Batman - New 52 - Continuity question. What is the order to read these books?

[risingstar]

Hi All,

I went to my local comic shop recently and purchased a few hardcovers. However, I'm thinking I may not have purchased the rights one or didn't buy enough of them to complete a storyline. I'm also not sure which order to read these books. There seems to be so many Bat-related titles these days. Sheesh!

I bought these New 52 hardcover books:

a) Batgirl Vol 1 (Simone/Syaf): The Darkest reflection Collects issues 1-6
b) Batman The Dark Knight Vol 1 (Finch/Jenkins): Knight Terrors - Collects issues 1-9
c) Batman Vol 2 (Snyder/Capullo) - The City of Owls - Collects issues 8-12, plus Annual 1
d) Batman - Night of the Owls - Collects issues All Star Western #9, Batman #8-9, Batman annual #1, Batman The Dark Knight #9, Batman Detective comics #9, Batgirl #9, Batwing #9, Birds of Prey #9, Nightwing #8-9, Batman and Robin #9, Catwoman #9 and Red Hood and the Outlaws #9


Do I need these as well?


e) Batman: The Dark Knight vol.2 (Finch/Hurwitz): Cycle of violence - Collects issues #10-15 and #0
f) Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1 (Daniel): Faces of Death - Collects issues 1-7
g) Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2 (Daniel): Scare Tactics - Collects issues 8-12, #0, Annual 1
h) The Joker: Death of the Family - Detective Comics 16-17, Catwoman 13-14, Batgirl 14-16, Red Hood and the Outlaws 15-16, Teen Titans 15, Nightwing 15-16, Batman and Robin 15-17, Batman 17. Also collects the portions of the following issues: Suicide Squad 14-15, Batgirl 13, Red Hood and the Outlaws 13-14, Teen Titans 14, 16, Nightwing 14 and Batman 13
i) Batman Vol. 1 (Snyder Capullo): The Court of Owls collects issues 1-7
j) Batman Vol. 3 (Snyder Capullo): Death of the Family - collects issues 13-17
k) Batgirl Vol. 2 (Simone/Syaf): Knightfall Descends - Collects issues 7-13, and 0
l) Batgirl Vol. 3 (Simone/Benes): Death in the family - Collects 14-19, Batman 17, and a Young Romance story



There seems to be some multiple reprinting of issues in the collections. Oh well. Are the other Bat-titles important to what's happening in these books?


Anyone know what order to read these in, i.e., Batman before Dark Knight before Detective?
Am I missing anything?

I appreciate it, guys!

[PureInvasion]

The Batgirl book you picked up can stand on its own. I'd pick up vol2 as well as it had a decent story. Batgirl fell off the rails when death of the family started (vol3)

Dark Knight under Finch did little for me and was dropped right away so can't comment on it.

Detective, I wouldn't bother with it. Wait until the trades start when Layman took over the title.

You'll definitely need Batman vol1 if you want to understand the Owl storyline.

Each book (for the most part) was doing their own thing so I would t worry too much about the reading order.

The Owl storyline is the best one in the bunch though.

[risingstar]

Thanks!

So the Death of the Family storyline isn't worth reading?
I thought the Joker tie in with Batgirl might be interesting since the two characters haven't had anything to do together since Killing Joke.

The Joker Detective issues where he takes off his face isn't worth it either?

[PureInvasion]

The DotF story was a decent read but the Owl story was much better IMO. If you are going to read DotF, just stick to Batman and pass on the tie-ins.

The Batgirl interactions with Joker in DotF had potential, but they were just badly written books. They were what made me ultimately decide on dropping the series.

You can read Detective #1 just for the whole "joker losing his face bit", but the series just wasn't good. Unless you have money to burn, I'd just pass on it and wait for Layman's run.

[risingstar]

Thanks, PI!
I appreciate your thoughts on this.

Anybody else want to chime in too?

[Marvelito]

I also dropped Dark Knight pretty early on, and it is pretty self contained so not "needed" in the grand scheme.

Detective has been up and down and sometimes ties into the Batman book. Read this one and form your own opinion is my suggestion.

Batgirl is a good book, not great but I have been enjoying it all along. I do have a soft spot for the character though, so...

Batman and... is also a pretty good book that has tied into the Batman book as well.

Batman is the best "Bat" book and has been pretty solid all along.

The other Bat Family books like Red Hood, Nightwing, Birds of Prey and Talon you can probably skip unless they actually tie into Batman.

That's my $.02 on the Bat books.

[supahman]

I dropped Batgirl, Dark Knight and Detectivearnd #6 And batman and robin arnd #12. only reading Batman.

I don't think it'll hamper a reading of the stories in Batman, if you don't hv the corresponding issues in Batgirl / detective/ B & R.

Though DC has made it bit confusing, like there's a DOTF HC which collects some tie-ins, but if u get Batman vol 3, then those issues are already in the DOTF HC, so read the back cover before u buy

But you will need Batman vol 1 of course. I hear from a friend that "Dark Knight" got better once Hurwitz came on.

[Matches Malone]

I collect most of to this day. I have to agree with PI that "Batman" is the strongest book with "Court of Owls" being the best. Death of the Family was great as well however it seemed like DC got gun shy about having a massive impactful change to the status quo with that storyline.

Detective is serviceable, but certainly not special.

Batman and Robin is requisite only if you like the Damian Wayne character and for the last year has consisted of Bruce lamenting the death of a character that quite frankly was a sore thumb in the Bat-Universe IMHO.

Dark Knight is unreadable but does have nice art in a few panels.

Just my two cents

[risingstar]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys!

It's been my experience to feel somewhat let down by these mega crossover Batman events. In the past, we used to see them all the time, and the stories were typically, well, just ok.

For now, I'll pick up the missing Owls hardcover and a couple other Batgirl and Batman hardcovers. If it goes well, I'll consider picking up DOTF.

[JP Sarri]

"Court of the Owls" is definitely the best of the bunch. The rest left me high and dry.