Overview:
Dark Nights: Metal is a DC Comics event published in 2017, written by Scott Snyder with art by Greg Capullo. The story dives into the concept of a multiverse that exists below the known DC universe, called the Dark Multiverse. Batman uncovers mysteries involving dark, ancient forces tied to this realm, which leads to the appearance of new and dangerous foes called the Dark Knights—twisted, alternate versions of Batman himself. At the forefront of these villains is the Batman Who Laughs, a corrupted hybrid of Batman and the Joker.
The Justice League, led by Batman, plays a crucial role in opposing these forces. The event brings the combined forces of heroes and villains from across the DC universe as they attempt to prevent the Dark Multiverse from taking over the Earth.
Snyder and Capullo, who previously worked together on a popular Batman run during the New 52 era, earned praise from fans and critics for the event’s creative ambition and bold story choices. The event’s unique blend of cosmic horror and superhero action has been widely discussed, although some found it dense due to the lore-heavy narrative. Overall, Dark Nights: Metal is a major and memorable storyline in DC’s modern era.
Background Reading:
- Hawkman: Endless Flight
- The Return of Bruce Wayne
- Multiversity
Related Guides
- Batman
Best Way To Read:
Main Collection
Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus
Collects: Dark Nights: Metal #1–6, Batman: Lost #1, Dark Nights: Metal Director’s Cut #1, Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1, Dark Days: The Forge #1, Dark Days: The Casting #1, Batman: The Red Death #1, Batman: The Devastator #1, Batman: The Merciless #1, Batman: The Murder Machine #1, Batman: The Drowned #1, Batman: The Dawnbreaker #1, The Batman Who Laughs #1, Teen Titans (vol. 6) #12, Nightwing (vol. 4) #29, Suicide Squad (vol. 5) #26, Green Arrow (vol. 6) #32, The Flash (vol. 5) #33, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #32, Justice League (vol. 3) #32–33, Hawkman: Found #1
Alternative Collections
Prelude
- Dark Days: The Road to Metal
- Collects: Dark Days: The Forge #1, Dark Days: The Casting #1, Nightwing (vol. 4) #17, Final Crisis #6–7, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1, Batman (vol. 2) #38–39 and material from Detective Comics #950
Main Story
- Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition
- Collects: Dark Nights: Metal #1–6
- Dark Nights Metal
- Collects: Dark Nights: Metal #1–6, Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1 and Batman: Lost #1
- Absolute Dark Nights Metal
- Collects: Dark Nights: Metal #1–6, Batman: Lost #1, Dark Nights: Metal Director’s Cut #1, Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1
Tie-Ins
- Dark Nights Metal – Dark Nights Rising
- Collects: Batman: The Red Death #1, Batman: The Devastator #1, Batman: The Merciless #1, Batman: The Murder Machine #1, Batman: The Drowned #1, Batman: The Dawnbreaker #1, The Batman Who Laughs (vol. 1) #1, Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1
- Dark Nights Metal – The Resistance
- Collects: Teen Titans (vol. 6) #12, Nightwing (vol. 4) #29, Suicide Squad (vol. 5) #26, Green Arrow (vol. 6) #32, The Flash (vol. 5) #33, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #32, Justice League (vol. 3) #32–33, Batman: Lost #1, Hawkman: Found #1
For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.
For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.
Reading Order:
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Days: The Forge #1 | Prelude | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Days: The Road to Metal |
| Dark Days: The Casting #1 | Prelude | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Days: The Road to Metal |
| Dark Nights: Metal #1 | Main Story | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition Dark Nights Metal |
| Dark Nights: Metal #2 | Main Story | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition Dark Nights Metal |
| Batman: The Red Death #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Batman: The Murder Machine #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Batman: The Dawnbreaker #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Batman: The Drowned #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Teen Titans Vol. 6 #12 | Titans Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Nightwing Vol. 4 #29 | Nightwing Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #26 | Suicide Squad Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Green Arrow Vol. 6 #32 | Green Arrow Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Batman: The Merciless #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Dark Nights: Metal #3 | Main Story | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition Dark Nights Metal |
| The Flash Vol. 5 #33 | Flash Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Batman: The Devastator #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Justice League Vol. 3 #32 | Justice League Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #32 | Green Lantern Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Justice League Vol. 3 #33 | Justice League Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Batman Lost #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal |
| Dark Nights: Metal #4 | Main Story | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition Dark Nights Metal |
| Hawkman Found #1 | Hawkman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — The Resistance |
| Dark Nights: Metal #5 | Main Story | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition Dark Nights Metal |
| Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| The Batman Who Laughs #1 | Batman Tie-in | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising |
| Dark Nights: Metal #6 | Main Story | Dark Nights: Metal Omnibus Absolute Dark Nights Metal Dark Nights Metal – The Deluxe Edition Dark Nights Metal |
Publications Impact
Dark Nights: Metal had a profound impact on the DC Universe and led to an expanded universe and several follow-up events.
- New Series
- The Batman Who Laughs
- Sequel Events
- Year of the Villian
- Dark Nights: Death Metal
- Universe Changes and Expansion
- New Justice relaunch
- The Sandman Universe
- The New Age of DC Heroes
- Tales from the Dark Multiverse
References:
Feature Image from Dark Nights Metal #1 cover art by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia
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