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DC’s Gotham Titles – The Definitive Collecting Guide and Reading Order

The definitive issue-by-issue collecting guide and trade reading order for Gotham City comic books in omnibus, hardcover, and trade paperback collections. Part of Crushing Krisis’s Crushing Comics and The Definitive Guide to Collecting Batman Comics. Last updated February 2017 with titles scheduled for release through July 2017.

Gotham City: More Than Just Batman

To start, this guide focuses on literal “Gotham” comics – books with the word “Gothman” in their titles. As the DC Guide expands, it will act as an index for other Gothman-based titles covered on other pages.

Gotham titles by year of launch:

Gotham by Gaslight: An Alternative History of the Batman (1989)

Gotham by Gaslight: An Alternative History of the Batman OGN (1989) (alt link)
This is an Elseworlds tale prior to the tag existing. Recollected in 2006 and 2013 versions along with Batman: Master of the Future (1991) OGN SC


Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham (1991) & Vendetta in Gotham (1993)

Batman/Judge Dredd Collection (hardcover / paperback)
Not in continuity. Collects Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham (1991) OGN SC, Batman/Judge Dredd: Die Laughing (1998) #1, Batman/Judge Dredd: Die Laughing (1998) #2, Batman/Judge Dredd: The Ultimate Riddle (1995) OGN SC, Batman/Judge Dredd: Vendetta in Gotham (1993) OGN SC, Lobo/Judge Dredd: Psycho Bikers vs. the Mutants From Hell (1995) OGN SC


Gotham Nights (1992) and Batman: Gotham Nights II (1995)

A pair of John Ostrander mini-series.

#1-4 (1992): Not collected.

#1-4 (1995): Not collected

Batman: GCPD  (1996), Batman: Gordon’s Law (1996), and Batman: Gordon of Gotham (1998)

Batman: Gordon of Gotham
Collects the trio of mini-series Batman: GCPD (1996) #1-4, Batman: Gordon’s Law (1996) #1-4, Batman: Gordon of Gotham (1998) #1-4

Batman: Gotham Adventures (1998)

A non-continuity series told with the characters of the Batman Animated series.

#1-6: Batman: Gotham Adventures

#7-14: Not collected. Written by Ty Templeton

#15-28: Not collected. Written by Scott Petersen

#29-33: Not collected. Written by Chuck Dixon, Scott Petersen, Ty Templeton, Scott Petersen, & Ed Brubaker, respectively.

#34-49: Not collected. Written by Scott Petersen.

#50: Batman Adventures, Vol. 1: Rogues Gallery
Collects Batman Adventures (2003) #1-4 and Batman: Gotham Adventures (1998) #50

#51: Not collected. Written by Jason Hall

#52-57: Not collected. Written by Scott Petersen.

#58-60: Not collected.

Chase (1998)

Cameron Chase was introduced in Batman #550; some of her series takes place in Gotham.

#1-9 & 1,000,000: Chase
Collects Batgirl Secret Files and Origins (2002) #1, Batman (1940) #550, Chase (1998) #1-9 & 1,000,000, DCU Villains Secret Files (1999) #1, The Flash Secret Files (1997) #3, Hawkman Secret Files and Origins (2002) #1, Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files (2001) #1, JSA Secret Files (1999) #2, Secret Files & Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000 (2000) #1, Superman: Our Worlds at War Secret Files (2001) #1. Issues #1 & 6-8 were collected in a prestige-style one-shot, DC Comics Presents: Chase (2010) #1, #7-8 in Tales of the Batman: J.H. Williams III hardcover, and #1,000,000 in DC One Million Omnibus.


Catwoman: Guardian of Gotham (1999)

#1-2: DC Comics Presents: Catwoman – Guardian of Gotham (2011) #1
This pair of Elseworlds issues by Doug Moench were already in a prestige format, but they were then consolidated into a single issue in 2011.

Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (2000)

#1-3: Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham
An Elseworlds tale co-written by Mike Mignola.

Batman: Gotham City Secret Files (2000)

#1: Batman by Brian K. Vaughan AKA False Faces (hardcover / paperback (alt link) / 2017 paperback)
Batman #588-590, Detective Comics #787, Wonder Woman #160-161, and Batman: Gotham City Secret Files #1

Batman: Haunted Gotham (2000)

#1-4: Batman: Haunted Gotham
An Elseworlds tale from classic 80s Bat-team Doug Moench and Kelley Jones.

Batman: Gotham Knights (2000 – 2006)

#1-16 backup stories: Batman: Black and White, Vol. 2 (hardcover / 2003 paperback / 2008 paperback)
Also includes stories created uniquely for the hardcover. Note that Volume 1 collected Batman Black and White (1996) #1-4 (1996 hardcover / 2000 paperback / 2007 paperback / 2015 book+DVD).

#17-49 backup stories: Black and White, Vol. 3 (hardcover / 2008 paperback)

#1-2: Not collected

#3: Batman: Year 100 and Other Tales Deluxe Edition
Includes The Batman Chronicles (1995) #11, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #3, Batman: Year 100 (2006) #1-4, and Solo (2004) #3

#4-7: Not collected

#8: Batman Noir: Eduardo Risso: The Deluxe Edition
Collects Batman (1940) #620-625, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #8, Flashpoint: Batman Knight of Vengeance (2011) #1-3, Wednesday Comics (2009) #1-12

#9: Not collected

#10: Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert hardcover (2016)
Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #10, Batman: Holy Terror (1991) OGN SC, The Brave and the Bold (1955) #178, 181-182, & 197, Christmas With the Super-Heroes (1988) #2, Detective Comics (1937) #500, Secret Origins (1986) #50

#11-12: Not collected

#13: Batman: Officer Down
Collects Batman (1940) #587, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #13, Birds of Prey (1999) #27, Catwoman (1993) #90, Detective Comics (1937) #754, Nightwing (1996) #53, Robin (1993) #86 (but not Batgirl (2000) #12)

#14: Batman: Harley & Ivy
Collects Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #14, Batman: Harley & Ivy (2004) #1, Batman: Harley & Ivy (2004) #2, Batman: Harley & Ivy (2004) #3, Harley and Ivy: Love on the Lam (2001) OGN SC

#14: Batman: Harley and Ivy The Deluxe Edition
Collects Batgirl Adventures (1998) #1, The Batman Adventures (1992) Annual 01 & Holiday Special, The Batman and Robin Adventures (1995) #8, Batman Black and White (2013) #3, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #14, and Batman: Harley & Ivy (2004) #1-3

#14: Batman: Harley Quinn (2015)
Batman Black and White (2013) #1 & 3, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #14 & 30, Batman: Harley Quinn (1999) OGN SC, Detective Comics (1937) #831 & 837, Detective Comics (2011) #23.2, Joker’s Asylum II: Harley Quinn (2010) #1, Legends of the Dark Knight [I] (2012) #49-50, and Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular (2014) #1

#14: DC Comics Presents: Harley Quinn (2014) #1
Batman Black and White (2013) #1, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #14 & 30, Batman: Harley Quinn (1999) OGN SC, Countdown (2007) #10, Joker’s Asylum II: Harley Quinn (2010) #1

#15-16: Not collected

#17-22: Not collected

#23: The A-story of this issue is collected in Batman: Scarecrow Tales. The B-story with Darwyn Cooke art is collected in Batman: Ego and Other Tails (hardcover / paperback) and Graphic Ink: The DC Comics Art of Darwyn Cooke

#24: Not collected

#25-29: Batman: Bruce Wayne – Murderer? (2014 – ISBN 978-1401246839)
Collects Batgirl (2000) #24 & 27, Batman (1940) #599-602, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #25-29, Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure (2002) #1, Birds of Prey (1999) #39-41, Detective Comics (1937) #766-770 (A-stories only), Nightwing (1996) #65-69, Robin (1993) #98-99

#30-32: Batman: Bruce Wayne: Fugitive (2014 – ISBN 978-1401246822)
Azrael: Agent of the Bat (1998) #91-92, Batgirl (2000) #29 & 33, Batman (1940) #603-607, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #30-32, Birds of Prey (1999) #43, Detective Comics (1937) #771-775. Issue #30 is also in Batman: Harley Quinn (2015) – TPB and DC Comics Presents: Harley Quinn (2014) – #1, both above. Issue #32 is also in Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told (2005) – TPB vol. 01.

As previously collected in a 2002-2003 reprint line:

#25-26: Batman: Bruce Wayne – Murderer? (2002 – IBSN 978-1563899133)
A 2002 edition collected only Batgirl (2000) #24, Batman (1940) #599-600, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #25-26, Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure (2002) #1, Birds of Prey (1999) #39-40, Detective Comics (1937) #766-767, Nightwing (1996) #65-66, Robin (1993) #98-99

#27-28: Batman: Bruce Wayne: Fugitive, Vol. 1 (2002 – ISBN 978-1563899331)
Batgirl (2000) #27 & 29, Batman (1940) #601 & 603, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #27-28, Birds of Prey (1999) #41 & 43, Nightwing (1996) #68-69

#29-30: Not collected in this set of collections

#31: Batman: Bruce Wayne: Fugitive, Vol. 2 (2003 – ISBN 978-1563899478)
Batman (1940) #605, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #31, Detective Comics (1937) #768-772

#32: Batman: Bruce Wayne: Fugitive, Vol. 3 (2003 – ISBN 978-1401200794)
Batgirl (2000) #33, Batman (1940) #606-607, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #32, Detective Comics (1937) #773-775

#33: The B-story with Darwyn Cooke writing is collected in Batman: Ego and Other Tails (hardcover / paperback)

#33-36: Not collected

#37-40: Not collected

#41-44: Not collected

#45-49: Not collected

#50-55: Batman: Hush Returns
Also collects #66

#56: Batman: War Games Book One (2015 – ISBN 978-1401258139)
Colects Batgirl (2000) #55, Batman (1940) #631, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #56, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #182, Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure (2004) #1, Catwoman (2002) #34, Detective Comics (1937) #790-797, Nightwing (1996) #96, Robin (1993) #126, Robin (1993) #127, Robin (1993) #128, Robin (1993) #129, and Solo (2004) #10

#57-58: Batman: War Games Book Two (2016 – ISBN 978-1401260705)
Batgirl (2000) #56-57, Batman (1940) #632-644, Batman Allies Secret Files and Origins 2005 (2005) #1, Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins 2005 (2005) #1, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #57-58, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #183-184, Catwoman (2002) #35-36, Detective Comics (1937) #798-800 & 809-810, Nightwing (1996) #97-98, Robin (1993) #130-131

As previous collected in a 2004-2006 reprint line:

#56: Batman: War Games, Act One: Outbreak (2005 – ISBN 978-1401204297)
Batgirl (2000) #55, Batman (1940) #631, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #56, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #182, Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure (2004) #1, Catwoman (2002) #34, Detective Comics (1937) #797, Nightwing (1996) #96, Robin (1993) #129

#57: Batman: War Games, Act Two: Tides (2005 – ISBN 978-1401204303)
Batgirl (2000) #56, Batman (1940) #632, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #57, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #183, Catwoman (2002) #35, Detective Comics (1937) #798, Nightwing (1996) #97, Robin (1993) #130

#58: Batman: War Games, Act Three: End Game (2005 – ISBN 978-1401204310)
Batgirl (2000) #57, Batman (1940) #633, Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #58, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #184, Catwoman (2002) #36, Detective Comics (1937) #799, Nightwing (1996) #98, Robin (1993) #131

#59-60: Not collected

#61-65: Not collected, “Human Nature” – a Poison Ivy story.

#66: Batman: Hush Returns
Also collects #50-55

#67: Not collected

#68-71: Not collected, “The Shape of Things to Come”

#72-74: Not collected

Batman: Gotham Noir (2001)

Batman: Gotham Noir OGN
By Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Recollected in DC Comics Presents: Batman – Gotham Noir (2011) #1 along with Batman (1940) #604.


Gotham Girls (2002)

#1-5: Not collected. Written by Paul Storrie with the characters of the Batman Animated series, focusing on Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Batgirl, Renee Montoya

Gotham Central (2003)

A series focused on the Gotham City Police Department written by superstar writers (and noir specialists) Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka with artists Stefano Gaudiano, Michael Lark, and Kano.

in a single omnibus…

#1-40: Gotham Central Omnibus

in a four-book series starting in 2008 for hardcovers and 2011 for paperbacks…

#1-10: Gotham Central, Book One: In The Line of Duty (hardcover ISBN 978-1401219239 / paperback ISBN 978-1401220372)

#11-22: Gotham Central, Book Two: Jokers And Madmen (hardcover ISBN 978-1401225216 / paperback ISBN 978-1401225438)

#23-31: Gotham Central, Book Three: On The Freak Beat (hardcover ISBN 978-1401227548 / paperback ISBN 978-1401232320)

#32-40: Gotham Central, Book Four: Corrigan (hardcover ISBN 978-1401230036 / paperback ISBN 978-1401231941)

in original release trade paperbacks…

#1-5: Gotham Central, Volume 1: In the Line of Duty (ISBN 978-1401201999)

#6-10: Gotham Central, Volume 2: Half a Life (ISBN 978-1401204389)
Collects Gotham Central (2003) #6-10, The Batman Chronicles (1995) #16,  and Detective Comics (1937) #747

#11: Not collected in this sequence of trades

#12-15 & 19-22: Gotham Central, Volume 3: Unresolved Targets (ISBN 978-1563899959)

#16-18: Not collected in this sequence of trades

#23-25 & 28-31: Gotham Central, Volume 4: The Quick and the Dead (ISBN 978-1401209124)

#26-27 & 32: Not collected in this sequence of trades

#33-40: Gotham Central, Volume 5: Dead Robin (ISBN 978-1401213299)
Issue #40 is also collected in 52: The Companion (2007)

Batman: The Golden Streets of Gotham (2003)

Batman: The Golden Streets of Gotham OGN (2003)
An Elseworlds tale

Batman: Gotham County Line (2005)

#1-3: Batman: Gotham County Line
Written by Steve Niles. Originally released as prestige format issues.

Gotham Underground (2007)

#1-9: Batman: Gotham Underground
A series by Frank Tieri and Jim Calafiore focused on Batman’s fight against a gang war between Penguin and Tobias Whale

Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Gotham by Gaslight (2008)

#1: Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer (2008)
Collects the following Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer one-shot: Crime Society (2007), Gotham by Gaslight (2008), Red Rain (2008), Red Son (2008), Superwoman/Batwoman (2008), Wildstorm (2007), and DC Infinite Halloween Special (2007) #1

Batman: Gotham After Midnight (2008)

#1-12: Gotham After Midnight
A Halloween story written by Steve Niles with classic Bat-artist Kelley Jones.

Gotham City Sirens (2009)

Launched by Batman Animated Series mastermind Paul Dini, this book focused on Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy.

In a two-book reprint from 2014-2015

#1-13: Gotham City Sirens, Book One

#14-26: Gotham City Sirens, Book Two

As originally collected

#1-7: Gotham City Sirens, Volume 1: Union (hardcover / paperback)

#8-13: Gotham City Sirens, Volume 2: Songs of the Sirens (hardcover / paperback)
Also collects Catwoman (2002) #83

#14-19: Gotham City Sirens, Volume 3: Strange Fruit (hardcover / paperback)

#20-26: Gotham City Sirens, Volume 4: Division (paperback)

Single issues

#1: Catwoman: A Celebration of 75 Years hardcover (2015)
Batman (1940) #1, 3, 65, 69, & 323-324, Batman ’66 [I] (2013) #15, Batman: Gotham Adventures (1998) #4, The Brave and the Bold (1955) #197, Catwoman (1989) #1 & 28, Catwoman (2002) #20 & 52, Catwoman (2011) #35, DC Super Stars (1976) #17, Gotham City Sirens (2009) #1, Solo (2004) #1, Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane (1958) #70-71, Wonder Woman (1942) #201-202

#7: Harley Quinn’s Greatest Hits
Batman (1940) #613, Batman (2011) #13, The Batman Adventures (1992) #12, Countdown (2007) #10, Gotham City Sirens (2009) #7, Harley Quinn (2014) #21, Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools’ Special (2016) #1, Suicide Squad (2011) #1

#8: Batman Arkham: Poison Ivy (2016)
Batman (1940) #181 & 339, The Batman Chronicles (1995) #9, Batman Villains Secret Files (1998) #1, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #42-43, Batman: Poison Ivy (1997) OGN SC, Batman: Shadow of the Bat (1992) Annual 03, Detective Comics (2011) #23.1, Gotham City Sirens (2009) #8, Joker’s Asylum: Poison Ivy (2008) #1, Secret Origins (1986) #36, , World’s Finest Comics (1941) #251-252, and guide pages from Who’s Who in the DC Universe (1990) #5 and Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985) #18

#22: Batman: Gotham Shall Be Judged
Collects Azrael (2009) #14-18, Batman (1940) #708-709, Gotham City Sirens (2009) #22, and Red Robin (2009) #22


Gotham Gazette (2009) & Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? (2009)

Batman: Battle of the Cowl (hardcover / paperback)
Collects a limited series that is the next sequential Bat-story after Final Crisis in Batman: Battle for the Cowl (2009) #1-3 with Gotham Gazette (2009) #1 and Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? (2009) #1

Batman: Streets of Gotham (2009)

This series ended at the beginning of Flashpoint, just prior to New 52.

#1-4: Batman: Streets of Gotham, Volume 1: Hush Money (hardcover / paperback)
Collects Batman (1940) #685, Batman: Streets Of Gotham (2009) #1-4, and Detective Comics (1937) #852

#5-11: Batman: Streets of Gotham, Volume 2: Leviathan (hardcover / paperback)

#12-21: Batman: Streets of Gotham, Volume 3: The House of Hush (hardcover / paperback)

DC Comics Presents: Batman – Gotham Noir (2011)

A one-shot recollecting Batman: Gotham Noir (2001) OGN SC, above, along Batman (1940) #604.

Batman: Gates of Gotham (2011)

A limited series that began just shy of New 52.

#1-5: Batman: Gates of Gotham
Collects Batman (1940) Annual 28, Batman: Gates of Gotham (2011) #1-5, Detective Comics (1937) Annual 12

DC Comics Presents: Catwoman – Guardian of Gotham (2011)

One-shot collecting Catwoman: Guardian of Gotham (1999) #1-2, above.

Batman: Li’l Gotham (2012)

Digital series collected in print in Batman: Li’l Gotham (2013) and the first two issues in Halloween Comic Fest 2013 – Batman: Li’L Gotham Special Edition (2013).

#1-12: Batman: Li’l Gotham Volume 1

#13-24: Batman: Li’l Gotham Volume 2

Gotham Academy (2014), Endgame (2015), & Second Semester (2016)

Despite being a funny, all-ages series, Gotham Academy is in continuity with present day Batman stories! See also New 52.

as originally collected…

#1-6: Gotham Academy Volume 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy

#7-12: Gotham Academy Volume 2: Calamity
Collects material from DC Sneak Peek: Gotham Academy

#13-18 & Annual 1: Gotham Academy Volume 3: Yearbook
Issue #17 is also collected in Black Canary Volume 2: New Killer Star

Endgame: The Joker: Endgame (hardcover / paperback)
Collects Batman (2011) #35-40 & Annual 3, Arkham Manor: Endgame (2015) #1, Batgirl: Endgame (2015) #1, Detective Comics: Endgame (2015) #1, Gotham Academy: Endgame (2015) #1

Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy
This story – a team-up with Boom’s smash hit YA book – is not in continuity

additional collections…

#13: Robin War (hardcover / paperback)
Collects Detective Comics (2011) #47, Gotham Academy (2014) #13, Grayson (2014) #15, Red Hood/Arsenal (2015) #7, Robin War (2016) #12, Robin: Son of Batman (2015) #7, Teen Titans (2014) #15, We Are Robin (2015) #7

Gotham By Midnight (2015)

Written by Ray Fawkes, this series stars Spectre along with Batman’s Gotham-based supporting cast. See also New 52.

#1-5: Gotham By Midnight Volume 1: We Do Not Sleep

#6-12 & Annual 1: Gotham By Midnight Volume 2: Rest In Peace
Collects material from DC Sneak Peek: Gotham by Midnight

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