Night of the Owls Reading Guide

Overview:

Night of the Owls is a 2012 Batman event written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo. It continues their acclaimed run on Batman in DC Comics’ “New 52” initiative. The story revolves around the secretive Court of Owls, an underground society that has manipulated Gotham City’s history for centuries. When Bruce Wayne’s investigations uncover the Court’s influence, they launch an all-out attack on him and the entire city using their undead assassins, the Talons.

The event spans several titles in the Bat-family, including Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Detective Comics. These tie-ins show how different Gotham heroes respond to the Court’s coordinated strike, which takes place over the course of a single night.

Critically, Night of the Owls was well-received for its gripping plot and character development, particularly its portrayal of Bruce Wayne’s vulnerability and determination. Fans appreciated Greg Capullo’s detailed and dynamic artwork, which brought the story’s dark atmosphere to life.

While Night of the Owls serves as a large-scale crossover, it’s also an important chapter in Batman’s mythos, introducing one of his most formidable new enemies in the post-reboot New 52 DC continuity—the mysterious and powerful Court of Owls.

Best Way To Read:

• Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls
  • Collects: Batman (vol. 2) #1–7
• Batman: Night of the Owls
  • Collects: All-Star Western (vol. 3) #9, Batman (vol. 2) #8–11, Annual (vol. 2) #1, Batman: The Dark Knight (vol. 2) #9, Detective Comics (vol. 2) #9, Batgirl (vol. 4) #9, Batwing #9, Birds of Prey (vol. 3) #9, Nightwing (vol. 3) #8–9, Batman and Robin (vol. 2) #9, Catwoman (vol. 4) #9, Red Hood and the Outlaws #9

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:

References:

• Wikipedia
• Comic Book Herald

Feature image from Detective Comics #9 cover art by Tony Daniel, Sandu Florea, and Tomeu Morey