Batman: Knightfall Trilogy Reading Order

From the origins of Bane to the “Breaking of the Bat,” DC’s Knightfall trilogy is one of the most memorable and longest running Batman sagas of the 1990s.

DC’s early 90’s time period is defined by drastic changes to iconic characters, with the Death of Superman saga running from late 1992 through late 1993. Batman’s Knightfall launches during this transition period in 1993, with Bruce Wayne training newcomers Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael) and Tim Drake (Robin). It isn’t long before a new villain on the scene, Bane, begins playing Batman like a puppet, pitting him against all his greatest villains before breaking the bat himself.

Below you’ll find a complete reading order to all three parts of the Knightfall trilogy, including the sagas retroactively titled Knightquest and Knightsend.

Related Reading Orders:

Batman

Previously: Death of Superman

Road to Knightfall

Batman: Venom

Collects: Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #16 to #20

Denny O’Neil and the creative partners Russell Braun, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and Trevor Von Eeden delivered one of the most important Knightfall concepts early in the days of Legends of the Dark Knight. While it’s more of a spiritual predecessor (and does not include Bane), “Venom” is an essential Batman story, that shows the hero’s own descent into addiction.

Robin Vol. 1: Reborn

Collects: Detective Comics #618 to #621, Batman #455 to #457, Robin (1991) #1 to #5

The least direct “road to Knightfall” comic I include here, but familiarity with Tim Drake as the Robin of the 90’s is an important part of the decade. Plus, Tim’s introduction as Robin is one of the best Batman developments of the era.

Batman: Sword of Azrael

Collects: Sword of Azrael #1 to #4

It’s genuinely strange that Azrael’s introduction isn’t included as a clear essential prelude to Knightfall in most collected editions. Yet another contribution of Bat-mastermind Denny O’Neil (with art by future Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada), this intro to Azrael is extremely helpful to understanding the character’s role in Knightfall.

Knightfall Omnibus Reading Order

Below you’ll find the most recently released Omnibus editions that make collecting the entire Knightfall saga as streamlined as possible. I’ve laid out the chronologicial issue by issue reading order in bulleted lists below!

Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1

Collects: Batman #484-500, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #16-18, Batman: Vengeance Of Bane #1, Detective Comics #654-666 & Showcase ’93 #7-8

Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 2: Knightquest

Collects: Batman #501-508, Batman Legends Of The Dark Knight #59-61, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #19-27, Catwoman #6-7 Detective Comics #667-675, Justice League Task Force #5-6, Robin #1-2 & #7, And Showcase ’94 #7

Batman Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 3 – Knightsend

Collects: Batman #509-510 & #512-515, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #29-30 & #32-35, Detective Comics #676-677 & #679-682, Robin #8-9 & #11-14, Catwoman #12-13, Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #62-63, Showcase ’94 #10, Nightwing: Alfred’s Return #1, Batman: Vengeance Of Bane #2

Knightfall Collected Graphic Novels Reading Order

For the most part, the collected graphic novels and trade paperbacks overlap with the issues included in the Omnibus editions of the Knightfall trilogy. There are some exceptions, of course, and the complete list of issues for Knightfall, Knightquest, and Knightsend (inclusive of all trades below) are included in list form beneath the guide to collections.

Batman: Prelude to Knightfall

Collects: Batman: Vengeance Of Bane #1, Batman #484-491 And Detective Comics#654-658

Batman: Knightfall Vol. 1

Collects: Batman #492-497 And Detective Comics #659-663

Batman: Knightfall Vol. 2

Collects: Batman#498-500, Detective Comics #664-666, Showcase ’93 #7-8 And Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #16-18

Batman: Knightquest: The Crusade Vol. 1

Collects: Detective Comics #667-670, Robin #1-2, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #19-20, Batman #501-504 And Catwoman #6-7

Batman: Knightquest: The Crusade Vol. 2

Collects: Detective Comics #671-675, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #24-28, Batman #505-508 And Showcase ’94 #7

Batman: Knightquest: The Search

Collects: Justice League Task Force #5-6, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #21-23, Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #59-61 And Robin #7

Batman: Knightsend 

Collects: Batman #509-510, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #29-30, Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #62-63, Robin #8-9, Detective Comics #676-677, Catwoman #12-13 And Showcase ’94 #10

Batman: Prodigal

Collects: Batman #512-514, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #32-34, Robin #0, 11-13 And Detective Comics #679-681

Batman: Troika

Collects: Batman #515, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat#35, Detective Comics #682, Robin #14, Nightwing: Alfred Returns And Batman: Vengeance Of The Bat #2

Batman Knightfall Comics Reading Order

• Batman Vengeance of Bane #1
• Batman #484
• Batman #485
• Batman #486
• Batman #487
• Detective Comics #654
• Detective Comics #655
• Detective Comics #656
• Batman #488
• Detective Comics #657
• Detective Comics #658
• Batman #489
• Batman #490
• Batman #491
• Batman #492
• Detective Comics #659
• Batman #493
• Detective Comics #660
• Batman #494
• Detective Comics #661
• Batman #495
• Detective Comics #662
• Batman #496
• Detective Comics #663
• Batman #497
  • Issue 497 features the iconic cover of Bane breaking the bat over his knee!
• Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins: Bane #1
• Detective Comics #664
• Showcase ’93 #7
• Showcase ’93 #8
• Batman #498
• Shadow of the Bat #16
• Shadow of the Bat #17
• Shadow of the Bat #18
• Detective Comics #665
• Batman #499
• Detective Comics #666
• Batman #500

Batman Knightquest Comics Reading Order

• Justice League Task Force #5
• Justice League Task Force #6
• Detective Comics #667
• Detective Comics #668
• Robin #1
• Robin #2
  • Although uncollected as part of the Knightfall omnibus, it’s recommended for Tim Drake fans to continue with his 1993 ongoing series up until issue #7, which is referenced below.
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #19
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #20
• Batman #501
• Batman #502
• Detective Comics #669
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #21
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #22
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #23
• Detective Comics #670
• Catwoman #6
• Batman #503
• Batman #504
• Catwoman #7
• Detective Comics #671
• Detective Comics #672
• Detective Comics #673
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #24
• Batman #505
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #25
• Batman #506
• Batman #507
• Legends of the Dark Knight #59
• Legends of the Dark Knight #60
• Legends of the Dark Knight #61
• Robin #7
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #26
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #27
• Detective Comics #674
• Batman #508
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #28
• Detective Comics #675

Batman Knightsend Comics Reading Order

• Batman #509
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #29
• Detective Comics #676
• Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62
• Robin #8
• Catwoman #12
• Batman #510
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #30
• Detective Comics #677
• Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #63
• Robin #9
• Catwoman #13
• Showcase ’94 #10
• Robin #0
• Batman #512
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #32
• Detective Comics #679
• Robin #11
• Batman #513
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #33
• Detective Comics #680
• Robin #12
• Batman #514
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #34
• Detective Comics #681
• Robin #13
• Batman #515
• Batman Shadow of the Bat #35
• Detective Comics #682
• Robin #14
• Azrael #1
• Azrael #2
• Nightwing Alfred’s Return
• Vengeance of Bane #2

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