Batman Earth-2 Timeline

[Slash Man]

I've been attempting to catalog the continuity of all the original Batman comics. While release order is well known, this does not always reflect the in-universe timeline. I'm attempting a reading order that smoothes out as much inconsistencies as possible.

Also, this is a non Earth-One retcon timeline: Justice League of America #82 creates the conflict that the Golden Age and modern Batman are two separate characters, despite no indication of such a change occurring (in contrast to the Flash, who is clearly two different characters in each interpretation). Therefore, the original Batman continues until the comic mentions that he's no longer the same. But that's a way's away; I'll keep the list updated as I go.

Some notes about the listing: for simplicity, entire book names are mentioned when there's only one Batman story, or there's no need to break them up. In the case of the latter, I list out the full title of the story as well as the source comic. One of the biggest examples is how the early Joker stories often took place back-to-back. Dates have also been added where they're mentioned within the comic.

I took the liberty of placing The Giants of Hugo Strange before Robin's introduction in Detective Comics #38; this story represents one of the only instances of Robin being absent since his introduction in Batman's early career. Without any excuse given, it makes better narrative sense to push it back.

One change I've resisted making was placing Detective Comics #42 after Detective Comics #48. My reasoning is purely aesthetic; Batman's car in #42 is dark blue/black, then bright red in #48 before becoming the classic bat-themed Batmobile from Batman #5 onward. One of the reasons I didn't make this change was the #42 car was still a generic pre-Batmobile, whereas by #48, it was formally dubbed the Batmobile (before taking on the look).

Public Enemy #1 from Batman #4 ends on June 13, 1941. Jimmy McCoy is freed from prison in 1941, and he meets his fate on Friday the 13th... the only Friday the 13th for 1941 is June 13.

I think I was the first person to discover an anomaly that places World's Finest Comics #5 much earlier than release; in the story, one of the gangsters disguises themselves as Trigger Burns, a gangster active in the Philadelphia area. But in the earlier story Crime Does Not Pay from Batman #5, Burns is said to have died days earlier. Thus, I've placed the events of World's Finest Comics #5 as late as possible (immediately before Crime Does Not Pay).

Batman 9 (or at least the Joker story) takes place before the events of Detective Comics #60 (released IRL a month after). This is simply due to the chronology of the Joker's story; Batman 8 sees Joker sent to prison, Batman 9 sees Joker break out of prison, Detective Comics #60 has Joker start the story on the run. This reading order also leads into Detective Comics #62 with no conflicts.

While there's no re-arranging (yet), there appears to be a missing Joker story between Detective Comics #62 and #64 where Joker escapes prison.

World's Finest Comics #6 briefly mentions Joker is still at large. Since he was free at the end of #64 but apprehended at the end of Batman #11, this story logically takes place between the two.

The flashback from Detective Comics #65 is also dated 1937 (placing the present day story in spring 1942). So far, this is the earliest known date of operation for Batman.

Two-Face's first story is told uninterrupted between Detective Comics 66 and 68.

The main story Brothers in Crime story from Batman No. 12 doesn't have an exact place in the timeline, despite having the oddly specific time range of May 11, 1939 through June 1939. Logically, most stories take place around their cover date, but Robin's first appearance was cover dated April 1940. In order to not push the timeline back any further than it needed to be, this story was placed immediately after Robin's first appearance.

Around the Clock with Batman! from Batman #12 had to be pushed back based on a comment that Batman had only fought Joker six times at this point in his career. This would place it between Batman #5 and Batman #7. I placed it right before the latter as that's the latest it could have taken place. This also works nicely because the previous comic in chronology was World's Finest Comics #3: this is the first appearances of Scarecrow, whom the mayor mentions was already arrested. The mayor also mentions Batman has previously encountered the Penguin, which then presents a conflict because Penguin's first appearance in Detective Comics #58 comes after Joker's seventh appearance. I've remedied this by pushing Detective Comics #58 a little earlier to take place just before this story.

The only way to fix the inconsistency with Joker's appearances in Around the Clock with Batman! is to move all Joker appearances that occurred after six encounters after this story (stories from Batman #7, #8, #9, Detective Comics #60, #62, #64, and stories from Batman #11 and earlier in #12). It's unlikely that these appearances occurred back-to-back like this, but this is the closest place I can put them to their release order without any conflicts. They also don't work too terribly as a continuous story. Also consider that these all have to occur before Joker's next story in Batman #13. There's only three stories chronologically in between, so it's not like there's a huge number of possible combinations,

Detective Comics 67 has a clue of the season by saying Robin is seeing the first robin of the season. I'm assuming this means early spring, but I really don't know much about robin migration patterns to suggest a place chronologically. If this were early spring, that would put it before World's Finest Comics #6, since that was well into spring 1942. But again, since I can place that definitively, I'll leave it as-is.

For Detective Comics #71, I deduced that it was November 1942 from the cover and splash page. It's mentioned within the story that it takes place over Tuesday to Saturday. This corresponds with one of the calendar pages Joker is ripping away on the cover, thus the story takes place November 24 through 28, 1942. Also taking place well enough after The Case Batman Failed to Solve on November 18 (from Batman #14) that the other stories could still occur in between.

1. The Legend of Batman - Who He Is And How He Came To Be (From Detective Comics No. 33) (1924)
2. Detective Comics No. 65 (flashback) 1937
3. Detective Comics No. 27
4. Detective Comics No. 28
5. Detective Comics No. 29
6. Detective Comics No. 30
7. Detective Comics No. 31
8. Detective Comics No. 32
9. The Batman Wars Against The Dirigible Of Doom (from Detective Comics No. 33)
10. Detective Comics No. 34
11. Detective Comics No. 35
12. Detective Comics No. 36
13. Detective Comics No. 37
14. The Giants of Hugo Strange (From Batman No. 1)
15. Detective Comics No. 38
16. Brothers in Crime (From Batman No. 12) (flashback) (May 11, 1939 - June 1939)
17. The Cat (From Batman No. 1)
18. The Joker (From Batman No. 1)
19. The Joker Returns (From Batman No. 1)
20. Batman No. 2
21. New York World's Fair Comics 1940 (1940)
22. Detective Comics No. 42
23. Detective Comics No. 43
24. Detective Comics No. 44
25. Batman No. 3
26. Detective Comics No. 45
27. The Case of the Joker's Crime Circus (From Batman No. 4)
28. The Riddle of the Missing Card (From Batman No. 5)
29. Detective Comics No. 46 (1941)
30. Detective Comics No. 47
31. Blackbeard's Crew and the Yacht Society (From Batman No. 4)
32. Public Enemy #1 (From Batman No. 4) (June 13, 1941)
33. Victory for the Dynamic Duo (From Batman No. 4)
34. Detective Comics No. 48
35. Detective Comics No. 49
36. Book of Enchantment (From Batman No. 5)
37. The Case of the Honest Crook (From Batman No. 5)
38. World's Finest Comics No. 5
39. Crime Does Not Pay (From Batman No. 5)
40. Detective Comics No. 50
41. Detective Comics No. 51
42. Detective Comics No. 52
43. Detective Comics No. 53
44. World's Finest Comics No. 2
45. Detective Comics No. 54
46. Batman No. 6
47. Detective Comics No. 55
48. Detective Comics No. 56
49. World's Finest Comics No. 3
50. The Trouble Trap (from Batman No. 7)
51. The North Woods Mystery (from Batman No. 7)
52. The People Vs. The Batman (from Batman No. 7)
53. Detective Comics No. 57
54. Detective Comics No. 58
55. Stone Walls Do Not a Prison Make (from Batman No.
56. The Strange Case of Professor Radium (from Batman No.
57. The Superstition Murders (from Batman No.
58. Detective Comics No. 59
59. World's Finest Comics No. 4
60. The Four Fates (From Batman No. 9)
61. The White Whale (From Batman No. 9)
62. Christmas (From Batman No. 9) (December 24-25 1941)
63. Detective Comics No. 61
64. Batman No. 10
65. Detective Comics No. 63
66. World's Finest Comics No. 6 (May 1942)
67. Payment in Full (from Batman No. 11)
68. Bandits in Toyland (from Batman No. 11)
69. Four Birds of a Feather (from Batman No. 11)
70. Detective Comics No. 65 (spring 1942)
71. Detective Comics No. 66
72. Detective Comics No. 68
73. Brothers in Crime (From Batman No. 12) (1942)
74. They Thrill to Conquer! (From Batman No. 12)
75. Around the Clock With Batman! (From Batman No. 12) (May 25-26)
76. Wanted: Practical Jokers (from Batman No. 7)
77. The Cross Country Crimes(from Batman No.
78. The Case of the Lucky Law-Breakers (from Batman No. 9)
79. Detective Comics No. 60
80. Detective Comics No. 62
81. Detective Comics No. 64
82. The Joker's Advertising Campaign (from Batman No. 11)
83. The Wizard of Words (From Batman No. 12)
84. World's Finest Comics No. 7
85. Detective Comics No. 67
86. Batman No. 13
87. Detective Comics No. 69
88. Detective Comics No. 70
89. The Case Batman Failed to Solve (from Batman No. 14) (November ?-November 18, 1942)
90. Prescription for Happiness (from Batman No. 14)
91. Swastika Over the White House! (from Batman No. 14)
92. Bargains in Banditry! (from Batman No. 14)
93. Detective Comics No. 71 (November 24-28, 1942)
94. World's Finest Comics No. 8
95. Detective Comics No. 72
96. Your Face is Your Fortune! (From Batman No. 15)
97. The Boy Who Wanted to Be Robin! (From Batman No. 15)
98. Two Futures (From Batman No. 15)
99. The Loneliest Men in the World (From Batman No. 15) (December 24-25, 1942)
100. Detective Comics No. 73
101. Detective Comics No. 74
102. World's Finest Comics No. 9 (March 1943)
103. Batman No. 16
104. Detective Comics No. 75
105. Detective Comics No. 76
106. Batman No. 17
107. World's Finest Comics No. 10
108. Detective Comics No. 77
109. Detective Comics No. 78 (1943)
110. Batman No. 18
111. Detective Comics No. 79
112. World's Finest Comics No. 11 (1943)
113. Detective Comics No. 80
114. Batman No. 19
115. Detective Comics No. 81
116. The Centuries of Crime (from Batman No. 20) 1943
117. The Trial of Titus Keyes! (from Batman No. 20) (May 29, 1943)
118. The Lawmen of the Sea (from Batman No. 20)
119. Bruce Wayne Loses the Guardianship of Dick Grayson! (from Batman No. 20)
120. Detective Comics No. 82
121. World's Finest Comics No. 12
122. Detective Comics No. 83
123. Batman No. 21
124. Detective Comics No. 84
125. Detective Comics No. 85
126. Detective Comics No. 79 (flash forward, 1944)
127. World's Finest Comics No. 11 (flash forward, 2043)

[The Laughing Fish]

Chuck Dixon criticised Joe Chill as a character, saying his existence defeats the purpose of Bruce Wayne going on as Batman. He also makes fun of the story of Earth-Two Alfred moving to another universe when the Alfred of that world dies.

I prefer the idea of Bruce Wayne never knowing who murdered his parents, so I definitely sympathise Dixon's comments. On the other hand, I can see the value of a Batman story where discovering his parents' killer helps him to persevere any vengeful desires he may have had and still continue with his crusade for the greater good. I guess it depends on how it's written.

But as I said, keeping the killer anonymous makes Batman's mythos more interesting, in my opinion. It makes him push himself over the edge, and how it brings the best AND worst out of him.

[The Joker]

Yeah, from what I gather, I don't think Chuck Dixon is a really big fan of Earth-Two in general. As far as Joe Chill goes, honestly, I can go with either/or in that case. I see value in the killer remaining nameless. Which as a kid, was re-inserted back into continuity following "Zero Hour". Nevertheless, I do like the "Batman #47" issue by Bill Finger that gave Bruce some form of closure, and also the Pre-Crisis retelling with the "Untold Legend of Batman" miniseries by Len Wein.

I have no dog in this race. No siree Bob.

[thecolorsblend]

Chuck Dixon criticised Joe Chill as a character, saying his existence defeats the purpose of Bruce Wayne going on as Batman.

Always had trouble seeing that. A faceless killer might give Batman extra motivation. But I don't think identifying or even apprehending Chill would or should drive Batman into retirement. I just don't understand that line of thought.

[Slash Man]

Chuck Dixon criticised Joe Chill as a character, saying his existence defeats the purpose of Bruce Wayne going on as Batman. He also makes fun of the story of Earth-Two Alfred moving to another universe when the Alfred of that world dies.

I prefer the idea of Bruce Wayne never knowing who murdered his parents, so I definitely sympathise Dixon's comments. On the other hand, I can see the value of a Batman story where discovering his parents' killer helps him to persevere any vengeful desires he may have had and still continue with his crusade for the greater good. I guess it depends on how it's written.

But as I said, keeping the killer anonymous makes Batman's mythos more interesting, in my opinion. It makes him push himself over the edge, and how it brings the best AND worst out of him.

No disrespect to Chuck Dixon as one of the greats of Batman, but it seems like his criticism is largely subjective. His previous understanding of Batman came from not knowing of this core story from the late 40s penned by Batman's creator(s). Being written 8 years into Batman's publication history, I'd say Joe Chill's story is pretty well cemented in the Batman mythos.

It's not an isolated incident that people disagree with Finger/Kane's ideas. A lot of people dwell on the less-than-a-year period of Batman before Robin. People also don't like the Joker having a backstory in general. To me, a lot of their core concepts are gospel, but I respect Dixon enough to not discount his grievances as hubris.

It's interesting that he also mentions not concerning himself with the different "Earths" when writing. That's the best way to handle these resets; the whole point is that the story continues with business as usual without dwelling on the event comics that caused the reset. The editor will occasionally step in, but there's largely no conflict when they decide to share a previous world's history.

[The Dark Knight]

But I don't think identifying or even apprehending Chill would or should drive Batman into retirement. I just don't understand that line of thought.

Definitely agree. Bruce's mission isn't to locate one man and bring him to justice. He wants to go after all criminals who behave like Chill. Stumbling along Chill may provide personal resolution/satisfaction, but once Batman was born the genie was out of the bottle. Using criminals as punching bags every night is way too addictive form of therapy while subsequently doing good for the masses.

Being written 8 years into Batman's publication history, I'd say Joe Chill's story is pretty well cemented in the Batman mythos.

I've gone bask and forth on the topic, but if the killer is to have an identity it may as well be Chill.

[Slash Man]

We're nearing the end of my initial journey here, that is the books that I physically own (Batman Chronicles 1-11). Fun fact, but I believe I've encountered the latest date in the Batman timeline - 2043. Our first time travel story sees a small time crook travel to 1943 Gotham and back to his own time in 2043.

Also, I notice now that a handful of stories from 1943 exclude Alfred from Wayne Manor after he's been introduced (I didn't notice until he inexplicably returned to regular appearances). I'm wondering if these stories would fit better before Alfred's introduction, but I'll have to re-read to get the full context and see if it makes sense or not. It was a much easier decision to move the sole Robin-less story to before his introduction by a couple issues.

Also, I've got more issues to rectify after realizing that "Christmas" from Batman No. 9 takes place on December 24-25, 1941 (duh). This once again misplaces Around the Clock With Batman due to taking place in May, but being bookended between June 1941 and December 1941. That won't work.

The options now are to either accept the mayor made a mistake in regards to the number of times Batman fought the Joker, or push their further appearances into the future.

EDIT: I've made those changes; so far there's still no contradictions to the timeline

[Slash Man]

Well, that's all for now, folks. Those are all the comics I have physical copies of. The list has been updated to that point (Detective Comics #85). Not sure when I'll return to the list since DC has ceased releasing trade paperbacks. Might have to fall back on what's available online.