Rebirth Years Six to Ten

Rebirth Era (Post-“Superman Reborn”) Chronology

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YEAR SIX (2007)
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–FLASHBACK: From Gotham Academy: Second Semester #12—and referenced in Gotham Academy: Second Semester #9-12. Batman busts pyrokinetic super-villain Calamity (Sybil Silverlock), who claims that the ghost of Amity Arkham, one of the long deceased matriarchs of the notorious Arkham family, has been possessing her. Batman defeats Calamity and rescues her young daughter, Olive Silverlock. Afterward, the trauma of this event causes all Olive’s memories of her mom as Calamity to become deeply repressed. Bruce puts Olive into an orphanage where he will watch over her for years to come. Batman also does research on Amity Arkham, discovering that the Silverlock family has a long history of mental illness, is related to the Arkhams, and is linked to Penguin’s ancestor Millie Jane Cobblepot. Bruce meets with Penguin, who brings a lockbox that once belonged to Millie Jane, at Wayne Manor. The lockbox contains information and items pertaining to Millie Jane, Amity, Ambroos Lydecker, and the cabalist tome known as “The Old Book of Gotham.” Bruce swipes the lockbox and puts it into a vault in Wayne Manor. Later, he studies the contents of the lockbox and realizes the importance of Gotham Academy to Gotham’s occult history. Bruce buys his way onto the Board of Directors of the prestigious school so he will always be linked-in and able to keep tabs without arising suspicion.

–Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #7 Part 4
Winter. Batman begins tracking violent Irish mobster Finn Molloy, who abuses and murders women and children with regularity. Batman follows Molloy’s trail to a church where he finds several murdered men, including a priest that had been tortured. At Malloy’s hideout, Batman runs into Etrigan for the very first time! (Etrigan’s human host, Jason Blood, trained Bruce many years ago, but Bruce never met the demon himself—not until now.) Etrigan has been summoned by a parent of one of Molloy’s victims and he now seeks demonic retribution on their behalf. Batman makes a wager—whoever nabs Molloy first can punish him as he sees fit. The next day, Batman saves the dead boy’s mother from Molloy, who had been hoping to cancel the hit from Hell by eliminating the source of the order. After some research, Batman determines that Molloy has hidden himself in Corben Park Church, which is Roman Catholic holy ground upon which Etrigan cannot tread. Batman easily nabs Molloy, who boasts that he’ll be back out on the streets in no time flat. Sensing truth in Molloy’s statement, Batman decides on a new plan of inaction. The gangster will never be able to leave the church for the rest of his life, for if he does, Etrigan will immediately kill him. Batman “concedes” to Etrigan and they part ways.

–FLASHBACK: From Monkey Prince #11. This item occurs specifically fifteen years prior to Lazarus Planet. Ultra-Humanite, who now inhabits the body of evil scientist Dr. Gerard Shugel and can change between white ape and human form at will, schemes to summon the Chinese demigod Sun Wukong aka Monkey King from the Phantom Zone using a Phantom Zone Projector of his own design. Aided by Dr. Gerard’s daughter and son-in-law (Dr. Laura Shugel-Shen and Dr. Winston Shugel-Shen), Ultra-Humanite opens a pathway to the Phantom Zone. Just as Monkey King is about to free himself, the Justice League arrives and smashes the Phantom Zone Projector in half, foiling Ultra-Humanite’s plot. However, before the portal re-seals, Monkey King’s baby son (Monkey Prince)—comes through. As the JL battles Ultra-Humanite, the Shugel-Shens secretly make off with the baby. After defeating Ultra-Humanite, the JL keeps half of his Phantom Zone Projector as a trophy in the Hall of Justice. Meanwhile, the Shugel-Shens, hoping to save their failed marriage, decide to keep the baby, naming him Marcus Shugel-Shen.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #14 Part 1. Batman hangs out with Zatanna.

[1]

–Batman: The World Part 13
On Alfred’s recommendation, Bruce vacations in China and dines at a small family-owned hot pot restaurant where he meets the proprietor’s granddaughter, expert martial artist Kiki. Uncharacteristically, Bruce has his Batman costume in a duffel bag, which is partially unzipped, allowing Kiki to sneak a glance at it. Thankfully, she regards it just a fandom or cosplay thing. Bruce tells her that Batman is nothing more than an urban legend, emphasizing a running theme in this story—that certain pockets of provincial China still regard Batman as a myth that isn’t actually real. A day later, Alfred reveals the real reason behind sending Bruce to China. Several corrupt Wayne Enterprises board members have purchased several commercial and residential blocks, including buildings that house the hot pot restaurant, scheduling them for immediate evictions and tear-downs. Sent by the corrupt Wayne Enterprises officials, some goons trash the restaurant. This prompts Kiki to wear her very own Robin costume, becoming “Panda Girl” to challenge the Wayne Enterprises folks at their corporate tower HQ. Batman dons a special Chinese-themed Bat-costume (presumably something that Lucius Fox had been secretly working on with WayneTech’s Chinese affiliates) to provide support to Panda Girl. The next day, Bruce cancels all Wayne Enterprises property purchases and linked gentrification projects in the area. Bruce visits the restaurant and hangs out with Kiki and her grandfather.[2]

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #64 and Batman Vol. 3 #65. Batman saves three members of the Clover family (young Hank Clover and his parents) from a mugger.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Kings of Fear #6. Batman busts Riddler and his newest gang, which includes Sammy “Scalpel” Sanchez. Seeing that Sanchez is scared out of his wits, Batman decides not to beat on him like the others. Sanchez immediately turns himself in (and turns his life around).

–REFERENCE: In DC’s Beach Blanket Bad Guys Summer Special #1 Part 9—originally told in the Batman The Animated Series TV show. Gotham socialite Veronica Vreeland begins dating Penguin as part of a publicity stunt. Of course, Penguin, who has been in love with Veronica since they were teens, thinks the relationship is real. Eventually, Penguin discovers the truth, flips-out, and tries to kill Veronica. Batman saves her life.

–REFERENCE: In Hal Jordan and The Green Lantern Corps #44. The Justice League defeats the aureate super-villain known as Goldface.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #3 Part 1. Batman shakes down jewel thief Salvatore Greco, who vows to go straight. While unseen on our timeline ahead, Batman will keep tabs on Greco.

–FLASHBACK: From The Infected: The Commissioner #1. From the shadows, Batman stalks some bad guys.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #79. For the second time, Catwoman steals the Coner Diamond from the Gotham Museum, but, as before, Batman steals it right back.

–REFERENCE: In Dial H for Hero #1-3. The Justice League publicly ventures into deep space for an unspecified mission. While they are gone, Gorilla Grodd threatens Central City. Grodd is bested by teenager Robby Reed, owner of a fantastic device called an H-Dial, which, when activated, taps into the mystic Heroverse realm, turning its user into a brand new never-before-heard-of temporary superhero with a random superpower. (As referenced in Dial H for Hero #9, Robby has been wielding the H-Dial for years already, ever since he was ten-years-old.) Upon their return to Earth, the JL learns about the H-Dial.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 3 #39, Adventures of the Super Sons #1, Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular Part 4, and Batman Vol. 3 #129. Joker gains access to the Secret Sanctuary in Happy Harbor, after which the Justice League decides to abandon its Earthbound HQs (both the Sanctuary and the Hall of Justice). The JL constructs and launches a brand new orbiting satellite HQ, known simply as the JL Satellite, complete with all the amenities and a full trophy room. Notably, Batman learns all the security and defense activation codes for the Satellite. (He will similarly learn them for all future JL HQs as well.)[3]

–REFERENCE: In Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #9 (Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 Print Edition #5), Batman Vol. 3 #127, and Batman Vol. 3 #129. Each Justice Leaguer is given a portable teleportation chamber that allows access to the JL Satellite. This teleportation chamber will be used to access all future JL orbital or lunar HQs as well. Notably, the security attached to these teleporters is extremely high. By design, even Batman will (supposedly) be unable to bypass or hack the measures.

–REFERENCE: In Titans Special #1. The android known as Red Tornado, built by the conniving super-genius Dr. TO Morrow, joins the JL.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, The Green Lantern #4-5, and Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #11—originally told in Justice League of America #96-98. The debuting cosmic vampire known as Starbreaker (along with his robotic hench-insects called Mechanix) gets the better of the Justice League. (Starbreaker aka Luciphage is of the alien species known as Sun-Eaters.) Rebounding, the heroes team-up with Sargon the Sorcerer, a veteran magick user and legendary hero of yore. Sargon wields the mystic Ruby of Life to turn the tide against Starbreaker. Green Arrow shoots a silver arrow into Starbreaker’s heart, killing him. Afterward, Sargon retires and gives his costume to the JL. It goes on display in the Trophy Room.

–NOTE: Referenced in Teen Titans Vol. 6 #6, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Trinity Vol. 2 #16, Batman: Prelude to the Wedding Part 1 – Robin vs Ra’s al Ghul #1, Deathstroke Vol. 4 #32, and Adventures of the Super-Sons #6. Damian al Ghul (also known as Ibn al Xu’ffasch) is born from an artificial incubation womb.[4][5] (The fetus was removed from Talia al Ghul’s body many months ago and transferred into the high-tech sci-fi incubator.) Talia will keep the boy’s existence a secret from his father Bruce. Damian will be raised by the League of Assassins and spend his entire youth training to be a killer. Ra’s al Ghul has specific plans to one day transfer his soul into Damian’s body, but Talia secretly isn’t (and never will be) on board with that idea.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Infinite Frontier #0, Stargirl: Spring Break Special #1, and Stargirl: The Lost Children #6—originally told in Justice League of America #100-102. The Seven Soldiers of VictoryShining Knight (Sir Justin) and his flying horse Victory, The Vigilante (Greg Saunders), Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton), Stripesy (Pat Dugan), Green Arrow, Speedy, and Crimson Avenger (with his sidekick Wing How)—team-up with the Justice League and Justice Society of America to defeat The Iron Hand and Nebula Man. During this conflict, Wing How and Red Tornado are both killed and mourned. Red Tornado is merely inert and will soon return. Wing How sacrifices his life to destroy Nebula Man. Afterward, the JL keeps a Star-Spangled Kid costume in their Trophy Room. Note that Shining Knight is an immortal warrior from the Middle Ages, while Vigilante, Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, Crimson Avenger, and Wing How are 20th century mystery men that have been granted extended youth via magick. Also note that Clock King sends Green Arrow and Speedy back in time to adventure with the Seven Soldiers. In the 1940s, Green Arrow shaves his goatee (as revealed in Stargirl: The Lost Children #2).

–REFERENCE: In Batman vs Robin #1—originally told in Superman #268. Batman and Superman defeat Effron the Sorcerer, after which Superman keeps his magickal Golden Eye artifact as a trophy. Later, Batman, Superman, and Batgirl take down the super-spy organization known as MAZE. Meanwhile, criminal Gunther Jacoby steals the Golden Eye of Effron.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #18 Part 2. Batman assists Jason Blood/Etrigan, Glenda Mark, and Randhir Singh (aka Randu Singh) against the threat of the undead.

–REFERENCE: In The Green Lantern #10, Freedom Fighters Vol. 3 #1, and World’s Finest: Teen Titans #1—originally told in Justice League of America #107-108. The Justice League builds a “Transmatter Cube” that allows them to travel through the Bleed. Using this tech, the JL and JSA travel to Earth-10 (aka Earth-X), a world where Nazis reign supreme. On Earth-10, our heroes help the Earth-10 Freedom Fighters (Uncle Sam, Black Condor, Cache, Doll Woman, Human Bomb, Phantom Lady) fight against Nazis in what becomes a multiversial mini-Crisis. Note that there is an Earth-0 version of the Freedom Fighters, although the JL and JSA have yet to meet them.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #4, Detective Comics #1003, and Tales of the Titans #4—originally told in Detective Comics #255. Professor Achilles Milo turns Olympic athlete Anthony Lupus into a werewolf. Batman busts Milo, but Lupus escapes to Alaska.

–FLASHBACK: From Deathstroke Inc #4—and referenced in Justice League Vol. 4 #1 and Doomsday Clock #6. Originally told in Justice League of America #111-112. The Justice League defeats The Injustice Gang, a team led by Libra and consisting of Mirror Master, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Chronos, Shadow Thief, and Tattooed Man (Abel Tarrant).

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 3. Late March. In celebration of Batman’s “birthday,” an escaped Joker gets a buzz cut and tries to set the Dark Knight on fire. Batman busts Joker. Note that Batman is shown wearing his black-and-gray (with black chest insignia) costume in this flashback, but he should be wearing his blue-and-gray (with yellow oval insignia) costume instead.

–REFERENCE: In Event Leviathan #6—originally told in Detective Comics #443. Batman joins forces with Manhunter (Paul Kirk), Asano Nitobe, Interpol agent Christine St. Clair, and Kolu Mbeya to crush an army of Paul Kirk clones linked to The Council, a vast criminal enterprise that has existed clandestinely for hundreds of years. (As revealed in Action Comics #1010, Penguin is the current secret director of the Council.) Manhunter seemingly sacrifices his life to help defeat the Council. However, we’ll see Manhunter again (as per One-Star Squadron #3), so he’s not really dead or he’ll get resurrected—likely the latter as part of the conclusion of Death Metal.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #8—originally told in Justice League of America #147-148. A mini-Crisis erupts, forcing the JL to team up with the Legion of Super-Heroes (time-traveling superheroes from the 31st century) against the powerful evil wizard Mordru. Mordru is one the leaders of the Lords of Chaos. The Legionnaires involved in this item are Brainiac 5, Chameleon Boy, Princess Projectra, Shadow Lass, Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, and Lightning Lad.

–REFERENCE: In Event Leviathan #1-6—originally told in Justice League of America #140-143 and Justice League of America #149-150. Eons before the institution of the Green Lantern Corps, the Guardians of the Universe built their first peacekeeping armies, first the failed reptilian Psions, then the equally failed Manhunter Robots. Guess who’s back and harboring an angry vengeance toward their Green Lantern replacements? The current Manhunter Robots exist as an intergalactic police force with different planetary sectors, each locally run by a Manhunter Grandmaster. The Manhunter Grandmaster of Earth endows superpowers unto attorney Mark Shaw, who takes the apt name of Manhunter and attempts to kidnap Hal Jordon. Shaw soon realizes the error of his ways and helps the JL defeat the Manhunters. Shaw, now schizophreinic because of his new powers, begins moonlighting as both the villain Star-Tsar and the hero Privateer. The JL is forced to jail Shaw. (Note that Doomsday Clock #11 implies that Mark Shaw is a secret agent of the Department of Metahuman Affairs.)

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13—originally told in DC Special #28 Part 1. Quakemaster (Robert Coleman) challenges Batman by causing massive earthquakes to occur all over Gotham. Batman defeats the newcomer.

–REFERENCE: In Young Justice Vol. 3 #5—originally told in Justice League of America #152. The Justice League defeats Major Macabre after which, Red Tornado and Kathy Sutton adopt an orphaned Bialyan girl named Traya. Red Tornado and Kathy officially become the legal guardians of Traya Sutton-Smith.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #12—originally told in Justice League of America #161. Zatanna Zatara, sporting a new costume, joins the Justice League, helping them defeat her rival, The Warlock of Ys.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #14 Part 1. The Justice League (specifically Batman, Superman, Zatanna, and Red Tornado) defeat an unnamed villain. Afterward, Batman and Zatanna spend some quality time together.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #27—originally told in Detective Comics #485. Batman fights Bronze Tiger, skilled assassin and partner to famed kung fu master Richard Dragon, who once trained Batman back in the day. Distracted by his fracas with Bronze Tiger, Batman is unable to save Kathy Kane, who is supposedly killed during a melee between rival factions of the League of Assassins, one of which is led by The Sensei (Ra’s al Ghul’s father). In actuality, Kathy has faked her own death in order to focus on running Spyral, the international spy organization that was once run by her dad Otto Netz. Batman mourns the loss of Kathy. Later, Batman befriends Bronze Tiger despite his connections to the League of Assassins, finding a genuine mutual respect between he and the adept martial artist.

–Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular Part 4
Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, and Flash defeat the returning Demons Three. Afterward, Wonder Woman plays therapist to Hal, who talks about all his recent civilian jobs. Later, at the JL Satellite, Wonder Woman then listens to the complaints of Hawkgirl. (Shiera has started interchangeably going by both “Hawkgirl” and “Hawkwoman,” although to keep things simple, we’ll refer to Shiera only as Hawkgirl on the chronology ahead, especially since she’ll return to strictly using only the “Hawkgirl” moniker over a decade from now.) The annoying questions keep coming—Green Arrow asks Wonder Woman what to get Black Canary for her birthday and Robin, while on patrol with Batman, radios Wonder Woman to ask what sports teams to join. (Note that Vladimir Mikoyan’s Rocket Red #7 suit is shown in the JL Satellite trophy room. This is probably a continuity error since Mikoyan has yet to debut. Although, the Russian military’s Rocket Reds do exist at this juncture, so it is possible that someone in the JL might have gotten a suit somehow.) In Washington DC, Wonder Woman helps Flash bust Minister Blizzard, but he keeps bugging his partner for advice on whether or not to reveal his secret ID to his wife Iris Allen (née West). Wonder Woman hasn’t even left DC when Superman accosts her, asking for assistance connecting with her military associate General Philip Blankenship. Fed up and frustrated, Wonder Woman goes home for some self-therapy with her magick lasso, which shows her that she should embrace her role as the respected matriarch of the JL. Wonder Woman immediately hops in her invisible jet and flies to Central City to have a coffee with Flash.

–REFERENCE: In Event Leviathan #2. An escaped Joker decides not to commit any crimes for once, instead following Batman around, simply trying to get the grim Dark Knight to laugh.

–REFERENCE: In Trinity Vol. 2 #12—originally told in Strange Adventures #214-216, The Brave & The Bold #79, The Brave & The Bold #86, and Deadman Vol. 2 #1-2. Batman meets and befriends Deadman (the superhero spirit of Boston Brand, deceased circus trapeze artist and former friend of the late Flying Graysons). Boston was recently murdered by the Sensei’s top man/League of Assassins agent Hook. He was then turned into an undead hero with the power to inhabit and control anyone’s body, living or dead, by the goddess Rama Kushna and the cosmic-powered Tatsinda. After Boston’s assassination, the Sensei’s men follow-up to find Boston’s identical twin brother, Cleveland Brand, masquerading as Boston at the circus. Sensei, believing that Hook has botched the hit, executes Hook for his supposed failure. Shortly thereafter, the Sensei orders League of Assassins agent Willie Smith to inject a magickal poison into Deadman that causes the ghost hero to attack Batman. Eventually, Batman, a recovered Deadman, and Cleveland fight the Sensei in the mystical Tibetan city of Nanda Parbat, home to Rama Kushna. There, the Sensei is defeated.

–Detective Comics #1027 Part 5
Batman, Robin, and Deadman defeat the Specter Collector, a villain that eats ghosts after summoning them via his magickal robot hands.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #8. Batman communicates with Superman via high frequency radio signal. With his super-hearing, Superman can “tune-in” to a specific signal to hear a live long-distance communiqué from the Dark Knight. Batman, when necessary, will use this method of contacting the Man of Steel, moving forward.

–REFERENCE: In Trinity Vol. 2 #12 and Batman Vol. 3 #63. Batman meets the cockney chain-smoking British wizard, arcane history buff, and magick expert John Constantine, who also happens to be currently dating Zatanna. Batman teams-up with both Constantine and Zatanna on an unspecified case. Batman also does a ton of research on Constantine’s background and history.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #30, Trinity Vol. 2 #16, Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #41, Doomsday Clock #5, and Detective Comics #992. The Justice League defeats the global terrorist organization/apocalypse cult known as Kobra (aka “The Kobra Cult” or “King Kobra”), which has existed since around 3000 BCE. The Kobra Cult is led by Lady Eve and Jeffrey Franklin Burr, who goes by “Lord Nāga-Naga”, “Lord Nāga,” “Lord Nāja-Naja,” “King Kobra,” “Kobra King,” or “Lord Kobra.” Every Kobra leader has used some form of either “Lord” or “Lady” (or “King” or “Queen”) as a title since the time of the Pharaohs. Nearly every international criminal organization on the planet (and the North Korean Government) has ties to the Kobra Cult. The hierarchy of Kobra is fairly complex, but it works as follows. There are multiple subsections or splinter cells i.e. different “Houses.” In each House there are low-level members are called “Lanceheads,” mid-level ninja known as “Black Adders,” and their higher-ups—either “Nāgas” or “High Lords.” The top tier, which rules all Houses (and all of Kobra), is reserved for one dictator-like “chosen” cult leader. Batman will follow Kobra’s movements very closely, moving forward. Also note that Batman will fight against the Kobra Cult way more times than will actually be listed on this chronology. Kobra himself will be one of Batman’s top rivals.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #85. Batman fights the debuting pirate-themed super-villain Captain Stingaree, not to be confused with the scorpion-themed super-villain known as Stingaree.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #5. Batman brings down some gangsters with the assistance of Ragman (Rory Regan), the most recent in a long line of Jewish mystic guardians that date back hundreds of years. Ragman’s “Suit of Souls” is powered by thousands of spirits of evil men that have faced the wrath of the vigilante over the centuries.

–FLASHBACK: From Knight Terrors #1—and referenced in Batman: Urban Legends #18 Part 4. Originally told in Justice League of America #175-176. The Justice League defeats a returning Dr. Destiny, sending him to Arkham Asylum.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5-6 and Doomsday Clock #9—originally told in Justice League of America #179-180. (This item supposedly occurs seven years prior to Doomsday Clock, but it actually mirrors the Silver Age, and thus occurs twelve years prior to Doomsday Clock.) Professor Martin Stein, the secret head of the Department of Metahuman Affairs, initiates “Project Firestorm.” He orchestrates a nuclear “accident” that causes himself to merge with a teenager named Ronnie Raymond to become a single powerful metahuman. Ronnie, now sharing his consciousness with that of Professor Stein’s, debuts as the matter manipulating superhero Firestorm. After making a big splash, Firestorm joins the Justice League. NOTE: Seven years from now, Firestorm arch-rival Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln) will admit to being a government-created operative working for the Department of Metahuman Affairs. She will also accuse Firestorm, Firehawk, Captain Atom, and Firestorm’s other rivals Moonbow and Typhoon of being government-created DMA agents as well. Moonbow and Typhoon are indeed actually DMA secret agents. Firestorm will vehemently deny the charges (having no idea that his symbiotic partner, Professor Stein, is actually the secret head of the DMA.)

–FLASHBACK: From Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU #6 and Green Arrow Vol. 7 #7—and referenced in Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1 Part 4. Elongated Man (Ralph Dibny) joins the Justice League. The current lineup is Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, Green Arrow, Flash, Hawkman, Red Tornado, Firestorm, Zatanna, and Elongated Man. The team poses for a photograph before going into unspecified action. The heroes also meet Elongated Man’s wife Sue Dibny.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #41. Batman fights the debuting Colonel Blimp.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #39. Batman defeats the debuting Ten-Eyed Man (Philip Reardon).

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #36. Batman busts the debuting Black Spider.

–REFERENCE: In Deathstroke Vol. 4 #20, Deathstroke Vol. 4 Annual #1, and Stargirl: Spring Break Special #1. Batman meets Earth-2’s most powerful hero and resident Kryptonian, Power Girl (Kara Zor-L/Karen Starr). Notably, although having nothing to do with Batman, Power Girl invites her best friend Earth-2 Huntress (Helena Wayne) onto the ranks of the JSA.

–Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1 Part 4
Atop a roof with a Batman parade float filled with enough sleeping gas to knock out the entire city, Batman and Robin fight Joker, Harley Quinn, and a bunch of henchmen wearing funny costumes. While Batman and Joker duke it out, Robin takes on Harley one-on-one for the first time. She messes with his head and is able to knock him out with a baseball bat. Feeling bad, she stops the sleeping gas bomb detonator from going off. Joker escapes, but Batman nabs Harley. Robin gets all the credit for stopping the gas bomb and Harley goes to jail.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 and Detective Comics #985. Batman fights Ra’s al Ghul again, learning in more detail about his thousand-year-old immortal history. Ra’s al Ghul tells the Dark Knight that he manages his a thousand years’ worth of memories by treating them like a compartmentalized “museum,” through which he can wander and recall things. The rivals wind up fighting at several Lazarus Pit sites, and the Dark Knight destroys several of the life-enhancing pools. Batman vows to destroy all Lazarus Pits in the world. (It is unknown how many there are in total.) While we won’t see this quest on our timeline, we must imagine that, every once in a while, Batman finds a Lazarus Pit and destroys it.

–FLASHBACK: From Catwoman Vol. 5 #17. Catwoman—having returned to her purple-and-green dress outfit—matches wits with Batman, who captures and cuffs her. Of course, there’s no way he doesn’t let the flirty feline villainess go.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman battles a yet-again-escaped Joker, who captures him and puts him into a giant chattering teeth deathtrap. Presumably, Batman escapes and busts Joker. I’m sure this flashback is a reference to a Silver or Bronze Age story, but I’m not sure which exactly.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman fights an escaped Harley Quinn, who tries to flatten him with a giant gavel deathtrap.

–FLASHBACK: From Superman: Son of Kal-El 2021 Annual. The Justice League takes on Lex Luthor and Metallo, who threatens Superman with his Kryptonite heart. Wonder Woman takes down Metallo, allowing Martian Manhunter to secretly take the villain’s place as part of a ruse to defeat Luthor. Despite being behind bars, Luthor is able to arrange for an important witness to his crimes to be kidnapped. While Superman chats with Luthor in prison, Batman finds and rescues the witness.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1007 and Batman Vol. 3 #122. Batman designs a highly-advanced data-investigation device that can scan a holographic image of a crime scene, store the image into a zipped file, and run detailed analysis on everything within the image. Via a holographic augmented reality emulator interface, Batman can also engage with and manipulate the digitized crime scene. This Peter Tomasi-created super-tech, which is also linked-into the Bat-suit, is very similar to (and likely influenced by) the “Bat-Ops” system from the non-canon Batman/Shadow series by Scott Snyder. This type of tech can also be seen in Tom Taylor’s Batman: The Detective and Warren Ellis’ tragically-non-canon The Batman’s Grave.

–REFERENCE: In DC Holiday Special 2017 #1 Part 2. Bruce meets and befriends Edward Brandon and his wife Mrs. Brandon. They will hang out from time to time, although we won’t see these hangouts on our timeline below.

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Mother Panic #11-12. Batman saves the life of late night radio talk show host Danny Ruby. Unknown to Batman, Danny Ruby is a teacher at Gather House, an experimental boarding school in Gotham that turns its students into obedient cybernetic assassins. (This item goes here because we know Gather House burns down ten years prior to Mother Panic/Batman Special #1.)

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #35. August. Dick, now seventeen-years-old, reveals to Bruce and Alfred that he’s been accepted into Hudson University in New Carthage, NY. Dick immediately moves to New Carthage and begins preparing for his collegiate studies, which will begin in a few weeks. Moving forward, Dick will travel back and forth from New Carthage to Gotham to perform his Robin duties.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #106 and Batman: Urban Legends #22 Part 4. Batman and Alfred decide to move their operating HQ into the downtown Wayne Tower (aka Wayne Foundation Building). There, the Bat-operations occur in a hidden underground “Bat-Bunker” HQ that contains secret exits, secret entrances, secret elevators, and a lot of booby traps and security measures. (The Bat-Bunker is likely constructed with a lot of metahuman assistance.) Meanwhile, civilian residency takes place in the penthouse suite, which is secretly connected to the Bat-Bunker below. This downtown move only lasts for a very short time before Batman and Alfred move back into Wayne Manor.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #101 and The Next Batman: Second Son #8-9 (The Next Batman: Second Son Print Edition #3). Lucius Fox’s seventeen-year-old son Timothy “Tim” Fox is involved in a vehicular hit-and-run that kills a man. Lucius uses his resources and wealth to cover up details of the crime before shipping his son overseas to boarding school. While Batman has nothing directly to do with this item, he definitely knows that Tim is sent overseas, and he likely knows the details behind the move.[6]

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #8—originally told in Batman #332-335 (“THE LAZARUS AFFAIR”). Batman follows Talia al Ghul on a wild goose chase across the globe, eventually winding up on the mysterious Infinity Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. After Batman and Talia defeat various attacking warriors in a strange compound, Ra’s al Ghul emerges from the shadows. Infinity Island is a League of Assassins stronghold. Talia joins her father, revealing that everything has been a setup just so Ra’s al Ghul could have a rematch against the Dark Knight. Shortly thereafter, Batman and Ra’s al Ghul square-off one-on-one with the Caped Crusader gaining victory yet again as most of Infinity Island is blown up in a volcanic eruption.

–REFERENCE: In Arkham City: The Order of the World #2—originally told in World’s Finest Comics #276. Batman and Superman defeat Dr. Double X.

–FLASHBACK: From Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #4—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #186. Batman and Hawkman bust The Fadeaway Man (Anton Lamont).

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #5, Detective Comics #969, and Detective Comics #972. Originally told in Batman #344 and Detective Comics #511-517. WGBS TV news reporter Olivia Ortega helps exposes City Councilman Arthur Reeves of corruption, destroying his mayoral candidacy on the eve of a special election in Gotham. The equally corrupt Hamilton Hill is elected the new mayor of Gotham. Batman immediately runs afoul of Mayor Hill. Despite discovering Mayor Hill’s criminality (with help from Ortega), Batman won’t be able to prove it. Mayor Hill will be a slightly irksome thorn in Batman’s side for the next few years (although these on-and-off-again clashes won’t be specifically listed on our timeline). Note that, while Batman has had the love of the police, he’s never been embraced by city government. Mayor Hill’s opposition is just the start of a rocky relationship between the Bat-Family and City Hall that will last for the next decade-plus.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1—originally told in Batman #353. Bruce goes on a few dates with famous photojournalist Vicki Vale, who is really more interested in Batman than Bruce. Batman takes on an escaped Joker in the New Jersey Palisades only to be captured and tied to a giant stone Joker head, which Joker tries to blow up with dynamite. The Caped Crusader escapes and busts the Clown Prince of Crime.

–REFERENCE: In Batgirls #13—originally told in World’s Finest Comics #285-286. Batman and Superman defeat the team-up of Dr. Zodiac and Madame Zodiac.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Vol. 3 #44—and referenced in Nightwing Vol. 4 Annual #1. Originally told in Batman #355. Vicki Vale trails the Dark Knight and even interacts with him on a few successive cases, but she still has no clue that Bruce and Batman are one and the same. After seeing Bruce on a date with Vicki, a jealous Catwoman runs Bruce and Vicki off the road in her Catmobile. Thinking Bruce will come to her apartment to confront her, Catwoman leaves a clue hinting that she will be at a downtown warehouse. But Bruce stays with Vicki, who has suffered injuries, at the hospital for two days. Robin, visiting from college, offers to help bring Catwoman in, but Bruce tells him to stand down—it’s personal, he’s got to do this alone. Soon after, Batman goes head-to-head with the pissed-off Catwoman, who frustratingly exclaims both her love and hate for the Dark Knight as they duke it out. Eventually, unsure of what their relationship has become, the Bat and the Cat simply hug in tears.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Vol. 3 #50. Catwoman—now wearing her skintight purple (with black thigh high boots) costume—goes on a stealing-spree, luring Batman into a playful chase.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman chases after Catwoman (possibly even a continuation of our previous item), but the latter escapes by trapping the former in a laser grid.

–REFERENCE: In Action Comics #978, Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #20, Super Sons #5, Batman Vol. 3 #44, Batman Giant #5 (Batman: Universe #2), Batman Giant #8 (Batman: Universe #3), and Batman Secret Files #2 Part 1. Batman retires his blue-and-grey with yellow oval costume, putting it on display in the Batcave. The Dark Knight tailors a new grey-and-black costume with black chest insignia (no yellow oval) and a darker version of the yellow oval costume, replacing the blue with black. Since we’ll see flashbacks of Batman wearing both of these costumes in the next five years to come (up until the beginning of Year 12, just before the events of “Hush”), we have to assume that he goes between these two costumes during this duration. Also note that, from now until the beginning of Year 12, Batman will randomly choose whether or not to wear trunks on the outside of his pants. Sometimes he will, sometimes he won’t. Just how it is. Also note that the new yellow oval costume will often look a lot like the old yellow oval costume because, in truth, they are very similar and some artists won’t bother to differentiate. Again, just how it is. Batman’s new costumes, from here on out, will have irremovable cowls that can only be taken off via special computer code built into them. Batman will stick electrodes onto his skin underneath his gloves, so that, should anyone else try to remove his gloves, they will get a nasty electric shock. Batman can also electrocute anyone he touches at any time, if the need arises. And, last but certainly not least, Batman’s new costumes will have a special switch on his boots that can emit an ear-piercing sonic blast.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2 and Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual—and referenced in Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #48 and Batman Vol. 3 #54. Originally told in Batman #180 and Jiro Kuwata’s “Bat-Manga” (as featured in Shōnen Ace Magazine). Batman and Robin defeat the thrice resurrecting Death Man aka Lord Death Man. Afterward, Batman puts a skull plaque onto his commemorative trophy wall. (There’s a skull one shown on Batman’s wall, and this is the only skull-related villain I can think of, aside from the SKULL organization. I guess the skull could also represent the Reaper, but who really knows. Ask Matt Wagner; he drew it.) Note that, JH Williams, in his flashback, illustrates Lord Death Man in the style of Jiro Kuwata.

–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 Deathstroke Vol. 4 #19. This item occurs one year after Grant Wilson’s death. Robin meets with Deathstroke alone and enters into a secret pact with the killer. In exchange for Robin befriending and providing his young daughter Rose Wilson with the Bat-Family’s positive values, Deathstroke will stop trying to kill the Teen Titans, going so far as to turn his long-running lucrative contract with HIVE into a “Lazarus Contract,” effectively canceling out any hits he is working on for them. Shortly thereafter, Dick befriends Rose. Presumably, Batman monitors all of this via hidden Robin cam. Dick will meet with Rose regularly, moving forward.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #15. Batman and Robin connect their vital signs to special remote-monitoring devices (bat-shaped, of course) that they begin carrying in their utility belts. This way, should they be separated, they can always check to see the status of each other’s health.

–REFERENCE: In Titans Vol. 3 Annual #1, Nightwing Vol. 4 #21, Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1 Part 1, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #14, and World’s Finest: Teen Titans #2-4. Originally told in Teen Titans #25-33 and Teen Titans #45-50. Bruce befriends fellow philanthropic billionaire Loren Jupiter, introducing him to Dick as well. Some new young superheroes—including Omen (Lilith Clay) and Cave Boy (Gnarrk)—join the ranks of the Teen Titans, which currently already includes Robin, Wonder Girl, Aqualad, Speedy, and Kid Flash. After the Teen Titans fail in a highly-public mission to protect Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Arthur Swenson from an assassin, the Justice League chastises them. Dismayed, Robin quits the team. Loren Jupiter begins bankrolling the Teen Titans for a brief time, helping them get back on track. Eventually, Jupiter steps down from his role and Robin rejoins the team. Soon afterward, new members join the Teen Titans: Hawk (Hank Hall), Dove (Don Hall), Bumblebee (Karen Beecher), Joker’s Daughter (Duela Dent), Golden Eagle (Charley Parker), Beast Boy (Garfield Logan), and Bat-Girl (Bette Kane). These young heroes form an affiliated splinter group known as Teen Titans West. (Teen Titans West doesn’t last for very long, and Bumblebee simply joins the ranks of the main lineup.) Note that, in previous continuity, Mal Duncan was originally a member of the Teen Titans during its Loren Jupiter phase. However, thanks to Mark Waid’s World’s Finest: Teen Titans #2-4, Duncan won’t become a superhero quite yet, so he can’t be a part of this item in current continuity.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #999. October 7—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.

–World’s Finest: Teen Titans #1
Charley Parker (formerly Golden Eagle) retires from crimefighting and becomes the Teen Titans’ social media manager. In Maine, the Teen Titans take down a Satanic cult. Back at HQ, Robin chews out his teammates for having live-streamed the action online. Meanwhile, Robin still hasn’t told his teammates his secret identity (although they know he used to be a famous circus star, so either they know but aren’t letting on, or they are the worst detectives ever). It’s likely that they know, but they want Robin to tell them, as it would be a big step in his development and connection with the team. In any case, Robin is aware of this, and he asks Batman for his blessing to reveal the truth to his friends. But angry-ass Batman tells him he cannot. At Teen Titans HQ, Charley jokes with Bumblebee, using the phrase “Crisis on Infinite Hashtags” to describe their social media presence before he took the job. Of course, the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” hasn’t occurred yet, but our heroes would obviously be aware of the greater multiverse and its myriad alternate Earths. This is not only a nod to that knowledge, but also likely a wink at a few of the mini-Crises (i.e. Silver/Bronze Age Crises that were pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths) having occurred.[7] Each Teen Titan hangs out with their mentor. Notably, Aquaman and Aqualad are shown riding their giant seahorses Storm and Imp. Later, in Pensacola, Florida, the Teen Titans defeat the Separated Man. Afterward, Robin once again argues with his teammates about them having photographed and live-streamed the action for public consumption. Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Haywire begins recruiting for what he calls a “better Teen Titans”—the Terror Titans.

–World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3
World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3 is said to occur on July 4, seemingly placing World’s Finest: Teen Titans #1 in late June. However, we are not there on our timeline, so the seasonal specificity must be ignored. The Teen Titans are the guests of honor at TitansCon—a Metropolis gathering of Teen Titans fans. Of course, Batman won’t allow Robin to go, so the Boy Wonder stays behind, moping around the Batcave with his mentor. At the convention center, shenanigans ensue, culminating with an attack by rookie magick villain Toyboy, who takes his unhealthy obsession with Bumblebee to the next level. Thankfully, Robin disobeys Batman’s orders and shows up at TitansCon to help bust Toyboy. Later, at Titans HQ, Charley Parker closes up shop for the night, noticing that Robin has remained in the building, obviously scared to return home to face Batman’s wrath. Meanwhile, Haywire rescues Toyboy from a prison transport, recruiting him onto the Terror Titans.

–FLASHBACK: From World’s Finest: Teen Titans #5. Several times, Batman angrily tells Robin he should quit the Teen Titans.

–World’s Finest: Teen Titans #6
In Star City, the Teen Titans (Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Speedy, Aqualad, and Bumblebee) defeat the Terror Titans (Haywire, Toyboy, The Ant, and Tigress) with a little assistance from Oliver Queen. Via drone, Robin records the entire fight, which Charley Parker livestreams online. The celebration is cut short, though, as Robin says this could be his last time with the Teen Titans. He’s decided to tell Batman that he revealed his secret identity to his friends (which he did just prior to the battle against the Terror Titans). Robin expects Batman to fire him. Later, in Atlantis, Aqualad and Wonder Girl end a romantic connection but affirm friendship for one another. In Washington DC, Karen Beecher and Mal Duncan (now part-time Teen Titan member Guardian) do the opposite, officially becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. Mal reveals that he’ll continue to be a superhero. In the Batcave, Robin tells all to Batman, who tells him he is suspended from costumed crimefighting for one month. Batman also tells Robin that he’s proud of his actions and that he’s a better leader than he could ever hope to be.

–NOTE: In Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1 Part 1. The Guardian (newest Teen Titan member Mal Duncan) officially changes his superhero name to Herald.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #14. Bruce asks Oliver Queen to partner Queen Industries with WayneTech on very expensive street military R&D projects. Ollie scoffs at the proposals and blocks the deal, calling the project ideas fascist. Despite also being a fellow billionaire, Ollie’s sociopolitical and economic views skew much farther to the left than Bruce’s. Compared to Bruce, Ollie is also a bit of a luddite, and he lets Bruce know that he’s not interested in Silicon Valley projects either. Even without Ollie’s additional financial support, Bruce will continue working hands on with WayneTech R&D projects in both the military and artificial intelligence fields.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #8. Batman builds a heavily-armored high-tech combat mech, which he stores in the Batcave.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #8. Batman meets the scientific superhero Blue Beetle (Ted Kord).

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #12. Superman tells Batman all about Bizarro #1, a strange backwards version of the Man of Steel that hails from Earth-29 aka Bizarroworld. Superman also gives details about Bizarro Red Kryptonite, which affects humans the way that regular Red Kryptonite affects Kryptonians.

–REFERENCE: In Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #1. Batman meets, befriends, and begins training rookie superhero Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce). Batman will train Black Lightning on-and-off for months to come.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 3. November. Batman sends Alfred undercover as henchman-for-hire “Knute Brody.” As Brody, Alfred joins Joker’s (the Comedian’s) gang and learns that Joker has been employed by a corrupt congressman and ordered to disrupt an election that will surely result in the end of his political career. Joker and Harley Quinn attack a major polling site, but Batman and Robin are waiting. With the help of a “clumsy” Brody, the heroes bust the bad guys.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #2. Superman saves Batman, who is trapped inside a giant green blob, possibly the living chemical bomb known as Chemo.

–REFERENCE: In Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #18, Action Comics #980, and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1. Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman fight the Kryptonian super-villains General Zod (Dru-Zod), Ursa, and Non, who escape the Phantom Zone to attack Earth. The heroes defeat Zod and company, sending them back to the Phantom Zone using a Kryptonian Phantom Zone Projector.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1-2. Batman meets the rookie superhero team known as the Doom PatrolProfessor Niles Caulder, Negative Man (Larry Trainor and symbiote Keeg Bovo), Robotman (Cliff Steele), and Elasti-Girl (Rita Farr).[8]

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #4. The Green Lantern Central Power Battery on the planet Oa is repaired and upgraded, thus eliminating the power ring’s vulnerability to the color yellow. Hal Jordan lets his fellow Justice Leaguers know.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #8. Superman introduces his fifteen-year-old cousin Supergirl (Kara Zor-El aka Linda Lee) to Batman and Robin. Supergirl was born in Argo City, a metropolis that survived the destruction of Krypton as a chunk of the planet that was blown into space as a floating asteroid. When a meteor shower destroyed the Argo City asteroid, Supergirl—the last survivor of Argo City—was rocketed to Earth just like her cousin did before. And just like Batman’s Bat-Family, Superman now has a Super-Family aka Superman-Family.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #12
Robin, Supergirl, and Black Lightning deal with a swarm of Man-Bats in Boston, after which Supergirl asks Robin out on a date. Soon after, Supergirl and Robin go on their date—in-costume at a fancy restaurant. Unfortunately, they don’t have any chemistry and things don’t go well. The date is interrupted when a truck full of bowling balls crashes on the street outside the restaurant, prompting them to briefly go into action. Supergirl and Robin finish out their date, but it still doesn’t go well. The next day, a dejected Robin mopes in the Batcave. Feeling like he’s having an identity crisis following the bad date, Robin designs a modified (blue-and-yellow) version of his dad’s Flying Grayson outfit—a proto-version of what will eventually become his Nightwing costume! Robin shows Batman the new design, telling him he’s thinking of changing his name, possibly to “Dark Eagle.” Batman tells Robin to buck up and shake it off, after which they go on patrol.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1-3 (“THE DEVIL NEZHA”)
(Note that the first ten pages of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 were shown as a preview in the 3rd feature to Detective Comics #1050.) Batman and Robin track Poison Ivy to Metropolis where Superman encounters her for the first time, helping the Dynamic Duo make a bust. Kryptonite-powered Metallo (John Corben), whom Batman is familiar with from his vast Bat-computer criminal database, shows up to attack the Man of Steel. While Batman and Robin prevent Poison Ivy from escaping, Metallo injects a cocktail of different Red Kryptonite bits into Superman. The immortal Devil Nezha and Felix Faust, pulling the strings, watch from the shadows. The Red Kryptonite quickly courses through Superman’s bloodstream, causing him intense pain and confusion before morphing him into a man with steel skin (a literal “man of steel”). Batman phones the Doom Patrol for help, and they arrive immediately. Superman then begins hallucinating visions of Zod, Ursa, Non, and Lex Luthor. Batman is able to talk Superman back into his senses, but Superman’s powers rage out of control. Negative Man showers Superman with red sun radiation, knocking him unconscious. At the Doom Patrol HQ in Midway City, Superman is subdued and restrained as he continues to go through various bodily alterations. Dr. Niles Caulder performs surgery on Superman, but when things go south, Negative Man irradiates Superman’s arteries, saving his life. Later, Caulder shows off an ancient Chinese weapon—the legendary sword of the immortal Devil Nezha—that the Doom Patrol took from Nazi crook General Zahl. After the Doom Patrol delivers a lesson in Chinese history, specifically about how the warriors of the House of Ji (Shuǐ, Huǒ, Kōngqì, and Dìqiú) defeated the Devil Nezha in the 16th century BCE, Caulder reveals that the Devil the Devil Nezha has likely returned and is responsible for the attack in Metropolis. Caulder shows surveillance footage of Flash, Wonder Woman, and Hal Jordan dealing with super-villain situations and Faust accosting Billy Batson in Philadelphia. (Batson is a young boy that can turn into Shazam aka Captain Shazam, a superhero imbued with magickal powers by the wizard Shazam.)[9] Batman and Superman rescue Batson from Faust, all while shaking off a magick hallucination that they are trapped in Hell. Meanwhile, Robin (wearing new pants) and Supergirl, having had a negative experience during their recent team-up in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #12, reluctantly agree to work together. Using the patented (but dangerous) Super-Family ability to break through the time barrier by going at intense speed, Supergirl takes Robin (and herself) to to 1579 BCE China. There, the teen heroes, mistaken for agents of Nezha, are briefly attacked by the House of Ji before allying with them. Meanwhile, in present day Switzerland, the Doom Patrol confronts General Immortus. Despite suffering from dementia, he tells them that Nezha can be found on the isle of Corto Maltese. In Central City, Batman and Superman take on Mirror Master and Dr. Alchemy, who have already bested Flash and Wonder Woman thanks to power boosts from Nezha. Batman and Superman take down Mirror Master and Dr. Alchemy, but they are attacked by Hal Jordan, who has been mind-controlled by Nezha. Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Nezha mind-controls Alfred to gain access to the Bat-Computer, through which he learns all about present day metahumans.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #4-5 (“THE DEVIL NEZHA”) Conclusion
Picking up directly from Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #3, Batman and Superman fight a possessed Hal Jordan, stripping him of his ring to take him down. The magick of Dr. Alchemy’s Philosopher’s Stone combined with the energy of Hal’s power ring causes Batman and Superman to merge into a single composite being. Unfazed by the heroes’ “Lantern Fusion,” Nezha unleashes a possessed Wonder Girl, Firestorm, Black Canary, Kid Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Red Tornado upon them. Fusion Batman-Superman easily defeats the heroes and then battles Nezha Dragon Ball Z-style into outer space. When the fusion ends, Nezha gains the upper hand, but a returning Supergirl arrives just in time to punch the demon back to Earth (also very Dragon Ball Z-style). Unfortunately, Robin has been lost in time somewhere. Supergirl delivers the news that the only way to defeat Nezha is to lock him in his tomb from the inside. The heroes gather at site of the tomb (on Lazarus Island) only for Nezha to possess Superman and Elasti-Girl. When Robotman begins pummeling Nezha with ease, the heroes realize that the demon’s weakness is to modern technologies. Freeing himself of Nezha’s control, Superman calls an audible and banishes Nezha to the Phantom Zone. Unbelievably, Nezha tears a hole in the fabric of reality, allowing him to force his way out of the Phantom Zone (!). Superman has no choice but to exile himself inside the tomb with the demon, thus ending his threat upon the world. Once inside, Superman uses the Phantom Zone Projector on himself. Outside, Batman realizes what Superman has done. The heroes reach through the quickly shrinking portal that Nezha had created while escaping from the Phantom Zone. Just before it the fissure re-seals, the heroes pull Superman to safety. Superman and Supergirl then hide the tomb under giant boulders.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #6
Picking up directly from Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #5, Robin remains trapped in time—specifically 1892 on the isle of Corto Maltese. After etching a help message into a stone, Robin takes up with Stratford’s World-Famous American Circus. In present day, Batman and Superman find Robin’s 19th century message. Superman uses x-ray vision to follow a tachyon trail leading to 1892. Batman and Superman join Robin in the circus, helping him solve a murder mystery. While Robin busts the perps, Batman and Superman rescue folks from a burning circus tent. Afterward, the trio returns to present day.

–REFERENCE: In Titans Vol. 3 #21-22 and Justice League of America Vol. 5 #27. The Doom Patrol rivals known collectively as the Brotherhood of Evil (Monsieur Mallah, The Brain, Garguax, and Madame Rouge) try to battle the Justice League, but the latter can’t be bothered by what they deem as a mere annoyance rather than a legitimate threat. Thus, the snubbed Brotherhood instead gets its collective ass handed to it by the Teen Titans and the Doom Patrol. Note that the Doom Patrol makes the now-unused Happy Harbor Sanctuary its headquarters, but only for a brief stint.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #39. December. Having completed his first semester at Hudson University, Dick decides to enter Hudson’s undergraduate law program, which requires him to move to Blüdhaven to attend Hudson’s branch campus located there. Note that, in Nightwing Vol. 4 #43, Dick says he has an “advanced degree in forensics.” However, this is bad throwaway line from writer Michael Moreci. Furthermore, in Tom Taylor’s Nightwing Vol. 4 #80, Dick says he has a “law degree.” This is another bad throwaway line. Dick is definitely a law student, but he will drop out before receiving any degree. Now, it’s possible that Dick, as a law student, is focusing on forensics (although “advanced forensics” doesn’t really sound like an undergraduate degree). In any case, he could simply be referencing his time spent studying with Batman—the highest “degree” one could get anyway. Or maybe he gets an honorary degree at some point? He is rich and somewhat famous, after all.

–REFERENCE: In Mother Panic #4, Mother Panic #8, and Detective Comics #969 Part 2. Batman fights the debuting Ratcatcher (Otis Flannegan), and knocks him unconscious before sending him off to prison. Ratcatcher will cross paths with the Bat-Family every once in a blue moon, and when he does, he will usually team with other villains. However, these super-villain team-ups won’t physically appear on our timeline below, so we’ll have to just imagine them sprinkled throughout the chronology.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #7-8 (“STRANGE VISITOR”)
When Vicki Vale, Angela Chen, Shauna Taylor, and Jack Ryder report news of an interdimensional rift opening up above Gotham, Superman, Batman, and Robin are on the case. A teenage boy named David Sikela emerges in a space capsule, telling tale of his Earth getting destroyed, upon which his super-scientist parents rocketed him to the safety of an alternate universe. Triggered by being in a new world, David displays out-of-control meta-powers, prompting Superman and Robin to take him to the Fortress of Solitude. The trio shrinks down and enters the Bottle City of Kandor for testing with the Kryptonian Science Council. Finding he has light and heat powers, Professor Kim-Da gives David the garb of legendary Kryptonian warrior Hel-Oz. Meanwhile, Batman looks up the Earth-0 version of David’s parents, discovering that they lost their David at age three. David visits his alternate universe parents, but they flip out at the sight of him. Superman agrees to watch over the boy and take care of him for now. Robin introduces David to some of the Teen Titans (Robin, Wonder Girl, Speedy, Aqualad, and Kid Flash). Elsewhere, the Key plots a nefarious scheme. Later, Batman gives David a private communications device. Superman then patrols the globe with David, helping out with a volcanic eruption in Costa Rica. From the Batcave, Batman, Robin, and Alfred (along with Ace the Bat-Hound) radio Superman and David, telling them that the Key has used a widespread chemical virus that has caused everyone to lock themselves inside their homes and vehicles. Superman, Supergirl, and David (with Batman’s remote guidance) conduct a series of rescue missions across the city. Batman creates a an antidote formula, which he gives to Blue Beetle, who synthesizes a large batch and dumps it on the entire city. Later, in the Batcave, Supergirl gives David a much needed pep talk. Elsewhere, the Key meets with his secret partner, Joker!

–REFERENCE: In Batgirl & The Birds of Prey #11 and Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #10 Part 3—originally told in Detective Comics #468. Batman defeats the debuting Calculator (Noah Kuttler).

–FLASHBACK: From Multiversity: Harley Quinn Screws Up the DCU #6—originally told in the Super Friends TV show and 1976 Super Friends comic series. The Justice League (specifically Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman) and Robin are aided on an unspecified case by teen siblings Marvin White and Wendy White and their canine pal Wonder Dog. The heroes pose for a photo with Marvin, Wendy, and Wonder Dog. Marvin (also known as Marvin Harris and Marvin Kuttler) and Wendy (also known as Wendy Harris and Wendy Kuttler) are the children of the supervillain Calculator.

–REFERENCE: In Robins #2—originally from the 1976 Super Friends comic series. Batman and Robin take on Joker, the Cheetah, Penguin, and Poison Ivy. The super-villains bring along their respective new sidekicks Giggles and Guffaw, Kitten, Chick, and Honeysuckle—collectively known as the Junior Supercriminals. The Dynamic Duo defeat the baddies.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman vs Robin #5—and referenced in Batwoman Vol. 3 #17, Green Arrow Vol. 6 #41, and Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #19. Originally told in Detective Comics #469. Batman fights the debuting Dr. Phosphorus, a radioactive super-villain that is secretly linked to Gotham City Councilman Rupert Thorne. Despite being corrupt to the core and having Batman breathing down his neck, Thorne will avoid jail-time and remain on the City Council for years to come. Note that Rupert Thorne is the brother of the Crime Doctor (Bradford Thorne).

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #10-11. David Sikela officially begins going by the moniker Boy Thunder. He teams up with Batman and Superman to defeat Dr. Phosphorus. Superman tells Batman and Robin that, if things ever go south with Boy Thunder, Professor Kim-Da has invented a special procedure that can remove David’s powers for good.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #9-11
Batman and Boy Thunder (David Sikela) take down the Ratcatcher together. Batman isn’t too keen on Boy Thunder’s methods. Meanwhile, Joker steals the cosmic Angler from Angle Man (severing the latter’s hand in order to get it). Later still, off the coast of Nigeria, Superman and Flash (Barry Allen) watch from a distance as the Teen Titans (with Boy Thunder) deal with some pirates. When Boy Thunder rages out of control, Superman pulls him aside to chew him out. Boy Thunder tells Superman that he blames himself for his parents’ deaths, citing that he accidentally ruined a rocket that had been big enough for their entire family months prior to the destruction of his planet. Using the Angler, Joker and the Key teleport a river into the streets of Gotham. Superman diverts the water back to its origin, but Joker kidnaps Boy Thunder. Batman, Superman, Commissioner Gordon, and the Teen Titans spend a full week searching for Boy Thunder to no avail. Meanwhile, Joker sadistically tortures Boy Thunder. Eventually, they discover the Key’s hidden lair and free Boy Thunder. Chaos ensues as the Key unleashes interdimensional monsters upon the heroes. An angry Boy Thunder loses his cool and nearly kills Joker, much to the dismay of all the superheroes present. Superman and Robin escort Boy Thunder to the Fortress of Solitude for his punishment—a schvitz in Professor Kim-Da’s power nullifying chamber. But before that can happen, the Fortress is infiltrated by several villains—the Key, Acid Master, Bag O’Bones, Abominable Snowman (Dr. Phoenix), Ferlin Nyxly, and Zebra-Man. Superman and Robin defeat all the villains except the Key, who separates them from Boy Thunder. Batman arrives to take down the Key, but not before the villain activates an interdimensional vibration within Boy Thunder and his parents’ spacecraft. Boy Thunder gives his final goodbye before being hurled to Earth-22 where he is greeted by the evil god Gog. (The sequence of Boy Thunder getting sent to Earth-22 is also shown via flashback from Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #20.)

–FLASHBACK: From Batman/Spawn. Batman beats up Joker.

________________________________________________________________________________________

YEAR SEVEN (2008)
_____________________________________________________________________________

–FLASHBACK: From Gotham City Villains 100-Page Anniversary Giant #1 Part 6. Batman busts Killer Moth.

–Batman Giant Vol. 2 #1 (Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #2)
When famous actor Dillon Yates is charged with the murder of a Hollywood producer, Batman busts him. However, upon further investigation, Batman realizes Yates has been framed. It’s not long before Batman realizes Clayface is the real killer. In their eventual confrontation, Clayface says he killed the producer for selling his favorite old theater to be demolished. He explains that he framed Yates because Yates is a serial sexual abuser that kept getting away with it. A fight ensues, during which Clayface burns down the theater and makes his escape.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2. Batman, as he has done in the past, has another affectionate encounter with Talia—with her father watching over the scene with close creepy eyes. This JH Williams illustrated flashback is a fairly generic image of Batman, Talia, and Ra’s al Ghul, meant only to invoke the Neal Adams era of the Silver Age. As such, it doesn’t specifically link to the original “Saga of Ra’s al Ghul” or Son of the Demon or anything like that.

–FLASHBACK: From Gotham City Villains 100-Page Anniversary Giant #1 Part 8. Amid an urban backdrop, Batman and Talia kiss passionately. This is a fairly generic single-panel flashback that could go anywhere around this era, but I’ve placed it here in close proximity to the prior generic Batman-Talia kissy-kissy flashback.

–REFERENCE: In Red Hood and The Outlaws Vol. 2 #8. Batman busts Cornelius Stirk, a cannibal serial killer with mental-projection powers.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Secret Files #2 Part 3. Riddler begins killing people who have wronged him in the past via bombs. Batman follows his clues (and the bodies) from Gotham University, to a stage theater, to a downtown apartment, to a diner, and to a hospital, eventually violently busting Riddler.

–FLASHBACK: From Nightwing/Magilla Gorilla #1. Batman stonewalls Robin before a dangerous unspecified case, telling him to say behind. Batman presumably completes the unknown case.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #28. Batman and Robin patrol together.

–REFERENCE: In Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1 Part 1. Batman deals with Doom Patrol rival Mr. Nobody, leader of The Brotherhood of Nothing aka The Brotherhood of Dada.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13-15 (“ELEMENTARY”)
Bruce sets up a business meeting with the unsavory billionaire tycoon, Simon Stagg. Later, Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk disguise themselves as Batgirl and Supergirl, tricking Batman and Superman for a while, but ultimately the World’s Finest (along with the real Batgirl, real Supergirl, and Robin) see through the ruse (thanks to Jimmy Olsen). The imps are sent back to the 5th Dimension. En route back home, Batman and Robin learn that Stagg has been poisoned to death in his Metropolis hotel room. Notably, Metamorpho has gone missing. After the Dynamic Duo and Superman survey the crime scene, they help a resurfaced Metamorpho bust some thieves at the museum. Meanwhile, Jimmy Olsen interviews Sapphire at the Stagg Mansion, but he gets forcibly ejected by Java, the hulking Stagg family servant. Batman and Superman question Metamorpho as a suspect in Simon Stagg’s murder, much to the dismay of Metamorpho, who claims innocence. Later, both Jimmy and Metropolis Police Department (MPD) Inspector Bill Henderson find evidence that points to Bruce Wayne being Simon Stagg’s murderer. Soon afterward, in Gotham, Bruce is arrested by Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, and Commissioner Gordon. (Note that the Daily Planet issue breaking the news story shows the date as June 5, but this must be ignored.) Bruce is immediately set free on bail. Remotely, Bruce chats with Clark, airing his own frustrations about the Daily Planet‘s smear job on him. Oliver Queen video-phones Bruce, telling him he’s reconsidered a Queen Industries/WayneTech partnership, so long as the collaboration involves work on WayneTech’s cutting edge artificial intelligence. Immediately, Bruce suspects that something is off with Ollie, thinking that he might even be speaking to an impostor. Meanwhile, Metamorpho takes his frustrations out on Doc Dread, Stingaree, and El Matanzas. In Venezuela, Superman and Robin help Metamorpho defeat El Matanzas and his robot army. The next day, Bruce phones a dozen other billionaires, including Ted Kord, Loren Jupiter, and Steve Dayton to determine that they’ve all been replaced with doppelgängers. Bruce notifies Clark, who is attending Simon Stagg’s funeral with Metamorpho, Sapphire Stagg, and Java. Clark X-rays the casket, seeing that Simon Stagg’s body is an android replicant. After a cursory investigation, the heroes learn that all the kidnapped-and-replaced tycoons have had their bank accounts drained into offshore accounts owned by Professor Anthony Ivo. They also realize that their android copies seem to have been built by Dr. Will Magnus. Batman and Metamorpho visit Magnus Robotics in Upstate New York, finding the Metal Men trapped in a vat of lava. Concurrently, Superman and Robin infiltrate Ivo’s lab in the Allegheny Mountains only to be swarmed by androids, including a new Metamorpho-inspired version of Amazo called Ultramorpho (also spelled “Ultra-Morpho”) that can transform into Kryptonite. Batman (wearing armor literally made out of the Metal Men) and Metamorpho join Robin and an injured Superman to fight Ultramorpho while a strange voice (close to Ivo’s but not his) taunts them over an intercom. Metamorpho turns into a special armored costume for Superman to wear, but Ultramorpho is too powerful for the heroes, kidnapping Batman and Superman. Meanwhile, robots all over the planet begin to run amok, including Red Tornado, who glitches-out while helping with a flood in Kentucky. In Washington DC, the Doom Patrol fights Mekanique, during which Robotman turns evil. In Colorado, the The Challengers of the Unknown (Kyle “Ace” Morgan, Lester “Rocky” Davis, Matthew “Red” Ryan, and Professor Walter Haley) fight Ultivac. In Maine, the Teen Titans fight the Awesome Threesome (Torpedoman, Magneto, and Claw). In an unknown location, Batman and Superman awaken to find themselves wearing restrictive inhibitor collars along with other captives—Professor Ivo, Amazo, Dr. Magnus, Dr. Cyber, Toyman, Oliver Queen, Ted Kord, Simon Stagg, and Bug-Eyed Bandit. (Despite meeting Dr. Cyber and Bug Eyed-Bandit for the first time, Batman knows all about them from his vast crime-files.) Their captor is a new model of Amazo called Newmazo, who has gained autonomy. In Gotham, Robin drives the Batmobile and radios Supergirl, who is dealing with Chemo in Metropolis. Newmazo remotely takes control of the Batmobile, causing Robin to head into a brick wall.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #16-17 (“ELEMENTARY” Conclusion)
Picking up directly from Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #15, Flash saves Robin’s life and gets briefed on the situation. Flash tells Robin that Mr. Atom and Ultivac have rounded-up and imprisoned thousands of humans. In Midway City, Hawkman, Metamorpho, the Metal Men, and Plastic Man fight against Kelex, a few Superman Robots, and GI Robot. The Metal Men are destroyed in an explosion. At Newmazo’s lair, Oliver Queen is able to shoot Ultramorpho with a makeshift arrow, which causes the prisoners’ control necklaces to come off. This provides enough time for Flash, Robin, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Hal Jordan, Metamorpho, and Supergirl (actually a disguised Newmazo) to arrive for a rescue. Realizing TO Morrow must be involved with the robot revolution, Batman sends Wonder Woman and Robin to interrogate him. The other heroes spread out across the country to save humankind from the robots, leaving Batman behind. Newmazo sheds his Supergirl disguise and attacks Batman. Thankfully, Martian Manhunter and the real Supergirl double back to save Batman. Superman and Wonder join in the fight, but they are quickly outmatched. Will Magnus is able to turn all the brainwashed robots (plus the original Amazo) against Newmazo, evening the odds. Backed by other joining heroes Hal Jordan, Captain Shazam, Blue Beetle, and Green Arrow, the original Amazo forces Newmazo into an energy feedback loop that forces them both into destruction. Metamorpho then lands the final blow on Newmazo, ending his threat. Later, Will Magnus and Niles Caulder fix all the damaged robots. The Dynamic Duo, Superman, and Metamorpho debrief Jimmy Olsen, who realizes that the Daily Planet will have to exonerate Bruce.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #20-22 (“HEIR TO THE KINGDOM”)
This item occurs a few months after Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #11. Flash runs through the multiverse/Hypertime (past, present, and future), mapping it all out for fun. He views Earth-1 Batman, Earth-37 Batgirl (aka Thrillkiller Batgirl), Earth-37 Robin (aka Thrillkiller Robin), Earth-32’s Bat-Lantern, Future State Batman (Tim “Jace” Fox), Future State Batman (Bruce Wayne), Earth-12 Batman (DCAU Bruce Wayne), Earth-12 Joker (DCAU Joker), Earth-12’s Justice League Unlimited (including Earth-12 Batman aka Terry McGinnis and Earth-12 Flash aka Dani Williams), Earth-19’s Bat Man (aka Gotham by Gaslight Batman), Earth-43 Batman (aka vampire Batman), Earth-46 Batman, Earth-789 Batman (modeled after Michael Keaton from Tim Burton’s films), Batman and Robin (Carrie Kelley) from Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns universe, Batman from the Superman: Speeding Bullets timeline), Earth-27’s Batsaur, Earth-31’s Captain Leatherwing, Earth-1098 Flash, Earth-38 Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Earth-38 Justice League (including Earth-38 Kid Flash, Earth-38 Robin, and Earth-38 Wonder Girl), Earth-38 Robin II (Clark Wayne), Flashpoint Joker (Martha Wayne), Earth-11’s Justice Guild (including Batwoman, Superwoman, and Wonder Man), Earth-183’s Karkan, Earth-118’s League (including Bat-Prince, Prince Kal-El, and Queen Diana), Earth-387 Supergirl (werewolf Supergirl), Earth-49 Superman (Earth-Injustice Superman), Earth-30’s Soviet Superman, Earth-162’s Superman Red and Superman Blue, Earth-63 Wonder Woman, Earth-55 Wonder Woman (DCeased zombie Wonder Woman), Batman and V2 (from “Heroes of Tomorrow” in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #1 Part 4), and Batman (from Paul Pope’s Year 100). However, Flash becomes troubled when he sees the future of Earth-22’s Justice Brigade (including Earth-22 Batman, Earth-22 Superman, Earth-22 Wonder Woman, Earth-22 Alan Scott, Earth-22 Red Robin, Earth-22 Hawkman, and Earth-22 Kid Flash), specifically a future where most of the heroes are dead. Flash traces this tragic fate back to its source, the meeting between Gog and Boy Thunder (David Sikela) that occurred years prior. Flash immediately returns to present day Earth-0, helping Batman, Superman, and Robin defeat Villainy Inc (Cheetah, Dr. Poison, Zara, and Blue Snowman). Flash tells his friends that something is terribly wrong with Boy Thunder on Earth-22. After Flash sets up a Cosmic Treadmill inside the Batcave, Batman and Superman use it to travel to Earth-22. They initially wind up in the future of Earth-22 where they spy on an older David, who in turn spies on an elderly Batman and Superman at a funeral that is being held for nearly every single superhero. After witnessing a vision of several deceased Earth-22 residents, Batman and Superman are teleported to an earlier point on Earth-22, a few years ahead of their own time on Earth-22. Bruce and Clark figure out their surroundings as they get lunch at Earth-22 Booster Gold‘s Planet Krypton restaurant. After a quick scan, Superman learns that the residents of Earth-22 have no knowledge of the greater multiverse. Outside the restaurant David (now Thunderman) fights Earth-22 Atom-Master. Batman and Superman arrive just in time to prevent Thunderman from handing out lethal punishment to the villain. Superman happily greets Thunderman, who immediately attacks him. Soon after, Earth-22 Superman comes to Thunderman’s rescue and begins fighting Superman. Meanwhile, Batman subdues both Earth-22 Batman and Earth-22 Nightwing. After regrouping at the farm of the deceased Ma and Pa Kent, Batman and Superman learn that, regarding his origins, Thunderman has sold a bill of lies to the heroes of this world. Batman and Superman also learn that the heroes of Earth-22 worship the great god Gog. Earth-22 Batman, Earth-22 Superman, and Thunderman meet with Gog, who rides Metron‘s Mobius Chair, at his stronghold in the Sahara Desert. Batman and Superman are attacked by Gog’s Justice Brigade, a cadre of Earth-22 heroes, including Alloy, Aquaman, The Atom, Batwoman, Ace the Bat-Hound, Beast Boy, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Skeets, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, Cyborg, Dr. Fate, Donna Troy, Etrigan/Jason Blood, Firestorm, Green Arrow, Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Hawkgirl, Huntress, Jonah Hex, Judomaster, Kid Flash (Wally West), Martian Manhunter, Metamorpho, Nightshade, Peacemaker, Plastic Man, Raven, Red Tornado, Starfire, Starman, Supergirl, Swamp Thing, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Cadejo, and two unnamed others. Batman and Superman are overwhelmed and thrown into Gog’s Saharan gulag, which is home to nearly all Earth-22 super-villains, including Clayface, Black Manta, Deathstroke, Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold, Sinestro, Black Adam, Cheetah, Killer Moth, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Kirk Langstrom, Deadshot, Catman, Scarecrow, Silver Banshee, Parasite, Metallo, Poison Ivy, Star Sapphire, Solomon Grundy, Bizarro, Riddler, Penguin, Bane, Two-Face, Killer Croc, and more. Batman and Superman are thrown into a cell with an emaciated Metron. Superman recognizes him as a New God of New Genesis. (Up to this point, Batman has dealt with and known about Apokolips, but this is is first interaction with the New Genesis side of the New God spectrum.) Meanwhile, Gog bestows new powers unto Thunderman, turning him into Magog. Inside our heroes’ cell, Metron reveals Gog’s origin story, also detailing how Gog betrayed him to steal his Mobius Chair. Secretly listening-in, Earth-22 Batman and Superman realize the error of their ways. Joining forces with their counterparts, Earth-22 Batman and Superman listen to Metron’s continued story. Metron says that Gog plans an “ascension,” which involves sending all of Earth-22’s heroes on a suicide mission to Apokolips.

–Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23-24 (“HEIR TO THE KINGDOM” Conclusion)
Picking up immediately after Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #22, the Batmen and Superman attack Magog and Gog at the latter’s Saharan citadel. As they battle, Gog uses Magog to open a Boom Tube to Apokolips, explaining (sans logic) that dying in battle against Darkseid will be a good thing for all the heroes, as it will allow them to attain immortality in Valhalla. Realizing the error of his ways, Magog turns on his master, allowing Earth-22 versions of Hal Jordan, Wally West, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, and Hawkman to enter the citadel. As these heroes attack Gog, Batman and Superman realize that Gog has discovered the Anti-Life Equation. The Supermen defeat Gog, but they are too late to prevent Darkseid from coming through the Boom Tube. Struggling against Darkseid’s mighty power, the heroes are tossed aside with ease. Feeling the only way to stop Darkseid from accessing the Anti-Life Equation within Gog, Magog kills Gog. With no reason to be on Earth-22 anymore, Darkseid simply departs. Magog celebrates victory, but the Batmen and Supermen chide him for having used lethal force when there were other options. A pissed Magog storms off. Earth-22 Spectre arrives, telling the Earth-0 heroes it’s time to go home. Before they go, Batman and Superman demand to know what happens to Magog. The Spectre obliges, showing them a vision of the entirety of Kingdom Come. The Spectre allows Superman to visit with an older Magog following the tragic events of Kingdom Come. Superman hugs Magog, urging him to make up for his genocidal mistakes. Batman and Superman then return to present day Earth-0. Meanwhile, inspired by Superman’s kindness and forgiveness, Magog will come to lead a new generation of amazing heroes on Earth-22.

–NOTE: Referenced in Justice League Vol. 3 #33, Deathstroke Vol. 4 #27, Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, Teen Titans Vol. 6 #17, Man of Steel #6, Heroes in Crisis #9, Titans Vol. 4 #2, and Speed Force #1. The Teen Titans disband and reform as the “New Teen Titans”—featuring Robin (team leader), Kid Flash, Cyborg, Changeling (formerly known as Beast Boy), Raven (Rachel Roth), Wonder Girl, Aqualad, Speedy, and Starfire. Kole Weathers is also a member of this team, but will only actually work with them once or twice. Robin and Starfire begin dating. The New Teen Titans also form a splinter B-team known as Teen Titans East, consisting of Bumblebee, Flamebird (former Bat-Girl Bette Kane), Hawk, Dove, Más, y Menos.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 3. Note that writer Matt Fraction places this item in “Year Four, Month Two.” However, since this flashback specifically deals with the New Teen Titans, it must instead go here instead of February. Onto the brief synopsis. An escaped Joker defeats the Teen Titans (Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Changeling, and Raven), leaving them bound, unconscious, and underwater as Batman’s monthly “birthday” gift. Batman saves the Teen Titans.

–FLASHBACK: From Titans Vol. 4 #2. The New Teen Titans attempt to bust their top rival Brother Blood along with his Church of Blood (aka Blood Cult) minions. (Notably, the Church of Blood always has a leader that assumes the Brother Blood role.) However, upon arrival at the Church of Blood’s lair, the Teen Titans are bummed to discover that the Justice League has already completed the task with ease.

–REFERENCE: In Super Sons #15, The Green Lantern #3, and Year of the Villain #1 Part 2—originally told in Silver Age. The Justice League faces off against the Injustice League (Agamemno, Lex Luthor, Black Manta, Chronos, Dr. Light, Felix Faust, Mr. Element, Sinestro, Penguin, and Catwoman). Note that the Injustice League is NOT the Injustice Gang—different team! Batgirl and Deadman form a brand new (one-shot) Seven Soldiers of Victory—comprising of themselves, Metamorpho, Blackhawk (Janos Prohaska), Mento (Steve Dayton), Shining Knight (Gardner Grayle), and Adam Strange. The Seven Soldiers, the JL, the Green Lantern Corps, and a platoon of Thanagarians band together to defeat Agamemno’s IJL.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #79. Bruce and Dick’s relationship begins deteriorating. They’ll have a tiff whenever they cross paths for months to come. We’ll have to imagine some of these instances on our timeline.

–Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular Part 1
March. It’s Dick’s 18th birthday! Batman and Robin save a priest from Victor Zsasz, but during the fight Robin disobeys a direct order. Back home, Batman chews-out Robin. Later, the Dynamic Duo foils a robbery attempt at the museum, during which the Boy Wonder again disobeys Batman’s orders. Upon returning home, Dick thanks Batman for everything he’s done for him, but resigns from his post. Dick quits being Robin! Shortly thereafter, as referenced in Nightwing Vol. 4 #21 and Nightwing Vol. 4 #43, Bruce gives Dick a watch for his birthday gift—likely a botched attempt to smooth over the situation. As referenced in Nightwing Vol. 4 #79, we learn that Batman fires Robin, so we must assume there’s a follow-up conversation where Bruce does a petty “you can’t quit because your’e fired” thing. Shortly after that, Dick packs up and moves out of Wayne Manor.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Nightwing Vol. 4 #21, Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, and Detective Comics #965. Now that Dick has quit his sidekick role, Batman puts his final Robin costume on display in the Batcave.

–FLASHBACK: From Red Hood: Outlaw #35, Red Hood: Outlaw #48, Truth and Justice #10, Strange Love Adventures #1 Part 6, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #12, Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #18, Batman Vol. 3 #33, Detective Comics #968, Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, Detective Comics #1052, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4. Originally told in Batman #408-409. Batman meets juvenile delinquent Jason Todd when the latter boldly attempts to steal the wheels off the Batmobile! Batman catches him red-handed, but gives the spunky kid a break. After a lengthy conversation over cheeseburgers, Batman tells Jason thats “his friend” Bruce Wayne will help him get into a decent orphanage—Faye “Ma” Gunn‘s Home For Wayward Boys. Later, Bruce secures a spot for Jason at the home. Bruce then visits Jason at the latter’s dingy squat apartment to tell him the news. Jason soon goes into the care of Ma Gunn, who tells Jason his dad (Willis Todd) is dead. Unknown to Jason, Ma Gunn is Willis’ biological mother, meaning Ma Gunn is Jason’s grandmother! Unknown to the public, Ma Gunn is a criminal. Jason soon contacts Batman and helps him bust Ma Gunn. (As referenced in the second feature to Detective Comics #1052, Jason briefly lives at the Wayne Orphanage and a mental institution after Ma Gunn’s arrest.) Seeing promise in Jason, Bruce makes the troubled teen his legal ward. Bruce takes Jason home to Wayne Manor and introduces him to Alfred. Shortly thereafter, Bruce reveals his superhero secret to Jason and offers him the position of being Batman’s new sidekick. Jason starts on an intensive six month training course. Despite the fact that Dick and Bruce aren’t on good terms at the moment, Bruce still introduces Jason to Dick. They become fast friends.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #11 Part 1. One of the very first lessons that Batman teaches Jason Todd as part of his training is how to deal with pain.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #1 Part 1. While he certainly isn’t Robin yet, Batman gives Jason part of what will eventually become his Robin costume (designed by Alfred). Jason then spends a week of training focusing on Batarang and shuriken throwing. Batman expresses his hatred for guns to Jason. After a chat with Alfred, a curious Jason is very surprised to stumble upon Batman’s hidden gun collection in the Batcave. Batman, returning from patrol, finds him there, awestruck at the sight of the firearms. Batman explains that he uses these guns for reference and forensic study while working cases.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Legends of Gotham #1. Jason explores the Batcave and all the attached caverns connected to it. Batman secretly monitors his every movement, and he will do so every time Jason explores the caves, moving forward.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman hears that an underground black market store, which sells super-villain memorabilia, has the gun that was used to kill his parents. (Years ago, Batman once had the gun in his possession but either discarded it or lost it—and now he wants it back again!) As Matches Malone, Batman visits the store and purchases Joe Chill’s old piece. Batman then melts down the gun and fashions it into a bulletproof chest-plate. For years to come, Batman will wear this special armor under his costume. (Note importantly that this Kevin Smith item contradicts Geoff Johns’ “The Button,” specifically Flash Vol. 5 #21, which says that Bruce tried to find his parents’ murder weapon but failed to find it. Thus, Detective Comics #1000 Part 2 is a straight-up retcon. This should surprise absolutely no one since Kevin Smith is basically the King of Retcons.)

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights Catwoman, who has, for the second time, returned to her purple-and-green dress outfit. (The sartorial super-villainess likes to change it up quite a bit, in case you hadn’t noticed.)

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Joker at a three-ring circus.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 11 and Detective Comics #1014. Batman fights Mr. Freeze, who is still trying to revive his beloved Nora Fries. (Note that these two flashback images technically don’t have anything to do with one another. They simply both show a random generic fight scene between Batman and Mr. Freeze. I’ve lumped these panels together because they look almost exactly the same.)

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #7—originally told in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film. Joker holds a parade in downtown Gotham, luring the masses to the event with the promise of throwing millions of dollars in cash into the crowd. Batman arrives in time to stop Joker from releasing deadly Joker Venom (in gas form) onto the audience via large clown parade balloons.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1039 Part 2. Ever since he was a little boy, teenager Hue Vile has an insect-like symbiotic parasite that lives in his throat. When not outright feeding on people or slaughtering them just for kicks, Vile and the parasite spread a virus that causes the infected person to go into a fit of murderous mayhem. When one of Vile’s victims lashes out and gets shot down by cops, Batman investigates, but Vile makes sure to stay hidden.

–FLASHBACK: From Nightwing Vol. 4 #47. The Trinity assembles for unspecified action.

–FLASHBACK: From Super Sons #5. Batman and Superman get in a bad argument about an unspecified topic. Batman gets so heated that he punches-out Superman.

–FLASHBACK: From Catwoman Vol. 5 #17. Batman fights Catwoman, who is, for the first time, wearing a sexier new version of her old purple-and-green dress outfit. This one is low-cut and sports a domino mask.

–Swamp Thing Winter Special #1 Part 2
After Solomon Grundy kidnaps a seemingly metahuman baby in Gotham, Batman is on the case. A perfunctory investigation points the Caped Crusader in Swamp Thing’s direction, so he travels to Houma, Louisiana to visit the plant elemental, who has just finished checking-in on his pal, Interpol agent Matthew Cable. Batman and Swamp Thing team up to bust some poachers and talk about the abducted child. This item is Len Wein’s final work, which was meant to have been the start of the seventh volume of Swamp Thing (picking up where Wein’s own “early era Swamp Thing” Volume 6 ended). Because Wein died shortly after writing it, there is no follow-up. Suffice to say, we can assume that Batman and Swamp Thing kick ass and solve the case.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights Penguin at the latter’s Iceberg Lounge casino.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman fights an escaped Poison Ivy, who unleashes giant carnivorous piranha plants upon him.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2. Batman takes on an escaped Joker, who heaves an old-timey spherical black bomb at him.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #17 Part 2. Batman reinforces the Bat-Submarine with Nth Metal.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #1 Part 2—and referenced in Batman: Kings of Fear #2, Batman Secret Files #2 Part 1, Batman: Three Jokers #1, Punchline #1Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, and Batman: Urban Legends #17 Part 2. Originally told in Detective Comics #475-476. Joker unveils his “Laughing Fish” gag, putting his signature smile on all the fish in Gotham Bay, and killing many people in the process. Joker’s toxins spread across the entire Eastern seaboard, destroying aquatic life across half the Atlantic. Meanwhile, after being denied copyright on his “Laughing Fish,” Joker murders a couple government copyright officials. Eventually, Batman puts a stop to the chaos. Afterward, Batman keeps and stuffs a Laughing Fish, adding it to his collection of Joker trophies. Batman also orchestrates a major environmental clean-up.

–Batman: Urban Legends #17 Part 2
Shortly following Joker’s “Laughing Fish” gag, Aquaman and Mera pay Batman an angry visit, delivering to him a dead Joker Fish with claims that the environmental destruction is still running rampant deep beneath the seas. Batman taps into WayneTech’s Marine Biology Research Division data, which guides the heroes (with Batman taking his Bat-Sub) to a black hole-like source of trouble in the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arrival, Aquaman recognizes the anomaly as the “Sea Beyond the Veil,” a cosmic portal that had been bound by ancient Atlantean magick and guarded by fish creatures known as the Piscine Watch. The Piscine Watch, now killed or corrupted by Joker Venom, has allowed a giant squid monster known as a Creare to emerge. Batman, Aquaman, and Mera battle the Creare and its monstrous minions, but they eventually make peace with the aquatic oddities. Batman asks the Creare for a special organism that can help purge any effects of Joker’s influence upon sea life. The Creare and its brethren then depart, sealing up the portal behind them. With the Bat-Sub damaged, Batman rides a killer whale back home, courtesy of Aquaman. Back on land, Batman uses the Creare’s gifted organism to synthesize a remedy against Joker’s aqua poison. It’s also possible that Batman closes up some underwater gaps in the bowels of the Batcave as well, since he makes mention to Alfred about some problematically accessible entryways into their lair.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 2021 Annual—originally told in Detective Comics #477. Batman defeats the debuting Clayface III (Preston Payne). Unlike the other two Clayfaces, Payne must wear a special containment suit at all times.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #36. Batman busts the debuting Maxie Zeus.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #75. Batman defeats the pyromaniac super-villain Firebug.

–REFERENCE: From Batgirl Vol. 5 #30—originally told in Detective Comics #492 Part 1. Batgirl is nearly killed by master assassin Cormorant, who is working for a mobster named General Scarr. Batman and an injured Batgirl team-up to bust Cormorant and General Scarr.

–REFERENCE: In Tales of the Titans #4—originally told in Detective Comics #505. When Anthony Lupus’ niece needs a bone marrow transplant, Batman travels to Alaska to capture the werewolf. Batman brings Lupus back to Gotham for the operation, saving his niece’s life.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #38. Batman fights the debuting Film Freak (Burt Weston).

–REFERENCE: In New Talent Showcase 2017 #1 Part 1. Batman continues training Jason Todd, telling him that, in hostile environments, they must operate quickly and efficiently, making sure to focus on fighting and not talking. Batman also tells Jason about all his rogues, giving advice for each. For instance, he tells Jason to always appeal to the Harvey Dent side of Two-Face when engaging with him. Batman also tells Jason that he’ll never be alone, no matter what.

–REFERENCE: In Heroes in Crisis #3—originally told in The Brave and The Bold #170 and The Brave and The Bold #193. The Department of Metahuman Affairs’ top super-spy Nemesis (Tom Tresser) teams-up with Batman to take on the evil criminal organization known as The Council. (As revealed in Action Comics #1010, Penguin is the secret director of the Council.)

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #11 Part 1. Batman and Zatanna Zatara join together to perform an occult ritual, preventing the dark forces (which they accidentally unleashed as teens) from being released into the world.

–Batman Giant Vol. 2 #3 Part 1 (Batman: Gotham Nights Vol. 3 #4)
Billionaire businessman Hiram Bosch invites Bruce and a few others to a ritzy country club. There, Bruce hears about Bosch and company’s illicit dealings, which includes embezzlement, sex-trafficking, drug-running, chemical dumping, and more. Surely, Bruce must have had an inkling about this stuff prior to now, but, enough is enough, I guess, as Bruce steps away only to return as Batman to kick their asses and send them to Blackgate Prison. Bruce visits Bosch and his pals in jail, getting more info about their illegal operations. Batman then shuts down Bosch’s operations for good. In order to make Bosch think Bruce isn’t a snitch, Commissioner Gordon has Bruce “arrested” and jailed as well. An escaped Joker, hoping to milk the Bosch and Bruce for all they have left, throws himself into the mix, breaking the inmates out of prison and taking them to his lair. Bruce phones Alfred and, in code-speak, gives him instructions to bomb their location. Using a remotely-controlled Batmobile and a concrete grenade, Alfred does as he is instructed. Before fleeing the scene, Joker tells Bruce that Bosch and his associates were laundering money through investors at Wayne Enterprises. Later, Batman visits Wayne Enterprises to examine files relating to Joker’s revelation. Our story ends here, but you can bet your sweet ass that heads roll at the office the next morning. Although, let’s face facts, this is your company, Bruce—so the buck should have stopped with you.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #5 Part 1. As part of Jason’s training, Batman tells the boy a pro detective tip: If you want to know the most about someone, look in their bathroom cabinet.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 4 #12. Batman rescues a busload of nuns from an escaped Joker.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #35 and Nightwing Vol. 4 #39. Much to the disappointment of Bruce and Alfred, Dick drops out of college.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Nightwing Vol. 4 #21, Nightwing Vol. 4 #39, Detective Comics #965, and Batgirl Vol. 5 #50. Dick becomes the superhero Nightwing, wearing the modified (blue-and-yellow) version of his dad’s Flying Grayson outfit. (Dick has already tailored the costume and even recently wore it while working a Judge case in Blüdhaven.) Bruce sets up a stipend for Nightwing, through which he will fund his former sidekick’s crimefighting for years to come. Note that Nightwing will wear several different costume styles moving forward, including his modified blue-and-yellow Flying Grayson outfit and sleeker blue-and-black duds.

–NOTE: Referenced in Deathstroke Vol. 4 #27 and Nightwing Vol. 4 #39—originally told in “THE JUDAS CONTRACT.” Jericho (Deathstroke’s son Joseph Wilson) and Terra (Tara Markov) join the Teen Titans. However, Terra is quickly outed as a double-agent working for the manipulative Deathstroke. (Terra is also outed as having an unsettling quasi-sexual affair with the much older Deathstroke, who is committing statutory rape in this “relationship.”) The team is shaken to its core and goes on a short break.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4. Bruce spars with Jason as part of the latter’s ongoing training. This flashback panel is drawn vaguely enough that this technically could be Bruce sparring with Dick or Jason, but I’ve gone with Jason.

–FLASHBACK: From Truth and Justice #10—and referenced in Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #12, Flash Vol. 5 #64, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4. Jason Todd’s training ends and he debuts as the new Robin, wearing his Alfred-designed costume.

–FLASHBACK: From Robins #2—and referenced in Robins #1. Originally told in Batman #424-425. Note that, in the Modern Age, this item was one of Jason’s last cases as Robin, whereas in the Infinite Frontier Era, it is his literal first. Robin goes on his very first patrol with Batman, finding shellshocked rape victim Gloria Stanson. Bogatagoan drug dealer Felipe Garzonas has raped Gloria, but the police can’t touch the creep because he has diplomatic immunity. Batman challenges Robin to take down Felipe as part of his final “gauntlet” training exercise. Unfortunately, Felipe’s misogynistic antagonization continues, which leads to the Gloria’s suicide. At Felipe’s apartment, an enraged Robin confronts the villain, who falls twenty stories to his death. Batman arrives a second later and asks Jason point blank if he killed the man. Jason says cooly, “He slipped,” and then swings away. Soon after, Felipe’s vengeful diplomat father José Garzonas kidnaps Commissioner Gordon to lure the Dynamic Duo into a showdown. Batman and Robin take down José.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #3 Part 1. On the heels of the Garzonas case, Batman introduces his new Robin to Commissioner Gordon.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 2021 Annual. Worried about Jason’s behavior and feeling he’s possibly still not ready, Batman temporarily benches Robin (letting him know multiple times very clearly that he’s not as good as Dick). When Batman departs on an unspecified solo mission, sneaky Alfred takes the opportunity to invite Dick to Wayne Manor, leaving him alone with Jason. Alfred knows this meeting will be good for both young men. Nightwing and Robin patrol together, with the former imparting important knowledge upon the new Boy Wonder. After the duo saves a boy from kidnappers, Nightwing sees the dark violent side of Robin. Nevertheless, back home, Nightwing gives Robin praise, calling him his brother.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #130. Batman continues training with his new Robin, and while we won’t see it ahead, they will train often. However, Jason hates training and will often show disdain toward it.

–FLASHBACK: From Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham #1 Part 3. Batman goes on patrol, perching atop a gargoyle, as he is often wont to do.

–REFERENCE: In Event Leviathan #2. Batman creates a bunch of contingency plans for a variety of major-threat-level occurrences that involve everything ranging from the collapse of modern society to recondite conspiracy theory events. He shares these plans with his new Robin.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #3 Part 1. Presumably while on patrol, Batman introduces Robin former jewel thief gone straight, Salvatore Greco.

–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.

–the second feature to Detective Comics #1052
The “Shadows of the Bat: House of Gotham” arc continues here. At an ice cream shop, Jason Todd runs into a former acquaintance from Ma Gunn’s school, a delinquent named Elliot Strummer. Elliot and a fellow teen (the boy orphaned by Joker six years ago) brag to Jason that they work for Penguin. At Wayne Manor, Jason tells Bruce that Penguin is using child soldiers. Later, as Matches Malone, Batman visits the Iceberg Lounge. Seeing that there are indeed kids under Penguin’s employ, Batman switches to his fighting togs and begins kicking henchman ass. The orphaned teen betrays Penguin, helping Batman bust him. The orphaned teen then runs outside only to get kayoed by Robin. The orphaned teen is arrested and will eventually wind up at Arkham Asylum in a couple years.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #999. October 7—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.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #3 Part 1. Batman and Robin work an alleyway murder case along with Commissioner Gordon. Gordon expresses concerns about Batman bringing on a new Boy Wonder, saying that the kid seems a little rough around the edges. While they chat, Robin spots Salvatore Greco nearby and begins assaulting him. Batman stops and scolds Robin, telling him he was out of line.

–REFERENCE: In Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #14, Batman Vol. 3 #45, and Justice League Vol. 4 #51-52—originally told in Superman Annual #11. Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman visit Superman at the Fortress of Solitude. However, upon arrival they discover that Mongul has buffeted Superman with Black Mercy, a type of sentient alien plant that causes people to undergo zombie-like hallucinations of their greatest subconscious desires. The heroes rescue Superman, who proceeds to angrily burn Mongul with heat vision. Note that Batman and Superman will tell the story of the Black Mercy vision to their fellow superhero friends quite often, moving forward. The story will serve as an anecdote: No matter how dark the world may be, the alternatives could always be worse, even if appearances seem to imply otherwise.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #5 Part 1. Riddler catches wind that there’s a new Robin in town and decides to put the rookie Boy Wonder to the test. Riddler captures Batman, putting him in a sealed chamber death trap that can only be deactivated by solving a puzzle-riddle on the outside. Jason solves the riddle, freeing Batman.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 3. November. Oafish henchman-for-hire Knute Brody (an invention of Batman’s) makes his return, signing-up with an escaped Kite Man. Of course, Brody costs Kite Man a big heist, which results in the super-villain going right back to jail. It is unknown who plays the role of Brody for this item. It could be Batman or Alfred.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Vol. 3 #44—originally told in Detective Comics #565. Catwoman once again plays on the side of good, teaming-up with Batman to track down axe murderer Roy Spivey. As they investigate, Batman talks with Catwoman—in her skintight purple with black thigh high boots ensemble—atop the roof of a Gotham building. They discuss their on-again-off-again relationship. Batman says they are drifting apart, asking her what is wrong. Catwoman, with tears running down her cheeks, says “Nothing… Everything.” Batman winds up busting Spivey on his own.

–FLASHBACK: From Harley Quinn Vol. 4 #5—loosely based on a combination of Batman Annual #10 and “Prey” (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #11-15). Professor Hugo Strange returns, donning his very own Batman costume. With an out-of-control obsession, Strange declares that he is the legit Batman and fights the real deal. Batman bests him.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5. Batman becomes aware of a new organization known as The Global Guardians (a multi-national defense corps that numbers in the dozens and consists of a rotating lineup of non-American superheroes).

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5-6—originally told in Super Powers Vol. 3 #1-4. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and many other established superheroes team-up with various new international superheroes—including rookies Golden Pharaoh (Ashley Halberstam) and Samurai (Toshio Eto)—to defeat Darkseid and his evil New God minions.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #14 Part 2—originally told via flashback from Detective Comics Annual #1 and The Question #2. (Editorial incorrectly says the flashback is originally from The Question #1.) The rookie superhero known as The Question gives some unwanted assistance to Batman on a stolen radium case. Afterward, Batman deduces his secret ID as reporter Vic Sage.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #992—originally told in DC Special Series #1. CIA agent Jason Burr fights the Kobra Cult, which is led by his twin brother Jeffrey Franklin Burr aka Lord Nāga-Naga (better known simply as Kobra). At a Lazarus Pit location in the Himalayas, Batman and Jason fight Kobra and his agents, but in the end the vile cult leader orders the execution of his brother. One of Kobra’s followers stabs Jason to death. Batman vows to bring Kobra to justice and solemnly returns to the States with Jason’s body in tow.

–REFERENCE: In Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1 Part 4. While on an unspecified Justice League mission, Batman makes a joke, surprising his teammates with his humor.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #10 Part 4. December 23-25. Dick chats with Bruce on the phone, making plans for him to join a Teen Titans holiday party at Titans HQ. A couple days later, on Xmas, Bruce forgets to show up because he’s preoccupied with finding a missing Jason. Meanwhile, Jason has gone to visit Dick at Teen Titans HQ, but Dick is so upset about Bruce having bailed that he stays in his room and mopes the whole time. Jason doesn’t even get inside the building.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Strange Adventures Vol. 5 #2. Batman meets the multi-millionaire techno-whiz and supposed “world’s smartest man” Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt). They quickly become close, sharing each other’s secret IDs and personal histories. Batman learns that Mr. Terrific’s wife and unborn child died years ago, which motivated him to become a superhero. Batman and Mr. Terrific will share a very close friendship for years to come.

________________________________________________________________________________________

YEAR EIGHT (2009)
_____________________________________________________________________________

–FLASHBACK: From Flash Vol. 5 #21—originally told via flashback from Identity Crisis and The OMAC Project. Dr. Light infiltrates the JL satellite and rapes Elongated Man’s wife, Sue Dibny. After being apprehended by several superheroes (Hal Jordan, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Flash, and Zatanna), Dr. Light is mind-wiped by Zatanna, which erases the villain’s memories and alters his personality to ensure that he never again commits so heinous a crime. Batman stumbles upon the heroes in the midst of scrambling Dr. Light’s brain. Outraged at the unethical procedure, Batman lashes out at his peers. The heroes restrain and mind-wipe Batman, initiating a cover up that will years later be exposed as the terrible “mind-wipe scandal.” Until then, Batman will have no memories of what has occurred.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #143. Batman challenges Catwoman, who uses sign language with her henchmen during a silent heist.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: City of Madness #1. Batman meets and befriends Arkham Asylum psychiatrist Dr. Ruth Adams. While we won’t see it on our timeline ahead, Batman will interact with Dr. Adams every once in a while.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Dark Days: The Casting #1. Batman examines magickal metallic items, including Wonder Woman’s bracelets, Aquaman’s five-pointed “trident,” and the Helm of Nabu (Dr. Fate’s helmet) in the Justice League Trophy Room. In each of these items, Batman discovers a compound containing traces of a dangerous mystery metal. This metal has a very specific “dark energy” signature. After 3D scanning, holographic image mapping, and detailed analysis of these items, Batman concludes that the mystery metal exists in nature and that it could potentially be very dangerous to all life on the planet. Concerned, Batman decides the very existence of the dark metal warrants further (and extensive) investigation. Batman records all of this dark metal info onto his Shadow Drive (aka Shadow File)—and he will continue to do so in regard to anything dark metal-related, moving forward. Batman (presumably with the help of Mr. Terrific and a select few other metahumans) builds a secret underground wing in Batcave, called Sub-Cave Alpha, dedicated to further study of the mystery metal. In this secret cave within a secret cave, masked by a false holographic rock wall, Batman puts all the recently-scanned 3D images onto holographic pedestal projector displays. The Caped Crusader will continue to investigate and study the mystery metal and the “dark energy” signature for years to come. 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 Nights: Metal #1-2 and Teen Titans Vol. 6 #12. Batman continues his “dark energy” investigation, learning about a legend that tells of an omniscient being from another world. While the details are ambiguous, Batman believes he is somehow at the center of the mystery—that an evil power has supposedly been targeting him for thousands of years. He can sense that something has been (and continues to) watch him from some far away realm, somehow subtly shaping his life. While unexplainable, Batman comes to think of himself as the key to the “dark energy” conundrum, which is linked to some unfathomable cosmic event yet to unfold. Batman will haunted by this thought for years to come. With this troubling motivator in mind, Batman’s investigation will remain fully-fueled for years to come.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #985—and referenced in Dark Days: The Forge #1, Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #25, Doomsday Clock #5, and Detective Comics #986. Batman quits the Justice League. Batman and Black Lightning then secretly intervene in a civil war in the small Eastern European nation of Markovia, helping Prince Brion Markov—who has just been publicly turned into the superhero Geo-Force by Dr. Helga Jace—fight against the wannabe dictator Baron Bedlam. With the aid of Black Lightning, Geo-Force, Metamorpho, and Katana (whose famed Soultaker blade contains the trapped souls of many, including her dead husband Maseo Yamashiro), Batman is able to combat the heavily-armed militias of Baron Bedlam. During the war, Batman goes after gun-runner Fleet Delmar (aka “The Man of Fear”), who has been torturing parents in front of their own children. After a brief knife fight, Batman easily bests Delmar, doses him with Fear Gas, and leaves an ultrasonic bat-attracting relay-emitter by his side. A swarm of bats scars Delmar’s face and gouges his eyes out. Eventually, Batman and his new pals defeat Baron Bedlam’s forces, bringing peace and freedom to the Markovian people. Afterward, Batman decides to keep this unit together as a top-secret team. In conjunction with his ongoing studies of the “dark energy” signature found in geological anomalies across the globe, Batman deputizes this group into his covert “black-ops” team known as The Outsiders. The Outsiders’ primary goals are to go on unsanctioned covert missions and to uncover hidden truths about the mystery metal linked to the “dark energy” signature. Batman immediately forms a close bond with one of his best soldiers, Katana. The Outsiders will continue working on-and-off with Batman for years to come, disbanding and reforming with updated line-ups several times. Batman will keep all versions of the Outsiders a secret from the greater superhero community.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 4 #1 and Adventures of the Super Sons #1. Batman isn’t directly involved in this item, but he is definitely connected and would be very aware of its details. The Justice League is in shambles, especially without Batman, who recently quit the team. Following a fight against the cosmic warrior Koll, who does severe (but only temporary) damage to the JL Satellite, the JL officially disbands yet again. In its wake, a new Justice League is formed—sans the Trinity. The new team, which moves its headquarters to a brand new building in Detroit, features Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Zatanna (in yet another new costume), Vibe, Vixen, Elongated Man, Gypsy, Firestorm, and Commander Steel (Hank Heywood III).

–REFERENCE: In Batman vs Robin #2—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #8. Batman and the Outsiders battle and defeat the evil wizard Tannarak.

–REFERENCE: In The Penguin #3—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1. Batman and the Outsiders fight the vigilante team known as The Force of July (Major Victory, Lady Liberty, Mayflower, Silent Majority, and Sparkler). The Force of July is directly overseen by the US government’s American Security Agency (ASA).

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #992—originally told in Batman and The Outsiders #25-27. Batman and the Outsiders prevent the Kobra Cult from causing a global nuclear holocaust.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Doomsday Clock #5. Looker, Windfall, and Atomic Knight (formerly Shining Knight Gardner Grayle) join Batman’s secret Outsiders team. The Outsiders will continue going on unspecified missions and investigating the “dark energy” signature found in geological anomalies across the globe.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Part 5—and referenced in Doomsday Clock #6 and Suicide Squad Vol. 7 #2. Bruce meets gorgeous pale-skinned astronomer Natasha Knight (aka Natalia Knight), falling for her charming blandishment, blarney, and beauty. But Bruce soon discovers that she is the thieving super-villain known as Nocturna. Batman chases after Nocturna and her adoptive brother Anton Knight (aka Night-Thief aka Night-Slayer). Not long after, the Caped Crusader and Nocturna become brief lovers. While Batman is distracted with Nocturna, Catwoman pokes around and busts Anton. Batman and Nocturna call off their fling and fight one another. Eventually, Nocturna leaves Gotham.

–FLASHBACK: From Flash Vol. 5 #21 and Justice League Incarnate #4—and referenced in Dark Days: The Forge #1, Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1, Dark Days: Metal #6, Justice League Vol. 3 #39, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #5, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #8-9, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #28, Justice League Vol. 4 #22, Justice League Vol. 4 #51, The Unexpected #5, Event Leviathan #2, Detective Comics #1010, Flash #758, Dark Nights: Death Metal – Multiverse’s End #1, Infinite Frontier #5, Nightwing Vol. 4 2021 Annual, Justice League Vol. 4 #75, Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, Dark Crisis: Young Justice #4, Dark Crisis: The Dark Army #1, and Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1. Originally told in The Crisis on Infinite Earths. Bear in mind, this is a slightly altered version of the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. Here’s the synopsis. Pariah arrives on Earth with startling news: a major “Crisis” has begun! The omniverse (aka multi-multiverse) is slowly being destroyed by a powerful super-villain known as The Anti-Monitor (Universe-3’s Mobius), who has successfully outmatched his rival brother, The Monitor (Mar Novu), a cosmic being tasked with watching-over and protecting the local multiverse. Earth’s heroes learn about Pariah, specifically how he accidentally released the Anti-Monitor thanks to botched experimentation with an Antimatter Chamber. Unknown to all, the super-celestial Great Hand known as Perpetua, from her prison in the Source Wall, is secretly influencing the Anti-Monitor’s bad behavior. Beyond this curtain, the living evil known as the Great Darkness is influencing and will continue to influence Perpetua, the Anti-Monitor, and others, moving forward. The Great Darkness and Perpetua will secretly influence the majority of the “Crises” to come.[10] As the Anti-Monitor’s deadly wave washes over the omniverse, an “infinite number” (i.e. billions) of universes are erased in one fell swoop. Countless beings are killed. Entire timelines, such as those home to an alt-Lex Luthor named Alexander Luthor Jr, an alt-Superboy named Superboy-Prime, and an alt-Superman named Kal-L, are lost forever.[11] As the wave of destruction reaches the edge of the local DC multiverse, the skies burn bright red over all the threatened planets. After creating a new heroic Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi), the Monitor is fatally wounded and disappears into the ether. Despite his condition, the Monitor is able to raise golden interdimensional tuning towers on multiple Earths. These tuning machines act as antennas designed to both delay the wave of destruction and draw surviving universes into a safe haven by aligning their vibrational planes. With the erasure wave slowed, all the heroes are whisked away to the Monitor’s HQ by Harbinger. Alexander Luthor Jr and Harbinger brief the heroes (including Dawnstar of the 31st century Legion of Super-Heroes) on how to defeat their opponent. Eventually, all the superheroes of the multiverse band together to fight against the evil Anti-Monitor, his army of Shadow Demons, and his lackey Psycho-Pirate. Specifically, Batman officially joins the Detroit-based JL, teaming with them in battle. The Dark Knight specifically forms a close bond with Vixen, even telling her all about the death of his parents and how he became Batman. Ramified across multiple universes, all the heroes witness chaos and villainy like never before. Notably, Chemo is dropped onto an alternate Earth’s New York City, leveling it completely. The war erupts into bedlam, pitting the JL, Outsiders, Amazons, Global Guardians, Infinity Inc (Star-Spangled Kid Sylvester Pemberton, Jade, Obsidian, Silver Scarab, Fury, Nuklon, Dr. Midnight, Hourman Rick Tyler, Northwind, and Wildcat Yolanda Montez), Christopher Chance, and Freedom Fighters (Uncle Sam, Black CondorDoll ManHuman Bomb, Langford Terrill aka The Ray, Phantom Lady, and Plastic Man) against various villains. Note that Plastic Man is crook-turned-superhero Eel O’Brien, who is also currently an FBI agent/informant and member of the long-running government defense organization known as The All-Star Squadron. During the crisis, Clayface II is killed, Dove is killed, Kole Weathers is killed, Supergirl is killed (and memory-erased), and Flash literally runs himself to death to prevent the Anti-Monitor from wielding a cosmic WMD.[12] A large funeral is held to mourn the passing of Flash, after which Wally West becomes the new Flash! Despite suffering casualties and losses (including the destruction of the JL Satellite—don’t worry, the trophies are saved), the heroes defeat the Anti-Monitor and win the day. Thanks to the actions of the Spectre, all of reality is rewritten as the entire multiverse is contracted/merged into one confluent timeline. (Notably, it’s unclear how long this contraction period lasts. Nevertheless, the multiverse will soon return to status quo.) After the dust settles, Batman keeps one of the Monitor’s interdimensional tuning towers for study. Due to its massive size, Batman definitely has some metahuman help in securing and transporting the tower—although not from Superman, since the Man of Steel won’t be aware that Batman is keeping one. Instead of telling Superman about his plans and knowing that he would likely disapprove, Batman simply asks the Man of Steel to construct a giant room for him under his Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic. Batman then puts the tuning tower in the impenetrable underground room and seals it up, making Superman promise to never to look inside. After showing his trust by agreeing, Batman uses some unknown means to shoot the room’s only key into the sun. Notably, having commiserated with higher-powers, Psycho-Pirate gains full knowledge of the history of multiverse reboots and the metaverse.[13] Although, this forbidden knowledge makes Psycho-Pirate lose control of his mind, resulting in him getting locked up in Arkham Asylum. With the crisis officially over, the dying Monitor, as his last living act, creates the first of what will become an entire race of Monitors to secretly protect the multiverse in his absence. The first of these new Monitors is Dax Novu, whose original form was that of the Overmonitor’s science/discovery probe. He will soon be joined by Rox Ogama and many others.

–REFERENCE: In Action Comics #978. Superman goes on unspecified business with Batman before returning home to his partner Lois Lane, who reveals she is pregnant! (Lois is already a few months pregnant.)[14] Note that Dan Jurgens original timeline from Action Comics #976-978 had Lois’ pregnancy following Superman’s death/return and his marriage to Lois, thus awkwardly forcing these important events here on our timeline (way early as compared to how it originally went down in the Modern Age). Joshua Williamson’s Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Part 1 corrects/retcons this, returning the timeline to one that mirrors the chronology of the Modern Age. As such Lois’s pregnancy occurs now, but Superman’s death/return and his marriage to Lois still won’t happen for a couple years.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 3. Oafish henchman-for-hire Knute Brody (an invention of Batman’s) joins-up with an escaped Mr. Freeze. Of course, Brody’s actions result in the super-villain going right back to jail. It is unknown who plays the role of Brody for this item. It could be Batman or Alfred.

–FLASHBACK: From Red Hood & The Outlaws Vol. 2 #25. Batman and Robin, while on an unspecified mission, crash the Batmobile into the bay or river. Robin drags an unconscious Batman out of the drink, saving his life.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1027 Part 1. Batman trundles through a manmade deep freeze to challenge an escaped Mr. Freeze.

–FLASHBACK: From Red Hood: Outlaw #34—originally told via flashback from Red Hood & The Outlaws #3. Robin is too sick with the flu to go out on patrol. Batman tells him that there is no shame in taking a night off every once in a while. Bruce, Jason, and Alfred stay in and watch movies.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Mr. Freeze at a dolphin aquarium show.

–FLASHBACK: From Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Infinite Crisis #1. Batman and Superman get in a heated argument and nearly (or possibly) come to blows.

–DC’s Saved By the Belle Reve #1 Part 8
June. Okay, first off, author Andrew Aydin is way off base in terms of continuity, operating in a world where Dick has debuted as Nightwing while still in high school. However, this simply cannot be the case as it would contradict literally everything else. Dick doesn’t become Nightwing until after high school. So why then is Dick walking around Gotham City High in this item? We must simply retcon in our minds that he is visiting, tutoring, giving a presentation, or something (whatever). In any case, Dick bumps into Babs in the hallway and they agree to go to prom together. Upon learning that Dick and Babs will be going to prom together, Bruce invents a machine that can partially dress someone into their superhero togs with the press of a button, installing it into a limousine, which he insists Dick and Babs take to the dance (with Alfred as chauffeur). Sure enough, on prom night, Mr. Freeze strikes at an armored car, prompting Alfred to instruct his limo passengers to press their buttons. In an instant, special versions of Nightwing and Batgirl’s costumes are affixed to their bodies and they go into combat. Batman arrives shortly thereafter to help take down the villain. Not needing further assistance, Batman tells Dick and Babs to enjoy their prom night. At the prom, the teens learn that Babs had been voted prom queen, but since she was not present for the award ceremony, the crown went to someone else. Nevertheless, Dick and Babs share a fun romantic evening.

–REFERENCE: In Nightwing Vol. 4 #80. Early Summer. While this item has nothing to do with Batman, he’d surely be aware and supportive. Babs graduates high school and immediately starts college. She will eventually obtain a law degree.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5—originally told in The Outsiders #11. Batman and his secret Outsiders team goes up against Russia’s super-team known as The People’s Heroes (Bolshoi, Molotov, Pravda, Hammer, and Sickle).

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5—originally told in Batman: Hong Kong. Batman goes to Hong Kong looking to bust a snuff film director. There, he shakes-down Triad mob leader Tiger One-Eye. Inspired by Batman, Benny Lo (Tiger One-Eye’s nephew) becomes the superhero Night-Dragon, helping the Dark Knight resolve a Triad hostage situation. When Night-Dragon’s girlfriend is abducted by the snuff film gang, Batman and Night-Dragon rescue her and expose the murderous director as Night-Dragon’s other uncle, the hulking metahuman Lo Pao. After Lo Pao threatens to destroy all of Hong Kong, the cops and Triads make peace and help the heroes defeat him.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #8, Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #52, and Detective Comics #992. Batman and the Outsiders encounter the global criminal organization known as SKULL, tech brokers that “hoard progress” using an army of robot soldiers. SKULL is notorious for bartering world-changing tech in exchange for political influence. The Outsiders get involved in a conflict between SKULL and Kobra, ultimately defeating one of SKULL’s top agents, the super-villain Major Disaster. The Outsiders shut down the entire SKULL organization, putting its financial backer behind bars.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #3Detective Comics #992, Gotham City Monsters #1, and Gotham City Monsters #4. Batman learns that the Kobra Cult has turned one of its henchwomen, Sondra Fuller, into Lady Clayface aka Lady Clay aka Clayface IV. Lady Clayface joins “Strike Force Kobra,” which consists of Lady Eve, Elemental Woman, Zebra Man II, Planet Master, and Spectrumonster. Batman and his Outsiders fight Strike Force Kobra, defeating them. Unknown to Batman and company, Lady Clayface’s true origin has nothing to do with Kobra. In actuality, she has been given powers by the US Government’s Department of Metahuman Affairs.

–REFERENCE: In the quasi-canonical Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1—originally told in Batman #412. Batman defeats the debuting Mime, a mime-themed super-villain.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #41—originally told in Superman Vol. 2 #9. Batman isn’t involved in this caper, but there’s no doubt that he hears about it. Joker (likely the Comedian) tries his luck in Metropolis, kidnapping a bunch of people and putting them in lead-lined coffins all over the city. Despite being unable to see through lead with his x-ray vision, Superman simply scans the city and goes to each location where he can’t see, rescuing everyone.

–REFERENCE: In Titans Special #1—originally told in The New Teen Titans Vol. 2 #29-31. A bunch of heroes—including Superman, Batman, the Teen Titans, and others—are assembled by Magenta (Frances Kane) to take on Brother Blood and his Church of Blood (aka Blood Cult) minions, including Mother Mayhem (May Bennett). (Just as the Church of Blood always has a leader that assumes the Brother Blood role, they also always have a high-ranking matriarch that assumes the role of Mother Mayhem.) Note that the Teen Titans will disband not long after this.

–FLASHBACK: From Wonder Woman #762—and referenced in Flash Vol. 5 #21, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #7, Mister Miracle Vol. 4 #1, Blue Beetle Vol. 9 #11-12Adventures of the Super Sons #1, Heroes in Crisis #5, Batman/Superman Vol. 2 #12, and Blue and Gold #4. Originally told in “LEGENDS,” Justice League #1-6, and Justice League International #7-8. Via his minion Glorious Gordon Godfrey, Darkseid begins a smear-campaign against the world’s superheroes. After public opinion about superheroes sinks to an all-time low, Darkseid sends his warrior Brimstone to Earth. This leads to the death of Commander Steel, after which the Detroit-based Justice League disbands. (Commander Steel’s metallic corpse will be kept in storage by every incarnation of the JL, moving forward.) Batman then joins scheming Max Lord‘s new Justice League International venture, which includes Martian Manhunter, Big Barda, Mr. Miracle (Scott Free), Fire (Beatriz da Costa), Ice (Tola Olafsdotter), Dr. Fate, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Black Canary, Shazam (Billy Batson), Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), and Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi). (NOTES: First, Max Lord is also head of the secret government organization known as Checkmate. At this juncture, Max Lord is also being secretly controlled by a sentient AI called Kilg%re, although that won’t last for very long. Second, Mr. Miracle is always accompanied by his diminutive chain-smoking assistant Oberon Kurtzberg, who will act as a JLI manager. Third, Blue Beetle, unlike in the Modern Age, is merely a part-time member of this team that only will interact with Batman a few times. From these team-ups, the Dark Knight will regard Blue Beetle as a highly-intelligent-but-emotionally-immature second-rate superhero.) Right from the start, Batman hates both Max Lord and Guy Gardner. Shortly after the JLI debuts, Max Lord (sans Batman’s permission) recruits Booster Gold (along with Skeets) into the fold as well. On his first adventure with the team, Booster Gold helps defeat the returning Royal Flush Gang. Soon afterward, the JLI opens HQs at United Nations-sponsored embassy buildings in NYC, Paris, Moscow, Lisbon, Tokyo, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Potsdam, and Canberra. Captain Atom and Rocket Red (Vladimir Mikoyan) join the JLI as well. (Mikoyan is merely one—#7 to be exact—of several Rocket Reds, Russian soldiers in high-tech combat-suits.) Moving forward, the JLI will go on a variety of missions, some of which will simply have to be imagined on our timeline below.

–FLASHBACK: From Blue and Gold #4. With Batman remotely monitoring from JLI HQ, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle take on Blackguard in a losing effort. Concerned, Batman orders Guy Gardner to help out. Gardner quickly defeats Blackguard.

–REFERENCE: In Heroes in Crisis #7. Seeing that Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are chummy and also quite the incorrigible troublemakers, Batman begins keeping secret tabs on their extracurricular activities, which are usually harmless and situationally-comedic. Notably, Batman will sniff-out all of Booster and Beetle’s safe houses.

–REFERENCE: In Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #6—originally told in Dr. Fate #3-4. Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson) dies, passing the Helm of Nabu to a new Dr. Fate (Eric Strauss). The new Dr. Fate helps the JLI defeat Anti-Fate and the Lord of Chaos Typhon. Afterward, Nabu makes it so that, while wearing the Helm, Eric’s mind and body is bonded with the consciousness of his wife Linda Strauss. Essentially, Dr. Fate is now a merger of both Eric (mind and body) and Linda Strauss (just mind) à la how Firestorm is a merger of Ronnie Raymond and Professor Martin Stein.

–REFERENCE: In Green Lanterns #24—originally told in Justice League #5. A hot-headed Guy Gardner runs his mouth at a JLI meeting, which leads to Batman knocking him out with just one punch.

–REFERENCE: In Batman and Robin Vol. 3 2024 Annual #1. Batman isn’t involved in any way, but he hears all about Superman’s latest battle against newcomer Bloodsport (Bobby DuBois).

–REFERENCE: In Deathstroke Inc #2—originally told in The Weird #1-4. When the Macrolatts, sentient beings made of pure light from an alternate dimension, attack Earth, their rivals, the Zarolatts, send a champion to fight them. This Zarolatt warrior takes a human host body, becoming the superhero known as The Weird. The JLI teams up with the Weird to defeat the Macrolatts, who briefly take control of a few superheroes.

–FLASHBACK: From Action Comics #978 and Superman: Son of Kal-El #1—and referenced in Action Comics #1051 Part 2. August. When arms dealers attempt to assassinate a nine-month-pregnant Lois, Superman takes her to the safety of the Fortress of Solitude. Despite even more trouble, as an alien armada attempts to take over the planet, the Trinity allows other heroes to handle the situation in order to focus on Lois’ pregnancy. While Batman guards the perimeter of the Fortress, Wonder Woman helps deliver Jonathan Kent (full name Jonathan Samuel Lane Kent aka “Jon”). Batman immediately runs tests on baby Jon. Soon afterward, Lois and Clark take brief maternity and paternity sabbaticals from the Daily Planet and move to a California farm to raise their newborn. Superman also builds a second Fortress of Solitude in the Himalayas and switches to an all-black costume, deciding to keep out of the limelight for a little bit. Superman will switch interchangeably between his black costume and his regular costume during this brief time period. Action Comics #978 makes it seem like the black-costumed Superman will keep to the shadows while residing in California for the next decade, but this isn’t quite correct. Following a short paternity leave, Superman will soon be highly active in Metropolis again. Lois and Clark will be bicoastal, splitting residence between California and Metropolis for the next seven-and-a-half years. And for the next seven-and-a-half years, Jon will be raised (mostly in secret) at the California farm.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1. Batman, having now worked closely with both Mr. Miracle and Big Barda, gains even more insight into the world of the New Gods. Mr. Miracle gives Batman a special method of communicating with both he and certain New Gods, should the Dark Knight need their assistance in the future.

–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 Action Comics #980 and Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #26-27. Batman meets government official Amanda Waller and learns some information about her clandestine program Task Force X, which controls the rotating super-villain covert-ops team known as The Suicide Squad. (Task Force X has existed in secrecy since the 1940s and has been operated by the US Government since that time.) Waller’s current Suicide Squad operations are based out of the Belle Reve Federal Prison in Louisiana.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #999. October 7—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.

–FLASHBACK: From Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Spectacular Part 5. October 7—Bruce’s birthday. Robin gives Batman a birthday gift—Thomas Wayne’s old broken wristwatch, which he and Alfred had found hidden in Wayne Manor months ago. Since the watch is broken, Robin asks to keep it, saying he will return it to Batman when it is fixed.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Three Jokers #1—and referenced in Batman: Three Jokers #1. Originally told in Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #66. Batman fights an escaped Killer Croc, who bites him badly. Eventually, Batman hauls Killer Croc back to Arkham Asylum, interrupting Dr. Roger Huntoon interviewing a visiting John Constantine.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5—originally told in Firestorm The Nuclear Man #64 and Firestorm The Nuclear Man Annual #5. When Firestorm and his partner Firehawk vow to destroy all nukes on the planet, the US Government sends Captain Atom and Amanda Waller’s current Suicide Squad incarnation—Rick Flag Jr, Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln), Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Multiplex, and Slipknot—to stop them. The Suicide Squad quickly bows out of the fight and unleashes Parasite in its place. The Justice League, Firestorm, and Firehawk defeat Parasite. Later, Firestorm leaves to combat Russia’s own nuclear man Pozhar (former Chernobyl disaster victim Mikhail Arkadin) in the deserts of Nevada. Unknown to the combatants, the fight is merely a setup by both the US Government and the Russian Government to destroy the two dangerous entities. They are nuked, but an unexpected result occurs: Ronnie Raymond merges with Pozhar to form an even more powerful Firestorm. NOTE: The merger between Ronnie and Pozhar is only temporary. After briefly becoming a Fire Elemental by merging yet again (this time with Svarozhich), Firestorm will split back up. Svarozhich will die while Pozhar and Ronnie de-merge, going their separate ways. Without knowledge of his country’s duplicity against him, Pozhar will continue working for the Russian government with devout loyalty. Professor Stein will eventually wind up re-merged with Ronnie inside the Firestorm matrix.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Aquaman/Jabberjaw Special #1 Part 2, Justice League of America Vol. 5 #14, and Doomsday Clock #5-6—originally told in Millennium. Manhunter Robots return again, activating sleeper agents embedded within the superhero community in an attempt to take control of Earth. Notably, Rocket Red Vladimir Mikoyan reveals himself as an evil Manhunter, attacking the JLI from within. The Manhunters are defeated by dozens of heroes. Specifically, a bunch of heroes, including Green Lanterns Arisia Rrab and Kilowog, defeat the Manhunter Highmaster to save Earth. Afterward, Mikoyan’s Rocket Red #7 suit goes into the JL Trophy Room. A new superhero team, The New Guardians, debuts as well. The team consists of Harbinger, Extraño, Tom Kalmaku, Gloss, Floronic Man (Jason Woodrue), Dreamer (Betty Clawman), Jet, and Ram .

–REFERENCE: In Red Hood and The Outlaws Vol. 2 Annual #1, All-Star Batman #10, and Batman Vol. 3 #56—originally told in “TEN NIGHTS OF THE BEAST.” Batman fights deadly Russian super-assassin KGBeast (Anatoli Knyazev). In order to evade capture, the Beast severs his own hand. Despite immediately resurfacing with a weaponized robot hand, Batman still defeats him.

–REFERENCE: In The Human Target #4. Thanksgiving. Bruce holds a Thanksgiving dinner for his JLI teammates. Big Barda decides to bring a Parademon to the gathering. Trouble/hilarity ensues. Cranberry sauce is involved.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #957-958. Batman encounters Lady Shiva—Cassie Cain’s mother—for the first time.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights Clayface (Basil Karlo) aboard a cruise ship that has just berthed at one of Gotham’s harbors.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #10 Part 4. Christmas. Bruce and Alfred spend Xmas with Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl (all of whom are in their Bat-Family costumes for some reason, although everyone is wearing an Xmas sweater as well).

–FLASHBACK: From Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1 Part 2. Batman, Robin, and Batgirl bust Joker (the Comedian) and Harley Quinn on Harley’s birthday. (This flashback—a memory narrated by Harley herself—is impossible to place error-free because it supposedly takes place at a time period where: one, Harley is still dating Joker; two, Harley will still be dating Joker a year from now; three, Batgirl is active; and four, Batgirl is wearing her Burnside costume.) So, how do we handle this one? It’s gotta go right here, obviously prior to the events of The Killing Joke, which means the Burnside costume has to be outright ignored.

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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.

–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 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.[15] Unable to control the Anti-Life Entity, Darkseid asks for the aid of his rivals, the “good” New Gods of the interdimensional planet of New Genesis (opposite of Apokolips, home to the Darkseid and the evil New Gods). 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. Batman fights strongman newcomer Amygdala (Aaron Helzinger).

–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 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 Batman: The Detective #3. Henri Ducard meets up with Batman, revealing that he knows he is Bruce under the mask.

–FLASHBACK: From Joker Vol. 2 #15. Batman fights an escaped Joker.

–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, Joker Vol. 2 #9, and Batman Vol. 3 #125—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 #12Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, Batman: Legends of Gotham #1, and Knight Terrors: Robin #1. 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 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, Batman: Three Jokers #1-3, Joker Vol. 2 #3, 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: 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 Detective Comics #999. October 7—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 Flash Vol. 5 #21 and Doom Patrol/Justice League of America Special #1—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. 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.

–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 #68Justice 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 baddies. 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 also referenced in Batwoman: Rebirth #1, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, and Detective Comics #967. 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 thirteen-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.

–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 bus nearly careens off of a cliff edge.

–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.

________________________________________________________________________________________

YEAR TEN (2011)
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–REFERENCE: In Harley Loves Joker #1—originally told in the Batman The Animated Series TV show. Batman rescues Catwoman from Kirk Langstrom’s mentor Dr. Emile Dorian, a Dr. Moreau analogue that does human-animal hybridization experimentation on a remote island with his young assistant Abel Cuvier.

–Wonder Woman Vol. 5 #22
This item occurs exactly eight months and seven years since Wonder Woman first left Themyscira. Wonder Woman volunteers to participate in a date auction for charity in Las Vegas. In attendance are Bruce—in full sociophile playboy persona, surrounded by women—and Lex Luthor. Both men bid top dollar, but Dr. Veronica Cale winds up spending the most dough, winning the date. Veronica secretly wants to analyze Wonder Woman’s powers on behalf of her organization Godwatch. After dinner, Veronica tells a sob story that leads Wonder Woman into battle against human-traffickers. During the fight, Veronica scans Wonder Woman’s metapowers and magick lasso. The next day, Wonder Woman visits and scolds Veronica, having learned that she is connected to the Cheetah and is up to no good.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Giant #1. Batman busts a small-time crook named Frank.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #957, Detective Comics #963, and Detective Comics #971—originally told in Detective Comics #609-609 (“ANARKY IN GOTHAM CITY”). Batman encounters teenage left wing anti-hero Anarky (Lonnie Machin), who hides beneath a large red cloak, holding his mask on a stilt above his head, in order to make himself look taller and hide his age. Anarky’s goal is to, by any means necessary, radicalize the lumpen masses by exposing the damage that decades of neoliberal disinvestment have caused to America. Batman takes umbrage with this, especially the “by any means neccessary” part, and sends Anarky to Juvenile Hall.

–REFERENCE: In Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville #3 and Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville #5—originally told in Justice League America #34. Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, and Kilowog embezzle funds from the JLI to open a resort casino on an island in the Pacific. Max Lord is furious when he finds out, while Batman is somewhat amused. The resort casino doesn’t last long, though, as everyone realizes it’s been built on a sentient living island known as Kooey Kooey Kooey. The angry island crumbles the structure to the ground.

–REFERENCE: In Batgirl Vol. 5 #24. Batman busts members of one of Gotham’s longest-running biker gangs, The Street Demonz.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Lost #1—originally told in Batman #452-454 (“DARK KNIGHT, DARK CITY”). Riddler, possessed by Barbatos, tricks Batman into going through a series of syncretist rituals that lead him to a hidden tomb. There, Batman witnesses hazy vision of 1765 in which several prominent figures, including Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Wayne (Simon Hurt), engage in an occult ritual to summon Barbatos. Hurt sacrifices a young woman named Dominique and considers the summoning a success, coming into contact with the defeated Hyper-Adapter in bat form (which he mistakes for the actual Barbatos). Hurt feasts upon the flesh of the Hyper-Adapter, which endows him with extended life/semi-immortality. Unknown to Hurt and company in 1765, Barbatos has used them as part of an opening rite of his “Mantling” ritual. The City of Gotham is now prepped to become the place of his arrival in just over 250 years’ time. After the vague and inscrutable flashback vision ends, Batman can’t quite make sense of it. Despite having just witnessed the origin story of Simon Hurt and a key part of Barbatos’ plan, Batman has no clue what this hallucinatory trip was all about. Nevertheless, the Caped Crusader finds the skeletal remains of Dominique and gives her a proper burial.

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #2. The Wayne Enterprises Board of Directors orders Bruce to take a psychiatric exam. Bruce is honest during the session, raising many red flags about his state of mind. After putting the Board at ease, the Board demands, for insurance purposes, that Bruce take an annual psych exam. Lucius Fox has Bruce agree to the terms.

–REFERENCE: In Doom Patrol/Justice League of America Special #1—originally told in Justice League Quarterly #2. Skyscraper-tall cosmic designer Mr. Nebula—a former student of Manga Khan’s—arrives to give Earth a gaudy makeover, bedizening up a colossal mess that Batman and the other superheroes are forced to clean up.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League: No Justice #2. Batman becomes aware of Brainiac’s cloned son, Vril Dox 2.0 (aka Brainiac 2.0). The Dark Knight is likely briefed about Vril Dox II by Superman. Batman and Vril Dox 2.0 never interacted with one another in previous eras, so there’s no reason to assume they do in the Rebirth Era either. Suffice to say, Batman would definitely know about the guy.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2—and referenced in Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate #1 Part 1. Batman fights Onomatopoeia.

–REFERENCE: In Superman and The Authority #2. Superman gets one of Batman’s Batmobiles and puts it on display inside his Fortress of Solitude.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Secret Files #1 Part 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.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Superman Vol. 2 #15. Batman fights master assassin Deadline.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #58. At a water park, Harley Quinn whacks Batman in the face with a large pan of lasagna.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Firefly.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The World Part 4. Batman gets word that his Italian friend Cesare, now in his mid teens, is in juvenile hall, having become somewhat of a bad seed. Batman visits Cesare after hearing that the teen has nearly beaten another kid to death. Batman talks to the troubled Cesare atop juvie hall.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Urban Legends #9 Part 2. Tweedledum and Tweedledee attempt to pillage a diamond mine, but Batman infiltrates the cavern with his burrowing Bat-subterrene. Batman takes down all of Tweedledum and Tweedledee’s miners, but the main villains escape using their flying propellor beanies.

–REFERENCE: In Joker Vol. 2 #8. French scientists working for an unnamed criminal organization are able to sneak a sample of Batman’s blood, adding it to their ongoing collection of superhero and super-villain DNA samples.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Scarecrow.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Giant #1. Batman busts an unnamed small-time crook, which nets the bad guy five years behind bars.

–Batman: Arkham – Victor Zsasz Part 12
An escaped Victor Zsasz fights and is bloodied by Batman. Zsasz flees, but Batman tags him with a coagulant. A dizzy and hallucinating Zsasz “butchers” a bunch of store mannequins before Batman brings him back to jail. Note that this item was originally intended for publication in Batman: Gotham Knights #12 (2001), but it wasn’t released until 2020, hence it’s inclusion on the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier timeline.

–Action Comics Special #1 Part 2
Late April. Lois Lane and Clark Kent perform comedy routines at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, with Lois skewering President Obama pretty hard on his use of indiscriminate drone strikes in Africa. Batman does security duty, watching from the rafters. Wonder Woman, Flash (Wally West), and Aquaman are guests, seated near the POTUS. Clark roasts attendee Lex Luthor by making fun of his early costumed super-villain days and showing video of Superman busting Luthor from nearly a decade ago. Afterward, an angry Luthor calls his people and says he is running for president in the next election. NOTE: This is an interesting item to place. Writer Mark Russell seems to be spoofing the White House Correspondents’ Dinner from late April of 2011, in which President Obama and Seth Meyers ripped Donald asshole Trump a new one. As one of many apocryphal stories about Trump deciding to run for office goes, Trump’s fragile ego was so crushed that he decided then-and-there to throw his hat into the ring as revenge. In Russell’s Rebirth Era DCU version, Clark is a stand-in for Meyers and Luthor is a fitting stand-in for Trump. Also worth mentioning, it would seem that Obama’s drone strike usage, in the DCU, was a mainstream news story earlier in the DCU than it was IRL. The Washington Post first reported extensive details of drone strikes in October 2012, but here we are, warts and all, in April 2011. At the end of Russell’s tale, Luthor does indeed tell his people that he’s going to run for office. And Luthor certainly will.

–REFERENCE: In Action Comics Special #1 Part 2 and Action Comics #1004. Lex Luthor publicly announces his candidacy for the Presidency and begins campaigning. Luthor will eventually choose Clark Kent’s childhood friend Pete Ross as his Vice Presidential partner. Ross is married to another childhood friend of Clark’s, his ex-girlfriend Lana Lang.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #51. Batman saves a lady from Joker. This is a vague reference that could be its own thing or linked to almost any other Joker story—and which could occur at pretty much any point on our timeline. You decide.

–FLASHBACK: From Nightwing Vol. 4 #69. Batman and Nightwing fight Penguin and his henchmen.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #1009. Batman has always had a very brooding and disagreeable persona. Because of this, Batman comes to realize just how much it can weird people out when he smiles.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #79. For the fourth time, Catwoman steals the Coner Diamond from the Gotham Museum, but, as before, Batman steals it right back.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Killer Croc.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Harley Quinn.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights Victor Zsasz as the villain tries to escape from Arkham Asylum.

–Batman Secret Files #2 Part 1
Batman creates a brand new “cape defense mode” for his costume—a special button on his costume that stiffens his cape and then causes it to wrap around him like an impenetrable cocoon. Soon after, Joker captures Batman, binds him in chains, and hangs him upside down. Joker tries to remove Batman’s costume, but his costume defenses prevent Joker from doing so. When Joker fiddles with Batman’s utility belt, he accidentally releases some incendiaries. Joker then accidentally activates the new cocoon defense, allowing Batman to escape and kick his ass.

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1000 Part 2. Batman fights an escaped Ventriloquist and Scarface.

–Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #2 Part 3
While Batman chases after an escaped Joker, a random unrelated dude detonates an electromagnetic pulse bomb over Gotham, disabling all electronics and causing the Dark Knight to crash the Batmobile into a spillway drainage ditch. Joker gloats over the dazed Batman, who remains pinned inside his crumpled vehicle. As the damaged spillway wall slowly fills the car with rising water, Joker’s schadenfreude increases with each deadly second. Batman makes a daring escape and busts Joker. We are told Batman will have a long night ahead of him, cleaning up disaster sites all over the city. Presumably, Batman does so.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #964, Detective Comics #967, Detective Comics #970, and Robins #1-2—originally told in Detective Comics #618-621 (“RITE OF PASSAGE”). Anarky (using the codename “Moneyspider”) is able to strike from Juvenile Hall, using his hacker skills to online-transfer a ton of cash from commercialist big businesses and international banks to charitable organizations. Thanks to some ace detective work by Tim Drake, Batman is able to trace the hacks to Moneyspider, putting a stop to Anarky’s illegal (albeit revolutionary) scheme. However, with this bit of good news comes unfortunate bad news. Tim’s parents, millionaire industrialists Jack Drake and Janet Drake, have been kidnapped. Tim discovers that his parents have been taken by The Obeah Man (Makenson Innocente) and brought to Haiti. Batman flies down to Haiti to save them, but is only able to rescue Jack. Janet dies. The Obeah Man goes to prison.

–REFERENCE: In Robins #2—originally told in Batman #455-457 (“IDENTITY CRISIS”). Janet Drake’s funeral is held. Shortly thereafter, Scarecrow uses his drugs to cause regular folks to go on murder sprees all over Gotham. Batman tasks Tim with remotely working the Scarecrow case, assigning it as Tim’s final “gauntlet” training challenge. When Batman is captured by Scarecrow, Tim dons a ski mask and goes after him. Despite taking a dose of Fear Gas and suffering a hallucination of the Obeah Man, Tim is able to defeat Scarecrow and save Batman.

–REFERENCE: In Batwoman: Rebirth #1, Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #7, Detective Comics #965, Detective Comics #975, Flash Vol. 5 #64, Batman: Pennyworth RIP #1, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4. Early July. Having completed his training, Tim becomes the third Robin, donning a costume designed for him by Alfred. Tim will be the most hopeful Robin yet, focused on social justice more than any other superhero before. He will often speak to Batman about progressive ideas that involve new methods of crime-fighting in regard to organization and logistics in an attempt to influence his mentor just as much as the Caped Crusader has influenced him. As referenced in Batman: Pennyworth RIP #1 (and in a nod to his New 52 origin), Tim also takes the nickname “Red Robin,” wanting to differentiate himself the previous Robins. While this is an unofficial name, he does make an alternate “RR” chest insignia, which he will, on occasion, wear into combat.

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Batman Vol. 3 #132. The new Robin (Tim) tells Batman that he’s unsure if he can do the job, and that he’s worried fear will hold him back. Batman reassures him, saying that fear is “what keeps you alive, makes you prepared, and brings you back home by dawn.”

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #974 Part 2. Batman tells his new Robin how similar they are in personality and drive. This is definitely true as Tim is more like Bruce than the previous Robins. Batman, with admiration, will often remind Tim how alike they are, moving forward.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #130. Batman continues training his new Robin. While not seen on our timeline ahead, they will train often. Unlike Dick, Tim will always happily follow the rules, and unlike Jason, Tim will also look forward to training. Tim loves teamwork and discipline.

–Batman: Urban Legends #18 Part 4
When everyone inside Arkham Asylum suffers instant sleep paralysis, Batman and the new Robin are summoned to the prison by a grumpy Harvey Bullock. After administering some epinephrin to an orderly, the Dynamic Duo learns that Dr. Destiny is the culprit. The heroes fight Dr. Destiny and some mind-controlled sleepwalkers, during which Batman sees a vision of Tim getting bludgeoned with crowbars by a bunch of Jokers. While Batman hesitates and calls out Jason’s name, Robin is able to bust Dr. Destiny on his own. Later, Robin asks a shaken Batman if he wants to talk about Jason. The issue ends on that note, but we can assume they have a cathartic conversation about the former Boy Wonder.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21. The JLI puts Dr. Destiny’s original costume and the second version of the Materioptikon on display in the JL trophy room.

–REFERENCE: In Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Battle Lines #1. Batman and Robin fight Maxie Zeus, who uses his Greco-Roman mythology-themed “pantheon” henchmen. While we won’t actually see the “pantheon” henchmen listed on any items on our timeline ahead, Batman and Robin will indeed encounter them again, so we can imagine them randomly attached to future items.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #125. Bruce attends the wedding of his close friend Colin Fitzroy and bride Clara.

–NOTE: In Doomsday Clock #5, Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1 Part 1, and Titans Vol. 4 #5. Nightwing starts a “New Titans” venture. The group features himself, a nearly twenty-one-year old Cyborg, Jericho, Arsenal (formerly Speedy),[16] Starfire, Changeling, Donna Troy, Mirage (Miriam Delgado), Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Red Star, Pantha, and Phantasm (Danny Chase). Shortly after forming, Team Titans (a group of teenage heroes from the future) time-travel back to the present and begin involving themselves in the adventures of the New Titans. Terra II (a clone of the original Terra) is a member of Team Titans, who will quickly become a de-facto member of the New Titans as well. This New Titans venture will only last for a couple months.

–Detective Comics #1000 Deluxe Edition Part 13
Following a tip, Batman busts up a big drug deal that the Ventriloquist (with Scarface) is facilitating. Batman busts the dealers and puts a tracer on the Ventriloquist’s fleeing car. Upon returning to their drug mansion, Ventriloquist and Scarface find Anarky, who is there filming an activist video series about the wealthy “public enemies” of Gotham. Anarky is quickly captured, but Batman crashes into the palatial estate, rescuing the young vigilante and busting the Ventriloquist and his henchmen.

–NOTE: Referenced in Dark Crisis: Young Justice #4—originally told in New Titans #72 and New Titans #83-85. Double tragedy strikes when Golden Eagle is killed by the Wildebeest Society and Jericho is killed by Deathstroke. Don’t worry, though. Golden Eagle and Jericho will soon be resurrected. A benevolent superhero Wildebeest joins the New Titans.

–REFERENCE: In Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1 and Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville #3—originally told in Justice League Quarterly #3. Green Lantern Kilowog and General Glory join the JLI. Mini-robot L-Ron replaces Oberon Kurtzberg as team manager.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4—originally told in Batman vs Predator #1-3. Batman defeats an alien hunter-warrior known as a Predator. (This is but one of a race of many Predators that have hunted “dangerous prey” for sport all over the universe for centuries.) Just as it was in the Modern Age, note that the Predators featured in this item are totally separate from the primary world of the Predator films, books, and comics. To reiterate, the Predators in the DCU proper are alternate universe Predators, different from the ones seen in cinema, Dark Horse Comics, or Marvel Comics.

–REFERENCE: In New Talent Showcase 2017 #1 Part 2, and Robin Vol. 3 #1, and Batman: One Dark Night #1—originally told in Batman #467-469 (“SHADOWBOX”). Martial arts master King Snake (Sir Edmund Dorrance) unifies Gotham’s Chinatown gangs (Ghost Dragons, Steel Unicorns, Steel Sevens, and Black Clouds). Batman and Robin best the gangs and bring down King Snake and his assistant Lynx.

–FLASHBACK: From Tales of the Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman – War of the Gods #1—originally told in “WAR OF THE GODS.” Immortal Greek sorceress Circe—influenced and powered by the witch goddess Hecate—manipulates the major ancient gods to begin warring against one another, using Earth as a battlefield. As the Greco-Roman pantheon—cosmically severed into two groups, a Greek and Roman group—fights against itself, the superheroes of Earth (including Batman, Superman, and Shazam) take on the combined force of the Norse, Egyptian, Babylonian, African tribal, and Thanagarian gods. Not only that, Circe starts an Themysciran civil war and nearly starts a separate conflict pitting the Amazons versus a coalition of various nations. Eventually, the populace of Earth joins with the deities under the command of Greco-Roman Goddess of Earth Gaea, thus defeating Circe and ending her plot.

–REFERENCE: In Infinite Frontier #4—originally told in “ARMAGEDDON 2001.” Time-traveling future superhero Waverider comes to present day warning of a dystopian future where a super-villain called Monarch reigns supreme. Waverider and Batman investigate, discovering that Hawk (Hank Hall) is the person destined to become Monarch. Distraught at the news, Hawk flips-out, becomes Monarch early, and fights a bunch of heroes. During the scuffle, Monarch and Captain Atom are both teleported to another dimension. Waverider then confirms that the dystopian future has been avoided, although a Monarch will still appear in the future. (In a twist of fate, Captain Atom will one day, albeit briefly, become the villainous Monarch, but that won’t happen for a while.)

–REFERENCE: In Doomsday Clock #5 and Year of the Villain #1 Part 2—originally told in Suicide Squad #59-62 (“LEGERDEMAIN”). The ex-dictator of Qurac, Hurrambi Marlo, is held at the Guantanamo Bay-esque Blood Island. Israeli and Arab metahuman teams try to get to Marlo first—the former trying to assassinate, the latter trying to rescue). (The Israeli team is called Hayoth, consisting of Colonel Hacohen, Dybbuk, Judith, Ramban, and Golem. The Arab team is called The Jihad, consisting of Agni, Badb, and Piscator.) Meanwhile, Batman goes to confront Amanda Waller regarding a missing Atom. While at her government office, he runs into a wheelchair-using Barbara Gordon, who is currently working with Task Force X! Waller and Babs tells Batman to piss off. Shortly thereafter, Batman, Superman, and Aquaman go to Blood Island searching for the Atom. There, the heroes clash with Hayoth, the Jihad, and the Suicide Squad—which currently includes Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Count Vertigo, Poison Ivy, Nightshade, Bronze Tiger, The Thinker, and Nemesis (Tom Tresser). The Atom returns, revealing that he had gone undercover to expose a CIA plot, which involves setting up the four-way war on Blood Island and delivering Marlo back into the hands of the Quracis. The messy political conflict comes to a messy and unsatisfactory end for all parties involved.

–REFERENCE: In Tim Drake: Robin #6—originally told in “THE IDIOT ROOT” and Robin II #1-4. Batman travels to Rio de Janeiro to defeat the super-villain known as The Idiot. Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Robin faces off against an escaped Joker all on his own. Batman returns to Gotham just in time to help his sidekick best Joker.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Casting #1. Batman spies-on and learns all about Project Cadmus, a secret super-science organization that, among other bizarre experiments, creates genetically-modified lifeforms known as DNAliens. Batman meets one of Cadmus’ top scientists, a telepathic DNAlien named Dubbilex.

–REFERENCE: In The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 Part 2—originally told in “PANIC IN THE SKY!” Brainiac and Maxima (queen of the planet Almerac) take over Warworld, capture a few New Gods, and invade Earth. In response, Superman assembles a defense army—including Batman, Nightwing, Wonder Woman, Shazam, Flash (Wally West), Aquaman, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), Deathstroke, The Forever People (Beautiful DreamerBig BearInfinity ManMark MoonriderSerifan, and Vykin the Black), Dr. Will Magnus, the Metal Men (Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Platinum, and Tin), Gangbuster (Jose Delgado), Agent Liberty (Benjamin Lockwood), new Dr. Fate (Inza Cramer-Nelson), Mon-El, The Guardian (Jim Harper), a fake Supergirl called Matrix, Dubbilex, Draaga, Thorn (Rose Forrest), and one of the Crimson Foxes. This army fights against Brainiac’s hordes. Eventually, Maxima betrays Brainiac, joining the side of good. The Metropolis Police Department (led by the Special Crimes Unit‘s Detective Dan Turpin), Team Luthor (Lex Luthor’s privately-contracted militia), and STAR Labs’ top scientist Emil Hamilton help the heroes defeat Brainiac once and for all.

–FLASHBACK: From Deathstroke Inc #1—originally told in Deathstroke the Terminator #6-9 (“CITY OF ASSASSINS”). Batman and Deathstroke shake hands, forming a temporary truce in order to team up to bring down Gotham’s top mobsters.

–REFERENCE: In Deathstroke Vol. 4 #41—originally told in Detective Comics #644-646 (“ELECTRIC CITY”). Batman fights the debuting Electrocutioner (Lester Buchinsky).

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #39 and Batman: City of Madness #1—originally told in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-4 (“THE LAST ARKHAM”). In order to find out how Victor Zsasz keeps escaping Arkham Asylum, Batman goes into the belly of the beast, imprisoning himself with Jeremiah Arkham’s permission. Batman fights a bunch of his rogues, including Amygdala (Aaron Helzinger), before figuring out Zsasz’s escape route and busting him.

–REFERENCE: In Robins #2—originally told in Detective Comics #647-649. Cluemaster commits a series of high-profile puzzle-themed heists. Enter thirteen-year-old superhero, Spoiler aka Cluemaster’s daughter Stephanie Brown, who helps the Dynamic Duo spoil her dad’s plans.

–REFERENCE: In Joker Vol. 2 #9. Jim Gordon and Sarah Essen get married.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #972—originally told in Batman #486. Batman defeats one-shot super-villain Metalhead, who wears a spiky all-black S&M ensemble.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #23—originally told in Batman #487. Batman saves Commissioner Gordon’s life from master assassin Headhunter, whose MO is to put two bullets in each victim’s head at close range. After fighting and chasing after him, Batman busts Headhunter, taking notice of an extremely rare white caiman crocodile tooth necklace that the super-villain wears.

–REFERENCE: In Batgirl & The Birds of Prey #11-12 and Year of the Villain #1 Part 2. The wheelchair-using Barbara Gordon decides that she’s not done being a superhero. She takes leave of her gig with Task Force X and becomes the Bat-Family’s resident super-hacker and information-dispatcher, Oracle. As Oracle, Babs also leads her own superhero group known as the Birds of Prey, which features Black Canary and rotating cast of other female heroes. Oracle will also work as an unofficial remote-investigator for the GCPD.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Doomsday Clock #5. Batman’s Outsiders disband. A new version of the team—still operating under the same mission to explore the “dark metal” mystery, but operating more independently from Batman—is formed. This version of the team includes Sebastian Faust, Technocrat, Charlie Wylde, the Eradicator (currently merged with Dr. David Connor), Dervish, Terra II (a clone of the original Terra), and Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi). These Outsiders will continue going on unspecified missions and investigating the “dark energy” signature found in geological anomalies across the globe.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21. The JLE disbands. In its wake, Wonder Woman forms a new Justice League (Justice League America) lineup featuring Superman, Batman, Bloodwynd (J’onn J’onzz), Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, Maxima, Fire, and Ice. This team will co-exist alongside the JLI. (Technically, Batman is on both JL teams, but he’s not very involved with either these days.) Meanwhile, the UN sanctions the creation of a third splinter branch of the JL called the Justice League Task Force. Led by Martian Manhunter and utilizing a rotating roster of members, the JLTF is specifically for covert mission ops.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Part 1—and referenced in Action Comics #976, Action Comics #978, Man of Steel #1, Suicide Squad Vol. 7 #3, Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Part 1, and Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #4. Originally told in “THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN” and “FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND.” Note that Dan Jurgens’ Action Comics #976-978 originally oddly placed Superman’s death and marriage to Lois Lane prior to Jon Kent’s birth (two years earlier), but that was always off and has since been corrected/retconned by Joshua Williamson’s Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Part 1, which returns Superman’s death and his marriage to Lois to their correct chronological place here, mirroring their placement in the Modern Age. Doomsday debuts, dispatching the Justice League (sans Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman) with ease. Doomsday solo, Superman is killed by the monster. A funeral is held and the world mourns. The Eradicator, Steel (John Henry Irons), Cyborg Superman, and Superboy (Conner Kent) rise up to replace the deceased Man of Steel. Note that Conner Kent is a twelve-year-old clone of Superman and Lex Luthor. (As referenced in Justice League Incarnate #5, Doomsday is an agent of the Great Darkness.) Following Superman’s funeral, the JL inducts new members Black Condor (Ryan Kendall) and Agent Liberty (Benjamin Lockwood) into its ranks. Meanwhile, the JLI inducts the new Ray (Ray Terrill) into its ranks. The Ray will actually pull double duty on both the JL and JLI.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #7, Doomsday Clock #5-6, Heroes in Crisis #3, Superman Vol. 5 #30 Part 2, and Green Arrow Vol. 7 #9. Originally told in “BLOODLINES.” The Bat-Family—along with the Eradicator, Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy, Vril Dox II, Lobo, Deathstroke, Etrigan, Elongated Man, Lionheart, Gunfire, the New Titans, Team Titans, the JLI (including new member Tasmanian Devil), and others—fights against the Xenomorph-like Bloodlines Parasites (Angon, Gemir, Glonth, Lissik, Pritor, Slodd, and Venev), which suck people’s spinal fluid out of their bodies, either killing them or turning them into metahumans with random powers. Lissik and Venev create the super-villain Terrorsmith. With the JLI occupied with other Bloodlines Parasites, the JL handles Terrorsmith. Robin teams with the hacker team known as The Psyba-Rats  (RazorsharpChannelHackrat, and Megabiter) to take on Venev. All the heroes, including a handful of new ones inadvertently created by the Bloodlines Parasites (AnimaSparx, Loose Cannon, EdgePrism, Joe PublicMongrel, and Nightblade), combine to defeat and kill the Bloodlines Parasites.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21. The JLI disbands. Several items are placed into the JL Trophy Room, including: one of Blue Beetle’s Bug-ships, some of Big Barda’s weapons (including her original Mega Rod), Dr. Fate’s helmet (a replica or one of several?), and Skeets’ original shell.

–REFERENCE: In Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #13 (Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 Print Edition #7). Originally told in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1-4. Batman meets the current Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley Jr) of the Sacred Order of St. Dumas and his mentor Nomoz Smith. (Jean-Paul is the cloned teenage son of a previous Azrael.) Despite their differences, Batman is forced to team-up with Jean-Paul to take down super-villain Carlton LeHah.

–Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #13-14 (Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 Print Edition #7) (“CATECHISM”)
This item must take place during the brief time where Jean-Paul Valley Jr is still working for the Sacred Order of St. Dumas, hence placement here, right after his debut but prior to joining the Bat-Family. Batman tracks Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins through North Africa, Egypt and Italy. Ra’s al Ghul is after the artifact known as the Vessel of St Januarius, which can supposedly magnify the powers of a Lazarus Pit. After battling for control of an ancient star map created long ago by the Knights Templar, Batman soon finds himself sloshing through catacombs in Venice. Upon recovery of the Vessel in a skeleton-filled vault, Batman is accosted by Azrael (Jean-Paul), who has sworn to defend the artifact for his Order of St. Dumas brethren. After fighting Azrael to a stalemate and convincing him that they are not enemies, Batman is attacked by Ra’s al Ghul, who meets Azrael for the very first time. Outnumbered, Batman and Azrael make a quick escape to the latter’s sanctum. After a history lesson about St Januarius and a hidden Lazarus Pit under Venice, the heroes soon confront Ra’s al Ghul yet again. After Azrael combats both Batman and Ra’s al Ghul simultaneously, bombs are detonated, sealing up the Lazarus Pit for good. With Azrael and Ra’s al Ghul missing, Batman remotely debriefs Alfred and returns home.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman Beyond Vol. 8 #15, Detective Comics #1000 Part 2, Detective Comics #1000 Part 11, Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Blackest Night #1, Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Batman – Knightfall #1, Batman: Three Jokers #1, Joker Vol. 2 #8, Sword of Azrael #1, Batman: One Bad Day – Bane #1, Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU #1, Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #2 Part 4, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol. 2 #4 Part 4—and also referenced in Batman Vol. 3 #17, Detective Comics #987, Batman: Kings of Fear #2, Doomsday Clock #12Batman: Urban Legends #7 Part 1, Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #6 Part 5, the second feature to Detective Comics #1054, and Batman: Legends of Gotham #1. Originally told in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1, Batman #489-490, and “KNIGHTFALL.” New super-villain Bane (King Snake’s son) makes his presence known publicly in Gotham, threatening Batman. After demonstrating his strength by beating up Killer Croc in the sewer, Bane releases all of Arkham’s inmates. Batman and the Bat-Family wear themselves down re-jailing most of them. Bane again fights Killer Croc, who becomes his lifelong rival. Re-apprehending Two-Face, Joker, and Scarecrow proves to be particularly draining to the Bat-Family. Batman eventually defeats Bane’s top henchmen Trogg, Zombie, and Bird (and Bird’s pet falcon Talon) before finally taking on Bane himself. Pumped full of Venom, Bane enters Wayne Manor to crush the weakened Batman, breaking his spine. Bane drags Batman’s fractured body downtown, tossing it into a crowd of stunned onlookers. Alfred and Robin collect Bruce and put him into intensive care. With the public believing Batman has died, Bane instantly becomes the king of Gotham’s Underworld. Due to the severity of his spinal injury, Bruce is out of action for an extended period. Bruce passes the mantle of Batman unto teen superhero and current Order of St. Dumas avenger Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley Jr). Jean-Paul quickly builds a new Bat-costume (his high-tech Az-Bat costume) and begins using immoderate violence while patrolling. Robin and the paralyzed Bruce (now in a wheelchair) both take notice of Jean-Paul’s frenzied anger. The new Batman begins patrolling with Robin, but they sure don’t get along.

–the second feature to Detective Comics #1054
The “Shadows of the Bat: House of Gotham” arc continues here. Having broken Bruce’s back, Bane reigns supreme over a chaotic and burning Gotham. Two-Face, Joker, Scarecrow, and Anarky are all at large as well. In the Batcave, the paralyzed wheelchair-using Bruce speaks with Tim about Jean-Paul and the current situation. Bruce orders Tim to seek out and help the teen that was orphaned by Joker years ago. (Bruce knows the teen isn’t of the same ilk as the rest of the super-villain community.) Robin confronts the orphaned teen and his pal Elliot, taking down the latter. Robin then tries to convince the orphaned teen that he and the Bat-Family want to help him, but he gets interrupted by Batman (Jean-Paul), who goes zero to a hundred and begins chasing and assaulting the orphaned teen, eventually pelting him with razorblade Batarangs and knocking him off a bridge. Paramedics are able to save the orphaned teen’s life.

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Detective Comics #1054—originally told in “KNIGHTQUEST” and “KNIGHT’S END.” It has been a couple months since Bane broke Bruce’s back. The hyper-violent new Batman (Jean-Paul Valley Jr) busts all the remaining Arkham escapees (including Joker, Two-Face, and Scarecrow), roughs up a newcomer called Tally Man, and then defeats Bane. Meanwhile, as he did in the Modern Age and New 52, Bruce makes a miraculously fast recovery. (Some metahuman healing power, magick, or science fiction-type event must occur, helping Bruce heal-up in mere months.) After re-training his body, Bruce returns and takes back the mantle of the Bat from Jean-Paul.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Three Jokers #1, Catwoman Vol. 5 #58, and Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Scorched Earth #1. Batman puts Bane’s luchador costume (complete with Venom-injecting backpack) on a mannequin display in the Batcave.

–REFERENCE: In Trinity Vol. 2 #13. Batman begins fine-calibrating the chemical darts for his tranquilizer gun, noting how many are necessary to take down specific foes. For instance, three darts are (or should be) enough to take down Bane.

–Batman: Kings of Fear #1-3[17]
Batman busts Penguin, who is sentenced to a short stay in Arkham Asylum, marking a rare moment he sees jail time (and one of the rare times he goes to Arkham). Later, Batman captures an escaped Joker and drives him back to Arkham. Just as Batman is about to leave, an alarm rings and a bunch of inmates get loose. Batman kills the lights and, with the advantage of fighting in the dark, is able to defeat Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Bane, Riddler, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Penguin, and Joker. Scarecrow, however, makes it out of the building with an Arkham guard, Kenneth Rhee, as a hostage. Scarecrow then sprays Batman in the face with Fear Gas to make his escape. When Batman comes-to, he visits Rhee’s apartment and speaks with his rentier. Later, after busting some smalltime drug pushers, Batman finds himself face-to-face with Scarecrow and, once again, succumbs to Fear Gas exposure. Thus begins a night of off-kilter patrolling for Batman while Scarecrow tags along, continuously re-dosing the Dark Knight with Fear Gas as he goes along. Batman goes the whole night unable to determine whether or not his routine patrol experiences are real or hallucinations. Eventually, Scarecrow guides the Caped Crusader to the location where he’s detained Rhee.

–Batman: Kings of Fear #4-6
As Commissioner Gordon kicks ass all over town in an effort to locate Scarecrow’s hidden lair, Batman hallucinates, trapped under the dizzying spell of a new strain of Fear Gas. While on the outside, Batman remains poised and silent, inside he faces turmoil, envisioning that Scarecrow has gained access to his mind. In his dream, Batman talks to Scarecrow self-reflection and crimefighting before admitting that his main unrequited love is the city of Gotham itself. Batman convinces himself that almost all his rogues would be good people if not for his own influence on them. Batman also convinces himself that his entire war on crime is regressive, right wing, and draconian, citing that he should have instead used his vast wealth to build a more utopian Gotham. Batman is making a lot of legit points about himself here. Batman snaps out of his vision by hulking-up and giving him self a double-dose injection of Fear Gas antidote serum. He then thrashes Scarecrow just as Commissioner Gordon finds him. Batman drives Kenneth Rhee and a detained Scarecrow back to Arkham. During the ride, Batman fingers Rhee as Scarecrow’s accomplice, but allows him to walk free. Back at Arkham, Batman runs into a doctor that he saved from a mugging five years ago. She tells him that her entire family owes him their lives, citing that she also scared her current husband, former crook Sammy Sanchez, straight. The doc then tells Batman a fun Bat-fact to help keep his chin up: while the super-villains constantly break-out and cause endless chaos, the recidivism rate of non-costumed criminals busted by Batman is only 2%. Back home, Batman chats with Alfred about how Scarecrow got into his head and made him doubt himself. Alfred gives him a pep-talk and tells him that Batman has always been a necessary force for good in the city and that any spin on that is total bunk. Batman settles-in to check junk e-mails from Lucius Fox, but soon heads back out to quell an escape-riot at Blackgate Penitentiary.

–FLASHBACK:From Action Comics #978—and referenced in Action Comics #976Action Comics #978, and Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Part 1. Originally told in “THE RETURN OF SUPERMAN” and Superman: The Wedding Album. According to Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1, a few months have passed since Superman’s death. Cyborg Superman reveals his evil nature, teaming with Mongul to fight Hal Jordan and wipe the hero’s hometown of Coast City off the map with a nuclear explosion. Thanks to Kryptonian technology, Superman comes back from the dead—complete with a black costume and long coiffure. The resurrected Superman defeats Mongul and Cyborg Superman. The world celebrates the Man of Steel’s return. Shortly thereafter, Clark gets engaged to Lois. Wedding invitations are sent out to friends, including Bruce. Shortly thereafter, Bruce attends the wedding of Lois and Clark, who are happily married.

–REFERENCE: In The Green Lantern #5, Doomsday Clock #10, Detective Comics #1010, Dark Nights: Death Metal – Multiverse’s End #1, Justice League Vol. 4 #60, Infinite Frontier #1, Justice League Incarnate #4, and Flashpoint Beyond #5—originally told in Zero Hour: Crisis in Time. When the sky burns bright red and people from alternate universes begin appearing on Earth-0, the superhero community discovers that time itself is being erased and various alternate realities are merging into one timeline. Metron and Waverider announce that the architect of this “Crisis in Time” aka “Crisis II” is none other than two heroes that have turned heel: Hawk (who has been secretly influenced by the Great Darkness and is now calling himself “Extant” instead of Monarch) and Hal Jordan (who has been taken over by an evil yellow energy symbiote called Parallax and secretly influenced by both the Great Darkness and Perpetua). Extant has used the cosmic artifact known as the Worlogog to mess with time and alter reality. In NYC, all the heroes defeat Extant and the possessed Hal, ending the threat of Parallax. Reality is fixed, although countless people’s memories have been permanently altered. After the cosmic dust settles, Wonder Woman moves the JL into a new satellite HQ constructed from the remains of a ship she has claimed as a prize from besting the alien super-villain Overmaster. For the next couple months, Wonder Woman’s JL will have a revolving door lineup featuring many superheroes, ranging from Blue Devil to Yazz. Note that the opening splash pages of Brian Michael Bendis’ Action Comics run are super-meta, containing winks, nods, and Easter Egg references galore. The info from these splashes cover a wide range of narrative, spanning from references that could easily be canon to references that could never ever be canon even with the most bent fanwank imaginable. It is precisely because of this range that Bendis’ opening splashes are not (and were never intended to be) gospel—instead existing more akin to the old non-canon splash pages of the Golden and Silver Ages. But why am I mentioning Bendis’ Action Comics splashes here? The splash from Action Comics #1008 lists the first seven major “DC Crises,” specifically categorizing the “Crisis in Time” as number two. While this splash is non-canon (as per the reasons above), the Crisis list is dead on the money, confirming and adding detail to the other decidedly canonical Zero Hour references.

–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 Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook #1 Part 1. Guy Gardner, who traded in his power ring for Vuldarian metahuman abilities during the Zero Hour “Crisis in Time,” opens a superhero-themed restaurant called Warriors Bar. Batman and a bunch of superheroes visit for the grand opening. Note that Gardner’s Vuldarian switch won’t last that long.

–REFERENCE: In Bane: Conquest #2. Batman fights the underground martial arts gang known as The Monkey Fist Cult (aka The Brotherhood of the Monkey Fist), which is led by the deadly assassin Silver Monkey.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Nights: Metal #1 and Batman: Urban Legends #18 Part 4—originally told in Sandman Vol. 2 #71. Morpheus aka The Sandman aka Dream of the Endless dies, allowing Daniel Hall to become the new Dream. Many of Earth’s superheroes, including Batman, attend Morpheus’ wake (although they do so only in dreams and have no recollection of it afterward).

–REFERENCE: In Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual and Green Arrow Vol. 7 #5—originally told in Green Arrow Vol. 2 #101. Green Arrow is killed during a terrorist bombing. His son, Connor Hawke, becomes the new Green Arrow. A funeral his held for Oliver Queen.

–REFERENCE: In Detective Comics #999. October 7—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 Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #61, Gotham City Villains100-Page Anniversary Giant #1 Part 6, Shazam! Vol. 4 #2-3, and Nightwing Vol. 4 #98—originally told in “UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED.” Several super-villains sell their souls to the King of Hell Neron in exchange for power upgrades. Notably, Killer Moth becomes a monster moth man called “Charaxes” while Blockbuster becomes super-smart. The power upgrades are only temporary, although in the case of Blockbuster, he will later renegotiate, trading more souls to keep his smarts. During the chaos, new vigilante Lock-Up (Lyle Bolton) begins capturing super-villains—such as Charaxes, Allergent, and Two-Face—locking them up in his own personal torture chamber. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon bust Lock-Up. In the end, the world’s superheroes defeat Neron. (As referenced in Justice League Incarnate #5, Neron is directly linked to the Great Darkness.)

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #37—originally told in Extreme Justice #0-1 and Extreme Justice #16. Batman has nothing to do with this item, but he, like the rest of the world, would be well aware of what occurs. The JL (led by Wonder Woman) and the JL Task Force (led by Martian Manhunter) still have the full backing of the UN. Frustrated that he’s been left out of the action, Captain Atom forms a third unsanctioned branch of the Justice League. This group is nicknamed Extreme Justice and features notable sidekick team members The Wonder Twins (Zan and Jayna). Batman never meets the Wonder Twins, who are ten-year-old shapeshifters from the planet Exxor. The Wonder Twins are only around for a very brief period of time before returning to their home planet, but they make quite a splash and are beloved fan favorites across America. We know this fun Wonder Twin entry is canon from the fact that people often choose to dress in cosplay as Zan and Jayna, as first seen in Batman Vol. 3 #37, but also depicted in a couple other Rebirth Era issues as well.

–REFERENCE: In Bane: Conquest #12—originally told in Batman: The Vengeance of Bane II. Bane is a shadow of his former self, wasting away in Blackgate Penitentiary. (He was transferred there from Arkham Asylum.) In fact, he’s gotten so soggy that fellow inmate KGBeast kicks the shit out of him just for fun. After suffering this humiliation, Bane decides to get back into shape. Bane talks to a therapist about his horrible childhood growing up in a Santa Priscan prison, and how the only positive thing in his life was his prized teddy bear. Bane’s therapist gets him a teddy bear as a gift. A revitalized Bane, having earned KGBeast’s respect, gets his help to fly the coop. Bane then meets with Batman and helps him bust some Venom dealers. Bane tells Batman that he was once an innocent child, and he will no longer be driven by hate. Batman lets Bane go, and the latter departs the US in search of his father, King Snake.

–FLASHBACK: From Batman: Black and White Vol. 5 #5 Part 5. Nightwing and Batman get into an unspecified argument in the Batcave, with Alfred trying to play peacemaker. This Jamal Campbell flashback shows that Nightwing has switched to a more modern costume (sans yellow) and has long hair—a reference to the mid 1990s Chuck Dixon era of Nightwing, but mashed-up with Nightwing’s New Batman Adventures animated TV look from the late 1990s.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Knightwatch – Batman Day Special Edition #1 (Batman: Knightwatch #1). Batman puts Nightwing’s original costume (the modified blue-and-yellow Flying Grayson outfit) into a display case in the Batcave.

 –REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #21—originally told in Aztek: The Ultimate Man #6-7. Batman tracks an escaped Joker to Vanity, OR. There, the Caped Crusader teams with Aztek to defeat Joker, sending him back to Arkham Asylum.

–REFERENCE: In Outsiders Vol. 5 #5—originally told in Hitman #1-3 (“A RAGE IN ARKHAM”). Hitman Tommy Monaghan accepts a job to bust into Arkham Asylum and execute Joker. Aware of the Joker hit, Batman confronts Tommy, who vomits on the Dark Knight and then gets arrested. Tommy immediately escapes from jail and heads right back to Arkham where he starts shooting at everyone before coming face-to-face with an eight-armed, gun-toting demon known as Mawzir, who has been sent from Hell to recruit Tommy to become the new Earthly killing agent for the demonic duo known as The Arkanonne. Tommy shoots Joker and then turns down Mawzir by shooting at him as well. While Batman reluctantly saves Joker’s life, Tommy defeats Mawzir and the Arkanonne.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1 Part 1 and Nightwing Vol. 4 #89—originally told in Teen Titans Vol. 2 #1. While Batman is not involved in this at all, he surely would be aware of the details. The Atom (Ray Palmer) is magickally de-aged into a teenager. Instead of getting upset, the Atom forms his very own version of the Teen Titans, consisting of rookie superheroes Prysm, Risk, Hot Spot, and Argent. This team will last until next year, and the Atom will become an adult again.

–REFERENCE: In Suicide Squad Vol. 5 Annual #1—originally told in Scare Tactics #11. When one of the members of Scare Tactics, a teenage pop group comprised only of metahumans and monsters, turns up dead in Gotham, Batman is on the case and interrogates the remaining members of the band—werewolf Fang, vampire Scream Queen, and muck monster Gross-Out. Eventually, Batman learns that the “murder” was done by Gross-Out but as an assisted suicide. Scare Tactics then goes from band to superhero trio.

–REFERENCE: In Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #39. Batman busts husband-and-wife assassin duo Gunhawk (Liam Hawkleigh) and Gunbunny.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #36. Batman busts the cowboy-themed sibling robbers known as The Trigger Twins (Tod Trigger and Tad Trigger).

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Justice League Vol. 3 #39, Green Arrow Vol. 6 #31, Adventures of the Super Sons #1, and Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 8 #5—originally told in JLA #1-4 (“NEW WORLD ORDER”). The Justice League disbands. In its place, the team reforms as the Justice League with a new stronger “Big Guns” lineup—Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Flash Wally West, and Aquaman (who has a temporary prosthetic harpoon hand, having recently lost his hand in battle). (Note that the JL Task Force and Extreme Justice still exist, but they will both quietly disband in a few months.) The first threat the new “Big Guns” JL deals with is the White Martian group known as The Hyperclan (Armek, Protex, Primaid, ZüM, A-Mortal, Fluxus, Tronix, and Zenturion). The Hyperclan destroys the JL Satellite, but are eventually defeated. (As usual, all the JL trophies are saved.) After defeating the Hyperclan, the JL keeps the robotic head of Armek, along with the costumes of Protex, Primaid, and ZüM. All of these items will eventually wind up in yet another new JL Trophy Room. In fact, following the defeat of the Hyperclan, the new JL constructs a massive HQ on the Moon known as The Watchtower, complete with all the amenities, including a trophy room.

–REFERENCE: In Wonder Woman #793. Batman gets to know the Watchtower intimately, studying blueprints and schematics. He also familiarizes himself with emergency protocol, alert signals, tech, and various hidden compartments.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 4 #1. Now that the Earth’s superheroes have a permanent presence on the Moon, Batman sees the entire lunar surface as a potential battlefield or target. Thus, the paranoid Dark Knight secretly plants bombs all over the Moon. These explosives, strong enough to destroy the entire Moon, will act as a last-ditch emergency failsafe.

–REFERENCE: In Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 #9 (Legends of the Dark Knight Vol. 2 Print Edition #5). Batman studies in the Watchtower’s vast library, learning part of the Martian numerical system and alphabet.

–REFERENCE: In Wonder Woman #793—originally told in Justice League The Animated Series TV show (season 1, episode 1-3). The Justice League (with John Stewart and Hawkgirl) prevent an invasion by a horde of shapeshifting aliens collectively known as The Imperium. (This is the origin story of the Justice League for the Justice League The Animated Series TV show, but obviously it is not an origin story on our primary timeline.)

–REFERENCE: In Justice League Vol. 4 Annual #1 and Batman Vol. 3 #129—originally told in Justice League The Animated Series TV show (season 1, episode 4). The Justice League builds a series of sleek spacecrafts, each known as the Javelin. These ships will be stored in every iteration of JL headquarters, moving forward.

–REFERENCE: In The Green Lantern #4-5, The Green Lantern: Blackstars #2, Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual, Knight Terrors: The Flash #1, and Green Arrow Vol. 7 #5—originally told in “THE FINAL NIGHT.” A baby Sun-Eater (Starbreaker’s alien species) arrives in the Milky Way Galaxy, threatening all life on Earth. While adult Sun-Eaters appear as regular humanoids (à la Starbreaker), larval Sun-Eaters are massive amorphous Black Holes capable of devouring entire stars whole. (The Green Lantern #4 reveals that Sun-Eaters return to their massive living-Black Hole forms when they reach geriatric age as well. Thus the life cycle of a Sun-Eater starts out as giant baby star-devouring cloud, then regular-size humanoid, and then a return to giant baby star-devouring cloud. Fun! This particular second-cycle infant Sun-Eater is Starbreaker’s mother.) She immediately engulfs the sun, causing the Earth to plummet into a darkness that the news outlets label “The Final Night.” As riots begin all over the panicked planet, the superhero community—including relative newcomer Alpha Centurion—buckles down to maintain order. While the Bat-Family protects Gotham, Batman and a drained Superman bust Vandal Savage in Paris. Batman also busts a rampaging Man-Bat. Hal Jordan uses the power of Parallax to resurrect Oliver Queen and single-handedly destroy the Sun-Eater, thus saving the Earth, but at the cost of his own life. Having gone over a week straight without sunlight, Superman seemingly loses his powers completely. A funeral is held for Hal. Note that there are now two Green Arrows, Oliver Queen and his son Connor Hawke.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #29 Epilogue, Adventures of the Super Sons #2-3, New Year’s Evil #1 Part 2, and Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual. As a reaction to having not gotten any sunlight for over a week (during the previous “Final Night” episode), Superman’s Kryptonian physiology unexpectedly changes him into a blue electromagnetic energy being. Blue Superman dons a new cape-less “electric” containment-suit costume and continues his superhero adventures with a new looks and slightly altered power set. Note that, in the Modern Age, Superman Blue was a thing for both a full in-story calendar year and a full year’s worth of publications as well. In the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier Era, it’s for a much shorter time period.

–FLASHBACK: From Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1 Part 4. The Justice League—electric blue Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Wally West), Kyle Rayner, Martian Manhunter, and harpoon-hand Aquaman—mobilize into unspecified city action.

–FLASHBACK: From Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual—originally told in JLA #6-9. Connor Hawke (the new Green Arrow) joins the Justice League. The JL goes on an unspecified mission with Aztek, who is not yet a member of the team.

–REFERENCE: In The Green Lantern #5—originally told in The Spectre Vol. 3 #62. Detective Jim Corrigan dies, leaving the Spectre host-less. Batman attends Jim Corrigan’s funeral. (Don’t forget, Batman still has no idea that Corrigan was ever linked to the Spectre.)

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21, Dark Days: The Forge #1, and Justice League Vol. 4 #1—originally told in JLA #11-15 (“ROCK OF AGES”). Lex Luthor forms a new Injustice Gang featuring himself, Joker, Ocean Master (Orm Marius), Mirror Master II (Evan McCulloch), Circe, and Dr. Light (Arthur Light). The new Injustice Gang debuts by threatening the Justice League with the cosmic-powered Philosopher’s Stone, alternately known as the Worlogog, in which part of the Source resides. Metron introduces the JL members to the android Hourman from the 853rd century (Matthew Tyler) and shows them how to deal with Luthor and his cronies. Plastic Man officially joins the JL roster, helping to defeat Luthor and the Injustice Gang on his very first mission with the team. Afterward, the Worlogog goes into the JL Trophy Room. Luthor is able to distance himself from any illegalities following this affair.

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21 and Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #1—originally told in JLA: Paradise Lost. Fallen angel Zauriel and the Justice League get stuck in the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell as the fallen angel Asmodel teams with Neron (King of Hell) to battle the empyrean seraphim. The war ends when Neron begins infighting with Asmodel. Afterward, Zauriel becomes the newest member of the JL. Zauriel’s original cloak and flaming sword will go into the JL’s Trophy Room when he eventually goes back to Heaven.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Nights: Death Metal #5—originally told in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #69-70. Batman teams-up with the new (temporary) wearer of the Helm of Nabu, Jared Stevens, who simply goes by the name Fate. Batman and his new version of Dr. Fate defeat the wizard Malochia and a spirit of the apocalypse.

–REFERENCE: In Year of the Villain #1 Part 2 and Dark Crisis: Young Justice #2—originally told in JLA Secret Files and Origins #2 Part 1. The new “Big Guns” JL holds a membership drive to update its roster to: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Kyle Rayner, Flash (Wally West), Plastic Man, Zauriel, Steel (John Henry Irons), Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Artemis, and Oracle.

–REFERENCE: In Dark Nights: Death Metal #1. Batman saves John Zatara from Neron. As a token of appreciation for saving her dad, Zatanna gives Batman the Cloak of Erasure, which can turn its wearer invisible.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 #125. Bruce and Tim attend a high society event. Colin and Clara Fitzroy rib Bruce, telling him he needs to settle down. Bruce and Tim will attend several more events with the Fitzroys in the years to come (although they won’t be listed on our timeline).

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21—originally told in JLA #16-17. The new “Big Guns” Justice League is taken down by the debuting Prometheus, who infiltrates Watchtower security. Catwoman, while attempting to steal from the Watchtower, winds up saving the day, defeating Prometheus, who retreats to Limbo (aka Purgatory aka The Ghost Zone). (Note that Catwoman has switched to yet another new costume—an all black leather piece with a zipper and attached goggles, designed by the legendary Darwyn Cooke.)

–REFERENCE: In Flash Vol. 5 #21—originally referenced in JLA Secret Files and Origins #2 Part 2. The Justice League acquires a Kirby Dot from the illustrious Professor Kirby! The Kirby Dot goes into the JL Trophy Room!

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America Vol. 5 #29 Epilogue, Adventures of the Super Sons #2-3, New Year’s Evil #1 Part 2, and Robin Vol. 3 2021 Annual. Superman’s electric powers falter, causing him to split into two separate energy forms (blue and red) before returning back to status quo (and to his prior uniform).

–REFERENCE: In the second feature to Harley Quinn Vol. 3 #22-25, Batman Vol. 3 #115, and Arkham City: The Order of the World #6. Batman encounters The Wonderland Gang, a Lewis Carroll-inspired crime group that includes Mad Hatter, Tweedledum, Tweedledee, The Carpenter (Jenna Duffy), The Lion, The Unicorn, The WalrusDormouse, and two rabbits (a male March Hare and female March Harriet). The Carpenter is responsible for constructing the gaudy hideouts of most of the super-villains in Gotham.[18]

–FLASHBACK: From Detective Comics #1052. Batman rescues Dr. Chase Meridian (a very welcome cannon-immigrant from the film Batman Forever), who had been strung up to a crane with explosives set to go off at any minute. We are only given vague details—notably that a masked super-villain’s girlfriend left him for Dr. Meridian, which led to the unnamed villain putting Dr. Meridian in this precarious death trap. The crane is speckled with green lights and has a somewhat question mark-ish shape, so Riddler is likely the man in question (pun intended), which would also reflect Batman Forever.

–REFERENCE: In Batman: Urban Legends #11 Part 4. Ace the Bat-Hound either dies or retires to a nice home (use your imagination). We aren’t told the final fate of the original Ace, but we do know there will be a second Ace, so the original has to go away, hence this item.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League Vol. 3 #37. The Justice League (with Hal Jordan) defeats Shaggy Man in East St Louis. During the tumultuous battle, the heroes save a teenager named Joshua Andre Christian (aka Diesel aka Deez). One of Deez’s unnamed friends suffers severe injuries to his legs when falling debris hits him. Note importantly that this flashback shows just about every hero wearing incorrect anachronistic costumes. Ignore all their looks.

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<<< Rebirth Era Years 2-5 <<< ||| >>> Rebirth Era Year 11 >>>

  1. [1]COLLIN COLSHER: Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 contains a one page splash entitled “Ollie’s Stupendous Chili Recipe (Just Like Mom Used to Make)”, which features an actual chili recipe and this era’s Justice League sampling the dish, with varied funny meta-responses. While this page is amazing, it isn’t meant to be canon (and isn’t listed in the table of contents)—it’s just meant to be a bit of meta fun.
  2. [2]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman: The World Part 14 follows this item as the final entry in the Batman: The World title. However, it is non-canon, featuring a samurai Batman that lives in the Feudal Era of Japan.
  3. [3]COLLIN COLSHER: In the opening sequence of Justice League Vol. 3 #39, the Fan makes fun of the JL’s previous Watchtower incarnation on the Moon (originally created at the start of Morrison’s “Big Guns” JLA run). Besides this initial reference point, there are numerous references in other Rebirth Era/Infinite Frontier books to the Hall of Justice and to other previous JL satellite HQs, including the lunar Watchtower. Furthermore, in Adventures of the Super Sons #1, Damian says that the JL has gone through a dozen HQs by the summer of 2018. (It’s actually a few more than that!) Note that the complete JL HQ history has been canonized in the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier Era. This includes all story moments that relate to the JL’s HQs, including the creation and destruction of multiple Watchtowers, which you will see further down the road on our chronology.
  4. [4]COLLIN COLSHER: The Rebirth/Infinite Frontier Era doesn’t specifically give a birthday month for Damian. However, it does say that Damian is 14-years-old in early 2021—as per Robin Vol. 3 #1. Therefore, I’ve presented a timeline wherein which Damian is born now (roughly March 2007), which allows him to turn 14-years-old in 2021. Technically, it is possible for his birthday to be a tad later this year, but that’s up to your personal headcanon.
  5. [5]COLLIN COLSHER: According to family history, like his mother before him, Damian does not really have a last name. However, the Westernized version of his full name, while incorrect in Arabic, is “Damian al Ghul.” The use of “Damian al Ghul” (with surname) is basically acceptable grammar even though it’s technically wrong.
  6. [6]COLLIN COLSHER: The troubling origin of Tim Fox was originally told in Batman #330-333 and DC Retroactive: Batman – The 70s #1. However, the Modern Age version of things is much different. In those issues, Batman and Robin track down Tim (Lucius Fox’s estranged delinquent son from a previous marriage), who is mixed up with the notorious Watkins Gang. With help from Talia al Ghul, the Dynamic Duo convinces Tim to leave his crew. But shortly thereafter, a copycat Terrible Trio—funded by Talia—causes mayhem in Gotham. Batman, Alfred, and Lucius Fox bust the rookie baddies, learning that the new Vulture is none other than Tim, who gets sentenced to a short jail term and becomes estranged from his family for many years to come. Obviously, writer John Ridley has completely retconned away that original tale, replacing it with what we have listed in the synopsis attached to this item above.
  7. [7]COLLIN COLSHER: What are the mini-Crises that come prior to the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” on our current timeline? First, the original meeting of the JL and JSA versus the Crime Champions (originally “Crisis on Earth-1 and 2” aka “Crisis on Multiple Earths”). Second, “Crisis on Earth-x.” And third, the JL’s first team up with the 31st century Legion of Super-Heroes versus Mordru (originally “Crisis in the 30th century”). Notably, “Crisis on Earth-3” isn’t on our timeline, having been replaced by a version of JLA: Earth-2, which occurs after “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” There’s also no reference to “Crisis from Yesterday and Tomorrow” or “Crisis Above Earth-1,” so they have both been left off our timeline. “Crisis on New Genesis and Apokolips” wouldn’t have happened yet by this point on our timeline, but it’s a moot point since it is non-canon on the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier timeline.
  8. [8]COLLIN COLSHER: An interesting note about Elasti-Girl aka actress Rita Farr. Doomsday Clock #3 tells us she was born in 1954 to Rachel Drake and Frank Farr, who was cheating on wife Barbara Stanwyck at the time. This makes Elasti-Girl 53-years-old. Despite her age, we can assume her elastic powers allow her to look way younger than she actually is. And an interesting note about Robotman, as learned in Gerard Way’s Doom Patrol series, is that he is a fictional character that has come to life.
  9. [9]COLLIN COLSHER: Originally, Billy Batson was around seven-years-old at the time of his debut. On the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier Era timeline, he’s seemingly even younger—possibly four-years-old—at the time of his debut. This is due to the fact that he’s still in high school as of 2023. However, if you think four-years-old is a bit of a stretch, there are other options. Time travel is a big part of Mark Waid’s Captain Shazam mythos, so it’s possible that all of the hero’s appearances in this era, maybe even all prior to 2015, are made possible via time-travel from the future. On Reddit, there are many other theories as well. Some posit that Billy debuts a bit older, but he gets de-aged during the original Crisis, Zero HourInfinite Crisis, Final Crisis (or all four). Others say that Billy debuts a bit older, but he doesn’t age when he’s the Captain, and after a bit of complicated math, he could wind up being of high school age by 2023. Basically, there’s no consensus. All we know is that Billy is in high school by 2023. Choose your own headcanon whenever you see the Captain ahead, especially prior to the era of our timeline that is based upon New 52 stories.
  10. [10]COLLIN COLSHER: Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? All that exists is the blank nothingness of the Overvoid aka Overmonitor, an omnipotent and infinite-sized living void. (Note that Mar Novu will also later call himself both “Monitor” and “Over-Monitor,” likely as a nod to the original.) While nothing yet exists in the various dimensions of the multiverse, the Overvoid acts as a potential incubator for future life. Within the Overvoid reside the Great Hands—The Source (aka The Presence aka The Hand of the Light aka The White Hand of Creation aka The Great Hand of Creation, later to be known as the Abrahamic God) and its polar opposite the Great Darkness (aka the Hand of the Great Darkness). It’s unclear if the Hands of Light and Darkness are spawned from the Overvoid or vice versa, but at some point, other Great Hands are born forth from the Overvoid, such as the Empty Hand (who is linked to the Great Darkness) and the Judges of the Source and Perpetua (who are both linked to the Source). (Despite being associated with the Light, Perpetua goes rogue and rebels against the Source.) Notably, 2022’s Justice League Incarnate #5 reveals the Empty Hand as the “right hand” of the Great Darkness and Darkseid as the “left hand” of the Great Darkness.

    Cut to twenty billion years ago. From the 6th Dimension, Perpetua partly creates the local multiverse, which comprises matter, anti-matter, and dark matter. (Perpetua is either manipulated by or openly aiding the Great Darkness.) Perpetua also creates monitors for matter, anti-matter, and dark matter—and thus, Mar Novu (The Monitor), Mobius (The Anti-Monitor), and Alpheus (The World Forger) are born. Perpetua is also “mother to the seven primal cosmic energies,” creating those Dark Forces as well. Alpheus’ job, besides monitoring over dark matter, is to sculpt potential new universes from the World Forge aka the Forge of Worlds, a “place of creation and beginnings” that is seemingly bi-located in both the Dark Multiverse and in the 6th Dimension. Alpheus—along with his minion Barbatos—spends the next five billion years creating new universes based upon the hopes and fears of all living things (i.e. gods and celestial beings), doing so using a cosmic hammer and anvil at the World Forge. The most stable worlds are allowed to ascend into the multiverse above whereas the unstable ones descend into dark matter to form the Dark Multiverse. In direct reaction to all of Perpetua’s actions, the Source creates a living embodiment of light known as The Entity, which also acts as part-demiurge of the Multiverse, spawning the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum in an effort to counteract Perpetua’s machinations. (The Great Darkness will in turn create the Anti-Life Entity, continuing the never-ending trend of oneupmanship between the rival Great Hands.)

    Because the cosmology of the DCU has been fleshed out by various creators, there remains some lingering confusion. It’s worth addressing this confusion in order to clear things up. In Justice League Vol. 4 #22, James Tynion IV implies that Perpetua herself could be the original Great Hand, but in Dark Nights: Death Metal #1, Scott Snyder says definitively that she isn’t while simultaneously reconfirming that the Source and the Presence are one and the same. In Dark Nights: Death Metal, Snyder hints that Perpetua was around from the get-go while also revealing that she is but one of several Great Hands. In the finale of Dark Nights: Death Metal, the original Great Hand appears to be Perpetua, but this is only part of Perpetua’s failed attempt to recreate everything in her own image, not a legitimate depiction of history. It’s clear that Perpetua is a Great Hand, but not one of the original Great Hands. Justice League Incarnate #4 confirms that Perpetua is not the original Great Hand while better explaining the Great Hands concept in general by flashing back-to Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #50. Justice League Incarnate #4 also connects the Great Darkness to the Empty Hand, confirming the latter is a minion/emanation of the former.

    In terms of a publishing perspective, the Great Hands, Mar Novu, Mobius, Alpheus, and Barbatos are the same incarnations from as far back as the Golden Age. As referenced in James Tynion IV’s Justice League Vol. 4 #22, they are super-celestials existing on a high enough plane of existence that they’ve literally survived and bore witness to all the reboots! There’s plenty of precedent for this fictive concept as it reflects Kal-L and Superboy-Prime in Infinite Crisis, über Brainiac in Convergence, the emanations of the New Gods from The Multiversity Guidebook, The Keeper from Bryan Hitch’s Justice League Vol. 3, and others (notably Dr. Manhattan and the Great Darkness). However, writers would be wise to not have pre-existing characters live through reboots. Anytime you try to fuck with a prior continuity, paradoxes emerge. And paradox is the cousin of continuity error. Now, Tynion’s use of the precedent here isn’t as clunky as Jeff King’s use of it in Convergence, but it does fall extremely close, giving us a flashback to the pre-original Crisis (Silver Age) timeline. It’s one thing to reference prior continuities and reality-alterations, but to actually show old timelines outright is a dangerous game. It would make so much more sense (from the quantum mechanical/metaphysical perspective) to have ultra-cosmic characters simply be aware of prior reboots. That way, paradox is avoided while the same narrative effect still remains. In any case, while the New 52 continuity demonstrated that the Great Hand of Creation was a time-displaced Volthoom, this idea has been erased, replacing Volthoom with the Source/the Presence. It’s possible that a time-displaced Volthoom had some influence on the creation of the multiverse, but he’s not the original Great Hand.

  11. [11]COLLIN COLSHER: Note that Alexander Luthor was originally from Earth-3, Superboy-Prime was originally from Earth-Prime, and Kal-L was originally from Earth-2. Of course, since the 1980s, when Crisis was first published, the infinite Earths (along with their designations and histories) have undergone several changes. As such, we shouldn’t regard these characters as coming from the current iterations of Earth-2, Earth-3, and Earth-Prime—hence the reason why I’ve simply listed them each as coming from various non-specified alt-Earths from within the omniverse.
  12. [12]COLLIN COLSHER: Depending on the writer, the language pertaining to Barry Allen’s death here in “Crisis I” is variable. Most writers refer to it as a legitimate death whereas others, notably Mark Waid in Dark Crisis: Big Bang, say that Barry merely gets “lost in the Speed Force.” One could easily argue that “getting lost in the Speed Force” is akin to death—if not a fate worse than death. After all, in Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi becoming “one with the Force” meant his death.
  13. [13]COLLIN COLSHER: The “metaverse,” a term conceived by Geoff Johns in 2019, is a type of continuity, but one different from (and outside of) fictive story-driven flow attached to fantasy narrative timelines. Johns’ metaverse is not to be confused with the more commonly known use of the word metaverse, which is defined as any virtual reality cyberspace. For DC Comics, the metaverse (maybe better named “fictional metaverse”) can be described as the literal complete publication archive of DC Comics since the 1930s—scilicet, a real world publication progression as it appears to the level of creator/reader (our reality). As invented timelines move and and go through reboots, relaunches, and writer switches, these massive changes can be measured via the manifestation of the metaverse. To explain it another way, metaverse-continuity shows a history where Superman appears out of the ether in 1938 (his Golden Age debut), then gets split in twain in the 50s (dawning of the Silver Age), then rebooted into one character in 1986 (original Crisis Modern Age reboot), then rebooted into a new character in 2011 (Flashpoint New 52 reboot), etc. Unlike regular fictional timelines, the metaverse only has one single chronicle whereas the former has myriad accounts. To behold metaverse history is to behold an unexpurgated, singular, real life publication history. Conversely, omniverse/multiverse history consists of multiple fictive timelines (Golden Age, Silver/Bronze Age, Modern Age, New 52, Rebirth/Infinite Frontier, etc). In other words, while there have been and will continue to be many omniverse/multiverse timelines, there can only ever be one metaverse.
  14. [14]COLLIN COLSHER: Jon is ten-years-old as of Adventures of the Super-Sons #1-12, which is specifically a summer story occurring in Year 18 (it happens in-between school years). So this means that Jon is ten-years-old during summertime of Year 18, which in turn means that the latest he can be born is September of Year 8. “Warworld Saga” confirms this timeline, stating that Jon is nearing twelve-years-old in late Year 20. Unfortunately, Superman: Son of Kal-El #9 tells us that Jon turns eleven-years-old in Year 18, which would not only push his birth a year earlier on our timeline but contradict Adventures of the Super-Sons, “Warworld Saga,” and Brian Michael Bendis’ original conception of Jon’s age from “Unity Saga” as well. As such, the data from Superman: Son of Kal-El #9 should be ignored. In Action Comics #978, Lois tells Superman she is pregnant, and she’s not yet showing, which would put her—at the absolute latest—toward the end of her second trimester (fourth month, maybe four-and-a-half months, maybe five if we really push it).
  15. [15]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.
  16. [16]COLLIN COLSHER: As referenced in Green Arrow Vol. 6 #23, Speedy had a falling out with Green Arrow about four years ago, changing his name to Arsenal and going solo at that time. We are told Roy’s switch to the Arsenal moniker occurs roughly a decade prior to Year 16, meaning at some point in Year 6. As such, Roy has actually been Arsenal for a while now.
  17. [17]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman: Kings of Fear #2 has a double-splash mural flashback featuring key players from Batman’s past. Every one pictured is a big name, except for a stern-looking brown-haired woman in the middle, who artist Kelley Jones shows talking to Batman. Who is this? Only Jones knows.
  18. [18]COLLIN COLSHER: In the Modern Age, the Tweeds were the secret leaders of the Wonderland Gang. In the New 52, they were merely “foot soldiers” in the group. In the Rebirth Era, it is strongly implied in Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1 Part 2 that Mad Hatter is leader of the Wonderland Gang, but we still don’t know which pair of Tweeds are in the group. It could be Dumfree and Deever or Dumson and Deever.

35 Responses to Rebirth Years Six to Ten

  1. Ryan Angelastro says:

    In the Rebirth version of Death of Superman, What Justice League members did Doomsday fight before he fought Superman?

    • Great question! In the original comics, the JL featured Maxima, Fire, Ice, Blue Beetle, Bloodwynd (J’onn), Guy Gardner, and Booster Gold. In the Rebirth Era, Superman’s death (and return) happen decidedly out of order from when they originally did in the Modern Age—as made clear in Action Comics #976-978. As such, when Superman dies in the Rebirth Era, we are dealing with a much earlier version of the team (Aquaman, Atom, Black Canary, Elongated Man, Flash, Green Arrow, Hal Jordan, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Red Tornado, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna). So, yeah a TOTALLY different team. I guess we could assume that those other heroes also fought Doomsday, although we’d have to retcon that being their debuts (aside from J’onn, of course). I’d probably stray from that concept and just put the old school JL into the new version of the story.

      • Ryan Angelastro says:

        Could it be replaced by the animated Death of Superman movie from 2018 along with its sequel Reign of the Supermen?

        • I don’t ever mix the animated movies onto this timeline, as they take place on another timeline in the Omniverse somewhere, so I personally wouldn’t do that. But if you are asking the question of whether or not the narrative of the Death of Superman film (and its sequel) could conceivably fit, one could play that game I suppose. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the films, so I can’t say for sure. (While I’m up to my neck in comic books every day, I rarely watch adaptations to TV or film, believe it or not!) Upon a glance at the cast list on Wikipedia, it looks like maybe Cyborg and Martian Manhunter are both on the Justice League in the film. Is that so? That right there would go against Rebirth canon, in which Cyborg left and Martian Manhunter replaced him (shortly after the original JL debut).

  2. Dylan says:

    With Billy Batson having been restored to at least High School aged by one of the various unreboots (as confirmed by the DC Festival of Heroes Anthology) and Rebirth Shazam being seemingly out of continuity (given that its Superboy Prime story is totally incompatable with Death Metal’s), I would wager that Captain Marvel’s continuity has probably been largely restored to his pre-flashpoint state.

    This is just a side note, but on my person timeline, despite Superman/Shazam: First Thunder saying otherwise, I do think that the cleanest way to make Shazam work in terms of age is to have him debut just before his appearance in Legends, assuming (and this is a total asspull) that he was around seven when he first became Captain Marvel, like he was in Young Justice (the television show).

    That would place him right around High School age, especially if you allow for him having delayed certain grades as a result of both spending time as a full-time superhero and having spent a period of time homeless.

  3. Dylan says:

    If you’re curious as to how Green Arrow and Roy Harper were involved with the original Seven Soldiers in the 40s, this week’s Stargirl/Seven Soldiers special revealed that at some point early in their careers, Ollie and Roy were accidentally displaced into the 40s by Clock King.

  4. Drive a Sandwich says:

    The item retelling “Invasion” mentions a Robin taking part in the conflict, even though, as Jason just died and this is before Tim takes on the mantle, there should be no active Robin.

  5. Dylan says:

    > Suicide Squad Vol. 7 #3 , which occurs in 2021, shows that Amanda Waller has a database of images depicting Conner Kent’s history, including his actions with Young Justice. Since Conner doesn’t exist, the images must merely exist as a nod to the “fractured” false memories of his time with Young Justice, which come into the collective consciousness when he eventually appears on our timeline. In the very same issue, Nocturna also mentions something is off about Conner’s history

    Are we sure that Conner’s history doesn’t exist? It seems more likely to me that, similar to how people couldn’t remember Speedsters who were in the Speed Force during Flashpoint but their history still exists, his presence in Gemworld during Flashpoint resulted in him becoming part of the collective memory block, as Gemworld is multiversal. I could be wrong here, though.

    • Dylan says:

      As a follow up: the reason Superboy’s recall of his history is noted as weird is because he’s heavily implied to be a clone of the ‘true’ Conner Kent given fake memories; regular Conner Kent is out doing Conner Kent shit, as evidenced by the Tim Drake story in Urban Legends.

      • I’m mega confused by Superboy (Conner Kent). Brian Michael Bendis made it very clear that Conner Kent was the Conner Kent from the Modern Age (transplanted from continuity to continuity), not someone that had been merely forgotten… That was always a bad choice IMO. And now you have other writers simply writing Conner as if he’s always been around but was just forgotten a la the Speedsters…

        So, I think that you may be correct in thinking that we need to change Superboy’s past to match the erasure-history path. Either way it’s a mess.

        In regard to the possibility of the Suicide Squad Conner being a clone, I’ll reserve jumping to that conclusion until it’s officially revealed in the title. But as always, thanks for the notes!

  6. Dylan says:

    On an unrelated point from my last comment:

    > Soon afterward, Lois and Clark take sabbaticals from the Daily Planet and move to California to raise their kid right. Superman also builds a second Fortress of Solitude in the Himalayas and switches to an all-black costume, deciding to keep out of the limelight while raising his son for a few years to come. Superman will switch interchangeably between his black costume and his regular costume for the next decade.

    I’ve honestly just kind of accepted that the Action Comics – Superman Reborn Aftermath timeline is at least partially nonsense, at least in terms of outfits, etc.

    Personally, this is what I think works better, though this entirely bullshit headcanon that may be in contradiction to actual textual evidence:

    They have Jon, and then they move to the farm in Hamilton, commuting to Metropolis; this makes their presence in Metropolis stories in the interim less weird. Years later, some version of the original Pak Truth storyline takes place, resulting in Lois being forced to expose Clark’s identity. For their protection, THIS is when Jon and Lois move to the farm in California and take the surname White. After Mxy impersonates Clark and convinces the world that Clark and Superman aren’t one in the same (as he did in pre-Superman Reborn), they then move back to Hamilton, where their history continues as normal.

    • I like this idea a lot too, Dylan. The Hamilton Farm and black costume are really only a thing once you get to the “New 52 Era” of the timeline, so if we mirror things as they were released, then the continuity feels better. I’ll take a look at this too. At the very least, I’ll add your info here in a footnote.

      • Dylan says:

        Wait, something just clicked for me.

        Why do you have Jon as being born in Year Six if he’s only chronologically 11 years old?

        • Dylan says:

          Er, Ten.

          • Where does it say that Jonathan is chronologically 10-years-old? Damian is 14, and I always thought that he and Damian were only a few months apart?

            • Dylan says:

              Off the top of my head, Superman #9, plus Super Sons #6 establish him as ten, which is part of why he isn’t allowed to join by Damian (because he is literally not yet a teenager). I think it’s mentioned in Super Sons of Tomorrow, too.

              The age gap between them was always three years, which is Tom Taylor made such a big deal about Damian being 14 now, because it maintains the same age gap, just reversed.

              • Dylan says:

                Is this why you have Superman’s death so early in the timeline? I’d always been confused about that, but if you’ve been operating under the mistaken assumption that Jon Kent is meant to be 13/14, I totally get it.

                • Yeah, basically I’ve been going off of the rough timeline from Action Comics #978, and I’ve always thought of Jon and Damian being closer in age due to the fact that they were in school together. The early placement of Superman’s death is simply to accommodate Jon’s age… But if Jon is younger, then that fixes A LOT!

                  I see that Jon is still 10-years-old as of Adventures of the Super Sons #5 (as you noted), which would move things a bit. Thanks, Dylan!

                  • Dylan Robinson says:

                    Is there any particular reason you still placed it before the first Crisis?

                    • Jon is ten-year-old as of Adventures of the Super-Sons #1-12, which is specifically a summer story occurring in Year 18 (it happens in-between school years). So this means that Jon is 10-years-old during summertime of Year 18. This means that the latest he can be born is June of Year 8.

                      In Action Comics #978, Lois tells Superman she is pregnant, and she’s not yet showing, which would put her at the very very latest toward the end of her second trimester (fourth month, maybe four-and-a-half months, maybe five if we push it). This means that Superman’s death and resurrection must go AT LEAST four months prior to Jon’s birth. That is why I have it before Crisis I.

                      But i’ll see what can be done to push it later. I think maybe the Adventures of the Super Sons story can get pushed to the end of summer maybe? The internal timeline for that one is already pretty sketchy… In any case, that would allow for Superman’s death to at least go after Crisis I.

  7. Sephcloud says:

    About wonder woman 80 years, it’s clearly not Kendra but Shayera/Shiera talking to Wonder Woman. (which seems much more logical, since Kendra appearedmuch later after Shayera…)

  8. Dylan Robinson says:

    Hey! I gave Sheridan’s Shazam mini another reread and it seems abundantly clear that Billy Batson’s pre-Flashpoint history has been restored. At the very least, the book makes multiple explicit references to the interactions between Billy and Neron from Underworld Unleashed that can’t be explained as New 52 interactions, because New 52 Billy doesn’t have any recorded interactions with Neron.

  9. Dylan Robinson says:

    Some news regarding Jon Kent’s age prior to his expedited. According to Clark in Action Comics #1038, albeit a heavily wounded Clark, Jon would have been turning twelve ‘soon’, which would make him late in his eleventh year. In theory, that would mean you could push up Jon’s birth to Year 9, right, and resulting move the Death of Superman to Year 8?

  10. JDMA says:

    Oh hey, Kid Flash should be on the New Teen Titans team listed, as per the recent Cyborg #1. Maybe earlier sources too, he’s been consistently depicted with that generation for some time, but Cyborg #1 is the most solid one I can think.

  11. Nueport says:

    Weird question but seeing a reference to Nightwing/Magilla Gorilla made me wonder… is there any Scooby-Doo/Batman crossover canon to the Rebirth/Infinite Frontier era universe, or are they all probably non-canon? (I figure they are, but I’m curious!) Apologies if this is covered later on down the line, but I’m using this site as a reading guide of sorts and who knows when I’d come across it with how much ground there is to cover. Awesome site, by the way, this has been helpful for me in many ways regarding my adventures with the exploits of the Bat-Family!

    • Hi! Thanks for the kind words! The Scooby Doo/Batman crossover books are meant to be set in their own unique continuity. There was a brief moment a few years ago where DC was trying really hard to integrate grim n gritty Hannah Barbara characters into their main line, but it didn’t last very long.

      • Nueport says:

        Thanks for the response! Yeah, I figured that was the case, just wanted to make sure. If I could make any DC story canon, it would be the Scooby-Doo meets Batman and Robin episode of the New Scooby-Doo Movies, if only to canonize “bat-milk-and-cookies.” I’d also just love to believe that Mystery Inc. is somewhere out there in the main DC Universe… maybe someday!

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