Punchline Reading Order

Punchline has become a runaway success since her debut in Batman #89 (a cameo) and full appearance in Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #3 during James Tynion IV’s Batman run and drawn by Jorge Jimenez. With Harley Quinn out of the picture for The Joker, Punchline (real name Alexis Kaye) stepped in as an anti-Harley due to her being quiet, intimidating and relatively “sane” despite being a serial killer.

For those interest, Punchline meets Harley Quinn in Batman #92.

With appearances in 32 issues since in her creation, that is quite a lot.

Being a character created in 2020, Punchline’s reading order is pretty straightforward and one that will need to be updated regularly.

Punchline Trade Reading Order

Batman: Their Dark Designs

Start here as this collected edition has Batman #89 which is Punchline’s first cameo as well as her subsequent appearances after Hell Arisen #3 (chronologically after #89 – see issue by issue reading order. Collects Batman #85-#94 and Batman Secret Files #3.

Nightwing: The Joker War

Nightwing crosses paths with Punchline a fair bit, in issues #72, #73 and #74 respectively. #74 is included in the Joker War Saga book but you’ll need this to get #72 and #73 if you don’t opt for the loose issues. Collects Nightwing Annual #3, Nightwing #70-#77.

The Joker War Saga

The Joker War Saga book completes everything up to now. Punchline appears in Batman #95, #97, #98, #99 and #100, Red Hood: Outlaw #48, Nightwing #74 and The Joker War Zone #1.

The whole book Collects Batman #95-#100, Batgirl #47, Detective Comics #1025, Red Hood: Outlaw #48, Nightwing #74, The Joker War Zone #1, plus stories from Harley Quinn #75 and Catwoman #25. So, you do get a bit extra

Punchline: The Trial of Alexis Kaye

Follows the aftermath of The Joker War and centres squarely on Punchline as a character, a must have for fans of the character. Collects The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1; Punchline #1, The Joker #1-#14; and Batman: Urban Legends #950.

This arc belongs to the Infinite Frontier era but it does pick up straight from where she left off.

With all these trades you have got every issue that Punchline features in except Hell Arisen #3.

Punchline issue by issue reading order

So, you’ve got the trades or you’ve got all the issues and now you want to read them in chronological order? Well, here it is.

1. Batman #89
2. Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #3
3. The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1
4. Batman #92
5. Batman #93
6. Batman #94
7. Batman: Secret Files #3
8. Nightwing #72
9. Nightwing #73
10. Batman #95
11. Batman #97
12. Red Hood: Outlaw #48
13. Batman #98
14. Nightwing #74
15. Batman #99
16. Batman: The Joker War Zone #1
17. Batman #100
18. Punchline #1
19. The Joker #2
20. The Joker #3
21. The Joker #4
22. The Joker #5
23. The Joker #6
24. The Joker #7
25. The Joker #8
26. The Joker #9
27. The Joker #10
28. The Joker #11
29. The Joker #12
30. The Joker #13
31. The Joker #14
32. Batman: Urban Legends #950

Last update on 2023-09-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API