This is in particular for all the Marvel fans. Ha ha. Kidding. While there are so many great graphic novels out there for the (Batman) fans, it’s hard to follow where the comic fits is the storyline without researching on Wikipedia. Often in the research, you end up reading the spoilers. And sometimes when you read one without reading the prequel, you are left clueless. And the graphic novel that you just purchased, now has almost has no value to you.To make your life easier, Game Druid has put together a recommended reading order for Batman Comics.
First disclaimer, this does not have all the graphic novels – with all the crossovers and the spin-outs, it’s almost completely impossible to simply put it as a list (probably need a massive billboard to trace it). Second, this is the reading order until the New 52 reboot happened. Third, the list is in order of the events in the story line (and not by order of Publication).
Year One (Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli)
Monster Men (Matt Wagner)
Mad Monk (Matt Wagner)
The Man Who Laughs (Ed Brubaker, Doug Mahnke)
Long Halloween (Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale)
Catwoman: When In Rome (Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale)
Dark victory (Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale)
Robin: Year One (Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, Javier Pulido, Marcos Martin)
Batgirl: Year One (Scott Beatty, Chuck Dixon, Marcos Martin, Alvaro Lopez)
Batman: The Gauntlet (Lee Weeks, Bruce Canwell)
The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years (Hilary Bader, Bo Hampton, Terry Beatty)
Nightwing: Year One (Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens)
The Killing Joke (Alan Moore)
The Cult (Jim Starlin, Bernie Wrightson)
Death in the Family (Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo)
Batman: The Sword of Azrael (Dennis O’Neil and Joe Quesada)
KnightSaga (Knightfall, Knightquest, KnightsEnd) (Various)
Cataclysm (Chuck Dixon, Jim Aparo and Scott McDaniel)
No man’s land Vol. 1 – 5 (Various)
JLA: Tower of Babel (Mark Waid)
Bruce Wayne: Murderer (Ed Brubaker and Scott McDaniel)
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Vol. 1, 2 & 3 (Various)
Hush (Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee)
War Drums (Andersen Gebrych, Bill Willingham)
War Games (Act One, Two & Three) (Ed Brubaker & Various)
Identity Crisis (Brad Meltzer, Rags Morales, Joss Whedon & Michael Bair)
Under the Hood Vol. 1 (Judd Winick)
War Crimes (Andersen Gebrych, Devin Grayson, Bill Willingham, Bruce Jones)
Under the Hood Vol. 2 (Judd Winick and Doug Mahnke)
Red Hood: The Lost Days (Judd Winick, Jeremy Haun, Pablo Raimondi)
JLA: Crisis of Conscience (Geoff Johns, Allan Heinberg)
JLA: Infinite Crisis (Geoff Johns, Phil Jimenez, George Perez)
Face the Face (James Robinson, Don Kramer, Leonard Kirk)
Batman and Son (Grant Morrison, Andy Kubert)
Black Glove (Grant Morrison, Tony S. Daniel, J.H. Williams III)
Heart of Hush (Paul Dini, Dustin Nguyen)
Batman R.I.P. (Grant Morrison, Tony S. Daniel, Lee Garbett)
Final Crisis (Grant Morrison, J.G. Jones, Doug Mahnke)
What Ever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Neil Gaiman)
Battle for the Cowl (Tony S. Daniel)
Long Shadows (Judd Winnick)
Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn (Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan)
Batman and Robin: Batman vs. Robin (Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Dustin Nguyen)
Life After Death (Tony S. Daniel)
Time and the Batman (Grant Morrison and Various)
Return of Bruce Wayne (Grant Morrison and Various)
Bruce Wayne: The Road Home (Various)
Batman and Robin: Must Die (Grant Morrison, Frazer Irving, David Finch)
Batman and Robin: Dark Knight, White Knight (Various)
Batman Inc. (Grant Morrison, Yanick Paquette and Chris Burnham)
The list specifically excludes the Elseworlds & One-Shots that do not have continuity in the story arcs. Like Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. If you do plan to read it, do so after Batman Year One and follow it with The Dark Knight Strikes Again.
A recommended reading for the Morrison’s run on Batman is The Black Casebook by Bill Finger & Edmond Hamilton. No connection to the actual story arc, however after you have read this – you will understand the foundation of his story. He had done his homework. Recommended to read after Bruce Wayne: The Road Home.
If you have any concerns on the continuity order, leave a comment with your thoughts or drop a line to contact@gamedruid.in.
