Modern YEAR TEN

1998

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–REFERENCE: In Wonder Woman Vol. 3 #2—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #170.^[1] US secret-agent-in-training cum master of disguise cum genius inventor Tom Tresser aka Nemesis is sent to Gotham to take on the criminal organization known as the Council. Previously, Tom’s secret agent brother, Craig Tresser, had gone undercover and infiltrated the Council, only to get brainwashed into a mindless killing machine, which resulted in his own death. In Gotham, Nemesis teams with Batman to bring justice to his brother’s killer. As mentioned before, the Council that appears in this item feels like a different beast than the Council Batman has dealt with before. However, it is definitely the same Council.

–REFERENCE: In Superman: The Man of Steel #100, Supergirl Vol. 5 #6-8, Superman #670, JLA #58, and Action Comics #825. Superman tells Batman about one of the great treasures in his Fortress of Solitude—the bottle city of Kandor, home to thousands of displaced (and ostensibly shrunken) Kryptonians that survived the destruction of Krypton. The true origins of the bottle city are unknown to Superman, but he reveals all that he knows. First of all, the bottle city doesn’t actually contain teeny tiny Kryptonians that have been shrunken into a bottle. The bottle is merely a cosmic gateway to Kandor, which resides somewhere within the Phantom Zone. Secondly, Kandor isn’t actually the original Kandor. It’s merely named after Kandor, a city that was long ago stolen by Brainiac and hasn’t been seen nor heard from since. Therefore, the bottle city of Kandor is technically a portal to Kandor II. Speaking of the Phantom Zone, Superman tells Batman all about that too. On the planet Krypton (before its destruction), there were no prisons. Instead, Kryptonian criminals were sent to an alternate limbo dimension known as the Phantom Zone, which exists outside of time and space. Superman has limited knowledge of the Phantom Zone, but he does possess the necessary Phantom Zone Projector needed to send villains there if need be. Unknown to Superman and Batman, the Phantom Zone is one and the same as Limbo, the Ghost Zone, and Purgatory (yes, the netherealm connected to Hell). This differs from the Silver/Bronze Age where the Phantom Zone and Limbo were different places.

–REFERENCE: In Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #2—originally told in World’s Finest Comics #266. Diana’s friend astronaut Stacy Macklin is exposed to radiation that turns her into the super-villain known as Lady Lunar. Batman and Superman mistakenly believe that STAR Labs’ Dr. Jenet Klyburn is Lady Lunar for a time, but they ultimately realize that Stacy is the villain. The heroes then defeat Lady Lunar. Stacy will go back-and-forth between being good and evil over the course of the next couple years. Sadly, she will eventually become a permanent resident of Arkham Asylum.

–REFERENCE: In DC Retroactive: Batman – The 70s #1—originally told in Batman #332-335 (“The Lazarus Affair”). This item continues the “Saga of Ra’s al Ghul” and follows-up on “Terror Times Three” from DC Retroactive: Batman – The 70s #1. Talia briefly moves into Bruce’s penthouse. Batman and Talia al Ghul then confront the crooked Gregorian Falstaff, learning that he works for a higher mystery power. During the confrontation, Talia kills Falstaff. Batman and Talia then globe-trot in an attempt to find out who Falstaff was working for, following the deceased tycoon’s criminal trail to Switzerland, Nepal, and China. In Hong Kong, Batman is captured by mysterious forces, prompting Robin to recruit Catwoman to help go after him. After a successful rescue, involving King Faraday’s assistance, the heroes travel to the mysterious Infinity Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. After the heroes battle against various warriors, they watch as Ra’s al Ghul emerges from the shadows. Talia joins her father, who reveals that he is not only behind their trials in Hong Kong and on Infinity Island, but also behind the troubles with Falstaff back in Gotham. Eventually, Batman and Ra’s al Ghul square-off one-on-one with Batman gaining victory once again. Batman and Talia then part ways.^[2]

–FLASHBACK: From JLA Incarnations #5 Part 2. The JLA hangs out and then mobilizes for unspecified action. Note that Green Arrow is pictured without his goatee, but he obviously should have it by this point.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Annual #3—originally told in Justice League of America #192-193. TO Morrow, unable to recreate any more working androids, kidnaps his one success (Red Tornado) in order to study him. While Morrow runs tests, Red Tornado erupts with energy and vanishes, leaving in his place the powerful Air/Wind Elemental Ulthoon (aka Tornado Champion aka Tornado Tyrant). While the JLA deals with Morrow and the raging Ulthoon, part of the latter’s being splits-off and communicates with Firestorm, revealing to him the true Elemental nature of Red Tornado. Firestorm uses his powers to bind the Elemental back within Red Tornado, ending the chaos.

–REFERENCE: In Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3 #32—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #179. Batman teams-up with the time-traveling 30th century Legion of Super-Heroes (Element Lad, Colossal Boy, Cosmic Boy, Princess Projectra, Sun Boy, Chameleon Boy, Shadow Lass, Duo Damsel, Shrinking Violet, and Rond Vidar) to best their rival Universo (Rond Vidar’s father). Note that, in the original Bronze Age version of this item, Batman time-traveled to the 30th century and became aware of a distant future relative. Batman going to the future and learning of future relatives cannot be canon on our Modern Age timeline, so we have to assume the Legion comes to present day for this one.

–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins Vol. 2 #23—originally told in Justice League of America #195-197. The JLA faces-off against the Secret Society of Super-Villains—which includes the Wizard, Gorilla Grodd, Floronic Man, Blockbuster, Star-Sapphire (Debbie Camille Darnell aka Remoni-Notra), Reverse-Flash (aka Professor Zoom aka Eobard Thawne), Pyscho-Pirate, Mist, and Rag Doll. The JLA defeats the villain team in a quick succession of battles that take place on Earth, on remote galactic locations, and in alternate dimensions.

–“Siege” by Archie Goodwin/James Robinson/Marshall Rogers (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #132-136) August to December 2000
I love stories from the “penthouse era,” and this is a good one. Bruce has been in living in the Wayne Enterprises Tower aka Wayne Foundation Building for well over a year now (about fourteen months), and for anyone interested, writer Archie Goodwin gives us some really profound aperçus into Bruce’s psychology behind wanting to leave Wayne Manor in the first place. We also see some wonderful flashbacks to Gotham in the 1920s with Bruce’s grandfather (on his dad’s side), Jack Wayne, and his ousted young rival, the future mercenary Colonel Brass. Bruce’s grandfather is named Patrick, which means that he merely goes by “Jack,” a very common nickname. In “Siege,” we also witness the return of Silver St. Cloud as the famous publicist comes back to Gotham to organize a gun convention for the aforementioned Brass. However, it turns out Brass is using the gun convention as a front to start an all out war on Gotham. This war, stirred up between two rival mobs that Batman is in the middle of investigating, functions as a distraction so Brass can achieve his real goal: destruction of Wayne Manor as revenge against the Wayne Family. Of course, Batman stops the seventy-five-year-old villain and his militia, but not before the love of his life, Silver St. Cloud, leaves yet again. At the conclusion of “Siege,” Bruce decides it’s time to move back into Wayne Manor and does so. There is also a notable flashback sequence in “Siege” to the infamous masquerade scene where Thomas Wayne wore the original Bat-costume, which occurred before Bruce was born.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Deadman: Death and Glory. This 1996 James Robinson/John Estes story isn’t numbered because it cannot be completely taken at face value. In other words, it has been heavily retconned (or it should be). In this tale, Batman gets possessed by an evil spirit known as The Clown. While under possession of this vile apparition, Batman murders a room full of innocent people. Let me repeat this. Batman stabs to death dozens of people. Eventually, after meeting with Felix Faust and performing an occult ritual atop the giant Batcave penny (!), Batman clears his name and exorcises the Clown with some help from Deadman and an HIV-positive man named Albert Yeats. While the events that occur in this story are canon, Batman’s mass murders definitely are not. If Batman killed even one person, let alone dozens, even if he was possessed, it would have had way more significance and impact on his life and upon future story-arcs. This horrible act is never mentioned again and that is simply unbelievable/unacceptable. It is made crystal clear in the narrative that writer James Robinson believes that a supernaturally possessed person cannot be culpable of criminality. I’m not going to start a debate about that here, but I don’t agree. At the very least, this would shake Batman and the entire superhero community to its core—and it just doesn’t. Therefore, either we disregard this entire tale as an Elseworlds thing, or we can read Death and Glory as if Batman simply attacks some people while possessed instead of horribly butchering them. Up to you.

–REFERENCE: In Hawkgirl #59. The Mole gets out of prison. Batman finally learns his real name and becomes friends with him, likely bonding over his knowledge of arcane weaponry. In addition to introducing him to Catwoman and Batgirl, Batman decides to help the Mole with his parole and rehabilitation, setting him up with ownership of a rare book shop in Gotham. Batman will be friends with the Mole for decades to come, although we will have to imagine them hanging out on our timeline sporadically as these occurrences won’t actually be listed ahead.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Shadow of the Bat #15—originally told in Detective Comics #511. Batman captures the debuting super-villain known as Mirage (Kerry Austin).

–REFERENCE: In The Batman Files—originally told in World’s Finest Comics #276. The Caped Crusader has a few back-to-back encounters with the returning Dr. Double X, including a showdown that pits Batman and Superman versus Dr. Ecks and his powerful symbiotic doppelgänger.

–REFERENCE: In JSA #28—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #186. Batman and Hawkman team-up to defeat Fadeaway Man.

–REFERENCE: In Trinity #12—originally told in World’s Finest Comics #285-286. Batman and Superman defeat the team-up of Dr. Zodiac and Madame Zodiac.

–REFERENCE: In Wonder Woman Vol. 3 #2—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #193. Batman teams with Nemesis (Tom Tresser) for the second time to take on a bunch of international terrorists, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and some high ranking members of the Council. In a climactic battle, the leader of the Council is killed (seemingly ending the Council’s reign of terror). After a helicopter crash during the fight, Nemesis goes missing and is presumed dead. In actuality, the Council continues its secret dealings. Nemesis will turn up worse-for-wear but alive in a Russian prison next year.

–REFERENCE: In JLA #34—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #194. Batman teams with Flash to take on Rainbow Raider and Dr. Double X.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League #4—originally told in Justice League of America #203-205. The JLA defeats Hector Hammond and the new Royal Flush Gang—King of Spades (Joseph Carny), Queen of Spades (Mona Taylor), Jack of Spades, Ten of Spades (Wanda Wayland), and the powerful android Ace of Spades.

–REFERENCE: In Outsiders #25—originally told in World’s Finest Comics #279-281. The JLA defeats one-shot villain Captain Cutlass, General Scarr, and the debuting Major Disaster.

–FLASHBACK: From the second feature to Detective Comics #809—and referenced in 52 #25, Batman #416, Batman #703, and The Batman Files. Originally told in Detective Comics #523-526 and Batman #357-359. Batman busts Tony Falco, the most prominent and famous Gotham mobster since Rupert Thorne. Looking to fill the vacant top dog spot (vacant since last year), a new gangster called The Squid (Lawrence Loman aka Clement Carp), takes over Falco’s leftovers. Batman goes toe-to-toe with the Squid and his goons, nearly getting killed in the process. But as soon as the Squid reigns supreme, the vicious half-man/half-crocodile known as Killer Croc (Waylon Jones) debuts with his own mob that includes henchmen Solomon Grundy, Robbie “Checkers” Harrigan, Doc Heller, and Slick. Killer Croc seemingly murders the Squid and becomes new king of Gotham. (Squid is indeed taken down-and-out, but he miraculously survives.) Soon after, Killer Croc teams with Joker to assemble a gang of super-villains, including the Getaway Genius, Captain Stingaree, Catman, Mr. Freeze, Gentleman Ghost, Tweedledee, and Tweedledum. The villains eventually squabble, thus tearing apart their short-lived union. Batman, Robin, Catwoman, and Talia al Ghul easily capture several of the bad guys, who have already been beaten-up by Killer Croc. (Notably, as referenced in Batman #703, Batman has an auto-drone shoot photos of the heroes working this case, keeping the images for his Bat-computer crime-files.) Batman and Robin then bust Killer Croc, shutting down his operations completely. (Note that, besides the sources attached to this item, there are a couple other Modern Age flashbacks that detail the origin of Killer Croc, but they are non-canon. Since there isn’t an official specific Killer Croc origin story in the Modern Age, the flashback from the second feature to Detective Comics #809 and the references from 52 #25, Batman #703, and The Batman Files serve in that capacity, fleshing-out the altered Bronze Age narrative listed above. (Notably, Batman is wearing the wrong costume in Detective Comics #809.) The original Bronze Age Killer Croc origin story was linked to Jason Todd’s debut as Robin, but this is not the case in the Modern Age. Although, a rookie Croc does feature in the upcoming Jason-as-Robin/Nightwing debut arc from Nightwing Vol. 2 #104-106. More on that when we get to it.) Following this item, as referenced in Batman #657, Batman keeps Mr. Freeze’s helmet and freeze-tank as trophies for the Batcave.

–REFERENCE: In JLA #18—originally told in DC Comics Presents #50. Batman and Superman team-up to defeat Atomic Skull.

–REFERENCE: In DCU Halloween Special 2010 #1 Part 2—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #195-196. Batman team-ups with benevolent vampire Andrew Bennett (from I…Vampire!) to battle the evil coven of nosferatu known as The Cult of the Blood Red Moon, which is led by vampire Mary Seward (aka The Queen of Blood).

–REFERENCE: In Superman/Batman #57-59—originally told in Justice League of America #213-216. When the Atom suffers a nervous breakdown pertaining to a marital spat with his wife Jean Loring, he retreats into the subatomic nano-world of the microcosmos. The JLA shrinks down and travels there to help their friend. Jean and Ray will soon divorce, but they will remain on amicable and even sometimes romantic terms.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #598. Bruce becomes a major financial backer of Mr. McAteer‘s Family Finders Incorporated, a detective agency that specializes in locating lost/missing friends and family. While not listed on our chronology, Bruce will aid and assist Family Finders many times over the course of the next two years or so.

–REFERENCE: In the B&W second feature to Batman: Gotham Knights #42. Having had more up-close engagement with Gotham’s skyline, rooftops, and Gothic architecture than just about anyone else over the past decade, Batman has, by this point, become quite familiar with the city’s many skyscraper gargoyles. The Caped Crusader constructs a secret locked compartment in one of the gargoyle statues, which can be used for storage while he is out on patrol. In a curious bit of sentimentality, Batman also keeps some of his father’s old wardrobe in this new gargoyle lockbox.

–REFERENCE: In The New Titans #65. Bruce and Dick attend a charity event held by wealthy entrepreneur Walter Lanier.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #781. Joker, Riddler, Killer Moth, Penguin, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter hire actor Paul Sloan to play a pivotal role in a scheme that will supposedly result in Batman’s ultimate demise. Two-Face wants nothing to do with the other rogues, so they hire Sloan to become a fake Two-Face, a role which Sloan takes way too seriously. Batman soon runs into the fake Two-Face, but he doesn’t realize the latter isn’t the real deal, despite some uncharacteristic hesitation on the part of the usually sure-footed villain. Sloan makes a clean getaway after shooting a security guard. After finding out about the existence of the fake Two-Face, the real Two-Face gets a bit angry, kidnaps Sloan, mutilates him, and leaves him for dead. Scarecrow then saves Sloan’s life, only to torture and experiment on him for weeks. Batman won’t even find out about the existence of Sloan for another eight years.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman & Superman: World’s Finest #6. Late March. This issue, the entirety of which is a flashback, states that it is “five years” prior to B&S:WF #10 Part 1, which takes place in Year 15. This is right on the money. Here’s the synopsis. Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite appear in Metropolis, much to the chagrin of a recently-released-from-Arkham Bob Overdog, who witnesses their meeting and freaks-out. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite challenge each other to prove who is better, Superman or Batman. And just like that, the games begin. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite ambush Bruce and Clark, who are meeting to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Harrison Grey. The 5th Dimensional imps force Batman, Superman, and Robin in a series of magickally-created ordeals. (Dick is shown getting zapped away from his Hudson University dorm, and he mentions being a student there, but these are huge continuity errors. Dick has already dropped out of college, having done so last year.) For their first magickal ordeal, our heroes race to save Lois Lane atop a skyscraper. Then, they are forced to escape a deadly fun house. Then, Batman, Robin, and Lois are granted superhuman powers. Eventually, Mxyzptlk banishes Bat-Mite back to the 5th Dimension and accidentally says his own name, banishing himself as well. The status quo is restored and only Batman, Superman, and Robin (and Bob Overdog) retain memory of what has occurred. Afterward, Bruce, despite having met Bat-Mite before, discusses the idea that Bat-Mite might merely be a come-to-life extension of Mxyzptlk’s own mind. Clark isn’t too sure about that. I agree with Clark. In my personal opinion, Bat-Mite is and always was his own man—er… imp, rather.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #682. Batman does extensive research into Joker’s psyche. Meanwhile, Dick shows off his new “Nightwing” costume to Batman. Dick won’t officially become Nightwing yet. In fact, Dick has merely designed a new costume and doesn’t even have a name for his new persona.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Gotham Knights #46. The Spook makes his return and lures Batman and Robin to Gotham Prison where he tries to kill the Caped Crusader as a live entertainment for the convicts. The Dynamic Duo easily defeat him. The Spook will spend four years in Arkham Asylum before he is transferred to Blackgate Penitentiary.

–REFERENCE: In Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special Part 2 and The Batman Files—originally told in Detective Comics #529-530 and Batman #363. Bruce meets gorgeous pale-skinned astronomer Natasha Knight (aka Natalia Knight) at a Wayne Manor gala. He instantly falls for her charm and beauty, but soon discovers that she is the thieving super-villain known as Nocturna. Batman chases after Nocturna and her partner, her adoptive brother Anton Knight aka Thief of Night aka The Night-Thief. The villains escape in Nocturna’s signature hot air balloon, but not before she leaves a poetic note and check for $100,000 (stolen money, of course) for the Wayne Foundation to fund an observatory. Batman keeps both of these items. Eventually, Batman busts both Nocturna and the Night-Thief, although the former is released due to lack of evidence.

–REFERENCE: In JLA Incarnations #4 Part 1 and Secret Origins Vol. 2 #50. A series of unfortunate events strike the JLA. Black Canary grieves over the recent loss of her mom Dinah Drake Lance (the original Black Canary), who has died of cancer due to radiation poisoning from having been exposed to Aquarius two years ago. Barry Allen’s fiancée Fiona Webb has just left him and he is on trial for the murder of Reverse-Flash (Professor Zoom aka Eobard Thawne).^[3] Hal Jordan can no longer be relied upon due to his commitment to the Green Lantern Corps. Batman has simply become angry (well, angrier) at the world. Aquaman’s one-year-old baby (Arthur Curry Jr) was recently killed by Black Manta, sending the King of Atlantis into a tailspin of permanent grief and rage.^[4] And don’t forget, the Atom recently suffered a nervous breakdown due to his marriage problems, which are still not full resolved. All of this collective baggage comes out as vitriol and combativeness during regularly scheduled JLA meetings–meetings which Superman and Wonder Woman have stopped attending.

–REFERENCE: In Secret Origins Vol. 2 #6 Part 2. Lucius Fox visits the tiny Eastern European country of Markovia. During his visit, civil war breaks out, pitting the ruling royalty (led by Prince Brion Markov) versus wannabe dictator Baron Bedlam. Bedlam’s army commits mass genocide overnight. Fearing for his friend’s safety (and sickened by the injustice of war), Batman proposes intervening in the conflict. However, the JLA votes not to interfere both due to the messy political nature of the situation and to the fact that the US government has expressly forbidden them from taking action. Batman is furious.

–“Balance” by John Ostrander/Val Semeiks (JLA Incarnations #4 Part 1) October 2001
The JLA satellite detects alien entry into Earth’s atmosphere, but the JLAers are all too distracted by their own problems to properly investigate. This allows a legit alien invasion force known as The Debris, led by the intergalactic warlord Koll, to park unnoticed just outside the planetary orbit. Meanwhile, the JLA meets for their regularly scheduled gathering, but the usual bickering occurs. Batman quits the team in dramatic fashion! While the rest of the superhero community fights Koll’s invasion force, which completely demolishes the JLA Satellite, Batman turns his attention to the still-ongoing Markovian Civil War. (Note that “Balance” is a retcon of the Bronze Age tale known as “The War of the Worlds” aka “The Earth-Mars War.” The bullet points are pretty similar, but due to J’onn and Mars having totally different histories in the Modern Age, the story was altered by John Ostrander to basically become “The Earth-Debris War.”) As referenced in JLA Secret Files and Origins #2 Part 2, this episode gets recorded into the official JLA case-files under the title of “The War of the Worlds.”

–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins Vol. 2 #6 Part 2—and referenced in The Outsiders #1 and Batman and The Outsiders Vol. 2 #40 (Outsiders Vol. 4 #40). Originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #1-2. Batman, having literally just quit the JLA, teams-up with a disguised Black Lightning and, international-incident-be-damned, they crash into Markovia in an attempt to take out Baron Bedlam. This proves to be difficult. Thankfully, there are a bunch of other superheroes already involved in the Markovian conflict. Batman and Black Lightning join forces with Metamorpho, the amnesiac Halo, Katana (Tatsu Yamashiro), and Prince Brion Markov, who has just been turned into the superhero Geo-Force by Dr. Helga Jace. (Katana wields the famous Soultaker blade, in which resides the soul of Katana’s dead husband Maseo Yamashiro.) After these heroes defeat Baron Bedlam, the Dark Knight officially forms the group into his own anti-JLA vigilante team: The Outsiders. With Batman as leader, the Outsiders are the newest, toughest crime-fighters in the world. The team makes a public debut, getting photographed by a reporter.^[5]

–REFERENCE: In Batman and The Outsiders #28, Secret Origins Vol. 2 #6 Part 2, and The Batman Files. Bruce decides to help out his teenage Outsider protégés. He obtains a new legal identity for Halo: “Gabrielle Doe.” Despite disapproval of Katana’s history as a hired killer, Bruce also decides to go all-in and support her. Thus, he provides both young ladies with free room and board in the luxurious vacant Wayne Tower penthouse. Halo and Katana immediately form a big sis/little sis relationship, which is also a bit of an odd-couple situation since Katana is dark and brooding whereas Halo is a more innocent and naively optimistic. Despite only being a few years older than Gaby, Tatsu is officially made Gaby’s legal guardian. These two will live in Wayne Tower for the next year or so. Bruce also begins investigating Halo’s past in an effort to help her recall her origins. Meanwhile, the Outsiders move their operating HQ into the Bat-Bunker of Wayne Tower. Note that, according to a reference in The Batman Files, Batman will sometimes argue with Katana over her use of lethal force (although we won’t see these clashes on our timeline below). Since I’m fairly certain this is an original reference by author Matthew Manning, I’m not sure if this means use of lethal force while in current action, attempted use of lethal force while in current action, or previous history as a killer. Could be all three.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Shadow of the Bat #47—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #3. Batman and the Outsiders battle Agent Orange.

–REFERENCE: In the conclusion to JLA Incarnations #4. While the Outsiders are here to stay as a tight unit that is firing on all pistons thanks to Batman’s leadership, the same can’t be said for the JLA. Batman’s resignation now has devastating repercussions for the League. Despite having banded together (without Batman) to successfully defeat Koll and his alien hordes weeks ago during the “Earth-Debris War,” the JLA is in shambles. Aquaman voices his disgust with the League and orchestrates the immediate dismantling of the team. In quick succession, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Flash all wind up leaving the JLA. Without this core of key players centering the lineup, the JLA officially disbands. Aquaman immediately announces that he will re-found a new JLA with allies he can actually rely on. A day later, Aquaman delivers on his promise. The new JLA is stuck with a weakened lineup featuring Vibe, Vixen, Elongated Man, Gypsy, Steel (Hank Heywood III), and Firestorm, with the “Big Three” senior members replaced by Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, and Zatanna. Not exactly DC’s Trinity, eh? Just to further prove how weakened the JLA is at this point, they set up a new headquarters in Detroit. (The satellite was completely destroyed by Koll.) Moving forward, Batman will follow JLA news closely, curious about this new version of the team. NOTE: The formation of the new Detroit-based JLA, according to JLA Incarnations #5, takes place mere “weeks” before The Crisis on Infinite Earths, but that’s ludicrous. While we must ignore the “weeks” line, this gives us insight into the mindset of writer John Ostrander prior to Infinite Crisis, during a period when DC editors imagined a timeline where all of the Outsiders and Detroit-based JLA’s adventures were hyper-compressed into a single month leading up to the Crisis.

–REFERENCE: In Batman and The Outsiders Vol. 2 #40 (Outsiders Vol. 4 #40) and Teen Titans Vol. 2 #15—originally told in New Teen Titans #37 and Batman and The Outsiders #5. The Outsiders and New Teen Titans—with newest member Terra (Geo-Force’s half-sister Tara Markov)—defeat the Fearsome Five (Dr. Light, Gizmo, Psimon, Mammoth, and Shimmer).

–REFERENCE: In Action Comics #631, Batman and The Outsiders Annual #2, The Outsiders #17-20, and Batman and The Outsiders Vol. 2 #40 (Outsiders Vol. 4 #40)—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #8-10. Batman and the Outsiders battle and defeat the evil wizard Tannarak. They then battle and defeat the debuting Masters of Disaster (New Wave, Windfall, Coldsnap, Heatstroke, and Shakedown).

–REFERENCE: In Batman and The Outsiders #28—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #11-13 (“THE TRUTH ABOUT KATANA”). Tatsu buys a pet kitten named Tiger for Gaby. The Outsiders come up against Gotham gangster Morgan Jones, defeating his top man Mayme.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #703. Batman allows the Getaway Genius (Roy Reynolds) to escape, which confuses and enrages Robin. The Dark Knight then explains that the Getaway Genius has only been stealing chemotherapy drugs lately. The super-villain has been diagnosed with cancer and wishes only to prolong his life so he can be with his young daughter Olivia Reynolds. Having learned this depressing secret, the Boy Wonder acquiesces. Batman pays for all the stolen medicines. Not long afterward, Bruce sets up a health insurance plan for the Getaway Genius, who retires from crime.

–FLASHBACK: From DC Universe Legacies #5—and referenced in Batman and The Outsiders Vol. 2 #40 (Outsiders Vol. 4 #40). Originally told in Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1. Batman and the Outsiders engage in a very public battle against the debuting government-sanctioned asshole superhero team known as The Force of July (Major Victory, Lady Liberty, Mayflower, Silent Majority, and Sparkler). The Force of July is directly overseen by the US government’s American Security Agency (ASA) and its leaders—B Eric Blairman, Laraine Blairman, and Abraham Lincoln Carlyle.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #867-870. Joker steals a jetpack and goes on an airborne killing spree across town. Batman and Robin stop him, but not before thirteen deaths. The 14th intended victim, Winslow Heath, is bombed with a lethal dose of Joker Venom, which fails to kill him, but gives him a permanent rictus-grin and wan white skin. Heath’s girlfriend was victim #13. Despite his miraculous survival, Heath delves into a catatonic state in which he will be confined to a hospital bed for over a decade. When he finally recovers, Heath will keep his Joker-esque façade hidden behind a mask and use a newly gained monetary fortune to slowly build a pharmaceutical company. Heath will harbor a secret goal to destroy Batman, whom he blames for both the death of his lover and the creation of so many Gotham super-villains.

–REFERENCE: In Justice Society of America Vol. 3 #12 and The Batman Files—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #14-15. Maxie Zeus forms a metahuman super-villain team known as The New Olympians (Antaeus, Argus, Diana, Nox, and Vulcanus). Batman and the Ousiders make quick work of Maxie’s new team.

–REFERENCE: In Batman #491—originally told in Batman #379. Batman bests Mad Hatter (Jervis Tetch) and his new pet chimpanzee Carol Lewis. Mad Hatter goes to Arkham Asylum while the chimp gets locked up in the Gotham Zoo.

–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins 80-Page Giant #1. Batman and Robin apprehend Penguin and retrieve the stolen Lapis Lazuli Horus Crown. The event is caught on video and broadcast on live TV. A young Tim Drake, who has been studying the Dynamic Duo for years, watches the footage and determines conclusively that Robin is the former Flying Grayson he watched five years ago at the circus. This flashback incorrectly labels Tim as being nine-years old. He should be eight.

–“Did Robin Die Tonight?” Part 1 by Max Allan Collins, Chris Warner, Mike DeCarlo, & Adrienne Roy (Batman #408 Part 1) June 1987
Late May. Acting completely alone, Robin battles the maniacal Joker, who appears in his Jokercopter and nearly kills him. Batman saves Robin then busts Joker solo. Back home, Batman argues with the badly injured Robin. When Batman threatens to fire the Boy Wonder, the latter demands to be treated as an adult. Calmer heads prevail for the moment, but bad blood is brewing. The Caped Crusader benches Robin for what will be a couple weeks. Flying solo, Batman takes down Penguin and some random goons. This item is also shown via flashback from Batman #416 and referenced in Batman: Orphans #1 and Nightwing Vol. 2 #134. Note that Batman #408 is split into two pieces thanks to various retcons from Nightwing Vol. 2.^[6]

–FLASHBACK: From Nightwing Vol. 2 #134-135. Late May. The ongoing argument between Batman and Robin (from our previous item) continues. Robin asks once again to be treated as an adult since he will be turning seventeen-years-old soon. But Batman won’t hear it and continues to chastise Robin for taking on Joker solo and nearly getting himself killed. Alfred patches-up Dick while the fight heats up in the Batcave. The argument gets so ugly that Dick resigns from his post, hops on a bus, and heads back home to New York City with every intention of never coming back to Gotham again! In New York, Dick spends the warm late spring days dating a gal named Liu. Writer Marv Wolfman tells us that Dick loses his virginity to Liu, but this is highly dubious. Dick definitely has had some sort of sexual interaction with both Babs and Starfire by this point. Plus, Nightwing Vol. 2 Annual #2 tells us specifically that Dick lost his virginity to Starfire. Unfortunately for Dick, his newest love interest has fallen in with a bad crowd, including Metal Eddie, leader of the gang known as the Tigers. Under Liu’s sexual spell, Dick joins the Tigers, but he soon realizes that Liu and Eddie are simply using him to get information about Wayne Enterprises security systems to set up a big score. Broken-hearted, Dick returns home and tells Batman and Alfred about the planned Tiger robbery. Batman and Robin are ready and waiting and easily bust Liu, Eddie, and the Tigers. While the Dynamic Duo is reunited, things are incredibly tense and Bruce no longer trusts Dick (and vice-versa). Robin remains on serious thin ice with his mentor. Nightwing Vol. 2 #134-135 really sets the tone for the complete deterioration of Bruce and Dick’s relationship that will continue to happen over the course of the rest of the year. Another dubious bit by Wolfman: He places this flashback less than ten years prior to Bat Year 21. Since it occurs here and now, this means the notation should read eleven years prior to Bat Year 21 instead.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #713. Late May. Batman and Robin still aren’t getting along and things are only getting more strained as the days go by. Batman and Robin argue in the Batcave. Dick tells Bruce, “You can’t keep treating me like I’m twelve anymore!”

–“Nightwing: Year One – Ch. 1” by Scott Beatty/Chuck Dixon/Scott McDaniel (Nightwing Vol. 2 #101) March 2005
Early June—we must ignore the snowy weather. The relationship between Dick and Bruce has gotten even worse as of late—and now the shit finally hits the fan. Robin is fired (!) by Batman after losing a fight against Clayface II (Matt Hagen). After Dick storms off, Bruce tells Alfred the news. As referenced in The Batman Files, Batman will later realize (or claim), via a journal entry, that his firing of Dick at this moment was really his subconscious telling him that Dick had learned all he could as a sidekick and was ready to be his own man. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, but who knows if this is true, or if Batman, as he has done before in his journal, sugarcoats the situation, looking back with rose-tinted glasses.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Shadow of the Bat #34. June. This item picks up shortly after our previous item. Before leaving town, the fired Dick hands over his Robin costume to Batman. (This flashback supposedly occurs before Dick drops out of college, but that is totally incorrect.)

–“Nightwing: Year One – Ch. 2” by Scott Beatty/Chuck Dixon/Scott McDaniel (Nightwing Vol. 2 #102) March 2005
June. With Dick gone, Batman and Alfred put his Robin costume on display in the Batcave. Later, after a visit with Superman, Dick is inspired to become Nightwing! A hoodie-wearing Dick helps Superman stop a suicide bomber in Metropolis. Afterward, Dick returns to live and tour with the circus, chumming it up with his old friend Deadman. In Gotham, an angry Batman patrols alone and tells Alfred that he’ll never have another sidekick again. The Outsiders are brought up in conversation, but Batman is talking about a primary partner, not a group.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #683. June. Dick is gone. Bruce jogs and works-out alongside an annoyed bike-riding Alfred, making a joke about how maybe he does need a partner with whom to train and fight crime. Ignore the snowfall in this scene as we are currently in June.

–“Did Robin Die Tonight?” Part 2 by Max Allan Collins, Chris Warner, Mike DeCarlo, & Adrienne Roy (Batman #408 Part 2) June 1987
June. Note that the first half of Batman #408, which details Joker injuring Robin, has already occurred a bit earlier on our timeline. As the press begins reporting that Robin has died, Batman visits Commissioner Gordon, who asks him the question outright. Batman tells Gordon that Robin is still alive but the concept of Robin is dead. (As referenced in Batman #410, Batman swears to Gordon that he’ll never team up with a child again. We must imagine that this vow occurs as part of this conversation.) Later, Bruce goes on a date with Vicki Vale, who introduces him to Ma Gunn, a woman running a Crime Alley orphanage/school. (We are told that it is the anniversary of the Wayne murders, but that must be ignored as a continuity error since the date was altered post-Zero Hour.) Later that evening, Batman catches orphaned delinquent Jason Todd (whose father was killed by Two-Face) stealing the wheels and tires off the Batmobile. (This is also shown via flashback from Robin Vol. 2 #0, Batman #618, Batman #645, Batman #683, 52 #30, and Detective Comics #574, and referenced in Nightwing Vol. 2 #103 and The Batman Files). After Jason whacks Batman with a tire iron, the Dark Knight has a long conversation with the cigarette-smoking Jason in his apartment. Jason has been squatting in the place, which has an awesome poster of the punk band Poison Idea hanging on the wall). Having earned Jason’s respect, he allows Batman to drop him off at Ma Gunn’s school. After Batman leaves, Jason is shocked to learn that Ma Gunn is running a criminal gang.

–“Just Another Kid on Crime Alley!” by Max Allan Collins, Ross Andru, Dick Giordano, & Adrienne Roy (Batman #409) July 1987
June. Picking up the morning after Batman #408 Part 2, Bruce and Vicki Vale visit Ma Gunn’s school none the wiser to her criminality. Later in the day, Batman consults Commissioner Gordon about Jason Todd’s family history. Shortly thereafter, Jason tells Batman the truth about Ma Gunn, helping the Dark Knight stop her from robbing a museum. Batman offers Jason a ride in the Batmobile. The boy excitedly and eagerly hops in the car and they take off.

–“Nightwing: Year One – Ch. 3” by Scott Beatty/Chuck Dixon/Scott McDaniel (Nightwing Vol. 2 #103) April 2005
June—picking up directly from Batman #409. Despite having just had a positive experience with Jason Todd, Batman seemingly changes attitude, restraining Jason and taking him into the Batcave. (This is all part of a test, which will continue in just a moment.) As seen in a flashback from Batman #645, Batman tells Alfred about Jason for the first time. Batman and Alfred then approach the bound-and-gagged kid, scaring him to test his mettle. In the Batcave, Jason quickly breaks out of his binding ropes and steals Dick’s old costume! Batman is highly impressed. Then, as seen in a flashback from Batman #683, Jason returns to his street clothes, but Batman tells him that he wants him for a partner, allowing him to symbolically claim the Robin costume as his own.^[7] Immediately thereafter, Bruce legally adopts Jason and begins training him to become the next Robin. Just as he did with Dick, Batman has Jason swear allegiance to the Bat-Family via candlelight oath (as seen via flashback from Detective Comics #574). So much for living without a Boy Wonder! (As referenced in Batman #416, Nightwing Vol. 2 #105, and Detective Comics #790, Bruce becomes very close to Jason very quickly, telling him all about Bat-Family history and the first Boy Wonder. Bruce will continue to get to know Jason even more personally over the years to come.) Meanwhile, at the Hill’s Bros circus, Dick hangs out with proprietor Lorna Hill and meets daredevil Cleveland Brand. Deadman spies on Dick, who tailors a fresh Nightwing costume (an altered version of the Nightwing costume that he briefly showed to Bruce previously). Later, Deadman pays Bruce a visit and tells him his former student has gone solo. Bruce doesn’t care. Chapters 4 through 6 of “Nightwing: Year One” will take place after Jason’s Robin training is complete, roughly six months later.

–REFERENCE: In The Batman Files. June. Bruce and Alfred argue about having brought young Jason Todd into the fold. Alfred strongly disapproves and gives Bruce an earful about it.

–REFERENCE: In Deadman Vol. 2 #1—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #86. Deadman Vol. 2 #1 tells us that Boston Brand’s death happened only “months” ago. Of course, this cannot be the case as Boston debuted as Deadman two years ago. Furthermore, this item specifically occurs after Nightwing Vol. 2 #103 and is attached to the main action of Deadman Vol. 2 #1, which will follow immediately thereafter. Onto a synopsis! The Sensei, possessed by the demonic spirit Jonah, returns along with some League of Assassins agents that remain loyal to him—Willie Smith and Lotus. These villains inject a magickal poison into Deadman that causes the ghost hero to act strangely and attack Batman. Eventually, Deadman regains some control and takes over the body of his twin brother Cleveland Brand. Batman and Deadman (in Cleveland’s body) travel to the mystical Tibetan city of Nanda Parbat. In the golden walled city, Deadman’s master, the goddess Rama Kushna, not only cures him but also puts him back into his old body, healthy as new! Boston Brand is alive, but the catch is that he can’t leave Nanda Parbat or he will return to his deceased state and become Deadman again. Not only that, but the poison in his system is now killing him too. On the slope of a Himalayan peak, Batman and Cleveland fight and defeat the Sensei’s men, getting an antidote from Willie Smith. Batman and Cleveland then order Boston to bed-rest recovery.

–“Return… to Forever!” by Andrew Helfer/José Luis Garcia Lopez (Deadman Vol. 2 #1) March 1986
Three days have passed since our previous entry. Boston Brand, sick of recovering in Nanda Parbat, decides he’d prefer to be a ghost and protect the people he cares about back in the States rather than stay alive but trapped forever within the walls of Rama Kushna’s mystical city. Batman and Cleveland Brand try to stop Deadman from leaving, but he won’t hear any of it. Boston exits the city and becomes a ghost once again. Batman, Deadman, and Cleveland return to America. There, Deadman possesses his brother’s body to help him do a trapeze stunt at the circus. During the act, the Jonah-possessed Sensei’s machinations lead to the tragic murder of Cleveland, who is shot and killed by League of Assassins agent Lotus. (After Cleveland’s death, Rama Kushna and Deadman eventually exorcise Jonah and defeat the Sensei, as seen in the Batman-less Deadman Vol. 2 #4). It’s worth noting that we won’t see the Sensei for over a decade. When the Sensei eventually returns, Ra’s al Ghul will welcome his traitorous dad back into the fold, but some leopards never change their spots.

–REFERENCE: In 52 #25. Batman defeats Sewer King, a super-villain that lives in the sewers beneath Gotham and rules over a small army of orphaned child soldiers. Sewer King is a canon immigrant, having only appeared previously in the DC Animated Universe.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 2 #3. Batman teaches a defensive maneuver to Black Lightning. We can assume that Batman regularly trains his other Outsiders as well.

–FLASHBACK: From The Outsiders #21—and referenced in Batman and The Outsiders #28-29. Originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #16-20. Batman discovers Halo’s true identity—that of midwestern teen Violet Harper. Halo goes to live with her parents in Missouri only to learn she has criminal ties to Tobias Whale (leader of the criminal cartel known as “the 100”), Syonide, and Dr. Moon. Meanwhile, Simon Stagg’s henchmen kill Metamorpho. Batman and the Outsiders expose Metamorpho’s corpse to the meteor that originally gave him powers. This resurrects their pal, but sends them to ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptian wizard Ahk-Ton then turns a mind-controlled Metamorpho against Batman and the Outsiders. The Outsiders then defeat Ahk-Ton, restoring Metamorpho in the process. After returning to present day, the Outsiders rescue Halo from Whale, Syonide, and Moon, but Halo’s birth parents are killed during the battle. Halo returns to Gotham to live with Tatsu.

–REFERENCE: In Batman and The Outsiders #28. Batman begins working on an experimental radiation detector that is activated by any strange or supernatural energy. Batman adds this new detector to his utility belt, but it won’t actually be operational until next year. The Caped Crusader will tinker with his new device, moving forward.

–FLASHBACK: From Secret Origins Vol. 2 #6 Part 2—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #22-23 (“THE TRUTH ABOUT HALO”). Batman and the Outsiders discover that Halo’s powers and past are linked to the mysterious other-dimensional beings known as The Aurakles—not to be confused with the cosmic being known as Aurakles. (Halo is one of the Aurakles, but trapped in human form.) When Dr. Helga Jace helps Halo regain all her memories, the Aurakles are alerted and they aren’t happy. When the Aurakles attempt to take Halo away to their dimension, Batman and the Outsiders are able to save her and defeat them.

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Countdown #36—originally told in Tales of the Teen Titans Annual #3. The New Teen Titans are burdened by the terrible “Judas Contract” episode. Telluric-powered Teen Titan Terra (Geo-Force’s half-sister Tara Markov) betrays the team, joining sides with Deathstroke. (Terra is also sleeping with Deathstroke, whose dalliance is not only manipulative, but also constitutes statutory rape of a minor.) When Terra and Deathstroke attack the Teen Titans, Deathstroke’s son Jericho turns on his dad and officially joins the team’s ranks, helping them win the day. Sadly, Terra is killed during the fray. Geo-Force and the Teen Titans are shaken to their roots. Batman learns about what has occurred, and soon afterward, attends Terra’s funeral.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #472. Batman tangos with the wicked Queen of Hearts and her husband Jack of Clubs.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #209. Batman meets super-villain/erotic snake-dancer Tiki Rivera.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #617. Batman foils the Joker’s robbery attempt at the Antique Society.

–NOTE: In Secret Origins Vol. 2 #20. Late August. Genius Barbara Gordon, who has just recently turned twenty-one-years-old, gets her second Master’s Degree—a law degree from Gotham University! She also already has an ALA-accredited Master’s Degree in library science and has been working as a legal librarian. Not to mention, Barbara has been campaigning to become the youngest Congresswoman in the history of the nation.^[8]

–REFERENCE: In Batman: 80-Page Giant Vol. 2 #1. Batman comes across Wilson and Fiona, a husband and wife scientist duo that have been living in a bomb shelter deep beneath the sub-basement of a Gotham apartment building for nearly twenty years. Batman encourages them to come to the surface, ensuring their safety, but they choose to stay underground.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn #10. Batman gets captured and blindfolded by Killer Moth, but he still manages to take him and four henchmen down.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn #9. Batman ups the credibility of his Matches Malone character by running with and earning the trust of the Two-Bear Brothers, Nixon Two-Bear and Kennedy Two-Bear. Matches will stay close associates with the Two-Bears for the next decade-plus.

–REFERENCE: In Hellblazer and Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing #1. Batman meets and gets to know John Constantine.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League of America Vol. 2 #0. Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman put aside their differences and meet up in spite of their recent disagreements. At Challengers Mountain, the Trinity discuss the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of the new Detroit-based JLA incarnation. Batman says the team shouldn’t exist, but Superman and Wonder Woman strongly disagree.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League of America Vol. 2 #0. Now that Wonder Woman and Superman have recently been getting along with Batman again, they visit Batman in the Batcave where Bruce excitedly and happily tells them about his protégé Jason Todd. Bruce has faith that Jason will be the best Robin ever.

–REFERENCE: In Convergence: Batman and Robin #2. Batman continues training Jason, teaching him, among other new things, the team-up move known as the “Sprang-Aparo Combination.”

–FLASHBACK: From Joker’s Asylum: Scarecrow #1. Scarecrow has been loose for the past several months and, during that entire time, has been posing as a legit psychiatrist in a small town outside of Gotham. The phony doctor trails one of his young clients to a teenage slumber party. Just like a Wes Craven movie, Scarecrow terrorizes the party-goers as terrifyingly as he can until Batman shows up to clean his clock. This flashback is narrated entirely by Joker himself, so much of it may be apocryphal. However, its basic elements are most likely canonical. (This and all future stories from the first Joker’s Asylum series are told by Joker in Year 22.)

–NOTE: In Secret Origins Vol. 2 #20—originally told in the second feature to Detective Comics #424. Early November. Babs is elected to Congress! At age twenty-one, she becomes the youngest person ever elected to Congress in the history of the nation. She will serve for roughly five months before stepping down early to become the head of the Gotham Library, where she has worked on-and-off for the past few years. She’s basically the most accomplished twenty-one-year-old in the history of America.

–NOTE: In a reference in Birds of Prey #1 and a reference in Batgirl: Year One #9. Barbara Gordon gets engaged to her boyfriend Jason Bard!

–REFERENCE: In Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #53—originally told in (and loosely based on) Batman #381 and Detective Comics #551. Late November. The corrupt Mayor Hamilton Hill is impeached and ousted, replaced by Mayor George Skowcroft.

–REFERENCE: In Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special Part 2—originally told in (and loosely based on) Batman #376–391 and Detective Comics #543–558. Late November. Batman squares-off against a returning Nocturna (Natasha Knight) and they kiss, becoming lovers. Meanwhile, an escaped Night-Thief (Anton Knight) changes his name to the Night-Slayer and goes on a murder spree. Catwoman quickly busts the Night-Slayer. Batman will tango with Nocturna on-and-off again for the rest of the month until their relationship burns out and she disappears from Gotham—(although these encounters with Nocturna won’t be shown below, so we’ll just have to imagine them). It is also during this period that Harvey Bullock will become closer with Commissioner Gordon, Batman, and Robin. (Bullock has been around for a decade, but this is the first time that he and Batman meet face-to-face!) Notably, in the Bronze Age, the conclusion to the “Nocturna Saga” was a long fifteen-issue arc that lasted from late 1984 right up through The Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986 (spanning Batman #376 through Batman #391 and Detective Comics #543 through Detective Comics #558). But in the Modern Age, all we get is a monthlong series of vague encounters with Nocturna that overlap with other adventures.

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Detective Comics #782. Late November—the anniversary of Batman’s parents’ deaths. Batman places two roses at the Crime Alley murder site.

–“Nightwing: Year One – Ch. 4-6” by Scott Beatty/Chuck Dixon/Scott McDaniel (Nightwing Vol. 2 #104-106) April to May 2005
December. Nightwing has been active for the past six months, but primarily on low-profile missions with the Teen Titans (and never on Batman’s hometown turf of Gotham). But Nightwing finally decides that he’s ready to cross the line and return home. Nightwing makes his presence felt in Gotham by messing with Joker inside Arkham Asylum, introducing himself to Commissioner Gordon, and then teaming-up with Batgirl. The duo takes out Mr. Polka-Dot at the My Alibi strip club before giving Penguin a hard time. (Note that Penguin is seen in his Iceberg Lounge being accosted by Nightwing, Batgirl, and Harvey Bullock. Since Penguin wouldn’t own the Iceberg Lounge quite yet, we must either ignore the location of this scene or reimagine it as occurring at Penguin’s smaller Bird’s Nest club, which he owned prior to the Iceberg.) Moving on, Batman officially appoints Jason Todd, who has been training for nearly six months, as the new Robin. Batman tells Robin to study footage of Nightwing, Batgirl, and others, and that afterward, his final test will be to “run the gauntlet,” meaning traverse across Gotham by rooftop and confront Two-Face solo. In this case, “Two-Face” will be played by Alfred in disguise, while Batman will disguise himself as a random gangster. However, Alfred and Bruce put their costumes on too early and, en route to the final destination, they are attacked by Killer Croc and his goons, who are trying to invade Two-Face’s turf. (Killer Croc has mistaken the well-disguised Alfred for the real Two-Face.) Bruce gets shot in the chest and winds up in the care of Dr. Leslie Thompkins while Alfred (still disguised as Two-Face) is kidnapped by Killer Croc. Meanwhile, Robin meets Nightwing and they sure don’t get along. Robin quickly identifies that Nightwing is the former Boy Wonder, Dick Grayson. Robin calls Nightwing by his real name, much to the latter’s surprise.^[9] After a short time, Nightwing and Robin put aside their differences, racing through Gotham to save Alfred and take down Killer Croc. Afterward, Alfred sends Dick his real Nightwing costume (the one with the yellow-stripes, which he showed Bruce before). Note that Nightwing Vol. 2 #104-106 states outright that this is Killer Croc’s debut. This is totally false and must be ignored. While it’s true that Killer Croc hasn’t been around for very long and would be meeting Jason Todd for the first time, the scaly super-villain already made his debut earlier this year—in an altered version of a Bronze Age tale from Detective Comics #523-526 and Batman #357-359, which originally featured the debuts of Robin II and Killer Croc. The Modern Age version, listed above, details Killer Croc’s debut but does not include Jason at all. Beatty’s error comes from trying to mash-up the original Killer Croc/Jason Todd Bronze Age tale with Nightwing’s origin as well. Secret Origins Vol. 2 #13 also shows a bogus flashback of Jason (wearing his Bronze Age circus gear) being gifted a Robin costume from Dick. As we’ve already seen on our chronology with Secret Origins Vol. 2 #13 a handful of times before, this is another non-canon scene that incorrectly references a prior continuity. Similarly, Legends of the Dark Knight #100 is an out-of-continuity issue that contains a non-canon Jason Todd origin story and a non-canon Dick Grayson origin story.

–“Two of a Kind”/”Second Chance” by Max Allan Collins/Dave Cockrum (Batman #410-411) August to September 1987
December. With Two-Face on the loose, Batman tells Jason all about the history of Harvey Dent. He also gives Jason a new Robin costume. Soon after, Robin meets Commissioner Gordon. Batman and Robin then take on Two-Face, who briefly kidnaps the Boy Wonder and holds him at gunpoint in his brand new Two-Face-mobile. Robin escapes and reunites with the Dark Knight. Later that evening, Jason pokes around the Bat-computer and learns that his father (Willis Todd) was killed by Two-Face. When the Dynamic Duo challenges Two-Face again, a green (and overly emotional) Robin loses his cool, nearly costing our heroes dearly. Robin’s actions allow Two-Face to escape. (This scene occurs at a Major League Baseball game, but, since it is not currently baseball season, we unfortunately have to ignore this aspect of the story.) After regrouping, Batman and Robin eventually bust Two-Face. In this tale, Batman tells Jason that he scored the giant penny trophy during one of the original Dynamic Duo’s encounters with Two-Face. This, as we know, is totally incorrect. He got the penny in a solo confrontation with Joe Coyne. Additionally, according to site contributor Frank Fernandez and the DC Fandom wiki site, Batman #410-411 takes place immediately prior to Nightwing Vol. 2 #105-106 (“Nightwing: Year One – Chapters 5-6”), which would put it in the middle of our previous item. That’s technically possible, but it makes just as much sense (and is cleaner) to have Batman #410-411 separate and afterward, which we’ve done here.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #484 and Catwoman Vol. 3 #83—originally told in Batman #386-387 and Detective Comics #553. Roman Sionis, Bruce’s childhood friend and current head of Janus Cosmetics (having taken over the company after secretly murdering his own parents), ruins his company with several bad business decisions. After Wayne Enterprises takes over the company, Sionis loses his CEO position. This, coupled with a break-up with famous supermodel Circe, causes Sionis to turn evil. He becomes the skull-faced super-villain Black Mask, cultivating a gang of violent masked followers known as The False Face Society. Black Mask begins horribly burning the faces off of Wayne Enterprises directors and permanently scars Circe’s face. Eventually, Batman and Robin shut down the False Face Society. Batman then defeats Black Mask in a solo fight at Sionis’ mansion, during which a large fire erupts, fusing the imprint of villain’s mask permanently to his face.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #683—and referenced in DC Universe Legacies #5 and Captain Atom #33. Batman and Robin zoom off in the Batmobile. Later, they are videotaped defeating an escaped Scarecrow. While he isn’t shown in this flashback, we can assume that Scarecrow’s henchman Stan Trowell debuts now as well (as specifically referenced in Captain Atom #33).

–“White Gold and Truth” by Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo, and Adrienne Roy (Batman #416) February 1988
This is a big one—a special issue that occurs “one year prior” to Batman #415 and Batman #417. There are some notable continuity errors (mostly due to retcons) that we’ll bring up as they arise. Nightwing assists Robin in solo action against drug dealers. After their team-up, Nightwing chastises Robin for his sloppiness and bad police work. Nightwing then tells Robin to tell Batman he’ll be visiting him in a day’s time. (Note that this entire sequence plays out as Nightwing’s first meeting with Robin, but thanks to “Nightwing: Year One” this is no longer the case. They’ve already met before, and Robin already knows that Nightwing is the previous Boy Wonder.) The next day, Dick visits Bruce in the Batcave. (Writer Jim Starlin tells us that it’s been “eighteen months” since they last had a serious conversation, but this cannot be the case thanks to time compression. It’s only been six months since Dick was fired from his role as Robin, and therefore only six months since they’ve had a serious talk. Generally speaking, we must ignore any specific lengths of time that are mentioned in this issue since they contradict our compressed timeline’s version of history. Furthermore, some of the flashback sequences showing Dick’s termination as Robin and his college attendance at Hudson University are straight-up incorrect, having long been altered via various retcons.) Dick confronts and argues with Bruce, getting him to admit that Jason was initially nothing more than a simple replacement for him. Some really good, highly emotional Starlin dialogue here, ending with an angry Bruce telling Dick to leave. (Note that Dick mentions that he was nineteen-years-old when he stopped being Robin. That’s incorrect. He was sixteen at the time, and he’s only seventeen now.) Later, Nightwing meets privately with Robin, delivering to him one of his old Robin costumes. (This costume-gifting scene is basically a Modernized version of a part of Batman #368, in which Batman and Robin deal with Crazy Quilt. It’s possible that Starlin’s nod here is meant to also include this Crazy Quilt adventure, but that’s up to your personal headcanon.) Afterward, Nightwing and Robin team-up again to bust more drug dealers. From the shadows, Batman secretly watches with a smile on his face.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League of America Vol. 2 #0—originally told in Tales of the Teen Titans #50. Bruce, Dick, and Diana attend the wedding of Donna Troy and Terry Long. (Superman works security.) At the wedding, Bruce makes peace with Dick, Diana, and presumably Clark too. He hasn’t gotten along with them all year, but he is finally ready to bury the hatchet.

–FLASHBACK: From Christmas With the Super-Heroes #2. December 23-24. Dick meets with Alfred in the Batcave and gives him another one of his old Robin costumes. Bruce, preoccupied with studying evidence for an unspecified case, mostly ignores Dick, but they do chat briefly before Dick departs. Alfred puts the Robin costume on display in the Batcave. Dick is wearing a Hudson University sweater in this scene, but don’t be fooled; he dropped out of college last year. Later that night, Batman returns home from patrol in an injured condition. Alfred puts decorating the Batcave for Xmas on hold so he can tend to the Dark Knight.

–REFERENCE: In The Batman Files. Dick meets with Bruce, giving him a cheeky little souvenir: a photo of himself on his recent first night out as Nightwing, which he purchased for a few hundred bucks.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman & Robin #23. With Nightwing present, Batman shows-off his new Robin in street-fighting action against some thugs. Dick says Jason is both “reckless” and “a little rough around the edges,” but he also comments that he makes a fine Boy Wonder.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman #618. Batman and Robin swing into action.

–FLASHBACK: From Robin Vol. 2 #0. Batman and Robin kick ass in the sewers against some random baddies.

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1. ^[1]FRANK FERNANDEZ: Here in Year 10, the Batman Chronology Project won’t include references to every single Bronze Age issue of The Brave and The Bold (from around issue #166 through the series’ end with issue #200), nor every single Bronze Age issue of World’s Finest Comics (from around issue #266 through the series’ end with issue #232), nor every single issue of Bronze Age Batman or Detective Comics. This is because the Batman Chronology only includes items that have specific flashbacks or references attached to them, and many of the comics from the Bronze Age are not specifically acknowledged in the Modern Age. However, nearly every Batman-related comic from 1980 through 1986 could be included on the Modern Age timeline in some revamped/retconned fashion. By design, The Brave and The Bold series features formative team-ups between Batman and various characters that arguably wouldn’t be fully-defined in their Modern Age forms sans the inclusion of the aforementioned team-ups. Bronze Age World’s Finest Comics issues serve to tell essential character-building moments involving Batman and Superman. Most Bronze Age Batman and Detective Comics tales provide key developmental moments for characters that are highly important to the mythos (i.e. Joker, Riddler, Scarecrow, Penguin, Catwoman, and more). For these reasons, pretty much all of Batman’s Bronze Age from 1980 onward likely should and could be included as reference material for the Modern Age here in Year 10. Tenzel Kim’s Unofficial DCU Guide seems to echo this Modern Age canonical reverence for Batman stories from 1980 through 1986 as well. Nevertheless, the Batman Chronology goes against this grain, as stated, opting not to include anything that doesn’t have a specific flashback or reference attached to it. In the end, it’s a personal headcanon choice, so choose wisely.↩
2. ^[2]COLLIN COLSHER: Note that “Lazarus Affair,” like “The Saga of Ra’s al Ghul,” pretty much happens exactly like it did in the Bronze Age, except for two big retcon differences. The first notable change is the erasure of Timothy Fox’s happy reconciliation with his pop Lucius and redemption for any criminal wrongdoing (as originally shown in Batman #333). Obviously, “Terror Times Three” from DC Retroactive: Batman – The 70s #1 went much grimmer and changed things so that Timothy became a part of the Terrible Trio and went to jail in the Modern Age. And the second notable difference between the Bronze Age version of “Lazarus Affair” versus the Modern Age version is the erasure of a sequence in Batman #334 where it is revealed that Talia al Ghul is actually an old lady, only kept young-looking thanks to the Lazarus Pits. In the Modern Age, Talia is definitely NOT super old.↩
3. ^[3]COLLIN COLSHER: Here is the Barry Allen story, taken straight from The Life Story of the Flash #1 (1997). About a year ago, Barry’s wife Iris West Allen was murdered by Reverse-Flash. Barry recently became engaged to girlfriend Fiona Webb, but when Professor Zoom (Eobard Thawne) threatened to kill Fiona just like he did Iris, Flash ditched his own wedding to fight for his bride’s life. He successfully defeated Professor Zoom, snapping his neck and killing him the process. Unfortunately for Barry, Fiona didn’t know he was Flash and thought Barry simply left her standing at the alter. The marriage was kaput. To add insult to injury, Flash was officially charged with murder. (The trial will force Flash to unmask publicly, but he will be acquitted. Immediately after the trial ends, Iris will return—having been plucked from death by the sci-fi wizardry of her 30th century parents. Barry and Iris will reunite and decide to live in the cozier, happier 30th century.)↩
4. ^[4]COLLIN COLSHER: Aquaman Secret Files and Origins #1 (1998) says that “Aquababy” Arthur Curry Jr is killed at age three, but we shouldn’t take that information to be legitimate.↩
5. ^[5]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman and The Outsiders #1-27, Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1, and DC Comics Presents #83 are Outsiders-focused publications that take place on the Silver/Bronze Age timeline. However, the majority of these Outsiders stories are canonically referenced (or flashed-back to) in the Modern Age. (Twenty-four of these twenty-nine issues connect to canonical references or flashbacks on our Modern Age timeline.) We’ll see these references and/or flashbacks ahead—both prior to and after the upcoming Crisis. The entire Modern Age version of the Outsiders saga leading up to the Crisis is mega-compressed. Whereas the Outsiders were around for years prior to the Crisis in the Bronze Age, the Modern Age Outsiders only debut here in April and are only active for a eight months before the Crisis occurs. Of course, other experts, notably Chris J Miller, have the Outsiders even more compressed than this, placing their debut a mere month before the Crisis. That’s a bit extreme, but suffice to say, it scaffolds the undeniable (and unfortunate) fact that the Outsiders debut less than a year before the Crisis in the Modern Age. Note that, even with this extreme compression of time, the order of events in the Modern Age still correctly mirrors the order of events in the Bronze Age. First, the Outsiders debut, then Dick quits to become Nightwing, and then Jason debuts as Robin.

   Batman and The Outsiders Annual #2 and Batman and The Outsiders #28 are the first two official Modern Age Outsiders issues. One of the big reasons we know this for the latter is because Halo cuts her hair in it. (During the Crisis, Halo still has long hair.) Internet scholarship is decidedly less sure where Batman and The Outsiders Annual #2 (published December 1985) goes in regard to its placement as a Bronze Age or Modern Age story. I’ve gone back-and-forth on it myself, but ultimately decided on Modern Age consideration.↩

6. ^[6]COLLIN COLSHER / FRANK FERNANDEZ: It seems apparent that, prior to 1994’s Zero Hour (and even as late as January 1995’s Shadow of the Bat #34, which was written prior to the end of Zero Hour), most DC authors and publishers were operating according to a timeline where Dick’s college run was connected to his falling out with Bruce. Of course, Nightwing Vol. 2 Annual #2 (2007) definitively changed the post-Zero Hour landscape, making it so that Dick’s time at college occurs completely prior to his falling out with Bruce. Thus, the following order is canonical: In Year Nine, Dick goes to college, then forms the New Teen Titans, then drops out of college. In Year Ten, Dick splits with Bruce to eventually adopt the Nightwing gimmick. (Notably, unlike in the Bronze Age, Dick never returns to college after dropping out.)↩
7. ^[7]BRAD / JACK JAMES: At first glance Batman #408 Part 2/Batman #409 and “Nightwing: Year One” seem to contradict each other, telling conflicting narratives. In the former (Batman #408-409), Batman catches Jason stealing the wheels off the Batmobile and they have a long discussion, after which they shake hands and Jason enters Ma Gunn’s School for a day before being recruited as Robin. We see Batman driving Jason to the Batcave for the first time and offering him the job of Robin on the final page of issue #409. In the latter (“Nightwing: Year One”), Jason is caught stealing the wheels the exact same way, but Batman changes gears after their apartment conversation, becoming much harsher on the terrified thief—tying him up, gagging him, and dragging him to the Batcave, after which Jason escapes and wears Dick’s old Robin costume (as opposed to the other version where he is offered the job and given the costume). However, both stories can definitely be reconciled. The best way to do that is what we’ve done here on the Batman Chronology Project, mashing the two together in a way that makes sense—with Batman going back-and-forth as part of a test for Jason. Furthermore, The Batman Files and Nightwing Vol. 2 #103 both reference Batman #408 Part 2/Batman #409, so even the publishers and creators hint at a mashed-up version.↩
8. ^[8]COLLIN COLSHER: Secret Origins Vol. 2 #20 details a very Silver Age version of Babs’ history. Due to the compression of the Modern Age, while the chronological order of Secret Origins Vol. 2 #20 is generally correct, the details cannot perfectly match how things were in the Silver Age. Our Modern Age Year 8 (1996) roughly comprises Silver Age stories from 1967 through 1973. Our Modern Age Year 9 (1997) is roughly comprised of Silver/Bronze Age stories from 1973 through 1981. Modern Age Year 10 (1998) is roughly comprised of Bronze Age stories from 1981 through 1985. And our Modern Age Year 11 (1999) is roughly comprised of stories from 1985 to 1988. Originally, Babs’ Silver/Bronze Age congressional run was from 1972 through 1980, meaning if we follow our mirroring rule, her Modern Age congressional run should be from Year 8 to 9, not 10 to 11. However, one must take into consideration, along with the effects of temporal compression, a realistic logic. Babs’ tenures obtaining multiple collegiate degrees and her time spent campaigning must fit onto a calendar realistically. Having her congressional run start here (and her college endeavors overlapping) may not perfectly reflect Secret Origins Vol. 2 #20 or the Silver/Bronze Age, but it simply makes sense for the Modern Age. Plus, it jibes better with the aftermath of Batgirl: Year One, which is a more definitive Batgirl origin story for the Modern Age.↩
9. ^[9]FRANK FERNANDEZ: Prior to Zero Hour (and “Nightwing: Year One”), Batman #416 featured the first canonical meeting of Jason and Dick in their respective superhero costumes. (We’ll still see this meeting on our timeline soon ahead, but it’ll include a caveat explaining how it was retconned to no longer be their first interaction.) Pre-Zero Hour, it’s entirely possible—maybe even likely—that Bruce had introduced Jason to Dick out-of-costume prior to their first meeting in-costume. While less possible for our current post-Zero Hour timeline, there remains a decent chance, depending on how you read the interaction between Jason and Dick in Nightwing Vol. 2 #105, that Bruce has already introduced Jason to Dick out-of-costume prior to now. Nothing definitive is stated, though, meaning it’s a personal headcanon call.↩