “a year-and-a-half-ago” some point in mid 2011 (roughly). That can’t be true since we are currently in 2011. But it doesn’t stop there. Here is incompatible “fact” number three: Red Hood & The Outlaws #26 (written by Tynion) tells us that Jason’s resurrection and start of his training happened “one year ago.” Since RH&TO #26‘s in-story narrative occurs in 2013, that means “one year ago” is 2012. Hmmm. When does Jason get resurrected and begin his training? Both Lobdell and Tynion detail Jason’s trainings yet both fail to properly account for the time needed to fit in said trainings. Also, Jason’s return as Red Hood is clearly meant to go alongside pre-Flashpoint stories (and prior to Dick becoming Batman), not way after. (Although, Jason’s return still appears later on the New 52 timeline in comparison to where it occurs on the Modern Age timeline.) In this rare case, we have to ignore both Lobdell and Tynion’s fuzzy math—placing Jason’s resurrection in 2010. After running through all that gobbledy-gook, here’s what things look like for Jason. He gets resurrected and Lazarus bathed somewhere around April 2010 (just after Tim debuts as Robin). Following eight months of All-Caste training with Ducra, Jason then trains for eight more months the League of Assassins (six weeks specifically with Lady Shiva) before debuting right now on our timeline. (Red Hood & The Outlaws #4 says that Jason trained with the All-Caste for a year. However, Red Hood & The Outlaws #26 confirms that he splits time with the All-Caste and the League of Assassins, so it makes more sense to split it right down the middle, giving equal time to both.) As learned in Red Hood & The Outlaws #20, among the other students training with the League of Assassins alongside Jason were Bronze Tiger (Ben Turner) and Cheshire (Jade Nguyen). We must also assume, as was the case in the Modern Age, that the Bat-Family, in early 2010, was kept in the dark about Jason’s resurrection by a meddling Talia. Also, in the Modern Age, Jason was originally initially revived as a mindless zombie due to a reality-altering punch delivered directly to the walls of the multiverse by Superboy-Prime. This reality-punch has been rendered non-canon in the New 52, but—unfortunately—we still haven’t been told exactly how Jason was able to come back to life. (Talia didn’t resurrect Jason—she merely covered up his resurrection and gave him back his mind.)↩
5. ^[5]COLLIN COLSHER: No one else writes comic book narrative the way Grant Morrison does—and I mean this in a completely laudatory way. To be fair, Scholly Fisch got in on the scripting for this particular bit as well, so kudos to him as well. The flash-forward Action Comics #14 issue features a battle on an under-construction Mars settlement. In issue #15 we learn that the Mars mission is launched roughly two years after the main action of Morrison’s Action run (which primarily occurred in 2008). If we assume that it takes seven to nine months to travel to Mars and then a few more months to begin colonization and construction then we can guess that this flash-forward occurs three years after the main action of Morrison’s Action run. Hence, the placement of the second feature (which takes place a week later) here and now. Also, it makes a whole lot of sense to put the second feature here because it tells us Superman is twenty-seven-years-old, and that age seems appropriate for Superman in 2011.↩
6. ^[6]COLLIN COLSHER: In Justice League Vol. 2 #8 Part 1, which takes place in early 2013, Cyborg states that the JL has boom jumped 1,056 times since their last trip to Apokolips, meaning 1,056 times between 2011 and early 2013. (The JL has their second accidental trip to Apokolips in 2012). If one assumes that the JL jumps at least twice per mission (once to get where they are going and once to return) then that means the team, from 2008 through 2013 will have boomed at most 3,000 times; meaning the highball estimate for number of total JL missions during that range could be around 1,500. Of course, that seems extremely high—the JL probably will boom on average much more than twice on a single mission, maybe as high as ten, fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five times (if not more) depending on the case. Also, we should bear in mind that the booms might not always be full-team teleportation, and could very well be individual jumps, which could include a number of different people. So one could conceivably divide any number of total missions (from within the range of 2008 through 2013) by at least seven to achieve a more reasonable and realistic number. Thus, instead of 1,500 missions, the total number of JL cases during that four year time range could be as low as 200, 150, or even under 100. But my point is, the JL will absolutely go on way more missions than I will catalog on this timeline. We just have to imagine that these various assignments will be sprinkled throughout the chronology in the future.↩
7. ^[7]COLLIN COLSHER: Since only tiny fragments of Final Crisis occur in the New 52, the Omega Sanction goes down a little differently than it did in the Modern Age. Originally, Batman and Darkseid came face-to-face, during which Darkseid zapped Batman and Batman shot Darkseid. This, however, does not happen in the New 52. What does happen, as specifically implied via flashback from Robin Rises: Omega #1, is that Darkseid zaps Batman from a hidden unseen location. (The flashback that shows Batman getting zapped by Omega Beams very deliberately omits/crops-off the image of Darkseid.) We know Darkseid has to zap Batman from a hidden position because in the main action of Robin Rises: Omega #1, which occurs in 2014, Batman states that he has only met Darkseid face-to-face once before, during the tyrant’s initial invasion of Earth from Justice League Vol. 2 #1.↩