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(2015)
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–REFERENCE: In Batgirl & The Birds of Prey #11. Thanks to a sci-fi cure, Barbara Gordon makes a miraculous recovery, completely regaining the use of her legs. She begins training to return as a full-fledged street-fighting superhero.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: City of Madness #2. Batman begins paying visits to a club called The Pink Palace, a hangout spot for colorful costumed criminals. While we won’t see it on our timeline ahead, we must imagine Batman visiting this place to shake down bad guys every once in a while.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #997–originally referenced in Batman & Robin #22. Dick adds a unique feature to his Bat-costume—razor Bat-ears that can be fired off as projectiles. Bruce likes it so much, he steals it and adds the feature to his cowl as well.
–REFERENCE: In Catwoman Vol. 5 #3-4 and Knight Terrors: Catwoman #1—originally told in “JUDGMENT ON GOTHAM.” Ra’s al Ghul co-opts some of the Order of Purity’s top metahuman warriors: Azrael (Michael Lane), Fireball, and The Crusader. (The Crusader is one of the most powerful metahumans in the entire DCU.) These so-called “Angels of Death” kidnap Mayor Hady and begin destroying whole city blocks in Gotham, prompting Batman (Dick Grayson), Red Robin, and Catwoman to intervene. The villains tell Catwoman they will stop their attack if she sacrifices her own sister, Maggie Kyle, who is now a super-villain named Sister Zero. (Maggie has been psychologically damaged and institutionalized for the past few years, ever since Sylvia Sinclair and Black Mask tortured her and murdered her husband.) Catwoman refuses to let her sis perish. Azrael stops the reign of terror only when confronted by his former sister-in-law and current girlfriend Jennifer Lane and her kids (his nephews) MJ Lane and Tamara Lane. Fireball explodes and Gotham is saved. A distraught Az, realizing that Ra’s al Ghul has used him, leaves with the Crusader faithfully following.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #23 and Dark Nights: Metal #2—originally told in Brightest Day #23-24 and Swamp Thing Vol. 5. Swamp Thing, having been corrupted by Nekron during “Blackest Night,” uses the Green to begin causing widespread destruction across the globe, including Gotham where Batman (Dick Grayson) and Robin do their best to save lives. Eventually, the Parliament of Trees resurrects Alec Holland (the deceased scientist that originally provided a human set of memories and personality for Swamp Thing) and merges him into the Green, allowing Swamp Thing to split into two halves: an evil Nekron half and a good Holland half. The good side defeats the bad side, ending the crisis. Holland, happy to be back alive, decides to part ways with Swamp Thing. When environmental disasters begin occurring all over the planet, a weakened Swamp Thing visits Holland and explains that they must form a permanent symbiotic relationship in order to save the Earth from the malignancy of The Black (aka The Rot), which is the mystic elemental force that binds together all death and decay in the universe. Reluctantly, Holland becomes one with Swamp Thing.
–NOTE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #29. Dick stops being Batman and returns to his Nightwing moniker. Nightwing will wear both a blue-and-black and red-and-black costume interchangeably for the foreseeable future.
–FLASHBACK: From DC: Love is a Battlefield #1 Part 5. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy blow up the WayneTech Automated Distribution Facility because its carbon emissions are polluting the environment. Batman and Nightwing show up to fight Harley and Ivy, but the villains get away clean.
–Harley Quinn: Black + White + Redder #5 Part 3
While out and about, Harley Quinn is mistaken for HarleyQ, a famous cosplayer that pretends to be Harley online. The real Harley decides to make her own account, quickly posting videos of herself running amok at an amusement park, terrorizing the pet store with pet hyenas Bud and Lou, and spray painting the Bat-Signal. After a week of videos, Harley is disheartened to learn that her videos are being credited to HarleyQ. Poison Ivy and Harley kidnap HarleyQ. Live-streaming, Harley violently bashes HarleyQ’s skull in with her big hammer. It’s unclear whether or not the execution is staged or real, but, nevertheless, Batman arrives in time to beat the crap out of Poison Ivy and Harley. Ultimately, the gals somehow avoid jail, returning home to nurse their wounds in their apartment.
–Harley Quinn: Black + White + Redder #1 Part 1
Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy break into Superman’s Fortress of Solitude only to run into BatButler (Superman’s robot-Batman) along with Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Hal Jordan, and Flash (Barry Allen) playing a poker game. (Batman had turned down the invitation to JL game night at the Fortress of Solitude, so Superman built the BatButler as a joke to replace him.) Superman flies Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy to Gotham where Batman helps escort them to Arkham Asylum.
–REFERENCE: In Wonder Woman Vol. 5 #56. Manitou Dawn asks Bruce to help out in the small New Mexico town where she now lives. Bruce has the Wayne Foundation fund and build a new rec center in the town.
–Superman vs Lobo #1-3
On the resort planet of Telk, Lobo fights Numen, an alien being that appears in the form of a giant tardigrade, much to the excitement of wildlife photographer Dr. Semedea Flik. As Numen causes the entire planet to quake, Superman arrives to eject him. When the populace of Telk celebrates Superman’s victory, a jealous Lobo decides that he wants to ruin Superman’s reputation. Back on Earth, Superman goes about his routine patrol, saving countless people (including Jimmy “Turtle Boy” Olsen, who grows to giant size by accident). Unknown to the Man of Steel, Lobo (with Dr. Flik) has already begun his scheme—many of the folks Superman has been saving are actually robots working for Lobo. Using social media, they begin trolling and shitting all over Superman. Twenty-four hours later, Superman busts Toyman, but some right wing onlookers, influenced by Lobo’s internet campaign, heckle the Man of Steel. While Superman confronts a podcasting Lobo, Batman delivers all the security footage that he has of Lobo to Lois and Jimmy, who post it all online, undoing some of the damage done by Lobo in viral fashion. When a computer virus created by Toyman infects Lobo’s robots, they turn into literal internet troll bots. Superman and Lobo defeat them, after which the former delivers a public message of positivity to the world. Impressed and inspired, a misguided Numen wields the vast cosmic power of an artifact known as the Cardiax to (temporarily) bring Krypton and Czarnia (and their inhabitants) back to life. With Superman missing (having been teleported to the new Czarnia), the Justice League begins a search of the universe. Hal Jordan notices that Czarnia is back, but with an impenetrable force field surrounding it. Numen publicly announces the return of the two planets to everyone on Earth. Various hijinks ensue on each planet, but eventually Dr. Flik helps both Superman and Lobo out, and after both men have mostly positive and cathartic experiences, each planet fades back into nonexistence. Dr. Flik, Superman, and Lobo fight Earth-41’s Numen Revenge Squad (Earth-41 Mr. Majestic, Earth-41 Zealot, Earth-41 Union, Earth-41 Maul, and Earth-41 Helspont). The Revenge Squad is bested, but not before Zealot stabs Numen. Lobo betrays Dr. Flik, Superman, and Numen, stealing the Cardiax and using it to reshape the universe in his image. In an instant, Lobo is Earth’s greatest hero, leader of the League of Last Sons, while Superman has turned into an evil fascist in response to the death of Jimmy Olsen. The League of Last Sons—Lobo, Batman, Martian Manhunter, Terra-Man, Jemm, and Zealot (essentially a mash-up of Earth-41 Zealot and our primary Earth’s Zealot)—defeats Superman in battle, but the Cardiax rejects Lobo, causing his world to fall apart. Lobo then returns the universe to its correct status quo and decides to become a right wing podcaster instead.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #999. February—Bruce’s birthday. As he does every year on his birthday (although he missed last year due to his Omega Sanction), Batman runs Program 2.1, placing himself into a virtual world that challenges him by pushing him to his most extreme limits.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #21-22, Flash Vol. 5 #21, Action Comics #987, Doomsday Clock #3, Doomsday Clock #7, Batman Vol. 3 #84, Justice League Incarnate #4, Flashpoint Beyond #0, Flashpoint Beyond #5-6, and JSA Vol. 2 #1—originally told in Flashpoint Vol. 2 #1-5. First off, Tom King’s Batman Vol. 3 #22 (“The Button”) incorrectly states that Flashpoint occurs only mere months prior to “The Button”, which would place it in Year 16, which makes zero sense. Ignore that. Flashpoint should correctly go here, just prior to the inclusion of our first New 52-based stories. While “Superman Reborn” might have usurped Flashpoint‘s role as a major Jonbar hinge for the Rebirth Era timeline, Flashpoint still occurs as an indispensable catalyst for future events. Flash Barry Allen’s actions initiate “Crisis V,” altering reality so that young Bruce was shot to death, causing Thomas Wayne to become Batman (aka Flashpoint Batman) and Martha Wayne to become Joker. Flash (Barry Allen) interacts with a host of new Flashpoint characters, including Thomas Wayne (Flashpoint Batman), Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Element Woman, Abin Sur, Sandman, Nora Allen, Iris West, and others. Thomas Wayne (Flashpoint Batman) gives Flash a handwritten letter to give to Bruce, should Barry be able to revert everything back to status quo. Thomas Wayne (Flashpoint Batman) and Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne) then kill each other in battle. Barry is unable to fix things using the Speed Force, but he eventually meets the godlike Pandora, who erases the “World of Flashpoint”—although Barry retains all memory of it and it remains in existence as an alternate timeline (thanks to the secret machinations of Dr. Manhattan. Clandestinely manipulating Pandora, Dr. Manhattan (who in turn is secretly being manipulated by the Great Darkness) reverts reality back to status quo. However, Dr. Manhattan steals some history by erasing/blocking certain things from everyone’s collective memory. Note that in the original Doomsday Clock narrative, Dr. Manhattan didn’t just block memories, he literally prevented things from occurring—such as Wonder Woman’s early 20th century debut and the formation of both the Justice Society of America and Legion of Super-Heroes. Dr. Manhattan prevented these things via butterfly effect beginning with the murder of Alan Ladd-Scott in 1940. Likewise, in the original Doomsday Clock narrative, Dr. Manhattan murdered Ma and Pa Kent (Martha Kent and Jonathan Kent) on the night of Clark’s high school prom. Of course, since our Rebirth Era timeline factors in the post-Doomsday Clock, Flash Forward, and Death Metal soft reboots, the murders of Alan Ladd-Scott and the Kents are undone. Instead, Dr. Manhattan is only able to usher in a collective memory blockage of the entire histories of the JSA and Legion starting now. (JSA Vol. 2 #1 confirms describes Dr. Manhattan’s actions as “wiping [heroes] from memory and history.”) Notably, Wonder Woman’s 20th century history is blocked as well. And Ma and Pa Kent are alive and well, but similarly blocked from everyone’s memory (with everyone thinking they died on prom night).[1] Dr. Manhattan also saves Jor-El (Superman’s biological father) from dying during the Kryptonian planetary extinction event. Dr. Manhattan’s overall goal with all this manipulation is to reshape Superman more to his liking i.e. to make him darker and more introverted. Able to scan the entire metaverse to view previous continuities, Dr. Manhattan pinpointed the people that helped teach young Clark to become the most endearingly hopeful of all the superheroes (Ma and Pa Kent, the Legion, and the JSA), taking them all off the table via mind-wipe while replacing the Kents with Jor-El, who has decidedly darker values.[2] Dr. Manhattan also focuses on screwing with Batman as well, secretly resurrecting Flashpoint Batman and Eobard Thawne, knowing that the latter will usher the former in Bruce’s direction. Thawne, meanwhile, becomes obsessed with finding out who brought him back to life. (Note that Thawne is now able to recall all of his memories of existence in previous continuities, including the Flashpoint continuity.)[3] With things returned to status quo (except for the Dr. Manhattan memory blockages, of course), Barry visits Batman to tell him about the “World of Flashpoint,” delivering Thomas’ letter to a teary-eyed Dark Knight. Batman puts his Flashpoint dad’s letter into a display case in the Batcave. We must assume that Batman makes detailed scans of the letter because it’ll get destroyed in a couple years, but the Dark Knight will be able to recreate it.
–REFERENCE: In Young Justice Vol. 3 #5. Just prior to Flashpoint, Superboy (Conner Kent) was exiled to Gemworld by STAR Labs’ Dr. Glory. Thanks to Dr. Manhattan’s recent Flashpoint machinations, no one remembers the Justice Society of America, Ma and Pa Kent, the Legion of Super-Heroes, or Wonder Woman’s 20th century adventures. Now, all of Conner’s history gets blocked from everyone’s collective memory as well. No one will remember Conner—and therefore no one will even know he is missing. Likewise, Conner will lose his own memories as well, starting a new life in Gemworld. It’s not said anywhere that Dr. Manhattan has anything to do with Conner’s memory-erasure, but it’s almost certain that he’s behind it, and it’s possible that he also manipulated Dr. Glory.[4]
–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21-22, Flash Vol. 5 #52, Flash Vol. 5 #75, Doomsday Clock #2, Doomsday Clock #7, Flash #758-761, and Dark Nights: Death Metal #2. Thanks to Dr. Manhattan’s recent Flashpoint machinations, no one remembers the Justice Society of America, Ma and Pa Kent, the Legion of Super-Heroes, or Wonder Woman’s 20th century adventures. While we’ve just witnessed Dr. Manhattan’s effort to mess with Superman and Batman, the blue menace also sets his sights on Flash. The histories of Jay Garrick, Yz, Jakeem Thunder, Johnny Thunder, XS, and the deceased Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle have already been obscured via the JSA/Legion memory blockage, but that’s not good enough for Dr. Manhattan, who secretly guides Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne) to exile a bunch of Flash-Family members into the Speed Force. Those exiled include Jay Garrick, Yz, Max Mercury, and Jesse Quick. Thawne uses the Negative Speed Force to block all memory of Max Mercury and Jesse Quick as well. Meanwhile, Johnny Thunder, separated from Yz and tortured by ephemeral imagery of his lost memories, gets exiled to a nursing home. Maybe most devastating of all, Barry’s marriage to Iris West is erased from everyone’s memory. (Wally West, Bart Allen, Jai West, and Irey West will similarly get erased from memory and exiled in our upcoming notes, thus completing Dr. Manhattan’s purge of the Flash-Family.)
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #21, Flash Vol. 5 #21, Titans Vol. 3 Annual #1, and Nightwing Vol. 4 #21—originally told in Titans Hunt #6-7, DC Universe: Rebirth #1, and Titans Vol. 3 #2-3.[5] A mix of former Teen Titans—Nightwing, Donna Troy, Tempest, Omen, Cave Boy, Hawk, Dove, Herald, Arsenal, and Flash (Wally West)—fight their former rival Mr. Twister. (Note that Roy Harper has dropped “Red Arrow” and switched back to his old “Arsenal” name.) Unfortunately, in order to defeat Mr. Twister and save the day, the ex-Titans are forced to allow the world to undergo a global mind-wipe. This memory erasure, done by Omen, causes not only the defeat of Mr. Twister, but also causes the complete history of all incarnations of the Teen Titans (up to this point) to become erased from the collective memories of the entire world. The world won’t recover these lost memories for years. Also note that Flash Wally West not only gets completely erased from everyone’s memory, but he also goes missing, trapped within the Speed Force by Dr. Manhattan. Years from now, Abra Kadabra will take bogus credit for exiling Wally—although, it is possible that he was involved in this affair somehow. In any case, Dr. Manhattan likely manipulated Mr. Twister and/or Abra Kadabra, acting as a secret puppet master.
–REFERENCE: In Flash #762, Flash #768, and Flash Forward #6. As part of Dr. Manhattan/Mr. Twister/Abra Kadabra universal Flash-Family memory-purge and forced expatriation, Wally West’s kids (Jai and Irey) are exiled. It’s unclear whether they are banished to the Speed Force like the others or sent to the Dark Multiverse. Poor Linda Park-West not only has lost all memories of the existence of her husband, but she’s also lost all memories of his kids as well.
–REFERENCE: In Young Justice Vol. 3 #5-6, Young Justice Vol. 3 #11, and Young Justice Vol. 3 #15. Dark Opal erases everyone’s collective memory of the history of Young Justice, making it so no one recalls their existence as a team. (Like Teen Titans history before it, Young Justice history is given a raw deal of bad magickal sci-fi juju. It’s possible that Dark Opal saw what Mr. Twister did to Teen Titans history and was inspired. It’s possible that Abra Kadabra had a hand here too. No matter the case, Dr. Manhattan is surely behind it all, having recently orchestrated the exile and memory-erasure of the rest of the Flash-Family already.) And just like Wally West, Bart Allen is completely erased from everyone’s memories and exiled into the Speed Force. Dr. Manhattan probably manipulated Dark Opal and other involved parties, again acting as a clandestine puppet master. The purge of the Flash-Family is complete.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #980, Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular Part 8, Young Justice Vol. 3 #18, and DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 Part 1. In his continued efforts to remove inspiring and important history from the timeline, Dr. Manhattan erases/blocks memories of Stephanie Brown having been Robin and both Cassie Cain and Stephanie having been Batgirls.
–REFERENCE: In Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual. You didn’t think Green Arrow and his Arrow-Family (aka Team Arrow) was safe did you? Dr. Manhattan continues his history purge, whisking away Connor Hawke and erasing/blocking all collective memory of him from the world.
–FLASHBACK: From Justice League Incarnate #4. The Trinity poses for unspecified action. This single panel item’s narration links it to the start of the New 52-based stories on our timeline, occurring shortly after Dr. Manhattan’s Great Darkness-influenced memory/time purges. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are shown in their New 52-styled costumes, and the depiction of our heroes’ faces shows general distrust and confusion, evoking a feeling of loss (i.e. the unknown loss of memory and time stolen by Dr. Manhattan).
–REFERENCE: In Batgirl & The Birds of Prey #11 and Year of the Villain #1 Part 2. Barbara Gordon returns as Batgirl! She joins Batman Incorporated.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Secret Files: The Gardener #1. Batman busts Harley Quinn, who is transferred from Arkham Asylum to Belle Reve Penitentiary where she is forced onto the Suicide Squad by Amanda Waller.
–REFERENCE: In Action Comics #1001. Batman fights a small-timer and puts a razor sharp Batarang into his skull, which gets lodged in his brain, causing significant neural damage. Doctors determine that the poor guy can only function so long as the Batarang is left stuck in his dome. Thus, left with a permanent Batarang souvenir sticking out of his head, he becomes the super-villain aptly named Bat Head.
–REFERENCE: In Super Sons #10 Part 1. As per Bruce’s wishes, Damian begins homeschooling lessons with Alfred. These lessons will happen, moving forward for the next few years, as often as Damian bothers to attend.
–REFERENCE: In Deathstroke Vol. 4 #19, Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #5 Part 1, and Wonder Woman Vol. 6 #12. Batman tells his “criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot” mantra to Stephanie.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman and Robin Vol. 3 #3. In the Batcave, Alfred continues homeschooling a bored Damian, who claims he already knows everything there is to know, having learned from the League of Assassins and League of Shadows. Batman interrupts, telling his son that learning never stops.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1032. Bruce snaps and develops a series of photos of a smiling Damian playing chess with Alfred. (Damian will keep and cherish these photos.) Damian will quickly grow fond of Alfred, considering him a father figure.
–REFERENCE: In Robin Vol. 3 #1. Someone photographs Bruce, Alfred, and Damian posing in Wayne Manor. The photo is developed, framed, and kept by Damian.
–REFERENCE: In Batman vs Robin #1. The photo sessions continue as Bruce and Damian pose for a picture together. This photo is developed, framed, and put on the Wayne Manor mantel. Likewise, someone snaps a photo of Bruce, Dick, Babs, Damian, and Alfred together, which also winds up on the mantel.
–REFERENCE: From DC’s Grifter Got Run Over By a Reindeer #1 Part 6 Epilogue. Batman fights Catwoman in a warehouse. (The implication in this reference is that, in the years to come, Batman will fight Catwoman not only at this warehouse, but also on the docks, at a jewelry store, near the New Year’s Eve ball-drop, and potentially eight other locations. We’ll definitely see the docks, jewelry store, and New Year’s Eve ball-drop ahead on our timeline, but not the other locations. This is only because adding an extra individual eight items is a lot, especially for something that isn’t 100% confirmed.)
–REFERENCE: In Damage Vol. 2 #13-16. The Justice League defeats a giant Chinese dragon. With nowhere else to put it, they throw it onto a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic. The JL decides that the island, nicknamed “Monster Rock,” should be used to hold all giant monsters they defeat. Batman names Congo Bill (along with Congorilla) the warden of Monster Rock. The JL (and others) will put a bunch of kaiju on this island over the years to come. We’ll simply have to imagine these kaiju battles as occurring sporadically throughout our timeline, moving forward. Notably, the kaiju on Monster Rock, while not able to escape, will breed like mice, quickly filling their habitat with myriad species (and new hybrid species as well).
–REFERENCE: In Dark Nights: Metal #1 and Flash #760. The DCU’s top heroes decide to disband the current incarnation of the Justice League and reboot the lineup. A brand new JL—featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, Aquaman, Flash (Barry Allen), and Cyborg—is formed. Batman takes the role of “Chairman,” basically meaning he is de facto leader of the team. The group writes an official charter with a new set of JL bylaws and rules, most of which are likely based on the previous ones. The new Justice League begins training in an effort to be a more cohesive unit than has ever been seen before. The team comes up with several fighting formations, including the Aegea Formation and Iphito Formation. Presumably, there are many more of these as well. The JL will continue to train together on-and-off (albeit invisibly on our timeline), moving forward. Note that it is perfectly reasonable for your headcanon to place “Justice League: Origins” here instead of in Year One, but there is no definitive Rebirth Era placement for Johns’ New 52 JL origin story. I originally had a retconned version of it here, but I’ve since moved a retconned version of it into Year Two (i.e. the Rebirth equivalent of the New 52’s Year One). Pick your poison. In any case, narrative based upon the New 52 era JL run begins now.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman takes on Penguin, who manages to strand the Dark Knight inside the caldera of an erupting volcano. Batman escapes.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #973. Batman—likely with metahuman assistance—constructs a big-time hush-hush contingency plan designed to defend against a cosmic-level emergency. Thus, the “Wayne Watchtowers” are born. Four Wayne Enterprises-owned skyscrapers are secretly outfitted so that, upon activation, they can become giant transforming impenetrable shelters/stationary mech-weapons.
–REFERENCE: In Challenge of the Super Sons #3. Batman tells Damian about his anti-superhero contingency plans, including his anti-Justice League briefcases and other measures.
–REFERENCE: In The Brave and The Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman #2. Batman travels to Azerbaijan where he fights a werewolf. The werewolf dies in combat, after which Batman collects its skull, which he keeps as a trophy in the Batcave.
–FLASHBACK: From Justice League Vol. 4 #51. The Justice League fights a Starro, who temporarily controls Batman and sends him against his friends.
–REFERENCE: In Super Sons #8. The Justice League invents “universal translators,” devices capable of translating all alien or interdimensional languages. Somehow, maybe via Green Lantern tech or magick, these amazing translators are able to analyze and interpret languages that are completely unknown. The JL will use these translators on random missions, when needed—although these missions will go unseen on our timeline.
–FLASHBACK: From Justice League Vol. 4 #51. The Justice League fights Brainiac.
–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21 and Trinity Vol. 2 #21. The Justice League deals/interacts with the newly formed government organization known as ARGUS. The JL also becomes aware of ARGUS’ Black Room, a government vault filled with cosmic artifacts and magickal alien weaponry.
–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 3 #22 and Justice League Vol. 4 #9. The Justice League initiates a concatenation of encyclopedic databases accessible via the Watchtower computer network that list and detail all the different alien animal creatures they have encountered and are aware of. This collected “Interplanetary Zoological Database” will be continuously updated, moving forward. Presumably, the already existing case-files and team archives are connected to this Watchtower database at this time. Batman will familiarize himself with the majority of the species in the database.
–REFERENCE: In Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #9 (Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 Print Edition #5). Batman upgrades his cowl-tech with a visual scanner that can identify alien species (likely via the Interplanetary Zoological Database) while also programming a separate “lasso” weapon with non-lethal means of dispatching with said alien type.
–REFERENCE: In Action Comics #1001. Batman fights a crook that wields a flamethrower. The Dark Knight kicks him in the face with a flaming boot, leaving a permanent boot print melted into the poor guy’s face. He becomes the super-villain appropriately named Bootface.
–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21. The Justice League obtains several items: papal vestments and mitre, the Mars rover, a hydrogen bomb, and Voyager II—all of which go into the JL Trophy Room. These are likely gifts from the Vatican, NASA, and the US Army.
–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1. Batman learns that something potentially very dangerous is locked underneath Atlantis. It is possible he is referring to the Trench, a race of Dagon-like mutated Atlanteans, but it could be something else, like a portal to Xebel or dark magick thing. Another possibility is that Batman is referring to the mystic tomb of ancient Atlantean kings that is on the edge of the Mariana Trench on the outskirts of Atlantis.
–REFERENCE: In Super Sons #5, Super Sons Annual #1, and Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular Part 10—originally told in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #2. Bruce buys Damian a Great Dane, which Damian names Titus aka Bat-Hound III. Bruce and Damian pose for a photo with the dog. The photo gets framed and added to a shelf in Wayne Manor.
–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #64. The previous Robins were each prone to catch-phrasing and punning, but Damian is of a different ilk. Bruce takes notice that Damian constantly curses like a sailor. Notably, one of Damian’s favorite hauteur lines is the classic, “No shit, Sherlock.”
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 11 and Detective Comics #1033—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Action Comics #1001, and Detective Comics #996, and Detective Comics #1003. Originally told in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #1-8. Batman makes Damian his official full-time partner. The Dynamic Duo stops a robbery attempt by brothers Ronnie, Reggie, and Robbie at Gotham University. During the melee, the brothers hijack the Bat-gyro-ball, accidentally causing a chemical explosion that fuses them together into the three-faced monster known as Smush. In Moscow, Morgan Ducard (now going by the super-villain name “Nobody”) murders Batman Incorporated agent Ravil. On the orders of his father Henri Ducard, Nobody travels to Gotham and fights Batman. After being defeated, Nobody is delivered back to Henri by Batman. An embarrassed Nobody attempts immediate revenge, returning to combat Batman and Robin. Much to the chagrin of the Caped Crusader, Robin kills Nobody.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #14-15 and Batman vs Robin #4. Now that Batman is officially partnering with Robin for the first time, the Dark Knight trains his son, getting to know the scope of his abilities better. Bruce trains with the talented Damian on the bō staff and other various martial arts. This training, although invisible on our timeline, will continue on-and-off for years to come. Batman will teach him everything he knows.
–REFERENCE: In Challenge of the Super Sons #14. At the end of each patrol, Batman begins saying a new catchphrase to Robin: “This is far from over.”
–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #2. Bruce lies through his annual Wayne Enterprises psych exam in order to pass.
–DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 Part 4
Batman tells Robin that someone has been murdering pizza delivery persons all over the city, but that he (Batman) will handle it. When Batman is sidelined to do financial accounting paperwork for the Justice League, Robin swings into action, blowing open the ultimate Pizzagate conspiracy of Gotham. Yes, the League of Assassins have taken over a restaurant called The Pizza Pit. Robin puts them out of business.
–REFERENCE: In Super Sons #15. Bruce notices that Damian has little patience when it comes to communication. The boy often mutes cellphone conversations, something he will do often, moving forward. Batman, being the excellent hacker that he is, will often simply override Damian’s phone-muting attempts.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Pennyworth RIP #1. Batman and Robin do not get along. After coming home from patrol, an angry Batman grounds Robin from patrol for two weeks. After Batman heads back out, Robin sneaks out to fight some amazing track-suit-wearing mummies that are terrorizing a city bus. Robin saves the day and then is confronted by Alfred, who is wearing a Bat-costume just to spook Robin! Alfred takes the boy home, promising not to tell his father about his disobedience.
–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #20, Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1 Part 1, and Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #57. Batman learns that Harley Quinn has recently moved to Coney Island, Brooklyn where she has changed her look and begun to live a better life, which still (of course) includes wild things like talking to a taxidermy beaver named Bernie. Harley, despite being a member of the Suicide Squad and constantly in-and-out of prison, is attempting to live a straight(er) life in New York. Basically, as far-fetched as this sounds, Harley will live a dual life, basically free when in Brooklyn, but still beholden to the Suicide Squad for regular missions. Harley will go months living freely and then go months incarcerated at Bell Reve Penitentiary, pretty much at random intervals. We must assume this is a special deal that she’s worked out with Amanda Waller. In less than three years from now, Harley will only be a wanted criminal in a handful of countries (and not wanted at all in America). This probably means that Waller pulls some big-time strings for her—and she probably starts pulling them right about now.
–FLASHBACK: From Punchline #1. An escaped Joker takes control of a TV studio and takes several high school seniors hostage, including Alexis Kaye. Batman swoops in and busts Joker. Alexis feels sympathy toward Joker, adopting warm feelings about the super-villain.
–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Casting #1, Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #36, Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2, and DC Horror Presents… #1—originally told in Detective Comics Vol. 2 #1-7. Batman busts a yet-again-escaped Joker and puts him back in Arkham Asylum. Joker hires a new villain called Dollmaker (Barton Mathis), who not only helps him escape, but also complies with Joker’s request to surgically slice off his face! The now literally faceless Joker goes into hiding. Meanwhile, Batman and Commissioner Gordon defeat Dollmaker and his Texas Chainsaw Massacre-esque family, which includes Dollhouse (Matilda Mathis), Olivia Carr, Bentley, Jack-in-the-Box, Sampson, and The Gimp. Joker’s dead skin mask goes into storage at GCPD HQ. Later, Batman defeats a bunch of Penguin’s new costumed henchmen, including his new number one henchwoman Lark.
–REFERENCE: In Year of the Villian #1 Part 1—originally told in Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2 #1-7. A riot breaks out at Arkham Asylum, started by the lingerie-wearing super-villain known as White Rabbit, who is basically a female version of Dr. Double X. (White Rabbit is an avatar double of Jaina Hudson, who has the metahuman power to project her alter-ego and to then re-encapsulate her back into her own body.) The Bat-Family re-apprehends most of the Arkham inmates while Batman goes after White Rabbit. Eventually, White Rabbit sends Bane after Batman. With help from Flash (Barry Allen), Batman defeats Bane. White Rabbit escapes.
–REFERENCE: In Wonder Woman Vol. 5 #56 and Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #7—originally told in Justice League Dark #1-8. When the Justice League gets its butt whipped by the magickal carnage of Enchantress, Zatanna forms the Justice League Dark to take her down. The JLD consists of Madame Xanadu, John Constantine, Deadman, Mindwarp (Jay Young), and Shade the Changing Man (Rac Shade). Soon after, the world’s oldest vampire Cain unleashes an army of vampires all over Gotham. The JLD teams-up with the Bat-Family, but they are no match for the legion of undead. Cain’s nosferatu rivals Andrew Bennett (“I… Vampire”) and Mary Seward (The Queen of Blood) eventually save the day, vanquishing Cain and his army. Andrew Bennett then joins the JLD. This group will last about a year before disbanding.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #4 Part 1. Batman and Alfred invent the Sanguisuge load-out—a digital addendum to the Bat-costume that (if pre-loaded) will allow for maximum defense and offense against vampires by lighting up the suit with levels of UV that are lethal to bloodsuckers. The Sanguisuge load-out can also turn Batarangs into UV light weapons.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: The Merciless #1, Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #16, Deathstroke Vol. 4 Annual #1, Red Hood: Outlaw #32, and Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #14 Part 5. Red Robin begins wearing his new “razor wing” costume (aka New 52 costume). Batman puts the old Red Robin costume on display in the Batcave. Red Robin then forms what he believes (thanks to global mind-wipes) to be the first ever Teen Titans, featuring new Kid Flash (Bar Torr), Solstice, Bunker, Skitter, Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark), Superboy (a clone of an alternate-timeline Superboy Jon Kent), and Danny the Street. Despite complete global memory blockage and erasure of all prior Teen Titan teams and Young Justice, there must be something lingering in the ether that draws teen heroes together, hence this incarnation of the Teen Titans.[6] Batman won’t interact with this version of the Teen Titans, which will last for about two years (with an ever-changing lineup). Batman will, however, be aware of their actions.
–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 3 #38—originally told in Justice League International Vol. 2 #1-5 (“THE SIGNAL MEN”). The UN reforms the Justice League International for the first time in years. The new JLI comprises team leader Booster Gold, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, August General in Iron (Fang Zhifu), Vixen, Rocket Red (Gavril Ivanovich), Fire, Ice, and Godiva (Dora Leigh). Batman is also technically on the JLI, acting as its lone secret member and liaison between the team and the JL. The JLI’s first mission is a hard fought victory in Peru against the Thanos-like cosmic warlord Peraxxus and his towering Signal Men robots.
–FLASHBACK: From Dark Nights: Metal #2, Detective Comics #1000 Part 11, Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4, and Batman: City of Madness #2—and also referenced in Dark Days: The Forge #1, Dark Nights: Metal #2, All-Star Batman #13, Nightwing Vol. 4 #29, Batman: The Merciless #1, Batman: Lost #1, Detective Comics #995, and The Batman Who Laughs #2-5. Originally told in “THE COURT OF OWLS” and “NIGHT OF THE OWLS.” Batman invents new EMP holographic mask technology and allows Nightwing to test it out in the field. Using the new tech, Nightwing disguises himself as Joker to help Batman quell a riot at Arkham Asylum. Later, the illuminati group known as the Court of Owls strikes at Batman via one of its undead Talon soldiers. After busting a bunch of members of The Whisper Gang, Batman has a discussion with Alfred about the “legend” of the Court of Owls, during which Alfred reveals that Bruce’s great-great-grandfather Alan Wayne had espoused Court of Owls paranoia shortly before suffering a mysterious drowning death in the sewer. Batman exhumes the corpse of Alan Wayne and finds evidence that he was murdered. The Dark Knight is then swarmed by Court of Owls members and captured by a Talon. Imprisoned in the Court of Owls’ underground labyrinth (aka “Maze of Owls”) for days without provisions, a badly injured Batman drinks from a fountain containing Electrum, the mystical liquid metal that the Court uses to re-animate its Talon soldiers. (Little does he know this is but the first step of a ritual known as “The Mantling,” through which Barbatos will be able to breach into the regular Multiverse from the Dark Multiverse using Batman as a conduit. The Court of Owls is in league with Barbatos’ Earthly agents, the Strigydae high priests of the Judas Tribe.) Batman eventually defeats the stalking Talon and barely escapes from the labyrinth with his life thanks to assistance from a meddling but helpful Harper Row. Alfred collects the injured Batman and the lifeless Talon corpse, bringing both back to the Batcave. Damian performs life-saving surgery on his unconscious dad, who has suffered a punctured lung. After waking-up and recovering, Batman analyzes the Talon corpse, learning the true history of the Court of Owls, which dates back hundreds of years. (Technically, their history goes back 40,000 years if you link them to both their Judas Tribe ancestors and, prior to that, the Bat Tribe and Miagani.) Not only does Batman learn a bit of Court history, he also learns that the Talon is Dick’s paternal great-grandfather, William Cobb. Batman also learns that the Court of Owls labyrinth is part of “Last Laugh,” an emergency citywide vaccination system supposedly built by government officials in 1780 to prevent against the spread of airborne disease. (Unknown to Batman, the Last Laugh system was actually designed in 1699 as a biological WMD.) When Nightwing arrives, Batman drops the bombshell on him, further adding that the Court of Owls has long recruited its Talon agents from a pool of athletic youth, specifically from its secret training ground of Haly’s Circus. Batman punches Nightwing in the face, knocking out his tooth, which has an owl symbol on it. Dick was scheduled to have been the next Talon, but plans were changed when his parents died and he became Robin instead! Batman keeps Dick’s tooth for later examination. Shortly thereafter, the Court of Owls reanimates multiple generations of zombie Talons using Electrum. The Talons attack all over the city, including the Batcave, which Batman defends using his “Thrasher” mech-suit. The Bat-Family stands strong all over Gotham and defeats the villains, later finding Court of Owl leaders Maria and Joseph Powers—owners of Powers Industrial and parents of Geri Powers—poisoned to death. (Note that Powers Industrial will also be interchangeably referred to as “Powers Industry,” “Powers Industries,” and “Powers International.”) Batman soon learns that the Court of Owls has controlled Gotham for hundreds of years and that one of its other leaders is mayoral Lincoln March. March, responsible for murdering Maria and Joseph Powers, claims to be Bruce’s biological younger brother Thomas Wayne Jr! Batman defeats March and ends the threat of the Court of Owls. Hoping to find the truth about March’s claim, Bruce does some research into his family’s history, learning that his mom was pregnant when he was three-years-old and that the Court of Owls caused a car accident that supposedly resulted in the loss of the baby in the womb. Despite this, Bruce cannot confirm whether or not March is truly his brother. While researching, Bruce learns that the Court of Owls murdered Jarvis Pennyworth (Alfred’s dad).
–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Batman and The Outsiders Vol. 3 #11. Batman raids what is left of the Court of Owls’ hideouts across Gotham, taking owl masks, Talon masks, and paper documents connected to the Court of Owls as trophies for the Batcave. He also repurposes some Court of Owls hideouts into alt-Batcaves, filling them with additional weaponry and experimental Bat-costumes.
–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Dark Days: The Casting #1. Batman examines Dick’s owl-tooth, and extracts Electrum from it. Presumably, Batman procures samples of Electrum from defeated Talon corpses as well. He makes 3D scans of the tooth and enlarged Electrum slides, saving both as digital holographic images. After studying the Electrum, Batman learns that it contains the traces of the dark mystery metal (and dark energy signature) he’s been investigating for years. Batman records details of his Electrum study onto his Shadow Drive (aka Shadow File). In Sub-cave Alpha, Batman puts several Court of Owls masks, several Talon masks, and documents connected to the Court of Owls on display. Batman also puts all Electrum and Talon-related scanned 3D images onto holographic pedestal projector displays. The Caped Crusader will continue to study Electrum, the mystery metal, and the “dark energy” signature for years to come. As mentioned before, and still unknown to Batman, the immortal Carter Hall and Shiera Sanders Hall have not only been aware of the “dark energy” signature and “dark metal,” they have also been investigating all things related to the Dark Multiverse ever since the early 1900s. (See a footnote in Year 16 for details on Carter and Shiera’s lengthy connection to this case.)
–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Casting #1. In conjunction with his studies into the “dark energy” signature linked to the mysterious dark metal, Batman begins tracking metahuman activity across the globe, specifically looking for hospital red flags that list anyone with metal toxicity in their blood. Batman will find a bunch of these anomalies and mark them in the Bat-computer’s encrypted “Meta-File.” Among those with metal toxicity akin to the “dark energy” signature are teenager Duke Thomas and his mom Elaine Thomas.
–REFERENCE: In Trinity Vol. 2 Annual #1 Epilogue. Having won back the trust of his peers and been accepted back into the fold, Jason once again returns to his Red Hood name. He will still teeter on the edge of villainy, but he will now be a full-fledged Bat-Family member again.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #23, Action Comics #1001, and Batman Vol. 3 Annual #3—originally told in Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #10-12 (“TERMINUS”) and Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #40. The Bat-Family—sans Jason—gathers at Wayne Manor to pose for a series of family portraits. Sorry Jason! Or maybe Jason chose not to show up. The first portrait features Bruce, Dick, Tim, Damian, and Babs. The second portrait features Bruce, Dick, Tim, Damian, and Alfred. (In the New 52, there was only one painting—the second of the two—and it went unfinished for a full calendar year until Damian himself finished it. We can assume that, in the Rebirth Era, the second painting is completed right now.) After the portrait sessions are complete and the art is hung-up in Wayne Manor, Damian challenges all the other former Robins to see who is the best. After Damian gets the better of both Red Robin and Red Hood via ambushing them, Terminus gathers a team—consisting of Scallop, Bat Head, Bootface, and Smush—and attacks Gotham. Batman, Robin, Red Robin, Nightwing, and Red Hood defeat Terminus and company.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: Prelude to the Wedding Part 4 – Red Hood vs Anarky #1—originally told in Catwoman Vol. 4 #12. Catwoman teams up with metahuman thief Spark, GCPD Detective Carlos Alvarez, and Batman to put an end to sex worker serial killings committed by Dollhouse. After Dollhouse goes down, Selina’s best friend, Gwen Altamont, learns that Spark is a GCPD mole attempting to bust Catwoman. Gwen kills Spark to save Selina.
–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5-6. Batman becomes cautiously aware of the fact that Aquaman—currently dethroned as ruler of Atlantis—is moonlighting with his own Outsiders-like side-team known as The Others. His team consists of Mera, Ya’Wara, POW, Operative, Sky Alchesay, Sayeh the Seer (sister of deceased member Kahina the Seer), and Vostok Omega (aka Vostok-X II, replacement for the deceased original Vostok). (Note that Vostok Omega will eventually die too, but there were four Vostoks created by the Russian Government, so there will still be two left after two are dead.)
–NOTE: In Justice League Vol. 3 #38. One of the JLI’s newest members, OMAC (Kevin Kho), briefly loses control—influenced by the smidgen of Brother Eye within himself—and attacks his teammates, including new recruits Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) and the Olympian (Aristides Demetrios). OMAC is subdued, but the damage done is severe enough that it warrants the permanent shutdown of the JLI by the UN.
–FLASHBACK: From Mera: Queen of Atlantis #2 and Aquaman Vol. 8 #48—and referenced in Doomsday Clock #6. Originally told in “THRONE OF ATLANTIS.” Current king of Atlantis, Ocean Master (Aquaman’s brother Orm Marius), attacks the surface world using giant tidal waves, which begin decimating and flooding all of the major East Coast cities (including Gotham). A war between the US and Atlantis breaks out. Batman, Aquaman, and Mera save as many lives as they can. Eventually, the Justice League confronts Ocean Master and a large Atlantean army in a flooded Boston. Meanwhile, Cyborg brings Aquaman’s mentors Dr. Stephen Shin and Nuidus Vulko aboard the Watchtower to help monitor the situation. Cyborg also recruits some back-up reinforcements—including Element Woman (Emily Sung), Black Lightning, Black Canary, Firestorm, Vixen, and Earth-3 Atom (Rhonda Pineda)—to help in the war against Atlantis. Aquaman, Mera, and Cyborg rescue the rest of the Justice League from Dagon-like creatures known collectively as The Trench. The heroes then learn that Vulko has manipulated Ocean Master into starting the war against the surface world in a misguided attempt to put Aquaman back on the throne of Atlantis. Eventually, the heroes defeat the Atlantean army. Ocean Master and Vulko are jailed, but the latter gets his wish as Aquaman returns to his place as king.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #971, Detective Comics #995, Batgirl Vol. 5 #19, and Batman/Spawn. Batgirl codes a brand new security system for Arkham Asylum. Via this security system, Batman will be able to control the prison’s power grid whenever he likes. With Joker’s recent actions on his mind, Batman also secretly installs his own electrified lockdown override protocol into the new system. Batman can activate the override with the voice-code ZEA, which presumably stands for “Zur-En-Arrh.” Knowing this special program can only be used once, Batman promises to himself to only ever use it in the most extreme emergency.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1022 and Detective Comics #1068—originally told in Batman and… #24-28 (“Batman & Two-Face” / “THE BIG BURN”). Batman gets in the middle of a gang war between an escaped Two-Face and the McKillen Gang. After shutting down both sides, Batman searches for a fugitive Two-Face. Disheartened and burdened with thoughts of his history with the McKillens and Gilda, Two-Face attempts suicide by shooting himself in the head. Two-Face will miraculously survive thanks to the intervention of a faceless Joker, who has just stolen back his face and now wears it literally tied-on like a mask. Note that, on the New 52 timeline, “Big Burn” originally took place long after “Death of the Family”(which is coming up soon on our chronology), actually just after Forever Evil. However, Detective Comics #1022 inserts a faceless Joker (wearing his sawed-off face) into the revised version of events, thus retconning “Big Burn” to occur shortly prior to “Death of the Family,” surmising that Joker steals back his face and does his thing with Two-Face right before Batman/Spawn and his “Death of the Family” schtick.[7]
–Batman/Spawn
September 21. The Court of Owls lures Batman to Crime Alley (which isn’t hard since it’s the anniversary of his parents’ deaths, so he would have been going there soon anyway). (Note that writer Todd McFarlane gives the date as the 26th, but it should be the 21st. Also note that Batman missed the anniversary last year due to his Omega Sanction.) In this terrible and emotional location, the Court of Owls reveal that they have Martha Wayne’s necklace, which had been wearing when she was killed. (Batman has long had one pearl from the string, but the rest of the necklace went missing after the tragedy.) Just as Batman tears the jewelry from the hands of the Court of Owls representative, Spawn emerges from Earth-Image and attacks the Dark Knight! After a bloody brawl, both men realize that the Court of Owls is playing them against one another. Pausing, they also realize that today is a bad day for both parties. Spawn’s wife (Wanda Simmons) was murdered on that very same day. In the Batcave, Spawn explains that in his reality there exists a mirror group called the Court of Priests, which has been able to interdimensionally work hand-in-hand with the Court of Owls to commit various acts of evil across two Earths. (Unknown to the duo, the current goal of the Court of Owls/Court of Priests is to manipulate Batman and Spawn into opening a gateway between realities and to gain control of their eternal souls.) Spawn also says that there was a Superman on Earth-Image, but the Court of Priests killed him. Eventually, Batman and Spawn shakedown Joker (who is still faceless and wearing his own skin as a mask). Not getting the answers they are looking for, Batman and Spawn depart. We (the reader) learn that Joker is in league with Spawn’s rival from Earth-Image, the demonic clown known as The Violator. After prepping, Batman and Spawn battle a Talon and a high-ranking Court of Owls member outside of Arkham Asylum. During the fight, Spawn disguises himself as Batman and kills the high-ranking member in front of several Arkham inmates, including Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, and Victor Zsasz. (Highly-stylized silhouettes of what are likely meant to be Penguin and Two-Face are also shown, but we should ignore these two.) In the end, Spawn kills the Talon and returns back to Earth-Image. Batman picks up a damaged pearl from his mother’s necklace, which contains a hidden Court of Owls/Court of Priests cosmic device capable of resurrecting the dead. Unknown to Batman and Spawn, Martha (or at least some version of her) has been restored, but on Earth-Image instead of Earth-0. Meanwhile, Wanda (or some version of her) is resurrected on Earth-0. Elsewhere, the Violator exclaims to himself that all has gone according to plan.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1000 Part 10. September 21. As he does every year on the anniversary of his parents’ murders, Batman visits the cemetery where his parents are buried.
–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Casting #1, Dark Nights: Metal #2, Batman: The Merciless #1, Red Hood: Outlaw #31, and Detective Comics #1022—originally told in “DEATH OF THE FAMILY.” Joker, wearing his own sawed-off face like a mask, kills a bunch of cops and enters Wayne Manor to kidnap Alfred, leaving a video message that implies he knows all about Batman’s secret ID. After Batman and Robin stop a Jokerized mob, Batman deals with Poison Ivy, Clayface, and Penguin’s top man Ignatius Ogilvy (who ditches Penguin to become his own boss. When Joker strikes at Commissioner Gordon, Batman saves him, but gets knocked unconscious (and nearly killed) by Joker. Robin, Red Robin, Red Hood, and Batgirl struggle with Joker while Batman is out-cold. Joker then takes control of Arkham Asylum and kidnaps the entire Bat-Family, forcing an awakened Batman to enter into battle against Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Scarecrow. Using the kidnapped Bat-Family as leverage, Joker defeats Batman and lines him up next to his Jokerized Bat-Family, including Alfred, in the Batcave. Batman is able to cure his fam and defeat Joker, who falls into the catacomb rivers beneath the Batcave and is washed away. Later, Bruce explains to his fam the complicated nature of Joker’s mind when it comes to the secret ID of Batman. Bruce is still convinced that Joker knows the Bat-Family secret identities, but he doesn’t (and never did) care who was beneath the masks, blocking out the information. In essence, Bruce tells his fam, “Bruce Wayne isn’t important to the Clown Prince of Crime; only Batman matters.” The Bat-Family, shaken to its core, remains highly skeptical of this explanation. Meanwhile, Joker gets washed deeper and deeper into the catacombs beneath the Batcave, falling into a pool of simmering liquid green metal called Dionesium, which heals his wounds, including his face. (His old sawed-off face disappears into the underground waterways.) Joker discovers an ancient cave drawing of Batman’s cape and cowl scratched onto the wall above the jade pool. (This bizarre Dionesium pit has been secretly carved into the adjacent-but-much-deeper caves next to the Batcave by the Court of Owls in conjunction with Barbatos’ Judas Tribe followers as part of their bigger “Mantling” ritual plan.) With a new lease on life and a fascinating mystery dating back to the dawn of man, Joker will begin soliciting information about immortality and the history of bats in Gotham from anyone with arcane knowledge, including the Court of Owls and Crazy Quilt. Later, the entire Bat-Family gathers to unwind and recover from the ordeal Joker has put them through. Starfire and Arsenal come to support Red Hood as they currently are a crime-fighting trio known as The Outlaws.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1033—and referenced in Superman Vol. 4 #21, Detective Comics #958, Detective Comics #967, Batman Vol. 3 #33, Doomsday Clock #5-6, DC New Talent Showcase 2018 #1 Part 3, Flash Vol. 5 #61, Teen Titans Vol. 6 #37, and Unstoppable Doom Patrol #6. Originally told in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1-13 and Batman Incorporated Special #1. Talia al Ghul’s international terrorist organization known as Leviathan, has secretly corrupted all facets of Gotham. Batman and Robin stop a Leviathan transshipment of poisoned meat from entering Gotham’s markets—and take one of the healthy bovines as a pet, which Robin dubs Bat-Cow! Alfred also gets the Boy Wonder a pet kitten, which Robin cheekily names Alfred Pennyworth. Later, at a Leviathan lair, Batman Incorporated fights Goatboy, Judge, Hangman, the Seven Men of Death, Sportsmaster III (a clone of the original), Ojo, Shrike (Boone, former student of the original Shrike), Aron Abromowitz, Mad Dog Cain, Wam Wam, Kitty Kumbata, some Mutant Gang members, and others. Batman Incorporated then takes on Leviathan at Wayne Tower as Talia unleashes the monstrous Heretic—an adult clone of Damian that still has his youthful face. The Heretic kills Knight and Robin. (The Heretic is also killed, but gets resurrected via Lazarus Pit soon after.) After separate funerals are held for both Damian and Cyril, Batman mourns the loss of his son. Unable to cope with the loss, Batman creates and initiates the “Broken Wing Protocol,” a detailed analysis of the corpse to make sure that no funny business (redolent of what happened to Jason Todd) has occurred. Confirming that his son is indeed gone, a distraught Batman vows revenge. Meanwhile, in London, former Squire Beryl Hutchinson becomes the new Knight. Soon after, Talia takes control of Gotham, making Wayne Tower her HQ and demanding the immediate and permanent legal shutdown of Batman Inc. With his operation officially kaput, Batman seeks the help of Azrael (Michael Lane), who returns the mystical Suit of Sorrows back to the Caped Crusader. Lane also gives Batman the fiery Sword of Azrael. Batman then gets some Man-Bat Serum from Dr. Kirk Langstrom. After micro-dosing to pump-up and donning some Azrael gear, Batman attacks Leviathan by himself head-on. Batman fights and defeats the Heretic, who is killed by Talia for his failure. Shortly thereafter, in the Batcave, Batman duels Talia. Meanwhile, Batman Inc members fight and defeat Leviathan members—including shrouded cultists, the Mutant Gang, Manticore (Saied), and Veiniac—all over the globe. A returning Kathy Kane, acting as secret head of the spy agency Spyral, enters the Batcave and shoots Talia dead. A grief-stricken Bruce buries Talia next to Damian. He also puts the Suit of Sorrows into storage. Unsure what to do with the failed Batman Inc program, Batman reviews several Batman Inc case files—notably Batman Japan versus Dr. Inside-Out—in hopes that it will help him make a determination. Batman won’t make a final decision about the fate of Batman Inc just yet.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Pennyworth RIP #1. Late September. In the wake of Batman Inc’s defeat (and Damian’s murder), Batman sets aside his yellow oval costume and switches back to his black insignia duds. While visiting Crime Alley to lay down flowers, Batman is greeted by Nightwing, who tells him that Alfred always leaves flowers on Crime Alley on his parents’ wedding anniversary. (This scene is meant to occur on the anniversary of the Wayne tragedy, but it cannot be September 21, since that date passed a few days ago. Close, but no cigar. We must assume that an emotional Batman has returned for an extra visit this year.) Nightwing, hoping to comfort Batman about Damian’s recent death, also quotes Alfred, who said that Thomas and Martha Wayne’s murders had a silver lining in that they led to the creation of a much needed savior for Gotham. Back home, Batman thanks Alfred for his annual gesture and kind words.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman 2022 Annual. Despite Batman Inc’s defeat, Batman still has one final idea to salvage his program. After brushing up on the Ghost-Maker’s global crimefighting efforts, Batman confronts him in Bangladesh. They scuffle and argue as they always do, but Batman asks him once again to help him run Batman Inc. The Ghost-Maker declines. With this final rejection, Batman officially shuts down Batman Inc. Unknown to Batman, the Ghost-Maker will spend the next few weeks kicking the asses of former Batman Inc members.
–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman Vol. 2 #7. Superman battles Kryptonite Man (Clay Ramsay). Afterward, the Man of Steel tells Batman all about the encounter.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1000 Part 1. Batman tries to see if the now twelve-year-old unsolved “David Lambert’s looking glass case” is any way linked to the Court of Owls. After a brief investigation, Batman confirms that it isn’t. Sensing that the case might somehow involve Riddler, Batman digs in that direction, but he ultimately confirms that Riddler also has nothing to do with it.
–Batman Giant Vol. 2 #4 Part 1 (Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #5)
Batman, Nightwing, and the GCPD are tasked with escorting ex-mob lawyer Cicero Jenks from a safe house to prison. Snatching Jenks away from his cop handlers and tossing him into a bulletproof bodybag, Batman begins the long drive to the station. The mobsters—armed with bazookas, AK-47s, flamethrowers, a wrecking ball, and a hired Harley Quinn—do their best to smash up the Batmobile and get rid of Jenks, but Batman protects him well. After a quick switcheroo, Nightwing goes into the bodybag for the final delivery, which outs several cops as mob moles. Jenks later testifies against his old crew.
–Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #10
When Bruce’s friend Janet Carlisle phones him to tell him that her husband, Charles Gaynor, has been murdered, Batman is on the case. The clues lead the Caped Crusader to shake down Matt Hogan, caretaker of Janet’s animal sanctuary, forty miles south of Gotham. There, Batman fends-off lions and learns that Hogan’s wife is the culprit by recognizing her expensive perfume—a fragrance he undoubtedly knows from all his time spent hobnobbing with Gotham’s wealthiest socialites. With Hogan’s wife behind bars, Bruce meets with Janet.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Annual #2 (2019). Bruce meets and briefly dates wealthy social activist Sophia Zervas, daughter of an ultra rich bank-owner. They will remain friends for years to come, although Bruce’s connection to Sophia is mostly to keep up appearances with the 1% crowd.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #41. Using rare a Franciscan extract, Batman creates a brand new formula for an efficacious antidote that works against all of Poison Ivy’s mind-control powers and toxins.
–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21. Batman makes an armored exo-suit, which he stores in the Batcave.
–REFERENCE: In The Joker Vol. 2 #2 and The Joker Vol. 2 #14—originally told in Talon #5-14. A reformed Talon named Calvin Rose wars against the remnants of the defeated Court of Owls. Rose is aided by his mentor, former Court of Owls Grandmaster Sebastian Clarke (also spelled “Clark”) and friend Casey Washington, head of a security company called Securitus. Batman and Nightwing watch Rose fight a rogue Talon called the Butcher of Gotham (Felix Harmon). Batman intervenes in Rose’s reckless charge against the Court of Owls’ current Grandmaster John Wycliffe. Clarke then betrays Rose, briefly allying himself with a disinterested Bane before switching partners to the Butcher. Meanwhile, Wycliffe kidnaps Casey’s daughter Sarah Washington. Batman continues watching as Rose and Casey enter into a three-way battle pitting themselves versus Clarke and the Butcher versus Wycliffe and his Talons. Batman intervenes again, taking down all the bad guys and saving Sarah.
–FLASHBACK: From Infinite Frontier Secret Files #5 (Infinite Frontier Secret Files Print Edition #1) and Nightwing Vol. 4 #95—originally told in “THIS BLOOD IS THICK.” Kate Kane and Maggie Sawyer get engaged to be married! Mr. Bones aka Director Bones, head of the DEO, targets former Bat-Girl Bette Kane (now going by Hawkfire) and Jake Kane. This leads to Bones and Cameron Chase using Arkham Asylum patients to attack Hawkfire, Jake Kane, Alice (Beth Kane), and the Bat-Family. Bones sends Batwoman (a recent DEO recruit) to fight Batman. Batwoman betrays the DEO to help her family shut down the DEO operation. Sadly, while not attached to this item (or any directly Batman-related item), Kate and Maggie will soon call off their engagement. Bummer.
–REFERENCE: In Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #7-8—originally told in Batman and… #19. Obsessed with bringing back Damian from the dead, Batman hacks into the computer database of the secret government peacekeeping agency known as SHADE (Super-Human Advanced Defense Executive), looking for information about resurrection. (SHADE is run by Father Time, who is currently in the body of a young unnamed Japanese schoolgirl. Don’t forget, Father Time is a sentient microscopic creature that resides in the brain of its host body, which he replaces every ten years.) The Caped Crusader learns the secret location of Castle Frankenstein near the North Pole. There, Batman kidnaps SHADE’s top agent, the patchwork living-zombie Frankenstein (leader of the Creature Commandos).[8] The Caped Crusader hopes that the original re-animated man can somehow help him bring back Damian. When Frankenstein refuses to help, Batman takes him apart (literally) and begins a bizarre autopsy/experimentation using his dismembered body. Red Robin puts a stop to Batman’s chicanery, sending the pissed-off Dark Knight back to Gotham.
–REFERENCE: In The Batman Who Laughs #3. Bruce reads an article about the troubled young genius that is James Gordon Jr, son of the famous Gotham top cop. Now thirteen-years-old, James Jr, who has been in and out of institutions for most of his life, has gained notoriety for his diabolical intellect, specifically knowledge of routes and mathematical combinations. James Jr has filled dozens of journals with random data and plans related to these routes and combos.
–REFERENCE: In Batgirl Vol. 5 Annual #2—originally told in Batgirl Vol. 4 #18-22 and Batman and… #21. A disheveled Batman tells Commissioner Gordon that Robin has died. Jim tells Babs. Shortly thereafter, Batgirl busts Firebug and then tracks down her brother, James Junior, who has escaped from Arkham and has been stalking Babs’ roommate Alysia Yeoh for weeks. James Junior challenges his sister to a duel. The siblings fight, during which brother seemingly falls to his death. Batgirl is briefly charged with murder, leading to tension between she, Batman, and Commissioner Gordon. Thankfully, James Junior turns up alive-and-well. Despite being only thirteen-years-old, James Junior is tried as an adult and goes into Blackgate Prison.
–REFERENCE: From DC’s Grifter Got Run Over By a Reindeer #1 Part 6 Epilogue. Batman fights Catwoman on the docks.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #6 Part 1. Batman saves Catwoman’s friend, a nurse named Magdalena, from some muggers.
–REFERENCE: In Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #10 (Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 Print Edition #5). Batman bests an escaped Calendar Man, who attempts a series of crimes based on a calendar used by an ancient civilization that lived at the center of the Earth.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #958, Wonder Woman Giant Vol. 2 #4 (Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace #4), Batman: The Joker War Zone #1 Part 2, and Titans: Beast World – Waller Rising #1—originally told in Batwing #19-21. Batwing David Zavimbe retires from crime-fighting. Batman passes the mantle of Batwing onto wealthy socialite cum professional MMA fighter cum tech entrepreneur Lucas “Luke” Fox, son of Lucius Fox. Luke is given a new Batwing costume designed by Lucius. Luke’s first mission as Batwing sees him travel to Africa to defeat Lion-Mane. Note that Zavimbe, despite retiring, keeps his Batwing suit and HQ in Tinasha and will retain access to the Bat-computer network.[9]
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Annual #2 (2019). Now that Bruce has shuttered Batman Incorporated, he’s lost a big part of his international reach and intel. At Batman’s request, Alfred begins the practice of downloading several international newspapers onto a tablet for Bruce to read with his post patrol breakfast. Bruce will make this a habit for years to come.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #957—originally told in Detective Comics Vol. 2 #22-24. Batman defeats a new super-villain called The Wrath (wealthy tycoon ED Caldwell) and one of his many disposable Scorn henchmen.
–REFERENCE: In Man of Steel #3. Batman discovers a Penguin plot to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia, but the Dark Knight prevents the assassination from happening.
–REFERENCE: In Deathstroke Vol. 4 #31. Someone (likely either Alfred or Bruce) snaps a touching photo of Dick, Tim, and Jason smiling and goofing around. Bruce frames the photo and puts it on his desk at Wayne Enterprises.
–REFERENCE: In DC Holiday Special 2017 #1 Part 10. December 22. Diana asks Bruce to join her in the woods to light a ceremonial winter solstice pyre. Bruce agrees to make this an annual tradition between the two of them.
–Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 Part 10
Batman views a strangely catatonic Harley Quinn in her cell at Belle Reve Penitentiary, presumably shortly after bringing her back in. Harley’s motionless appearance and blank facial expression are explained by the fact that she is having a wondrous adventure in her own imagination—a waking dream where she wears her old costume and successfully evades Batman’s capture, then dances with Joker, then does trapeze with Poison Ivy.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: The Merciless #1—originally told in “SUPERMAN UNCHAINED.” Batman and Superman become aware of a secret US military organization called The Machine, which has existed since 1938 and is now led by Lois Lane’s estranged agonistic dad, General Sam Lane, to whom she hasn’t spoken in years. Considering Superman a threat because the Man of Steel won’t submit to government control, General Lane unleashes WRAITH, a powerful alien agent that has secretly worked for the Machine since the 1930s. While WRAITH pummels Batman, Sam Lane’s Machine soldiers attack Superman. After Superman defeats the soldiers, WRAITH summons his brethren—a large armada of warriors—to Earth. However, in fighting Batman and Superman, WRAITH sees the error of his ways. WRAITH sacrifices his life to destroy his entire species, saving Earth in the process.
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<<< Rebirth Era Year 13 <<< ||| >>> Rebirth Era Year 15 >>>
- [1]COLLIN COLSHER: Along with the memory-blockage of the JSA, Legion of Super-Heroes, and the Kents, Flash Vol. 5 #21 tells us that Dr. Manhattan initially prevents (and later memory-blocks) the following: the classic Justice League debut; the Identity Crisis affair, which involved lots of terrible things, including the rape of Sue Dibny and mind-wiping of several heroes and villains; and Barry Allen’s death during the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. The soft reboot of Doomsday Clock and Flash Forward reinstates all of these things.↩
- [2]COLLIN COLSHER: While Dr. Manhattan’s mind-wipe of the JSA goes into effect now, the way it effects everyone is interesting, specifically in how some things still manage to leak through. For example, references in Justice League Vol. 3 #41, Catwoman Vol. 5 #4, Flash Vol. 5 #70, and Dial H for Hero #4 tell us that some old-school superheroes in the vein of the JSA are from fictional media within the real world of the DCU. 1940s-styled Wonder Woman memorabilia and Jay Garrick-styled Flash memorabilia are both purchasable in the DCU. As are Alan Ladd-Scott-styled Green Lantern costumes and Hourman costumes. Plus, there are movies, TV shows, cartoons, and comic books loosely based on real heroes and made up ones within the DCU. In fact, the Jay Garrick-styled Flash and many old-school villains—like The Fiddler—are characters in comic books. Tangentially, but worth mentioning, as initially referenced in Batman Vol. 3 #48, even a Batman TV series complete with a Neal Hefti Batman ’66 theme song exists within the DCU as well. Thus, we should re-think of any problematic Rebirth Era JSA references that occur during Dr. Manhattan’s memory-wipe period as being references to fictional media stuff. For example, the JL has an Hourman costume on display in their Trophy Room. With no memory of the JSA, this item must have different meaning to the present day heroes. Maybe the Hourman costume is a prop from a live action TV show (or at least that’s what they think). Also note that, as per Bug! The Adventures of Forager #2-4, Batgirl Vol. 5 #22, Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #52, Dark Nights: Metal, Red Hood: Outlaw #43, and Infinite Frontier #0, we know there are some costumed heroes that Dr. Manhattan deems unnecessary to wipe-out/erase from memory (although everyone’s connection to the JSA is severed). Among these characters are: Wildcat, Captain Triumph, Biff the Clown, Red Bee, Crimson Avenger, Wing How, Vigilante (Greg Saunders), The Ray (Langford Terrill), Miss America, Sandman (Wesley Dodds), Sandy the Golden Boy, Fruit Bat, General Glory, Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton), and Stripesy (Pat Dugan). A bunch of immortals that existed for decades (if not centuries) prior to and through the Golden Age—characters like Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Phantom Stranger, Uncle Sam, Immortal Man, Etrigan, Shining Knight and his flying horse Victory, and others—are also left alone by Manhattan. There were also some superheroes that became active in the 1970s and 1980s that Manhattan ignores, notably The Challengers of the Unknown, Odd Man, The Reaper (Judson Caspian), and Starman (Will Payton). Last but not least, Manhattan also deliberately ignores superhero-esque military-adjacent organizations—like Argent, Task Force X, The Blackhawks, The All-Star Squadron, and various other spy groups and alphabet soup agencies—from the 1940s onward.↩
- [3]COLLIN COLSHER: In the Modern Age and Flashpoint, Thawne was the original Reverse-Flash, but also went by Professor Zoom and Zoom. In the New 52 and Rebirth Era, Eobard Thawne also goes by all three names, although there was another Reverse-Flash in Daniel West. Now that he has his prior timeline memories and persona restored (and with Daniel West deceased at this point on our timeline), Thawne certainly would think of himself interchangeably as Reverse-Flash, Professor Zoom, and Zoom.↩
- [4]COLLIN COLSHER: Brian Michael Bendis all but says outright that Conner Kent never existed on the Rebirth Era timeline, and that any version of Conner that shows up on this timeline is actually a transplanted Modern Age Conner. Now, this may have been true in 2020 when Bendis was writing Young Justice Vol. 3, and it surely seems like it was Bendis’ original intention, but by the time of Death Metal and Infinite Frontier, it is made fairly clear that we aren’t dealing with a continuity-to-continuity leap, but another instance of exile-and-memory-erasure, of which we are about to see even more instances courtesy of Dr. Manhattan.↩
- [5]COLLIN COLSHER / DYLAN ROBINSON: The original New 52 Titans Hunt story detailed the Teen Titans getting erased early on in their extremely truncated New 52 career, thus explaining how and why the Teen Titans hadn’t appeared on the short New 52 timeline at all. With the lengthened Rebirth/Infinite Frontier timeline (and lengthened Teen Titans existence with more incarnations of the team), the erasure naturally must slide to match the augmentation. As such, the memory-erasure goes here, right before our New 52-based stories begin to appear (and adjacent to Dr. Manhattan’s other erasures). It’s also worth noting that the original Titans Hunt flashback showed that Mr. Twister killed Dove (Don Hall). It’s still possible that Mr. Twister killed Don, but it would have happened years ago during the original Crisis.↩
- [6]DYLAN ROBINSON: Original prints of early Titans-related New 52 stuff explicitly referenced that there had been previous Teen Titans incarnations, references that were quickly changed in reprints. No matter your take on what that means, I’m in agreement with the idea that some vague memories have slipped through and left an impression causing Tim to have the impulse to (re)form the team.↩
- [7]COLLIN COLSHER: Peter Tomasi’s original New 52 “Big Burn” didn’t have anything to do with faceless Joker. Tomasi only added Joker’s involvement later in the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier timeline’s Detective Comics #1022. As stated above, this drastically changed the placement of “Big Burn” on the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier timeline, connecting it to Scott Snyder’s “Death in the Family.” There is a viable scenario in which we can place “Death of the Family” before “Big Burn,” so long as Joker doesn’t lose his sawed-off face during “Death of the Family” and we assume that he doesn’t heal right away after exposure to Dionesium. While this maintains the New 52 order of things, it still requires caveats and it doesn’t quite solve bigger issues at hand. If we were to have “Big Burn” go after “Death of the Family,” whether placing it immediately thereafter or where it where it originally was meant to go (post-Forever Evil, next year), “Big Burn” would still feature (as per Detective Comics #1022) a Joker that is anything but healed or healing. In fact, Detective Comics #1022 shows a full-bore “Death of the Family” Joker in his most over-the-top unhinged element. The original New 52 intent of Snyder and Tomasi was for Joker to stop wearing his sliced-off face following “Death of the Family,” and that should likely be reflected in contemporary canon. Joker was (and is) meant to be off the table for stories between “Death of the Family” and “Endgame.” This is, in fact, maybe the very reason why Tomasi felt the need to push the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier version of “Big Burn” earlier (since it wouldn’t have made sense for Joker to be involved if it was where it originally was meant to be). If one were hellbent on maintaining the original placement of “Big Burn” (i.e. keeping it where it was in the New 52), it technically could be done, but it would require significant alteration of many other tales. That’s your personal headcanon call to make, dear readers.↩
- [8]COLLIN COLSHER: In all previous continuities, a version of the Creature Commandos run by US government agency Project M pre-dated the SHADE version of the team. It featured an original lineup of Matthew Shrieve, Patchwork (Lucky Taylor), Vincent Velcro aka Vincent Velcoro, Medusa (Dr. Myrra Rhodes aka Mina Rhodes), Wolfpack (Warren Griffith), GI Robot JAKE I, GI Robot JAKE II—later adding Lucius Hunter, Aten, The Bogman, and Gunner Mackey. However, in current Rebirth/Infinite Frontier continuity, this SHADE-run Creature Commandos—featuring a lineup of Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, Khalis, and The Mermaid (Dr. Nina Mazursky), and The Atom (Ray Palmer)—is the first incarnation of the team. Warren Griffith was originally a part of the SHADE group, but he’s not in contemporary canon. Despite all this, a version of the previously canon Creature Commandos will actually debut years from now—as seen in DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos #1-6. That team will initially feature a freshly debuting cast of characters, including Dr. Barbara West, Medusa (Dr. Mina Rhodes), Marilyn Harris, Zee, Matthew Shrieve, Patchwork (Lucky Taylor), Wolfpack (Wanda Griffith), and Vincent Velcro. So yes, DC higher-ups basically switched around the chronological order of the two teams (and they did so to forcibly connect things to the release of the animated Creature Commandos movie in 2024).↩
- [9]COLLIN COLSHER: Note that Wonder Woman Giant Vol. 2 #4 contains a flashback that shows Wonder Woman seemingly active in the early 1970s with a superhero called Socialite. While it is true that Wonder Woman was active in the 1940s (as per Doomsday Clock/Flash Forward rectons), her adventures from the 20th century would currently be blocked from both her memory and collective memory (as per the very same Doomsday Clock/Flash Forward retcons). Therefore, the continuity of Wonder Woman Giant Vol. 2 #4 is a little shaky, but this is due to shaky 2020 DCU continuity in general as a result of the power battle between publishers behind the scenes at the time. Just note that Wonder Woman might be friends with an aging Socialite, but Diana wouldn’t recall their adventures together at this moment on our chronology. In fact, I would even read the Wonder Woman Giant Vol. 2 #4 flashback as artist Daniel Sampere taking liberties and making the scene merely appear as though it is the 1970s. (We are never told outright that it’s that far back in time.) In any case, the Lion-Mane reference stands as perfectly legit.↩
Are you sure Justice League: Origin should be here? in the New 52, It took place 5 years ago, but according to Rebirth it should be 15 years ago.
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for the comment! I think I see what you are saying—that the New 52 JL origin was originally removed (by years) from the ongoing “current” action of the New 52 when it was first published. However, in the Rebirth Era, since so much of the Modern Age has been canonized, it doesn’t really make sense for the New 52 version of the League to get mixed in with the Modern Age stuff. So instead it really signifies the beginnings of the New 52 portion of our timeline here, going right into the next batch without ellipses. When you say “according to Rebirth,” though, what are you referring to exactly?
The heroes have been active for 15 years instead of 5 years. It’s another DC Rebirth retcon.
Oh, from DCU Rebirth itself, the “decade of stolen time.” I’m not sure that many other writers clung to that fact very strongly. However, I do have DCU Rebirth in Year 15, so my timeline does jibe with that.
Also the context would be really confusing. shouldn’t it go to the year where the Justice League was founded?
I do see what you are saying. And I think it’s a personal headcanon thing as to where John’s “JL Origin” goes. Undeniably, its narrative has been altered due to the Rebirth reboot. Do we read it as the first New 52 era story in Year 13-15ish? If so, then it functions as a in-story team reboot, adding Cyborg to the lineup. Or do we read it as a part of a mashed-up version of the formation of the original JL in Year One, placing Cyborg in his early teens at the time, delivering unto us Darkseid’s first ever interactions with the heroes, and then assuming Cyborg leaves shortly thereafter only to re-join years down the road?
There are several titles—Justice League of America Vol. 5 #5, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #27, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #42, Batman Vol. 3 #26, Justice League Vol. 3 #24, Green Arrow Vol. 6 #29, Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #25, The Green Lantern #7, and Batman Giant #12—that speak to a more Modern (or even Silver) version of events in Year One. So, the New 52 origin would really be quite a mish-mash.
To me, the context of having Johns’ “JL Origins” in Year One is more confusing as it requires more caveats than having it go as an intro to the New 52 portion of the Rebirth timeline. However, I suppose one could make the argument, as you have, that “JL Origins” is an origin story akin to Miller’s “Year One” or Snyder’s “Zero Year,” earning it’s spot at the very beginning. I’ll think on this some more and see what other information I can dig up online regarding this interesting situation. You’ve definitely given me food for thought though—and no matter the case, it should def be addressed in more detail on my site.
Y’know, the more I think about this. The more I am in agreement with you… except for one big thing. Putting Cyborg there in the beginning means he’d be like 13-years-old and then still be a Teen Titan at like age 24… That’s a tough sell. But I think you are onto something. Changes a’coming.
Also noteworthy is a reference in the latest Superman by Bendis (Vol. 5 issue #25)—which might likely go in the new post-Metal continuity—that shows a picture of the Hall of Justice grand opening. In this pic, it appears to be the JL from “JL: Origins,” which implies that it is a Year One tale and that Cyborg will remain an original member (even if “everything matters” somehow).
Justice League Vol. 2 #51 had Batman introduce Robin to the JL after their battle with Darkseid and formation. Since Robin had some interactions with Cyborg, doesn’t that mean that some stuff with Cyborg and the Titans still canon? Speaking of which, What should I use for understanding the Teen Titans’ chronology? Also, I’m sorry I ask so many questions.
No need to apologize! First off, JL Vol. 2 #51 is a New 52 (pre-Rebirth) title, so it has no bearing upon and is not canon in the Rebirth Era. But if we are talking New 52, then the Teen Titans history is pretty vague and bare bones. We are told in a few comics (notably Red Hood & The Outlaws #1) that Dick and Cyborg wind up having a close relationship (along with some of the other teen heroes), but there’s really only one version of the Teen Titans that ever exists in the early days of the New 52 (based upon the original version or first few versions of the team in the Silver Age). Of course, in the New 52, the memory of this team is erased for quite some time, which makes things even vaguer.
In regard to the Rebirth Era, much of the wider Teen Titans history (including most of the Modern Age stuff) has been canonized by various comics, especially by Geoff Johns himself. So, in regard to the Teen Titans, we have a fuller history in current continuity, although mostly via reference only.
Hope this helps answer your question a little bit.
So what Titans stories are canon after DC Rebirth?
Here is a quick (although likely incomplete) list:
–the original Teen Titans debut
–Speedy’s heroin addiction fiasco occurs
—Titans Vol. 3 #11 and Teen Titans Vol. 6 #8 reference the Titans vs Deathstroke and Ravager (featuring Ravager’s death).
—Batman Vol. 2 #21, Flash Vol. 5 #21, Titans Vol. 3 Annual #1, and Nightwing Vol. 4 #21 reference Titans Cave Boy (Gnarrk), Hawk (Hank Hall), Dove (Don Hall), and Herald (Mal Duncan).
—Titans Vol. 3 #21-22 and Justice League of America Vol. 5 #27 reference Titans and Doom Patrol teaming up against the Brotherhood of Evil.
–as referenced in Justice League Vol. 3 #33, Deathstroke Vol. 4 #27, Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, Teen Titans Vol. 6 #17, Man of Steel #6, and Heroes in Crisis #9, The New Teen Titans form.
–as referenced in multiple titles, the Titans Hunt events occur. Teen Titans vs Mr Twister, get erased from history.
–as referenced in Justice League Vol. 3 #33, Deathstroke Vol. 4 #27, Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, Teen Titans Vol. 6 #17, and Man of Steel #6, the New Teen Titans reform.
–as referenced in Deathstroke Vol. 4 #27 and Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, “THE JUDAS CONTRACT” occurs.
–as referenced in Doomsday Clock #5, Nightwing starts the “New Titans” venture. Team Titans also form.
–as referenced in Justice League of America Vol. 5 #7, Doomsday Clock #5-6, and Heroes in Crisis #3, the Teen Titans take part in “Bloodlines.”
–Young Justice debuts
–as referenced in Doomsday Clock #5 and Titans Giant #3, a version of Teen Titans Vol. 3 #22-23 (“LIGHTS OUT”) occurs.
—Titans Giant series (aka Titans: Burning Rage) occurs.
–as referenced in Heroes in Crisis #3, Titans Vol. 2 #1-2 occurs. Titans debut.
–as referenced in Batman: The Merciless #1, Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #16, Deathstroke Vol. 4 Annual #1, and Red Hood: Outlaw #32, Tim starts up the New 52 version of the Teen Titans.
–as referenced in Red Hood: Outlaw #37, Tim’s Teen Titans take part in “SUPERMAN: DOOMED.”
–DC Universe: Rebirth #1 returns memories of the original Teen Titans to the public
–as referenced in Teen Titans Vol. 6 #8-10 and Super Sons #11, Teen Titans Vol. 6 #5, Tim’s Teen Titans end, Damian’s Teen Titans begin.
–Teen Titans Vol. 6 continues onward / Titans Vol. 3 continues onward
I prefer to leave out the first New 52 Titans and just prefer the second incarnation of the New 52 Titans.
I hear you on that one, lol! Razor-wing Red Robin, Solstice, Bunker, et al weren’t exactly the greatest.
BTW what parts of each era of the Titans should I focus on to understand the modern canon?
You mean the Modern Age? Here are the highlights…
–Teen Titans origin story (Teen Titans Year One #1-6 by Amy Wolfram/Karl Kerschl)
–fb from Secret Origins Vol. 2 Annual #3 (loose re-telling/canonization of Teen Titans #19 and Teen Titans #25-33)
–Speedy’s drug addiction
–r in Team Titans #13, JLA/Titans #2, and Countdown #51 (canonization of Teen Titans #44-47 i.e. Duela Dent stuff)
–r in JLA/Titans #1-3 and Secret Origins Vol. 2 Annual #3 (canonization of Teen Titans #50-53 i.e. Titans West formation)
–fb from Secret Origins Vol. 2 Annual #3 (canonization of New Titans #1 i.e formation of New Teen Titans)
–New Teen Titans vs Deathstroke (r in Secret Origins Vol. 2 Annual #3 & Booster Gold Vol. 2 #21-24)
–JLA fights Teen Titans over Raven (fb from Secret Origins Vol. 2 Annual #3)
–Judas Contract (r in New Teen Titans Vol. 2 #13)
–r in Justice League of America Vol. 2 #0 (canonization of Tales of the Teen Titans #50 i.e. the Wedding of Donny Troy & Terry Long)
–then everything post-original Crisis through Flashpoint
No I mean to understand the Rebirth canon.
The previous list (the first one I gave you) was for the Rebirth canon.
Also what parts of Trigon’s history are canon in DC Rebirth?
I don’t know! Since 2011, Trigon has only appeared in 25 total comics. (https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Trigon_(Prime_Earth)/Appearances). I’m sure if you scour those titles, you’ll be able to piece together some semblance of chronology and history. We can’t be certain, though, that his New 52 history is the same as his Rebirth history. The latter probably more closely resembles the Bronze/Modern Age.
> Originally, in the Modern Age, Jesse Quick was on this JL team as well, but she is currently exiled within the Speed Force, so she is definitely not a part of the team in the Rebirth Era.
See, I’d assumed that she (and the other Speedsters) didn’t end up in the speed force until Flashpoint hit. That’s mostly speculation, I think, though.
Timeline looks great, though!
Oh yes, this is an error. I will fix. thanks!
> Despite complete global memory blockage and erasure of all prior Teen Titan teams and Young Justice, there must be something lingering in the ether that draws teen heroes together, hence this incarnation of the Teen Titans. Batman won’t interact with this version of the Teen Titans, which will last for about two years (with an ever-changing lineup). Batman will, however, be aware of their actions.
I remember original prints of early Titans-related New 52 stuff explicitly referencing that there had been Teen Titans previously, references that were quickly changed in reprints. This isn’t a suggestion for your timeline or anything, but I do like the idea that some vague memories might have slipped through and left an impression that caused Tim to have the impulse to reform the team.
Very interesting about the reprints, I didn’t know that!
So hear me out: what if the Joker from the Two-Face & Spawn stories is another Joker who lost their face OR Faceless Joker and Endgame Joker are two different ones in the Rebirth timeline. Just a thought.
Playing with all the cards in the deck, eh? Or should I say Joker cards? 🙂 I like the deep thought here, but it does delve in to the realm of speculation a bit much for me. By its very nature, Three Jokers tends to lend itself well to (or force us into ) speculation. Nevertheless, we should follow the path of least resistance. It would seem that each Joker is connected to specific stories—with the Comedian being the Endgame Joker thanks to various clues and hints in the comics. However, if we apply logic to this mostly logic-less narrative, in order to conceal the truth about the multiple Jokers, the Jokers themselves must have gone to great lengths in order to fool Batman (and everyone, really). Could they have each sliced off their own faces? Maybe, but again, speculation runs rampant here without much being evinced in the comics. As I said, I like the thought process, though, so I’ll add a note about it. And I think it’s worth adding in Year One that we have to view the Three Jokers problem with this type of mentality throughout most of the timeline. Thanks, Dylan!
Okay: solution.
Timeline: Death of the Family, Joker is gone for now.
Then, Two-Face shoots himself, Joker still faceless, but assumed missing by Batman. Joker operates on Harvey.
Then, Endgame. Continued exposure to dionesium over a certain period of time completely healed him.
Let me know what you think!
Hey Dylan! That definitely works as a fix. However, I’m not sure it solves my issues with the problem. Originally, “The Big Burn” was quite a long time after “Death of the Family” (going after Forever Evil), so simply swapping their places to get them in proper order isn’t that big of a deal. I’d sooner put “Big Burn” later (after Forever Evil to mirror prior continuity) but with a note saying to ignore the sliced off face. For whatever reason, Tomasi wanted the contemporary version of “Big Burn” to connect with “Death of the Family.” The FB from tec 1022 doesn’t seem to show a Joker that is healing by any means. He’s full bore DOTF Joker, in his most insane element. I don’t love having Joker continue to have the sliced off face post “Death of the Family” as that was never Scott Snyder or Tomasi’s intent. imo Joker should be off the table between “Death of the Family” and “Endgame”—which is maybe why Tomasi felt the need to push “Big Burn” earlier. In any case, I’ll def make a note of this!
Well, release wise, they weren’t that far apart. Maybe the events of Incorporated are faster in this timeline? That way you can get from Death of the Family, to Death of the Damian, to faux-Death of the Dent faster.
Or in the Rebirth version of Death of the Family, maybe Damian has already died in Incorporated? Food for thought.
I worry the more caveats and fanwanks we throw in, the messier it’ll get. Right now, I think I’m content with keeping “Big Burn” just prior to “Death of the Family,” especially since it’s Tomasi altering his own story for a new continuity. It’s one altered thing compared to the possibility of several altered things. However, headcanon is headcanon and technically what you suggest could work! I’ll def take what you say under consideration.