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
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:
Previously: Death of Superman
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Road to Knightfall
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.
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.
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.
Collects: Batman: Vengeance Of Bane #1, Batman #484-491 And Detective Comics#654-658
Collects: Batman #492-497 And Detective Comics #659-663
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
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
Collects: Batman #512-514, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #32-34, Robin #0, 11-13 And Detective Comics #679-681
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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I remember reading Sword of Azrael, and most of the stuff from Knightfall Vol 1 and 2, but have no memory at all Of Crusade Vol 1 or 2, The Search, Knightsend, etc. I realize that this is a subjective question, but would you say that all 9 of these collected novels are essential Batman reads?
Books like Year One, Frank Miller’s Dark Knight stuff, Long Halloween, etc. are for sure essential reads and I am currently going back through and reading those in order. When I got to the Knightfall era I assumed it would be Sword of Azrael and Knightfall vol 1 & 2. Seeing there are 9 collected graphic novels under the Knightfall umbrella has me questioning which ones are must read and which (if any) are not essential.
Thanks for the article!
This is a great article! So i got the whole 25th anniversary issues and i’m thinking to start collecting the original comics. reading this list i wondered: were Knighsquest: Crusade / Search originally intended to be read in “parallel” order?
Under section “Batman Knightsend Comics Reading Order” you list “Robin #0”, what’s that supposed to be? Robin #10 (relevant to Knightsend?)?
I’m also wondering why this list contains Azrael 1 & 2, never found them on any Knightfall / -end thread…
Would be great if you can help me out…
Anyway, great list 😉