Welcome to the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier Future

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–NOTE: Batman will commit to his inveterate daily/weekly routine and annual traditions, moving forward, although they won’t be listed with as much detail in the “future section” as compared to the main chronology we’ve already seen.

–2025 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6.^[1] Bruce moves back into Wayne Manor and begins working out of the main Batcave once again.

–2025 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #24. The old Arkham Asylum reopens.

–2025 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #43. Batman bests a giant penguin robot, presumably sent after him by Penguin. He keeps the robot as a trophy.

–2025 CE
Referenced in Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1. Penguin, having reverted to his original look, gets sold out by his henchman Max to his assistant, the Umbrella Man, who enacts a coup, taking over Penguin’s rackets and businesses. Penguin is ousted from Gotham City in shame.

–2025 CE
Referenced in Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1. The Umbrella Man begins a crime wave all over Gotham. Batman begins working against it, and will work against it nonstop every day for months to come.

–2026 CE
Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1. Penguin has been out of Gotham City for “a long time,” which we can assume to be at least a year. He now returns to Gotham, looking to reclaim his empire from the Umbrella Man. First, Penguin gets some money from his old acquaintance Max before killing him. Meanwhile, Batman helps the GCPD bust some criminals downtown. Afterward, Batman chats with Commissioner Renee Montoya. Penguin rounds up his old partners, starting with metahuman Lili “Buster” Kwan. Penguin and Lili try to recruit Penguin’s old right hand man Frank, but he refuses, so they kick his ass. They take a kid named Elliot as a henchman instead. Next stop is a visit to criminal finance lender Johann Haxel, forcing him to give them $250 thousand of the Umbrella Man’s cash. At the Iceberg Lounge, the irascible Umbrella Man kills Johann. Penguin tries and fails to recruit his old henchwoman Freida and her crew. Fearing that Freida might join Penguin (and not knowing that she’s already rejected him), the Umbrella Man kills all of Freida’s crew except Freida and two others. The three that remain join up with Penguin. After a telegraphic briefing with Commissioner Montoya, Batman confronts Penguin, but Penguin convinces Batman it’ll be much better for Gotham with him running rackets instead of the Umbrella Man. Batman lets Penguin go, saying he will stay out of the gang war for one night only. Penguin and his gang take down the Umbrella Man. Penguin kills his rival, taking back power. As referenced in the Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1 Epilogue, Penguin goes right back to his old tricks, becoming the ringleader of Gotham’s underworld.

–2026 CE
Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1 Epilogue. Five months have passed since the main action of Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1. Batman visits Penguin at the Iceberg Lounge, scolding him about his criminality. (The implication here is that Batman hasn’t seen Penguin since the main action of Batman: Penguin – One Bay Day #1.) An emboldened Penguin shows off his new core of assistants—legit friends Lili “Buster” Kwan, Freida, and Frieda’s two gals—before telling Batman to piss off.

–2026 CE
Batman: The Detective #1-3. Placement of this item is extremely hard (especially since it was originally written to be a part of Dan DiDio’s aborted 5G relaunch). First off, Henri Ducard is said to be 59-years-old which is ludicrous. He’d be closer to 70 at this juncture. Maybe 59 is his spy cover age or something. Nevertheless, this item can’t go any earlier, and pushing this later doesn’t make sense either, so here we are. A world-worn Bruce (with a new haircut) has dark introspective thoughts while brooding in the Batcave, thinking of how his life has become so isolated with Alfred dead and no family really keeping him company anymore. When a news report shows that a Wayne Airlines passenger flight has been hijacked and blown up over England, Batman pays close attention. Knight (Beryl Hutchinson) happens to be onboard. She fights off the hijackers—white Bat-masked villains that are collectively known as The Equilibrium (and led by the aptly named Equilibrium and her beefy righthand man Sullivan Petit). Despite Knight’s best effort, all other 146 passengers die. Batman packs his bags and departs for England, with serious thoughts never to return to Gotham. (Yeah right.) After calling in favors with MI6 and Interpol to clear the Lancashire crash site, Batman dons his “Knightmare” outfit and meets up with Squire (Amina Eluko) at the scene. When a hulked-up Gentleman Ghost strikes, Batman slips on his anti-ghost gloves and takes the ghoul down. Later, Batman debriefs with Beryl, who has been hospitalized in London. Their colloquy is interrupted when a bunch of Equilibrium Batmen show up. Batman tackles the entire group out of the building (from four stories up) and then chases them away. Back with Beryl and Squire in the hospital, Batman runs a data sweep on all the plane crash victims, learning that every single one had been previously saved by him at some point. The Equilibrium is trying to eliminate them all! How did they arrange everyone to be on that plane? And how did they know they had all been saved by Batman? They must have hacked his database. After moving Beryl to the secret Deep Underground super-hospital beneath Picadilly Circus, Batman tortures information out of one of the Equilibrium dudes, embedding a tracer beneath his skin before setting him loose. When the tracer pings in Paris, Bruce sets off via train only to come face-to-face with his old mentor Henri Ducard, who says he’s been pardoned for all his crimes and wants to help his former student against Equilibrium. In Paris, Batman finds the murdered corpse of the man he’d stuck with a tracer. Across town, the Equilibrium fatally shoots Ducard. Batman arrives just in time to watch the villains flee. He rushes Ducard to the hospital where he is pronounced DOA but miraculously survives. Later, Bruce is detained by the Equilibrium posing as Interpol agents.

–2026 CE
Batman: The Detective #4-6. Picking up directly from Batman: The Detective #3, Bruce is interrogated by Equilibrium, who is posing as an Interpol agent. She shows him photos of murder victims, hundreds of folks that Batman had once saved back in the day. She then drugs Bruce and stabs him in the shoulder blade, citing that he’s on the kill list because Batman has saved him in the past. Bruce is able to lower his heart rate and metabolism to make it seem like he’s dead. After the satisfied Equilibrium leave, a poisoned Bruce escapes and is gathered by Amina, who rushes him to a pharmacy. Bruce eats a bunch of pills and collapses into unconsciousness. He awakes two days later in the care of Amina, who tells him that the Equilibrium has killed two hundred more people. Fed up, Batman tells Amina to suit up as Squire. Batman then sends a coded message to his operative Sarah, who delivers the Dark Knight’s giant big rig mobile-Batcave, which she has been maintaining, but he will use for the very first time. Inside, Batman finds a toy T rex holding a penny, a joke left for him years ago by Alfred. With Oracle’s help, Batman learns Equilibrium’s secret ID. The Caped Crusader orders Oracle to activate the European Alliance of the Bat. After ordering the Alliance to protect a list of thousands of people that he has saved during his career, Batman (with Squire) drives the mobile-Batcave to Brussels where Equilibrium has abducted 37 people that are marked for death, having been previously saved by the Dark Knight. With Oracle remotely-guiding the mobile-Batcave to provide assistance, Batman and Squire save the hostages and bust every member of Equilibrium, except for the leader, who escapes. Back at the Louvre in Paris, Bruce and Amina meet with Henri Ducard, who tells them that the leader of Equilibrium is one of his other protégés, Charlotte Le Serf. He reveals that Charlotte’s family was killed by a drunk driver that Batman once saved ten years ago. Thus, she came to blame her family’s death on Batman, coming up with the mission to kill everyone the Dark Knight had ever saved. Bruce realizes that Equilibrium’s next target is the entire city of London. While briefing with Ducard and Squire, Batman remotely-connects with the European Alliance of the Bat, setting his defense into motion. At Knight’s castle HQ, Batman tells Knight that he’s deduced Squire’s mom was Nikita Eluko. On the Thames River, Ducard finds Equilibrium and challenges them solo, getting shot in the chest for his trouble. Batman, Knight, and Squire arrive just in time to save Ducard. Charlotte unleashes fifty missile-carrying drones over London airspace, but Batman is one step ahead. Oracle and Nightwing have reprogrammed the drones. Batman prevents Ducard from killing Charlotte, then prevents Charlotte from committing suicide before taking her into custody. Shortly thereafter, Bruce uses his pull to get Nikita released from prison. Nikita is able to reunite with Amina.

–2026 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #44-45. Bruce shows Babs the prototype super-suit he’s been working on (the one specifically designed for her) for years. Babs denies his gift, which goes into storage in the Batcave.

–2026 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #18. Damian builds a flying Robin-cycle for himself, which gets stored in the Batcave.

–2026 CE
Gotham City: Year One #1-6. A dying 94-year-old Slam Bradley beckons Batman to his hospital room bedside. Fully aware of Batman’s secret ID, Slam spins him a yarn of yesteryear, specifically about Bruce’s paternal grandparents, Richard Bruce Wayne and Constance Wayne. (As mentioned earlier, in the Modern Age, Bruce’s paternal grandfather was named Patrick Wayne, so this appears to be a retcon by writer Tom King. Although, Detective Comics #1027 Part 7 refers to Bruce’s paternal grandfather as Patrick, so it’s possible his full name is something like Richard Bruce Patrick Wayne.) Slam tells Bruce the shocking true story of the suicide of Bruce’s grandfather Richard. Up to this point, the world, including Bruce, has thought that Richard killed himself following the high-profile kidnapping and death of his infant daughter Helen in the early 1950s. (According to King, Slam’s story is set in 1961, but that simply doesn’t jibe with the rest of the timeline. It has to be the early 1950s instead.) Slam worked the case and has kept its secrets for many decades. Richard was an abusive drunk, womanizer, and racist, who had gambled away much of the Wayne fortune. Constance discovered his philandering when she fell into the caverns beneath the Wayne Manor property, discovering his “bat cave” filled with trophies, nicknacks, and ephemera kept from his affairs. The cave secretly led up into Wayne Manor, thus becoming a twisted mirror of the contemporary Batcave and making Richard, in a sense, the original “Bat-Man.” Slam further reveals that, in the early 1950s, Richard and his girlfriend staged a fake kidnapping of Helen with a ransom in an attempt to pay off gambling debts. But the fake kidnapping went awry à la Fargo, leading to the baby’s accidental death. Constance then shot Richard dead, and with Slam as a reluctant accomplice, made it look like suicide. Thomas Wayne was born nine months later. Slam also reveals big details about himself. First, that despite passing as White, he is actually half Black. And second, that he slept with Constance nine months prior to Thomas’ birth and that Constance later asked Slam to act as father figure to Thomas (which he declined), heavily implying that he could be Bruce’s actual grandfather.

–2027 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #8. Wonder Woman introduces Lizzie Prince to all her “uncles” i.e. all the members of the Justice League. While we won’t see specific interactions between Lizzie and the JL members, we can imagine them occurring sporadically ahead on our timeline.

–2027 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman #800, the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #3 (Wonder Woman #803), and the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #6. Jon Kent and Damian begin babysitting Lizzie Prince on a semi-regular basis. Jon and Damian will become very close with Lizzie, considering her as a little sister. Bruce, Jon, and Damian set up a cute room for Lizzie at Wayne Manor.

–2027 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #10. Lizzie Prince overhears Bruce and Damian arguing. Bruce tells Damian that he is not allowed to fly the Batplane.

–2027 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #3 (Wonder Woman #803). Bruce ostentatiously hangs a painting of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in one of the Wayne Manor living rooms.

–2027 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #8. Lizzie Prince celebrates Christmas with the superheroes. Notably, Batman sings (presumably Christmas carols)! While not specifically listed on our timeline ahead, Batman will sometimes sing at Xmas time.

–2028 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman #800, the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #3 (Wonder Woman #803), and the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #10. This item occurs “like five years” since Jon Kent first became Superman. Although, technically, Jon became Superman about eight years ago. Onto a synopsis. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman prepare for an unspecified mission in another universe. Before they depart, they task Damian and Jon with babysitting four-year-old Lizzie Prince at Wayne Manor. Bruce makes them promise to be good multiple times. Soon into the babysitting gig, Jon bails to do superhero things (including fighting one of Grodd’s children), leaving a frustrated Damian behind. Determined to see some action as well, Damian suits up and gives Lizzie a tiny Robin costume (who knows where this came from?) and dubs her Wonder Robin. They begin an on-the-job training session that culminates with a fight against Killer Croc in the sewer. Lizzie kicks Killer Croc so hard that he requires emergency treatment by Dr. Mid-Nite. Later, at Wayne Manor, Jon and Damian chat while a tuckered-out Lizzie sleeps.

–2028 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #6. Deciding that he’s violated the privacy of ordinary citizens one too many times, Batman severs the connection on his vast surveillance networks across Neo-Gotham. However, Damian quickly reconnects it. Shortly thereafter, while Batman is on patrol, Jon and Damian babysit Lizzie at Wayne Manor again. When she can’t sleep, Damian tells her a story. The boys try to watch the Gotham Knights (now coached by former QB Chris Campbell) on TV, but Lizzie still can’t slumber. Soon, Lizzie demands to be taken to the Moon. The boys give-in, don space-suits, and take Lizzie to the Moon. Back home, Lizzie finally goes down. Exhausted, Damian and Jon zonk out on the couch.

–late 2020s CE
Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular Part 3. Catwoman begins feeling nauseous while patrolling, so Bruce runs some medical tests that confirm she is pregnant! Despite her bilious condition, Catwoman continues to patrol with Batman. He even adds a Bat-puke bucket in the Batmobile! The Bat and Cat bust Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Months into her pregnancy with a baby bump showing through her leather costume, the gravid Catwoman continues to patrol, helping Batman bust Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, and Joker. After nine long months, Helena Wayne is born! Not long after, while Batman is off teaming-up with the Spectre, mama Selina cares for baby Helena. At this point onward, it is unknown what the status of Bruce and Selina’s relationship will be. We’ll only see them together on our timeline below sporadically, so it’s hard to say without diving into pure speculation. With this level of indeterminacy, anything is possible. Bruce and Selina could lead a loving life together with their daughter, albeit a private one of which we don’t see much; they could become estranged, divorced, or separated, with Selina raising Helena mostly on her own; or they could be on-and-off again partners. (The birth of Helena Wayne is also referenced in Batman Vol. 3 Annual #2 Part 2.)

–late 2020s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. Dick and an unknown partner have a daughter Elainna Grayson. Bruce will be like an uncle to Elainna and they will be very close, moving forward.

–late 2020s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #43. A surgically-repaired Harvey Dent runs for Mayor of Gotham. This is a true Easter Egg, so we know nothing about the outcome of this item. Suffice to say, Batman keeps a “Harvey Dent for Mayor” poster as a trophy.

–late 2020s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #22. Batman adds a camera to the buckle of his utility belt. This camera will be constantly recording all his actions, moving forward. Shortly thereafter, a crook named Stern starts a violent gang war in Gotham, prompting Batman to shut down the war and bust Stern and his acolytes. As he brutally beats up Stern, the latter’s young daughter, Adalyn Stern, watches from the shadows, terrified of the menacing Dark Knight.

–late 2020s CE
Referenced in DC: Love is a Battlefield #1 Part 5. Joker forms the Injustice Lords—a team comprised of himself, Black Adam, Brainiac, a resurrected Ra’s al Ghul, and Lex Luthor. The Injustice Lords kick-off the so-called “Ultimate Crisis,” a cosmic war pitting good versus iniquity. They initiate a plan to restore the Batman Who Laughs, Overmonitor (Mar Novu), Superboy-Prime (at least some version of him), and an emanation of Darkseid via Lazarus pods. It’s unclear whether this is a straight resurrection plot or if the bad guys are trying to clone or put essences into cadavers. In any case, Batman, Nightwing, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Ambush Bug assemble to take on the bad guys. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, hoping only to break into the Injustice Lords’ satellite HQ to filch some Lazarus fluid, wind up saving the day and ending the “Crisis” by accidentally destroying all the Lazarus pods.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-7, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #10-11, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #13, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #24, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #31, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #34, and Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1. Despite great public backlash, Wayne Enterprises and Powers Industries merge to form the Wayne-Powers Company (aka Wayne-Powers Corp). Bruce is against the merger, but he is outvoted by his Board of Directors. Following the merger, Bruce still retains personal control of some subsidiaries, notably a new Wayne Technologies branch. Knowing that Powers Industries has engaged in illegal unregulated operations (mostly on the orders of its corrupt CEO, Geri Powers’ nephew Derek Powers), Bruce does all he can to purge the illegalities from the new company. Not long after, a fully-operational Brother Eye creates an army of cyborg zombies (aka eye-Zombies) and attacks New York City. Batman and Mr. Terrific attempt to extirpate Brother Eye, but they fail. Brother Eye takes over NYC and large portions of North America. A cold war pitting Brother Eye against humanity begins. The Wayne-Powers Company initiates cloaking technology (known as “The Veil”) that prevents Brother Eye from attacking Gotham, which is now renamed Neo-Gotham. The Wayne-Powers Company, under Bruce’s direct oversight, also builds a florid aerial defense grid for the entire city. With the new terrifying global status quo set in place, Batman launches many surveillance satellites (complete with hacking tech) into Earth’s orbit. (Brother Eye will eventually destroy some of these satellites, but not all of them. While currently restricted to his conquered territory, Brother Eye will eventually break the cold status of the war, turning it into an all-out hot war with his “initial attack” against all humans in 2050.) Notably, Neo-Gotham begins an intense period of construction, basically turning the city into a whole new high-rise cyberpunk environment rather quickly. The construction boom will continue unfettered for years to come, with much of the old city going underground and turning into the ruins of what will come to be known as “Gotham Deep.” (Those that stay underground will come to be known as the “Undergoth.”) Crime Alley will get completely built over, relegating it into the Deep. Bruce will take keen note of all the city’s changes as they occur.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #40. Much to Bruce’s chagrin, Derek Powers designs and begins producing (under the Wayne-Powers umbrella) special anti-alien invasion bombs known as “Devourers.”

—^[2]

–2030s CE
Flashback from DC: Love is a Battlefield #1 Part 5. Poison Ivy tries to restore the Amazon Rainforest with “Lazarus Seeds.” The seeds work, but they also create monster plants that rage out of control, prompting intervention from a hoary Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl (Babs), Red Hood, Huntress, several GI Bat-Robots, and local Brazilian girl that dons a Robin costume. Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn help the heroes take down the monster plants.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6 and Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1. Barbara Gordon officially retires as Batgirl to become the new commissioner of police. Commissioner Babs Gordon, just like her father, becomes a NGCPD (Neo-Gotham City Police Department) ally to Batman. For decades to come, Bruce will work hand-in-hand with Babs, having a strong presence (in both a financial and advisory capacity) when it comes to how the NGCPD is run.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6. A giant statue of Batman is erected in downtown Neo-Gotham.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #12. Batman sets up hundreds of hidden Bat-Beacons all over Neo-Gotham. These beacons can be actuated by any Bat-Family member or Bat-Family ally should they need immediate assistance. Once activated, the system doesn’t track your exact location, but it does alert the Batcave of a problem at the closest Bat-Beacon.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #14. Bruce, despite being on salutary terms with Commissioner Gordon (Babs), begins hacking into the NGCPD’s computer system on a regular basis.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7. Bruce’s lifetime war on crime has finally caught up with his body. With permanent injuries, Bruce begins using a cane to get around. He creates a new Bat-suit, with extra armor and a high-tech built-in physical support system, for himself. Despite Bruce’s age and frail fettle, this sci-fi costume allows him to remain active and effective as a crime-fighter.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Vol. 3 Annual #2 Part 2. Batman meets and befriends wannabe teenage superhero Carrie Kelley, who he quickly indoctrinates as his new Robin. Carrie will only be Robin for a short time, but will remain close with Bruce and the Bat-Family afterward.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #22. Batman teams with the Creeper, who intuits Batman’s secret ID in the process. Their unspecified team-up doesn’t go very well and ends with the Creeper vowing never to speak to Batman ever again. Shortly afterward, Jack Ryder retires his vigilante persona, hanging up the Creeper costume for good.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #23, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25, and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #47. Batman builds a sentient computerized version of the long deceased Alfred, aptly called ALFRED, which acts as a built-in guide connected to the Bat-computer network. ALFRED is also installed into the smart-home system at Wayne Manor. (Most well-to-do residences in America now have smart-home systems.) Batman, with Commissioner Barbara Gordon’s aid, then builds several new vehicles, including a new atomic-powered flying Batmobile and a Bat-tank. ALFRED gets connected to the new Bat-vehicles too.

–2036 CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #4 (Wonder Woman #804) and the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #8. While the Justice League (including Batman) is on an unspecified case in another dimension, a thirteen-year-old Lizzie Prince (now Wonder Girl) hangs out with Robin (Damian) and Superman (Jon Kent) at the Fortress of Solitude. While Jon checks monitors, Damian works out with some training robots. This allows a mischievous Lizzie to attach a Black Mercy plant to herself. Lizzie happily hallucinates that she is the most powerful Wonder Woman of all time until Damian and Jon are able to remove the parasitic plant from her.

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #11. Bruce and Damian discuss musical taste, which leads to an argument over whether or not a “war on crime” also covers “crimes against your ears.” This heated discussion will go on for at least several days to follow.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman vs Robin #2 and Batman Vol. 3 #143-144. Presumably, this item is a pared-down version of Batman #666 and Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #5. Having made a deal with Simon Hurt to ensure Neo-Gotham’s protection, Damian dons his 666 trench coat costume, becoming a new Batman. Batman (Damian) fights Simon Hurt’s agent, Michael Lane, after which Max Roboto and 2-Face-2 take over the climate control system to Jokerize most of Neo-Gotham. Talia al Ghul and Simon Hurt orchestrate a coordinated bombing, which is devastating to Neo-Gotham but ends the threat of the Jokerized swarm. Afterward, Damian will continue to operate alongside his father, giving us a period with two Batmen.

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #5. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon Kent), and the recently debuted Trinity (Lizzie Prince) take on the resurgent Old Gods.^[3]

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #5. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon Kent), and Trinity (Lizzie Prince) defeat Lex’s Legion. Presumably, this case involves Lex Luthor taking control of the Legion of Superheroes (or Luthor creating his own evil version of the Legion).

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #5. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon Kent), and Trinity (Lizzie Prince) defeat Brainia.

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #5. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon Kent), and Trinity (Lizzie Prince) defeat the so-called President Psycho. Presumably, this case involves Dr. Psycho taking over the presidency of the United States—legitimately or otherwise—using telepathic manipulation.

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #5. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon Kent), and Trinity (Lizzie Prince) defeat the Joker Corps. Presumably, this case involves Joker getting a Lantern Power Ring.

–2030s CE
The second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #5. Wonder Woman has recently become the Queen of Themyscira. Batman (Damian) and Superman (Jon Kent) join Trinity (Lizzie Prince) for a training session on Themyscira. They go on a kangaroo race, during which Trinity takes a nasty fall in order to claim victory. Afterward, Damian, Jon, and Lizzie share drinks and hang out on the island.

–2030s CE
The second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #9. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon Kent), and Trinity (Lizzie Prince) battle Circe. They defeat Circe, but the inimical sorceress turns Batman and Superman into corgis! Unsure of what to do, Trinity solicits the help of Zatanna, but she’s unable to change them back. Trinity takes the pups to Themyscira and tries to make them remember their old selves in an effort to change them back, but all they will do is play fetch, take naps, and fight over a ball. After a quick misguided trip to Metropolis, Trinity takes Bat-dog and Super-dog back to Paradise Island where all three fall asleep on the beach. In the morning, Circe’s spell wears off, reverting Batman and Superman back to human form.

–2030s CE
Referenced in the second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #12. Batman (Bruce), Superman (Clark), and Wonder Woman (Diana) invite Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon), and Trinity (Lizzie) to join the Justice League. The younger trio gain access to all the vehicles, weaponry, and other materiel that the Hall of Justice has to offer.

–2030s CE
The second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #12. At the Hall of Justice, Batman (Damian) and Trinity (Lizzie) have a remote holo-video meeting with Superman (Jon), who warns them of the threat of the Mongul of Infinite Earths, who resides in Universe-4814 (a distance of 73 days via the Justice League Quantum Jump Ship). The trio of heroes immediately departs. Mere days into the incredible boring trip, the trio begins fighting and bickering. With only card games and movies to pass the time, the trio only bickers more and more as the days go by. On day 73, they arrive in Universe-4814 and easily kayo Mongul of Infinite Earths with one punch. Disappointed by the ease of the combat (and fearing another long trip in the Jump Ship), Batman, Superman, and Trinity contemplate reviving the villain. Due to cosmic headwinds, the trip home takes 93 brutal days.

–2030s CE
The second feature to Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #13. Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon), and Trinity (Lizzie) decide to play a game of telling the others’ origin stories. Damian tells Trinity’s origin story, detailing the time where he teamed up with Wonder Woman during “Absolute Power”—except Damian embellishes the narrative to the point of altering the story greatly. Damian explains that he told Wonder Woman that she’d make a great mom, which he believes planted the seed of Wonder Woman eventually raising Lizzie—hence her “origin story.”

–2030s CE
The second feature to Wonder Woman #800. Wonder Woman tells Batman (Bruce), Superman (Clark), Batman (Damian), Superman (Jon), and Trinity (Lizzie) about the “Magic Cave of Death.” Located on a remote Greek island, the cave houses an ancient and mysterious trial of the gods. The Damian, Jon, and Lizzie promise never to seek it out. Of course, shortly thereafter, Lizzie battles and defeats twelve Greco-Roman deities to learn more about the trials of the cave, including the cave’s exact location. Afterward, Lizzie convinces Damian and Jon to accompany her to the cave. Upon entry, Jon endures the trial of pain, which involves holding onto a magick statue that zaps him with energy. Elsewhere in the cave, Damian is occupied with the trial of skill, which involves a fight against the goddess Nike. Lizzie faces the trial of honor, which involves exposing a false version of her mother. Lizzie then passes deeper into the cave to find a prison cell in which resides her mother’s old foe—the Sovereign. He tells Lizzie the story of how he and Wonder Woman fought long ago, which also happens to dovetail with her hidden origins, of which even she was unaware.

–2030s CE
Batman Vol. 3 #142-144 (“THE JOKER: YEAR ONE”). Commissioner Babs Gordon, with Batman’s (Bruce’s) hesitant approval, decides to hook Joker up to a crucifix-like restraint machine in Arkham Asylum. However, an overzealous doctor unstraps him, which leads to his escape. Joker then infects everyone on the entire planet with a viral Joker Venom that spreads via laughter. Upon getting Jokerized, the Signal (Duke Thomas) loses control of his powers and absorbs all the light, plunging Neo-Gotham into darkness. Wearing special earbuds that block out the Joker virus, Batman begins sedating as many victims as he can. Following a series of clues, Batman finds Joker at the river outside of Ace Chemicals. Joker reveals that, should his heart rate spike or drop for any reason, it’ll cause all the Jokerized people to kill themselves instantly. Unable to take action, Batman is forced to allow a taunting Joker to follow him around. Batman goes to GCPD HQ where he finds a grey-haired Catwoman, alive and well thanks to earplugs. She has detained a Jokerized Bat-Family (Babs, the Signal, Tim Drake, Nightwing, and Damian) in a cell. Joker rips out Catwoman’s earplugs, causing her to become Jokerized. The entire Bat-Family, including Red Hood (Jason Todd), then attacks Batman. Batman sedates Jason. Joker then uses an audio toy to summon a bat, which crashes through the window. Joker tells Batman that he loves him. Realizing that the echolocation signal from the toy is the cure to Joker’s plague, Batman notifies the other afflicted nations and then rides a horse around Neo-Gotham while blasting the cure over a megaphone, thus saving everyone. Batman is surprised to learn that patient zero was ex-Interim Commissioner Matthew McLeod, showing that Joker had been planning this global virus attack for decades. Batman happily reunites with Catwoman. Joker, meanwhile, goes missing.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #9-10. The relationship between Bruce and Damian becomes strained. Damian quits his post within the Bat-Family and moves to Europe, with no plans of returning to Gotham. Despite their bad blood, Bruce has high hopes that Damian will return to Neo-Gotham and return to his role as Batman in the near future. He’ll hold onto these hopes for some time to come. Unfortunately, things aren’t going to play out that way.

–2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told via flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #2. Joker is seemingly killed in an explosion while fighting Batman (Bruce). Joker’s meager remains are cremated and the Clown Prince of Crime is interred at a Neo-Gotham funeral home. (Spoiler: Joker ain’t really dead.)

–2030s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. Batman (Bruce) and Red Hood fight Mr. Freeze. When Red Hood tries to kill Mr. Freeze, Batman stops him and saves Mr. Freeze’s life. Believing Joker to be dead, Batman now has a laser focus that he hasn’t had in decades. The Dark Knight spends the next couple weeks busting malefactors left-and-right, putting all his remaining rivals behind bars.

–2030s CE
Batman: One Bad Day – Bane #1. The exact year is conjectural. Batman (Bruce) and Bane begin separate campaigns attempting to permanently rid the world of Venom. During their separate campaigns, they face off against a new Venom-powered super-villain called Grudge. After an undetermined amount of time, Batman and Bane’s separate wars against Venom finally cross paths in Neo-Gotham. Knowing that someone has started mass producing Venom again, both sides decide to form a reluctant partnership. Over an undetermined but “long” amount of time, Batman and Bane scour the globe together, destroying Venom factories and busting drug rings as they go. At some point during this time, Bane tells Batman that, when he was just a boy in Peña Duro Prison in Santa Prisca, he saw a vision of a menacing bat. (Bane’s childhood vision of the bat comes directly from his original Modern Age origin story.) On their quest, the unlikely duo travels through London, Japan, Cairo, and various other places before returning to Neo-Gotham. At Blackgate Prison, Batman and Bane fight Grudge and dozens of Venom-boosted inmates. Atop the penitentiary, Bane activates an EMP device that destroys Grudge. Unfortunately, Batman is infected with lethal doses of Venom and left for dead. Believing that the world has been cleansed of Venom (and that Batman is dead), Bane moves to Mexico where he quickly becomes the top luchador in Mexico’s number one pro wrestling promotion. (Bane’s signature match-type pits him against wrestlers dressed up as Batman, a nod to a gimmick that was popular in pro wrestling after Bane originally broke Batman years ago.) Meanwhile, Batman spends months in recovery. Upon returning to healthy form, Batman spends a few weeks investigating the resurgent Venom ring, pinpointing the only source of production to a site in Texas. But before Batman can descend upon the drug factory, Bane (along with a guide) gets there first. Upon arrival, Bane and his partner are captured by the leader of the ring, a Venom-pumped Dr. Randolph Porter. Despite being badly injured, Bane bests Dr. Porter and burns his factory to the ground. Later, Bruce visits Bane at the hospital, urging him to find a new (and positive) reason to live. Bane takes his words to heart. He sells his home in Mexico and—along with his newfound partner—heads into the great unknown, hoping to be a force for good in the world.

–late 2030s CE
Flashback from Detective Comics #1027 Part 9. Dr. Phosphorus returns, threatening to nuke the entire city unless Batman (Bruce) faces him in a final duel sans weapons or armor. Batman accepts and kayos Dr. Phosphorus, although the Dark Knight is exposed to a lot of deadly radiation in the process.

–late 2030s CE
Batman Giant Vol. 2 #5 Part 1 (Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #7)
Killer Moth returns, luring Batman to a warehouse on the edge of town. There, Batman (Bruce) finds a corpse dressed up in Killer Moth’s costume. An old security guard tells Batman he shot Killer Moth dead, but Batman realizes that the guard is actually Killer Moth, who is trying to fool him. Batman busts Killer Moth, who reveals the dead man is his mentor, the super-villain Night Moon. (Note that Batman Giant Vol. 2 #5 Part 2—re-printed as Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #9 Part 2—tells a Batman-less apocryphal Joker origin story that even includes an editor’s note that says it might not be true.)

–late 2030s CE
Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2. When a global pandemic occurs, an aging Batman (Bruce) dons an N95 respirator mask and heads out to help where he can. After thinking about all the trials and tribulations of his life, Batman pays silent obeisance to the true heroes of the day—the essential healthcare workers of Neo-Gotham. This story was written by JH Williams in June 2020 as a tribute to healthcare employees working during the COVID-19 pandemic, but because of Batman’s age, this item must go here. Interestingly, very few comic book writers mention the real life pandemic of 2020-2021—although, it’s possible that it didn’t even happen in the advanced super-science/medical world of the DCU.

–late 2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #50. Batman (Bruce) has an abject falling out with the Justice League. He won’t communicate with them for many years to come.

–late 2030s
Batman Giant Vol. 2 #5 Part 1 Epilogue (Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #7 Epilogue)
On year has passed since Batman’s (Bruce’s) final fight versus old Killer Moth. The latest of Bruce’s donations to Arkham Asylum has purchased new higher-quality living spaces for the inmates. Bruce is given a tour of the new facilities, finding that the prisoners are in much better spirits as a result. At Arkham we see the elderly Killer Moth along with some other unnamed new villains of this era.

–late 2030s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #8-10—and also referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-10 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #18. Batman (Bruce) fights The Banes—a murderous gang of Venom-addicted Bane-worshippers. After the Banes kick Batman’s ass, the Caped Crusader retires his Bat-costume and puts it on permanent display in the Batcave. Bruce then builds a new high-tech Bat-costume known as the “X-7,” complete with a sentient X-7 AI that can control the suit if need be. In a rematch, Batman endures multiple broken bones, but when X-7 takes completely takes over his body, the Dark Knight is able to defeat the Banes. Bruce realizes that the suit is dangerous—and only because it’s damaged is Bruce able to take it off. With terrible new injuries sustained to an already frail elderly body, Batman undergoes three spinal surgeries. During months of recovery and rehab, Bruce slowly repairs the X-7 suit. Note that, years later, old Bruce will mistakenly refer to this item as his final case as Batman. He’ll have a few more “final cases” to come.

–late 2030s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #30 and Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #3 Part 4. March. Batman (Bruce) suits-up in the repaired X-7 suit to take on the debuting Joker-inspired terror gang known as The Jokerz, which includes J-Man, Dottie, Scab, Coe, Spike, Top Hat, and Lee. Initially, Batman easily foils the Jokerz. However, while later rescuing a kidnapped heiress from the Jokerz, Batman has a massive heart attack. This is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Finally, Batman officially fully retires from costumed crimefighting. Note that word quickly spreads across Neo-Gotham that Batman is napoo—not retired, but killed. A statue is erected honoring Batman, falsely attributing his murder specifically to the date of March 7.

–late 2030s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #8-10—and also referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-10 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #18. Bruce, now retired, contacts Damian in Europe to tell him the news. Damian visits his dad in the States, telling him that Ra’s al Ghul—aware of Bruce’s condition—is planning something big. Damian, against his dad’s wishes, dons the X-7 suit and once again becomes Batman. (Damian says the line, “I put aside Robin’s cloak long ago. The time for a new Batman has come.” This could be interpreted as Damian saying he was never Batman prior to this, but he definitely was. Here, Damian is simply saying that the time is now his to become the new permanent Batman in the X-7 costume.) Damian goes to the Himalayas and wipes-out the entire League of Assassins in four hours. After losing contact, Bruce goes to the site of the battle only to find the tattered (but still fully-functional) X-7 costume, which has gone on the fritz again. Unable to locate Damian, Bruce fears the worst, but has hope that Damian will return. Not long after, Bruce learns that Damian has joined his grandfather in the League of Assassins. After some digging, Bruce learns that Ra’s al Ghul set up the whole thing. Ra’s had been monitoring Bruce and knew that the X-7 costume would corrupt Damian, allowing the master manipulator to conscript his grandson back into the unregenerate fold. Bruce blames the X-7 for turning Damian against him. Afterward, Bruce stashes the X-7 suit in a Batcave vault, vowing never to let anyone wear it ever again. Meanwhile, Damian joins Ra’s al Ghul, who convinces him that Bruce is responsible for the ongoing Brother Eye cold war, which will eventually erupt into a hot war that will threaten the entire planet.

–late 2030s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #10. Bruce begins an exhaustive search for Damian, which will go on for years to come. Damian will remain unfound, hidden away with the League of Assassins.

–early 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #35. Some unspecified bad blood goes down between Bruce and Barry Allen. We aren’t told what happens, but Bruce and Barry won’t talk to each other for nearly a decade.

–early 2040s CE
Referenced in Stargirl: Spring Break Special #1—originally told in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Bear in mind, we shouldn’t necessarily regard Frank Miller’s classic tale as canon, but Stargirl: Spring Break Special #1 makes a clear reference to some version of it. Here’s what likely happens. Having become disillusioned with the corrupt “Powers that be” at the helm of the US Government and disgusted with the fascist gangs that have run rampant across Neo-Gotham, Bruce (now about 60-years-old) briefly comes out of retirement. Donning his old costume, Batman takes down the Mutant Gang’s leader and then goes off-the-radar, becoming a public enemy of the US Government and Superman. Aided by a one-armed elderly Green Arrow (Oliver Queen), Batman fights Superman. Once the conflict is resolved, Batman goes back into retirement.

–mid 2040s CE
Flashback from Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1—originally told in the season 1 episode 1 prologue of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Old habits die hard. Finally finishing the experimental flying Bat-suit he’s been working on for decades, Bruce sees one more chance to be a functional crimefighter. (This red-and-black cape-less Bat-suit has a plethora of unique strengths that no Bat-suit has ever had before, including powerful cloaking technology and a whole new arsenal. The costume’s built-in utility belt contains everything that Batman’s previous utility belts have held.) Despite being in his mid sixties, Bruce comes out of retirement to become Batman once again. (In Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, Bruce says that he specifically made the Batman Beyond suit because he was old and weak, but that’s not technically true. As already stated, he’d been working on it for decades. Thus, the aforementioned dialogue should instead read as Bruce finally being compelled to complete the Batman Beyond suit with hopes of reliving his glory days.) Batman attempts to rescue the kidnapped Bunny Vreeland (daughter to Veronica Vreeland), but when he tries to engage with the villains, his heart gives out and he stumbles. Panicked, Batman grabs a gun from one of the bad guys, scaring them off. Ashamed, Batman realizes that, even with a new super-suit, he’s well past his prime. The suit goes back into storage and Bruce goes back into retirement.

–mid 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #2. Bruce appoints Killer Croc as the official guardian of the Court of Owls tomb at the bottom of Gotham Deep. Killer Croc’s task is to make sure no one enters. Killer Croc will remain there for years to come, but at some point in the future he will start to mutate into a wild monstrous new form, losing more of his humanity along the way.

–2047 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #45. Ra’s al Ghul dies of natural causes. Damian becomes leader of the League of Assassins.

–late 2040s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #10, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #49, and Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #5—and also referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-7, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #10, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #15, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #20, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #34, Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, Batman: Beyond: Neo-Year #1, and Batman: Beyond: Neo-Year #5. Originally told in season 1 episodes 1 and 2 of the Batman Beyond animated TV show and Batman Beyond: Rebirth #1. High schooler Terry McGinnis and his girlfriend Dana Tan are attacked by the Jokerz (J-Man, Scab, and others). Terry leads the Jokerz outside of the city, accidentally winding up at Wayne Manor. Terry helps old Bruce into his home and administers his meds, causing Bruce to pass out. Terry snoops around and discovers the Batcave, realizing that Bruce is the former Batman. Bruce wakes up and chases-off Terry. Terry arrives home to his mom (Mary McGinnis) and little brother (Matt McGinnis) to find that his whistle-blowing father (Warren McGinnis) has been murdered on the orders of the Wayne-Powers Company’s corrupt CEO Derek Powers. Terry immediately returns to Wayne Manor and beseeches Bruce to avenge his dad. Bruce refuses, so Terry cadges the experimental flying Bat-suit that Bruce worked on for decades (and which he wore once a few years ago). Thus, Terry becomes the new Batman, ultimate protector of Neo-Gotham. Remotely guided by a begrudging Bruce, the rookie Batman confronts his father’s killer, Derek Powers, and defeats him. In the process, Powers has a horrific radiation accident that turns him into the super-villain Blight. Blight becomes the new Batman’s first arch-rival, immediately engaging with him in a series of conflicts. Bruce installs ALFRED into Terry’s Bat-suit. (ALFRED will act as a built-in guide for Terry.) Terry then immediately begins on-the-job training with Bruce, flying around Neo-Gotham as Bruce watches from the rooftops below. In order to cover for their new relationship in public, Terry becomes Bruce’s personal assistant. In this way, Terry will learn about high society and begin to treat Wayne Manor as a second home. Moving forward, Bruce will be constantly gruff and overly-critical of Terry, treating Terry like a younger version of himself even though Terry is very different. What Terry lacks in brains and brawn, he more than makes up for with heart and tenacity. Bruce tells Terry he wants him to be a better Batman than he was in terms of using superfluous violence. It isn’t long before the new Batman is going on regular patrols (with Bruce remotely guiding him from the Batcave). And while we won’t see it appear visibly on our timeline below, be aware that Terry continues to date Dana, but as his life as Batman begins to occupy more his time, Dana will get phased out pretty quickly—with Terry ditching her constantly and making flimsy excuses to get away. Bruce and Terry will grow closer as they work together, with Bruce coming to regard Terry like a son.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1-4. Bruce trains Batman (Terry McGinnis), giving him various pointers about crime fighting. Bruce also tells Terry that he’s seldom ever called himself Bruce in his own mind, instead calling himself Batman. This message is meant to be about the performative nature of identity, but Terry won’t really grasp the concept for years to come. While we won’t see it on our chronology ahead, Bruce will continue to train Terry, often giving him sound superhero advice. Just as he did with the Robins of yesteryear, Bruce will train Terry in everything he knows. And just like the Robins of yesteryear, Terry will generally be an excellent student. Terry will also learn all there is to know about Bruce’s history as Batman.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #32. In light of Derek Powers having flipped his lid to become the super-villain Blight, a great strain is placed upon the working relationship between Bruce and the higher-ups from the Powers half of the Wayne-Powers Company. Bruce once again becomes sole CEO. Presumably, a lot of people are fired.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1. Bruce tells Terry his full perspective in regard to the shift from Gotham to Neo-Gotham that has occurred in the past decade-and-a-half.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #2. With Batman (Terry), Bruce reviews the history of all of his former foes and rivals. Because Killer Croc is linked to the Court of Owls tomb at the bottom of Gotham Deep, and not wanting Terry to mess with any old Court of Owls stuff, Bruce lies and tells Terry that Killer Croc must be dead by now.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #44. Terry half-jokingly asks Bruce to hack into his high school’s computer system and change all his grades to As.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #32. In the Batcave, Bruce and Terry construct a “rehab tube,” a machine designed to auto-repair the Bat-suit should it sustain any damage.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #5. Bruce begins giving Terry botany lessons. These will occur, along with Terry’s regular training sessions, sprinkled ahead on our timeline (although we won’t physically see them on the chronology).

–late 2040s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #10. Damian returns to Neo-Gotham hoping to clear the air with his dad. While spying on Bruce in the Batcave, Damian is astonished to find him with a new Batman at his side. Jealous, Damian immediately feels hatred toward Terry and returns to the League of Assassins without even speaking to Bruce.

–late 2040s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. Bruce introduces the new Batman to Dick Grayson, who heartily approves of Terry.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3. Dick officially retires from fighting crime, presumably so he can focus on raising his daughter. Terry can’t believe that Nightwing has finally hung up his boots.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #3. Mistakenly believing that John Constantine has died, Bruce tells Terry all about Constantine. (Constantine is still alive, having bought extra time with magick and occult bargaining—at the expense of his very soul.)

–late 2040s CE
Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 Part 1
The immortal Rose Forrest visits a recently elected President Supergirl (!), who is now in her late 40s. Rose tells Supergirl that her evil split personality (The Thorn) will soon return. Supergirl says she can help, but unfortunately she actually can’t (or doesn’t) because Thorn soon emerges and begins a homicidal campaign of vigilantism in Neo-Gotham. This, of course, attracts Batman’s attention. The Thorn stultifies Batman, taking him hostage and unmasking him. The Thorn rants about the horror of being immortal before bailing when she realizes that Terry can’t help her.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25—originally told in season 1 episode 3 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman (Terry McGinnis) defeats the shapeshifting villainess Inque.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #30. Batman (Terry McGinnis) takes on the Jokerz (J-Man, Dottie, Scab, Coe, Spike, Top Hat, and Lee). Neither Bruce nor Terry take them very seriously.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3. Stephanie Brown officially retires from fighting crime. Terry is stunned.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1. Terry gets into old punk bands, notably John Constantine’s old band Mucous Membrane (also spelled “Mucus Membrane”).

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3. Tim Drake officially retires from fighting crime. Just as he reacted to other superhero retirements, Terry is stunned.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #13—originally told in season 1 episode 6 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. A new government-sponsored superhero group known as The Terrific Trio (Freon, Magma, and 2-D Man). At first they are beloved by the public, but when it is revealed that they are radioactive and unstable, the government turns on their creation. Batman gets involved in a war between the military and the Terrific Trio. When the Trio learns that their creator, Dr. Howard Hodges, specifically made Magma into a molten monster in order to try to steal away Freon (Magma’s fiancée), they get even more pissed. The Trio goes on a rampage, forcing Batman to neutralize Freon and 2-D Man. Batman douses Magma with a firehose, which accidentally kills him.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #13—originally told in season 1 episode 7 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Walter Shreeve becomes Blight’s newest henchman, becoming the sound wave-blasting super-villain known as Shriek. Batman (Terry McGinnis) defeats Shriek, sending him to Blackgate Penitentiary.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #14-17, and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #20—originally told in season 1 episode 8 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Terry and Dana officially break up. Terry immediately begins dating Melanie Walker. Later, Batman fights the new Royal Flush Gang (King, Queen, Ace, Jack, and Ten). Batman quickly learns that the new RFG are none other than Melanie (Ten) and her family along with a robot Ace. A bummed Batman busts the Walkers. Melanie goes to jail, unaware that Batman and Terry are one and the same.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in season 1 episode 10 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Psychologist Ira Billings becomes the hallucination-inducing super-villain known as Spellbinder. Batman (Terry McGinnis) ends his reign of terror and puts him behind bars.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. Batman (Terry McGinnis) defeats the debuting Rewire (Davis Dusk), son of the Mayor of Neo-Gotham, William Dusk.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-9 and Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3—originally told in season 1 episode 12 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman (Terry McGinnis) finally meets Commissioner Barbara Gordon, instantly having great trust and respect for her. Batman teams-up with Commissioner Babs to fight the League of Assassins and defeat the debuting Curaré. Babs learns that Terry is beneath the Bat-mask. Later, Bruce tells Terry all about the League of Assassins, Ra’s al Ghul, and how the al Ghuls connect to his family tree via Talia and Damian.

–late 2040s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #39—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #34. Originally told in season 1 episode 13 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman engages in a three-way fight with Blight (Derek Powers) and his son Paxton Powers. When the fight boils down to just Batman and Blight, the latter is seemingly killed, going down with a sinking submarine. Afterward, Paxton is able to usurp Bruce as head of Wayne-Powers Company, trumping him to becoming the new CEO.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Harley Loves Joker #1, Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1-2, Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #4, and Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1—originally told in season 2 episode 1 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. When a new fad of genetic self-manipulation hits Neo-Gotham, turning ordinary folks into mutated animal-human hybrids known as Splicers, Batman (Terry McGinnis) fights the Splicers and busts the evil scientist responsible for facilitating their metamorphoses: Dr. Abel Cuvier. Some of the Splicers form animal-specific gangs, most notably the Catbois, a gang of feline-human hybrids that worship Selina Kyle like a god. Bruce and Batman learn all there is to know about the Catbois. In school, Terry meets co-ed Maxine “Max” Gibson, who becomes one of his closest friends right away.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in season 2 episode 5 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman (Terry McGinnis) fights his high school classmate, the super-villain known as Terminal (Carter Wilson). While defeating Terminal and a bunch of Jokerz that are loyal to him (including Trey, Tayko, and Weasel), Batman’s secret ID is exposed to Maxine Gibson. Max will help Batman on some unspecified cases, moving forward.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-9. Terry tells Maxine Gibson about Bruce’s link to the al Ghuls.

–late 2040s CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #15—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #16. Originally told in season 2 episode 6 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Stalker (Shaka Okoro), a famous cybernetically-enhanced big-game hunter from the veldt of Africa, goes after Batman. After discovering Batman’s secret ID and learning all about Terry, Stalker kidnaps Matt. Batman rescues his brother and defeats Stalker.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #12. A teenager named Nissa, who lives in Neo-Gotham’s poorest neighborhood of Crown Point and feels that Batman overlooks her community, decides to take matters into her own hands and becomes the new Batgirl. Shortly thereafter, a local school superintendent begins countenancing expired food to be served at lunch in order to pocket the saved cash. Both Batman and the new Batgirl investigate severally. Batman and Maxine Gibson are able to expose the superintendent via email, ending his scheme.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1—originally told in season 2 episode 10 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman (Terry McGinnis) defeats the super-villain team known as the Brain Trust (Bombshell, Invulnerable Man, and The Albino).

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #15-16. Stalker and Batman form a truce and team-up to defeat Kobra agent False Face, who tries to spread a deadly virus across Neo-Gotham. Earning mutual respect, Stalker and Batman part ways as relative friends.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #17-18—originally told in season 2 episode 24 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Teenager Kenny Stanton is neglected by his dad Dr. Stanton and bullied by his peers. Fed up, the indignant Kenny dons a power-suit and becomes the super-villain Payback. Batman defeats Payback, who is forced to discard his alter-ego and start therapy at a juvenile rehab facility.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #14-17 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #20—originally told in season 3 episode 1 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. The Royal Flush Gang returns, sans Melanie Walker (Ten), who has eschewed a life of crime in an attempt to win over Terry, with whom she is still in love. Working for the nefarious Paxton Powers (Blight’s son), the Royal Flush Gang commits several robberies and takes on Batman. Eventually, the Royal Flush Gang is torn apart from within when Queen learns that King is cheating on her with Paxton Powers’ assistant. Queen ends her marriage with King. Batman then defeats and sends Paxton Powers and the discombobulated Walker family to jail. Later, Melanie bails her brother (Jack) out of jail. With Paxton indicted and behind bars, Bruce once again becomes CEO of Wayne-Powers Company.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in season 3 episode 3 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman gets involved in a messy situation between Inque and her daughter Deanna Clay.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in season 3 episodes 8 and 9 of the Batman Beyond animated TV series. Batman (Terry McGinnis) meets the current incarnation of the Justice League—Superman (Jon Kent), Shazam, Big Barda, Aquagirl, Green Lantern Kai-Ro, Warhawk (Rex Stewart), Micron, and Flash (Danica Williams).

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #3. Bruce has the now seventeen-year-old Batman (Terry McGinnis) do a full month of training specifically designed to prepare him if he ever gets abducted by the Court of Owls.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #12. Batman and Maxine Gibson expose illegal rent hikes for small businesses in Crown Point by hacking the banks and alerting the police.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1. Terry poses for a photo with his mom and brother.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6. Terry’s mother Mary goes missing while traveling outside of Neo-Gotham. She is presumed dead, killed by Brother Eye’s forces. A funeral is held. Terry becomes a primary caretaker for his little brother Matt. Family friend Nora Boxer (an employee of the Global Peace Agency) begins checking-in on and helping care for both Terry and Matt. She will do this from time to time, moving forward.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #23. Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane) dies.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. With Bruce’s full support, Dick runs for and becomes Mayor of Blüdhaven.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. Bruce hangs out with Dick and Elianna to celebrate the latter’s completion of her military service.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25. Bruce initiates the planning and construction of a massy complex called The Wayne Family Center of Tomorrow, to be built in the exact location of Crime Alley. The plan is for the towering structure to hold a new home for all of Neo-Gotham’s civic offices and the Wayne Foundation, in addition to providing residencies for working class families. The Wayne-Powers Company commits to privately funding construction, but then ultimately turning over ownership of the building to the people of Neo-Gotham. Construction begins, but will go slow, facing bureaucratic obstacles (and then the Brother-Eye strike). Thus, The Wayne Family Center of Tomorrow won’t be completed for a few years.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #38. Bruce tours Wayne Enterprises’ “Facitlity 12-A,” a radiation lab in down town Neo-Gotham. While there, he poses for a photo with an admiring scientist.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #43-44. Bruce—with unspecified metahuman assistance—begins surreptitiously outfitting a large section of Wayne Tower into a new crimefighting HQ. Bruce will oversee this work for years to come. The new HQ will have camouflaged walls, tight security, and all the state-of-the-art gadgetry and vehicles one can imagine—including a Lazarus Pit fluid recovery pod. Inasmuch this is Bruce we are talking about, there will be trophies too. Notably, Bruce will move his giant robot penguin, his “Harvey Dent for Mayor” poster, and sundry old Bat-costumes to Wayne Tower. The new HQ won’t be open for a while, but Bruce and company will work on it until completion in 2051.

–late 2040s CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6. Terry McGinnis graduates high school.

–2050 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #30—originally told in the animated Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker film. Batman (Terry) fights some new Jokerz—Delia Dennis, Deidre Dennis, Chucko, Ghoul, Bonk, and a seemingly reincarnated Joker himself. Batman discovers that the reincarnated Joker is actually Tim Drake, who is being controlled by Joker’s essence, which had been put into a microchip and attached to him. Batman bests the spurious Joker and his gang, saving Tim in the process and restoring him to back to status quo.

–2050 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6. Matt McGinnis watches as Batman (Terry McGinnis) fights an unknown villain. (Originally, in a flashback from the New 52’s Batman Beyond Vol. 7 #14, this villain was Shriek. However, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #13 retconned Shriek out of the picture without giving us a replacement.) During the fight, Matt falls and is badly hurt, and the Wayne-Powers Building is laid waste, damaging the Veil. Batman rescues his little brother and reveals his secret ID to him. As they talk, Brother Eye—now free to strike without the Veil up-and-running—begins his “initial attack” on Neo-Gotham and the rest of the planet. Brother Eye turns the majority of the Earth’s metahumans into his mindless cyborg drones. Bruce Wayne, Batman, and others fight a guerrilla-style war against Brother Eye’s hordes. Panicked, Bruce cobbles together a one-way time-traveling belt for Batman (Terry McGinnis), instructing him to go back into the past to obviate this horrific Brother Eye future. The Justice League is defeated by Brother Eye, allowing his forces to take control of most of the Earth. After Bruce is attacked, Batman comes to believe that Bruce has died. Of course, this isn’t true. A badly injured Bruce has been rushed by aid-workers to a nearby triage tent. The comatose Bruce is discovered by Terminal, who kidnaps him forthwith. Terminal hides Bruce, keeping him barely alive with life support. He will lay low with Bruce until Brother Eye’s attack subsides. Batman activates the time-belt. However, it fails and he winds up teleported a few miles away. Batman is injured by Brother Eye’s cyborgs. Spellbinder collects the wounded Batman and brainwashes him, altogether erasing his memories and making him totally subservient. Terry, without any memory of being Batman, goes into hiding with his new master, Spellbinder. They will remain in hiding together for nearly a full year. Everyone will think Terry has died.

–2050 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #10. Brother Eye controls the planet. Bruce and Terry are believed dead. Just when all hope is lost, a new Batman arrives seemingly out of nowhere. It’s Tim Drake from a parachronic timeline (specifically the Futures End Timeline, which alt-Tim has just erased from existence in order to fight for our primary timeline)! Thanks to the chronal-machinations of the new Batman and his ALFRED AI, the Veil is brought back, which allows for Brother Eye and his forces to be expelled from a re-cloaked Neo-Gotham. Bruce and several others, thanks to alt-Tim’s time-fuckery, will gain knowledge and memories of the erased Futures End Timeline. The new Batman (alt-Tim) meets the heroes of the resistance in New York City and vows to defeat Brother Eye. In Neo-Gotham, Terminal emerges from the shadows with a comatose Bruce dressed up to look like Joker. Terminal delivers him to the Jokerz, who—actually believing him to be the real Joker—provide the surgical resources and life support exigencies to keep Bruce alive. Bruce will remain in a lifeless coma for almost a year while Terminal slowly embezzles funds from his bank account. The world will continue to think he is dead.

–2050 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in DC Sneak Peek: Batman Beyond and Batman Beyond Vol. 7 #1-6 (“BRAVE NEW WORLDS”). The new Batman (alternate reality Tim Drake) unmasks and delivers the doleful news of Terry’s quietus to Terry’s brother Matt and friend Nora Boxer. (Alt-Tim delivers this ipse dixit because, on his defunct timeline, Terry was killed.) Alt-Tim infiltrates a Brother Eye prison camp and rescues Maxine Gibson and Commissioner Barbara Gordon. Alt-Tim then suits-up and fights Inque, learning that Inque’s daughter Deanna Clay is being held prisoner on Brother Eye’s moon-base. Batman leads an army of heroes, villains, and civilians against Brother Eye’s giant eye-Zombie army. After a moonshot teleportation, Batman and Inque fight Brother Eye head-on. While Batman rescues Deanna, Inque seemingly sacrifices herself to defeat Brother Eye, whose reign of terror finally ends. (We’ll see Inque again, so she’s not really dead.)

–2050 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #13. Alt-Tim Drake settles into his new life in Neo-Gotham. After defeating Rewire, Batman chastises the cops for their poor treatment of refugees, but newly-elected top political official, Mayor Luke Fox (formerly Batwing), defends the actions of his men.

–2050 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in Batman Beyond Vol. 7 #10-11 (“CITY OF YESTERDAY”). When Matt McGinnis goes missing, Batman (Alt-Tim Drake) tracks him to a ravaged Metropolis. There, Batman fights the Splicers, who are led by their masters, Dr. Abel Cuvier and Prince Tuftan. Cuvier then sics a mind-controlled Justice League, inactive since their defeat at the hands of Brother Eye during the war, on Batman. Tuftan turns on Cuvier to free the JL and help Batman to gain victory. Tuftan then takes the Splicers to live with his animal-people outside of Metropolis. Meanwhile, a new Rewire (the prior has died) makes plans with Spellbinder to take over Neo-Gotham. (Spoiler: The new Rewire is the brainwashed Terry McGinnis.)

–2051 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6—originally told in Batman Beyond Vol. 7 #12-16 (“WIRED FOR DEATH”). Batman and Commissioner Barbara Gordon fight Spellbinder and the new Rewire, unmasking the latter as Terry McGinnis. Matt McGinnis arrives and helps Batman defeat Spellbinder, releasing his hold over Terry’s mind. Back at the Batcave, alt-Tim explains everything to Terry. He gives the mantle of Batman back to Terry and then departs. Back in his costume for the first time in a while, a jubilant Terry takes to the skies as Batman. The next day, alt-Tim gets sucked into a brightly lit portal, seemingly erased for being the Futures End time-anomaly that he is.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #13. Terry, eager to get back into the thick of things as Batman, does some catching-up, learning all the big changes that have happened to Neo-Gotham thanks to Brother Eye. Mayor Luke Fox decides to celebrate the victory over Brother Eye by holding The Gotham Games, a televised sports olympiad, in the heart of Neo-Gotham. (Maxine Gibson and Matt McGinnis are on a tri-ball team.) This type of disaster capitalism is right up Luke’s alley. Commissioner Barbara Gordon and Mayor Fox ask Batman to manually shut down the Wayne-Powers Company’s aerial defense grid. On his mission, Batman encounters Shriek, who has become an antihero that protects the subway lines and a bunch of underground refugees. Batman flees the angry Shriek only to run into another antihero called The Hacker. After bolting from the Hacker, Batman runs into a pissed-off Freon, revived a while ago by Dr. Howard Hodges (who she immediately killed upon reanimation). Freon wants revenge against Batman and all of Neo-Gotham for the death of her fiancé Magma. Thankfully, Shriek and the Hacker come to Batman’s aid, helping him defeat Freon. Batman then watches the Gotham Games.

–2051 CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #26 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #27—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6 and Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #20—originally told in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #1-5. Terry becomes his little brother Matt’s legal guardian. Together, they move into a new apartment and do research, learning that Bruce supposedly died during Brother Eye’s “initial attack.” (Bruce is actually in a coma, in the furtive care of the pestiferous Terminal.) While Matt and Maxine Gibson remotely monitor Batman from the Batcave, Batman heads to Jokerz Town, home of the Jokerz, to rescue his kidnapped ex-girlfriend Dana Tan. After getting his ass kicked and fleeing, Batman disguises himself as a Jokerz gang member and returns. After rescuing Dana, Matt arrives and hands off the X-7 Bat-suit (which he has found in the Batcave) to Terry. Terry then reveals his secret ID to an ingenuous Dana. In the X-7 suit, Batman easily defeats the Jokerz, prompting Terminal and his janitor to flee with Bruce in tow. Batman learns that Bruce is still alive! As Bruce comes out of his coma, he hears Joker’s voice, but he thinks it must be in his head. Soon after, at a Wayne-Powers building, Batman rescues Bruce. Terry greets Bruce with felicity, but Bruce immediately gives him grave news: while he can’t confirm it, he thinks Terminal’s janitor is the original Joker in disguise! Outside of the city limits, Joker reveals himself and beats Terminal to death with a crowbar. The Clown Prince of Crime is back!

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #6-8 (“RISE OF THE DEMON”). Terry and company reintroduce Bruce to the Batcave and fill him in on all he has missed. Meanwhile, Curaré fights-off League of Assassins ninjas and smashes her way into police HQ, demanding an audience with Batman. Bruce scans the police blotter with Matt, learning that Terminal has been killed. Bruce tells Matt that he believes Joker is alive and that the X-7 Bat-suit is dangerous. Meanwhile, outside of Dana’s apartment, Terry catches-up with Dana. Atop the NGCPD HQ tower, the League of Assassins attacks Curaré and Commissioner Barbara Gordon, who lights up the Bat-Signal. Despite seeing the signal, Terry makes a decision to ignore it, citing that, unlike Bruce, he will balance a personal life with crime-fighting. While Curaré and Babs struggle against insuperable odds, Terry makes-out with Dana. At Wayne Manor, a brooding Bruce sits in front of a fireplace and cogitates, recalling the past. Bruce, Max, and Matt monitor the League of Assassins fight, noting that Batman hasn’t responded to the signal. Terry screens Bruce’s phone call, so Matt sends a video of the rooftop battle to Dana, who shows it to Terry, who suits up and joins the fray. Bruce sees the X-7 suit and flips out, citing that is bad news for whoever wears it. Batman violently kicks the crap out of the League of Assassins ninjas before Curaré shows him a video that supposedly shows a masked Ra’s al Ghul active at his Himalayan bastion. While Curaré fights top assassin Koru (the son of Ra’s al Ghul’s deceased number one Ubu), Batman flies to the League of Assassins lair only to find that the masked leader is none other than Damian! They immediately fight.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #9-11 (“RISE OF THE DEMON” Conclusion). Bruce travels to the Himalayas to intervene in the fight between Batman (Terry McGinnis) and Damian. (The dialogue between Terry and Damian sorta makes it seem like Damian never was Batman, but they are only talking about the fact that Damian never took over for his father permanently in a Batman Beyond costume.) On the snowy slopes, Bruce dispatches with Koru and hikes up the mountainside to just in time to see Damian standing victorious over a bested Batman. Damian shows indicia of jealously, telling his dad that he is disgusted about Terry acting as a surrogate son. The X-7 AI takes over Batman completely and begins fighting Damian again. Even with the added clout provided by the X-7, Batman is no match for Damian and Goliath, who swoops in to help his master. With Batman down again, Damian continues with his jeremiad, revealing that Ra’s al Ghul died on the eve of Brother Eye’s “initial attack,” after which he assumed control of the League of Assassins. Despite having technology and manpower that could have significantly helped in the war against Brother Eye, Damian (and Talia) decided not to intervene, citing their deceased patriarch’s mantra: the planet benefits from a decrease in population. Damian then reveals and activates several nuclear missiles, with which he plans to use to “purify” the world. Bruce calls for Damian to stop, adamantly telling him that the X-7 permanently messed up his mind years ago, turning him evil, to which Damian denies. A resurgent Batman takes-out Goliath and sets his attention on Damian. Bruce saves Goliath’s life with an adrenaline shot. As Damian wails on Batman, Koru returns and fights Bruce while derisively telling him that his dad, Ubu #1, committed suicide out of shame for losing so many fights against Batman back in the day. Damian turns on Koru and kicks his ass. Bruce then talks to Batman, who is able to overpower the X-7’s influence. Defeated, Koru launches the nukes, but Batman destroys all but one in Earth’s atmosphere. From the Batcave, Maxine and Matt reroute one of Bruce’s satellites to crash into the last one. Batman falls plummets toward Earth, but is caught by a skydiving Damian. Later, peace is made. Bruce and Damian share a teary-eyed embrace. Damian tells Bruce that he will one day return to Neo-Gotham. And they lived happily ever after. (As referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25, Bruce and Damian will remain communicative and on good terms, moving forward.)

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #14-16 (“THE LONG PAYBACK”). Bruce, having endured a serious back injury at the hands of Koru, undergoes surgery. While Bruce is convalescing at the hospital, Terry and Matt move into Wayne Manor. Also while in recovery, Bruce is able to work remotely and create a new Bat-suit for Terry, one that resembles the older model but sans any AI guidance. Bruce also remotely constructs some Bat-drones and does research on all of Terry’s rogues gallery, learning their whereabouts and recent history. Back home, a wheelchair-using Bruce shows off the new suit to Terry. Later, Terry visits Dana and they decide to start dating again. Commissioner Gordon (Babs) calls Bruce to tell him that there’s a new vigilante superhero in town. Bruce asks for (and receives) updated police files for the Bat-computer database. Meanwhile, Matt watches old videos of Bruce training a young Damian. When the Bat-signal shines over Neo-Gotham, Bruce sends a Bat-drone to break into Dana’s apartment and deliver the Bat-suit to Terry. Via the drone’s video screen, Bruce yells at Terry to get ready. Bruce doesn’t seem to mind or care that he’s gawping at a naked Terry and naked Dana, who have just finished swiving. Dana isn’t pleased. Soon afterward, at the museum, Batman takes on the Royal Flush Gang, who are working for a mysterious benefactor. (Spoiler: It’s a new Payback.) Since King’s family left him, the Royal Flush Gang now features a new Queen, a new Jack of Spades, and a new Ten. While Batman easily defeats the Royal Flush Gang, the new masked vigilante breaks into Wayne Manor and steals a photo of Terry from Matt’s room. (Spoiler: It’s Terry’s ex, Melanie Walker.) Later, Stalker—working for the mysterious benefactor—attacks Batman at Dana’s apartment. After grabbing Dana, Batman fights Stalker, who reveals that he is only fighting Batman to get funds to help his village, which was destroyed during Brother Eye’s invasion. Meanwhile, Melanie busts some crooks trying to break into STAR Labs, putting herself on the side of superhero vigilante justice. Stalker and Batman continue their epic battle as camera drones show the action to the world live on TV.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #17-19 (“THE LONG PAYBACK” Conclusion). Atop a blazing apartment tower, Stalker prepares to deal the finishing blow on Batman, but his employer, Payback, arrives to eliminate them both. This prompts Batman to come to an injured Stalker’s defense. Melanie (in her Ten gear) arrives to save them both, but gets nabbed by Payback. Stalker helps Batman survive a fall before fleeing the scene. As fiery explosions crump across downtown Neo-Gotham, Payback gibes Batman and teleports him into a death trap. Batman barely survives to witness Payback unmask, revealing himself as the original teen Payback’s father, Dr. Stanton, who wants revenge because his son committed suicide after being busted by Batman years ago. Ten watches helplessly as Payback begins torturing Batman. In the Batcave, Matt dons Damian’s old Robin costume and obtains Bruce’s permission to go help out. The new Robin blasts off on the flying Robin-cycle! Dana joins Bruce in the Batcave, chastising him for sending Matt into combat. Bruce orders Matt to stand down, but he charges at Payback, saving Batman and Ten. Payback grabs Matt, but Batman requites the favor by saving him then taking-out Payback. Back home, Batman chews-out Bruce for having let Matt play Robin. Later, Bruce agrees to help Stalker’s African village. Terry accompanies flying truckloads of Wayne-Powers-provided supplies and food, personally delivering them to Stalker and his kin. Terry also offers to repair Stalker’s multiple bodily injuries.

–2051 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #42. Bruce fixes-up Terry’s previous Bat-suit and puts it into a vault in the Batcave. Bruce will tinker with the costume every now and again, moving forward.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #20-22 (“TARGET: BATMAN”). Bruce designs multiple new Robin costumes for Matt and begins training him. While Matt flies around above Wayne Manor, Terry voices his displeasure with what Bruce is doing, but Bruce refuses to listen. Melanie Walker turns up at Wayne Manor, wanting to rekindle old romance with Terry. They stroll the grounds and kiss. Dana, visiting Wayne Manor to break up with Terry, sees them kissing and turns away in tears. After Terry returns to the Batcave, Bruce reports that Scab (of the Jokerz) is holding people hostage inside NGCPD HQ. Batman and Robin are on the case! At police HQ, the new Dynamic Duo and Commissioner Barbara Gordon bring down Scab, who is convinced that there is a Batman-monster loose in the city. Afterward, Batman tells Robin that he was too green and nearly screwed up the whole mission, firing him on the spot! Across town, an elder Jack Ryder (formerly the Creeper) drops off his famous TV news partner, Adalyn Stern, at her apartment where she hallucinates a terrifying vision of a smoky Bat-monster. Later, Melanie meets with her criminal-rehab sponsor, who just happens to be Ryder. While they chat, a scared Adalyn shows up, ranting and raving about the Bat-monster. After fighting some more Jokerz, Batman visits Dana at her apartment, but she also hallucinates and sees him as the smoky Bat-monster before chasing him away. Downtown, the citizens of Neo-Gotham, now falling under the same citywide spell, begin to regard Batman as an evil demonic monster. They form an angry mob and set fire to the downtown Batman statue. Soon after, the mob—along with Jokerz, Commissioner Gordon, and a squad of cops—attacks Batman. Bruce sends Robin, along with sleeping-gas capsules, to help Batman. Ryder breaks into the Batcave and confronts Bruce about Adalyn’s disturbing behavior and the riots. They watch old Bat-cam footage from over twenty years ago, discovering that Adalyn once witnessed Batman beat up her crook father, a traumatizing experience for the young girl. Meanwhile, a new Scarecrow, responsible for the onrush of anti-Bat hysteria in Neo-Gotham, emerges from the shadows to take stock of the pandemonium she’s caused.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #23-24 (“TARGET: BATMAN” Conclusion). Batman and Robin bomb the Scarecrow-infected throng with sleeping-gas, knocking most of them out. Defeated, Scarecrow flees the scene. Back at her lair, Scarecrow turns up the juice on her fear-inducing machine, causing everyone in Neo-Gotham (including Bruce and Robin) to turn into stark-raving anti-Batman activists. Only Melanie Walker and Jack Ryder are unaffected for some reason. Downtown, Babs blows up the Batmobile, and Robin attacks Batman. Meanwhile, Ryder goes to help Adalyn Stern at her apartment only to find that she is the new Scarecrow. While Scarecrow maunders about using AI receivers and wifi routers to spread her Fear Signal, Ryder patches the audio through to the Batcave. Meanwhile, Melanie suits-up in her Ten outfit and rescues Batman, but Robin keeps on aggressively attacking. Only by taking off his mask (revealing his secret ID to Ten) does Batman calm his brother. Bruce overrides the Fear Signal and hacks into a communications tower. He broadcasts a live video explaining what has occurred and urging the citizens of Neo-Gotham to stand down. Batman crashes into Scarecrow’s apartment to make an angry bust, but Ryder pushes him back and stop him. Ryder removes Scarecrow’s mask to reveal a shaken Adalyn in need of desperate psychotherapeutic help. With Adalyn in Arkham Asylum, Terry tells Melanie all about the current Bat-Family and invites her to meet with Bruce. At Wayne Manor, Bruce begrudgingly accepts Melanie into the fold. Ryder gives everyone an earful, citing that he believes Batman is responsible for the trauma Adalyn’s gone through.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #25-27 (“THE FINAL JOKE”). The Wayne Family Center of Tomorrow is finally completed. Bruce schedules a public unveiling ceremony, to be held on his father’s 100th birthday. A week later, Batman and Robin meet with Commissioner Gordon at the scene of a grisly mass murder of some Jokerz. Babs reports that over two dozen Jokerz have been killed in the past month. Terry, Matt, Dick, and Elainna join Bruce moments prior to the unveiling ceremony. Bruce and Dick share a tender moment, chatting about the past. With Jack Ryder reporting live, the ceremony begins. Damian watches on TV from his stronghold in the Himalayas. Mayor Luke Fox introduces a smiling Bruce, who gives an impassioned stem-winder about the history of Old Gotham and what Neo-Gotham means to him now. Meanwhile, Commissioner Babs finds more dead Jokerz, this time at ACE Chemicals. Joker is back. (He never actually died all those years ago.) The elderly Clown Prince of Crime causes a maglev subway train to derail, which destroys Bruce’s brand new building and causes immediate widespread panic. Across town, Babs enters her NGCPD office to find Joker waiting with a gun pointed at her. Babs dodges the shot and chases Joker away. At the site of the train crash, buildings all over the block begin to crumble and collapse. Batman and Robin do their best to save as many lives as they can. Babs then meets with Batman, Robin, Bruce, Dick, and Elainna to tell them that Joker is responsible for the terrorist attack. Joker then single-handedly does something Batman could never do: he shuts down the Jokerz overnight, killing off most of their members and orchestrating the murder of their main weapons and costume supplier. Joker then forms a new gang out of a few remaining Jokerz, calling them The Throwbacks. Terry goes on a date with Mel while Bruce and the rest of the gang search for Joker remotely. Eventually, Batman and Robin take down the Throwbacks, but run into Joker, who has “upgraded” one of the poor Throwbacks into his own burly cyborg monstrosity known as Joker Beyond.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #28-30 (“THE FINAL JOKE” Conclusion). With Bruce, Dick, and Elainna monitoring from the Batcave, Batman and Robin fight Joker Beyond. When things turn for the worse, Dick intervenes, helping Batman defeat Joker Beyond. However, Joker captures Robin, tortures him to confirms that he’s connected to Bruce Wayne and to obtain entry into the Batcave. After taunting the Bat-Family on live TV, Joker heads to Wayne Manor with his captive in tow. While Batman and Dick take down the Throwbacks, Joker enters the Batcave and shoots Elainna in the arm. Joker fights Bruce, who gains the upper hand by grabbing his opponent’s gun. Joker tries to goad Bruce into crossing the line he’s never crossed, but before Bruce can do something he’ll regret, Joker has a heart attack and drops dead! While Babs personally does an autopsy down at police HQ, Batman goes out in search of the remaining Jokerz—a card-themed group consisting of Hearts, Rummy, War, and Canasta. Despite the remonstration of Dick, Bruce sends Robin to help his brother. Soon the Dynamic Duo fights the last of the Jokerz. Dick shows up to help bust the bad guys and to save their asses. In the Batcave, Dick convinces Terry to cut Robin. For his own safety, Matt costively gives up being Robin. Meanwhile, in the morgue, an elderly Harley Quinn steals Joker’s corpse.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #31-33 (“DIVIDE, CONQUER, AND KILL”). Bruce, as a major donor to Arkham Aslyum (which he’s been for decades), visits head therapist Dr. Sheehan to tour the latest additions to the now super-progressive rehab center. During the visit, the lights go out and Bruce is kayoed by False Face, who makes himself into a Bruce doppelgänger and swaps places with the real deal. (This switcheroo is also shown via flashback from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #34.) With a masked Bruce locked in a cell, the whiskey-swilling False Face (as a Bruce lookalike) returns to Wayne Manor to discover Terry’s secret ID as Batman. Playing it cool, the faker, along with Matt, monitors Batman, who checks-out an illegal power plant across town. There, Batman is taken down by a new duo called The Splitt (brothers Caden and Adam). The Splitt have the combined powers of Dr. Double X and Flash. Later, Terry chats with Melanie Walker and Matt while his Bat-suit gets auto-repaired in the Batcave’s rehab tube. Soon after, Batman takes on the Splitt in a rematch, but gets walloped once again. Meanwhile, False Face “Bruce” visits a casino, gambles up big winnings, and departs with a coquette. Batman pulls them over as they head back to Wayne Manor. “Bruce” immediately guns down Batman, and swaps places with him. In the Batcave, fake-Batman debriefs with Matt. Melanie video-phones-in from Arkham, revealing that False Face has swapped places with Bruce, whom she has just rescued from a cell. Meanwhile, a temporarily amnesiac Terry wanders the streets of Neo-Gotham.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #34-36 (“DIVIDE, CONQUER, AND KILL” Conclusion). False Face, masquerading as Batman, violently busts some kidnappers in order to keep up appearances. After fooling Bruce, Melanie, and Matt into thinking he is the real deal, “Batman” continues playing the role by taking on Splitt. They only realize the truth when “Batman” joins Splitt instead of fighting them. While listening-in, Splitt tells the false Batman their origin story, revealing that they are only six-years-old, but their condition is causing them to physically age rapidly. Meanwhile, an amnesiac Terry gets taken in by one of the kidnappers that the fake Dark Knight busted earlier. Terry winds up getting tangentially involved in a murder/robbery at a diner. Bruce sends Melanie (Ten) to go fight the nominal Batman and his new cronies, but they defeat her. A bearded and hoary Flash (Barry Allen) then arrives in the Batcave, makes amends with Bruce, and then rescues Ten. Flash challenges False Face and the young speedsters to a battle. Flash and Ten fight the villains until the Splitt reveals that they are dying and need help. Barry runs off with the Splitt, trying to help them cure their ailment aboard their yacht. An angry False Face interrupts, causing the vessel to explode. The Splitt falls into the bay while False Face dies. With the villain’s death, Terry is stuck as an amnesiac somewhere on the streets of Neo-Gotham. A week after, news reports come out saying that Batman has gone missing. Later, in the Batcave, a mystery woman takes the Bat-costume.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #37-39 (“FIRST FLIGHT”). With an amnesiac Terry still missing (for nearly two months now), a mystery woman dons the Batman costume becoming the brand new Batwoman. With a live-reporting Jack Ryder hot on her trail, Batwoman patrols, taking down random Old Gotham muggers, the techno-gang known as the Slamjackers, and Boffo (the final member of the Jokerz). Bruce and Matt watch Batwoman on TV, but they disagree who is behind the mask. Bruce thinks it’s Babs while Matt thinks it’s Melanie. Meanwhile, Terry joins up with homeless outcast Constance Gustinov, who is a disgraced Wayne-Powers research scientist, Derek Powers’ ex-lover, and former arch rival of Terry’s dad. Across town, in an old Powers lab, Blight (Derek Powers) resurrects! After more Batwoman sightings, Bruce meets with Babs, accusing her of taking the costume, but she laughs and says it ain’t her. Meanwhile, Matt visits Melanie Walker, accusing her of being the new Batwoman. Melanie also chortles and says it’s not her either. Babs confronts Terry, who has gone on a stealing spree with Constance, but Terry and Constance fly away using rocket boots. Blight attacks a Wayne Enterprises science lab, drawing the attention of Bruce and Batwoman. The latter enters the lab and fights with Blight. Bruce and Matt watch remotely. The latter learns that his father was murdered on Derek Powers’ orders. Bruce gives Matt a hug in a very endearing moment. Batwoman and Blight fight to a draw with both fleeing their separate ways. Blight contacts Constance for help.

–2051 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #40-42 (“FIRST FLIGHT” Conclusion). Constance Gustinov and an amnesiac Terry meet with Blight, who plans on transferring his mind into Terry’s body. Meanwhile, Batwoman saves lives at multiple Wayne Enterprises facilities, which are being wrecked by Blight’s delayed “Devourer” bombs. In the Batcave, Bruce and Matt meet with Babs and Melanie. When Blight’s henchmen attack Wayne Manor, Batwoman arrives to fight them. Things look bad until Dick arrives from Blüdhaven to chase away the bad guys. Batwoman flees the scene. Dick tells Bruce and company that his daughter Elainna has been missing for weeks. That’s right folks, Batwoman is none other than Elainna Grayson! While the Bat-Family discusses what should be done with Elainna, Terry is knocked-out and put into a machine that will allow Blight to take over his mind and body. Before the process can begin, Constance has to fix Terry’s brain, so she restores his memory. Batwoman then arrives to save Terry. Constance dies of intense radiation poisoning. Blight (who has known Batman’s secret ID since the very beginning) vows to kill Bruce and all his friends and family. He smashes his way into the Batcave and begins attacking Bruce, Matt, Babs, Dick, and Melanie. Batman and Batwoman arrive to turn the tide. Batman straps Blight to the Batmobile and flies it into the sea before burrowing into the earth’s crust, setting off an explosion that traps the villain there for good. Batman returns home and celebrates with the Bat-Family.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1-3. A politician named Pierson replaces Luke Fox as the new mayor of Neo-Gotham.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #45. Bruce sets up a rocket-launching space station in a secret location in Texas, complete with a state-of-the-art star cruiser.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #45 and Batman Beyond Vol.8 #47. Bruce outfits several Wayne-Powers satellites into a super-powered laser weapons that can strike the planet from Earth’s orbit.

–2052 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #43-45 (“THE ERADICATION AGENDA”). Early summer. Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #45 says this item occurs both “months” after and “about one year” after “Rise of the Demon.” We are also told it is specifically summertime in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #47. This means that exactly fourteen months have passed since “Rise of the Demon.” Batman roughs up some Slamjackers. Meanwhile, Dick tells Elainna that she cannot be Batwoman, but Babs tells her to follow her heart. With the Batcave in ruins thanks to Blight, Bruce opens up the unused Wayne Tower HQ he’s been working on for months, revealing the big secret to Terry and Matt. Bruce deems that this will be Batman’s new base of operations, moving forward. Terry dubs the alt-Batcave as the “BatSuite.” After touring his new base, Batman roughs up the Slamjackers again, but gets corralled by Goliath, who brings him to a badly injured Damian, who has been overthrown and ousted from the League of Assassins by Zeh-ro. While Batman fends-off a swarm of League of Assassins ninjas, Goliath flies Damian to the BatSuite. Bruce helps all three escape using remote weaponry attached to Wayne Tower. Damian goes right into a Lazarus Pit fluid recovery pod. Meanwhile, Dick, Babs, and Elainna oversee robot drones that conduct a clean-up and renovation of the Batcave underneath Wayne Manor. In the Batcave, Dick and Babs show Elainna a special (unused) costume that Bruce once designed for Babs years ago. In the BatSuite, Damian awakens in a Lazarus rage, but soon regains his equanimity, telling all that Zeh-ro staged a coup upon realizing that Damian was never going to go through with any of his grandfather’s mad plans. Now Zeh-ro plans to initiate a new Ice Age, but first he wants to level Neo-Gotham. The League of Assassins strike the city using a giant floating war vessel flanked by ninjas on rocket-sleds. With Bruce guiding remotely, Batman, Damian, Dick, Goliath, and Batwoman (Elainna in her new Batwoman costume) defend the city. The warship is downed, but the League of Assassins initiate a new Ice Age using sci-fi tech. As blizzards form all over the globe and temperatures plummet, the League of Assassins departs into deep space via multiple spaceships.

–2052 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #46-47 (“THE ERADICATION AGENDA” Conclusion). Early summer. Batman, Batwoman, Damian, Dick, and Goliath take a star cruiser into Earth’s orbit. After boarding Zeh-ro’s main vessel, the heroes fight dozens of ninjas, but then nearly get sucked out into the vacuum of space. Meanwhile, all of Neo-Gotham loses power and the snowdrift penetrates into the BatSuite, forcing a freezing Bruce, Babs, and Matt to don special temperature-controlled suits. The trio escapes in the flying-Batmobile. In space, the rest of the heroes use Bruce’s satellite lasers to destroy Zeh-ro’s tech. They defeat all the ninjas and Zeh-ro himself, ending his threat against the world and reverting temperatures to normal. Zeh-ro lives, but is sent floating into deep space aboard what remains of his craft. In the BatSuite, Damian officially rejoins the Bat-Family! Elsewhere, a time-traveling Booster Gold and Skeets arrive from 2018 with a message for Terry. (As referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #49, Bruce has just discovered Warren McGinnis’ childhood journal, which details an encounter with a time-traveling Batman (Terry) that led to a butterfly effect culminating decades later with events leading to Terry becoming Batman. Realizing that the timeline must be preserved (and oddly sensing that Terry won’t go back in time on his own), Bruce has concocted a Silver Age-type ruse, which involves goldbricking a post-hypnotic psychic breakdown, faking Matt’s murder, and the intervention of 2018 Booster Gold, who has been recruited into the fold by present day Booster Gold on behalf of Bruce.

–2052 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #48-49 (“CANCELED BY YESTERDAY”). Early summer—picking up directly from Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #47. After busting the Twilight Rangers, Batman returns to the BatSuite only to be assaulted by Bruce, who has “lost control of his senses.” (Bruce’s bizarre plan to hoodwink Batman into going back in time has now begun.) Batman saves Matt—who is playing along with the charade and has been sworn to secrecy—from a swarm of Bat-drones. 2018 Booster Gold then appears, trying to “help in the defense,” but Bruce “murders” Matt. Booster then pulls Batman away, telling him the fake news—that a villain put a murderous post-hypnotic suggestion into Bruce’s mind decades ago. Booster, as planned, tells Batman the only way to undo what has occurred is to go back in time. After a jaunt to 2018, Booster, Batman, and Skeets take on Blanque. Batman rescues his own father, a young Warren McGinnis, from the blaze, thus ensuring the sanctity of the timeline. 2018 Batman shows up too, but Terry avoids making any contact with him. Terry then returns to present day thinking that he’s altered the timeline to restore Bruce’s mind and his brother’s life. After Terry leaves, Bruce debriefs with Skeets and old (present day) Booster.

–2052 CE
Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #50. A returning Inque disguises herself as Batman, framing him for murder. Still disguised, Inque attacks Bruce and Matt, putting them both in the hospital. Batman evades the cops, joining Commissioner Barbara Gordon, Melanie Walker, and Dana Tan at the hospital. Terry visits a critical Bruce before being approached by Wonder Woman. Batman and Wonder Woman depart to solve the fake Batman mystery just as Bruce goes under the knife, requiring a heart transplant due to his injuries. At a WayneTech building, Batman and Wonder Woman flush out Inque, exposing her as the culprit. They defeat Inque, trapping her in a stabilization cube. Batman is publicly exonerated. Back in the hospital, Terry rejoins his family and a now stable Bruce, whose body had initially rejected an artificial heart before accepting a second one. Wonder Woman invites Batman to join the Justice League! (We don’t see the current lineup of the JL, but we know that at least two of the old school members—including Wonder Woman—are back on the team.)

–2052 CE
Justice League vs The Legion of Super-Heroes #3 (“THE GOLD LANTERN SAGA”). Thanks to the machinations of the Great Darkness, members of the 31st century Legion of Super-Heroes (Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, and Brainiac 5) are sent to Neo-Gotham in 2052 CE where they meet Batman (Terry McGinnis).

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman Vol. 3 Annual #2 Part 2. Helena Wayne becomes the new Batwoman, sharing the role of protector of Neo-Gotham with Batman (Terry McGinnis). She begins going on routine patrols and answering the Bat-signal regularly.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1. Terry’s mom Mary returns! She went missing during the Brother Eye conflict years ago and had been presumed dead, but she’s actually alive and well. We don’t know the details of her time off the grid or her miraculous return, but Terry’s brother Matt goes to live with her.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1. Batman (Terry McGinnis) fights the new head of the Maroni mob—Sal Maroni’s descendant Tai Maroni.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1. Realizing that the Bat-computer network is fully integrated into all digital technology throughout Neo-Gotham, Bruce creates an emergency override for the system, calling it the Blackout Protocol. This override will not only disconnect the Bat-computer system from all citywide tech, but also self-destruct all areas directly connected to local networks (i.e. the Batcave, Wayne Manor, BatSuite, all safe houses, and all alt-Batcaves). Bruce tells Terry about the new protocol, showing him how to initiate it if need be.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3. Commissioner Babs Gordon finally admits publicly that she used to be Batgirl.

–2052 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3 and Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #5. Terry celebrates his 21st birthday. He takes a strong liking to beer, especially Gotham Ale brand.

–2052 CE
Batman Vol. 3 Annual #2 Part 2. An elderly Bruce becomes gravely ill. Selina accompanies Bruce to the doctor’s office where he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. (Unknown to Bruce, the cancer stems back to a fight he had with Dr. Phosphorus decades ago—as seen via flashback in Detective Comics #1027 Part 9.) A veteran Batwoman (Helena Wayne) consults with Zatanna, but she cannot help. Batwoman reports the bummer news to her mom. At Wayne Manor, Bruce tells Selina to have Barry Allen find an alternate universe Batman to take care of her once he dies. Later, an intractable Bruce tries to lift weights but cannot. Selina and Bruce share a passionate kiss. (This kiss is also shown via flash-forward from Batman Vol. 3 #85.) Is this (or any of Bruce’s cancer and upcoming death) canon? Who knows! But until anything dictates otherwise, we’ll leave it here.

—^[4]

–2052 CE
Batman Vol. 3 Annual #2 Part 2 Epilogue. With his cancer worsening and feeling deathly ill, Bruce ventures out and purchases a kitten, which he leaves in an old Batmobile as a gift for Selina. Soon after, Bruce deteriorates and quickly becomes bed-ridden. Despite being unable to communicate, Bruce is comforted by his friends and family, including Selina, Helena, Dick, Babs, Jason, Duke, Stephanie, Jean-Paul, Carrie, and either Tim or Damian. (Those are the folks shown, although there could be more folks—like Terry, Matt, Kate, Cassandra, Luke, and Elainna—standing on the other side of the room. It’s also possible the others couldn’t get there on time.) Selina finds the kitty and one final love note from her soon-to-be dearly departed husband.

–2052 CE
Detective Comics #1027 Part 9. In their Wayne Manor bedroom, Selina watches over Bruce, who is still too ill to speak. Note that Selina is incorrectly drawn with long hair, which contradicts her short hair look, which she sports in our previous item. This item ends with what appears to be Bruce silently succumbing to his cancer. However, since we see a different death for Bruce in Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Max Dunbar’s Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1 (2021), we must assume that, while extremely ill and on the brink of death, Bruce’s does not yet take his final breath. Writer Tom King definitely intended Detective Comics #1027 Part 9 (2020) to show Bruce’s death, but since we don’t conclusively get it, nor do we see a funeral, it does technically leave space for Bruce’s actual death in Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, which will be next up on our chronology.

–2052 to 2053 CE
Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1. December 31 to January 1—New Year’s Eve. Terry McGinnis enters the Batcave to find the elderly Bruce crumpled on the floor and bleeding from his chest. Despite recently having been so ill with cancer that he could neither move nor speak, Bruce must have made some minor health gains and at least become ambulatory and communicative, since he managed to descend into the Batcave and now (albeit very painfully) tells Terry that someone accessed the Bat-computer network and used it to overload his pacemaker. Fading quickly, Bruce muses about the murder of his parents, opens up about a failed adventure when he was in his late sixties, and tells Terry that he (Terry) is the quintessential Batman. Bruce then tragically dies in Terry’s arms, leaving him with a terrible murder mystery to solve.^[5] Terry suits up as Batman and phones his mom, Matt, Dana Tan, Commissioner Babs Gordon, and Max Gibson to warn them of danger and to let them know that Bruce has been killed. (While not shown in this item, there’s no way Terry wouldn’t also notify other members of the Bat-Family i.e. Selina, Helena, Dick, Damian, Tim, Jason, et al, so we can assume that he does so off-panel.) Looking for answers, Batman shakes down Tai Maroni and her cyberpunk hooligans. Tai tells Batman that there have been recent automation tech accidents and circuit fires all over the city. Batman then visits interim CEO of Wayne-Powers Corp Felipe Erenreit, who reveals that all of Neo-Gotham’s bank accounts have been frozen by a mystery hacker (i.e. Bruce’s killer) that has accessed every facet of Neo-Gotham’s infrastructure and finance. Bruce’s killer threatens Batman directly via his Bat-suit headset before blowing up the penthouse of the Wayne-Powers Tower, killing Erenreit in the process. The mystery killer also uses his hacking abilities to mark Batman as the top suspect in Bruce’s murder, causing the police to immediately go after him. Batman fights his way through Neo-Gotham, battling cops, gangs (including the Jokerz and the Royal Flush Gang), and Shriek. Bat in the Batcave, Batman is shocked to learn that the hacker/killer is none other than the corrupted Bat-computer network itself, which has gained sentience, taken control of the entire city, and is now calling itself The Living Gotham. As it monologues, the Living Gotham shows Batman a collage of images depicting the most formative moments of Bruce’s life. (Since almost all of these images wouldn’t have been filmed or photographed, they all must be simulated AI recreations based upon Bruce’s case-files and journals.) Just as the Living Gotham sics a Batman Robot against Batman, the latter initiates an emergency override Blackout protocol, which not only severs the Living Gotham’s connection to Neo-Gotham’s electronics, but also causes the Batcave, Wayne Manor (and BatSuite, all safe houses, and all alt-Batcaves) to begin self-destructing. Batman generously opts not to destroy the Living Gotham, allowing the AI to send itself to a remote network in parts unknown. Batman grabs Ace and flees the exploding Batcave/Wayne Manor. Somehow, Batman is able to find Ace a new home immediately (so he likely goes into the care of a Bat-Family member). As the New Year’s ball drops in downtown Neo-Gotham, Batman stands tall over his city. We can assume that Bruce’s funeral is held shortly after this item ends. The epilogue of Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular Part 3 shows Selina and Helena mourning the loss of Bruce shortly after his death as well.

–2053 CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1—and referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1. Early January—picking up immediately following Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1. Batman (Terry McGinnis) patrols, rescuing eight mugging victims from various crooks, including the Catbois. He also stops two gang conflicts and a bank heist. Batman sets up a new headquarters in a downtown Neo-Gotham apartment, around which he sets up a protective security “dead zone” that will keep it secret from prying eyes. Later, Batman decides to begin keeping a paper diary. While we won’t always see him write in it, nor will we be able to read every entry, we can assume that he journals every day, moving forward.

–2053 CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1. Mid January. Batman (Terry McGinnis) patrols, stopping eighteen muggings and rescuing one kidnapping victim. Even though he saved the victim, Batman considers the kidnaping case a failure because a bunch of gun-toting thugs were waiting to ambush him and he barely escaped with his own life. Batman, as always, writes in his journal afterward.

–2053 CE
Flashback from Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1. Mid February. Batman (Terry McGinnis) patrols, stopping three muggings and dealing with eight assaults. After a bomb goes off in the Doyle Heights neighborhood, Batman is blamed, causing the cops to chase after him. After patrol ends, Batman journals.

–2053 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1. Early March. Batman (Terry McGinnis) patrols as usual, after which he writes in his journal. A former Blüdhaven crime boss known as The Holographic Man (Donovan Lumos) becomes the new CEO of Wayne-Powers Corp. He’s technically in charge now, but he’ll have complete dictatorial control within six months.) As construction wraps on the new penthouse of the Wayne-Powers Tower, the Holographic Man announces the “Trinary Galas,” a series of lavish parties for Neo-Gotham’s elite, the first of which is set to occur in two weeks.

–2053 CE
Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #3 Part 4. March 7. The spirit of Bruce Wayne gets mixed-up in the afterlife, and as befogged Bat-ghosts are wont to do, he begins haunting the streets of Neo-Gotham, specifically on the anniversary of his final outing in costume (on the March date that the public falsely believes the original Dark Knight to have been killed). Instantly catching wind of the supernatural situation, Zatanna, Etrigan, and Raven Rose (Zatanna’s protégé) chat with Bruce’s ghost. After giving the bogey a sense of awareness, the trio performs an exorcism to give Bruce eternal peace once and for all.

–2053 CE
Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1-3. Mid March to late September. Batman (Terry McGinnis) patrols as usual. Afterward, Terry attends the first Wayne-Powers Trinary Gala hosted by the Holographic Man (Donovan Lumos). At the party, the Holographic Man greets Terry, noting his famed connection to Bruce Wayne (as his personal assistant). Terry puts a recording device on the Holographic Man, quickly learning he is a drug pusher. Terry leaves the party, suits up as Batman, and visits Commissioner Babs Gordon, witnessing her briefly argue with Detective Beam Boonma. Batman tells Commissioner Gordon about the Holographic Man and she says the NGCPD will look into it. Commissioner Gordon then surprises Batman, telling him that she is going to retire, noting that crime in Neo-Gotham is at an all-time low. Batman destroys the Holographic Man’s drug shipment in Gotham Harbor, after which he is attacked by the Living Gotham’s operative—a sentient AI known as The Sword of Gotham, which can possess people and control their bodies. Batman fights the Sword of Gotham, who blows up a building. Thousands are killed and Batman is badly injured. Mayor Pierson vows to bring justice to the dead. Batman will spend the next month recovering, going out only to pay his respects to the Sword of Gotham’s victims at ground zero. By April, Batman begins patrolling again, but for six weeks straight, he keeps to the shadows, only striking after dark. Despite this, the Sword of Gotham counters Batman’s every move, fighting him on an almost nightly basis. Realizing that the Sword of Gotham has been able to track his every movement by honing in on his Bat-suit, Terry sets the costume aside. Using nearly the last of his savings, Terry buys a metalliferous anti-surveillance cloak and cyberpunk mask. In his new costume, Terry breaks into Gotham Central Insurance, learning that someone has been stealing jewels all over town. After roughing up some hoods for more information (and spending the last of his money), Terry returns to the Bat-suit and confronts the jewel thieves, an unnamed trio collectively known as Gestalt, who are linked together in a hive mind (and physically connected by weird giant tentacle tech). Batman chases Gestalt, battling his way through dozens of Jokerz in Joker Town. Eventually, Batman catches up to Gestalt and unmasks before them, asking them to help him fight against The Living Gotham and the Sword of Gotham. Gestalt refuse, but they part ways with Batman on amicable terms. Months later, in late September, the Holographic Man, now in total control of Wayne-Powers without any oversight whatsoever, holds his second Trinary Gala—a retirement masquerade gala for Commissioner Babs Gordon. Both Terry McGinnis (wearing a mask and using the pseudonym “Neal Gibson”) and Detective Beam Boonma are in attendance. (Note that Terry says it’s been five months since Babs told him she planned on retiring, but in order for Batman Beyond: Neo-Year to jibe with the rest of its own internal narrative, six months—nearly seven—had to have passed since that time. Also, Babs says that she “was a cop five decades longer than she was Batgirl,” but this is a big exaggeration. In total, Babs wore the cape and cowl for maybe 25 years whereas she’s been a cop for about 30 years. So maybe she meant to say that she’s been fighting crime for a total of five decades-ish?) At the gala, Babs gives a speech, after which the Holographic Man announces that Wayne-Powers Corp will be funding the NGCPD, meaning that he will essentially be running the police force. Babs argues with the Holographic Man about his decision. After Terry overhears some of the Holographic Man’s cronies say that Mayor Pierson has been missing for the past 32 hours, he chats with Detective Beam Boonma, taking an instant liking to her. Terry and Beam ditch the party to go on a burger date. Their hangout ends poorly, with Beam smashing Terry’s face into his food tray before storming off. Out of rocket fuel, a flightless Batman then visits City Hall in search of Mayor Pierson. (Writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing get cute here, referencing Gotham’s “Earthquake of 1999,” which is meant to be a nod to the “Cataclysm” and “No Man’s Land” story arcs, published in 1998-1999. Of course, in our current continuity, these arcs happened much later. As such, we must simple assume that there was another earthquake in 1999.) In the mayoral office, Batman realizes that Pierson is dead as he is greeted by the robotic voice of the Living Gotham. The Sword of Gotham attacks.

–2053 to 2054 CE
Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #4-6. Late September to late January. Picking up directly from Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #3, the Sword of Gotham fights Batman (Terry McGinnis), forcing him into the street. After a struggle, Batman defeats the Sword of Gotham, learning about his ability to hop into random people’s bodies. Batman rushes to Beam Boonma’s apartment, hoping to get her help, but the Sword of Gotham takes over Beam’s body. After another brutal fight, Batman separates the Sword of Gotham from Beam before taking her to the ruins of Wayne Manor. Batman is surprised to find Gestalt living in the ruins of the Batcave, which they have back up and running. Gestalt finally agree to help Batman fight the Living Gotham, quickly determining that the Sword of Gotham takes over people using a nano-virus that has spread via Neo-Gotham’s water supply. Batman spends the next few months underground in the ruins of the Batcave, prepping for all-out war against the Living Gotham. Meanwhile, Gestalt begin building a new Batman Beyond costume and running daily tests on a poisoned Beam, hoping to purge her of the nano-virus but also create a cure for it. On Batman’s one hundredth day underground, Gestalt are able to cure Beam and synthesize an antivirus. Beam and a bearded Batman travel to the edge of Neo-Gotham where they share a bottle of wine. Batman reveals his secret ID to her. Upon his return to the Batcave, Terry is delivered his brand new costume by Gestalt. Batman recruits an army consisting of Babs, Beam and some good cops (all of whom quit the corrupt NGCPD), Gestalt, and the Jokerz. On New Year’s Eve, at the Holographic Man’s final Trinary Gala aboard a giant floating fortress, Batman makes his daring re-debut. In reaction, the Sword of Gotham takes over hundreds of people at once. Remotely guided by Gestalt and Babs (going by “Oracle One”), and supported by a cadre of Beam and other ex-cops, Batman fights his way to the Holographic Man, telling him that the Living Gotham has been manipulating him the entire time. Instead of rejecting the Living Gotham, the Holographic Man embraces it, allowing the Sword of Gotham to enter his body and control his mind (and his fortress). Allied with the ex-cops, the Jokerz destroy the fortress, ending the Sword of Gotham and the Living Gotham’s threat. Neo-Gotham is saved and Batman is hailed as a hero. Beam is reinstated as a cop. Soon after, a special election is held and new unnamed mayor is elected. The Holographic Man is acquitted of all wrongdoing since he had been under the influence of evil AI. Meanwhile, Babs and Gestalt fix up the Batcave completely and begin securing all of Neo-Gotham from future threats. At his apartment, Terry finishes his journal, but wanting to ceremonially move on from this trying year, he burns it. Terry and Beam begin dating as well. After defeating some ninjas, Batman switches to civilian clothes and happily meets Beam for drinks.

–2054 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1. Terry and Beam Boonma move into an apartment together. Terry’s brother (Matt) and mother (Mary) move to Metropolis. Dana Tan also moves to Metropolis. Gestalt continues to act as Batman’s new “Oracle,” sending “Bat-Signals” (specific mission details) directly to his cowl earpiece. Meanwhile, Babs follows through on her retirement, moving to Corto Maltese. The Wayne-Powers Company officially changes its name to Lumos Industries. Still retaining corporate ownership of the NGCPD, Lumos Industries removes the idealistic Beam from their police force. Beam begins assisting Batman in his crimefighting endeavors.

–2054 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1. Late May. Terry’s brother Matt McGinnis graduates high school. Terry is too busy as Batman to attend his ceremony.

–2054 CE
Referenced in Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1 and Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #6. Beam Boonma goes to City Hall where she authors the “Gordon Initiative,” a plan to replace the corporate-controlled police force with a collective of citizen volunteers. The concept involves using tech pilfered from the Living Gotham that will allow any good-natured Gothamite to turn into a Batman when needed. The plan isn’t received well. Notably, Neo-Gotham’s government still remains unsettled ever since the provisional election a few months ago.

–2054 CE
Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1-3. Outside the Fox Apartment complex, a magick-using Catboi called Kyle Selinas_450 escorts some children (Connor, Lysa, and an unnamed kid) into a park only to witness in horror as they are dragged underground kicking and screaming by the resurgent Garden of Darkness (aka Dark Garden). Meanwhile, Batman receives Bat-Signals from Gestalt, sending him across the city to fight Jokerz, Inque, pig-human hybrid Splicers (possibly inspired by Professor Pyg), and Shriek. At his apartment, Terry speaks with his mom on the phone. She tells him to keep in touch more with his friends and family, asking him to give Dana Tan a call sometime. Terry tells his mom that they haven’t spoken in “over a year,” not since “the night Bruce died.” (It’s been nearly a year-and-a-half since that happened, to be specific.) As his call with mom ends, Terry is greeted by Beam, who immediately takes him into the bedroom. Later, in the Batcave, Batman meets with Gestalt, who tells him about the missing orphans. At the Fox Apartment complex, the Holographic Man (Donovan Lumos) hold a press conference, citing that Lumos Industries has purchased the site and will be demolishing it. Beam is on-hand to accuse him of disaster capitalism—turning the tragedy of the missing kids into a real estate deal. Beam guides Terry into Gotham Deep to search for the kids. Soon, Batman interrogates Kyle, who agrees to guide him lower into the Deep. Batman and Kyle run afoul of the weed-smoking villain known as Mr. Blunt and his cyberpunk cronies, including a fake Bane. After dispatching the bad guys, Batman bonds with Kyle over the fact that they both spent time in a juvenile detention center as teens. At one of the lowest levels, Batman is attacked by a monstrously-mutated Killer Croc. Realizing that Killer Croc has been purposefully installed as a guard dog by Bruce, Batman determines that the missing kids are still alive in the next level beneath his feet. Meanwhile, aboveground, Lumos Industries demolishes the Fox Apartments, causing a catastrophic ripple effect that reverberates down into the Deep. (One of the displaced Fox Apartment residents mentions that Gotham hasn’t had an earthquake in thirty years. There was an earthquake during “Fear State” in 2021, so he’s not that far off!) With the press of a button, the Holographic Man erects a giant hard-light tower where the Fox Apartments used to be. In the Deep, Kyle uses his magick to sedate Killer Croc. The mini-earthquake opens the ground, revealing the entrance to the Tomb of the Owls. Terry and Kyle unseal the tomb to venture deeper into the catacombs, coming face-to-face with hundreds of bioluminescent corpses of former Court of Owls members, who have been reanimated by the Garden of Darkness. The Garden itself manifests into a giant evil Batman—the “Batman Beneath.” As Batman and Kyle fight zombie Court of Owls members and the Dark Garden Batman, Kyle reveals that he was taught magick by the late John Constantine. Batman detonates explosives, causing he and Kyle to fall into a deep ravine.

–2054 CE
Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #4-6. Picking up directly from Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #3, Batman falls to the bottom of the ravine and begins hallucinating dark visions of his family, Bruce, and Dana Tan. His visions begin merging with Kyle the Catboi’s twisted hallucinations about John Constantine. After fending off a psychological attack from Batman Beneath, Batman and Kyle awaken in a garden in the deepest part of Gotham Deep only to be physically attacked by “The Roots”—a seemingly mind-controlled Poison Ivy, Black Orchid, and unnamed muck monster. After Kyle discovers the missing children in seed pods, he joins Batman in the fight against the Roots. Batman smashes his way to the taproot, revealing the Big Bad in charge of the Garden of Darkness—a corrupted and now evil Constantine! Aboveground, Donovan Lumos gloats about his municipal victory in a phone call with Beam Boonma. Lumos sets off more controlled-detonations, but something goes wrong and a large unexpected sinkhole opens, through which the evil vines of the Garden emerge along with plant creatures (including multiple Swamp Things) and reanimated Court of Owls members. This swarm quickly begins to take over Neo-Gotham, prompting Batman, Beam, and the Gestalt to enact the Gordon Initiative. Gestalt is able to connect Batman to all the citizens of Neo-Gotham, upon which Batman gives the city a pep talk, explains the plan, and reveals his secret ID to everyone! Hundreds (if not thousands) opt-in, creating an army of Batmen to attack the plants and a raging Killer Croc. Meanwhile, down below, Kyle talks down Constantine, reminding him that he’s supposed to be a good guy. Realizing the error of his ways, Constantine undoes all his plant-damage before dying in Kyle’s arms. Afterward, Lumos flees Neo-Gotham and citywide clean-up begins. Beam and Terry are now Neo-Gotham’s most famous couple. Hoping to keep Dana as a genuine friend, Terry phones to tell her about everything.

—^[6]

—^[7]

—^[8]

–2105 CE
Referenced in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #28—originally told in Batman #59 Part 3. Having time-traveled from 2005 (via the Carter Nichols method), Batman and Robin engage in a rocket ship race through the solar system and help Gotham Chief of Police Rekoj (Joker’s descendant!) bust some pirate saboteurs. Chief Rekoj shines a giant Bat-Signal on the face of the Moon.

–2471 CE
Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 # 15 Part 2
Booster Gold accidentally causes a deadly asteroid to hurtle toward Earth. Feeling out of his depth, Booster time-travels to 2022 where he recruits Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman to help out. The foursome (plus Skeets) time-travel to the 25th century where they are aided by Bugster Gold and Skeeter—heroes from 65 million years in the future (of an erased timeline). The insectoid Bugster claims that he must ensure that the asteroid strikes Earth to eliminate humans so that his species can become the dominant one later on. By some strange anomaly, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman are briefly whisked back in time to 65 million years ago, but they are rescued and brought back to 2022 by Booster, who claims that he tricked Bugster and was able to save humans from annihilation in the 25th century. Of course, Booster is totally wrong, and the asteroid is still heading toward Earth. Thus, the heroes return to the 25th century. Unencumbered, Superman easily steers the asteroid away, preventing planetary impact.

–3000 CE
Referenced in Blue Beetle Vol. 9 #11-12—originally told in Justice League 3000 #1-15. For years, a group of robust metahumans known as The Five (Locus, Coeval, The Convert, Kali, and Terry Magnus) has ruled most of the universe with an oppressive dictatorial reign. Hoping to usurp their imperial throne, Project Cadmus (run by acting double-agent Terry Magnus and his twin sister Teri Magnus) are able to clone the 21st century’s superheroes to create a new Justice League—Batman (Bruce Wayne clone), Superman (Clark Kent clone), Wonder Woman (Diana clone), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan clone), Flash (Barry Allen clone), and Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond clone). The JL, with non-clone handler Ariel Masters, fights the Five, resulting in the Flash-clone’s death. Terry shows his true colors and kills Teri, but Ariel resurrects her with the cloning machine, turning her into the new Flash. The revenant joins the JL and helps them bring down the Five, ending their reign over the cosmos. The JL then goes to the Arthurian planet of Camelot 9 where they deal with Terry’s new Injustice League—Lois Lane (Lois Lane clone), Bane (Bane clone), Mirror Master (Sam Scudder clone), Zeus, and Sinestro (Thaal Sinestro clone)—and prevent a demon invasion from Hell, led by Etrigan. The JL is assisted by a time-traveling Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) and Booster Gold and Fire (Beatriz da Costa clone) and Ice (Tora Olafsdotter clone).

–3001 CE
Referenced in Blue Beetle Vol. 9 #11-12 and Adventures of the Super-Sons #6—originally told in Justice League 3001 #1-12. The Firestorm clone, off the Justice League and new head of Cadmus, reclones the Green Lantern into the body of Shiryalla Tome, mixed with Guy Gardner’s DNA, creating a new female-bodied (but male-identifying) Green Lantern to replace the Hal Jordan-clone, who dies. Later, a new Supergirl (Kara Zor-El clone) joins the JL to help them defeat some Starros on the planet Woden 12, after which a Starro—attached to a random person—joins the JL too. On the prison planet of Takron-Galtos, the Supergirl-clone and Batman-clone bust a fake Batman, who is revealed as teenager Tina Sung (a descendant of Bruce Wayne). Soon after, Tina (in her Batman costume), along with the Fire-clone and Ice-clone, helps the JL defeat Lady Styx’s Scullion androids in a battle that sees the death of both the Superman-clone and Batman-clone. (Lady Styx is actually the immortal La Dama aka Amparo Cardenas, mother of Terry Magnus and Teri Magnus.) Tina becomes the new official Batman, replacing the Batman-clone on the JL. Ridiculously, Tina also becomes the new Robin, sometimes also wearing a Boy Wonder costume so she can be a superhero and sidekick all at once. Eventually, Tina settles on becoming the new Batgirl. The Fire-clone and Ice-clone join the JL as well. On Paradise Island, the new JL then defeats Lady Styx (Amparo Cardenas), the Injustice League, and Terry Magnus, who gets bonded with Eclipso. During the fight, Batgirl and Flash (Teri Magnus) get banished by Lady Styx to the 21st century.

–3022 CE
Justice League vs The Legion of Super-Heroes #2-6 (“THE GOLD LANTERN SAGA”). Having just been zapped to the 31st century by the Great Darkness, the 2022 Justice League joins with the Legion of Super-Heroes to challenge the Great Darkness. In an instant, the Great Darkness causes every single hero to disappear through time except for Batman, Chameleon Boy, and Computo. The United Planets Science Police raid Legion HQ looking for answers. After United Planets liaison Rose Forrest briefs everyone, she leads Batman, Black Canary, and several Legionnaires to confront the Great Darkness. On the planet Daxam, the heroes brief all the leaders of the United Planets, including President RJ Brande. Computo is able to communicate with the displaced heroes, instructing them on how to get home. After joining hands, the heroes are zapped back to the 21st century where the entire sky has been replaced by the Great Darkness. After the Legion of Doom headquarters mysteriously appears in the sky as well, Gold Lantern turns his ring over to Batman for examination. The heroes all discuss their time displacement experiences. As Triplicate Girl re-merges her three bodies together, she sees a vision of Vandal Savage. In an instant, Vandal Savage appears and seemingly erases all of reality, instead replacing it with a timeline where the superheroes never exist. In this new universe, Vandal Savage lives triumphantly in his favorite era—the American Wild West. Quickly though, the collected heroes are able to figure out what has occurred and undo Vandal Savage’s machinations, instead putting him into a false reality where he thinks he’s won. After getting Vandal Savage to confess to his crimes, the heroes reveal their ruse. The Guardians of the Universe (specifically the Elders of Oa) sentence Vandal Savage to be erased from existence. Using the power of the Great Darkness, Vandal Savage attacks Gold Lantern. The Elders of Oa intervene and seemingly efface Vandal Savage from reality, after which they determine that the 31st century will have a brand new Gold Lantern Corps. The Legion thanks the Justice League before sending them home.

–unknown time period
Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #3 Part 5. In an unknown time, sectarian class conflict has engulfed dystopian Neo-Gotham into an all-out civil war. With the wealthiest elite taking control of the inhabitable parts of the city, all other citizens are forced to scavenge in the ruins of the metropolis or live in the ravaged terrain surrounding the city limits. In the midst of giant manga-style mech battles between the patricians and revolutionaries, one of the former puts his foot down, sick of the oppression and atrocities committed by his peers. This “descendent of Wayne” (i.e. a relative of Bruce’s) becomes the new Batman, a champion of the lower caste. Wayne makes it clear that he is the new Batman, opting not to keep a secret ID. At some juncture during the war, Batman gets badly burned all over his body, but keeps on fighting. After a particularly bloody mech scuffle, Batman rouses up the guerrilla army and leads them into affluent territory, helping lead the outcasts to victoriously retake Neo-Gotham.

–853rd century CE
Referenced in Flash Vol. 5 #21 and Justice League Vol. 4 #1. Super-villains Laughing Virus and Xauron take control of the Prison Planet of Pluto. Xauron brutally murders all the prison staffers and their spouses, orphaning thousands of kids, including one little boy that swears to avenge their deaths. Years later, this survivor of the Plutonian Holocaust, inspired by the Caped Crusader of the 21st century, undergoes intense training and debuts as the dark avenger known as Batman! After establishing himself as a hero, Batman is given the task of running the penal colony on Pluto. Alongside his robotic sidekick—Robin the Toy Wonder—he battles a host of bizarre rogues and detains them on Pluto. Batman also sets up his Batcave on Pluto, complete with trophies and an extensive museum. Several of the galaxy’s most prominent criminals replicate the personalities of 21st century super-villains using nanotech viruses (or have been directly inspired by the wild villains of the 21st century). Thus, a large chunk of Batman’s rogues gallery features a bizarre assortment of villains that resemble Bruce Wayne’s old foes. Eventually, Batman joins the Justice Legion-A and goes on many escapades with them as well.

–853rd century CE
Referenced in Flash Vol. 5 #21 and Justice League Vol. 4 #1—originally told in “DC ONE MILLION.” The 21st century Justice League, having been invited by the Justice Legion-A, travels from the past to celebrate Superman (still alive and now godlike) emerge from a long hibernation inside the sun. Thanks to the meddling of Vandal Savage and Solaris, the JL-A remains trapped in the past while the JL gets stuck in the 853rd century. While the 853rd century Batman and the JL-A deal with various threats in the 21st century and paradoxically construct Solaris in order to defeat him, Batman winds up on the Prison Planet of Pluto where he meets Robin the Toy Wonder and learns that the 853rd Century Batman is warden. Batman fights new versions of old Arkham villains. After defeating the Laugher Batman reunites with his fellow teammates and the returning JL-A to take on Solaris. Thanks to some trickery in the 21st century, Solaris digs up what he believes is a Kryptonite bullet and fires it at the sun-emerging Superman. However, the bullet has been replaced with a Green Lantern power ring. Instead of killing Superman, Solaris hands him the greatest weapon imaginable, allowing him to easily win the day. The heroes are triumphant. The 21st century heroes return home.

–853rd century CE
Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 4. Batman and Robin the Toy Wonder study the history of the original Batman. With this knowledge, they create the Legacy Driver, a special upgrade that allows the former’s battle-suit to morph into several fighting modes that are based upon the original Batman’s costumes and adventures. Soon afterward, super-villains Hades (a descendant of both Bane and Vandal Savage), The Reader, Holo-Body, and Cry-O try to escape from the Prison Planet of Pluto, prompting wardens Batman and Robin the Toy Wonder to intervene. Using his different Legacy Driver modes, Batman re-apprehends Hades, The Reader, and Holo-Body. Upon confronting Cry-O, Batman feels sympathetic to her plight. (She’s basically a gender-swapped Mr. Freeze, who wants nothing more than to revive her cryogenically frozen husband.) With the aid of STAR Labs Galactic, Batman and Robin the Toy Wonder set up Cry-O in a special lab with special tools designed to hopefully revive her long dormant hubbie. When yet another prison breakout begins, our heroes rush into action.

–100 Billion CE
Referenced in Flash Vol. 5 #21, Dark Days: The Casting #1, Dark Nights: Metal #1-2, and Batman: Lost #1. Bruce, trapped in the past thanks to Darkseid’s Omega Sanction, time-leaps from a period right after the death of his parents to 100 Billion CE aka Vanishing Point, the final moments before the literal End of Time—or, in scientific terms, total universal heat destruction that occurs before time loops back around to its beginning. At Vanishing Point, a group of technorganic archivist Bush Robots oversee the final entropic process, cataloging information on a cosmic loom that charts a near infinite number of interweaving chronological pathways, the whole of which comprises a map of every timeline in the omniverse. As thermodynamic collapse draws near, the Bush Robots prepare a black hole that will store the complete—canonical, if you will—archival record of the entire chronological history of Universe-0. Where this black hole winds up for storage and who gets to review it is beyond me, but the questions form an enigma that is startlingly mind-bending and glorious all at once. The Bush Robots heal Bruce in a “Lazarus Transfusion Machine” and capture the deadly Hyper-Adapter that has been traveling with him. Bruce dies and travels to the Underworld of the New Gods where he communes with the spirit of Darkseid. Metron then resurrects Bruce! With help from the Bush Robots, Bruce travels with the weakened Hyper-Adapter back to his correct time period in the 21st century. There, the Hyper-Adapter is defeated and transubstantiates into a giant bat, a final form influenced by its unbeatable rival. The giant bat Hyper-Adapter is sent backward through time, eventually winding up in 38,000 BCE where it is slain by Vandal Savage. (Unknown to all parties involved, the evil Batman-obsessed god from the Dark Multiverse—the real Barbatos—watches these events transpire, subtly influencing results from afar via his tremendous cosmic power.)

1. ^[1]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman Beyond Vol. 8 began publication in 2016, and Batman Beyond Vol. 7 began publication in 2015. According to some sources, the prior two volumes—Vol. 5 and Vol. 6 (2012-2014)—are not official volumes because they collect digital-first material under the series names Batman Beyond Unlimited and Batman Beyond Universe, respectively. Thus, those sources, taking into consideration the alternate series names, list them separately by referring to Vol. 8 as Vol. 7 (and Vol. 7 as Vol. 6) instead. I, however, have chosen to regard Unlimited and Universe as Volumes 5 and 6. Correspondingly, the Batman Beyond notes below will start with Volume 8.↩
2. ^[2]COLLIN COLSHER: Tom King’s Batman: One Bad Day – Riddler #1 seems to tell the final Riddler story, ending with Batman seemingly murdering Riddler. Because of this, and several other outlandish claims that Riddler makes in the narrative, this story is non-canon—or at the very least, this story’s canonicity is seriously in doubt. If it were canon though, it’d likely go right around here on our timeline. Reviewer and comic book shop owner Hannibal Tabu sums up Batman: One Bad Day – Riddler #1 best by saying, “If you wanna yank this story out of continuity, call it an Elseworlds, consider it a parallel Earth where Batman and the Riddler basically decide not to be Batman and Riddler, go for it. At an eight-dollar cover price, that’s a long road for a flight of fanfiction fantasy and speculation that cannot reasonably work in a shared continuity.↩
3. ^[3]COLLIN COLSHER: All of the Trinity (Lizzie Prince) stories set here in the Infinite Frontier future section (as originally seen in the back material of Wonder Woman Vol. 6) have also been collected in Trinity Special: World’s Finest #1 (2024).↩
4. ^[4]COLLIN COLSHER: Detective Comics #1000 Part 7 (2019) by Brian Michael Bendis originally took place here on our timeline—in the early 2050s. The story shows Bruce in a wheelchair, ill with cancer, meet with a very elderly Penguin, who “reveals” that he always knew Batman’s secret ID. Of course, this contradicts Tom King’s Penguin series (2023-2024), which shows that Penguin was always aware of Batman’s secret ID (and Batman also knew he knew long before this moment). As such, Detective Comics #1000 Part 7 is non-canon. Furthermore, Detective Comics #1000 Part 7 includes two flashbacks—one to around Year 4 and one to around Year 14—in which Batman’s secret ID is the focus of the narrative. In the latter flashback in particular, Joker assembles Penguin, Bane, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Two-Face in an effort to put their heads together and figure out Batman’s secret ID. Joker, Penguin, Bane, Catwoman, and Two-Face already know Batman’s secret ID, so this makes no sense and is yet another reason why Bendis’ yarn is unequivocally non-canon.↩
5. ^[5]COLLIN COLSHER: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Max Dunbar’s Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1 (an intro to Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1-6 and Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #1-6, which are a ostensibly a direct continuation of Batman Beyond Vol. 8) shows Bruce Wayne get murdered by the Living Gotham. This seems to contradict his death as detailed in Batman Vol. 3 Annual #2 Part 2 and Detective Comics #1027 Part 9 (both by Tom King), in which Bruce dies of cancer. However, despite it clearly not being the opposing creators’ intentions, both versions can technically exist together. As already stated above, King’s version clearly leads us through Bruce’s final days with late stage cancer. However, it never conclusively gives us the true finality of his death. Therefore, there is a valid interpretation in which Bruce doesn’t die in King’s version. He gets very ill to the brink of death, but he doesn’t go past that point. And then we see what is a definitive death scene by Kelly, Lanzing, and Dunbar. Even if one were fully against this creative fanwankery and wanted to choose one of Bruce’s deaths definitively, it would still be difficult because both King’s version and Kelly, Lanzing, and Dunbar’s version are each on shaky continuity ground to begin with. Both deal with the future, and future stories can always be relegated to non-canon depending on how things play out in other comics. If we look solely at the Kelly/Lanzing/Dunbar version of Bruce’s death, we know that other versions of Terry McGinnis exist throughout the local multiverse (on Earth-12) and omniverse, so we could regard Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1 and subsequent Neo issues as non-canon on our primary timeline. Interestingly, Batman: Urban Legends #7 also contains “666/Titans Tomorrow” and “Future State” yarns, both of which are non-canon, occurring on alternate timelines, thus giving credence to the idea that its Batman Beyond story (which features Bruce’s death) is non-canon as well. However, if we look solely at the King version of Bruce’s death, there are plenty of talking heads that cite King’s Black Label Batman/Catwoman series as part of their argument against it being canon. Despite connecting to King’s canonical Batman run, Batman/Catwoman—which shows Bruce’s death by cancer—is definitively non-canon. This has not only been confirmed by James Tynion and King himself, but also by journalists Rich Johnston, Michael Escalante, George Marston, and Kevin Lainez. This lends credence to the idea that the entire King future (including Bruce’s cancerous death in Detective Comics #1027 Part 9) might actually be non-canon too. So is Bruce’s Neo death canon? Or is King’s version of Bruce’s death canon? One could definitely go either way, which is precisely why I’ve tried my darnedest to make them both fit cohesively together.↩
6. ^[6]COLLIN COLSHER: Outsiders Vol. 5 #11 (2024) shows a series of future moments, which are all completely undone thanks to the actions of Jakita Wagner, the Carrier, Batwoman (Kate Kane), Batwing (Luke Fox), and Lucius Fox. For the sake of completeness, here’s what occurs in the flash-forwards. First, in 2025, Batwoman (Kate Kane) is killed while fighting The Final Knight (an alternate reality Duke Thomas). We can summarily ignore this. Second, in 2032, we see Lucius Fox dying, but we can summarily ignore this scene as well. Third, in 2061, The Outsider (Luke Fox), Batman (Terry McGinnis), and Gestalt defeat the multiversial Barbatos Horde. Luke also communicates with the Challengers of the Unknown (Bethany Hopkins, Krunch, Moses Barber, and Trina Alvarez). While all the flash-forward events shown in Outsiders Vol. 5 #11 are 100% non-canon, it’s possible that some version of the 2061 sequence could exist on our timeline.↩
7. ^[7]COLLIN COLSHER: Bengal’s Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #3 Part 3 features an unnamed future Batman, a blonde-coiffured manga-looking character, who is revealed to be the son of Bruce Wayne. Could Bengal’s Batman possibly exist at some point in our canonical future? Maybe, but with the story’s narrative hinging upon Bruce’s son having been brought up and raised by Bruce, it seems like there’s really no spot for the character, so he and his tale are more than likely out-of-continuity.↩
8. ^[8]COLLIN COLSHER: Adventures of the Super Sons #10, Adventures of the Super Sons #12 , Challenge of the Super Sons #1, and Challenge of the Super Sons #14 detail a brief glimpse into the distant future, showing a Damian and Jonathan in their dotage. This glimpse must occur in the late 2070s. Damian and Jonathan, who must be in their early 70s, each have a grandchild. While this doesn’t have anything to do with Batman per se, it is interesting to note.↩