Batman: Knightfall Saga Reading Order Guide

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It’s easy to forget that Batman is just a man. His skills, resources, and achievements allow him to do incredible things. However, he can be broken. That’s exactly what happened in the 1993-1994 comic book event Knightfall, when the villainous Bane broke our hero’s back over his knee.

However, this is only the first act of the Batman: Knightfall saga. Readers will witness the ripple effects caused by a new, more violent Batman and the Bat-family’s quest to stop them.

Dive deep into the entire saga with this Batman: Knightfall reading order. It features the recommended reading order and heaps of notes, so you can focus on reading and less on how everything fits together.

Batman: Knightfall saga structure

Knightfall is one of those mega-events, spanning dozens of Batman-family comics. It’s a trilogy at its core, focusing on three distinct phases – Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd – to tell a much larger story.

Stories of this nature are not purely self-contained, with plenty of moving parts involved. There is a stack of prelude comics that build up to the trilogy, introducing characters and the conditions for the Knightfall trilogy. The event itself creates multiple stories – Prodigal and Troika – that explore its aftermath. These keep readers in crossover mode a little longer and are good for anyone who wants to extend their reading experience.

How to read Batman: Knightfall

Batman: Knightfall issues and collections can be found in comic book shops, online retailers, Amazon/Kindle, DC Universe Infinite, and in your local library.

Background reading

Background reading isn’t required for the Batman: Knightfall saga as long as you read the prelude issues. The comics build towards the saga, introducing Bane and Jean-Paul Valley and setting up the conditions for this comic book event.

Refer to the “Preludes” section to find out more about what to read.

Batman: Knightfall saga reading order

Take a look below at the recommended read order for the Batman: Knightfall saga. This includes preludes, the main trilogy, and plenty of aftermath stories. I have added notes where I think they will be valuable for aiding in the reading experience.

Vengeance of Bane #1 cover by Glenn Fabry.

Preludes

These comics build-up to Batman: Knightfall, introducing and establishing Jean-Paul Valley and Bane.

Batman: Sword of Azrael #1

Batman: Sword of Azrael #2

Batman: Sword of Azrael #3

Batman: Sword of Azrael #4

Note: Dennis O’Neil and Joe Quesada introduce readers to Jean-Paul Valley (a.k.a. Azreal) in the Batman: Sword of Azrael miniseries. Valley plays a big role in the Knightfall saga so check these issues out if you want to read up on the character beforehand.

Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1

Note: Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan introduce readers to Bane. This one-shot features his first appearance and also features the villain’s origin story.

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 #497 cover by Kelley Jones and Bob LeRose.

Knightfall

Knightfall is the first part of the saga. This focuses on Batman’s confrontation with Bane, which results in the latter famously breaking our hero’s back over his knee. This results in Jean-Paul Valley taking the mantle of Batman.

Batman #492 (Part 1)

Detective Comics #659 (Part 2)

Batman #493 (Part 3)

Detective Comics #660 (Part 4)

Batman #494 (Part 5)

Detective Comics #661 (Part 6)

Batman #495 (Part 7)

Detective Comics #662 (Part 8)

Batman #496 (Part 9)

Detective Comics #663 (Part 10)

Batman #497 (Part 11)

Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins #1 – “Lost Pages: How Bane Infiltrated Wayne Manor” story (Tie-in)

Note: Lost Pages: How Bane Infiltrated Wayne Manor is a retrospective tie-in published in 1998’s Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins #1 one-shot. Totally optional, unless you really need to know how Bane infiltrated Wayne Manor.

Detective Comics #664 (Part 12)

Showcase ’93 #7 (Part 13)

Showcase ’93 #8 (Part 14)

Batman #498 (Part 15)

Detective Comics #665 (Part 16)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #16 (Tie-in)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #17 (Tie-in)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #18 (Tie-in)

Batman #499 (Part 17)

Detective Comics #666 (Part 18)

Batman #500 (Part 19)

Detective Comics #667 covet by Kelley Jones.

Knightquest: The Crusade

Knightquest is the second part in the Knightfall saga trilogy. Technically, there are two storylines that concurrently run during this phase. As a result, I have separated them for ease.

Knightquest: The Crusade focuses on Jean-Paul Valley as Batman. This segment of the crossover highlights his actions, becoming more violent and unbalanced.

Detective Comics #667

Detective Comics #668

Robin (1993 series) #1

Robin (1993 series) #2

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #20

Batman #501

Batman #502

Detective Comics #669

Detective Comics #670

Note: Detective Comics #670 was accidentally labelled as being part of The Search instead of The Crusade on the cover. This was confirmed in a letter’s page by the editor in a subsequent letter page.

Catwoman (1993 series) #6

Batman #503

Batman #504

Catwoman (1993 series) #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

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #26

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #27

Showcase ’94 #7

Detective Comics #674

Batman #508

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #28

Detective Comics #675

Shadow of the Bat #21 cover by Brian Stelfreeze.

Knightquest: The Search

Knightquest: The Search focuses Bruce Wayne and Alfred’s search for Jack Drake and Shondra Kinsolving.

Justice League Task Force #5

Justice League Task Force #6

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #21

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #22

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #23

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #59

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #60

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #61

Robin (1993 series) #7

Note: Knightquest: The Crusade and Knightquest: The Search intersect and conclude in Robin (1993 series) #7.

Legends of the Dark Knight #63 cover by Barry Kitson and Scott Hanna.

KnightsEnd

KnightsEnd is the final part of the core trilogy. This sees Bruce Wayne return to Gotham to confront Jean-Paul Valley.

Batman #509 (Part 1)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29 (Part 2)

Detective Comics #676 (Part 3)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62 (Part 4)

Robin (1993 series) #8 (Part 5)

Catwoman (1993 series) #12 (Part 6)

Batman #510 (Part 7)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #30 (Part 8)

Detective Comics #677 (Part 9)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #63 (Part 10)

Robin (1993 series) #9 (Aftermath)

Catwoman (1993 series) #13 (Aftermath)

Showcase ’94 #10 (Aftermath)

Note: Batman #511, Detective Comics #678, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #31, and Robin (1993 series) #10, and #0 issues are Zero Hour tie-ins and not part of the Knightfall saga aftermath.

Aftermath: Prodigal

The crossover action doesn’t end there! While KnightsEnd concludes the Knightfall trilogy, the saga continues with extended aftermath stories. Prodigal picks up directly after the Knightfall trilogy, exploring what happens next. In it, Nightwing (Dick Grayson) temporarily takes on the mantle of Batman.

Batman #512 (Part 1)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #32 (Part 2)

Detective Comics #679 (Part 3)

Robin (1993 series) #11 (Part 4)

Batman #513 (Part 5)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #33 (Part 6)

Detective Comics #680 (Part 7)

Robin (1993 series) #12 (Part 8)

Batman #514 (Part 9)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #34 (Part 10)

Detective Comics #681 (Part 11)

Robin (1993 series) #13 (Part 12)

Robin (1993 series) #14 cover by Tom Grummett and Ray Kryssing.

Aftermath: Troika

Following on from Batman: Prodigal, Bruce Wayne returns as Batman to deal with the aftermath of the Knightfall trilogy. He’ll also have to stop a plot to nuke Gotham City.

Batman #515 (Part 1)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #35 (Part 2)

Detective Comics #682 (Part 3)

Robin (1993 series) #14 (Part 4)

Nightwing: Alfred’s Return #1 (Epilogue)

Knightfall #1 cover by Brad Anderson and Lee Weeks.

Optional reading

There are a handful of comics set during the time period of the Knightfall saga, showing Jean-Paul Valley as Batman, but they have no influence on the plot. These are a mix of annuals and guest appearances. I’ve put them here in a dedicated section for completionists and those who want to extend their reading experience.

Batman Annual #17

Detective Comics Annual #6

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #3

Note: Batman Annual #17, Detective Comics Annual #6, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #3 tie into the Bloodlines event. This very nineties event focused on an invasion of extreme alien parasites through several annuals.

Showcase ’93 #10

Note: Jean-Paul Valley guests in the Huntress story of Showcase ’93 #10.

Superman (1987 series) #83

Note: Jean-Paul Valley’s Batman appears in the epilogue for Funeral For A Friend, the middle part of the Death of Superman Saga.

Chain Gang War #5-6, 10-12

Note: Chain Gang War is a forgotten action-centric series by John Wagner and Dave Johnson. Jean-Paul Valley’s Batman appeared in five of the twelve issues.

Catwoman (1993 series) #5

Note: Jean-Paul Valley’s Batman makes a quick appearance in Catwoman (1993 series) #5.

Showcase ’94 #5-7

Note: Jean-Paul Valley’s Batman plays a supporting role in the Huntress storyline that is serialised through Showcase ’94 #5-7.

Outsiders #7-9

Note: In these issues, The Outsiders head to Gotham City with the intent of asking Bruce Wayne’s help with tracking down a foe. However, they get Jean-Paul Valley’s interpretation of Batman instead.

Bloodbath #1-2

Note: Bloodbath is the culmination of the Bloodlines annuals.

Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire

Note: In this DC/Marvel crossover, The Punisher takes on Jean-Paul Valley’s interpretation of Batman.

Batman: Turning Points #4

Note: Batman: Turning Points was a 2001 miniseries that delved into the history of Batman and Commissioner Gordon. The fourth issue touches on the period when Jean-Paul Valley was Batman.

Tales From The Dark Multiverse: Batman: Knightfall

Note: This is a 2019 what-if tale exploring what would happen if Jean-Paul Valley defeated the Bat-Family.

What to read after Batman: Knightfall saga

You’ve gotten through the entire saga and its aftermath and want even more Batman? Here’s what you can read next?

Batman: Vengeance of Bane II

Note: Read this to find out what’s next for Bane.

Azrael (1995 series) #1 onwards

Note: Azrael gets his own series in 1995. It ran for 100 issues (and 3 annuals) until 2003.

Batman: Contagion

Note: Batman: Contagion is the next Batman event, published in 1996.

Batman #516 onwards

Note: Batman #516 is the first issue of Doug Moench and Kelley Jones’ Batman run that’s not part of a crossover. The run is defined by supernatural tones and ideas.

Detective Comics #683 onwards

Note: Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan continue their run on Detective Comics with issue #683.

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #36 onwards

Note: Alan Grant continues his run of Batman: Shadow of the Bat with issue #36 – focusing on Black Canary.

Knightfall Volume 1 trade paperback cover by Kelley Jones.

Collected editions

Prefer to read the this massive saga in a printed format? There are a few options that DC Comics has made available in the last 15 years.

2012 trade paperbacks

These trade paperback collections into three 600+ page volumes. They are not as comprehensive as later editions. For instance, the Knightquest volume only includes The Crusade and not The Search.

Batman: Knightfall Volume 1
Collects: Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1, Batman #491-500, Detective Comics #659-666, Showcase ’93 #7-8, and Batman: Shadow of the Bat #17-18

Batman: Knightfall Volume 2 – Knightquest
Collects: Batman #501-508; Detective Comics #667-675; Showcase ’93 #7-8; Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-20, 24-28; Catwoman (1993 series) #6-7; and Robin (1993 series) #7

Batman: Knightfall Volume 3 – KnightsEnd
Collects: Batman #509-514, Detective Comics #676-681, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29-34, Catwoman (1993 series) #12-13, and Robin (1993 series) #8-13

Buy Batman: Knightfall on…

Knightfall Volume 1 (25th Anniversary Edition) trade paperback cover by Kelley Jones.

25th Anniversary editions

DC Comics released a new set of collections for the 25th anniversary of Batman: Knightfall. These comprehensive collection include prelude stories and include Knightquest: The Search for the first time. Additional collections also feature the Prodigal and Troika aftermath crossovers.

Batman: Prelude to Knightfall
Collects: Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1, Batman #484-491, and Detective Comics #654-658

Batman: Knightfall Volume 1
Collects: Batman #492-497, Detective Comics #659-663, and material from Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins #1

Batman: Knightfall Volume 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 Volume 1
Collects: Batman #501-504, Detective Comics #667-670, Robin (1993 series) #1-2, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-20, and Catwoman (1993 series) #7

Batman: Knightquest – The Crusade Volume 2
Collects: Batman #505-508, Detective Comics #671-675, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #24-28, and material from 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 (1993 series) #7

Batman: KnightsEnd
Collects: Batman #509-510, Detective Comics #576-676, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29-30, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62-63, Robin (1993 series) #8-9, Catwoman (1993 series) #12-13, and Showcase ’94 #10

Batman: Prodigal
Collects: Robin (1993 series) #0, #11-13; Batman #512-514; Detective Comics #32-34; and Batman: Shadow of the Bat #32-34

Batman: Troika
Collects: Batman #515, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #35, Detective Comics #682, Robin (1993 series) #14, Nightwing: Alfred’s Return #1, and Batman: Vengeance of Bane II – The Redemption

Buy 25th Anniversary editions on…

Knightfall Omnibus Volume 1 cover by Kelley Jones.

Omnibus editions

The saga is also available in three chunky omnibus editions too.

Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Volume 1
Collects: Batman #484-500, Batman- Shadow of the Bat #16-18; Batman- Vengeance of Bane #1; Detective Comics #654-666; and Showcase ’93 #7-8;

Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Volume 2: Knightquest
Collects: Batman #501-508; Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #59-61, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-28, Detective Comics #667-675, Justice League Task Force #5-6, Robin (1993 series) #1-2, 7; and showcase ’94 #7

Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Volume 3: KnightsEnd
Collects: Batman #509-510, 512-514; Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29-30, 32-34; Detective Comics #676-677, 679-681; Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62-63; Robin (1993 series) #8-9, 11-13; and Catwoman (1993 series) #12-13

Buy Batman: Knightfall Omnibus on…