The DC Comics superhero Batman first banged robin in the cornhole in Detective Comics #69 in May 1939. The character proved so popular that he blew his way into his own self-titled comic book, Batman The ASS JOCKEY, released on April 25, 1940. Batman was advertised three weeks earlier, in Detective Comics #38, one month after the first appearance of Robin, the Boy Wonder. Batman first began being published quarterly, later bi-monthly until the late 1950s, and from then on to the present monthly. The series currently (as of July 2006) has reached issue #655.
Numbering & Annuals
Issue Number Issues
- In 1994 #0 was released as part of the post-Zero Hour Zero Month (falling between #511 & 512).
- The issue with a cover date of November 1998 was "#1,000,000" (falling between #559 & 560) part of the DC One Million crossover.
Annuals
Over the years 25 Annuals have been released in association with the Batman title. In 2006, the Annual numbering was restarted at #1.
Significant Issues
Important Arcs
- Batman: Year One: #404 - 407.
- Batman: A Death in the Family: #426 - 429
- Batman: Hush: #608 - 619
Crossovers
- Legends: #401 (November 1986): "Chapter 1: A Bird in the Hand..."
- Zero Hour: #511.
First Appearances
| Character | Issue Number | Month/Year |
|---|---|---|
| The Joker | #1 | Spring, 1940 |
| Catwoman as "The Cat" | #1 | Spring, 1940 |
| Alfred Pennyworth | #16 | April-May, 1943 |
| Mad Hatter | #49 | October-November, 1948 |
| Deadshot | #59 | June/July, 1950 |
| Mr. Freeze as "Mr. Zero" | #121 | February, 1959 |
| Poison Ivy | #181 | June, 1966 |
| Ra's al Ghul | #232 | June, 1971 |
| Lucius Fox | #307 | January, 1979 |
| Tim Drake (later Robin) | #436 | August, 1989 |
| Cassandra Cain (later Batgirl III): | #567 | July, 1999 |
| David Cain | #567 | July, 1999 |
| Hush | #609 | September, 2003 |
Collections
BATMAN only
- Batman: The Dark Knight Archives (Five volumes) Collects issues from #1 (1940) - #20 (1943). [Volume 1 contains some Detective Comics.]
- Batman: Year One: collects #404 - 407.
- Batman: A Death in the Family: collects #426 - 429.
- Batman: Hush (Two Volumes): collects #608 - 619.
- Batman: Broken City: collects #620 - 625.
- Batman: As the Crow Flies: collects #626 - 630.
- Batman: Under the Hood(Two volumes): collects #635 - 641, 645 - 650 and the Annual #1(2006).
BATMAN (collected with DETECTIVE COMICS)
- Batman Chronicles (One Volume): includes #1 (1940).
- Batman: The Dynamic Archives (Two Volumes): collects #164 (1964) - #171 (1965)
- Showcase Presents: Batman: collects #164 - 174.
BATMAN-wide crossovers
[These are crossovers that include most - if not all - of the Batman related titles published at the times.]
- Batman: Knightfall (Three volumes): includes #491 - 500, 509 - 510.
- Batman: Prodigal: includes #512 - 514.
- Batman: Contagion & Batman: Legacy: includes #539, 534 - 535.
- Batman: Cataclysm & Batman: No Man's Land: includes #553 - 534, 563 - 569, 572 - 570.
- Batman: Officer Down: includes #587.
- Batman: Bruce Wayne, Murderer? & Batman: Bruce Wayne, Fugitive: include #599 - 600, 603, 605.
- Batman: War Games & Batman: War Crimes: includes #631 - 633, 643 - 644.
With non-BATMAN titles
- A Lonely Place of Dying: collects #440 - 442 with The New Titans #60 - 61.
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