This is probably the most interesting addition to my fifties Batman collection to date. At the height of Batmania in 1966, Signet Books began publishing pocket book collections of Batman comics. The first was a general Batman collection, the second was actually a novelization, the fourth was a collection of Penguin and Catwoman stories, and the third, pictured above, was obviously a Joker collection. As the size is reduced, each page usually has two panels, with the stories complete except for covers. This collection reprints five fifties and sixties Joker stories: "The Challenge of The Joker" from Batman #136, "The Joker's Winning Team!" from Batman #86, "Joker's Millions!" from Detective Comics #180, "The Joker's Journal!" from Detective Comics #193, and "Batman-Clown of Crime!" from Batman #85. Of these five, two have been reprinted elsewhere and the other three haven only been reprinted in this collection. As for the actual copy I picked up, the outside covers are a bit worn and dirty, but the reproductions inside are clear as a bell. Perfectly readable and, in the case of the blog, reviewable.
3 comments:
aw, I love this book. I picked it up about ten years ago now, along with the Batman one, and the novel. I've yet to get me hands on the remaining volume, but I'm working on it. great, great fun reads, the lot of them.
The Joker's Millions is probably my favorite all-time Joker story.
Joe: I'm working on tracking down the Batman and Penguin ones. Just from research I can tell they're full of great stories.
Pat: I'm looking forward to reading "Joker's Millions". I'm not sure Of my all time favorite, but my favorite Joker story from this era is "The Joker's Utility Belt". I also have a soft spot for "The Joker Jury".
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