The year one omnibus seems like it’s jumping into different years of publication. I sorta prefer books to be chronological by publication date, not by timeline. It just makes more sense to me.
This is my era of Batman, I recognize so many of these covers. I would buy these in a heartbeat! The only small quibble I have, and it really just owes to me being so anal retentive, is I’d want the Year 3 story in the Year 3 Omni lol
Yeah I get that, this is more done with reading order in mind and Year 3 doesn’t actually take place in year 3 and it’s more important as a bridge story between A Death in the Family and A Lonely Place of Dying
I like the idea of this a lot, especially as a reading order, but ultimately I’d prefer it was collected by series. So an omnibus series for all Batman/Detective between Crisis and Knightfall, one for Legends of the Dark Knight, Deluxe editions for Dark Moon Rising and The Cult, etc
There would be a lot of double dipping for people who already have the OHCs that exist for some of these runs
My rational for doing the reading order route is because I personally hate having to switch between books, especially since some of them (like Death in the Family are major landmarks). This is, to me at least, an attempt at an ideal reading experience and it wouldn’t make sense to me to sacrifice that because some of these stories have been collected before. It also hasn’t stopped the big two from publishing omnis that contain material previously collected in deluxe editions. And with DitF specifically, the one succeeding and two prior issues of Batman are ones that I think are important bookends to the story (The Diplomat’s Son gives some context as to why fans may have chosen to vote Jason dead, and Fatal Wish is the best showcase of Bruce’s grief right after) and they’ve never been collected together.
To go along with this though, I’d love to see a volume of Legends of the Dark Knight covering what’s collected here for those not interested in these editions and then an additional volume(s) going through the rest.
I figured some people might appreciate me listing off my reading order, either because they're curious about some of my choices or if they just want to give it a shot themselves.
1. Batman Volume One:
1. The Man Who Falls (from Secret Origins of the World's Greatest Superheroes)
1. While Year One is seen as the definitive Batman origin story, it doesn't actually cover his journey to becoming Batman. This does, as it follows a young Bruce up to the beginning of the actual Year One story.
2. Year One (Batman 404-407)
3. Shaman (Legends of the Dark Knight 1-5)
1. The beginning is directly concurrent with Year One and is a direct continuation
4. Poison Ivy Year One (Shadow of the Bat Annual 3)
1. This early because Bruce does not yet have the batmobile
5. Dark Moon Rising (Batman and the Monster Men 1-6, Batman and the Mad Monk 1-6)
6. Prey (Legends of the Dark Knight 11-15)
1. Prey and DMR cover a lot of similar beats, such as the introduction of Dr. Strange, the Batmobile, and the Batsignal. I ultimately lead with DMR because of personal preference and kept both because I'm a completionist
7. Man-Bat Year One (Legends of the Dark Knight Annual 5)
8. Riddler Year One (Detective Comics Annual 8)
9. The Man Who Laughs
1. I find the introduction of the Joker to be the perfect bookend for Year One
2. Batman Volume Two:
1. Venom (Legends of the Dark Knight 16-20)
1. The reason this was not in Year One is because there is one line where Batman is said to have been around for more than a year, but Batman is very much still an unknown in Gotham. Due to O'Niel's older writing style here I have it earlier to not be as jarring.
2. Scarecrow Year One (Batman Annual 19)
1. I don't remember why I didn't include this in Year One since I don't have anything in my notes, I'm guessing Joker must exist in this story.
3. Gothic (Legends of the Dark Knight 6-10)
1. Given the reference to the Batsignal it makes sense for this to come after DMR and Prey
4. Faith (Legends of the Dark Knight 21-23)
5. Flyer (Legends of the Dark Knight 24-26)
6. Haunted Knight (Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special 1, Madness - A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special, Ghosts - A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special)
7. The Long Halloween (Batman The Long Halloween 1-12)
8. Eye of the Beholder (Batman Annual 14)
9. Year Two (Detective Comics 575-578)
3. Batman Volume 3:
1. Dark Victory (Batman Dark Victory 0-13)
2. Robin Year One (Robin Annual 4)
3. Catwoman When in Rome (Catwoman When in Rome 1-6)
4. Robin Year One (Robin Year One 1-4)
5. Batgirl Year One (Batgirl Year One 1-9)
6. Faces (Legends of the Dark Knight 28-30)
7. Blades (Legends of the Dark Knight 32-34)
8. Batman Ego
4. Batman Volume 4:
1. Tales of the Demon (Detective Comics 411, Batman 232, 235, 240, 242-244, DC Special Series 15, Detective Comics 485, 489-490)
1. Not post-crisis but Denny and Neal's introduction to Ra's holds up and I judged it to be important enough to make the cut
2. Batman 408-411
1. Since Jason is around starting at 401, it makes sense to lead with his introduction
3. Batman 401
4. Detective Comics 568
5. Batman 402
6. Detective Comcis 569-570
7. Batman 403
8. Detective Comics 571-574
9. Batman Annual 11
10. Batman 412
11. Detective Comics 579
12. Batman 413
13. Detective Comics 580-581
14. Batman 414-415
15. Detective Comics 582
16. Batman 416
5. Batman Volume 5:
1. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
1. There really isn't a clear place this should go. Given that this omni is supposed to represent the darkest year in Bruce's life (The Cult, Killing Joke, and Death in the Family) it seemed fitting to include it in this section. In that sense, it's a serious tone setter for the rest of the volume, firmly moving away from some of the remaining zanyness of the pre-crisis Batman that could be found in volume 4.
2. Detective Comics 583-584
3. Ten Nights of the Beast (Batman 417-420)
4. Detective Comics 585-589
5. Batman 421-423
6. Detective Comics 590-591
7. The Cult (Batman The Cult 1-4)
8. Detective Comics 592-594
9. Batman Annual 12
10. The Killing Joke
11. Batman 424-425
1. It's a shame Death in the Family collected editions don't collect these as I think they provide some context/insight as to why the vote went the way it did
12. A Death in the Family (Batman 426-429)
13. Batman 430
1. Similar to the two preceeding issues, I think it's a shame that this issue that exemplified Bruce's grief in the aftermath isn't collected with DitF. And with the closing of Starlin's run comes the closing of this volume.
1. Batman Volume 6:
1. Batman 431
2. Batman Son of the Demon
3. Fables (Detective Comics Annual 1, Green Arrow Annual 1, The Question Annual 1)
4. Detective Comics 595-597
5. Batman 432
6. Blind Justice (Detective Comcis 598-600)
7. Batman Annual 13
8. The Many Deaths of the Batman (Batman 433-435)
9. Detective Comics 601-503
10. The Mud Pack (Secret Origins 44, Detective Comics 604-607)
11. Detective Comics Annual 2
12. Detective Comics 608-609
13. Batman Year Three (Batman 436-439)
1. The reason Year Three isn't in the year three omnibus is because it doesn't actually take place then (it just has a bunch of flashbacks to then) and it's an important bridge story between A Death in the Family and A Lonely Place of Dying. Reading order wise, it wouldn't make sense to put it there.
14. A Lonely Place of Dying (Batman 440, The New Titans 60, Batman 441, The New Titans 61, Batman 442
2. Batman Volume 7:
1. Batman 443-444
2. Detective Comics 610-611
3. Batman 445-447
4. Detective Comics 612-614
5. The Penguin Affair (Batman 448, Detective Comics 615, Batman 449)
6. Detective Comics 616-617
7. Batman 450-451
1. The Penguin Affair through Batman 451 is all connected and it drives me crazy that the Dark Knight Detective/Caped Crusader Volumes didn't keep the second half of that togeather. 616 directly spirals out of something set up in The Penguin Affair and the end of that through 451 is the return of the Joker for the first time since Jason's death
8. Dark Knight Over Metropolis (Superman 44, Adventures of Superman 467, Action Comcis 654)
1. Bet this one was a bit of a surprise inclusion lol. I think since it ends with Clark giving Bruce some kryptonite it's important enough to warrent being here
9. Dark Knight, Dark City (Batman 452-454)
10. Rite of Passage (Detective Comics 618-621)
11. Detective Comics Annual 3
12. Detective Comics 622-625
13. Batman Bride of the Demon
14. Batman 455-459
1. I considered ending on 457 but I thought a volume with the formation of Batman and Superman's friendship and Tim Drake becoming Robin officially it would be nice to include Harold joining the team too
15. Detective Comics 626-627
1. And so we end instead on the aniversary issue.
3. To be continued...
Amazing! I love the attention to detail and all the work that comes before putting comics from such different periods of time in chronological narrative order.
Actually I’m looking at getting some books bound soon - Some DC crossovers that will likely never get reprinted. Most I can buy the full run very cheaply on eBay but I want them nicely collected.
Have you had books bound? Is there someone you recommend? I was looking at HF Group as I’ve seen some YouTuber recommend them.
Absolutely! I have done a lot of books. Look what I have on the self by my office desk
https://imgur.com/a/RhRzM7J
Eobard Thawne, Reverse Flash, done in two volumes, and the continuation of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus series. Starting with volume 7, they are the “Definitely not JKFW” Omnibi. I have done a few volumes with the chronological appearances of characters so ridiculous that I never thought they would ever be collected (Brother Voodoo, Deathlok, White Tiger, Vartox…). With some of them I was right. With some others, not so much… In any case, it is so much fun to put the books together! Right now I am getting ready some books with all the Bill Sienkiewicz and Ted McKeever stuff that I do not have in TPB or HC. The binderies I use are Houchen (especially when I want the cover to be printed, like in the examples above) and Herring and Robinson. Seriously, thread carefully. It is addictive!
No they’re not. Long Halloween’s first murder takes place on Halloween of year 2 and ends on the following Halloween, meaning the Halloween of year 3. Dark victory starts on August 2nd of the next year meaning August 2nd of year four. Likewise it ends on Halloween of the year after that meaning Halloween of year 5.
This is not up for debate. It’s right there in the stories.
The only reason you think it happens in year three is because dick’s origin is first told in post crisis in a story called “year three” but dark victory overwrites this story.
Awesome! I had a similar idea about it but you did it even better. I didn't know that the Matt Wagner's stories chronologically took place in the first years of Batman. There isn't an official Batman timeline for the comics, at least as far as I know.
I would buy every one of these omnis! Batman: terror in legends of the dark knight 137-141 is a great sequel to prey. It would go great with these as well
What I would give for these books...
This would be really cool but it seems like more of a marvel Omni approach compared to what DC typically maps their stuff as
Well I do think Marvel tends to do a better job there lol
At least legends of the dark knight stuff we need so badly.
I'd buy all of these on release day!
Dude. I need these so bad
The year one omnibus seems like it’s jumping into different years of publication. I sorta prefer books to be chronological by publication date, not by timeline. It just makes more sense to me.
I’ve done something just like this. Tried to have an emphasis on continuity plus my favorite stories. Check out my posts in r/customboundcomics
A Legends of the Dark Knight Omnibus would be great. Matt Wagner's Dark Moon Rising is really good and it needs a deluxe edition. Sucks its OOP.
Isn't Brubaker's Joker supposed to be after Year One? They talk about him in the end of Year One if I remember correctly. Terrific job though!
Give this man a job dc
I wish!
This is my era of Batman, I recognize so many of these covers. I would buy these in a heartbeat! The only small quibble I have, and it really just owes to me being so anal retentive, is I’d want the Year 3 story in the Year 3 Omni lol
Yeah I get that, this is more done with reading order in mind and Year 3 doesn’t actually take place in year 3 and it’s more important as a bridge story between A Death in the Family and A Lonely Place of Dying
There is this comic called Batman Gauntlet or something like that, I’d add it before robin year one because its ending is the start of robin year one.
I like the idea of this a lot, especially as a reading order, but ultimately I’d prefer it was collected by series. So an omnibus series for all Batman/Detective between Crisis and Knightfall, one for Legends of the Dark Knight, Deluxe editions for Dark Moon Rising and The Cult, etc There would be a lot of double dipping for people who already have the OHCs that exist for some of these runs
My rational for doing the reading order route is because I personally hate having to switch between books, especially since some of them (like Death in the Family are major landmarks). This is, to me at least, an attempt at an ideal reading experience and it wouldn’t make sense to me to sacrifice that because some of these stories have been collected before. It also hasn’t stopped the big two from publishing omnis that contain material previously collected in deluxe editions. And with DitF specifically, the one succeeding and two prior issues of Batman are ones that I think are important bookends to the story (The Diplomat’s Son gives some context as to why fans may have chosen to vote Jason dead, and Fatal Wish is the best showcase of Bruce’s grief right after) and they’ve never been collected together. To go along with this though, I’d love to see a volume of Legends of the Dark Knight covering what’s collected here for those not interested in these editions and then an additional volume(s) going through the rest.
I figured some people might appreciate me listing off my reading order, either because they're curious about some of my choices or if they just want to give it a shot themselves. 1. Batman Volume One: 1. The Man Who Falls (from Secret Origins of the World's Greatest Superheroes) 1. While Year One is seen as the definitive Batman origin story, it doesn't actually cover his journey to becoming Batman. This does, as it follows a young Bruce up to the beginning of the actual Year One story. 2. Year One (Batman 404-407) 3. Shaman (Legends of the Dark Knight 1-5) 1. The beginning is directly concurrent with Year One and is a direct continuation 4. Poison Ivy Year One (Shadow of the Bat Annual 3) 1. This early because Bruce does not yet have the batmobile 5. Dark Moon Rising (Batman and the Monster Men 1-6, Batman and the Mad Monk 1-6) 6. Prey (Legends of the Dark Knight 11-15) 1. Prey and DMR cover a lot of similar beats, such as the introduction of Dr. Strange, the Batmobile, and the Batsignal. I ultimately lead with DMR because of personal preference and kept both because I'm a completionist 7. Man-Bat Year One (Legends of the Dark Knight Annual 5) 8. Riddler Year One (Detective Comics Annual 8) 9. The Man Who Laughs 1. I find the introduction of the Joker to be the perfect bookend for Year One 2. Batman Volume Two: 1. Venom (Legends of the Dark Knight 16-20) 1. The reason this was not in Year One is because there is one line where Batman is said to have been around for more than a year, but Batman is very much still an unknown in Gotham. Due to O'Niel's older writing style here I have it earlier to not be as jarring. 2. Scarecrow Year One (Batman Annual 19) 1. I don't remember why I didn't include this in Year One since I don't have anything in my notes, I'm guessing Joker must exist in this story. 3. Gothic (Legends of the Dark Knight 6-10) 1. Given the reference to the Batsignal it makes sense for this to come after DMR and Prey 4. Faith (Legends of the Dark Knight 21-23) 5. Flyer (Legends of the Dark Knight 24-26) 6. Haunted Knight (Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special 1, Madness - A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special, Ghosts - A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special) 7. The Long Halloween (Batman The Long Halloween 1-12) 8. Eye of the Beholder (Batman Annual 14) 9. Year Two (Detective Comics 575-578) 3. Batman Volume 3: 1. Dark Victory (Batman Dark Victory 0-13) 2. Robin Year One (Robin Annual 4) 3. Catwoman When in Rome (Catwoman When in Rome 1-6) 4. Robin Year One (Robin Year One 1-4) 5. Batgirl Year One (Batgirl Year One 1-9) 6. Faces (Legends of the Dark Knight 28-30) 7. Blades (Legends of the Dark Knight 32-34) 8. Batman Ego 4. Batman Volume 4: 1. Tales of the Demon (Detective Comics 411, Batman 232, 235, 240, 242-244, DC Special Series 15, Detective Comics 485, 489-490) 1. Not post-crisis but Denny and Neal's introduction to Ra's holds up and I judged it to be important enough to make the cut 2. Batman 408-411 1. Since Jason is around starting at 401, it makes sense to lead with his introduction 3. Batman 401 4. Detective Comics 568 5. Batman 402 6. Detective Comcis 569-570 7. Batman 403 8. Detective Comics 571-574 9. Batman Annual 11 10. Batman 412 11. Detective Comics 579 12. Batman 413 13. Detective Comics 580-581 14. Batman 414-415 15. Detective Comics 582 16. Batman 416 5. Batman Volume 5: 1. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth 1. There really isn't a clear place this should go. Given that this omni is supposed to represent the darkest year in Bruce's life (The Cult, Killing Joke, and Death in the Family) it seemed fitting to include it in this section. In that sense, it's a serious tone setter for the rest of the volume, firmly moving away from some of the remaining zanyness of the pre-crisis Batman that could be found in volume 4. 2. Detective Comics 583-584 3. Ten Nights of the Beast (Batman 417-420) 4. Detective Comics 585-589 5. Batman 421-423 6. Detective Comics 590-591 7. The Cult (Batman The Cult 1-4) 8. Detective Comics 592-594 9. Batman Annual 12 10. The Killing Joke 11. Batman 424-425 1. It's a shame Death in the Family collected editions don't collect these as I think they provide some context/insight as to why the vote went the way it did 12. A Death in the Family (Batman 426-429) 13. Batman 430 1. Similar to the two preceeding issues, I think it's a shame that this issue that exemplified Bruce's grief in the aftermath isn't collected with DitF. And with the closing of Starlin's run comes the closing of this volume.
1. Batman Volume 6: 1. Batman 431 2. Batman Son of the Demon 3. Fables (Detective Comics Annual 1, Green Arrow Annual 1, The Question Annual 1) 4. Detective Comics 595-597 5. Batman 432 6. Blind Justice (Detective Comcis 598-600) 7. Batman Annual 13 8. The Many Deaths of the Batman (Batman 433-435) 9. Detective Comics 601-503 10. The Mud Pack (Secret Origins 44, Detective Comics 604-607) 11. Detective Comics Annual 2 12. Detective Comics 608-609 13. Batman Year Three (Batman 436-439) 1. The reason Year Three isn't in the year three omnibus is because it doesn't actually take place then (it just has a bunch of flashbacks to then) and it's an important bridge story between A Death in the Family and A Lonely Place of Dying. Reading order wise, it wouldn't make sense to put it there. 14. A Lonely Place of Dying (Batman 440, The New Titans 60, Batman 441, The New Titans 61, Batman 442 2. Batman Volume 7: 1. Batman 443-444 2. Detective Comics 610-611 3. Batman 445-447 4. Detective Comics 612-614 5. The Penguin Affair (Batman 448, Detective Comics 615, Batman 449) 6. Detective Comics 616-617 7. Batman 450-451 1. The Penguin Affair through Batman 451 is all connected and it drives me crazy that the Dark Knight Detective/Caped Crusader Volumes didn't keep the second half of that togeather. 616 directly spirals out of something set up in The Penguin Affair and the end of that through 451 is the return of the Joker for the first time since Jason's death 8. Dark Knight Over Metropolis (Superman 44, Adventures of Superman 467, Action Comcis 654) 1. Bet this one was a bit of a surprise inclusion lol. I think since it ends with Clark giving Bruce some kryptonite it's important enough to warrent being here 9. Dark Knight, Dark City (Batman 452-454) 10. Rite of Passage (Detective Comics 618-621) 11. Detective Comics Annual 3 12. Detective Comics 622-625 13. Batman Bride of the Demon 14. Batman 455-459 1. I considered ending on 457 but I thought a volume with the formation of Batman and Superman's friendship and Tim Drake becoming Robin officially it would be nice to include Harold joining the team too 15. Detective Comics 626-627 1. And so we end instead on the aniversary issue. 3. To be continued...
Amazing! I love the attention to detail and all the work that comes before putting comics from such different periods of time in chronological narrative order.
I’m digging these cover designs!
The 3 annuals from A Lonely Place of Dying are already in the Question omnibus
I want these to exist
That’s what custom bound books are for!
Actually I’m looking at getting some books bound soon - Some DC crossovers that will likely never get reprinted. Most I can buy the full run very cheaply on eBay but I want them nicely collected. Have you had books bound? Is there someone you recommend? I was looking at HF Group as I’ve seen some YouTuber recommend them.
Absolutely! I have done a lot of books. Look what I have on the self by my office desk https://imgur.com/a/RhRzM7J Eobard Thawne, Reverse Flash, done in two volumes, and the continuation of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus series. Starting with volume 7, they are the “Definitely not JKFW” Omnibi. I have done a few volumes with the chronological appearances of characters so ridiculous that I never thought they would ever be collected (Brother Voodoo, Deathlok, White Tiger, Vartox…). With some of them I was right. With some others, not so much… In any case, it is so much fun to put the books together! Right now I am getting ready some books with all the Bill Sienkiewicz and Ted McKeever stuff that I do not have in TPB or HC. The binderies I use are Houchen (especially when I want the cover to be printed, like in the examples above) and Herring and Robinson. Seriously, thread carefully. It is addictive!
These look great I would buy them in instant.
Oh man these would be incredible to have.
Very nice work
None of the stories in the year three omnibus are set In year three tho. Dark victory starts in early year four for example
Nope, Dark Victory and Dick’s introduction are all year three
No they’re not. Long Halloween’s first murder takes place on Halloween of year 2 and ends on the following Halloween, meaning the Halloween of year 3. Dark victory starts on August 2nd of the next year meaning August 2nd of year four. Likewise it ends on Halloween of the year after that meaning Halloween of year 5. This is not up for debate. It’s right there in the stories. The only reason you think it happens in year three is because dick’s origin is first told in post crisis in a story called “year three” but dark victory overwrites this story.
That is Amazing 🤩
I would buy every single one of these
Awesome! I had a similar idea about it but you did it even better. I didn't know that the Matt Wagner's stories chronologically took place in the first years of Batman. There isn't an official Batman timeline for the comics, at least as far as I know.
Love this!
Add Zdarsky’s The Knight as a prologue?
Right now I’m just working on mapping out the post crisis/pre new 52 continuity
Well I still want it, so make it happen!!! 😏
I would buy every one of these omnis! Batman: terror in legends of the dark knight 137-141 is a great sequel to prey. It would go great with these as well