| Author |
Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
 |
| Posted on 13-11-2008 22:03 |
|
|
I just got really into Batman a few months ago, but at first I was having trouble getting too into it, because I was incredibly confused by all the restarts, and continuity rewrites, and Crises, and stuff like that. I'm a huge continuity nut. So I'm attempting to make a modern continuity list, so I know roughly what trade paperbacks and stuff I should buy if I want the whole MODERN continuity, without all the crazy rewrites and stuff. So, look this over, feel free to make any additions or changes. I'd really appreciate it.
1.) Batman: Year One
2.) Batman: The Man Who Laughs
3.) Batman: Year Two: Fear the Reaper
4.) Batman: Haunted Knight
5.) Batman: The Long Halloween
6.) Batman: Dark Victory
7.) Batman: The Gauntlet
8.) Robin: Year One
9.) Batman: Fortunate Son
10.) Batman: Strange Apparitions
11.) Batgirl: Year One
12.) Batman: The Killing Joke
13.) Nightwing: Year One
14.) Batman: A Death in the Family
15.) Batman: Year Three
16.) Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying
17.) Robin: Rite of Passage
18.) Robin: A Hero Reborn
19.) Batman: Knightfall
20.) Robin: Flying Solo
21.) Batman: Contagion
22.) Batman: Legacy
23.) Batman: Cataclysm
24.) Batman: No Man's Land
25.) Batman: Harley Quinn
26.) Batman & Huntress
27.) Batman: As the Crow Flies
28.) Batman: Death and the Maidens
29.) Batman: Hush
30.) Robin: Unmasked!
31.) Batman: War Drums
32.) Batman: War Games
33.) Batman: War Crimes
34.) Batman: Under the Hood
35.) Identity Crisis
36.) Infinite Crisis
37.) Batman: Face the Face
38.) Batman & Son
39.) Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul
40.) Batman R.I.P.
What do you think? Am I on the right track? |
    
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Darknight
Posts: 1010
Location: NW Arkansas
Joined: 26.06.05
|
| Posted on 14-11-2008 10:54 |
|
|
I am not familiar with the Robin: Rite of Passage trade. It may be set after A Hero Reborn, but I am not sure.
Your list looks pretty good. I think that the Batman and the Monster Men and Batman and the Mad Monk trades are around Year One, so you may want to add those. I've never read them though.
Since you have Strange Apparitions (great story by the way) you will also need Dark Detective. It is a pseudo-sequel by the same creative team.
Also keep in mind that some Year One stories are modern for the time they were released and include flashbacks. You are probably familiar enough with everything to not be disoriented, but it could be jarring.
I prefer to use a cover date approach to continuity. Everything I have is organized by the cover date. That way I am not worrying about reboots or additional stories set in the early years. Without even realizing it, I have pretty much always subscribed to Grant Morrison's take on Batman continuity: Everything written in the last 70 years happened. It may have not influenced anything else, but it happened. To me that is cleaner than trying to figure out what is still in canon.
 |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Tartan Jack
Posts: 307
Location: South Caroina
Joined: 30.11.06
|
| Posted on 14-11-2008 16:29 |
|
|
The main issue of Batman and Superman continuity is that they have had to "weather" VAST world changes that radically affected comic books, even pop-fiction (which includes comic books), and how they dealt with society and storytelling. Batman and Superman have ALWAYS been affected by their times, which means the themes, tones, story lines, artistic style, and much more.
Marvel has had a MUCH tighter continuity, as most has only existed under a fairly small creative team for a MUCH shorter time and with less outside "forces" influencing how the stories unfolded.
The multiple "reboots" or "re-establishing" a coherent continuity are based on a revisioned version of past classics in light of the contemporary "base" vision of the Batman character and the extended "bat-family."
Actually, the very NATURE of that "family" has varied over the decades . . .
One of the greatest influences on the present version of Batman has been Batman: The Animated Series, which provided revisions of look, background, and personality to a number of "stock" characters. It even created a few of them!
Continuity is a VERY complicated issue!
Sum Nox!
Edited by Tartan Jack on 14-11-2008 21:09 |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Mittens2317
Posts: 154
Location: UK
Joined: 25.10.08
|
| Posted on 14-11-2008 19:55 |
|
|
00) Batman: The Man Who Falls
01) Batman: Year One
02) Batman: The Man Who Laughs
03) Batman: Tenses
04) Batman: Rules of Engagement
05) Batman: Haunted Knight
06) Batman: The Long Halloween
07) Batman: Dark Victory
08) Robin: Year One
09) Batman: Fortunate Son
10) Batman: Strange Apparitions
11) Batgirl: Year One
12) Nightwing: Year One
13) Batman: The Killing Joke
14) Batman: Blind Justice
15) Batman: A Death in the Family
16) Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying
17) Robin: Rite of Passage
18) Robin: A Hero Reborn
19) Robin: The Joker's Wild
20) Batman: The Last Arkham
21) Batman: The Sword of Azrael
22) Robin: Cry of the Huntress
23) Batman: Vengeance of Bane
24) Batman: Knightfall
25) Batman: Knightquest
26) Batman: KnightsEnd
27) Batman: Prodigal
28) Batman: Troika
29) Nightwing: Ties That Bind
30) Robin: Flying Solo
31) Nightwing: A Knight in Bludhaven
32) Nightwing/Huntress
33) Batman: Contagion
34) Nightwing: Rough Justice
35) Batman: Legacy
36) Batman: Cataclysm
37) Nightwing: Love and Bullets
38) Batman: Aftershocks
39) Batman: Road to No Man's Land
40) Batman: No Man's Land
41) Nightwing: A Darker Shade of Justice
42) Nightwing: The Hunt for Oracle
43) Batgirl: Silent Running
44) Batman: Evolution
45) Nightwing: Big Guns
46) Batgirl: A Knight Alone
47) Batman: Officer Down
48) Nightwing: On the Razor's Edge
49) Batgirl: Death Wish
50) Joker: Last Laugh
51) Batgirl: Fists of Fury
52) Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure
53) Bruce Wayne: Murderer?
54) Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
55) Batman/Huntress: Cry For Blood
56) Batman: Death and the Maidens
57) Batman: Hush
58) Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
59) Superman/Batman: Supergirl
60) Superman/Batman: Absolute Power
61) Batman: Broken City
62) Superman/Batman: Vengeance
63) Robin: Unmasked!
64) Batman: As the Crow Flies
65) Batman: War Drums
66) Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure
67) Batman: War Games
68) Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood
69) Batman: City of Crime
70) Nightwing: Mobbed Up
71) Robin: To Kill a Bird
72) Batgirl: Kicking Assassins
73) Batman: Under the Hood
74) Batman: Hush Returns
75) Batman: War Crimes
76) Robin: Days of Fire and Madness
77) Nightwing: Renegade
78) Batgirl: Destruction's Daughter
79) Robin: Wanted
80) Nightwing: Brothers in Blood
81) Batman: Face the Face
82) Superman/Batman: Enemies Among Us
83) Batman: Detective
84) Nightwing: Love and War
85) Superman/Batman: Torment
86) Robin: Teenage Wasteland
87) Batman: Death and the City
88) Robin: The Big Leagues
89) Batman & Son
90) Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul
91) Batman: The Black Glove
92) Batman: Heart of Hush
93) Nightwing: Freefall
94) Robin: Violent Tendencies
95) Batman R.I.P.
96) Robin: Scattered Pieces
97) Robin: Search for a Hero
98) Nightwing: The Great Leap
99) Batman: Last Rites
Also, the following stories are not considered canon:
All-Star Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
Batman: Child of Dreams
Batman: Full Circle
Batman: Lovers and Madmen
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Batman: Year Two
Batman: Year Three
THE KING IN YELLOW OL 4 ADMIN!!!
 |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
|
| Posted on 15-11-2008 01:24 |
|
|
Wow...Your list is a lot longer than mine. O_O;;
The only thing I'm wondering is, I'm actually a Jason Todd fan (I know, you don't see many of those nowadays), and you moved The Killing Joke and put Blind Justice into his time as Robin (between Nightwing: Year One and A Death in the Family), yet he's nowhere to be seen in either of them as far as I know. Is it explained where he was during this time?
Also, I didn't realize so much happened after RIP. I honestly thought that was the last arc. Interesting. |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Mittens2317
Posts: 154
Location: UK
Joined: 25.10.08
|
| Posted on 15-11-2008 08:03 |
|
|
^I've done it according to time of release, and time of events. Some may be slightly out of place, but that's the basic gist of things. For example, some current stories apparently take place after the events of R.I.P., according to certain references in the dialogue. As for the Jason Todd thing, Batman doesn't always need Robin with him, he often operates without him.
If you're that hung up over it though, just switch Nightwing: Year One with Batman: Blind Justice.
THE KING IN YELLOW OL 4 ADMIN!!!
|
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
The Red-Blue Blur
Posts: 547
Location: Burbank, CA
Joined: 02.06.08
|
| Posted on 15-11-2008 17:52 |
|
|
Obviously Batman: Year One is first
"Things are always going to get worst before they get better."
[Alfred Pennyworth]
 |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
|
| Posted on 29-11-2008 21:29 |
|
|
|
TMMWrites wrote:
Obviously Batman: Year One is first
That's what I thought too. But apparently Batman: The Man Who Falls is about Bruce Wayne's childhood, and his years before he became Batman. So it makes sense, Year One's actually the second in the continuity.
I have to ask though...What is it kicking Years Two and Three out of the continuity, exactly? I really like those stories, as Year Two gives some closure on the murder of Bruce's parents, while Year Three marks the first appearance of Tim Drake, shows how much Jason Todd's death shattered Bruce, and even goes more into Dick Grayson's time as Robin. I'm sad to see those knocked out of continuity, and I don't see why they were. |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
The Red-Blue Blur
Posts: 547
Location: Burbank, CA
Joined: 02.06.08
|
| Posted on 29-11-2008 21:43 |
|
|
Cyfin wrote:
TMMWrites wrote:
Obviously Batman: Year One is first
That's what I thought too. But apparently Batman: The Man Who Falls is about Bruce Wayne's childhood, and his years before he became Batman. So it makes sense, Year One's actually the second in the continuity.
I have to ask though...What is it kicking Years Two and Three out of the continuity, exactly? I really like those stories, as Year Two gives some closure on the murder of Bruce's parents, while Year Three marks the first appearance of Tim Drake, shows how much Jason Todd's death shattered Bruce, and even goes more into Dick Grayson's time as Robin. I'm sad to see those knocked out of continuity, and I don't see why they were. Batman: The Long Halloween was intended to be a sequel to Year One but it was really a series, where is that?
"Things are always going to get worst before they get better."
[Alfred Pennyworth]
|
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
|
| Posted on 30-11-2008 00:11 |
|
|
The Long Halloween? I think Mittens has the chronology down pretty good. The Long Halloween's about number 6 there. The true sequel to Year One is "The Man Who Laughs", Batman's first encounter with the Joker. Check out Mittens' thing a few posts up. :P
The only argument I have against is, other than the Jason Todd issue I already said, is the Year Two/Three thing. |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Mittens2317
Posts: 154
Location: UK
Joined: 25.10.08
|
| Posted on 30-11-2008 07:51 |
|
|
- The Man Who Falls is more like a prologue.
- The Monster Men & The Mad Monk are set before The Man Who Laughs.
- Morrison's recent run has 'retconned' Year Two out of existence, as he has an alternative take on the Joe Chill business, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the story anyway. And the whole "Batman doesn't use a gun!!!" thing is stupid, as the people who read it obviously just looked at the pictures and didn't read the dialogue. Also, he's used guns in the past, so quit whining!
- The Long Halloween, which apparently begins in June (I've only read it once, and didn't notice this), is set six months after Year One, which ended on December 3rd.
I'm currently compiling my own chronology timeline, and although it'll probably take until February, I reckon it'll be worth it. I'm including some sub-stories in there as well as the main arcs, as it'll be a great place for new fans to start out.
THE KING IN YELLOW OL 4 ADMIN!!!
|
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
The Red-Blue Blur
Posts: 547
Location: Burbank, CA
Joined: 02.06.08
|
| Posted on 30-11-2008 22:39 |
|
|
Lets just leave it at the fact that all of these interpretations/writers of how most of the list doesnt fit well is because the writers don't care if it fits or not. Only is theres a sequal then it is ment to fit so it does. Even though this is a fun topic, none of it is supposed to be togather, only if its a series or ment to be.
"Things are always going to get worst before they get better."
[Alfred Pennyworth]
|
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
batmanrobin_willneverdie1948
Posts: 7
Joined: 04.01.09
|
| Posted on 05-01-2009 18:02 |
|
|
All of your timelines are great but one question:
Are all the classic tales non-canonical?
And what about in between Batgirl Year One and The Killing Joke? Nothing modern happens there? |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
|
| Posted on 06-01-2009 01:36 |
|
|
There really aren't that many "Barbara Gordon = Batgirl" stories out there. She becomes Batgirl, she gets shot. Not much more than that, though I'll admit I really wish there was more material with her.
Our timelines are only really as far as collected editions go. A lot of the classic stories were never made into trade paperbacks. I mean, yeah, there's the Showcases and stuff, but the classics aren't really canon because a lot of it was rewritten better. Like Robin's "golly gee whiz" personality and Batman being more campy than dark. The modern continuity is mostly in the trade paperbacks. |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Darknight
Posts: 1010
Location: NW Arkansas
Joined: 26.06.05
|
| Posted on 06-01-2009 13:30 |
|
|
|
Cyfin wrote:
There really aren't that many "Barbara Gordon = Batgirl" stories out there. She becomes Batgirl, she gets shot. Not much more than that, though I'll admit I really wish there was more material with her.
There is a lot of material with her. It was just mostly published in the 60's and 70's. A lot of that is just not put into storyline type tpb's now because there were no long 6-12 issue stories back then. The majority of comic stories were done in a single issue.
If you want to read some of the stories, which will not be as goofy as you would think based on the publication date, check out Showcase Presents Batgirl.
|
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
|
| Posted on 09-07-2009 02:12 |
|
|
GRRRRR!!!!
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Batman: Reborn and all of the new Batman comics. I love that there's a bunch of little stories going on at the same time. I REALLY love the relationship between Dick and Damian.
But once again, DC is managing to confuse the hell out of me in the chronology department. DC really needs to hire a guy whose job is specifically to help keep the storylines in place with each other, and dictate where they fit.
So....any ideas? Clearly Batman #687 is first. In Batman #688, they say it's only his third time re-emerging in Gotham, so...maybe the three-issue Professor Pyg arc in Batman and Robin goes between Batmans #687-688? But I have no idea where like, Streets of Gotham fits in, 'cuz Gotham sure doesn't seem to be on fire, or recovering from a fire, in any other comic. >_> |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
cdemink
Posts: 41
Location: Burbank, CA
Joined: 08.09.07
|
| Posted on 09-07-2009 12:49 |
|
|
|
Cyfin wrote:
GRRRRR!!!!
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Batman: Reborn and all of the new Batman comics. I love that there's a bunch of little stories going on at the same time. I REALLY love the relationship between Dick and Damian.
But once again, DC is managing to confuse the hell out of me in the chronology department. DC really needs to hire a guy whose job is specifically to help keep the storylines in place with each other, and dictate where they fit.
So....any ideas? Clearly Batman #687 is first. In Batman #688, they say it's only his third time re-emerging in Gotham, so...maybe the three-issue Professor Pyg arc in Batman and Robin goes between Batmans #687-688? But I have no idea where like, Streets of Gotham fits in, 'cuz Gotham sure doesn't seem to be on fire, or recovering from a fire, in any other comic. >_>
Battle for the Cowl
Batman #687
Batman & Robin #1-3
Batman #688 (and presumably the rest of Long Shadows)
Streets of Gotham
"Yes I do believe there is a violent thing inside of me." |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
Cyfin
Posts: 29
Location: North Tonawanda, NY
Joined: 11.11.08
|
| Posted on 11-07-2009 14:10 |
|
|
|
lol, Works for me. |
|
|
| Author |
RE: Canon Chronology? |
nawfal
Posts: 3
Joined: 12.11.09
|
| Posted on 15-11-2009 20:53 |
|
|
Cyfin,
Hey there (from the Island, myself), not sure if you intend to check back to the forum. I was just wondering how your chronology turned out. I'd be curious to know how your reading is going.
 |
|
|
