Batman Comic Book Story Arcs

1986

An aging retired Bruce Wayne returns to a violently overun Gotham city as Batman to once again fight crime and clashes with old foes and the government

1987

A retelling of Batmans first year as a crimefighter in Gotham city as well as Jim Gordons rise as police comissioner and the strong partnership they developed.

1987

Batman teams up with Ra's al Ghul to defeat a common terrorist threat and falls in love with his daughter Talia who ultimately gives birth to a son, which Talia hides from Batman.

1988

The Joker breaks out of prison and attempts to make Jim gordon go insane while also providing flashbacks into the Jokers origin.

1988-1989

In a story that allowed readers to vote on the outcome, The Joker brutally murders Jason Todd, the second Robin.

1989

After villains like the Joker take control of Arkham Asylum and turn it into a madhouse, Batman must navigate the twisted halls of the Asylum to confront his most dangerous and disturbed enemies.

1990

Supernatural forcess and foes emerge in Gotham and target Batman with a series of ominous and eerie events delving into Gotham's dark history and the malevolent entities in Batman's past.

1990-1991

Batman navigates a dangerous psychological game when Dr. Hugo Strange becomes obsessed with uncovering Batmans secret identity and manipulates the Police and Comissioner Gordon to do so.

1991

Batman becomes hooked on the performance-enhancing drug Venom which increases his physical strength and greatly effects his mental state, forcing him to lock himself away as a form of detox and face his demons.

1993-1994

A dangerous drug fuelled villain named Bane breaks out of prison and travels to Gotham where he finds Batman and promises to break him and destroy Gotham.

1996-1997

Batman works with newly appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent to take down a mysterious serial killer nicknamed Holiday, who targets mobsters on Holidays.

2002-2003

A mysterious new villain named Hush targets Bruce Wayne by manipulating his old foes and allies and revealing secrets from his past that not even Bruce knows, testing his limits physically and emotionally.

2004-2006

After being revived from the dead after being murdered by The Joker, Jason Todd becomes the Red Hood and navigates his new life as a vigilante in Gotham's criminal underworld looking for vengeance against the Joker and Batman.

2008

A villainous organization known as the Black Glove targets Batman by going after Bruce Waynes psyche, aiming to break him physically and mentally and forces him to question his own sanity.

2011-2012

Batmans discovery of a secret society of individuals known as The Court of Owls who have been secretly controlling Gotham behind the scenes for centuries.