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Batman Rebirth Reading Order (From the Monster Men to Batman’s Wedding, City of Bane, The Joker War and more)

With the end of the New52/DC You era, the DC Universe entered the Rebirth era. A new beginning of sorts, with a new creative team taking charge of the Dark Knight.

Batman was rebooted and began shipping twice monthly. In August 2016, the third volume of Batman written by Tom King, with artwork by David Finch and Mikel Janín, began from #1, but Detective Comics (from Writer James Tynion IV and artists Eddy Barrows and Alvaro Martinez) resumed its original numbering system starting with June 2016’s #934.

If Batman famously centered on Batman, his relationship with Catwoman, and his fight to save Gotham, Detective Comics became for a time a team book with Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and Clayface, led by Batman and Batwoman.

As always, there were more Batman series. In fact, Scott Snyder came back for more with All-Star Batman. There also were Batman and the Outsiders and some major events like Dark Nights: Metal (and Death Metal), The Joker War, and some less important ones.

What to read before Batman Rebirth?

First, you can explore the Batman New 52 era or even follow The Batman Modern Age Reading Guide. However, as it is a new beginning, you’ll need an introduction to the famous DC Universe: Rebirth #1 that explains why it’s a reboot. It’s about how the world of the Watchmen collided with the DC Universe and the return of Wally West.

Batman Rebirth: The Deluxe and Omnibus Collection

Before taking a more detailed look at Batman’s adventures during the Rebirth era, let’s point out that DC Comics collected some parts of this era in bigger, sometimes more prestigious collections like the deluxe edition and omnibus.

Batman by Tom King

This new collection launched in 2024 is specifically collecting everything Tom King wrote (and co-wrote) during his run on Batman, this includes the main ongoing series, but also other stories in and out of continuity.

  • Batman by Tom King Book One
    Collects Batman: Rebirth #1; Batman (vol. 3) #1-6, 9-22, The Flash #21-22, and Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1.
  • more to come…

Batman Rebirth in Omnibus

Batman Rebirth Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe Edition is a collection of prestige hardcover books.

James Tynion’s Detective Comics

The Batman Rebirth Reading Order

And now, let’s begin. We are looking at a reading order for Batman’s series during the Rebirth era, meaning the regular ongoing Batman series, Detective Comics, and Snyder’s All Star Batman for the most part, but also Batman & the Outsiders, Batman/Superman, and other books.

Batman Beyond - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingThis is when Batman Beyond started. This is the series based on the animated series of the same name about a future Batman.

Watchmen - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingBatman/The Flash: The Button Deluxe Edition
Collects Batman #21-22 and The Flash #21-22. This is part of the Watchmen Extended Universe.

Batwoman - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingThis is when the new Batwoman solo series started, following the adventures of Kate Kane.

Super Sons - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingThis is when the ultra popular Super Sons series. It’s a team-up of Damian Wayne and Jon Kent, the children of the two main DC Comics heroes.

Batman who laughs - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingDark Nights: Metal – Big Event Alert. Beyond our universe, there is the Multiverse … and beneath the Multiverse is a nightmare realm where every fear that has ever been felt on our Earth becomes reality. Now an evil force as old as time wants to drag us down into the shadows, into the realm of never-ending terror. You can find here the reading order for this massive DC Comics event.

Catwoman This is when the Catwoman solo series started. The new solo adventures of DC Comics’ cat burglar.

Heroes in Crisis - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingComing from Batman writer Tom King, the storyline of Heroes in Crisis introduced us to a new kind of crisis in the DC Universe. Sanctuary is an ultra-secret hospital for superheroes who’ve been traumatized by crime-fighting and cosmic combat. But something goes inexplicably wrong when many patients wind up dead.

Batman - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingBatman: Universe (Optional)
Collects Batman: Universe #1-6. written by Brian Michael Bendis, Batman is pushed to his limit as he sets off in search of an item with the potential to destroy the universe as we know it!

Batman who laughs - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingThe Batman Who Laughs
Collects The Batman Who Laughs #1-7 and the one-shot special issue The Batman Who Laughs: The Grim Knight. More of the Dark Universe by Scott Snyder.

There was to be a DC Year of the Villain Omnibus at this point, but it has been canceled. Instead, you can check out the reading order for this year-long event to know more about it.

Event Leviathan - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingEvent Leviathan is a crossover event (by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev) that follows a team of the best DC Comics’ detectives who investigate the infiltration and apparent destruction of various intelligence agencies by the group known as Leviathan.

This storyline is now available in Batman: City of Bane: The Complete Collection (collecting #75-85). This is the END of Tom King’s run on the main Batman series.

This is the beginning of James Tynion’s run on the main Batman series, picking up after Tom King left prematurely the book. We have a Bat-Guide dedicated to it, if you are searching for more context.

Joker Batman - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingBatman: The Joker War is taking us to issue #100 of the series with a story in which The Clown Prince of Crime and the Dark Knight Detective go head-to-head for the last time in this DC Comics Saga.

Batman who laughs - Batman Rebirth Reading Order Tom KingDark Nights: Death Metal is the follow-up to Dark Nights: Metal that put an end to this era. The story starts when the DC Universe is enveloped by the Dark Multiverse. The Justice League is at the mercy of the Batman Who Laughs. Humanity struggles to survive in a hellish landscape twisted beyond recognition, while Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman have all been separated and must fight to survive.

  • Dark Nights: Death Metal Omnibus
    Collects Dark Nights: Death Metal #1-7, Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal Infinite Hour Exxxtreme! #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal Legends of the Dark Knights #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal Multiverse’s End #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal Rise of the New God #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal Robin King #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal The Last 52: War of the Multiverses #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal The Multiverse Who Laughs #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin #1, Dark Nights: Death Metal Trinity Crisis #1, and Justice League #53-57.

Batman Rebirth: The Out of Continuity Stories

As always, Batman’s universe expands beyond the limit of the DC regular ongoing series. The following books are stories published during the Rebirth era that are not considered part of the main continuity.

After Batman Rebirth

This is the end of another era. Now, it’s time for Infinite Frontier. But between the two, there is Future State, a short publishing initiative that offers hints about what’s to come in the DC Universe.

If you want to explore a lot more of Batman’s adventures, we got you covered, just follow the guides:

We also wrote reading orders for Nightwing, Jason Todd/Red Hood, Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain/Batgirl, Damian Wayne, Azrael, and Catwoman. More to come.

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