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You are here: Home / Reading DC Comics / DC Rebirth Reading Order / DC Rebirth: Year Four (July 2019 – July 2020) / Year of the Villain: The Infected Reading Order

Year of the Villain: The Infected Reading Order

DC is working hard to integrate The Batman Who Laughs into their stacked roster of villains, and this will continue through a branch-out crossover event known as “The Infected” during DC’s “Year of the Villain.”

In the relaunch of Batman/Superman the world’s finest heroes will recognize a sinister plot to infect six of the DC Universe’s greatest heroes with The Batman Who Laughs blend of Joker toxin. The infected will explore which heroes are infected, and what these heroes look like when the master planner of the dark multiverse convinces them to see things through his twisted red eyes.

The Batman Who Laughs in the pages of Batman/Superman #4

Road to Year of the Villain: The Infected

DC Metal

An absolute blast, one of my favorite comic book events all time, and the debut of The Batman Who Laughs.

Justice League / Legion of Doom

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As writer Scott Snyder takes on an era of “New Justice” it’s revealed during Justice League #8 (one of the “Legion of Doom” specials) that Lex Luthor has kept the Batman Who Laughs as his prisoner / co-conspirator since Dark Nights: Metal ended.

Batman Who Laughs

Scott Snyder and Jock reunite for a seven issue miniseries of Batman vs. The Batman Who Laughs. This is the most direct lead-in to “The Infected.”

Note for those reading outside the collected edition, The Grim Knight one-shot was published after Batman Who Laughs #3.

Year of the Villain!

The Batman Who Laughs infects the DC Universe

The Infected Comics Checklist

Batman/Superman #1 to #2

The Infected: King Shazam #1

Although Shazam’s Infected one-shot comes out after Black Adam and Batman / Superman #3, I think it makes more sense chronologically right here.

Black Adam: Year of the Villain #1

The Infected: The Commissioner #1

Batman/Superman #3

The Infected: Scarab #1

Hawkman #18

Batman/Superman #4

Supergirl #36

The Infected: Deathbringer #1

Hawkman #19

Supergirl #37

Batman/Superman #5

Batman/Superman #6

Hawkman #20

Hawkman #21

Hawkman #22

Supergirl #38

Supergirl #39

Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #1 to #4

Importantly, the “Hell Arisen” story of Lex Luthor vs the Batman Who Laughs comes after Justice League #38 as well!

Next: Dark Nights – Death Metal

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike Lawrence says

    October 21, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    Batman Superman 1 takes place after Justice League 35. Supergirl and Hawkman take place AFTER Batman Superman 5! All the Infected one shots take place between Batman Superman 2 & 3 except Gordon which takes place between Batman Superman 1 & 2.

    I tried following this list and was totally confused after the first Hawkman. This list has been copied and pasted everywhere and is not the correct order unless you want a frustrating experience.

    Reply
  2. JMart says

    May 3, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    Does Hawkman 22 and Supergirl 40 fit into The Infected? If so would they be before or after Hell Arisen? Thanks!

    Reply
  3. John says

    February 12, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    Where do the new issues of Hawkman and Supergirl fit into this?
    They are still Infected

    Reply
    • Scott says

      February 13, 2020 at 9:09 am

      +1 🙂

      Reply
    • Dave says

      February 14, 2020 at 8:46 pm

      Updated! Basically I’d just slot ’em anywhere between Bats/Supes and the start of Hell Arisen!

      Reply
      • Scott says

        February 16, 2020 at 12:29 pm

        Thank you!!

        Reply
  4. Levi says

    January 19, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    Yeah where does the Infected the commissioner fit into all of this it seems to be missing from the list

    Reply
  5. Caleb Linnemeier says

    December 26, 2019 at 8:37 pm

    Where would Supergirl Annual #2 go? I know it doesn’t really add to “The Infected” in regards to the “Secret Six” plot, but I think it helps justify Supergirl’s decision to fully give in to the Dark Multiverse’s influences.

    Reply
    • MICHAEL says

      February 27, 2020 at 10:09 pm

      Well supergirl turns in B/S #4 so I would put it right after that. Especially since supergirl #36 recaps how she turned in B/S #4 and continues forward. I suppose it could work after supergirl #36. But that’s up to you.

      Reply

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