Unlike the Superman titles, however, there is usually no strict continuity for the Batman comic books. Events from one story occasionally lead into another, and subplots usually don't carry over from one major story line to the next. When a character re-appears after a long absence, he may or may not have been affected by the events of the story in which he last appeared. Shown below are important events and major story lines from the regular Batman titles. Several Batman-related graphic novels have been printed that may fit into the current continuity.
Several prestige format mini-series fit into the current continuity.
The trade paperbacks listed below reprint existing comics into collected form. They contain no new material. This is by no means an exhaustive list. A special note should be made for the Secret Origins trade paperback. This is an excellent origin, which ties in the Legends story Shaman as well as other sources into continuity.