Batman - No Man's Land (reading order)

No Man's Land was a massive cross-over from 1999 and took place in several DC Comics titles. The central titles used in the cross-over were Batman, Detective Comics, Shadow of the Bat, and Legends of the Dark Knight.

Recently I decided I wanted to pick up these issues and give them a read. I figured since it was the starting point for two of my favorite DC characters - Harley Quinn and Cassandra Cain - and apparently was a big deal that I'd give it a shot. I found a great deal on the issues in one lot on eBay and went for it.

When I got them I started flipping through the first couple and I noticed that there's really no way to tell from the issues which order you should read them in. I spent some time looking on-line and I found two slightly different guides for the reading order. I tried to combine the two, which essentially worked pretty well. As I read through them though I found a number of problems and decided to update the list.

I didn't always remember all the changes I thought of making so there are still some problems with it. Additionally, the editors missed a few things and frankly I just don't think some things can be resolved with the continuity. However, these are usually minor details and don't really adversely affect the reading experience. If you actually use my list to read your issues, please let me know of any thoughts or changes you want to see.

Thanks!

Batman - No Man's Land Reading Order:

THE ROAD TO NO MAN'S LAND:
Azrael 47-50 - A Man of Wealth & Taste / Scratching the Surface / Gotham City Must Die! / Resurrection
Batman 560 - Mr. Wayne Goes to Washington (Part One)
Detective Comics 727 - Fight or Flight (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 80 - Waxman and the Clown (Part One)
Batman 561 - Mr. Wayne Goes to Washington (Part Two)
Detective Comics 728 - Fight or Flight (Part Two)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 81 - Waxman and the Clown (Part Two)
Batman 562 - Mr. Wayne Goes to Washington (Part Three)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 82 - Waxman and the Clown (Part Three)
Detective Comics 729 - Fight or Flight (Part Three)

NO MAN'S LAND:
Batman: No Man's Land 0 - Ground Zero (contains some slight spoilers)
Batman: No Man's Land 1 - No Law and a New Order (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 83 - No Law and a New Order (Part Two)
Batman 563 - No Law and a New Order (Part Three)
Detective Comics 730 - No Law and a New Order (Part Four)
Azrael 51 - Miracle Run
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 116 - Fear of Faith (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 84 - Fear of Faith (Part Two)
Batman 564 - Fear of Faith (Part Three)
Detective Comics 731 - Fear of Faith (Part Four)
Azrael 52 - Devil Down Below
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 117 - Bread and Circuses (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 85 - Bread and Circuses (Part Two)
Batman Chronicles 16 - Two Down / The Comforts of Home / Harold
Batman 565 - Mosaic (Part One)
Detective Comics 732 - Mosaic (Part Two)
Azrael 53 - Jellybean Deathtrap
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 118 - Balance
Batman 566 - The Visitor
Detective Comics 733 - Shades of Grey
Azrael 54-55 - Step into the Light / Misery Dance
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 119 - Claim Jumping (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 87 - Claim Jumping (Part Two)
Batman 567 - Mark of Cain (Part One)
Detective Comics 734 - Mark of Cain (Part Two)
Young Justice No Man's Land Special 1 - Road Trip
Robin 67 - Way Dark
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 120 - Assembly
Azrael 56-57 - The Night Foretold! / Scratched Out!
Nightwing 35-37 - Escape to Blackgate / Direction / A Slight Detour
Batman Chronicles 17 - Little Bat Lost / Turn On, Tune In, Freak Out / Identity Crisis
JLA 32 - Inside Job
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 88 - Fruit of the Earth (Part One)
Batman 568 - Fruit of the Earth (Part Two)
Detective Comics 735 - Fruit of the Earth (Part Three)
Catwoman 72-74 - A Funny Thing Happened On the Way Back To Gotham ... / Ms. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 121 - Powerplay
Batman: Harley Quinn One-shot
Robin 68-70 - War Beneath the Streets
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 89 - The King
Batman Chronicles 18 Spiritual Currency
Batman 569 - I Cover the Waterfront
Detective Comics 736 - Homecoming
Azrael 58 - Ghosts
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 122 - Low Road to Golden Mountain (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 90 - Low Road to Golden Mountain (Part Two)
Batman 570 - The Code (Part One)
Detective Comics 737 - The Code (Part Two)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 123 - Underground Railroad (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 91 - Underground Railroad (Part Two)
Batman 571 - Goin' Downtown (Part One)
Detective Comics 738 - Goin' Downtown (Part Two)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 124 - Captain of Industry
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 92 - Stormy Weather
Secret Files and Origins: No Mans Land
Nightwing 38 - Ballistic Romance 1
Robin 71- The Lizard King
Nightwing 39 - Ballistic Romance 2
Robin 72 - Last Stand on Grand Avenue
Batman 572 - Jurisprudence (Part One)
Detective Comics 739 - Jurisprudence (Part Two)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 125 - Falling Back
Catwoman 75 - The Rules
Azrael 59 - Pilgrim's Return
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 93 - Assembly Redux
Robin 73 - The World Around the Corner (Robin leaves NML?)*
Azrael 60 - Evacuation
Catwoman 76-77 - Strange Bedfellows / Payback
Batman 573 - Shellgame (Part One)
Detective Comics 740 - Shellgame (Part Two)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 126 - Endgame (Part One)
Batman 574 - Endgame (Part Two)
Detective Comics 741 - Endgame (Part Three)
Azrael 61 - Presents of Mind
Batman: Shadow of the Bat 94 - Days of Auld Lang Syne

*I think there was a snafu on the part of the editors regarding this issue of Robin. Tim Drake is rescued from Gotham by Helicopter, but somehow Robin is still in Gotham. The only time it's addressed that he had to come back to Gotham is in the very last issue, Shadow 94. There are all kinds of continuity problems with that one so it's best just to let it be.