So I have Batman The New 52 comics by volume and I’ve read almost all of them, but I’m stuck because I feel I’m missing something. I’ve looked it up online but I really didn’t find a for sure answer. So I know folks here in DC Universe can help me out. I need to find out the reading order of The Batman comics. Can anyone help? Thanks!
And Scott Snyder has made my favorite Batman! Just thought I’d throw that in too.
The reading order on that series is fairly sequential by issue number, with the exception of the Zero Year arc which takes place before everything else in the series. I think issue #0 and another issue or two (sorry, I don’t remember exactly which ones offhand) and…maybe one of the annuals take place at different times. Everything else is consistently linear as I remember it at least.
Is there something else about the series you’d like clarification on?
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What do you feel like you’re missing? The basic order is volume 1 to 10. Some people switch it up and put 4 and 5 at the beginning since that’s an origin story, but either way is fine.
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So, maybe I goofed. Are you inquiring about the reading order of the entirety of The New 52 Batman titles or just the core Batman title itself?
There are many N52 Batbooks. Be it those that star Batman or those that star characters that relate to him somehow.
I’ve heard Comic Herald is a good resource for reading order information (never used it myself, but other members here have vouched for it).
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I can vouch for Comic Book Herald. It’s by far the greatest site for reading orders that I’ve come across.
What you’re probably missing is the story of Damian’s death (which took place in Batman Inc. Vol 2) and another story involving Gordon being under suspicion of something or other (I believe that happened in Detective). As much fun as Snyder’s run can be I have to say that its really held back by the fact that it doesn’t stand on its own as much as Morrison’s or even Tom King’s does.
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I don’t remember offhand, but does Snyder’s run mesh with Batman and Robin in any way? I know that neither series explicitly ties into the other, but maybe there were things from when Bruce brought Damian back in Batman and Robin that were then mentioned in Batman? I’ve not read that material since it came out, so I’m drawing a blank.
Honestly here’s the secret, if you read issues in order you read them as they were originally published. But it doesn’t really matter
The thing you need to keep in mind about the New 52 is that a lot the comic series intersect with one another. For example the Court of Owls arc takes place across Batman, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Batwing, Batman: The Dark Knight, Detective Comics, Catwoman, and even Birds of Prey. That’s probably why you feel like your missing something. If you’re just reading the “Batman” run, you’re only getting a percentage of the story.
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@ToP, Night of the Owls is the crossover you’re referring to. All Star Western #9 is also part of that.
Just a head’s up 
@Vroom. That’s right, I forgot. I’m following a different reading order, so I wound up reading four volumes of All Star Western before I even got to Night of the Owls.
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@Vroom the crossover between the various Batman series from new 52 is very minor…everything had a Night of the Owls crossover but you could safely skip all lf them outside the core book. Death of the Family was not as widespread beyond the core book and the other Batfamily books (but not Detetective or Dark Knight). Where you really feel the connection the strongest is with Damian’s death at the end of Batman Inc. Obviously the aftershock of this event was most heavily felt in Batman and Robin (where the story followed up with Damian coming back to life) but every book ultimately touched on the loss at least a little.
Of all the New 52 Batman titles oddly enough I think the one that was most self contained was probably The Dark Knight which also probably offered the greatest diversity of classic villains.
@TheDemonEtrigan, that’s right I remember all of that now. Thanks.
I really enjoyed Batman: The Dark Knight while David Finch was on it. I think Batman and Robin is an underrated gem from start to finish.
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@vroom I’m looking for the order to all N52 Batman comics I’m reading them and I’m on detective comics and there is a part where catwomen has taken control of the underground kingpin. I’ve read them in somewhat order but after Damian’s death it gets pretty patchy.
Here’s an order for all of the Batman and Bat-Family titles along with some team titles (Justice League) and major events. Not a mandatory reading list, so feel free to skip whichever ones don’t interest you, but hopefully this helps you sort out the titles you already have/want.
Justice League Vol. 1: Origin
Teen Titans Vol. 1: It’s Our Right to Fight
Batman Vol. 1: Court of Owls
Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill
Batgirl Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection
Nightwing Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes
Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Trouble in Mind
Batwoman Vol. 1: Hydrology
Batwing Vol. 1: The Lost Kingdom
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 1: Redemption
Huntress: Crossbow at the Crossroads
Catwoman Vol. 1: The Game
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: Faces of Death
Batwoman Vol. 2: To Drown the World
Batman, Incorporated Vol. 1: Demon Star
Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls
Batman: Night of the Owls
Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 1: Knight Terrors
Batgirl Vol. 2: Knightfall Descends
Nightwing Vol. 2: Night of the Owls
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2: Scare Tactics
Birds of Prey Vol. 2: Your Kiss Might Kill
Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2: Cycle of Violence
Catwoman Vol. 2: Dollhouse
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 2: The Starfire
Justice League Vol. 2: The Villain’s Journey
Batwoman Vol. 3: World’s Finest
Batwing Vol. 2: In the Shadow of Ancients
Teen Titans Vol. 2: The Culling
Worlds’ Finest Vol. 1: Lost Daughters of Earth 2
Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Batman and Robin Vol. 2: Pearl
Batman and Robin Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Batman, Incorporated Vol. 2: Gotham’s Most Wanted
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 3: Emperor Penguin
Nightwing Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 3: Mad
Batgirl Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Talon Vol. 1: Scourge of the Owls
Catwoman Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Birds of Prey Vol. 3: A Clash of Daggers
Teen Titans Vol. 3: Death of the Family
Justice League Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis
Worlds’ Finest Vol. 2: Hunt and Be Hunted
Justice League: Trinity War
Justice League Vol. 4: The Grid
Batman Vol. 4: Zero Year: Secret City
Batman Vol. 5: Zero Year: Dark City
Forever Evil
Justice League Vol. 5: Forever Heroes
Batwoman Vol. 4: This Blood is Thick
Birds of Prey Vol. 4: The Cruelest Cut
Forever Evil: Arkham War
Batwoman Vol. 5: Webs
Nightwing Vol. 4: Second City
Batgirl Vol. 4: Wanted
Catwoman Vol. 4: Gotham Underground
Batman and Robin Vol. 4: Requiem for Damian
Batman and Robin Vol. 5: The Big Burn
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 4: League of Assassins
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 5: The Big Picture
Nightwing Vol. 5: Setting Son
Teen Titans Vol. 4: Light and Dark
Batman/Superman Vol. 1: Cross World
Worlds’ Finest Vol. 3: Control Issues
Worlds’ Finest Vol. 4: First Contact
Batman/Superman Vol. 2: Game Over
New 52: Futures End Vol. 1
Justice League Vol. 6: Injustice League
Batman/Superman Vol. 3: Second Chance
Batman/Superman Vol. 4: Siege
Teen Titans Vol. 5: The Trial of Kid Flash
Batwing Vol. 4: Welcome to the Family
Batman Vol. 6: The Graveyard Shift
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 4: The Wrath
Batman Eternal Vol. 1
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 5: Gothtopia
Catwoman Vol. 5: Race of Thieves
Batwing Vol. 5: Into the Dark
Batgirl Vol. 5: Deadline
Birds of Prey Vol. 5: Soul Crisis
Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 4: Clay
Batwoman Vol. 6: The Unknowns
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 6: Icarus
Batman Eternal Vol. 2
Grayson Vol. 1: Agents of Spyral
Catwoman Vol. 6: Keeper of The Castle
Batman and Robin Vol. 6: The Hunt for Robin
Batgirl Vol. 1: The Batgirl of Burnside
Batman Eternal Vol. 3
Gotham by Midnight Vol. 1: We Do Not Sleep
Batman and Robin Vol. 7: Robin Rises
Gotham Academy Vol. 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy
Batman Vol. 7: Endgame
Arkham Manor
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 7: Anarky
Joker: Endgame
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 6: Lost and Found
Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 7: Last Call
Multiversity
New 52: Futures End Vol. 2
New 52: Futures End Vol. 3
Worlds’ Finest Vol. 5: Homeward Bound
Teen Titans Vol. 1: Blinded by the Light
Convergence
Batman Vol. 8: Superheavy
Gotham Academy Vol. 2: Calamity
We Are Robin Vol. 1: The Vigilante Business
Red Hood/Arsenal Vol. 1: Open For Business
Robin, Son of Batman Vol. 1: Year of Blood
Grayson Vol. 3: Nemesis
Batgirl Vol. 2: Family Business
Batman/Superman Vol. 5: Truth Hurts
Teen Titans Vol. 2: Rogue Targets
Robin War
Grayson Vol. 4: A Ghost in the Tomb
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 8: Blood of Heroes
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 9: Gordon at War
Batgirl Vol. 3: Mindfields
Batman Vol. 9: Bloom
Batman Vol. 10: Epilogue
Batman and Robin Eternal Vol. 1
Batman and Robin Eternal Vol. 2
Grayson Vol. 5: Spiral’s End
Robin, Son of Batman Vol. 2: Dawn of the Demons
Justice League Vol. 7: The Darkseid War, Part 1
Justice League: Darkseid War – Power of the Gods
Justice League Vol. 8: The Darkseid War Part 2
Batman/Superman Vol. 6: Universe’s Finest
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@Dece thanks for the help I can’t wait to read them in perfect order.
All you guys are awesome thanks again!
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No problem! Don’t get your hopes too high when trying to read things in “perfect” order though - often times, not even the writers can agree on order as they are writing their stories. It can be extra tricky with trade paperbacks because you read things in chunks where it might make sense to go back and forth between titles for some issues. Sometimes the end of one trade might spoil the middle of the next, but the list above tries to minimize that. Reading orders can be a headache, but that’s ok - the beauty of comics is in their characters, stories, and art; not necessarily the timeline in which all these things take place. Happy reading!