BATMAN TIMELINE

EARLY DAYS

• 1939 Batman makes his first appearance in Detective Comics #27
• Dick Grayson makes his first appearance as Robin the Boy Wonder in Detective Comics#38
• 1940 Batman # 1 introduces the Joker and Catwoman (or the Cat).
• The Batmobile is first seen in 1941. It is also the first year Gotham City is ever referred to and when Scarecrow and the Penguin make their first appearance.
• 1942 The Bat-Signal lights the skies of Gotham.
• The Riddler makes his debut in 1948, Detective Comics #140
• In Detective Comics#168, the Joker's origins are revealed. The year is 1951.
• In 1952 Batman and Superman finally meet.
• Batman #121, Mr. Zero fights the Caped Crusader. He is later known as Mr. Freeze
• In 1964, Batman gets a
• Barbara Gordon takes to the roofs as Batgirl in 1967.
• Writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams revitalize the Dark Knight, establishing the tone and mood that lives on even today. THANK GOD!!!
• 1971 brings the deadly first appearance of Ra's al Ghul and his manipulative daughter, Talia.

EIGHTIES AND NINETIES

• In 1983, circus acrobat Jason Todd begins his run as the 2nd Robin.
• 1984 sees Dick Grayson don the role of Nightwing.
• 1985 brings CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. This alters Batman's history drastically.
• Jason Todd makes his second debut as a streetwise orphan in 1987.
• Batgirl is paralyzed by a bullet shot from the Joker's gun in 1988.
• The Joker kills Jason Todd as the saga
• The Huntress appears in 1989. Tim drake also debuts in the same year.
• 1990 sees the birth of Barbara Gordon's Oracle an all knowing information broker.
• Bane sets out to destroy Batman in the 1993 multi-part saga
• In July of 1993, Bane breaks the Dark Knight's back. Jean-Paul Valley takes the mantle of the bat for a short time.
• Jean-Paul Valley changes the Bat-Costume in favor of a more armored look in October of 1993.
• In 1994, a healed Bruce Wayne takes back the mantle of the Bat from the insane Valley.
• 1995 sees Nightwing and Azrael start their own titles.
• Penciler Kelly Jones begins his amazing, and unique stint on the Batman title.
• In 1999 a massive Earthquake destroys most of Gotham City, creating a No Man's Land.
• Cassandra Cain inherits the mantle of Batgirl during her time spent in No Man's Land.
• In 2000, Lex Luthor plots to rebuild Gotham.
• At the end of No Man's Land, Sarah Essen-Gordon (wife of James Gordon) is slain by the Joker while trying to protect the first babies born after the quake.

CURRENT EVENTS

• A newly revamped Gotham City is now a mixture of high-tech and gothic architecture.
• Bruce Wayne is accused of Murdering girlfriend Vesper Fairchild.
• Batman decides to stop being Bruce Wayne and isolates himself and his mission.
• Bruce and Batman come to terms that they are one and the same. The public Wayne is the mask.
• Bruce clears his name. Alfred comes home.