Rebirth Era (Post-“Superman Reborn”) Chronology
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YEAR NINE (2010)
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–REFERENCE: In All-Star Batman #10. Bruce and Alfred visit Miami. Alfred takes notice of the construction boom that is going on in the city.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #12 Part 5. At a carnival, Batman fights longtime henchman-for-hire Barney, who now works for Joker and is dressed up like a clown.
–REFERENCE: In Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Battle Lines #1 and Batman Vol. 3 #137. Batman fights Mr. Freeze, who uses new henchmen Marcus Tolliver, Stan Bevington, and Jimmy Milford. Moving forward, Tolliver and Bevington will primarily work for Mr. Freeze, but they will also occasionally work for Joker. As far as we know, Milord will stay loyal to Mr. Freeze. While we won’t actually see Tolliver, Bevington, or Milford listed on any jobs on our timeline ahead, we know that Batman will indeed encounter them again, so we can imagine them randomly attached to future items.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #3 Part 1. As Matches Malone, Batman befriends affable gangster Mikey Briffa, who is a part of the Grande Mob (led by Vito Grande). Matches and Mikey become good friends, finding legitimate common ground over baseball. Moving forward, Matches and Mikey will often watch baseball games together, during which Batman will pump Mikey for intel. We’ll have to imagine Batman’s visits with Mikey happening sporadically ahead on our timeline.
–REFERENCE: In Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Battle Lines #1. Batman fights Riddler, who uses a new henchman named Roland Garner. Moving forward, Gardner will work for Riddler, Mr. Freeze, and eventually Professor Pyg. While we won’t actually see Roland listed on any jobs on our timeline ahead, we know that Batman will indeed encounter him again, so we can imagine him randomly attached to future items.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #20 Part 4. Bruce’s longtime friend Liza Nielsen is murdered by her abusive partner. Batman works the case, but fails to achieve justice when the culprit commits suicide.
–REFERENCE: In Batman vs Robin #1. Zatanna gives Batman a tour of her new magick home, which includes sentient paintings that act as defense sentries. Zatanna gives Batman a magick key that can be used to turn any door into an entryway to her home. Batman stores the key securely in the Batcave.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #999. February—Bruce’s birthday. As he does every year on his birthday, 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: Urban Legends #19 Part 4. Bruce and Alfred meet and befriend James Dagota, billionaire head of Dagota Industries, and his executive valet Danny Starr. Dagota and Starr, who maintain a large art collection, bond with both Bruce and Alfred over their shared love of art and antiques. While we won’t see it on our timeline ahead, Bruce will interact with Dagota and Starr off-and-on for many years to come. Bruce and Alfred also meet the loathsome art dealer Gregory, who they will see every once in a while but much less often than Dagota and Staff.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #19 Part 3. Batman confronts an escaped Two-Face, who briefly regains control of his dark half, allowing his Harvey Dent persona to soberly emerge. During this period, Harvey tells Batman that he hates flipping his coin and feels burdened by its binary limitations. In the seconds before the heads or tails is revealed, while the coin is still in the air, Harvey feels solace imagining all the endless possibilities that could occur if only he’d give himself the opportunity to be free. Tragically, the moment passes, darkness takes over, and Two-Face flips his coin as he always does.
–Batman: Urban Legends #14 Part 2
The Question (Vic Sage) finds evidence that Wayne Enterprises is involved in corruption, so he starts messaging Batman (who ignores him). Eventually, the Question shows up in Gotham to show Batman his evidence—secret military R&D and off shore bank accounts, which are linked to Batman’s operations (although the Question doesn’t know that). Together, Batman and the Question enter a WayneTech distribution center where they discovers that some WayneTech security guards have been skimming off the top of Batman’s own skimming. When the Question attacks Batman thinking he’s at the heart of a conspiracy, the only thing for Batman to do is unmask and reveal his secret ID. Batman then explains that he uses WayneTech for his war on crime, but that these bad seeds need to be rooted out. Batman and the Question then bust the crooks.
–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Detective Comics #1055. Bruce partners with Ted Kord to open the Wayne-Kord Rehabilitation Center in Gotham.
–FLASHBACK: From The Silencer Annual #1. Talia al Ghul sends her brainwashed League of Assassins agent (and lover) known only as The Silencer to Gotham on a mission to protect Batman from The Reaper, a hitman sent after the Dark Knight by Ra’s al Ghul. (This is a third Reaper, not to be confused with the previous two Reapers on our timeline.) The Silencer, using the cover name “Honor,” moves into a Gotham brownstone, meeting real estate broker Blake Guest. On her big night, the Silencer pauses to save a family from being mugged, which allows Batman to get the jump on her. They fight to a stalemate. The Reaper then shows up and injures Batman, but the Silencer chops the Reaper’s head clean off before fleeing into the shadows. Later, Honor has a pleasant exchange with Blake, taking his card. (She’ll later marry Blake and have a child with him.) Honor returns to Talia, who tells her that she plans on starting her own organization separate from her father’s. This organization will be known as Leviathan.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman fights Clayface (Basil Karlo).
–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #6—originally told in Detective Comics #591, an Australian Aborigine vigilante named Umbaluru travels to Gotham to retrieve an ancient artifact stolen from his people during a massacre by White settlers. Upon arrival in the big city, the Aborigine warrior starts killing people. Batman gets involved, but, in the end, Umbaluru escapes without a trace.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #79. For the third time, Catwoman steals the Coner Diamond from the Gotham Museum, but as before, Batman steals it right back.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #982—originally told in Batman: The Cult. Immortal Christian preacher Joseph Blackfire obtains converts to his fanatical patristic sect by spiking homeless shelters and pantries’ food offerings with mind-altering drugs. These poor folks quickly become Deacon Blackfire’s cult of followers, helping him capture Batman. For a week, Batman is chained-up beneath Blackfire’s church where he is tortured and drugged. Batman eventually musters up enough thew to break free. Blackfire’s followers then turn on and kill their own leader.
–FLASHBACK: From Bug! The Adventures of Forager #1—and referenced in Justice League Vol. 4 #1-2 and Justice League Incarnate #4. Originally told in Cosmic Odyssey #1-4. Darkseid has long searched for the Anti-Life Equation, the cosmic sentient mathematical formula with which one can dominate all life. Now, Darkseid thinks he’s finally found it, but in actuality he has only discovered half of it in the form of the Anti-Life Entity, which, now stirred-up, threatens to destroy everything. (The Anti-Life Entity is secretly controlled by the Great Darkness aka the Hand of the Great Darkness.) The other half of the Anti-Life Equation lies within the Great Darkness’ polar opposite—a numinous entity called The Source, which exists/resides beyond the cosmic barrier at the edge of the universe known as the Source Wall. The Source is also known as The Presence, The Hand of the Light, The White Hand of Creation, and The Great Hand of Creation, and will later be known as the Abrahamic God. These super-celestial beings are known as Great Hands.[1] Unable to control the Anti-Life Entity, Darkseid asks for the aid of his rivals, the “good” New Gods of New Genesis. After forming a truce, the New Gods’ leader Izaya—known as Highfather—recruits Earth’s top heroes to save the multiverse. The New Gods tell Batman information about the Source Wall and their myths regarding the Source/the Source Wall. Afterward, the heroes split up into pairs. Batman and Forager save Earth. Superman and Orion save Thanagar. Lightray and Starfire save Rann. Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern John Stewart fail to save Xanshi. Because of a grave error in judgement by John Stewart, millions perish. Stewart goes into a dark emotional state and will never be able to forgive himself. Despite this, in the end, the heroes prevail. Unfortunately, Forager falls in battle, going into a dormant state akin to death. The heroes assume Forager is dead, mourning his loss. Orion makes a racist/classist comment about the fallen Forager, so Batman punches-out Orion!
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #129. The Justice League keeps New Genesis weaponry, stocking it in their armory. The JL will keep New Genesis weaponry in all their HQs, moving forward.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #6 Part 5 and Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #18 Part 1. Batman fights strongman newcomer Amygdala (Aaron Helzinger).
–Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #18 Part 1
When a super-villain called Doubt (Benjamin Bilk) begins using his metapower of persuasion to rob WayneTech’s Wayne Investment banks, Batman is on the case. The Dark Knight equips himself with a liquid muzzle spray and confronts Doubt mid-heist. Despite spraying Doubt’s mouth shut, the villain is able to kayo Batman with a pre-recorded message of his voice, causing Batman to have nothing but anxiety and doubt regarding his war on crime. With Doubt’s recorder in hand, Batman returns to the Batcave only to collapse as a result of a severe panic attack. Worried, Alfred immediately calls Nightwing, who rushes over. Thankfully, Batman is able to overcome the demons in his head by thinking of Alfred and his destiny as a superhero. Back to his senses, Batman creates a fake recording of Doubt’s voice. He confronts Doubt again, using the recording to nullify the super-villain’s powers, leading to an easy bust.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 11 and Detective Comics #1004. Young Astrid Arkham watches through a hole in an Arkham Asylum wall as Batman violently ends yet another prison riot. Astrid will secretly watch Batman from afar whenever he sets foot inside Arkham Asylum. Over time, she will grow to deprecate Batman.
–Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red #9
Poison Ivy tussles with Batman at the museum, besting him in combat in order to steal an ancient Egyptian map that holds the supposed secret location of a “fountain of youth” (actually a hidden Lazarus Pit). A snooping Harley Quinn, having trailed Ivy, shows up and accidentally releases Batman. Despite this, Harley and Ivy escape together. Ivy then ditches the bad luck Harley and follows the map to a temple in the Sahara Desert. Ivy locates the Lazarus Pit inside the structure, but Harley arrives yet again (much to Ivy’s chagrin). Soon after, Batman and Batgirl, having trailed Harley, appear as well. After a big fight, Poison Ivy drops into the Lazarus Pit, which gives her plant powers a serious upgrade but makes her go into a convulsive Lazarus-rage. The temple collapses, allowing Harley to save Ivy, who eventually regains control of her mental faculties.
–REFERENCE: In Batman: The Detective #3. Henri Ducard meets up with Batman, revealing that he knows he is Bruce under the mask.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Beyond: Neo-Year #1. Bruce, Dick, Jason, and Babs pose for a photograph together. The photo gets developed and framed before getting hung up in Wayne Manor.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #5, Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2, Batman: Urban Legends #4 Part 1, The Joker Vol. 2 #9, Batman Vol. 3 #125, and Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #14 Part 5—and referenced in Trinity Vol. 2 #12, Detective Comics #965, Detective Comics #968, Detective Comics #987, New Talent Showcase 2017 #1 Part 1, Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #23, Batman: Kings of Fear #2, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #26, Truth and Justice #12, Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, Batman: Legends of Gotham #1, Knight Terrors: Robin #1, and Batman: The Brave and The Bold Vol. 2 #13 Part 4. Originally told in “A DEATH IN THE FAMILY.” Robin learns that his mom (Dr. Sheila Haywood), whom he thought died years ago, is actually still alive. Tracking her to Ethiopia, Robin finds her mixed-up with Joker. The super-villain has already obtained a cruise missile from the Santa Priscan military (courtesy of the Network’s Dr. Friedrich Baum) and is now planning on smuggling deadly nerve gas out of Ethiopia. While Batman chases the missile and nerve gas, Robin and his mom are brutally murdered by Joker, who beats the former to death with a crowbar. Batman weeps while holding Robin’s body, but he removes his costume in an effort to keep the Bat-Family secrets safe. Back in Gotham, a funeral is held and Batman puts the second Robin’s tattered costume on display in memoriam in the Batcave. Batman also puts one of Jason’s unblemished costumes on display, along with a sign that reads “A Good Soldier.” The Dark Knight is emotionally shattered by Jason’s passing. (From this point forward, Batman will still take on young sidekicks, but he will question whether or not he’s helping or ruining their lives. Batman will be plagued with these thoughts for the rest of his life.) Unknown to the Bat-Family, Talia al Ghul digs up Jason’s corpse and revives him via Lazarus Pit. Jason, angry at both Batman’s failure to save him and his non-lethal position in regard to punishing Joker, won’t make his return for a couple years, choosing to train for the perfect revenge in the meantime. (As referenced in Red Hood: Outlaw #33, Jason will travel to the mystical “Thousand Acres of All” to train with Ducra and the warrior people known as The All-Caste.) Talia’s ultimate plan for Jason is to have him crush Batman and eventually take over the League of Assassins in place of her father.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #984. Alfred, who has always been enthusiastic about Batman’s teen sidekicks, now, in light of Jason’s murder, does a complete 180 degree turn. He doesn’t think Batman should use child soldiers anymore. Bruce and Alfred have a long discussion about the problematic nature of Batman using child soldiers. They will have many discussions about this topic, moving forward. These discussions won’t physically appear on our timeline—for the most part—and will have to simply be imagined scattered throughout the chronology, especially whenever a new sidekick comes along.
–REFERENCE: In Batgirl & The Birds of Prey #11, Doomsday Clock #2, Doomsday Clock #6, Batman Vol. 3 #49, Batgirl Vol. 5 #47, The Joker Vol. 2 #3, The Joker Vol. 2 #10, Knight Terrors: Batman #1, and Batman Vol. 3 #139—originally told in The Killing Joke. Joker (the Comedian) kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and shoots Barbara Gordon in the spine. The sadistic Joker undresses Babs, takes pornographic pictures of her, and leaves her for dead. Thankfully, Babs is rushed to the hospital and stabilized, but she is permanently paralyzed from the legs down. Batman brings Joker to justice at his abandoned Amusement Mile lair, rescuing Gordon from further physical and psychological torture. As the cops arrive in the pouring rain, Batman throttles a laughing Joker and, due to the futility of their never-ending war, can’t help but laugh out loud as well. Things’ll never be the same after this. The Mayor orders Commissioner Gordon to take mandatory time off (psychiatric leave) following the tragic incident, appointing Captain Dave Wójcik as interim commissioner.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #18 and Batman: Three Jokers #1. Batman puts Batgirl’s costume on display in the Batcave. (Note that Batman: Knightwatch – Batman Day Special Edition #1 aka Batman: Knightwatch #1 also shows Batgirl’s costume on display in the Batcave, although colorist Carrie Strachan takes some cheeky liberties by making it purple à la Batman ’66.)
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1000 Part 5 and Detective Comics #1000 Part 10. September 21. Batman, as he does every year on the anniversary of his parents’ murders, visits both Crime Alley (where his parents were killed) and the cemetery where his parents are buried.
–REFERENCE: In Robin Vol. 3 #1. Batman helps Green Arrow find his long lost son, Connor Hawke.
–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Doom Patrol/Justice League of America Special #1, and Batman Vol. 3 #151—originally told in Justice League International #19-21. Big Barda, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern G’nort go on a mission to deep space to rescue Mister Miracle from the interstellar villain Manga Khan. Meanwhile, Lobo joins the JLI, but is outed as a double-agent working for Manga Khan. He is kicked off the team and his hook and chain are put into the Justice League Trophy Room. Batman does a lot of homework on Lobo, learning that he is the last of the Czarnian people, having murdered everyone else on his home planet. Batman studies up on Czarnian life and history. Eventually, the whole JLI chases Manga Khan to Apokolips. After a fight against Manga Khan and a bunch of Parademons, an annoyed Darkseid teleports everyone away.
–The Joker Vol. 2 #10
Fed up with sitting at home and having refused to speak to a shrink, Jim Gordon goes back to work, defying his mayoral-mandated psychiatric leave. Interim Commissioner Dave Wójcik discusses the fact that Joker is loose again and there are even Joker copycats running about, but he ultimately tells Jim to go home. Back at the Gordon household, Jim finds his ex-wife Barbara and eight-year-old son James Junior waiting for him. Barbara says that James Jr needs to stay with him in Gotham for a little while, citing that he’s become darkly troubled and obsessed with Joker. After dinner, James Jr rummages through his dad’s Joker files. Batman visits the house, but a stressed-out Jim tells him to piss off. Later that night, James Jr steals his dad’s gun and runs away. A panicked Jim meets with Harvey Bullock, who tells him there’s nothing he can do. When a possible Joker case comes through on the radio, Renee Montoya gives Jim a sidearm and allows him to charge ahead solo. Jim finds a face-painted James Jr hand-in-hand with a Joker copycat. Batman prevents Jim from firing his piece and takes down the copycat. After securing the area, Batman pulls Jim aside to tell him some disheartening facts. First, only James Jr handled his stolen gun. Second, James Jr used household cosmetics (Babs’ makeup) to paint his own face. Combined with the fact that eyewitnesses saw James Jr laughing and playing with the copycat, this points to a scenario where the boy was certainly not kidnapped, and in fact sought out the copycat. Batman, having learned all about Jim’s recent sabbatical, urges him to take care of his family and to see a shrink.
–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #2, Doomsday Clock #5, Batman Vol. 3 #68, Justice League Vol. 4 #40, and DC’s Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun #1 Part 6—originally told in Invasion!. Several intergalactic alien races form a military alliance with the goal of eradicating all metahuman life on Earth (the planet deemed most threatening because it has the most metahumans). Secretly, The Dominators, evil leaders of the alien alliance, want to replicate the metagene and create their own super-warriors. (In addition to the Dominators, the alliance comprises the following alien races: Khunds, Thanagarians, Psions, Durlans, the Gil’Dishpan, the Warlords of Okaara, Citadelians, and Daxamites.) During the alien invasion, human scientists become aware of the metagene that causes superpowers, which exists in around 12% of the population. After several nations fall under alien control, dozens—including the JLI, the Doom Patrol, the New Guardians, Green Lantern Corps (Hal Jordan, Kilowog, and Medphyll), Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Atom, Deadman, the Creeper, Power Girl, the Spectre, Animal Man, Hawk, Dove (Dawn Granger), Black Orchid (Susan Linden), Swamp Thing, Amanda Waller, Max Lord, and General Wade Eiling—gather at a superhero summit to determine a plan of coordinated action. The war kicks into high gear, resulting in casualties on both sides, notably new Doom Patrol member Celsius and Blaze (Scott Fischer). (Note that Celsius comes back from the dead.) Eventually, the war is won and the alien alliance is defeated, but not before the Dominators detonate a “Gene Bomb.” The resulting massive energy explosion causes widespread global death to aliens and humans alike. Interestingly, the Gene Bomb also causes some people to gain super powers, most notably Max Lord and Crazy Jane. The Australian superhero known as The Tasmanian Devil is mutated by the Gene Bomb. Also notably, before their defeat, the Dominators do experiments on some humans, turning them into metahumans as well. These poor folks, known collectively as The Blasters, include Looking Glass and Snapper Carr. By the end of this episode, Batman has obtained a wealth of information about various extraterrestrial species, races, and planets.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Secret Files: The Gardener #1—originally told in Black Orchid #2. Black Orchid (Susan Linden) dies, leading to an Earth Elemental to become the new Black Orchid. Batman meets the confused new Black Orchid, telling her to chat with Floronic Man, Poison Ivy, and Swamp Thing to find out more regarding her origin.
–Our Fighting Forces Giant #1 (Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #1)
November 16. Batman and a squadron of GCPD officers charge in a hail of gunfire to rescue a kidnapped Commissioner Gordon, who has been taken hostage by a gang of killer clowns. Gordon takes a bullet, but Batman saves him and busts most of the clowns. This action is mirrored by President Barack Obama delivering a speech and bestowing the Medal of Honor to war veteran Salvatore A Giunta, who went through a similar experience in Afghanistan a few years prior.
–FLASHBACK: From The Human Target #1—and referenced in The Human Target #1 and The Human Target #3. The JLI, including newest official members G’nort and Rocket Red Dmitri Pushkin, pose for a photo. They also travel to the Ringbrak Dimension on an unspecified case. While there, each member of the team is exposed to a mysterious poison that will remain within their systems for decades to come.
–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5, Adventures of the Super Sons #1, and Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #6—originally told in Justice League International #24 and Justice League Europe #1-10. A splinter Justice League group is formed in the wake of the recent invasion. Thus, Justice League Europe is formed. Batman, while still remaining on the JLI, is heavily involved in the organization of the JLE. Operating out of the former JLI embassies and a castle in England, the JLE consists of Animal Man, Captain Atom, Crimson Fox, Elongated Man, Power Girl, and Rocket Red Dmitri Pushkin. Elongated Man’s wife, Sue Dibny, is an honorary member. Crimson Fox is initially a pair of twin sisters, Vivian D’Aramis and Constance D’Aramis, who switch on-and-off in the costumed superhero role. Note that the JLE will only last for less than a year before disbanding. Meanwhile, Dr. Fate and a rookie Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) join the JLI. Dr. Fate is still a merger of Eric Strauss and Linda Strauss, but Nabu does a gender switcheroo. Instead of using Eric’s mind/body as host, Dr. Fate now uses Linda’s mind/body (with Eric’s consciousness attached), giving us the first ever assigned-female-at-birth Dr. Fate.
–REFERENCE: In Event Leviathan #6—originally told in Manhunter #17. Former attorney, anti-hero, ex-con, and ex-Suicide Squad member Manhunter (Mark Shaw) teams-up with reluctant partner Batman to bust a new one-shot Sportsmaster, who is a copycat of the original Sportsmaster (Lawrence Crock).
–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #101, Batman: Urban Legends #1 Part 4, Batman: Urban Legends #2 Part 4, and Batman: Urban Legends #3 Part 4. Batman learns about the secret machinations of billionaire tech pioneer Jacob Marlowe‘s Halo Corporation, which is secretly linked to several covert vigilantes and military operatives. Impressed but also wanting to keep tabs, Bruce initiates a partnership with the Halo Corporation, which includes the funding of a state-of-the art biotech research center and surgical facility. Lucius Fox is made an integral hands-on part of this venture. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Freeze and the Kobra Cult go into battle in Midway City against the Halo Corporation’s top group known as Team 6, which consists of handler John Lynch and his agents Deathblow (Michael Cray), Grifter (Max Cash), Deadeye (Cole Cash), Sleeper (Holden Carver), Backlash (Marc Slayton), and Slaphammer (Alex Fairchild). (Note that the Team 6 members aren’t aware that Halo funds their ops.) Team 6 is decimated and Max Cash is seemingly killed. Superman and Wonder Woman come in to save the day, busting the bad guys. Bruce and Lucius arrange for Cole Cash to be saved and brought to the new facility where he is essentially turned into a super soldier. A “Dr. Stone” is said to conduct the surgery, and this is likely Silas Stone, especially since we are talking about a biotech procedure. Lucius tells Cole that his brother Max has died and left him his vigilante mask. Thus, Cole becomes the new Grifter. Bruce is debriefed by both Lucius Fox and John Lynch.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #14 Part 1. Batman and Zatanna (now back in her original sexy magician tuxedo costume) team up to fight an unnamed minotaur-like villain.
–FLASHBACK: From the second feature to Detective Comics #1074. Batman saves a fella named Pete (owner of Pete’s Pizza) from some muggers. Pete will be inspired to go charitable deeds because of this experience.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 3. December. An escaped Joker dresses up as Santa Claus and terrorizes a mall in celebration of Batman’s “birthday.” Batman busts the faux Santa.
–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #965, Robins #2, Strange Love Adventures # 1 Part 6, and Tim Drake: Robin #6—and referenced in Batwoman: Rebirth #1, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Detective Comics #967, and Batman: One Bad Day – Two-Face #1. Originally told in “A LONELY PLACE OF DYING.” Batman, increasingly haunted by Jason’s death, becomes reckless to the point of sloppy—barely surviving regular patrols, losing fights, and badly hurting low-level opponents. After Batman struggles to defeat a pathetic copycat Ravager, the autodidactic Tim Drake, a twelve-year-old boy genius that has followed his favorite hero’s career (and been secretly stalking Batman) for most of his life, makes his presence known. Having long ago deduced the secret IDs of Batman and his first two Robins, a worried Tim approaches Dick at the circus and begs him to become Robin again to re-inspire his old mentor. Dick takes Tim to Wayne Manor and he explains his story to Bruce and Alfred, who give the boy a tour of the Batcave. Nightwing then teams-up with Batman for the very first time to take on Two-Face. During the fight, the heroes wind up in dire straits. Tim dons Dick’s original Robin costume and gets a ride to the crime scene from Alfred! Tim, who has trained since he was very young, is able to bust Two-Face and save the lives of both Batman and Nightwing. Afterward, Bruce allows Tim to begin training to become the new Robin. Tim will train for the next six months. Strange Love Adventures #1 Part 6 shows a scene of Bruce taking Tim into Wayne Manor as a stone-faced Alfred watches on. This scene mirrors Bruce returning home to Wayne Manor from training abroad, Dick coming to Wayne Manor for the first time, and Jason Todd coming to Wayne Manor for the first time. Of course, the difference here is that Tim still lives with his dad, so this is more symbolic than literal in regard to Tim. Note that there’s currently nothing in contemporary canon that says how long Tim’s training period lasts. While Dick’s training period was virtually non-existent before he donned the Robin costume (as per Batman and Robin: Year One #1), Dick was already at an advanced level by the time he met Batman. In previous continuity, six months was the standard protocol, which is what I kept for Jason. Tim is arguably at a similar level as Dick, so it stands to reason that Batman would get him in costume right away. However, being that this is his third sidekick, coming off a tragic death of the previous Robin, it’s also easy to imagine Batman putting Tim through the full six months.
–REFERENCE: In Deathstroke Vol. 4 #35. Bruce and Tim get to know one another. Tim talks about his love of Ignatius Paul Pollaky, a 19th century private detective.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Detective #4. Batman saves an entire bus full of people when their ride nearly slews over a cliff edge.
–FLASHBACK: From Batman Vol. 3 #147. Bruce takes Tim to the Wayne family cabin in the woods. There, he teaches the inexperienced Tim the skill of archery.
–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics Annual #3 (2020) Part 1—originally told in Batman #445-447 (“WHEN THE EARTH DIES!”). Batman travels to Moscow to fight KGBeast’s protégé Gregor Dosynski, better known as NKVDemon.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Giant #11 (Batman: Universe #5). Batman, Alfred, and Nightwing come up with a loose contingency plan for protecting Gotham, should Batman ever go missing in action. Basically, Nightwing will step in as Gotham’s temporary number one protector should the need ever arise.
–REFERENCE: In The Batman Who Laughs #4-5. Blackgate Penitentiary (aka Blackgate Prison) opens a special wing for Arkham Asylum inmates that are on the road to transfer. Batman will closely monitor this wing, moving forward. Batman also begins surveilling and familiarizing himself with the prison guards at Blackgate, especially its Adult Protective Services squad. This surveillance and familiarization includes not only building detailed files on the guards themselves, but also on their families. It’s likely that Batman initiates this protocol for Arkham Asylum’s staff too. In an unspecified incident in the Arkham Wing of Blackgate shortly after its opening, Batman teams-up with Blackgate APS officers David Harper, David Jimenez, Laurie Lenner, Pine, and Gantz.
–REFERENCE: In Batman Secret Files #1 Part 3 and Red Hood: The Hill #3. Batman makes his first patrol of Gotham’s poorest neighborhoods, the mostly African-American populated locale known as The Hill. Batman will rarely visit the Hill, unless he is shaking down corrupt GCPD cops. The few visits to the Hill that Batman will undertake in the future will happen invisibly on our timeline below. Notably, Batman will routinely drive through the Hill (without stopping) to get from Point A to Point B on his regularly scheduled patrols.
–Joker: The World Part 5 (Joker: The World – Batman Day Special Edition #1 Part 4)
As part of a radical partnership between the US government and Brazilian government, Arkham Asylum opens a “franchise” prison called Arkham Colony in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Wanting to prove Arkham Colony’s legitimacy, its wardens obtain approval for Joker to be transferred into their ranks as prisoner number one. Concerned, Bruce flies down to Brazil under the guise of a Wayne Enterprises philanthropic campaign. As Joker is ushered into the new prison by Brazil’s homegrown superhero Fire (Beatriz da Costa) and some Amanda Waller-trained soldiers, Bruce trepidatiously watches the live newsfeed from his hotel. A prison barber tells Joker about the nearby Museu da Loucura, which was formerly home to one of the most notorious prisons in Brazilian history—the Hospital Colônia of Barbacena. Joker escapes custody, taking out Fire in the process, thus proving the Arkham Colony venture a failure. Batman swoops in and busts Joker, who mentions potentially franchising out his Joker image the same way Arkham just tried to copy itself. (We’ll see Joker try to start his international Joker franchise in the Batman-less Joker: The World Part 7. It won’t take off, but many years from now, inspired by Batman’s own Batman Incorporated, Joker will eventually create a short-lived Joker Incorporated.)
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- [1]COLLIN COLSHER: The Source (and Anti-Life) exists/resides beyond the cosmic barrier known as The Source Wall, which exists at the edge of each universe and operates as as the first barrier between gaining access to an alternate universe (although there are other means of traveling to alternate universes, such as Boom Tube technology, metahuman speed/vibrational/teleportation abilities, and weird sci-fi devices). Also beyond the Source Wall exists the Bleed, a tesseract space that serves as the final blank void/highway between universes. As revealed via flashback from James Tynion IV’s Justice League Vol. 4 #22, the Source Wall was created 15 billion years ago when the Judges of the Source, the Monitor, the Anti-Monitor, and the World Forger fought against Perpetua and her army. (Despite being associated with the Light, Perpetua went rogue and rebelled against the Source.) Upon defeat, Perpetua and her army were trapped in the Source Wall by Perpetua’s fellow Great Hand super-celestials. (The Source Wall was created by the Source specifically to be a prison for Perpetua and her cronies.) Notably, DNA from Perpetua’s warriors wound-up providing the evolutionary building blocks for proto-human life and proto-Martian life to emerge on their respective planets billions of years later. Also notable, since that time, the Source Wall has trapped many other adventurers that have dared attempt breaching through to the other side. These imprisoned explorers appear—intermixed with Perpetua’s frozen warriors—as gigantic stone idols attached to the face of the Source Wall.↩
