Welcome to the Collected Editions DC Comics Trade Paperback Timeline, a resource for graphic novel readers wanting to know what to read when. How does Batman RIP coincide with Final Crisis? What do you read to understand the DC Universe? This timeline will be your guide, with the aim to place every relevant DC Comics trade paperback in context.
Post comments, questions, corrections, and suggestions here. Updated entries are marked as "New!" Last updated 12/16/09.
Table of Contents
1986 | Early 1990s | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 - One Year Later | Countdown to Final Crisis | Final Crisis | Blackest Night
1986- Technically DC Comics published Batman: Year One after the Legends crossover, but story-wise it takes place before Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1
- Both Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 2 crosses over with Legends. The Keith Giffen-era Justice League begins in Justice League International Vol. 1, following from the end of Legends.
- Justice League International crosses over with Millenium. Wonder Woman: Challenge of the Gods crosses over with both Legends and Millenium.
- This third collection of George Perez's run on Wonder Woman includes an issue of Action Comics.
- Ends just before Batman: A Death in the Family.
- Both Justice League International Volumes 3 and 4 contain elements of Invasion.
Early 1990s- According to Batman and Superman: World's Finest (published later, and acting retroactively on these stories), Superman: Exile takes place subsequent to the events of Batman: A Death in the Family. Superman in the Eighties takes place throughout the late Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis Superman stories up to this point, with the latest story taking place just after Superman: Exile.
- Crosover between various titles is somewhat limited at this time, but A Lonely Place of Dying (containing both Batman and New Teen Titans issues) takes place roughly after the end of Superman: Exile.
- Superman: Eradication and issues from Lois & Clark (a selection of comics that "inspired" the TV series) take place at roughly the same time; Eradication has the more dramatic story, but read both for the full picture.
- The main bulk of Time and Time Again takes place here, though the final issues jump ahead to after Superman: They Saved Luthor's Brain (but before The Death of Superman). After Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite but just before Time and Time Again, Superman reveals his identity to Lois Lane (currently uncollected -- start writing letters now).
- These two Robin trades collect issues of Batman and Detective respectively, and the first and second Robin miniseries respectively. The Detective issues in Tragedy and Triumph actually occur before A Hero Reborn, but the first Robin miniseries naturally comes before the second. That is, there's no way to read these two trades in whole without aspects of one spoiling the other.
- Panic in the Sky and They Saved Luthor's Brain take place for the most part concurrently (Luthor's Brain has issues just before and after Panic in the Sky). There is, essentially, no way to read the two volumes without a bit of confusion -- Luthor's Brain introduces Lex Luthor II before Panic in the Sky, but Panic returns the Matrix Supergirl before Luthor's Brain. Subsequent to these stories, Superman becomes leader of a new incarnation of the Justice League prior to The Death of Superman.
19921993- Robin: Flying Solo launches from a yet-uncollected story between the second and third Knightfall volumes.
- Picks up Hal Jordan's story from The Return of Superman. The last issue of this trade crosses over with Zero Hour, but for Hal Jordan's continuity, it's best read beforehand. Introduces Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern.
- The Knightfall saga takes place more or less during the time that Superman is deceased; Batman and Superman: World's Finest will place the time between Who Rules the Night and Knightsend at the same time as The Return of Superman.
1994- This trade takes place both before and after Zero Hour and Flash: Terminal Velocity, but the "Reckless Youth" storyline, which introduces Impulse, should be read before Zero Hour.
- Terminal Velocity follows the Flash after the events of Zero Hour.
- Takes place shortly after Zero Hour and the Arsenal-era reformation of the Titans.
- The Starman and Wonder Woman trades contain zero issues from the Zero Month that followed the Zero Hour miniseries. The Superman trade contains Superman #100, and was published shortly before the 100 issue in Wonder Woman: The Contest. Batman: Prodigal begins the month after Zero Month.
1997- The "first half" of Starman takes place an indeterminate time after Zero Hour, but before Superman's transformation to Superman Red/Superman Blue. Underworld Unleashed crosses over into Starman: Night and Day.
- Legacy leads in to Nightwing: A Night in Bludhaven, and takes place before Final Night.
- Superman loses his powers in Final Night, leading in to Superman: The Wedding and Beyond. Superman Blue's appearance in JLA: American Dreams and Starman: To Reach the Stars places these trades around Superman: The Wedding and Beyond and Superman: Transformation. Superman Blue appears in JLA: Rock of Ages before Superman regains his original form as of JLA: Strength in Numbers.
- Parts of Nightwing #19 appear in Nightwing: Rough Justice, but the main parts of #19-21 appear in Batman: Cataclysm.
1998- The events of JLA: One Million take place during Starman: A Starry Knight and Nightwing: Love and Bullets, though they're not referenced in the latter.
1999- Events in Nightwing: A Darker Shade of Justice occur concurrently to Volumes 3 through 5 of Batman: No Man's Land. No Man's Land figures into one story in JLA: Justice For All.
2000- Both the end of Batman: No Man's Land and Superman: Endgame supposedly take place on New Year's Eve 2000 (and involve some of the same characters), though the stories don't necessarily reflect one another.
- These three trades spin out of No Man's Land.
- Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Vol. 1 ties in to the uncollected Day of Judgment crossover. The Starman, Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., and JSA trades take place at roughly the same time.
- JLA: World War Three ties in to Day of Judgment. During Batman: Evolution, Oracle makes reference to events in JLA: Tower of Babel, which take place between the beginning and end of the Batman trade.
2001- Issue 53 of Nightwing found in Batman: Officer Down. The last issue of Batman: Turning Points takes place shortly before Officer Down.
- Spoiler trains with Batman during Green Arrow: Quiver. A resurrected Green Arrow and Hawkman meet first in Green Arrow: Sounds of Violence, and then in Hawkman: Endless Flight. Hawman: Endless Flight is the first meeting of Green Arrow and the new Hawkgirl; they meet again in JLA: The Obsidian Age. Hawkgirl and Tigress previously fought in JSA: The Return of Hawkman before Hawkman: Endless Flight. Aquaman's appearance in Green Arrow: Quiver places this before Superman: Our Worlds at War.
- Green Arrow makes reference in Archer's Quest to seeing the JLA a week ago, in Green Arrow: Quiver.
- Flash: Blood Will Run ends just before Our Worlds at War, where Cyborg joins the cast of Flash for a limited time.
- All of the above cross over with Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh event. Wonder Woman: Paradise Found takes place during and after Superman: Our Worlds at War. The JSA's involvement in Our Worlds at War presumably takes place between JSA: The Return of Hawkman and JSA: Fair Play. Events on Oa seen in Green Lantern: Legacy are reflected in The Power of Ion.
2002- Black Canary leaves the JSA between Fair Play and Stealing Thunder in order to sort out her feelings for the resurrected Green Arrow.
- Batgirl: Death Wish takes place before and after Batman: Bruce Wayne - Murderer. The Batman Begins movie trade contains Batman #604, a major turning point in Batman: Bruce Wayne - Fugitive
- JLA: The Golden Perfect certainly takes place after Wonder Woman: Paradise Found. Suggested that Batman returns to active JLA duty after the events of Murderer/Fugitive in the middle of JLA: The Golden Perfect. Spoiler ends training with Batman.
- Roulette's appearance in the former, and Power Girl's appearance in the latter, of these two trades place them after JSA: Fair Play. Because of Batman's appearance in the trades, I've put them after the Batman: Murderer/Fugitive storyline. We can guess that Max Lord accepts Manga Khan's offer to make him human again off-screen, which is how Max can be a cyborg here and human in The OMAC Project. As for Guy Gardner's mysterious power ring in the latter trade, we choose to take Guy's own advice: "Don't ask."
- Green Lantern gains a new costume in The Power of Ion, first seen in JLA in JLA: The Obsidian Age. Superman's S-symbol is black for a time after Superman: Our Worlds at War.
- Green Lantern's decision to leave Earth in Brother's Keeper is reflected in JLA: The Obsidian Age Book Two; trades seem to happen concurrently. Superman's S-shield changed from yellow to black after Our Worlds at War; changes back here.
- JLA/Avengers takes place in partial continuity due to later JLA events, but placement is tricky--the only time a resurrected Aquaman can appear with Green Lantern in his new costume is after The Obsidian Age, but Aquaman's costume for much of JLA/Avengers does not support this. Chalk it up to slight timestream discrepancies.
- JLA: Rules of Engagement through The Tenth Circle feature John Stewart as Green Lantern. In Trial by Fire, Lex Luthor is still president.
- Batman's revelation to Catwoman is reflected in Catwoman: Wild Ride
- Cyborg moves from Flash to Graduation Day, and subsequently to Teen Titans. The Superman vs. Flash trade contains DC First: Superman/Flash, which takes place between the prologue and chapter one of Crossfire.
- Donna Troy's death in Graduation Day is mentioned in Down to Earth
- JSA: Savage Times mentions the events of JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice. Doctor Fate's appearance in Hawkman: Enemies and Allies appears concurrently to his travel to Gemworld in JSA: Savage Times.
- Impulse appears in Flash: Blitz, dating this before Teen Titans: A Kid's Game. Gorilla Grodd, imprisoned in Gorilla City in Flash: Blitz, escapes in Outsiders: Looking for Trouble; he next appears in Flash: The Secret of Barry Allen. Black Lightning mentions his daughter's superhero career in Green Arrow: Straight Shooter, shown later in more detail in Outsiders. Lex Luthor is president in both Looking for Trouble and Green Arrow: Straight Shooter. The events of Straight Shooter are mentioned in the Outsiders trade; Arsenal's injuries in Outsiders are mentioned in Green Arrow: City Walls.
- Impulse appears in JSA: Princes of Darkness, dating this before Teen Titans: A Kid's Game. Jesse Quick leaves the Flash title in Blitz and moves directly to JSA in Princes of Darkness. Hawkman: Wings of Fury is published concurrent to Green Arrow: Straight Shooter. The appearance of Black Adam, and the hint as to his recent actions, places Wings of Fury after (but mostly concurrent to) JSA: Princes of Darkness.
- In Teen Titans: A Kid's Game, Wonder Girl makes reference to Wonder Woman's book, as seen in Wonder Woman: Down to Earth. In Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Superman mentions that Superboy speaks highly of Starfire, placing this after Teen Titans: A Kid's Game. Apperances of Lex Luthor in Teen Titans: A Kid's Game take place in an uncertain period before/after Public Enemies. Batman: Death and the Maidens takes place before Public Enemies in terms of revelations about Talia Head's status with Lexcorp. Oracle's appearance in Death and the Maidens, and lack of reference to any issues with Robin or other members of the Bat- family, places this story before War Drums, but certainly after Ra's al Ghul's appearance in Batman: Hush.
2004- Tim Drake is still Robin in both Batman: As the Crow Flies and Teen Titans: Family Lost. The Teen Titans encounter Mammoth and Gizmo in Family Lost; the villains next appear in Outsiders: Sum of All Evil.
- Pete Ross is president as of Outsiders: Sum of All Evil, and Black Lightning resigns from the White House, placing this after Public Enemies.
- Of Like Minds reflects events that have taken place between Oracle and Nightwing in non-collected issues of Nightwing. Huntress, in her post-Hush costume, serves with the Outsiders in Sum of All Evil, and mentions it in Birds of Prey: Sensei and Student.
- Superman/Batman: Supergirl seemingly takes place a few days after Superman/Batman: Public Enemies; however, the Cir-El Supergirl appears in Public Enemies but is not mentioned in Superman/Batman: Supergirl, suggesting she's disappeared as of Superman #200. In Superman #200, Lex Luthor is still president (before Public Enemies), so we assume that Superman #200 takes place somewhere in a negligible space between Public Enemies and Supergirl trades. An appearance by Raven, among others, places Superman/Batman: Supergirl after the Teen Titans and Outsiders trades.
- Text in the Superman trades suggest that they take place in this order; the beginnings of Wrath of Gog and Unconventional Warfare seem to take place concurrently, before branching off. Superman: In the Name of Gog is the last Superman trade before the Identity Crisis crossover.
- DC published Wonder Woman: Bitter Rivals mostly concurrent to Superman: The Wrath of Gog and Unconventional Warfare (Wonder Woman appears in both).
- JSA: Black Reign and Flash: Ignition are both the last trades of their series before the Identity Crisis crossovers. The Flash joins the Justice League Elite based on events in Flash: Blitz, but after Flash: Ignition. It's likely that Justice League Elite actually takes place toward the middle of The Flash: The Secret of Barry Allen (just before the Identity Crisis) chapters, but for simplicity's sake, and to preserve the JLA timeline overall, the Justice League Elite and JLA: Syndicate Rules trades are placed here. We know that Justice League Elite and Syndicate Rules take place before Identity Crisis because of the Atom's presence. JLA: Syndicate Rules takes place between the first and second Justice League Elite trades, and before Identity Crisis; the Flash's mention of his new day job places Syndicate Rules after Ignition.
- Superman and Wonder Woman's conversation at the end of Absolute Power places this story after Superman and Wonder Woman's "difficulties," referring most likely to Superman/Batman: Supergirl, though certainly foreshadowing Superman: That Healing Touch, Superman: For Tomorrow, and The OMAC Project. Wonder Woman's physical appearance places this before Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon and Superman: That Healing Touch. It's difficult to triangulate this trade in terms of the Batman timeline, short of a brief mention of Robin that probably places this before Robin: Unmasked and Batman: War Games.
- Robin III appears in Batman: Hush Returns, placing this trade before Robin: Unmasked; Hush Returns leads in to War Games, suggesting that the following trades take place between the end of Hush Returns and War Games. The appearance of Robin IV in Teen Titans: Beast Boys and Girls takes place before the end of Batman: War Drums
- Birds of Prey: Between Dark and Dawn takes place before and after Batman: War Games -- most notably dealing with the aftermath of War Games -- and therefore is positioned afterward. Gotham Central: The Quick and the Dead also takes place during War Games; the latter half of that trade continues into Flash: Rogue War.
- Technically the events of this trade take place at the beginning of Nightwing's career, but the series issues in which the Nightwing: Year One series took place are the ones just after the Nightwing/War Games crossover.
- Some interaction between Batman and the GCPD suggests this story takes place after War Games, though definitely before War Crimes.
- These trades take place between the pages of Identity Crisis. The Flash tie-in issues began the earliest in Identity Crisis, followed by JSA and Manhunter. The Cheetah storyline from The Flash continues to Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon and Land of the Dead.
- Events in Green Arrow: Moving Targets lead in to issues in the middle of Teen Titans: The Future is Now. The Legion: Foundations preceeds Teen Titans: The Future is Now because Superboy is already in the future at the beginning of Teen Titans in terms of the Legion timeline; he has not gone to the future yet in the Teen Titans timeline. Legion of Super-Heroes: Teenage Revolution immediately follows the future events of Teen Titans: The Future is Now. The Titans trade stems from before Identity Crisis (but after Batman: War Games) through to Countdown to Infinite Crisis. The Flash's mention of the JLA battling the Crime Syndicate should be ignored, as there's no way that JLA: Syndicate Rules could take place concurrent to The Future is Now, given the Atom's presence in JLA. Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood takes place during and after the Titans trade. Even though Starfire appears with the Outsiders in Green Arrow: Moving Targets (a change that doesn't take place until Outsiders: Wanted), this reading is order is preserved in order to follow the new Speedy's trajectory from Moving Targets to Teen Titans: The Future is Now.
- Outsiders: Wanted takes place concurrent to Identity Crisis. Various cast members move from Teen Titans: The Future is Now to Outsiders: Wanted before Teen Titans/Outsiders: The Insiders.
- The Wonder Woman trade takes place after Wonder Woman's appearance in Identity Crisis, but before her appearance in Superman: That Healing Touch.
- This Wonder Woman trade definitely takes place before Superman: For Tomorrow and The OMAC Project trade (specifically, the Countdown to Infinite Crisis chapter), but after Teen Titans: The Future is Now, as Wonder Girl mentions the Titans' fight with Dr. Light. Wonder Woman: The Land of the Dead contains one issue of Flash that takes place during the Flash: Rogue War trade.
- Superman: For Tomorrow takes place after the end of Superman: That Healing Touch, and continues to Superman: The Journey. The subsequent Superman/Captain Marvel crossover collected in Day of Vengence takes place in an inexact space around this time. Lex Luthor: Man of Steel takes place earlier than For Tomorrow, but the two share characters that allows for its placement here. The presence of John Stewart in For Tomorrow places it before Green Lantern: Rebirth.
- Adam Strange: Planet Heist takes place concurrent to Identity Crisis, leading up to OMAC Project. A mention of the absent Guardians of the Universe places it before Green Lantern: Rebirth. Rebirth takes place after Identity Crisis and JSA: Lost, but before The OMAC Project.
2005- A mention of Insiders in Superman: Sacrifice confirms that the Titans trade takes place before the Superman trade.
- The OMAC Project trade begins the Countdown to Infinite Crisis trade crossover series, as it contains the Countdown 80-page story. Superman's appearance in the "Sacrifice" chapter of OMAC Project is preceded by the Superman/Captain Marvel adventure at the beginning of Day of Vengence and by issues in Superman: The Journey, Superman: Ruin Revealed, and Superman: Strange Attractors; for this reason, since the operative chapter of Superman: Sacrifice is reprinted in The OMAC Project, Superman: Sacrifice is placed later, with the other Superman trades.
- Batman: Under the Hood picks up the Amazo storyline from Identity Crisis, but takes place concurrent to/after Countdown to Infinite Crisis (in OMAC Project) in reference to the missing Kryptonite shipment.
- First Thunder takes place well before Day of Vengeance, but there's some continuity between First thunder and the initial storyline in the Day of Vengeance trade. JSA: Black Vengeance crosses over with Day of Vengeance; much of the Villains United material in the JSA trade takes place prior to the miniseries itself. Black Adam's appearance here occurs before his early appearance in Superman: Strange Attractors, but Strange Attractors is listed after Villains United because it also contains later Villains United chapters, unlike Black Vengeance.
- The beginning of this trade takes place before Villains United.
- The Villains United trade contains flashback scenes to issues from JSA: Black Vengeance, Superman: Strange Attractors, and Robin: To Kill a Bird, among others.
- Weather Wizard appears in Rogue War before and after Villains United. Zoom can be followed to Superman: The Journey. Plots from Gotham Central: The Quick and the Dead follow to here.
- Robin: Days of Fire and Madness takes place mostly concurrent to The Omac Project, but after Day of Vengeance, and before Infinite Crisis. The Batgirl trade contains elements of Villains United, but takes place -- at least in terms of when the books were released -- before Batman: War Crimes. The Nightwing trade takes place after Villains United, as Nightwing is aware of the Secret Society. Birds of Prey: The Battle Within crosses over with The OMAC Project, but a Nightwing cameo places it after Mobbed Up.
- Mention is made in Green Lantern: No Fear of the new Corps recruiting. The Hawkman trade takes place directly before Hawkman's presence in the Rann/Thanagar War (and shortly before JSA: Black Vengeance), and Green Lantern Corps: Recharge takes place during/after the Rann/Thanagar War.
- Supergirl: Power takes place before the Power Girl trade and Teen Titans/Outsiders: The Death and Return of Donna Troy, but after Teen Titans/Outsiders: The Insiders, and concurrent to or after Villains United. Nightwing appears here with the Outsiders despite the end of The Insiders (and ignoring Nightwing: Mobbed Up). Supergirl: Power contains Superman/Batman #19 (also called Supergirl #0), placing it before Superman/Batman: Vengeance. Placement of Superman/Batman: Vengance vis a vis the Supergirl and Power Girl trades is largely imperfect; despite references in Superman/Batman: Vengeance that indicate it takes place before Batman: Under the Hood Vol. 1, the presence of iterations of Superboy and Supergirl from The Insiders and Supergirl: Power respectively suggest that it should be read after those trades. Additionally, Supergirl and Power Girl have already met prior to Vengeance, placing Vengeance after the Supergirl and Power Girl trades. Statements by Lex Luthor in Vengeance suggest that some of Vengeance even takes place during Supergirl: Power.
2006- I hesitate to separate the Infinite Crisis hardcover and the Infinite Crisis companion, but this story essentially takes place between just after the beginning of Infinite Crisis #1, and the Day of Vengeance Special within the Infinite Crisis Companion. Donna Troy recruits Supergirl and Red Tornado.
- The single issues of Green Arrow that comprise this trade end during Infinite Crisis #5, but those pages (that of Green Arrow in infinite forms) are not included in the trade. As such, this trade doesn't directly cross over with Infinite Crisis, but Green Arrow's appearances here, and those of Black Lightning, can essentially be placed after his final appearance in Infinite Crisis (and after JLA: World Without a Justice League); the continuity between this trade and Infinite Crisis is not exact.
- Takes place mostly before Infinite Crisis, except for the last story, which deals tangentially with Infinite Crisis #1. Donna Troy appears here, recruiting Alan Scott and Air Wave.
- Though this trade takes place mostly before Infinite Crisis, the last issue makes mention of events in Infinite Crisis #4.
- Crosses over with Infinite Crisis #3, and ends just before the middle-to-end of Infinite Crisis #5. Because of a revelation about one of the Wonder Woman characters in this trade, a revelation which is also mentioned in Superman: Ruin Revealed and Superman: Sacrifice, this trade is placed before the connected Superman trades. Donna Troy and Supergirl appear here following JLA: World Without a JLA.
- Though both Superman: The Journey and Superman: Ruin Revealed cross over with The OMAC Project, and Superman: Sacrifice takes place in the middle of both trades, their ultimate cross-over with the beginning of Infinite Crisis place them after that trade. The Journey begins right after Superman: For Tomorrow, and though much of The Journey and Ruin Revealed seem to occur concurrently, their general timelines (especially in terms of Jimmy Olsen and his relationship with Clark Kent) are essentially irreconcilable, and the trades should be enjoyed as separate but connected entities. Sacrifice is placed after these two trades to avoid spoiling items in both. Superman: Strange Attractors, which contains the least continuity, is set just before Sacrifice; Sacrifice contains one scene that relates to a Strange Attractors sub-plot. Supergirl's appearance in The Journey follows her appearance in JLA: World Without a JLA, and may be before or after her appearance in Wonder Woman: Mission's End.
- The latter half of this trade crosses back and forth with Infinite Crisis, ending just before events taking place in Infinite Crisis #4.
- This trade takes place mostly concurrent to the fight between Superman and the Earth-2 Superman in part five of the Infinite Crisis trade.
- This trade takes place roundabouts after The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis #2 (since it suggests that the Joker, previously imprisoned, has been released for his appearance in Infinite Crisis #2, then recaptured for his appearance here, then escapes for his appearance in Infinite Crisis #7). The end of the trade specifically takes place during Infinite Crisis #4, which should place it before Superman: Infinite Crisis (which crosses over with Infinite Crisis #5); however, a revelation in Superman: Infinite Crisis places that trade before this one.
- Batman appears here after Under the Hood Volume 2. Nightwing's story here is somewhat concurrent to his appearances in Infinite Crisis #4, though events don't entirely match up. Essentially, Nightwing appears next in Teen Titans: Life and Death.
- This trade crosses over with Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Superman/Batman: Vengeance, and ends during Infinite Crisis #4.
- The Outsiders trade begins before Infinite Crisis, as Donna Troy takes a gathering of heroes into space, and ends at the "New Earth" moment of Infinite Crisis #5 where infinite versions of the heroes are revealed.
- Teen Titans: Life and Death takes place during and after the Superboy/Superboy-Prime fight in Infinite Crisis #4, contains Robin issues from after Robin: Days of Fire and Madness, and ends with scenes from Infinite Crisis #6, making it one of the final-most Infinite Crisis crossover trades.
- Despite Grant Morrison stating that Seven Soliders of Victory takes place in the week before Infinite Crisis, it actually seems that the stories finish at the same time as the Metropolis battle in Infinite Crisis #7, placing them here.
2007 - One Year Later- The DC: World War III trade contains 52 #50, and takes place between the pages in 52: Vol.4.
- Alan Scott appears first after One Year Later in JSA: Ghost Stories, followed by Checkmate: A King's Game. The Icicle appears in Checkmate after JSA Classified: Honor Among Thieves.
- The Green Arrow trade reflects Oliver Queen's new status post-One Year Later, and contains a mention of Checkmate. The first few issues of the Green Lantern trade take place during Infinite Crisis (after JLA: Crisis of Conscience and Infinite Crisis #1), but the majority happens after the One Year Later jump and contains appearances by Alan Scott and Oliver Queen.
- A reference is made to the Outsiders being "dead" in Nightwing: Brothers in Blood, placing the Nightwing trade first. Alan Scott appears in Outsiders following his appearance in Checkmate: A King's Game.
- Birds of Prey: Perfect Pitch takes place before and after One Year Later; the latter part, where a temporary member joins the Birds, takes place concurrent to Robin: Wanted. Events of Robin: Wanted take place after Nightwing: Brothers in Blood and the Outsiders "One Year Later" trade. Captain Boomerang follows from Outsiders: The Good Fight to Robin: Wanted. Wanted takes place both before, during, and after Batman: Face the Face.
- The first "One Year Later" Wonder Woman trade takes place prior to the re-formation of the Justice League and the Justice Society, but after the first Flash: The Fastest Man Alive trade and Superman: Back in Action. The new Justice Society members who appear in Who is Wonder Woman? should be considered "under consideration" as of Justice Society of America: The Next Age.
- The Battle for Bludhaven features the "new" Titans after the One Year Later jump, placing this after Teen Titans: Around the World. Wonder Woman appears in Titans Around the World after Who is Wonder Woman?
- The first new Flash trade takes place after Titans Around the World; Cyborg appears here after the Titans trade.
- The Titans, Aquaman, Firestorm, and the new Flash all appear in Superman: Back in Action. Firestorm: Reborn takes place both before and after Superman: Back in Action, in regards to Jason Rusch's partnership with Lorraine Reilly.
- Supergirl's appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes takes place before Supergirl: Candor; The Dominator War crosses over with 52: Volume 4. Captain Boomerang appears in Supergirl: Candor; Supergirl's portrayal, seemingly different from the portrayal in Superman: Up, Up, and Away is later explained in Supergirl: Identity.
- A reference to the new CEO of LexCorp places the Catwoman trades after Superman: Camelot Falls volume one.
- A Monitor appears behind the scenes in Nightwing: Love and War, and that meeting is referenced in Supergirl: Identity. Supergirl: Identity takes place before Katana's costume change in Outsiders: Pay as You Go; the trade also flashes-back to scenes prior to Superman: Up, Up, and Away. The Teen Titans appear in Supergirl: Identity after the events of Teen Titans: Titans Around the World. The second "One Year Later" Outsiders trade explains the fate of Black Lightning prior to Justice League of America: The Tornado's Path. A small image of the Martian Manhunter in his new costume is explained by J'onn's appearance at the end of World War III.
- Ion: The Dying Flame references Nightwing: Love and War and Supergirl: Identity. The building of the new Justice Society brownstone suggests this story takes place before Justice Society of America: The New Age.
- Black Canary and Oracle cameo in Blue Beetle: Shellshocked prior to Canary's move to Justice League of America.
- Black Canary references events from Birds of Prey: Blood and Circuits in The Tornado's Path.
- Wanted — Hal Jordan reflects the new lineup of the Justice League after Tornado's Path.
- A scene from the Martian Manhunter trade takes place in the new Justice League headquarters. Martian Manhunter appears in his new costume in Superman/Batman: Enemies Among Us.
- The first new Atom trade takes place before Justice League of America: The Tornado's Path, but alludes to the membership of the new League.
- References to Supergirl's repaired relationship with Superman, and appearances by Blue Beetle La Dama, place the first Brave and the Bold collection after Blue Beetle: Road Trip and Supergirl: Identity. Green Lantern's appearances here fall prior to the Sinestro Corps War.
- Hawkman's appearance in Justice Society of America: The Next Age follows from Hawman Returns. Superman: Redemption contains a Hawkman cameo, but essentially takes place at the same time as Superman: Camelot Falls Volume 1.
- The new Justice Society series begins after the reformation of the Justice League.
- References are made in the first Uncle Sam trade to the Justice League and Justice Society. Both Uncle Sam and Trials of Shazam had stories in DC Comics's Brave New World one-shot after Infinite Crisis
- Harley Quinn moves from Death and the City to Dead of Winter. Events between Green Arrow and Black Canary are reflected in Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter. Katana changed her costume in Outsiders: Pay as You Go, and the appearance of her old costume in Dead of Winter is a mistake; Outsiders: Pay as You Go takes place before Dead of Winter.
Countdown to Final Crisis- The Manhunter trade leads into Wonder Woman: Love and Murder and Amazons Attack, which cross over with one another. Catwoman Dies deals with fallout from Amazons Attack, as does the second Uncle Sam trade.
- Bart Allen's appearance in Titans East predates Flash: Full Throttle. The end of Flash: Full Throttle takes up from Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga. Flash: The Wild Wests follows from the end of Flash: Full Throttle.
- Last Son takes place before and after Camelot Falls Volume 2. Camelot Falls reflects aspects of Superman's post-Infinite Crisis history established in Justice League: The Lightning Saga, placing these two Superman collections here. Lightray appears in Countdown Volume 1 after Camelot Falls Volume 2.
- Events between Green Arrow and Black Canary are reflected in The Lightning Saga. A scene from the first volume of Countdown is found in Titans East, but little is spoiled. Holly Robinson appears in Countdown after the events of Catwoman Dies; Harley Quinn appears after Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter and Batman: Death and the City; the Pied Piper and the Trickster after Flash: Full Throttle; Karate Kid after Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga.
- This trade is largely out of continuity, except that the end references the New God Sleez's appearance in Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 1.
- This story takes place after Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga and Flash: Full Throttle.
- A trio of villains that also appear in Justice League make their next appearance here. Background images in Booster Gold contain spoilers for the Sinestro Corps War, placing this collection after that.
- The Justice Society fights Zoom in this volume following events in The Sinestro Corps War. A new Judomaster appears here following Birds of Prey: Blood and Circuits.
- Blue Beetle: Reach for the Stars takes place alongside Teen Titans: Titans of Tomorrow. Titans of Tomorrow also crosses over with Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War. The Quest for Cosmic Boy reveals the new Titans lineup as established in Titans of Tomorrow; Supergirl goes from Legion of Super-Heroes to World War III in The Quest for Cosmic Boy and closes the Supergirl/Legion loop.
- References are made to Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins in Green Arrow/Black Canary: Road to the Altar prior to Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul.
- The Shadowpact appears in Cursed, Checkmate: Pawn Breaks, and Countdown to Volume 2 before a roster change in their next trade, Darkness and Light. The new Suicide Squad begins to emerge in the Checkmate volumes, as seen in Countdown to Final Crisis Vol. 1 and 2.
- The Suicide Squad appears in both Green Arrow/Black Canary: The Wedding Album and Justice League: The Injustice League. These two trades take place simultaneously; Tangent: Superman's Reign picks up threads from Injustice League.
- Green Arrow/Black Canary: Family Business and A League of Their Own take place after Batman: Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul.
- Changes in regards to the Outsiders here carry over into Checkmate, Suicide Squad, and other related titles.
- The two Infinity Inc. trades collect all but this series incarnation's last two issues. Those two missing issues have relevance to Teen Titans: On the Clock and Birds of Prey: Club Kids; Infinity Inc. next appears in Terror Titans after Final Crisis.
- Scenes in part two of Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come spoil Death of the New Gods.
- The two Birds of Prey trades take place before and after Green Arrow/Black Canary: The Wedding Album. Teen Titans: On the Clock takes place simultaneous with Birds of Prey: Club Kids. Club Kids and Checkmate: Fall of the Wall both deal with the aftermath of Death of the New Gods. Threads of Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter continue in Checkmate: Fall of the Wall and the Blue Beetle: End Game. Green Lantern: Secret Origin takes place much earlier, but the actual issues came out after The Sinestro Corps War. Green Lantern Corps: Ring Quest follows The Sinestro Corps War and contains elements from Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter and Checkmate: Fall of the Wall.
- The Suicide Squad story takes place throughout the Suicide Squad activity listed above.
- Checkmate: Chimera takes place after Fall of the Wall, but is generally unrelated to other ongoing events.
- The two Ray Palmer volumes reflect events from Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 2, leading in to Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 3.
- Superman: 3-2-1 reflects events in both the first and second volumes of Countdown. Superman: Third Kryptonian reflects events from the Supergirl trades.
- Countdown: Arena reflects scenes from Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 3; these scenes make more sense if you read Arena first.
- The continuity between Wonder Woman and Countdown to Final Crisis as relates to Themyscira doesn't quite work, but we can grant that after Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 4, what we see of Themyscira in Ends of the Earth stands.
- The Atom Ryan Choi appears next in Final Crisis.
- Nightwing: Freefall takes place after Batman: The Black Glove but before Batman: RIP (and spoils large elements of The Black Glove collection). Also references The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul and events from Countdown to Final Crisis/Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga.
- Though generally unrelated to current events in Batman and Nightwing, this new Titans series begins prior to Final Crisis. The Titans subsequently cameo in Superman/Batman: Finest Worlds.
- The Martian Manhunter's appearance here predates Salvation Run; a reference to a missing villain is explained in Salvation Run. Geo-Force moves from Justice League to Outsiders with this volume.
- Catwoman: Crime Pays directly crosses over with Salvation Run. Gotham Underground reflects events in Gotham at the same time as Salvation Run.
- A character from Salvation Run next appears in Platinum Flats.
- This Question miniseries (published roundabouts Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 3) takes place about six months after the Question's appearance with Batwoman in Countdown to Final Crisis Volume 2, about the same time as Batman: Gotham Underground, and shortly before Final Crisis itself.
- Part three of Justice Society: Thy Kingdom Come follows the conclusion of Salvation Run. Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes shows events hinted at in Thy Kingdom Come volume three. The issues collected in Escape from Bizarro World come before Superman and the Legion.
- Salvation Run leads in to Justice League: Sanctuary, which in turn leads in to Final Crisis.
Final Crisis- In what may be one of the most controversial choices in this timeline, I've chosen to place Batman RIP after Final Crisis. Yes, the "RIP" aspect of the book does take place before Final Crisis, but the "Last Rites" chapter takes place during Final Crisis, and makes absolutely zero sense unless you've read Final Crisis first. The conclusion of Final Crisis, in my opinion, takes away nothing from the end of Batman RIP; they're almost separate stories until "Last Rites." If you're generally unfamiliar with Batman's pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths history, Black Casebook is a handy read before Batman RIP. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is essentially out of continuity, but shares thematic ties to Final Crisis and Batman: RIP.
- Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge and Revelations take place during Final Crisis.
- Rage of the Red Lanterns and Sins of the Star Sapphire take place almost concurrently, and indeed there's no way to read one without spoiling something in the other. However, going by sheer chronology, Rage of the Red Lanterns comes first (see events regarding the Book of Oa). Rage of the Red Lanterns takes place just after the beginning of Final Crisis, but are otherwise mostly unrelated to Final Crisis. Both of these trades include "Faces of Evil" covers, which spotlighted DC villains toward the end of Final Crisis.
- Robin: Search for a Hero takes place during Batman: RIP and Nightwing: The Great Leap; the Nightwing trade takes place generally after Final Crisis. Both contain "Faces of Evil" covers and Origins & Omens stories, short origin tales that set the stage for the Blackest Night crossover.
- Terror Titans references the fate of the character Boss Dark Side in Final Crisis, and takes place during or just after Final Crisis.
- Teen Titans: Changing of the Guard contains a "Faces of Evil" cover and Origins & Omens story, and takes place concurrent to and after both Terror Titans and Reign in Hell. Changing of the Guard suggests Supergirl's Linda Lang identity later introduced in Supergirl: Who is Superwoman?
- Superman: New Krypton poses a minor continuity problem. Based on events in the (uncollected) DC Universe: Last Will and Testament, the final chapter of Superman: Brainiac takes place after Final Crisis, and Superman: New Krypton Volume 1 immediately follows Superman: Brainiac. Batman's cameo in New Krypton, however, would place this trade before Final Crisis. This cannot be resolved, and later volumes of New Krypton will reflect Final Crisis, so we place this trade here. The second collection follows immediately after the first and contains a "Faces of Evil" cover.
- Wonder Woman: Rise of the Olympian takes place concurrent to Supergirl: Who is Superwoman?, per the TV news in Superwoman. The Supergirl trade takes place both before and after the events of Superman: New Krypton Vols. 1 and 2. To that end, Teen Titans: Changing of the Guard and Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 each contain minor spoilers for this trade, but chronologically each comes largely before Who is Superwoman.
- Justice League: Second Coming technically takes place before Final Crisis, but since Justice League: Sanctuary leads in to Final Crisis, we place it afterward, just before Worlds Collide. Worlds Collide takes place both before and after Final Crisis. Worlds Collide takes place after Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3, at least.
- Booster Gold: Reality Lost contains both a "Faces of Evil" cover and an Origins & Omens story.
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