I Believe In Bat-Mite

"Bat-Girl!"

2011-04-07T23:58:00.006-04:00

Issue: Batman #139

Cover Date: April 1961

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: The introduction of Bat-Girl begins with Batman, Robin, and Batwoman fighting the Cobra Gang at an exhibit of new scientific equipment. It seems that the Dynamic Trio has thwarted the elements of crime once again, when the remaining member of the gang traps them in an electronic-ring. The criminal begins to tighten the ring, but is felled by a sudden kick from Bat-Girl. After turning off the device, she leaves through the window she came from, leaving Robin to wonder who she is. The answer is made clear to Batwoman when she later returns to her Bat-Cave, where her niece Betty stands in the costume. The story then flashes back, showing Betty arriving for a visit and later watching Batwoman capture thieves robbing a school supplies manufactrer on the news. When Betty found gold stars in Kathy's brush, she deduced the truth, made her own costume, and followed Kathy. Kathy is of course worried about her niece getting injured and asks Batman for advice. He suggests that Kathy tell her that she can be Bat-Girl after a lot of training, to stall Betty until she has to leave.

Kathy puts this plan into action, having her practice on a trapeze and read books on criminal law. Days pass, with Kathy going out on patrol at night and Betty left to study. One night, she throws a book in frustration and knocks particles loose from one of the Cobra Gang's shoes. Studying them under a microscope, she identifies them as traces of cellulose acetate and sets out to find the Gang's hideout to prove herself to her aunt. She finds the Gang in an abandoned rayon factory and attempts to distract them with a self-inflating balloon so she can lasso them. Her plan backfires when the surprised boss' cigar pops the balloon in her face and the Cobra Gang takes her as a hostage to get their fellows released. At first distraught at the situation due to recklessness, she collects herself and looks for a way to fix things. Cutting some sheets of carbon paper into bat shapes, she sends them out an exhaust vent, which alerts a shoe shiner to call the police. The Dynamic Trio soon arrive and begin subduing the Cobra Gang, but are stopped when the holds a gun to Bat-Girl's head. Bat-Girl fakes fainting and knocks the gun out of his hand, resuming the fight. After the Gang is turned over to the police, Bat-Girl apologizes for her foolishness and Batwoman, accepting that she saw the recklessness in her actions, tells her that she proved herself to be a good crimefighter. Excited, she poses that maybe her and Robin can work on a case together sometime. Asking the Boy Wonder if that's a date, the story ends with Batman and Batwoman chuckling at Robin's embarrassment.

Thoughts: In comparison to Batwoman's first story, Bat-Girl's debut introduces the character right. When she first appears, she saves the Dynamic Trio from a criminal's trap without sexist comments about her being a girl. In the flashback, we see Betty noticing that Kathy disappears every night, showing her to be inquisitive before she finds the stars. While the acrobatic and crime training during Kathy's attempt to stall refine and improve the skills Betty could use as a crime fighter, she learned about the cellulose acetate in school, showing a natural intelligence. When the Cobra Gang captures her, she laments how rash her actions were, but then finds a way to get in touch with the rest of the Bat Family rather than stepping backward into being a damsel in distress. This is even more apparent when, with a gun to her head, she fakes a very damsel in distress action and disarms the criminal. Bat-Girl is shown to posses all the ability of a super-heroine without the sexism that Batwoman was saddled with.

While Batwoman wanting Betty not to be Bat-Girl may appear hypocritical after Batman had wanted her to stop fighting crime, it should be remembered that Betty is Kathy's niece. Her worry about her getting hurt is genuine, not covered up sexism like in the previous story. And given how much more forward thinking this story is, I would like to think that Batwoman went to Batman for advice because he has had experience raising a youth who is a crimefighter. Speaking of Batwoman, her characterization is much better, fighting alongside Batman and Robin as an equal rather than being viewed as a nuisance. However, her fighting criminals in a school supplies factory is a little suspect and her being unable to figure out Bat-Girl's identity don't reflect well on her. Knocking chairs and boxes of gold stars, as well as flipping criminals over her head, does reflect better than the purse based crimefighting tools of her first appearance. And while Betty has a utility-purse, the self-inflating balloon and Bat-Lasso are also improvements. While Robin still says things like "an inexperienced girl is bound to get hurt pursuing crooks" and "not bad - for a girl," these statements don't come off as sexist as they did when directed at an adult, but as the reaction of a boy to a girl his age.

As usual, Sheldon Moldoff brings his cartoony charm to the story's pages. Before I comment on the story, I should say a few words about Batwoman and Bat-Girl's costumes. While Batwoman's costume does not say "creature of the night" like Batman's does, but I do like how it is distinct from his. While the color scheme for Batwoman's costume might strike one as oddly different, the colors of Bat-Girl's costume match Robin's. This matches her up with her counterpart in the Dynamic Duo, while still staying unique. As far as the designs of the Cobra Gang, they begin as entertaining wearing scaly hoods and capes along with traditional comic book criminal suits. Then, the boss shows up in a full cobra hood costume and you know Moldoff had a blast drawing Gotham criminals that offered more creativity than the norm. In this story, there was a distinct piece of art that stuck out as a mistake and one that caught me by surprise. The mistake occurred in the scene with the balloon, where in one panel the balloon flies to the left of the panel as Bat-Girl enters from the window on the right side of the panel. In the next panel, Bat-Girl is suddenly on the left side and getting dazed by the balloon popping, rather than her approaching from the right side. However, the panel where the Cobra Boss holds a gun to Bat-Girl's head caught me by surprise, as I didn't expect for a Silver Age comic at this time to allow something so mature.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #7, the Batman From The 30s to The 70s HC, and the DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals Volume 2 HC.

"The Batwoman!"

2011-04-05T23:50:00.006-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #233

Cover Date: July 1956

Writer: Edmond Hamilton

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Stan Kaye

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: The debut of Batwoman begins with Batman and Robin heading towards a new air terminal after the Bat Signal shines in the sky. Unbeknownst to them, the criminals are already being subdued by the Batwoman. She is handcuffing the crooks by the time the Dynamic Duo arrive, running off afterward with the pair in pursuit. They try to catch up to her in the Batmobile, but her Bat-Cycle loses them in a narrow alley. The next night at a world premiere, the Batwoman prevents a diamond thief's robbery, once again racing away. The rest of the jewel gang attempt to get the drop on the Dynamic Duo while they search for Batwoman, but once again she is there to save them. Later, Robin laments that she is making the Caped Crusader look bad, but Batman does not care about that, worried instead about the risks the Batwoman is taking.

At that moment, Batwoman is returning to her own Bat-Cave, located in an old mine tunnel in the suburbs. After changing out of her costume, Batwoman is revealed to be an heiress named Kathy Kane. Reflecting back, we find out that she was a skilled circus trapeze and motorcycle stunt performer who wanted to use her skills to fight crime like Batman. After inheriting her uncle's fortune, she builds a mansion, outfits a Bat-Cave with equipment underneath it, and adopts the super-heroine identity of Batwoman. Back in the present, Bruce Wayne attends a party at Kathy Kane's mansion, where Batwoman comes up in the conversation. Bruce and Kathy appear to hit it off, but abruptly say goodbye to each other when the Bat-Signal appears in the sky. They reunite as Batman and Batwoman at the "Tomorrow Club," where dodging fake Martian idols leads them to respect each others acrobatic skill. Batwoman is able to throw a net on the criminal, but not before he knocks out Batman when the Caped Crusader jumps between Batwoman and the giant robot hand the crook was operating.

Batwoman has the opportunity to discover Batman's identity, but does not as he got knocked unconscious saving her from getting hit. Batman comes to as Robin arrives; the Caped Crusader proceeds to interrogate the criminal, who refuses to talk. Despite his silence, Batman deduces that he must have been a distraction so that his boss Hugo Vorn could commit a crime elsewhere. His suspicions are confirmed when he sees an advertising blimp heading towards the mint. The Dynamic Duo and Batwoman arrive as the mob lands, immediately leaping into action. Using her shoulder-bag strap as a makeshift Bat-Bolo, Batwoman ties up Vorn as he makes for the blimp, which Batman apparently sees as giving her the right to turn the mob over to the police. In reality, Batman left her to it so he could use circus terms she spoke earlier to discover her identity. Back at the Bat-Cave, an analysis of the Dynamic Duo's files not only uncovers her identity as Kathy Kane, but where her Bat-Cave is located. The pair confront her when she returns and Batman convinces her to give up her career as Batwoman. The story ends with Batwoman's portrait from her Bat-Cave hung in Batman's trophy room, with Robin wondering if one day they'll fight crime with her as a Dynamic Trio.

Thoughts: This story is an important one for the era, as it is the first appearance of Batwoman, but it is also deeply flawed. Theses flaws come from the fact that the Comics Code Authority at the time had guidelines that were inherently sexist when it came to female characters. As Michael Uslan cites in his introduction to Batman In The Fifties, "The inclusion of females in stories is specifically discouraged. Women, when used in plot structure, should be secondary in importance, and should be drawn realistically, without exaggeration of feminine qualities." As a result of this stance, Batwoman does not come across as a full character. The story begins with one of the crooks saying, "Ha ha, what can she do?," before the other crook is knocked out by Batwoman spinning a giant globe. This showing of Batwoman as a capable super-heroine in the face of sexism is short lived, as she subdues the other criminal using a powder puff from a shoulder bag and then chains the two together with charm bracelets disguised as handcuffs. These gadgets continue, as she stops the diamond thief by reflecting light in his face using a compact-mirror and a perfume flask containing tear gas stops the rest of the jewel gang later. While I can understand wanting to differentiate Batwoman's equipment from Batman's, this was not the way to do it.

The making light of Batwoman because she is a woman is not limited to the criminal, but extends to the Dynamic Duo too: Robin says "A girl saving you? It's ridiculous!" and Batman himself says "This is no place for a girl." While Kathy being inspired by Batman to use her acrobatic skills to fight crime is fine, his picture on her desk in the next panel introduces a romantic angle that is unnecessary. At the party, Kathy asking "how any woman could ever equal the great Batman," Bruce suddenly voicing admiration for Batwoman's courage, and the two lamenting if only they could tell the other of their costumed identities, furthers the wrong ideas of the story. Its attempt to show Batman wanting to end Kathy's career as Batwoman because he fears for her safety, not because she has made him look bad as Robin sees it, just comes across as more sexism. This is furthered as his reason for Kathy to give up crime fighting, if he uncovered her identity eventually a criminal would, is an unlikely one. It is shown to be an even poorer reason in the next panel, as Kathy is revealed to have assembled cameras and instruments to take photos, x-rays, and height and weight records that would allow her to uncover Batman's identity, showing how intelligent she is. That Batman hangs her portrait in the Bat-Cave at the end just adds insult to injury. While the story shows that Kathy Kane had the intelligence and acrobatic skills which would make her a fine super-heroine, the sexism of the time that pervades it prevented the character from achieving that status.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #4, the Batman From The 30s to The 70s HC, the Batman In The Fifties TPB, and the DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals Volume 2 HC.

"Bat-Mite's Super-Circus!"

2011-03-31T23:40:00.006-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #310

Cover Date: December 1962

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are enjoying a moment of relaxation, noting that sooner or later Batman and Robin will be needed. Meanwhile, Bat-Mite has returned to the crime fighting pair's dimension and is eager to see his hero perform more fantastic stunts. He transforms an old mining town into a variety of objects (including a statue, pirate ship, castle, and fountain), seeing it as a perfect setting for more fun. The next day, Bat-Mite diverts a trio of crooks into going to his circus, where he gives each of them a super-power. The Dynamic Duo first contends with a crook who can stretch, dodging his extended reach by jumping from the ship they boarded to the statue. The second criminal, a human cannonball, rolls toward the statue, but Batman and Robin evade him by sliding down the statue's arm. The third thug, a strongman, prepares to swing a lamp post at the pair, but Bat-Mite transforms it into a flower. While Batman is beginning to figure out that this is another Bat-Mite adventure, the imp hits his head on the pirate ship's plank when he jumps up in excitement.

After having been invisible for the fight so far, Bat-Mite suddenly becomes visible. Before he can try to figure out why, he attempts to remove Batman and Robin from the rubberman's grasp, but finds that he cannot use his powers. He explains to the Dynamic Duo that the part of the brain that allows him to project his powers has been affected, before he is grabbed by the strongman. Batman diverts the water from the fountain into the rubberman's face, allowing the trio to make a run for the Batmobile. They begin to drive off, but the strongman uses the rubberman's body to propel the human cannonball into the Batmobile, knocking its occupants out. The three super criminals leave the Dynamic Duo and Bat-Mite to drown in the dungeon of the castle, but Batman is able to throw Bat-Mite up once they leave to turn off the water. Later, while driving in a spare Batmobile, the crime-fighters receive word that the strongman is breaking into the Gotham Aircraft Company.

When they reach the Company, the trio head for where the payroll safe is located, followed by the strongman. Batman fights the criminal one on one and appears to slam his head into a wall. The strongman delivers what he thinks is the finishing blow, but Batman dodges it and the strongman's fist bounces off the wall and collides with his own face. Batman explains that the wall was in fact a slab of foam rubber used to make seat cushions and he only pretended to be dazed. They then drive to a National History Museum, where an alarm signals the rubberman trying to steal a necklace of black pearls. The rubberman at first has the upper hand, dodging the Dynamic Duo and stopping Bat-Mite with his foot. Quickly, Batman once again outsmarts his opponent, punching his head up into a doorway. For the final criminal, his m.o. provided by the Batcave's crime files leads them to the S.S. Atlanta where a Rembrant is being delivered. While first stopped by oil slick, the human cannonball prepares for another strike, rolling down a gangplank straight for a bunch of explosives. Suddenly, a trampoline appears for the criminal to bounce off of and he returns to normal, signaling Bat-Mite having his powers once again. After dropping the criminals off at prison, Bat-Mite explain's that running into the rubberman's foot returned his powers. The Dynamic Duo point out that this means he had them the entire time they fought the human cannonball, causing Bat-Mite to make a hasty exit.

Thoughts: Today marks the 52nd anniversary of the publication of Detective Comics #267, the first appearance of Bat-Mite, so what better way to celebrate than reviewing a Bat-Mite story? Before I go into this fun little story, I do have a few criticisms, one major and one minor. My major problem is actually with the first panel of the story after the title splash page. In it, Bruce wishes that they had more days of luxury and Dick agrees with him. Now, I am not saying that the pair should never have downtime, but they should always be shown as dedicated to fighting crime. In the Golden Age, the origin stories of both heroes showed them vowing their dedication due to both losing their parents to crime. After those stories and before this one, Batman had confronted his parents' killer and the man who ordered the job done. While continuity was not considered nearly as important as it is today, the number of call backs to Batman's origin should have set how important his dedication to crime fighting is, and by extension Robin's. My other, and much more minor, problem is that Batman says "whoa" after Bat-Mite reveals how long he's had his powers back. Robin saying "whoa" sure, but Batman saying it is odd.

Other than those points, this is another fun Bat-Mite tale. The imp creating an entire castle, a pirate ship, and a statue are clear signs that this is a Bill Finger story. Bat-Mite giving criminals super-powers takes the common story of the Dynamic Duo against normal crooks and makes it more interesting. As Bat-Mite spends most of the story powerless, most of the focus is on Batman and Robin cleaning up his mess, allowing Bat-Mite to tag along and observe his hero in action like he wanted. Bat-Mite still has a few highlights, such as Batman throwing him like a football out of the dungeon and hiding that he got his powers back so that Batman would have to fight the last criminal. Batman outsmarting the super-crooks and making them essentially defeat themselves was the right way to go, rather than a scenario like having them best the Dynamic Duo and Bat-Mite getting his powers back on the last page. Winning fights with his supervillains, and super-criminals such as these, through brain with a little brawn as opposed to merely brawn is how Batman should operate.

Sheldon Moldoff's adds the charm that a Bat-Mite story needs. The expressions he draws on the imps face are part of what makes the character as entertaining as he is. This story also features one of my favorite Bat-Mite panels, where Batman is holding up Bat-Mite by his cape after the trio have been thrown in the dungeon, with the Dynamic Duo's faces on either side and Batman pointing his finger at the imp. There's an art detail that might have been described in the script or a choice by Moldoff. When Batman rescues Bat-Mite from the strongman, he tucks him under his arm like a football, an interesting choice as Batman describes throwing Bat-Mite "like a football." The most interesting art detail is that the rubberman's costume was colored purple and his hair colored red, making him resemble DC's Elongated Man. Elongated Man debuted in Flash #112 from 1960, adding a bizarre little coincidence to another fun visit from Batman's biggest fan.

This story has not been reprinted.

"Batman Meets Bat-Mite"

2011-03-31T17:00:00.001-04:00

This review was originally posted on July 27, 2009, but is being reposted on the anniversary of the issue's publication as was originally intended.

Issue: Detective Comics #267

Cover Date: May 1959

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Curt Swan

Synopsis: The Dynamic Duo's first encounter with Bat-Mite begins with Bruce and Dick descending into the Batcave. After donning their costumes, they notice several items are out of place, including Batman's utility belt moving from the closet to the floor and damaged lab equipment. Robin wonders if there could be a stranger in the Batcave, when suddenly a voice apologizes for the damage. The voice remarks that it should make itself visible and in front of Batman and Robin appears, in Robin's words, "An elf dressed in a crazy looking Batman costume!" The "elf" of course tells them that he comes from another dimension where all men are his size and after observing Batman's exploits has decided to don his own costume and help Batman fight crime. Batman isn't thrilled with the idea, informing Bat-Mite that they'd have a hard time explaining a creature from another dimension and that it takes a lot of training to become a crime-fighter. Bat-Mite is disappointed, but he disappears with a "Pop!" all the same. The Dynamic Duo believe he has returned to his home dimension, when in actuality he has turned invisible and hitched a ride atop the Batmobile.

Batman and Robin see Tipper Neely and his gang making a getaway on the waterfront. After cutting their car off, the Dynamic Duo pursue the gang across a bridge. Suddenly, the bridge begins to twist and turn, up and down like a roller coaster. Batman quickly deduces that Bat-Mite's powers are responsible, but doesn't understand why he's using them to complicate matters. Batman and Robin slide down one of the dips that formed in the bridge to get to the gangsters. Batman takes a swing at Neely and finds his punch connect in mid-air. The bridge has turned to rubber, but Batman takes it in stride, bouncing along and knocking out the rest of the gang. One of the gangsters wonders what happened with the bridge, prompting Batman to come up with the explanation of chemicals from a nearby plant causing hallucinations. Back at the Batcave, Batman asks Bat-Mite why he transformed the bridge, with Bat-Mite replying that he wanted to prolong the fight since it was progressing so quickly. Batman tells Bat-Mite that crime-fighting is serious business and asks him to return home. Bat-Mite of course turns invisible and waits for the Dynamic Duo to go back out on patrol.

The next evening, Batman and Robin respond to a robbery at a hi-fi show. The Dynamic Duo quickly corner the criminals, too quickly for the Bat-Mite in attendance. He summons a giant record, which slides underneath the criminals and flies high above Batman and Robin. The crime-fighters act quickly, with Batman holding onto the tape from a giant tape recorder and Robin setting it in motion. Batman uses the momentum to fling himself onto the record and bring it and the criminals down. Afterward, Batman and Robin again confront Bat-Mite at the Batcave and again he disappears before their eyes. They turn their attention towards a tip that the Yellow Gloves Gang will rob the Gotham Auto Company and guess they will use an empty warehouse for their escape route. The invisible Bat-Mite overhears this and fills the empty warehouse with giant props, including a giant Batman statue, sphinx, globe, and viking ship. When the Batman and Robin encounter the gang that night, both groups make use of the props. The criminals push the viking ship towards the Dynamic Duo, prompting Bat-Mite to use the sphinx to help them, but he makes it go too high. Batman forgives Bat-Mite for overdoing his powers and has him use them to animate the Batman statue, dumping the criminals out of the viking ship. When Batman asks Bat-Mite to return to his home dimension after the criminals have been taken into custody, the imp agrees...and promises that it is "Good-bye...for now!"

Thoughts: This is it, the first appearance of everyone's favorite imp, Bat-Mite. As it is his first appearance, it has all the characteristics of a Bat-Mite story: Bat-Mite being Batman's biggest fan, his habit of using his powers to extend Batman's fights for his own amusement, and Batman warning Bat-Mite that he's going to spank him. Yeah, I still don't get that one, but there was a precedent set here. I also find it interesting how Batman is so insistent about them having a hard time explaining Bat-Mite away when there were so many aliens invading at this time, not to mention Superman living the next city over. There are a number of great uses of Bat-Mite magic in this issue, with the roller coaster bridge, floating records, and giant statues. Bill Finger was a big fan of giant props and Bat-Mite's magic gave him a great way to channel that into his stories.

This story has some great Sheldon Moldoff art in it. Interestingly enough, even though he co-created the character, the first depiction of Bat-Mite readers saw back in 1959 was Curt Swan's, via the cover. As far as Moldoff's design for Bat-Mite, not much changed from his original depiction except from the head. Later versions have a smaller head and no lines depicting teeth. The facial expressions on Batman, Robin, and the criminals are well drawn, most memorably Batman's in response to Bat-Mite promising he'll return. There's also nice detail in the Batcave, both in the walls and the equipment within the cave. Moldoff also does a great job handling all the magical happenings as a result of Bat-Mite, from the wobbly bridge to the giant Batman statue.

This story is, of course, a classic. If you haven't read it yet, pick up the recently released Black Casebook TPB and get introduced to Bat-Mite all over again.

Addendum: Thanks to Pat for reminding me that this issue marked the 20th anniversary of Batman in Detective Comics.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #7, Batman In The Fifties TPB, Batman: The Black Casebook TPB, and DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals Volume 2 HC.

Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 45 - "Emperor Joker!"

2011-03-30T23:59:00.016-04:00

Written by: Steven Melching

Directed by: Ben Jones

Original Airdate: October 9, 2010

Synopsis: The episode begins with a teaser entitled "The Rainbow Batman" (in color) under the banner of Batman's Greatest Cases. Batman is seen putting on a red (pink) Batman costume and, when questioned by Robin, tells him that he must wear a different colored costume every night. The show then cuts to the gold depository where Firefly is breaking into a vault, only to find the Dynamic Duo already inside. When he fires a red beam from his belt at the pair, Batman is able to deflect due to his costume being the same color. Not ready to come quietly, Firefly activates all of the colors on his belt and creates a rainbow creature. The creature has different colored beams each with their own power, using one of them to turn Robin into a two-dimensional state. Batman presses a button on his belt, transforming his suit into a rainbow one. Now impervious to the creature's beams, he punches it into little more than light and knocks out Firefly soon after.

The main story begins with the Ten-Eyed Man about to rob a jewelery store, when Batman speaks from above him. The fight barely begins when Bat-Mite pops into reality, advising Batman about the Ten-Eyed Man using Who's Who #23. Batman reminds him about his promise to stay in his own reality and then picks his fight back up, leaving Bat-Mite to continue reading the Who's Who entry. Bat-Mite eventually helps his hero by creating a cactus, which Batman throws at the Ten-Eyed Man, who catches it with predictably painful results. After Bat-Mite expresses wanting to see Batman in a fight worthy of the Caped Crusader, he takes Batman to his shrine of all of Batman's greatest battles with his arch-enemy The Joker. When Batman says he won't be battling the Clown Prince of Crime since he's in Arkham, Bat-Mite uses his powers to allow The Joker to escape.

Batman brings Bat-Mite along to stop Joker from robbing Gotham's Comedy Museum, albeit on the condition that the imp not use his powers. Bat-Mite agrees and gets the fight he was wanting, as Batman not only has to face off against The Joker, but Harley Quinn and four of The Joker's goons (with appearances that resemble silent film comedians). During the course of the fight, Bat-Mite becomes smitten with Harley Quinn, perhaps because they both feel that Batman and The Joker bring out the best in each other. Eventually, an exploding hand allows The Joker and his henchmen to gang up on Batman. While keeping his promise to Batman, Bat-Mite finds a loophole to help his hero by giving his powers to the Caped Crusader. Unfortunately, the transfer misses Batman and hits The Joker instead. While The Joker uses his newfound powers to subdue Batman with a giant boxing glove and force lightning from a joy buzzer, Bat-Mite is left to deal with a Joker-Mite created just for him.

After an impromptu musical number of The Joker celebrating the power he has gained, he sets off the equivalent of a "Mouse Trap" that appears to kill Batman. While The Joker at first mourns the death of his adversary, he brings Batman back to life so that he can kill him again and again, utilizing a giant beaker of acid, flamethrowers, sharks, and other scenarios. As for Bat-Mite, he has been reduced to a court jester thanks to Harley Quinn intervening on his behalf. Batman appears to beg for The Joker to stop killing him and take away his sanity instead, an idea that The Joker delights in and plans to go into Batman's head to do it himself. When he does, Batman outsmarts him by placing him in a world where Batman does not exist and therefore The Joker has nobody to match wits with and ceases to be who he is. Meanwhile, Bat-Mite and Harley Quinn team-up to take down Joker-Mite and the rest of Joker's gang. The episode ends with Bat-Mite returning the world to normal, The Joker left drooling from his encounter with Batman's mind, and Bat-Mite having his own arch-nemesis in the form of Joker-Mite.

Thoughts: Before I talk about the main story, I have to touch on the teaser segment. You can tell how aware the crew behind the show are when they turn the infamous "Rainbow Batman" cover into a cartoon. While it does not follow the plot of the story behind the cover, they created a new, more fantastical story that fits into the Silver Age mold. They even bring in other fifties era stories, as Firefly and his light belt debuted in Detective Comics #184 and the Rainbow Creature appeared in Batman #134. Even before the real story has begun, the episode has woven three stories together into a fun wink at the fans who know about them.

Of course, the main attraction is Bat-Mite in his second appearance in the series and it is another great one. As Bat-Mite is Batman's biggest fan, Melching takes that concept and applies it through the lens of the 21st century comic book fan. Not only does Bat-Mite read the Ten-Eyed Man's Who's Who entry, but he bags the comic and puts it into a longbox. He comments about how much he loves Batman's show, which refers to both that Batman: The Brave and The Bold is a cartoon and that Bat-Mite's observing Batman is like watching television for the imp. In his shrine to the Batman/Joker fights, he has replicas for the fifties story "The Joker's Utility Belt," as well as the more modern stories "The Laughing Fish" and "A Death in the Family." For the latter, Bat-Mite even asks Batman how he thinks Bat-Mite voted, calling back to the fan vote over whether Jason Todd would live or die. This playing up of the fanboy aspect of Bat-Mite is not a cruel jab, but rather gives comic fans an opportunity to laugh along with the show. But Bat-Mite's fanboyism is not the only interesting aspect of the character in the episode. I have to imagine that Bat-Mite's crush on Harley Quinn is a call back to Bat-Mite's crush on Batwoman in "Batwoman's Publicity Agent" from Batman #133. Bat-Mite's attempt at transferring his powers to Batman keeps the Bat-Mite story element of the imp's attempts at help causing Batman more trouble, while showing he respects his hero's wishes (even though Bat-Mite transferring his powers to Batman is a use of his powers). The Joker-Mite is a fitting concept that one would expect to see out of a Silver Age comic and Bat-Mite's defeat of him without his powers mirrors Batman taking down supervillains without being superpowered.

In contrast to the fun Bat-Mite elements are the darker Joker elements. In the series, the more harmless Silver Age Joker incarnation has been played up more than the homicidal clown. This episode, however, brings out the more murderous side of the character. While Batman is not shown dying, the episode leaves little to the imagination. When Batman is smashed by a giant hammer and crushed by a pair of walls on camera, and when he is beheaded by a guillotine off camera, there is no blood, but the sound effects emphasize what is happening. When Batman is drowned in the acid beaker, his skeleton floats toward Joker and a distraught Bat-Mite. While cartoony (down to a transparent angel Batman floating upward after his first death), the montage of Batman deaths shows how sadistic The Joker is and is pretty macabre for what is seen as a children's cartoon. Not that I am complaining mind you, as it is what Joker would do if he had potentially unlimited power (and did in the original comic storyline, albeit with Mr. Mxyzptlk's powers). Keeping with The Joker's character, touches of humor are added to the deaths. In the initial "Mouse Trap" death, Batman gets out of the spike filled coffin that will supposedly kill him, only for the trap to continue and the hammer to crush him. When Batman is about to be dropped in the beaker of acid, he starts to give an encouraging speech to Bat-Mite when The Joker cuts the rope before he can finish. The experience also shows that Batman's mind is so well disciplined that not only could he focus enough to come up with a plan, not only could his mind create a world that would show how The Joker's existence would have no meaning if Batman was gone, but that he could come out of dying multiple times still in possession of his sanity. By mixing the amusingly self-aware element of Bat-Mite with the morbid element of The Joker, the episode strikes a balance that allows Bat-Mite to shine and Batman's mental prowess to be examined.

"Batman Meets Fatman"

2011-03-29T23:35:00.004-04:00

Issue: Batman #113

Cover Date: February 1958

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Synopsis: The story starts with Fatman, a circus clown who lampoons Batman, performing his act. It starts with Fatman falling down after swinging on a bat-line, throwing a huge batarang that comes back and hits him in the stomach, and pulling odds and ends out of an oversize utility belt. He ends his act by praising Batman for the great crime fighter that he is. Speaking of Batman, the Caped Crusader and Robin are busy fighting the Red Mask gang, who had just committed a bank robbery. Unfortunately, the gang escapes on a motor boat, leaving Batman and Robin to contact the harbor police and leave for the charity show at the circus. After the Dynamic Duo perform several athletic feats, they offer to give Fatman a ride in the Batmobile, during which they get a message from the police to go back to the wharf. Batman is able to deduce from a comment by one of the gang that they stashed their loot in a now missing boat.

After finding out the boat has been rented to publicize a movie, the Dynamic Duo set out with Fatman along for the case. While the clown stays in the car, Batman and Robin fight the Red Mask gang on the boat in the middle of a street. While they 're kept busy, the leader of the gang cuts a rope, sending a wrapped up sail crashing into the Dynamic Duo. Batman and Robin are then taken back to the gang's hideout, an abandoned stable, and locked in a horse stall. Fortunately, Fatman followed them in the Batmobile and sets out to rescue them. After falling over and tying himself up in his silken cord, Fatman appears to swing a hammer too heavy for him when he hurls it at the lock on Batman and Robin's stall. While the Dynamic Duo deals with the gang, Fatman has the privilege of stopping the boss with his stomach. After the criminals are taken to the police, Batman praises Fatman for outsmarting the gang using his comedy act. The story ends with Fatman being cheered at the circus once again.

Thoughts: I sought out this story solely for the curiosity factor of there being a character named Fatman in the Batman mythos, and that's all it is: a curiosity. The idea of a clown who has an act centered around Batman is an amusing one and it's tailor made for the big props that Bill Finger loved to write into his stories. Having Fatman use his act to get the drop on the criminals was a nice touch to bring things full circle, but I question Fatman being so put out about being kept out of the fight at the boat when he held Batman's work in such high regard. Of course, under Silver Age logic, hero worship serves as a valid explanation. While I enjoy the goofy and sometimes downright insane aspects of the Silver Age, Fatman saying "only a dummy would run into my tummy" is simply a groaner. Apart from Fatman, the story is a rather by the numbers fifties Batman story with the normal criminal gang. Worse yet, the gang, not one of the supervillains, gets the drop on the Dynamic Duo and locks them in a horse stable. I admit that Batman and Robin getting locked in a horse stable is rather funny, but still, the Dynamic Duo are a bit too easily taken down by regular criminals at times. The major art note of interest is the resemblance of Fatman's cowl to that of this blog's namesake, albeit with the other ear bent. Even more interesting to note is that Fatman debuted before Bat-Mite, as Detective Comics #267 has a cover date of May 1959. On the whole, this story is hardly essential reading and only worth checking out for the sheer novelty of Fatman.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Family #4.

Added To The Collection - Batman From The 30s To The 70s HC

2011-03-26T22:00:00.001-04:00

This is a book that I've wanted to have in my comic collection for a long time. Not just because it reprints fifties era Batman stories, but because it's a nice collection to have as a Batman fan in general. I've been looking for a good deal on eBay for awhile and finally got one, as I won the auction for $15. It's in great shape for both its age and the price I won it for. The dust jacket is complete, with some wear, but no major tears. The pages are yellowed at the edges, but are pretty white inside the book. None of the pages are missing and they are still bound rather tightly to the spine. Here is a list of the fifties era Batman stories that it collects:

"The Man Behind The Red Hood!" from Detective Comics #168

"The Origin of The Bat-Cave!" from Batman #205

"Superman's and Batman's Greatest Foes!" from World's Finest Comics #88

"The Man Who Wrote The Joker's Jokes!" from Batman #67

"The New Crimes of Two-Face!" from Batman #68

"The Crime Predictor!" from Batman #77

"Two-Face Strikes Again!" from Batman #81

"The Voyage of the First Batmarine!" from Batman #86

"Batman - Indian Chief!" from Batman #86

"Ace, The Bat-Hound!" from Batman #92

"The Batwoman!" from Detective Comics #233

"The Challenge of Batwoman!" from Batman #105

"Bat-Mite Meets Mr. Mxyzptlk!" from World's Finest Comics #113

"The Second Batman and Robin Team!" from Batman #131

"Bat-Girl!" from Batman #139

"Bat-Mite Meets Bat-Girl!" from Batman #144

"Prisoners of Three Worlds" from Batman #153

As I am well into my fifties Batman collection by this point, there are only two stories I don't already have in issues or reprints. That's fine by me, as it is a great book to own in and of itself.

"Two-Face Strikes Again!"

2011-03-24T22:19:00.001-04:00

Issue: Batman #81

Cover Date: February 1954

Writer: David Vern Reed

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Win Mortimer

Synopsis: Harvey Dent, face restored by plastic surgery and having renounced the villainous ways of Two-Face, is walking along a street when he sees safe crackers in a television store. When he charges in to stop them, one of the criminals accidentally lights the explosive he was preparing. While the thieves get away, Harvey is caught in the resulting blast and his plastic surgery is undone. Seeing this as a sign that he was meant to be Two-Face, he lets the flip of a replica of his two-sided coin be the final test. After it lands scarred side up, Two-Face resumes his career in crime by robbing Tarando the clown, Charles Ford the millionaire deep seas diver, and John Benson the actor. While the Dynamic Duo is at first unable to find a pattern, Batman deduces that those robbed were all to an extent men with two faces.

After a successful series of crimes, Two-Face decides it's time to hire a gang, chosen through coin flips of course. His henchmen hired, Two-Face sets off to rob "Chicago Al" Garver, a big-time gambler. Batman and Robin are at first puzzled as to why Two-Face has been spotted in the area of Gotham Point, but Batman once again comes up with the answer, Garver's "poker face" fulfilling the two face motif. They soon arrive at the mansion, following the criminals up a giant replica pool table. The gang releases giant pool balls at them, forcing the Dynamic Duo to dive into one of the runways under the table. The distraction allows Two-Face and his gang to escape, albeit empty handed. The next morning, a headline about a disgraced Japanese envoy (having "lost face") allows Batman and Robin to anticipate Two-Face's next crime. Two-Face is almost caught after leaving his calling card by scaring the face of a statue, but Robin's rope getting cut by a pick-axe allows the gang to get away.

The Dynamic Duo decide to act rather than react, thanks a local Sioux reservation wanting to make Bruce Wayne an honorary chief for his charity work. On the day of the ceremony, a biplane with two-motors arrives, making Batman and Robin think they've caught Two-Face. But Two-Face was prepared for the crime fighters, using the plane's propellers to blind them with sand. They are brought to Two-Face's hideout, where he plans to tie the pair to a giant coin and flip it onto a bed of spikes. Due to the added weight of Batman and Robin, the coin will certainly land on the side they're strapped to. When the coin does flip, the Dynamic Duo land safely and are able to free themselves. Batman and Robin apprehend Two-Face and his gang, telling them that by turning their radios into electromagnets and connecting them to the wires binding them, they were able to repel the spikes and land safely.

Thoughts: While not as good as the previous story, this one is still a lot of fun. You of course have to suspend your disbelief when it comes to an explosion undoing just Dent's plastic surgery and in a way that he becomes Two-Face again, but since this is the Silver Age, that shouldn't be a problem. The gimmick associated with Two-Face is pretty clever, centering around people with double lives rather than theft of objects having to do with the number two. While the diver is a bit of a stretch (especially when compared to the two faces of a clown and an actor), the "poker face" and "losing face" spins on the concept advance it further than simple physical appearance. While one would expect Two-Face to choose two henchmen for his gang, keeping with the gimmick, the three henchmen plus Two-Face still goes along with it. On the henchmen note, I always get a kick out of the caption, "then, as the hoodlum applicants line up, each finds his chance for a job hangs on the turn of a coin." On a more subtle nod to Two-Face, the honorary chief ceremony takes place two days after Bruce comes up with the idea. Given the giant pool table, fight on the giant statue, and the giant coin trap, you would think this was a Bill Finger story, but it was indeed by David Reed. Now it should be noted there are several lines, Robin referring to the Japanese envoy as an oriental and Bruce referring to himself as being made a paleface Indian, that stand out as being racist today. So while the story is an entertaining one, be prepared to come across such lines if you choose to read it.

While Dick Sprang is not given as much freedom to be creative as the previous story, he still turns in great art. The splash page in particular is memorable, with a giant Two-Face head looming over small figures of Batman and Robin. The trails of smoke and the moon in the background recall the panel of the cat temple I previously mentioned. Sprang makes sure Two-Face's office reflects the character, with the number two on the desk on floor, two telephones, two pen holders, and two chairs. The most interesting aspect of Sprang's art in the story are the panels, as he abandons the typical squares for trapezoids when the Dynamic Duo are falling down the pool table runway and when Batman saves the falling Robin on the statue. The most unique panel is during the statue save, where a circular panel of Robin helping Batman up is cut is cut inside of the panel of Batman saving Robin, completing the action. Even in a story without the more creative setting of "The Jungle Cat-Queen," Sprang found a way to make it even more interesting.

This story has been reprinted in the Batman From The 30s to The 70s HC, The Greatest 1950s Stories Ever Told HC/TPB, the Batman in The Fifties TPB, and the Batman vs. Two-Face TPB.

Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 35 - "The Super-Batman of Planet X!"

2011-03-23T23:56:00.010-04:00

Written by: Adam Beechen

Directed by: Michael Goguen

Original Airdate: March 26, 2010

Synopsis: Like the rest of the episodes, this one begins with a short teaser. Batman and Dr. Will Magnus are undercover (with Batman as Matches Malone), making an intergalactic weapons deal with Kanjar Ro. Their cover is blown, and Ro and his two goons start firing lasers, when Magnus makes a joke about a planet having moons when it in fact doesn't have any. Magnus throws his briefcase at their opponents, which turns into Iron and Platina who dispatch the goons. Magnus is then saved from laser fire by Lead acting as a pogo stick and Tin serving as a parachute. The battle continues with Lead knocking one goon over as a giant bowling ball, Gold (who served as gold teeth) punching another, and the previous goon slipping and trapped by Mercury. Kanjar Ro holds Magnus at gunpoint, but a well aimed batarang causes his gun to explode. The teaser ends with Magnus asking when they'll do it again, Batman responding with a resigned, "I'll be in touch."

The episode proper begins with Batman and Green Arrow in pursuit of space pirates who have stolen a valuable emerald. After a space battle between the heroes and aliens, the combination of one of the aliens' lasers and the Bat-Rocket's energy shield creates a wormhole. Batman is sucked in and crash lands on another planet with a futuristic city. He hears a scream from nearby, where a family is being robbed by a mugger in an alley. He throws a batarang at the mugger, which fortunately misses as judged by the large hole it creates in the nearby wall. He dodges the laser response by the mugger, but the criminal is stopped by a combination of martial arts and Bat-Radia waves by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. The two Batmen meet and the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh welcomes his counterpart to the city of Gothtropolis. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh receives a transmission from Chancellor Gorzon informing him that is arch-nemesis Rhotul and his robot army are attacking downtown, leading the two Batman to team-up to stop him.

When Batman leaves the futuristic Batmobile with his jetpack, Rhotul summons more robots to keep the Batmen busy. After stopping several robots with cables and batarangs, Batman discovers he has super-speed and super-strength when saving the reporter Vilsi. With his newfound powers, he easily dispatches the rest of the robots and stops the robot escaping with Rhotul with freeze vision. The two Batmen return to the Batcave of Zur-En-Arrh, when they discover through scientific testing that Batman has acquired super-powers do to an element in Zur-En-Arrh's atmosphere not found on Earth, rodon. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh has to leave for his day job, which is (if you haven't guessed) as a reporter for the paper. While he's at the paper, Batman uses his super-powers to foil a bank robbery, punch an incoming asteroid to pieces, and defeat a giant alien monster.

While pacing around his cell, Rhotul deduces that Batman must be from Earth and that he does in fact have a weakness. Using a transmitter hidden on a tooth, he summons one of his robots to break him out. Back at the Batcave of Zur-En-Arrh, the two Batmen are discussing that there are still unknown aspects of Batman's powers when they receive an alert of Rhotul's robots attacking the city. Batman confronts Rhotul, but is sapped of his strength by a combination of rodon and quartz. Batman is about to be crushed, when the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh arrives in his spaceship to fight back. After crashing his spaceship, the two team-up to dismantle the rest of the robots. When Rhotul captures Vilsi, the combination of the batarang and Bat-Radia are enough to finish off the final robot. After the battle, Green Arrow arrives after figuring out how to create another wormhole and he and Batman return to Earth.

Thoughts: As "Batman - The Superman of Planet X!" is one of my all time favorite 1950s Batman stories, I was very excited when this episode was announced. At the same time, I wondered how they would expand upon the original story to translate it to a half-hour cartoon. While the episode does alter the original story, Beechen was able to stay true to it while also having the episode serve a secondary purpose. In the scene with the mugger, the family that is being held up consists of a father, mother, and son, in effect allowing the Batmen to to face a criminal resembling the one who killed their parents and prevent the creation of yet another Batman. The design of the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is straight from the comic and a close-up shot on the Bat-Radia recalls a similar panel. The brief appearance of added character Chancellor Gorzon pays tribute to the artist of the original story by having him drawn in the style of Dick Sprang's Commissioner Gordon. Rhotul's robots, at first grey and then red, are also a perfect recreation of the threat in the comic, albeit with the addition of a mad scientist. We get to see more of the Batcave of Zur-En-Arrh, complete with alien parallels to the original's trophies and even a robot Alfred. The bank robbing aliens during the montage of Batman's super-heroics and the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh's rocket are taken from the story. In a final nod to Batman, the Caped Crusader is shielded from the equivalent of Zur-En-Arrh kryptonite by a spray from a can, recalling the shark repellent bat-spray from the 1966 Batman movie. As far as the Batman element goes, the original story was done pitch-perfect justice, with a few added touches.

As you could probably tell from the summary, the major change in the adaptation is to make the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh a combination of Batman and Superman without the superpowers. On one hand, the Superman elements could be seen as too on the nose, but they make sense with when the episode was produced. At the time, the show did not have the rights to use Superman, so making the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh also that planet's version of Superman to an extent allowed them to use facsimiles of the Superman characters. It also allowed for them to add a bit to the character of the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. While the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is shown to be a little jealous at the attention Batman is receiving, it doesn't lead to anything petty; he keeps a cool head and proves his heroism when it is needed. It also raises questions about the Batman-Superman relationship; if Batman is at times jealous of Superman's powers and the great amount of good they can do. Batman's over-reliance, not corruption, on the powers also highlights how easy it is for someone to get caught up in having super powers and the control Superman has. The Superman angle is given another layer through the casting of voice actors from the DC Animated Universe cartoons. Kevin Conroy, most well known for providing distinct voices for both Bruce Wayne and Batman, plays the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, essentially having him play Batman and Clark Kent. Clancy Brown was Rhotul, a mad scientist in the vein of the Silver Age Lex Luthor in contrast with the businessman Lex Luthor he played in the DCAU. Rhotul adds an entertainingly over the top mad scientist element, giving personality to the robot threat. Dana Delany voiced the Lois Lane counterpart, perhaps the weakest part of the episode not due to Delany's voice acting, but because there was a bit too much emphasis on her as a lovestruck damsel in distress. While the addition of the Superman angle could have been too much, it was on the whole an effective addition to the original story.

"The Jungle Cat-Queen!"

2011-03-22T23:11:00.002-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #211

Cover Date: September 1954

Writer: Edmond Hamilton

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Win Mortimer

Synopsis: This story begins with a pilot preparing to leave his plane to deliver a shipment of diamonds. Suddenly, he is confronted by a black panther, begging its owner (Catwoman naturally) to call the animal off. She complies once the pilot gives her the case of diamonds, flying away in her Catplane. Soon after, a radio news report and the Bat Signal in the sky tell Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson that they are needed. Arriving at the airport, Batman identifies the islands the volcanic clay that fell from the Catplane's tires came from, and the Batplane soon takes off in pursuit of Catwoman. Batman and Robin do manage to catch up with her, but the villainess did not embark on her crime unprepared, slashing the Batplane's wings with her Catplane's retractable claws. The pair manage to land on the island Catwoman was heading towards, making their way to a mine Robin spotted from the air. The miners appear at first to be afraid that Catwoman is after their diamonds, but reveal their true colors when they set off a noose-trap the Dynamic Duo intended for Catwoman.

The miners are in fact criminals in league with Catwoman and prepare to shoot Batman and Robin, but are stopped when the cat-queen herself arrives. She prefers to hunt them rather than merely shooting them, making the pair don jungle clothing so that they won't have their usual gadgets to rely on. Batman and Robin run into the jungle, eventually using the reeds-as-breathing-tubes trick to evade Catwoman and a trio of her jungle cats. As night begins to fall, the Dynamic Duo follows the cat tracks hoping to find Catwoman's secret lair. They lead the pair to a giant temple originally occupied by cat worshippers, where they discover Catwoman's jungle cats are in fact circus animals she brought with her. Using a whip, Batman is able to drive the animals to their cages, leaving Catwoman to be apprehended. John Jarrow, the head of the miners is able to provide a distraction, releasing a gorilla who manages to pick up Robin.

Batman fends the gorilla off with fire back into its cage, but left himself open for Jarrow to point his gun at the Caped Crusader. To get rid of Batman once and for all, Jarrow plans to have him sent tied up down a river and over a waterfall. Catwoman suggests that he given his costume back so it will disappear as well. While Batman is being thrown in the river, Robin wakes up with a lion sniffing him and manages to send the animal away with the smoke from a burning plant. Meanwhile, Batman is able to save himself from a watery death using a silken rope and emergency knife that Catwoman missed removing. After tying up Catwoman, Batman makes his way to the mine sites and confirms that the criminals were stealing diamonds and pretending they mined them themselves. The "miners" corner Batman, but Robin saves the day through a stampede caused by the smokescreen he created. While the Dynamic Duo knock out the criminals, one of Catwoman's cats frees her and she escapes in her Catplane. Batman confirms to Robin that Catwoman intentionally the tools in his belt and that such sentimentality will allow them to catch her.

Thoughts: For my first reviews back, I wanted to spotlight some of Batman's rogue's gallery as many of the stories I've written about have featured the standard criminal gangs. And Catwoman's use in the story allows for a top quality fifties Batman tale of adventure, mystery, and a gorilla too. From the tropical island setting to the diamond smuggling operation to the animal threats, it's high comic book adventure at its finest. It is interesting how Hamilton attempts to ground the story in a degree of realism by explaining the animals are circus animals, only to introduce a giant ape that can hold Robin in one hand soon after. But I'm not complaining; as a wise man once said, everything's better with monkeys (or apes as the case may be. At the beginning of the story, Batman taps into his inner Sherlock Holmes to identify the islands the clay is from without having to consult any books or scientific equipment. The mystery of the diamond mines is a bit more clever, as the reader dismiss Catwoman's theft of the diamonds when she's part of a mining operation as convenience for the plot before the story is over. The most interesting aspect of the story is Batman's relationship with Catwoman. From their first meeting, the game of cat and mouse between the two of them has been a flirtatious one. This is apparent in Catwoman wanting to chase Batman rather than easily dispatch him. Her wanting to swap the Dynamic Duo's costumes with the jungle outfits may seem odd at first when removing their utility belts would be adequate, but apart from the obvious Tarzan nod, it fits with the underlying romantic tension between Batman and Catwoman. And it is the Batman/Catwoman relationship that elevates this story from an entertaining fifties Batman adventure story to a great one.

In addition to choosing the stories for this week for their featuring supervillains, I also chose them because they featured artwork by Dick Sprang. It's apparent that the reader is in for a visual treat with the title splash page, depicting Catwoman charging on a giant Tiger towards the Dynamic Duo hanging from their ropes. This splash page sets the tone for the adventure to follow, with the larger than life tiger even anticipating the giant gorilla to come. In a story with a heavy presence of animals, you need an artist that can draw them well and Sprang certainly fits that bill. Not only does each animal look like they are supposed to, they are drawn in a detailed manner where hair and spots are concerned. One of the best drawings is of the gorilla taking a swipe at Robin, drawn with dynamism and energy. The hair trails off the body, giving the gorilla a more realistic look, while the swiping arm crosses into the next panel, allowing the strength of the arm coming towards Robin to be conveyed. Sprang's attention to detail extends not only to the animals, but to the island jungle. When the Batplane arrives on the island, Sprang could have gone with a shot closer to the craft, showing it and some trees. Instead, Sprang utilizes a long shot over the island, showing not just trees, but the "mining" camp, mountains, and a waterfall. Such details bring the setting to life and makes it standout against the city settings of most Batman stories. While the art is great throughout, my favorite panel has to be the first one of the ancient temple. The towering temple, the cat statues around it, and the wisps of fog across the panel work together to set a mood of foreboding. While Sprang's art always receives high praise from me, I feel confidant in saying that this story was one of his best.

This story has been reprinted in Batman #198 and The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told.

I Believe In Bat-Mite is (Really) Back

2011-03-21T16:01:00.003-04:00

It has been over a year since I last posted, ready to blog more than I ever had before. Then, nothing. I do not have a profound explanation for this. I had a couple of projects I was working on in addition to the blog that fell through, which kind of sapped my burst of enthusiasm for producing internet content. Like I said, not much of a reason, but all the same I apologize for my radio silence. Now however, I have the enthusiasm to blog again. I am excited to talk about fifties Batman again. And I want to really, actually stick to a schedule this time. I have the rest of March and April planned out for the blog, covering a lot of stories that I have been wanting to talk about, specifically the Second Batman and Robin Team:

March

3/22 - "The Jungle Cat Queen!" from Detective Comics #211

3/23 - Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 35 - "The Super-Batman of Planet X!"

3/24 - "Two-Face Strikes Again!" from Batman #81

3/29 - "Batman Meets Fatman" from Batman #113

3/30 - Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 45 - "Emperor Joker!"

3/31 - "Bat-Mite's Super Circus" from Detective Comics #310

April

4/5 - "The Batwoman!" from Detective Comics #233

4/6 - Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 46 - "The Criss Cross Conspiracy!"

4/7 - "Bat-Girl!" from Batman #139

4/12 - "The Second Batman and Robin Team" from Batman #131

4/14 - "The Return of the Second Batman and Robin Team" from Batman #135

4/19 - "The Son of The Joker" from Batman #145

4/20 - Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 49 - "The Knights of Tomorrow!"

4/21 - "Danger Strikes Four" from Batman #154

4/29 - "The Boyhood of Bruce Wayne Jr." from Batman #159

4/31 - "Bat-Girl - Batwoman II" from Batman #163

I have other posts in mind too, but I'll leave those to be seen when they are posted.

So, there it is. I'm back, I have a plan, and I'm dedicated to posting about fifties Batman for a long time to come.

Three Fifties Batman News Items

2010-02-08T23:10:00.002-05:00

In the past I've developed a habit of posting for awhile and then disappearing for months at a time. This time I plan on posting until I've run out of fifties Batman stories to post about. But before I begin posting about those stories, there's a couple of news items to go over.

First up is a solicitation from the latest edition of the Previews catalog. Ever since Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne (Bruce Wayne's son) became the new Batman and Robin, I hoped that DC would collect the imaginary "Second Batman and Robin Team" stories that the current Duo are the spiritual successor of. That collection is indeed set to be released, complete with a Brian Bolland cover:

DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories Vol. 2: Batman and Robin
Written by Bill Finger and Others
Art by Sheldon Moldoff and Others
Cover by Brian Bolland

Don't miss this new set of '60s and '70s "imaginary" tales starring Dick Grayson as the new Batman with Bruce Wayne Jr. as the new Robin! Collects stories from Batman #122, 131, 135, 145, 154, 159, 163, and 300, Lois Lane #89, and World's Finest #153.

144 pgs, Softcover, $19.99, On Sale May 26, 2010

As you might expect, there will be a month dedicated to the "Second Batman and Robin Team" stories in the near future.

There's another collection of fifties Batman stories on the horizon, although it has not been solicited yet. One noticeable aspect of last year's DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals HC was that it had a "1" on the spine. Speculation buzzed that this meant more volumes would be coming in the future. Well, we didn't need to wait long to find out because an entry for the second volume has shown up on Amazon:

Some of the greatest Batman stories from the 1940s and '50s are collected in this amazing new hardcover!

At the start of the 1960s, DC Comics began compiling some of the best Batman stories in giant, 80-page annuals. This new hardcover collects four Batman Annuals, with stories including "The Secret Marriage of Batman and Batwoman," "The Phantom of The Batcave," "The First Batman," plus appearances by Giant Batman, Rip Van Batman, Zebra Batman, Mermaid Batman, and much more.

The entry says that it will be 336 pages and be on sale August 10, 2010.

The last news item is the one I am most excited about. As I've said before on the blog, "Batman: The Brave and The Bold" is a great cartoon that perfectly captures the Silver Age of comics. It also brings to animation characters you would never expect to see. I mean, on last week's episode Doctor Double X was the main villain. This week's episode may be my all time favorite because it brings to the small screen one of my all time favorite fifties Batman stories: "Batman - The Superman of Planet X!" From World's Finest Online:

Friday, February 12th, 2010 at 7:30 P.M. (ET) - "The Super-Batman of Planet X!"
Batman lands on the distant planet Zur En Arrh and finds a doppelganger Batman, but more surprisingly, on this planet the Caped Crusader has super powers! Together they battle the mad genius Rhotul, who soon learns Batman's super weakness.

Seriously...

...how awesome is that?

House Ads For Batman #s 131 and 145

2009-10-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Added To The Collection - Batman #s 102 and 154 and Detective Comics #s 295 and 297

2009-09-13T12:00:00.004-04:00

Picked up another batch of coverless comics this time around, the covers to which I'll post below.

Batman #102 has a story that looks to be a lot of fun entitled "The House of Batman," where Batman gets his own crimefighting base in the city. The first story of Batman #154 features the second Batman and Robin team, one of my favorite fifties era gimmicks. Detective Comics #s 295 and 297 both feature giant creatures and there's a good chance you'll see one of them reviewed as part of something I have planned for October.

(And yes, I realize the irony of posting the covers to coverless comics)

"The Bat-Ape"

2009-09-12T23:59:00.008-04:00

Issue: Batman #114

Cover Date: March 1958

Writer: Unknown

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: Every year, Gotham City holds a circus to raise money for charity with the acrobatics of Batman and Robin being the star attraction. This particular year features another popular performance, one featuring an ape named Mogo. His act goes flawlessly at first, when suddenly the usually gentle creature becomes enraged on top of a platform. His trainer, a man named Arthur Harris, is able to calm him down, but the panic the outburst caused allowed a pair of thieves to steal the circus' box office receipts. Because Mogo's outburst served as the perfect distraction for the thieves, Harris is taken into custody on the suspicion that he was in collaboration with the thieves. Harris' assistant, Roder, takes Mogo to his home while the Dynamic Duo investigate the circus for clues. Batman wonders why Mogo didn't become angered until he reached the platform and finds the answer to his question in the form of a shock producing electric wire connected to the metal platform. Harris wouldn't have needed such a wire to cause Mogo to act out, so Batman and Robin drive to Roder's house to find out who could have rigged it.

When the Duo arrive, they find Mogo in a cage much too small for him, which Roder explains was done out of fear that Mogo would flare into a rage again. Batman, furious at the mistreatment of the animal, orders Roder to put him in his original cage and treat him well like Harris told Roder to before he was taken away. Roder not only tells Batman that Harris is the one who rigs the platforms for Mogo, but that he saw Harris talking to a pair of strangers recently. Batman reminds Roder to treat Mogo well as he and Robin drive off, but Mogo has his own ideas, bending the bars of his cage and following the Dynamic Duo back to the Bat-Cave. Batman is still puzzling about the wire when Robin notices Mogo enter the Cave, noting how Batman has befriended the ape. Alfred is assigned to look after Mogo while Batman and Robin research the case, whereupon they find that neither Harris nor Roder has a criminal record. Robin mentions that Harris' lack of needing a wire to control Mogo makes Roder the more likely culprit, when Alfred is suddenly heard calling for help. It seems that Mogo has found himself a cowl to imitate Batman with and he wants a cape too. Batman tells Alfred to give him a cape and brings Mogo along with him and Robin after Alfred makes it clear that he doesn't want to be left with the ape.

Following through on their suspicion of Roder, the Dynamic Trio stake out his house and tail him when he leaves for Gotham City. They follow Roder to a warehouse, where a light on the highest floor turning on tells them where he is. Unable to see what is happening on even the roof of the other warehouse, Batman has Mogo lower him towards the window on a flagpole, where he can now clearly see Roder splitting money with the Vanning Brothers. The trio of crooks spots the Caped Crusader, but Batman tells Mogo to lift him up just in time. After vaulting across to the other roof with Batman and Robin's ropes so that they could swing across, Mogo joins Batman and Robin in pursuit of the thieves. Trapped behind a giant globe due to gunfire, Batman instructs Mogo to push the metal globe towards the thieves, cornering them and giving Batman and Robin the cover they need to jump Roder and the Vanning Brothers. The story ends with Harris planning to show his gratitude for Mogo helping to clear his name by returning to Africa and setting Mogo free.

Thoughts: Compared to the first Bat-Hound story, the debut of Bat-Ape is a much simpler story. There's no mystery that develops as the story goes on; you can pretty much tell that Roder is going to be behind the suspicion being placed on Harris. Not that it's a bad story, as it's the little moments throughout that shine. When you go into a story titled "The Bat-Ape," you expect it to be pretty goofy, but this story actually has a pretty serious moment. When Batman sees Mogo being mistreated, he goes into authoratative Batman mode and commands Roder to put Mogo into his normal cage and treat him well. It's a great moment that shows how serious Batman is, even in the lighthearted fifties. Alfred watching after Mogo provides some great comic relief, starting with Alfred's first line: "Is this blooming monkey going to live with us?" When Alfred threatens to resign, Batman just smiles, clearly enjoying his butler's handling of superheroics being pushed to the limit. And, of course, this story stars an ape in a Batman costume. He proves to be a great asset to Batman and Robin, able to perform feats of strength that the Dynamic Duo would otherwise not be able to perform, which includes pushing a giant globe (making me think this was a Bill Finger story).

While not as iconic as, say, the cover to Batman #156, this cover is one of the more well known covers from the era. Not many have read this story due to it never being reprinted, but everybody knows about Mogo The Bat-Ape due to this cover. Sheldon Moldoff's great handling of drawing animals continues with Mogo in this story. The real strength in his execution lies in the facial expressions he gives Mogo, allowing him to convey friendliness, anger, confusion, and "hello, easily flustered butler." One of the neatest details of the artwork is in the coloring. While colored brown on the cover, Mogo's hair is colored grey in the story. The coloring is very close to that of Batman's costume, creating the effect of Mogo being in full Batman costume despite only wearing the cape and cowl.

This was the only appearance of Mogo, but considering how it is planned at the end of the story that he'll be set free in his native Africa, one story is all Mogo needs.

This story has not been reprinted.

House Ad For Batman #139

2009-09-11T17:30:00.000-04:00

"Ace, The Bat-Hound!"

2009-09-10T23:40:00.002-04:00

Issue: Batman #92

Cover Date: June 1955

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Stan Kaye

Cover Artist: Win Mortimer

Synopsis: One night while on patrol, Batman and Robin come across a dog struggling to stay afloat in a river. When they go in to retrieve him, they find the poor animal is stunned and decide to take him home and attempt to find his owner. Upon returning to the Bat-Cave, the dog begins to recover and Bruce Wayne makes preparations to advertise in the newspaper that the dog has been found. When the Dynamic Duo leave for police headquarters the next day, they find that the dog is following after them. Without time to turn back, Batman allows the dog to join them in the Batmobile, but now the problem arises of someone connecting this dog with the one found by Bruce Wayne due to its distinctive head markings. While Batman is inside police headquarters, Robin finds a solution by giving the dog a makeshift mask and a bat-symbol on his collar.

Batman returns to the Batmobile with news that a convict named Bowers escaped from prison and was seen entering the Stevens Warehouse. The Stevens Warehouse is a storage area for circus props, and Bowers takes advantage of this when he pushes a giant figure over on top of the Dynamic Duo has they enter. While Batman and Robin dodge the prop, the dog grabs ahold of Bowers sleeve and keeps him in place, giving Batman and Robin time to catch him. It is during his struggle with the dog that Bowers dubs him a Bat-Hound, a name further supported by the security guard on the scene. The rest of Bat-Hound's name falls into place when a neighbor of the dog's owner calls Bruce Wayne and tells him that the dog, Ace, belongs to John Wilker. But when Bruce and Dick arrive at Wilker's cottage, they find it a mess with signs of a struggle having taken place. It becomes even more clear that Wilker was kidnapped when a visit by Bruce to the printing firm where Wilker works yields that hasn't been to work in two days. The Dynamic Duo planned to use Ace to find Wilker, but their search is delayed by the appearance of the Bat-Signal. Once in Commissioner Gordon's office, the pair receives information on two cases: a theft at a paper company and a child who wandered off and was now missing.

Robin takes Ace with him to talk to the boy's mother, where Ace easily finds the boy hiding in a drainpipe after picking up his scent. Meanwhile, Batman's investigation of the paper theft has revealed that the paper that was stolen was of the kind used to make bonds. Bat-Hound's growling when he catches the scent of the burglars confirms for Batman that Wilker's kidnappers are behind the paper theft and abducted him so that he could counterfeit bonds for them. The trio drive to the next logical place for theft, the inking company, but are stopped in their tracks when one of the burglars pulls a gun on Wilker. Batman and Robin are captured by the burglars, with Bat-Hound left stunned on the floor of the inking company. While the burglars are beginning their counterfitting, the Dynamic Duo make a makeshift Bat-Signal with a knocked over lamp and Batman's bat-symbol from his chest. Ace is able to find the burglar's hideout, and, after biting through the Dynamic Duo's bonds, the trio apprehends the burglars. Wilker knew that the Bat-Hound was his dog as soon as he saw him in the inking company, a fact that becomes known to a reporter at the scene after Wilker removes Ace's mask. Batman was prepared for this and pulls out a photo of Bruce Wayne handing over Ace to Batman (really Alfred), explaining that he borrowed Ace to find Wilker. The story ends Batman and Robin waving goodbye to Walker and Ace, with Robin offering Ace the Bat-Hound position if he ever wants to be one again.

Thoughts: One of my favorite aspects of the fifties era is the extended Batman Family, a Family that began here with Ace. Comparisons to Krypto aside, I actually think the addition of a Bat-Hound to the Batman Family made a whole lot of sense. Back in the fifties, he was of course brought in to boost sales with the popularity of canine heroes at the time, but his inclusion also makes sense from a story point of view. Ace's tracking abilites and his strong canine jaws are both great assets to the caped crimefighters, as illustrated in the issue. The tracking especially, considering the detective aspect to Batman's character. One nice touch Finger has in the story with Ace is his owner recognizing him despite having been clad in his Bat-Hound attire, not being deceived as easily as everyone else is. As for the story itself, the pacing is excellent, with each scene progressing naturally into the next. From the finding of Ace to his joining the Dynamic Duo to the other crimes to the final confrontation with the burglars, it all flows nicely. Batman had to protect his identity a lot during the fifties, and his cover in this instance is one of the better ones. Like most of Bill Finger's stories, this one features a giant prop in the form of the clown statue. This use of a giant prop is a memorable one, when combined with Bowers' thought balloon of, "Must lay low till they're under some big, heavy prop!"

The cover to this issue is one of my favorite Win Mortimer covers. He was able to fit Batman and Robin, the Bat-Cave, the Batmobile, the Bat-Signal, and Ace on the cover without it feeling cluttered. Brilliantly composed and overall a brilliant piece. As for the interiors, Sheldon Moldoff provides some great artwork, much in the vein of his work from "Batman, The Magician." When you introduce a dog companion for your superhero, you need an artist who can draw animals, and Moldoff is an artist who can do just that. His panel of Ace growling when he catches the scent of the burglars in the paper company is a particular highlight. While the clown faces in the background of the warehouse are simple, the one in the foreground has a great amount of detail to it that catches the eye. I do have to note that there is an art mistake in this issue. In order to make the makeshift Bat-Signal, Robin had to tear Batman's bat symbol off his costume. In the panel where Ace appears at the hideout, however, Batman has his bat symbol back on his chest and retains it for the rest of the scene. Apart from this minor glitch, great art in a great story.

This story has been reprinted in the Batman From The 30s To The 70s HC, Batman Family #5, and the Batman In The Fifties TPB.

Added To The Collection - Batman #218 and 259 and Batman Family #4

2009-09-06T00:00:00.001-04:00

Continuing the single issue catch up, I recently picked up two Batman Giants and an issue of Batman Family.

Batman #218 - Subtitled "The Strangest Cases From Batman's Crime-File," five of the six stories reprinted in this issue are from the fifties era. Spanning from 1953 to 1960, the stories are: "Batman and Robin's Greatest Mystery" (from Detective Comics #234), "The Hand From Nowhere" (from Batman #130), "The Man Who Couldn't Be Tried Twice" (from Batman #118), "The Body in The Bat-Cave" (from Batman #121), and "The League Against Batman" (from Detective Comics #197).

Batman #259 - Apart from a brand new Batman story featuring the original caped crusader, The Shadow, this issue reprints three fifties era Batman stories: "The Great Batman Swindle" (from Detective Comics #222), "The Strange Costumes of Batman" (from Detective Comics #165), and "The Failure of Bruce Wayne" (from Batman #120). Interesting to note is that the Shadow story was dedicated to Bill Finger, who had passed away in January of 1974, with this issue hitting the stands in August of that year.

Batman Family #4 - I bought this one because it reprints "Batman Meets Fatman" (from Batman #113). 'Nuff said.

House Ad For Batman #128

2009-09-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Added To The Collection - Detective Comics #s 317, 318, and 320

2009-08-30T17:00:00.001-04:00

Before my Signet paperback kick, I bought three issues of Detective Comics off eBay.

I reviewed #317, the second and final appearance of the Flying Bat-Cave, on the blog last week. #318 features the second appearance of Cat-Man (there's a hyphen for ya Pat!) in Detective Comics. All I need is #311 and I'll be set to do a Cat-Man week. The purchase of #320 was based solely on the cover and I think you can see why.

"The Case of The Deadly Gems"

2009-08-29T23:59:00.007-04:00

Issue: Batman #131

Cover Date: April 1960

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Synopsis: One night in Gotham City finds Batman and Robin recieving important information in the office of Commissioner Gordon. Ted Greaves, a criminal who Batman and Robin captured several years ago, was recently released from prison and has now sent a letter threatening the lives of the owners of the Gotham Gem Company. As the Dynamic Duo arrive at the Company, they witness both a person pushed off of a giant advertising gem and the masked man responsible. The masked man loosens the advertising gem to crush Batman and Robin, but they dodge out of the way just in time. After investigating the roof and discovering a piece of cloth from the assailant's cape, they find they three partners of the firm (John Wilcox, Henry Stubbs, and Ed Carder) around the dead man's body. The dead man turns out to be Clayber, the trio's new partner, and his murderer appears to be the aforementioned Greaves. The letter sent by Greaves explains a plan to murder all of the partners of the Gem Company from youngest to oldest, in ways that match their birthstones. This makes Wilcox the next on Greaves' list and the Dynamic Duo return with him to his home to provide protection.

As Wilcox tries to keep calm by taking a walk on his grounds, he is startled by a loud roar. The roar turns out to belong to a Bengal Tiger, released from its cage by Greaves. After distracting the tiger with his cape, Batman follows Robin's suit and the pair trap the tiger with their bat-ropes. Robin wonders what the connection is between Wilcox's birthstone and the tiger, and Batman obligingly explains that Wilcox's birthstone, the moonstone, is the sacred stone of India. Batman and Robin head next to Stubbs' home, which, being a yacht on land, fits with his aquamarine birthstone. When Greaves arrives, he finds the Dynamic Duo waiting for him in the crow's nest. Needing to make an escape, Greaves throws a green lantern, once again in line with the aquamarine birthstone, on the yacht to start a fire. Batman and Robin let Greaves go and are able to suppress the fire. Afterwards, Batman deduces that Greaves can't be the murderer, since he is color-blind and Stubbs' attacker was able to specifically pick out the green lantern. Robin continues this line of reasoning, coming to the conclusion that it must be one of the remaining partners. The pair's next move is to check on Carder, as the identity of the masked man can't be Wilcox or Stubbs.

When Batman and Robin arrive at Carder's home, they find that Wilcox is also there and that they have been playing cards for the past several hours. Perplexed by this latest development, Robin's comment about nothing fitting anymore makes everything clear to Batman. Later, the Dynamic Duo and the three partners meet at the Gem Company, where Batman reveals that all three of the partners are guilty. Carder shouts to the others to grab the Dynamic Duo, a plan which proves flawed as Batman grabs Carder as he rushes at him and throws him at the other two partners. (I am not joking folks, Batman picks this guy up over his head and throws him at the other two). Batman arranged for the police to be at the Company before calling the partners, and after they are called into the room, the partners are quick to surrender and confess. It turns out that the trio had been smuggling gems into the country for years and Clayber discovered what was going on. He blackmailed the partners for a share of their profits, and when he got greedy, they decided to kill him. Batman then explains that he realized the trio was rotating the costume after noticing that the pants fit differently each time the masked man appeared, while each appearance retained the ripped cape.

Thoughts: When you read a Batman story and see a giant diamond about to crush the Dynamic Duo, you know it was written by Bill Finger. And like most of Bill Finger's other Batman stories, this is a good one. During a period when aliens and magical powers were taking over the Batman titles, Finger gives us a good old fashioned mystery story. In stories like this one, it's typical for one of the people involved to turn out to be the true culprit. Finger takes this tried and true formula and twists it, revealing all three of the business partners to be behind the crime. The birthstone gimmick he employs for the staged attacks is also effective, providing the opportunity for some unique situations. If anything, the attack on Wilcox shows how high of an opinion Gotham's citizens have of Batman, because Wilcox's partner is confident that Batman can stop a Bengal tiger before it can attack Wilcox. Batman's detective skills get the spotlight here, as it is his attention to detail that leads to the break in the case. And like I said, Batman picks Carder up over his head and casually throws him into his two partners. I like to think Bill Finger wrote that scene, realized how awesome it was, and threw in a great mystery as an afterthought to get to it.

Even into the sixties, Dick Sprang's art is as great as ever. He showed in past stories that he was skilled at drawing animals and he continues that trend with the tiger in this story. His use of close-ups add dynamism to important dialogue moments. He also employs a neat technique to name the partners and show their ages, by placing their heads within a trio of lenses. When Carder is yelling for his partners to help him rush Batman, you can tell Batman is preparing to counter him. There's even a panel reminiscent of the classic nightime panel from "The 10,000 Secrets of Batman." The only negative thing that could be said about it is that you can't really tell the costume is fitting differently, but really, that isn't too important considering how you can believe the deduction of the world's greatest detective.

This story has been reprinted in the Batman In The Sixties TPB.

House Ad For Batman #80

2009-08-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Secrets of The Flying Bat-Cave!"

2009-08-24T00:45:00.003-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #317

Cover Date: July 1963

Writer: Unknown

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: This story finds Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson once again descending the staircase to the Bat-Cave to change into their costumed alter egos. It is not in order to go out on patrol, however, but rather to prepare to leave for a police convention in Center City. Batman and Robin are attending to help publicize the event, and when Dick laments that they won't be able to show the police the equipment they have beyond what they carry on them, Bruce gets the idea to bring the Bat-Cave to the convention. Soon after, an improved model of the Flying Bat-Cave takes to the skies and begins making its way to Center City. The trip is given pause for a moment, when the Flying Bat-Cave's observational devices show two members of the Condor Gang leaving the Suburban Bank. The Flying Bat-Cave's electromagnet disarms the gang members and the Dynamic Duo subdue them with ease. After taking them to police headquarters, Batman and Robin continue their journey to the police convention, where Batman addresses the assembled officers and leads them on a tour of the Flying Bat-Cave.

That night, a car speeding through the streets ejects a piece of jewelry from its trunk after skidding. A young man comes across it and, after following the car to where it had stopped, attempts to arrest the men who are attempting to lock the trunk. Luckily, Batman and Robin come upon the scene in a compact Batmobile and send the men driving away. The Dynamic Duo pursue the car, but are stopped by a giant advertising sign toppled by a grenade. Returning to the young man, he tells them his name is Joe Arno, a one time hobo who is now a rookie on the police force. He suspects the piece of jewelry he found was stolen by the Condor Gang and that they're using Center City as their headquarters. One identification by the police in another city later, and Joe's suspicion is considered to be accurate. Elsewhere, the Condor Gang holds an emergency meeting where they make plans to get Batman and Robin out of their business once and for all.

The next day, while the Condor Gang makes a statement in the newspapers telling Batman and the police convention to clear out, the Dynamic Duo arrive at the Center City police headquarters to find that Joe did not show up for duty. Thinking he went to do some investigating on their own, Batman and Robin return to where they met him and decide to check out a boarded up store nearby. Inside they come across signs of a struggle, along with a bullet and two hobo signs drawn on a wall. After deciphering the signs on the wall, Batman, Robin, and a group of police officers drop from the Flying Bat-Cave onto the Condor Gang's hideout. They're able to rescue Joe, but two of the Gang disappear through a secret passage. The next day, special ceremonies are being held for a police fund when the Flying Bat-Cave apparently explodes over the crowd. A pair of handcuffs filled with an explosive were swapped with Joe's by the Condor Gang, who rush out to steal the fund. Suddenly, the Flying Bat-Cave appears, trapping most of the gang members in a giant metal hand while Joe captures the final gang member using a whirly-bat. Batman was able to discover the swapped handcuffs as they were lighter than normal handcuffs, sending a balloon of the Flying Bat-Cave in the real thing's place. The story ends with Joe being promoted to detective, later saying that the hero of the case was the Flying Bat-Cave.

Thoughts: The writer of this story unknown, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say it was written by Bill Finger. The giant advertising sign that blocks the Dynamic Duo's path is in line with Finger's tendency to include giant props in his stories. As for the story itself, I enjoyed it much more than the Flying Bat-Cave's first outing. The action scenes were more exciting, from the storming of the Condor Gang hideout by the Dynamic Duo and the police to the apprehending of the rest of the gang members with a giant metal hand and a whirly-bat (have I mentioned how awesome the whirly-bats are?). I also like the story of Joe Arno, going from a hobo to a rookie cop to a police detective. Speaking of Joe's hobo past, the fact that Batman and Robin have a guide to hobo signs in the Flying Bat-Cave proves that they leave no stone unturned when it comes to crime fighting. As for the Flying Bat-Cave, we get a much better look at it, including a galley, sleeping quarters, and mini-garage. The improvements must have been nation wide, considering how Batman is able to contact a random police station via television camera and screen. The Flying Bat-Cave is also equipped with steam valves to create camouflage, along with the balloon for faking out criminals. The use of the electromagnet is a nice touch, as it calls back to its use in the first appearance of the Flying Bat-Cave. Many of Batman's foes were normal gangsters, apart from Batman's Rogues Gallery, so it's nice to see a gang with a gimmick, like this one where many of the members wear condor masks.

Sheldon Moldoff provides some great art for this issue, starting with the cover. It was actually the cover that grabbed me to buy the issue in the first place, with the Dynamic Duo descending on a pair of helpless criminals on bat-wings. The scene on the cover is replicated in the issue, with the inclusion of parachute wearing police officers. Moldoff does a nice job of following up the first design of the Flying Bat-Cave, making only minor changes to it. The biggest change is actually in the coloring, with the originally blue Flying Bat-Cave now purple. Moldoff was also the perfect artist for the condor masks, considering his past run on Hawkman during the Golden Age. He also adds a touch seen in a character design for a pair of characters I'll touch on next week, with the condor masks having a "C" on the bottom feathers. The action scenes in the issue are given a suitable level of dynamism, from Batman and Robin sliding down the electromagnet's cable to the fight at the hideout. And, while I'm not an expert, I'm willing to bet that Moldoff knows his hobo signs.

At the beginning of the story, Batman mentions that maybe they will be using the Flying Bat-Cave more often. Unfortnately, this did not come to pass as the Flying Bat-Cave made only two appearances as far I know. Maybe one day a writer will look back into the past and bring the Flying Bat-Cave back to the skies.

This story has not been reprinted.

Added To The Collection - The Best of the Original Batman

2009-08-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

Following last week's acquisition of the Batman vs. The Joker Signet paperback is the first in the series. While the other two reprint collections in the series (the second release having been an original prose novel) each have a villain theme, this one is just a collection of early fifties Batman stories. The only exception is the first story in the collection, "The Legend of The Batman" from Batman #1. The other stories are: "The Web of Doom!" from Batman #90, "Fan-Mail of Danger!" from Batman #92, "The Crazy Crime Clown!" from Batman #74, "The Crime Predictor" from Batman #77, "The Man Who Could Change Fingerprints!" from Batman #82, and "The Testing of Batman!" from Batman #83. I'm particularly looking forward to reading "Fan-Mail of Danger!" after seeing the goof panel reprinted in the introduction to Batman In The Fifties. The book itself is in great condition, especially the cover apart from the bent corner. With this one on the shelf, that makes two down and a Penguin to go.

House Ad For Batman Annual #4

2009-08-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

"The Flying Bat-Cave!"

2009-08-19T23:16:00.007-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #186

Cover Date: August 1952

Writer: David Vern Reed

Penciller: Lew Sayre Schwartz

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Win Mortimer

Synopsis: The story begins on an exciting note, with Robin surrounded by gun wielding gangsters. They're fully prepared to bump him off, when their boss "Diamond" arrives on the scene and tells them he can use Robin alive. Later that night, Bruce Wayne is wondering why Robin has not yet returned when the Bat-Signal suddenly lights up the sky. Arriving quickly after at police headquarters, Batman receives a note telling him to go to Regan's Baths if he wants to see Robin alive again. At Regan's Baths, Batman is given one of Robin's gloves as proof that he's been captured. Then, under the cover of hazy steam, he signs an agreement that he and Robin won't set foot in Gotham City for a week to secure Robin's freedom. Several hours later, Robin arrives at the Bat-Cave unharmed, while news of the agreement reaches the home of "Big-Time" Gateson. After Diamond assures him that when Batman puts his name on an agreement, he sticks to it, "Big-Time" tells him he'll be going ahead with the biggest crime Gotham City has ever seen. Back at the Bat-Cave, the Dynamic Duo have twenty-four hours to leave town. As they tick by, Robin makes note of Batman placing a large amount of calls, the latest one being for fifty tanks of helium. As for the criminal underworld, a celebration is in full swing, with Diamond alluding to Batman's absence doing more good for him than anyone else.

The next day, "Big-Time" puts his plan into action by having several members of his gang pose as window dummies to rob armored cars transferring money from one bank to its new location. The plan seems to go off without a hitch, when suddenly, the Flying Bat-Cave appears in the sky. Batman and Robin drop a giant electromagnet from the Flying Bat-Cave, taking away the crminals' guns and allowing the police to capture them. "Big-Time" and half of his gang manage to escape, with "Big-Time" coming up with a new plan that the Dynamic Duo won't be able to stop. The plan in question has "Big-Time" and his gang breaking into the basement of a fur storage warehouse through an underground conduit. While patroling the city, Batman notices the electricity and water off at the section where the gang are and suspects something fishy is going on. Descending into Gotham Harbor via a bat-osphere, Batman is able to detect sounds in one of the conduits using sonar and Robin radios the police to cover the manholes in the area. Trapped, the gang attempt to escape through a drain tunnel leading to the river, but are stopped by Batman and Robin. "Big-Time" was able to spot Batman in time and escape back through the tunnel, leaving him with four days left to pull a job with Batman off the ground.

The next day shows why Diamond hatched his scheme, as he is on trial for a larceny charge. Batman is the only witness against Diamond, and with him unable to set foot in Gotham City, Diamond is confidant he'll leave the courtroom a free man. Unfortunately for Diamond, Batman remembered the trial date and made pre-arrangements with the D.A. to take the witness stand via a television broadcasted to from the Flying Bat-Cave. Diamond is able to get a note to his gang to build a diathermy machine next to the courthouse, jamming the signal, but it's quickly restored by the Dynamic Duo dropping the Giant Penny they brought with them in front of the machine. A few days later, Batman and Robin have less than two hours left in the air when they spot "Big-Time" and his gang on top of the post office. What they think are bags of loot turn out to be a ruse when an anti-aircraft gun is revealed. The Dynamic Duo come under fire and escape from the Flying Bat-Cave via parachutes, descending to the roof of the post office. The gang is defeated, with "Big-Time" exclaiming that Batman has broken his word. Batman informs him that the post office belongs to the federal government, not Gotham City, thus the agreement remains unbroken.

Thoughts: This is an interesting story in that my basic thoughts are a flip-flop of those I had for "The Voyage of The First Batmarine": the premise is implausible, but the execution is done quite well. I can overlook a lot of plots in Silver Age comics, but this one I just can't look past. Super-heroes have values that make them heroic sure, but really, having a hero's ability to fight crime due to an agreement with a criminal makes no sense. I see what they're going for with the angle that Batman is a man of his word, but I really don't think the public would turn against Batman for going back on an agreement with a criminal to round up the crooks that kidnapped his sidekick. I'm going to take a page out of David's comment on my "Voyage" post and say that Batman went along with the agreement because he had the idea for the Flying Bat-Cave in his head and wanted to build it and show it off. Speaking of the Flying Bat-Cave, honestly, I think it's just plain cool. A compacted version of the crime lab, along with a few pieces from the trophy room, in the sky? Awesome. My favorite piece of the Flying Bat-Cave has to be the radar-observascope, which is basically a giant magnifying glass that they use to scan the city.

Despite the premise being shaky, the execution works. A giant magnet, while being a giant magnet, makes sense to bring along ahead of time as guns are the criminal element's weapon of choice. Batman and Robin able to fight crime in Gotham Harbor? Sure; after all, he didn't set foot in the city. The calls at the beginning set up for the television in the courtroom and the post office explanation is also valid. While the premise takes a heftier than average dose of suspension of disbelief, this is another good story with another fun addition to Batman's bat-garage.

Lew Sayre Schwartz's art is servicable. It's not bad or anything, but it falls behind Dick Sprang and Sheldon Moldoff for me. I do like his design of the Flying Bat-Cave, almost like a giant, widened helicopter. Like his fellow Batman ghost artists at this time, Schwartz's Batman has a very distinct look that makes his work easy to identify. I will say that there was one scene where Schwartz's art didn't sync with the story and that was in the courtroom. The facial expressions and body language of the D.A. in some places made it look like he was anxious that Batman was able to provide his testimony despite being on Batman's side. Without the word balloons, this would change the perception of what is going on in the scene quite a bit. Like I said, Schwartz isn't a bad artist, but his work doesn't engage me like that of his contemporaries.

This story has been reprinted in Batman #203 and the Secrets of The Bat-Cave TPB.

Added To The Collection - Batman vs. The Joker

2009-08-16T00:05:00.001-04:00

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.

"The Voyage of The First Batmarine!"

2009-08-14T17:46:00.004-04:00

Issue: Batman #86

Cover Date: September 1954

Writer: Edmond Hamilton

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Synopsis: A barge making its way across the Gotham River suddenly begins to sink, becoming a serious threat due to a cargo of nitro-glycerine. Batman and Robin are quickly summoned by the Bat-Signal and go to the harbor with Commissioner Gordon. After Gordon explains the situation at hand, Batman and Robin volunteer to retrieve the nitro, as no other diver will take the risk. The Dynamic Duo are outfitted with diving suits, submerged near the wreck in the middle of the river, and begin placing the cans of nitro in rope slings to be brought up. The pair work for almost an hour, but succeed in retrieving all of the nitro. Unfortunately, Batman and Robin have stayed underwater so long that they will die of the bends if they come up now, and must spend two days gradually reducing the pressure around them before they can return safely to the surface. Fortunately for the Dynamic Duo, a nearby salvage company is able to supply them with a pocket submarine to spend those days in, complete with a bat emblem painted on the front.

While Batman outlines the plan of gradually reducing the pressure within the Batmarine until they're safe to surface, Robin worries that "Slant" Stacy and his gang of Platinum Bandits will take advantage of them being out of action. Robin's worries prove to be justified, as the Bandits are preparing to rob a plutonium shipment from the Art Jewelery Company. Batman is already one step ahead of them and directs Robin to pilot the Batmarine to a lake near the Company. Once there, they are faced with dealing with the gang without leaving the Batmarine. They solve this dilemma by launching a salvage net out of a torpedo tube at the crooks. A couple of the Bandits are caught, but the remaining members quickly regroup and take a boat out onto the lake to drop nitro on the Batmarine. The Dynamic Duo cut the engine, having figured out its sond is how they were being tracked, and the criminals soon leave. Guessing that the Bandits' next target is at the Natural History Museum, Batman and Robin don diving suits and travel a series of pipes into an aquarium in the museum. After using an octopus' ink to hide their presence, Batman opens the main valve and begins flooding the room, driving the Platinum Bandits away once again.

All throughout the story, Stacy has mentioned a full-proof plan to ensure that Batman wouldn't be able to interfere with the Bandits' operation and after two defeats, he now puts it into action. The plan begins with the hijacking of a post office helicopter, which takes the gang to the Gotham Skyscraper. Their target is the Platinum Corporation's safe, which is at the top of the skyscraper. They cut the cables to the elevators and a section of the stairs, preventing the police from reaching them, as well as Batman since he can't leave the water. The Batmarine's periscope sees the Bat-Signal flashing a police code message about the situation. Despite the threat of the bends, Batman is seen leaving the Batmarine. he makes his way to the skyscraper and climbs its walls to the roof. Upon reaching the roof, Batman frees the helicopter pilot, who takes off to get the police. When the police arrive to a mostly defeated gang, they witness Batman collapse, supposedly to the bends. When an officer attempts to revive the Caped Crusader, "Batman" is revealed to be a radio-contolled robot that Batman had been working on while confined to the Batmarine. A few days later, Batman and Robin return to the surface safely, with Robin declaring that he never wants to go underwater ever again.

Thoughts: When I first got into fifties era Batman stories several years ago, I went about the internet tracking down all of the information on the era I could find. My searches eventually led me to Two Morrows publishing, where I found out that the nineteenth issue of their fantastic magazine Alter Ego was a spotlight of the life and work of Dick Sprang. Having already seen and appreciated his work, this was a no-brainer to order. The issue was full of great reminisces, interviews, and artwork. One of the pieces of art included was the splash page to this story in black and white, from the Batman From The 30's To The 70's collection. And it completely blew me away. The Batmarine in the background, the poses of the Dynamic Duo, the underwater world...spectacular. The color version looks great as well, but I think the piece really stands out in black and white. To this day, it's my favorite piece of fifties Batman artwork.

The premise of the story is a good one: Batman and Robin are trapped underwater while the criminal element still runs amok on the surface. How will they be able to continue to protect Gotham City? While the premise is good, several elements of the story stick out. The major one being the work arounds of the bends. Now I am not an expert on the bends, but my impression is that rising fast, no matter if you remain in water, will set off the symptoms. As such, the surfacing of the Batmarine to launch the net should have affected Batman and Robin. Even though they remained in water, the Duo's journey to the museum aquarium should have affected them as well. I liked the two ongoing mysteries, of Stacy's plan and what Batman was building, but Batman's ability to build a robot is unnecessarily suspect. If the Batmarine was presented as an already prepped bat-vehicle, I wouldn't bat an eye at Batman being able to build a robot. But the Batmarine was a normal submarine with a bat symbol painted on the front, not stocked with Batman's normal assortment of gadgets. Of course, comics have to be approached with a suspension of disbelief. Comics during the fifties were written with an eight year old audience in mind, not with the intention of being scrutinized years later. As such, I can still enjoy the story while these inconsistencies jump out at me while reading.

Considering my comments about the splash page, you can probably tell how I feel about the art. As usual, it's great work from Sprang, especially in the underwater scenes. The diving suits and Batmarine are well drawn, along with the various sea creatures. Sprang could have just drawn the underwater landscapes, but instead he puts at least one fish in almost all of the underwater panels, further adding to the undersea feel. Stacy's character design is great, with his head literally slanted at an angle. I had half a thought that he might be an homage to the villains in Dick Tracy's rogues gallery. Sprang's art also provides a bit of hilarity at the end, in the facial expression of the police officer who discovers the Batman robot.

In the Alter Ego I mentioned, there was an anecdote from Sprang noting that he would have liked to see the Batmarine worked into more stories. I agree, as it's a Bat-Vehicle that had a lot of potential for more voyages during the fifties.

This story was later retitled "The Underseas Batman!" and has been reprinted in Batman Annual #2, Batman From The 30's To The 70's HC, and DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals Volume 1 HC.

House Ad For Batman #86

2009-08-14T02:00:00.000-04:00

"The 10,000 Secrets of Batman!"

2009-08-11T23:55:00.002-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #229

Cover Date: March 1956

Writer: Unknown

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Win Mortimer

Synopsis: This case from Batman's crime-file opens with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson watching a television program entitled "Man-To-Man." At its end, host Waller mentions that next week's show will take place in none other than the Bat-Cave. Bruce mentions that he could not turn such an offer down as Batman, since the sight of his crime fighting equipment would do quite a bit to make criminals think twice about committing a crime. The next week, Batman takes the television crew to the Bat-Cave in a sealed truck to prevent its location from being discovered. The broadcast begins in the Dynamic Duo's trophy room and later moves to the section housing all of their crime-files. Suddenly, a cable from one of the crew's cameras accidently triggers an old trophy, in the form of the Mechanical Mobster. Batman and Robin quickly shut the robot off, providing the show with an exciting conclusion. While Batman is taking the television crew back to their studio, Robin takes down fake granite put up to disguise the real rock of the Bat-Cave. While doing so, he makes a grim discovery that he reveals to Batman upon his return: the microfilm file containing a copy of their entire crime-file is missing! Quickly deducing that the robot being turned on was a diversion, the pair drive off to the television studio to confront the four member crew.

Batman and Robin catch three of the four crew members before they're about to leave and search the premises. When the Duo come up empty handed, they learn that their technician Varnor went home complaining of a headache. Batman and Robin arrive at Varnor's home to find him dazed, having been knocked out and impersonated. After consulting their crime-file for criminals matching Varnor's description, Batman and Robin determine that Mart Mathers is their most likely suspect. Batman goes off to confront Mathers, while Robin informs Commissioner Gordon of the situation. Batman finds Mathers, but is unable to prove he had anything to do with the robbery, though the $10,000 he finds makes it pretty obvious he did. Batman has a plan though, and imitating one of Mather's criminal friends, is able to convince him to seek more money for the job. Batman is able to stowaway in Mather's car and finds the criminal's hideout to be an abandoned organ factory. The gang is run by a man named Creeden, who lets Mathers into his group while gloating about possesing Batman's secrets. Using a pipe organ as a distraction, Batman grabs the box containing the microfilm rolls, but is forced to hide in a boiler to escape gunfire.

Creeden closes the boiler, trapping Batman inside. He also reveals that he has the microfilm rolls on him and that the box originally containing them is just that, a box. Thinking Batman has no chance of getting out, the crooks leave to implement their heist. Unable to contact Robin with his belt radio, Batman uses his ingenuity to snap the boiler's outside safety valve through concentrated heat by burning the microfilm box. Slipping his silken cord through the hole he created, Batman is able to open the boiler and call for Robin. Upon reaching the Bat-Cave, Batman tells Robin their only lead: the criminals' operation requires the use of a rubber boat. After running through crime-file their crime file for locations that can be reached by water, the Dynamic Duo are able to narrow it down to an underground resovoir underneath a jewel firm. due to the small size of the entrance requiring a foldable rubber boat. Batman and Robin turn out to have deduced correctly and sneak up to the crooks' raft through the use of skin diving suits. As gunshots will cause the rubber boat to sink, Batman and Robin quickly subdue the gang and return their microfilm file to the Bat-Cave.

Thoughts: This story has pretty much everything you could want from a Silver Age Batman story. You have action with the robot in the beginning, mystery with the identity of who stole the microfilm file, danger in Batman being trapped in the boiler, Batman using brains over brawn to get out of the situation in the boiler, and gadgets in the Dynamic Duo's crime-file (which is a state-of-the-art for the time card sorting machine). It's one of the most perfect examples of what a Batman story is all about, which is fitting considering it was reprinted in Batman Annual #1, which is an excellent introduction to this era's Batman. Part of what makes the story so great is the set up. Today's Batman would never permit a camera crew into the Bat-Cave, but the Batman of 1956 would; this a story that could only happen in the Silver Age. The scenes where Batman and Robin use the crime-file are nice ways of spotlighting their detective skills, as the have to quickly come with factors that can narrow down their possibilites more and more. I really appreciate how, in an opportunity where the writer could have made Batman and Robin's identities part of the crime-file, he doesn't and instead specifies the crime-file as a collection of top secret law enforcement information. My only issue with the story is Batman's ability to replicate the voice of a criminal who happens to be a friend of Mathers; the line in the story almost reads as if it is the writer speaking directly to the reader. Other than that quibble, the story is pitch perfect, and it's a pity the writer is unknown.

While re-reading this story, I was struck by exactly how brilliant of a storyteller Dick Sprang was. The second panel of the third page shows Robin running towards the robot and the reader, while the page's sixth panel shows the Batmobile driving away from the reader. The fifth panel of the fourth page is a great close up of Batman and Robin's determined faces, while still showing Varnor clutching his head in the background between their heads. Thr fourth panel of page five is a fantastic nighttime panel, complete with a dynamic image of Batman exiting the Batmobile. The fifth panel of the same page is slanted, taken aback just as Commissioner Gordon is within it. The abandoned organ factory is as large and haunting as it should be. Dick Sprang's trademark circular panels are prominent throughout the entire story. Everything about the artwork, even the cards being sorted, is dynamic. I haven't read his entire body of work, but I can't think of a story with artwork more brilliant than what Dick Sprang contributed to this one.

While nothing is ever truly perfect, this story is about as close to perfection as a Silver Age Batman story can get.

This story was later retitled "Batman's Electronic Crime-File!" and has been reprinted in Batman Annual #1, Giant Batman Annual #1 Replica Edition (1999), and DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals Vol. 1 HC.

House Ad For Detective Comics #284 and Batman #135

2009-08-07T17:00:00.000-04:00

"Batman, The Magician!"

2009-08-06T23:55:00.004-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #207

Cover Date: May 1954

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Win Mortimer

Synopsis: The story opens with a group of four criminals rushing into an apartment calling for their boss. They had heard that a rival gang, the Moriarity Gang, had paid a visit to their leader and may have possibly taken care of him for good. They find their boss alive, but teetering on the edge of life and death, as a chemist accompanying the Moriarity Gang has filled a pair of manacles placed upon the boss' wrists with a high explosive. The slightest movement could set off the explosive, making conventional methods of removing the manacles useless. The mob boss thinks all is lost when he catches sight of a billboard for Merko The Great, realizing that the magician's escape artist skills would be best for removing the manacles. The boss' men tell him they'll grab Merko at his show that night, a show that features among its audience Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.

After the first act of his performance, Merko finds himself falling through his own trapdoor courtesy of the criminals. Bruce becomes suspicious when Merko doesn't appear to take his bow and, after a quick costume change, Batman and Robin appear backstage. It becomes apparent while talking to the stage hands that if Merko was kidnapped, it would be through the trapdoor, but when the Dynamic Duo follow it outside, there is no trace of the magician. This presents a problem as the performance is for charity, and if the show does not go on, the money will have to be refunded. The story then cuts to the criminal gang, who have brought Merko to their boss' new vibration proof room. Merko has no intention of freeing the crook, but figures he can stall as the crime boss needs him to unlock the handcuffs. Back at the theater, Bruce disguises himself as Merko, with Dick Grayson planted in the audience to be picked out as an assistant. The pair finish out the night with such tricks as pulling rabbits out of a hat and making a rope stand straight in the air without touching it.

After the performance ends, Batman and Robin head out to begin their search for Merko. While on patrol, the come across a group of the boss' goons robbing an armored car using a wrecking ball from a construction site. Batman and Robin go in swinging, but are distracted from the crooks by the armored car bursting into flames. They're able to rescue the driver, but the gang escaped in the meantime. The next night, the Duo continue their act, including the suspended animation trick, staying submerged underwater, and making an elephant disappear. While the act is going on, the boss is shown a newspaper with a front page on Merko's acts. Surprised, he quickly deduces that Batman has taken the magician's place and sends his men to take out the Caped Crusader. Their attempt fails thanks to a stampeding elephant and their getaway allows Batman and Robin to hitch a ride to their hideout. The Dynamic Duo easily dispatch the goons and make their way to the boss' room, where Batman reveals that there was no explosive in the handcuffs at all. Batman points out that the vibrations from the phone on the boss' desk would have caused the explosive to detonate long ago, leading Merko to comment that even Houdini himself would be impressed by Batman's "magic of deduction."

Thoughts: Before I talk about what's inside the issue, I want to talk about the cover surrounding it. Win Mortimer did a number of Batman covers throughout the Golden Age and every one of them was a gem. This issue's is no exception. While it is Bruce performing the magic tricks and not Batman, the cover captures the issue thematically. Batman's pose is great and the assistant and Robin complete the magical aspect to the piece.

On the whole, the story is a great one. The potentially explosive handcuffs add a suspense element, leaving the reader asking himself if they're going to explode, and later, how long Merko will be able to stall. The main fight scene is a great one, with a swinging wrecking ball and a rescue situation giving it a heavy dose of excitement. The highlights of the story are the magic tricks performed by Bruce, the secrets of which are revealed to the reader after they're performed. What kid (and adult for that matter) hasn't seen a magic trick and wondered how the magician does it? Well, with this issue, you can find out how five of them are done. The only nitpick I have on the story is that in the scene where the boss becomes aware of the continued Merko appearances, he makes reference to Batman and Robin noticing the criminals kidnapping Merko. The only problem is, the alley is deserted by the time Batman and Robin reach it, so it's a bit of a leap in logic for the boss to make. But I guess when you live in Gotham City and a magician you know you kidnapped is being impersonated, who else could be behind it but Batman?

Artwise, the story has some of the best Sheldon Moldoff work I've seen in a Batman story. Every page looked well polished, as if Moldoff spent more time than usual on the pages. Like the cover, the splash page depicts Batman in the magician garb, but unlike later issues, it's not an exact reproduction of the cover. The magician Batman, complete with turban, has his wand pointed at a top hat from which playing cards, rabbits, gangsters, Batman and Robin, and an elephant emerge. Fantastic splash page and my profile picture of choice at the moment. Moldoff's facial expressions in the issue were spot on, especially the panicked look that appeared on the boss' face. Moldoff's brilliant art complements Finger's solid script perfectly, resulting in a must read Batman story.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #2 and the DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals Vol. 1 HC.

Added To The Collection - A Great Lot of Coverless Batman Comics

2009-08-02T18:00:00.000-04:00

One of the funnest aspects to comics collecting is that of the hunt, and eBay is tailor made for the experience. The watching, the bidding, and, of course, getting proxy outbid at the last second. Every so often you end up winning a real gem and this is one of those times.

I'm more of a reader than a collector, so I tend to go after books in the lower (and cheaper) grades. I like to have complete books, but if I can get a coverless book in great condition, that's good enough for me. I came across a lot of ten coverless issues from the fifties and early sixties periods, with an opening bid of $9.99. Four of the issues were complete and specified:

Batman #135 ("The Menace of the Sky Creature")

Batman #156 ("Robin Dies At Dawn")

Detective Comics #283 ("The Phantom of Gotham City")

Detective Comics #284 ("The Negative Batman")

The auction also mentioned four issues of Batman and two issues of Detective Comics, no specifics, each missing the first and last couple of pages. I couldn't make out the issues from the image as they began on the third page, but overall, it looked like a deal to me. I ended up being the only one to bid and won it at starting price. When the issues arrived and I began figuring out what the mystery comics were, they turned out to be better than the ones I knew about:

Batman #103 (The first Silver Age issue of Batman)

Batman #114 ("The Bat-Ape")

Batman #124 ("The Mystery Seeds From Space")

Batman #126 ("The Menace of the Firefly")

Detective Comics #231 ("Batman, Junior")

Detective Comics #251 ("The Alien Batman")

The Batman issues have two stories complete out of the three, but that's fine with me. This was the far and away the best $10 I ever spent on comic books.

Batman: The Brave and The Bold Episode 19 - "Legends of the Dark Mite!"

2009-08-01T02:50:00.015-04:00

Written By: Paul Dini

Directed By: Ben Jones

Original Airdate: May 29, 2009

Synopsis: As with the other episodes of "Brave and The Bold," this one begins with a teaser seperate from the main story. Catman is seen in a jungle auctioning off a rare tiger in front of hunters, poachers, and a criminal chef. The bidding gets up to four million dollars when Batman swings down from a tree, knocking Catman to the ground. He quickly dispatches the assembled crooks and then finds himself having to deal with the tiger, released by Catman. With a whistle, Batman summons Ace The Bat-Hound from the jungle. Ace fends off the tiger, sending the once ferocious animal retreating to its cage, before barking Catman up a tree. Catman tells Batman to call him off, which Batman does, before giving Ace a bat shaped dog treat.

After the opening, the main story begins with Batman foiling a robbery at the bank. The two criminals give up as soon as they see Batman, when a voice tells them they're doing it wrong. The criminals are then animated to come at Batman with bags of money, then are joined by more criminals out of thin air with machine guns, and then all of the criminals become ninjas. Batman defeats all of these attackers before asking the voice narrating the whole time to show himself. Batman is teleported to another part of the city and the narrator reveals himself to be Batman's number one fan...Bat-Mite. After explaining more about himself and trying to change Batman's costmue, Bat-Mite tries to decide on a villain for him to fight and Batman tricks the Mite into choosing Calendar Man. Bat-Mite sees through Batman asking Calendar Man to take a fall and transforms him into Calendar King, who can summon armies of holiday themed characters.

Bat-Mite thinks Calendar King is going a bit too far with mutant Easter Bunnies and freezes everything to convene a Batman panel at a convention in the 5th Dimension over the validity of the mutant bunnies. One fan speaks up about how his Batman is a dark crime detective and this is not his Batman. The panel (composed of crew members from the show) agrees upon a reply for Bat-Mite to read, which says thus:

"Batman's rich history allows him to be interpreted in a multitude of ways. To be sure, this is a lighter incarnation, but it's certainly no less valid and true to the character's roots as the tortured avenger crying out for mommy and daddy."

After that, and agreement from the audience that the mutant bunnies are pretty scary, the fight continues, culminating in Batman decking Calendar King back into Calendar Man. Bat-Mite is about to decide what fun to have next when Batman convinces him to save his abilities for real crimes, with the help of an autographed batarang.

Batman returns to the Batcave and tells Ace about the pest he had to deal with. The appearance of a second Ace causes Batman to realize he's been talking to a transformed Bat-Mite, who transports Batman away to an alien planet intending to force him to be his plaything. Batman refuses to do so and sits on an otherworldly toadstool instead of fighting the various alien menaces Bat-Mite has thought up. Batman then eases Bat-Mite into the idea of a role reversal, with Bat-Mite acting as Batman and Batman narrating what happens to him. After defeating Gorilla Grodd, Bat-Mite finds himself in a scene paying tribute to the Looney Tunes classic "The Great Piggy Bank Robbery," with both well known and obscure villains chasing after him. Overwhelmed, he asks for Batman's help, who takes out the villains after playfully chiding Bat-Mite a little. Bat-Mite apologizes to Batman and returns him to his cave, who checks to make sure Ace is the real Ace before he relaxes.

Thoughts: I'm a fan of the Dark Knight as much as the next guy, but I'm also a fan of the lighter Caped Crusader as this blog attests. After the steady stream of darker media, it's nice to have a Batman cartoon that's just plain fun. One of the reasons I'm such a big fan of "Brave and The Bold" is because of how much it embraces its characters' Silver Age roots. Instead of playing them as parody, they're played straight with fun fully their intention. There are references peppered throughout the show, such as the use of the 1950's Batmobile in a flashback or Professor Carter Nichols when time travel's needed, but this episode is one for the fans from beginning to end.

Before I get to the easter eggs, let me give some thoughts on the episode itself. In a nutshell, this is the best episode of the show yet. Now I may be a little bias, but seriously, this episode has it all: Bat-Mite, lots of villains, fan easter eggs, and that fantastic convention scene. I was looking forward to this episode as it was featuring Bat-Mite, but then you have Catman and Ace The Bat-Hound in the teaser? Sold twice over. I had my doubts about Paul Reubens voicing Bat-Mite leading up to the episode's airing, but he was a great choice for the role. He put the perfect amount of fanboyism into the character and was able to shift Bat-Mite's emotions when needed. And speaking of Bat-Mite: easily the best modern interpretation of the character, considering the minor updates. It seems odd to hear Bat-Mite say "awesome sauce," but it works. Even Bat-Mite looking to make Batman his plaything fits, taking his wanting to see his hero in action to the extreme true, but it still fits. At his core, Bat-Mite in "Brave and The Bold" is Batman's biggest fan as he's always been. The convention in the 5th Dimension was a highlight simply for

PaulDini's breaking of the fourth wall to give a message to those decrying "Brave and The Bold" for its lightheartdness. And to top everything off, the "Great Piggy Bank Robbery" homage at the end is simply brilliant.

I'm not going to give away all of the easter eggs, but there are a lot for fifties Batman fans:

-During the scene where Bat-Mite changes Batman's costume half a dozen times, it changes to both Bat-Hombre's from Batman #56 and that of the Zebra Batman from Detective Comics #275.

-The 5th Dimensional Comic-Book, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Horror...& Tiddlywinks Convention in the episode is the 267th, a reference to Bat-Mite's first appearance in Detective Comics #267.

-The Rainbow Creature from Batman #134 can be seen on the alien world, and I wouldn't be surprised if the other aliens are from Batman comics.

-Bat-Mite turns into a Bat-Ape momentarily when going up against Gorilla Grodd.

-A couple of villains that appear during the Looney Tunes tribute: Polka-Dot Man, Killer Moth, Mr. Zero (that's right folks, they don't call him Mr. Freeze, they call him Mr. Zero), and, of course, Zebra-Man.

If you only watch one episode of "Batman: The Brave and The Bold," though you should watch the whole series, make it this one. From beginning to end, it's a fun tribute to the Silver Age and to Batman in general. And don't forget to keep your eye out for easter eggs! That's all for now folks.

House Ad For Batman #148 and Detective Comics #304

2009-07-31T12:00:00.003-04:00

More Fifties Related "Brave and The Bold" News

2009-07-28T22:23:00.003-04:00

I've posted before about how great the "Batman: The Brave and The Bold" cartoon is, and I'll be able to give you more concrete evidence when I review the Bat-Mite episode this Friday. Until then, I give you some news from Comic-Con that made the fifties Batman fan in me want to shake the crew's hands even more:

Tucker later told us that the episode would be an adaptation of a comic where Bruce Wayne discovered that his father had also worn a Batman costume at some time in the past, before telling us that the show will also be adapting the Batman of Zur En Arrh comic from the 1950s, but shying away from the revisionist retcon from last year's Batman RIP.

Fifties Batman Blogging Elsewhere

2009-07-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

Pat from the Silver Age Comics blog has started up a new series looking at the various aliens that went up against the Dynamic Duo. Sci-fi stories appeared here and there throughout the Golden and Silver Ages, but it is the Jack Schiff era of the late fifties and early sixties that most people associate aliens with Batman. Pat is going to be working backwards, starting in the first post with the significant stories from 1963-1964. You can check it out here. Pat also did an interesting post on the origins of the Silver Age Cat-Man a couple weeks back, who appeared in three Batman stories in the Silver Age.

House Ad For Detective Comics #276

2009-07-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

"An Ode To Bat-Hound" By Mark Waid

2009-07-21T23:11:00.005-04:00

I found this on The Captain's JLA Blog through Comic Book Resources. It was originally published in Amazing Heroes #102 from September 1st, 1986. I'm a big fan of Mark Waid's writing and this just made me moreso.

Remember That Time Dick Sprang Drew Bane?

2009-07-20T20:33:00.001-04:00

House Ad For Detective Comics #265

2009-07-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Thoughts On The Batman: The Black Casebook TPB

2009-07-15T12:00:00.010-04:00

For those who have not been following the current issues of Batman, let me catch you up to speed. When writer Grant Morrison began his run on Batman with issue 655 (his full run comprising 655-658 and 663-683), he decided to take a unique perspective on the Dark Knight: that every story from Batman's 70 year publishing history happened to him in a 15 year period. He would examine how that amount of stress would affect a person's mental state...and he would also dust off the wacky fifties concepts that many had chosen to neglect. He brought the sci-fi stories of the fifties and sixties back into Batman's canon, explaining that the Caped Crusader transcribed such unexplainable events into the Black Casebook. But more than bring the fifties back, Morrison modernized such characters as the Batmen of All Nations and Bat-Mite and made them part of the stories he told. For fifties Batman fans, each issue brought the excitement of what story Morrison would reference next. For those who were not so familiar with the era, some scratched their heads at where Morrison was pulling all of this from. Before nary an Amazon placeholder appeared, there was speculation across the internet of DC collecting the stories Morrison drew from for his run into one trade paperback. While it didn't come out until months after Morrison's run on the Batman title ended, the collection did indeed arrive back in June.

Alright, enough recap, let's talk about the collection. The cover design for it is simply perfect. The front cover sans the text looks what a journal owned by Batman would look like. The description for the collection on the back cover is designed to look like pen written on a sheet of lined paper, further adding to the journal feel. Dotted across the covers and spine are marks that make the collection look worn, just as the fictional Black Casebook would probably look after 15 years of use. As far as the paper between the covers, it is along the same lines as the paper used in the Batman In The Fifties trade paperback, but of higher quality. The table of contents has a nice touch to it with the word "Closed:" appearing before the issue in which the story originally appeared. Besides assembling in one place the stories that inspired Morrison's Batman run, the collection also includes a three page introduction by Grant Morrison where he explains why he chose the stories he chose to draw upon. As someone who read and enjoyed his run a great deal, it was quite interesting to get a glimpse into how he crafted it.

The stories collected are more scattered than the three annuals from the previous collection I reviewed, so I have compiled a list in the order they appear in the trade paperback:

"A Partner For Batman" from Batman #65

"Batman - Indian Chief" from Batman #86

"The Batmen of All Nations" from Detective Comics #215

"The First Batman" from Detective Comics #235

"The Club of Heroes" from World's Finest Comics #89

"The Man Who Ended Batman's Career" from Detective Comics #247

"Am I Really Batman?" from Batman #112

"Batman - The Superman of Planet X" from Batman #113

"Batman Meets Bat-Mite" from Detective Comics #267

"The Rainbow Creature" from Batman #134

"Robin Dies At Dawn" from Batman #156

"The Batman Creature" from Batman #162

Most of the stories collected have been reprinted before, although there are two or three that have not. In fact, the "Creature" stories had nothing to do with Morrison's Batman run, but he included them because he found the covers interesting.

The only nitpick I have about the collection is that in the spaces where house ads went in the original issues, DC has swapped them out for a Batman oval. The oval of course didn't appear until after the fifties era, and while it's a little annoying, I can overlook it.

With the high amount of already reprinted material, I can see how some fifties Batman fans may pass on this collection. Really, the collection is aimed more at the fans of Grant Morrison's Batman run who have never read this material than the already established fanbase. But with any luck, this collection will lead to a few new fifties Batman fans out there.

Added To The Collection - Batman #s 233 and 254 and Batman Family #3

2009-07-13T12:00:00.001-04:00

Hey folks, sorry about the lack of story reviews at the moment. I wisely decided to start blogging again while on vacation in Maine and surprisingly, I haven't had much time to devote to the longer story reviews. Not to worry though, as the weeks coming up will be packed full of story reviews from all across the fifties era. Today I thought I'd make a quick post about some reprint issues I recently picked up. Copies of the original issues, even those right before the New Look Era began, seem to have been going up in price lately. Since I've been able to acquire all of the 80 Page Giant Batman issues, I thought I'd turn my attention to the other Batman giants DC published featuring fifties reprints.

Batman #233 - This was a 64 page giant issue featuring stories with a focus on Bruce Wayne, such as "The Murder of Bruce Wayne" and "Bruce Wayne's Aunt Agatha". Maybe I should do a Bruce Wayne week sometime.

Batman #254 - This was a 100 page giant and an interesting one in that it featured a story from each decade Batman had been published in up to the 70s, when the issue was published. There was only one reason I wanted this issue, however, and it of course concerned the fifties era reprint. From Batman #145 and the year 1962 to be exact..."The Son of The Joker". I scoured eBay for weeks trying to pick up the original issue until I discovered that it had been reprinted in a much more affordable issue all along. It's a story featuring one of my favorite gimmicks from the fifties era, The Second Batman and Robin Team, and if you recall my hint last week, this is the gimmick I alluded to. I'll be reviewing a trio of Batman II and Robin II tales soon and having read "The Son of The Joker" already, I can say it has one of the greatest panels to ever be printed in a Batman comic.

Batman Family #3 - When it comes to Batman reprints, this issue's a home run as far as I'm concerned. You have the second appearance of Batwoman, the first appearance of Kite-Man, and a classic Golden Age Dick Sprang story in "The Year 3,000". And for the fans of Batwoman and Bat-Girl out there, not to worry, I will be giving them their due spotlight in the future; I just don't want to hit all of the major issues of the era too soon.

House Ad For Batman Annual #2

2009-07-09T21:59:00.001-04:00

Thoughts On The DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals Vol. 1 HC

2009-07-08T23:40:00.004-04:00

After months of rumors, Amazon.com placeholders, and waiting, the DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals Vol. 1 harcover arrived on April 22nd. Did it live up to the hype? Was it everything that fifties Batman fans across the internet hoped it would be? Of course it was, but let's examine the collection in a little bit more detail.

The hardcover is roughly the same size as an Archive edition, making it a perfect addendum to a line that will likely never feature fifties Batman reprints. The blue and yellow colors on the dustjacket work well together, as do the other elements in the dustjacket's design. The foreground of the front cover is an illustration done in the style of fifties Batman art by Rodney Ramos. Ramos does an excellent job paying homage to the era; in fact, Batman's pose is very similar to the Caped Crusader's on the splash page to the story "Batman The Magician," reprinted in the second annual. The background on the front cover features a rearrangement of the panels on the cover to the second annual and, along with the panels on theb back cover and interior flaps, is a nice sample of what the collection offers.

My favorite element to the dustjacket is one that may not jump out at first glance. The authors listed at the bottom of the front cover are thus: Bill Finger, Dick Sprang, and Sheldon Moldoff. The name of Bob Kane, who for so many years took sole credit for the work of so many creators, is not among them. Of course, none of his work appears in the reprints collected within, but still, I applaud DC Comics for giving credit to the creators who deserve it.

The features inside the book are more than just a reprinting of the annuals. The table of contents is near perfect, including correct creator credits and a sentence long summary of each story. The issues in which the stories originally appeared are absent, but they are referenced in the introduction that follows, provided by writer/producer Michael Uslan. Uslan is no stranger to Batman, having served as executive producer for the films Batman (1989), Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight, as well as writing the Batman newspaper strip and the Detective No. 27 graphic novel. The introduction follows the format of the Batman In The Fifties trade paperback, commenting on the stories being reprinting and making anecdontes and observations here and there. I was happy to see a feature I predicted months ago, a side by side comparison of the original and edited panels from the story "The New Crimes of Two Face," appear at the end of the introduction. There is also an afterward from Richard Bruning, the senior VP-creative director at DC Comics. The afterward is a reminisce from someone who was a kid when the annuals originally hit the stands and a nice note to end on, not counting the creator biographies that make up the real end of the collection.

As for the actual contents collected, c'mon, how can you go wrong? The three earliest, and hardest to find, Batman Annuals collected in one tome. The paper stock used is a heavy, non-glossy one perfect for the stories being collected. The colors in the stories have been reconstructed and look simply fantastic. I'm also happy to say that the extras included in the annuals, such as the "secrets of the utility belt and batarangs" page from the first annual and the pin-up calandar from the second annual, are reprinted along with the stories. The only minor negative to the reprinting is that the binding is semi-tight and there is a little bit of the page lost in the gutter, but it's not to such an extent that it takes away from the enjoyment of reading the stories. And speaking of enjoying the stories, nine of them feature Dick Sprang art. Like I said, how can you go wrong?

If you are a fifties Batman fan and have not yet picked up this collection, I can't recommend it enough. DC Comics pulled out all the stops to produce it and the result is the deluxe treatment that many fifties Batman fans have been clamoring for. And if the "Volume One" is any indication, DC doesn't plan on reprinting just the first three Batman Annuals.

The Bat-Mite Blogger Returns!

2009-07-06T17:32:00.001-04:00

No, seriously.

I know it's been a couple of months since the last time I said I was back, but this is not a dream, hoax, or an imaginary story. I'm back to blog about the weird, wacky, wonderful Batman stories of the 1950s. There have been a couple of big releases since the last time I posted and I'll be covering them all in the next few weeks. This Wednesday, I'll be giving my thoughts on the DC Comics Classics Library - Batman: The Annuals Volume 1 hardcover, with the reviews on Tuesday and Thursday coming from the collection. Next week will follow the same format as I take a look at the Batman: The Black Casebook trade paperback. The week after that will be a special one, as I finally complete Bat-Mite Month and review the Bat-Mite centric episode of the Batman: The Brave and The Bold cartoon, "Legend of The Dark Mite". I'll then close out July with a look at one of my favorite Batman gimmicks from the early 1960's. Here's a hint: II.

That's a glimpse at what's coming up this month. I Believe In Bat-Mite is back and I hope to make it better than ever.

DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals HC Now On Sale!

2009-04-22T23:19:00.004-04:00

Hey fifties Batman fans, apologies for my absence from the blogosphere the past couple of weeks. I have not fallen off of the face of the Earth and will be back to posting reviews of fifties Batman tales tomorrow, beginning with the long delayed finale to Bat-Mite Month (Plus A Few Weeks). And what better way to get the blog back up and running than to remind everyone that the DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals HC is now on sale! I get my comics monthly through an online service, so I won't get my copy for a few weeks, but you can guarantee I'll be posting my thoughts as soon as it arrives on my doorstep.

Bat-Mite In Animation

2009-04-04T16:17:00.002-04:00

Bat-Mite's most well known appearance in animation was on The New Adventures of Batman from 1977. In this cartoon, he hailed from the dimension of Ergo, an interesting addition as his home dimension was never given a name in the comics. Like in the comics, he was Batman's biggest fan and wanted to help him in his fights against crime, but usually ended up doing more harm than good. The biggest change from the comics to the cartoon was Bat-Mite's appearance. He had light green skin with a pink and purple costume featuring an "M" on the chest as opposed to pink skin with a miniature Batman costume with a bolt for the insignia. He was voiced on the cartoon by Lou Scheimer, who also served as executive producer. He was meant to add a bit of comic relief to the cartoon, but most viewers of the cartoon remember this interpretation of Bat-Mite as an annoyance. Bat-Mite made one other animated appearance, albiet a cameo in mechanical form, in an episode of Batman The Animated Series. Hopefully Bat-Mite's upcoming appearance on Batman: The Brave and The Bold will be more well received than that of his New Adventures counterpart.

Action Clip. The New Adventures of Batman. @ Yahoo! Video

Fifty Years Ago Today...

2009-03-31T19:20:00.004-04:00

...Detective Comics #267, the first appearance of Bat-Mite, hit the newstands. Unfortunately, obligations outside of the realm of four color funny books disrupted Bat-Mite Month in recent weeks. So to make up for it, Bat-Mite Month will continue until the end of the week. For today, kick back with your favorite Bat-Mite story and celebrate fifty years of stories from Batman's biggest fan.

Bat-Mite Merchandise

2009-03-26T22:57:00.014-04:00

While Bat-Mite is one of the lesser known members of the Batman Family, that doesn't mean he's been forgotten. In a sea of Batman merchandise spanning clothes to statues to action figures and everything in between, there are a few items that feature his #1 fan.

First up are the "I Believe In Bat-Mite" promotional buttons. These were distributed to comic shops in 2000 along with a Mr. Mxyzptlk button to coincide with the release of the Superman & Batman: World's Funnest one shot. Both buttons were designed by the writer of that 64 page epic of brilliance, Evan Dorkin. In fact, the buttons were featured on the back of World's Funnest (with different art) as part of a fake ad for "The Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk Extra-Dimensional Imp-Formational Society".

In another merchandising team up with Mr. Mxyzptlk, DC Direct released soft toys of the two imps. The Bat-Mite soft toy is 7 inches tall and has material on his hands that adhere to other soft toys or to his hips. A number of these are available on e-Bay, either for the original price of $15 or even a few dollars less.

Bat-Mite went from 7 inches to 2 in another DC Direct release. This time, it's a must have for any fifties Batman fan. As part of their Silver Age line, DC Direct released a Bat-Girl and Batwoman action figure set sculpted by Karen Palinko. Not only was it a set of the female members of the Jack Schiff era Batman family, but it also came with a Bat-Mite figure and an Ace the Bat-Hound one as well. I recently won the Bat-Mite from this set off of eBay and it's a pretty nice sculpt; you've got your bent ear, lightning bolt chest symbol, and a little bit of costume hanging over the belt. Seems to be based more on the Dick Sprang design than the Sheldon Moldoff one. These sets can get pretty pricey on eBay; most eBay stores have them for $50 or higher. Every once in awhile one pops up for bidding in the $20 range, so keep your eyes out if you want to pick one up.

DC Direct's final Bat-Mite related release was probably the imp's finest: a hand painted, cold-cast porcelain statue. The 5 inch statue was sculpted by William Paquet and limited to 1,500 pieces. Much like the Silver Age Bat-Girl and Batwoman set, you can find the statue in an eBay store for $50, but a lot of them seem to be more in the $75 to $100 range. Also like the Silver Age Bat-Girl and Batwoman set, an auction for the statue sometimes pops up in the $20 range. I haven't picked one up yet due to the price, but one day I'll definitely add it to my comic shelf.

The most recent item of Bat-Mite merchandise was a trading card from the VS System TCG. It was released in 2007, appropriately enough, as part of the World's Finest set. The art for the card was done by Ryan Sook, who has done a number of excellent covers and promotional images for DC Comics. The card comes in regular and foil versions and both can be picked up for just a couple of dollars.

"Brave and The Bold" Bat-Mite News 2: Electric Boogaloo

2009-03-26T17:41:00.004-04:00

In an interview with Newsarama, Diedrich Bader, who voices Batman on the "Batman: The Brave and The Bold" cartoon, revealed that the actor providing the voice for Bat-Mite in an upcoming episode is...Paul Ruebens.

One future episode will feature the latest incarnation of Bat-Mite, with Paul Ruebens voicing the role.

“He’s hilarious,” says Bader. “He’s so perfect as Bat-Mite. The fanboys of the show are just going to go out of their minds because we mess with reality in a way that just hasn’t been seen on our show. Both the script and the animation goes completely out there.”

According to informed sources, this episode features many other appearances by major players in the DC Animated Universe. As to who? The joke’s too good to waste. Suffice that they are names you will automatically recognize though.

I'm not sure how I feel about this casting. Right now all I can think about is a Bat-Mite sounding like Pee Wee Herman, but I really doubt that'll be the case. With Paul Dini writing the script and the quality of the show, I expect this to be excellent.

What's A Bat-Mite Month Without Bat-Mite Buttons?

2009-03-23T23:39:00.001-04:00

Longtime readers of the blog will remember a post I made about winning a lot on eBay of the original "I Believe In Bat-Mite" buttons released by DC Comics. I got way more than I needed, so I made the offer to send one out to anyone who wanted one. I still have quite a few left, and since this is Bat-Mite Month, I'm throwing out the offer again. Simply e-mail me your address to the blog's e-mail and I'll send one of these nifty buttons your way.

"Bat-Mite: The Later Years" From Ambush Bug #3 (1985)

2009-03-20T23:02:00.002-04:00

"Bat-Mite's New York Adventure"

2009-03-17T23:52:00.002-04:00

Issue: Detective Comics #482

Cover Date: Feb/Mar 1979

Writer: Bob H. Rozakis

Penciller: Michael Golden

Inker: Bob Smith

Cover Artists: Richard Buckler and Dick Giordano

Synopsis: One night at DC Comics' New York offices, artist and editor Al Milgrom is up late working to meet a deadline. He is working on illustrating an issue of Firestorm when suddenly he hears his typewriter clacking away. He turns to it to find "we want bat-mite!" typed onto a sheet and wonders who the wise guy is. He hears a noise outside and sees not only fireworks exploding to form "WE WANT BAT-MITE" in the sky, but also a crowded street shouting the same message. Bat-Mite then appears sitting on Al's telephone and Al, thinking this is probably what happens after you eat soda and pretzels for dinner, tells him that he can't talk right now as he has a deadline to meet. Bat-Mite says he can help with that and illustrates the Firestorm page in his own unique style. Al doesn't think his editor Jack Harris will like Bat-Mite's interpretation, so Bat-Mite poofs him into the office, in the middle of changing his daughter's diaper no less.

Bat-Mite tells him he can get back to the diaper changing once he says how much he likes the artwork, but when Jack says he doesn't like it, Bat-Mite sends him back anyway. Al asks Bat-Mite what he wants and he tells him that he wants his own feature in Batman Family. Al tells him they'd need a writer, so Bat-Mite teleports Bob Rozakis to the office. Bob asks if Bat-Mite is who he thinks he is and Al tells Bob to just bear with it as it's his hallucination to deal with. Al reminds Bat-Mite that they need an artist, inker, letterer, colorist, and production man to complete a feature, so Bat-Mite summons Michael Golden, Bob Smith, Milt Snapinn, Anthony Tollin, and Todd Klein. Things get rather crowded and loud, so Al calls everything to order and asks Bat-Mite if they promise to do a story about him for Batman Family, he'll leave them alone. Bat-Mite agrees, but tells them that if they don't do the feature, he'll be back with Mr. Mxyzptlk. Al, presumably anticipating a long night, asks if anyone wants to order a pizza.

Thoughts: Not much to comment on, as this story is very much in the same vein as the one page strip from Brave and The Bold #200. This one runs six pages and is a lot funnier, with several nice gags associated with the creators and their reactions to Bat-Mite tricks like a floating typewriter. Michael Golden's artwork is also quite nice, although he draws Bat-Mite more like a miniature Batman than the classic design of the Silver Age. Of course, a Bat-Mite feature never appeared in Batman Family, although one would think this story would have. As it turns out, it was supposed to run in Batman Family #23, but for whatever reason turned up in Detective Comics instead, albiet with the "Batman Family" subtitle.

This story has been reprinted in the Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told (1988) TPB.

Bat-Mite In World's Funnest

2009-03-16T23:55:00.005-04:00

Now that I've covered World's Funnest itself, I'm going to focus a bit on Bat-Mite's potrayal in it. After all, this is Bat-Mite Month! Dorkin gets the Silver Age Bat-Mite to a T, as he corrects Superman when he calls him an elf and says he uses his magic to allow Batman and Robin to perform spectacular feats in the opening pages. For most of the issue, Bat-Mite is on the run from Mr. Mxyzptlk and tries to get the heroes of each universe he hides in to help him defeat Mr. Mxyzptlk. Mr. Mxyzptlk actually destroys Bat-Mite's home universe (which has a fraction for an Earth number), which causes Bat-Mite to exclaim, "What about my friends? My family? My mint-in-vault Batman memorabilia collection?"

Now the Bat-Mite in here is fun loving most of the time, but gets a little violent in a few instances. The first is of course when he burns Superman with the miniature Red Sun using a giant magnifying glass, but can you really blame the little guy? He just saw his hero magic zapped right in front of him (plus he knows that he can restore the universe with the snap of a finger). The other one is a bit of a comment on the modern DC universe, as Bat-Mite arrives to find new, gritty heroes and a Batman who doesn't know him. He goes a little ballistic, zapping quite a few "phonies" before he destroys the universe (sound familiar?) And of course, Bat-Mite wins this game of chase with a bit of fast thinking and a Flash helmet. Overall, I'd say this a great interpretation of Bat-Mite in modern times that stays quite faithful to his Silver Age origins.

Not only was Bat-Mite interpreted by the writer, but a number of artists added their own style to the imp, including...

Dave Gibbons

Mike Allred

Sheldon Moldoff

Stuart Immonen and Joe Giella

Frank Cho

Jaime Hernandez

Scott Shaw!

Stephan DeStefano

Jim Woodring

David Mazzucchelli

Jay Stephens

Bruce Timm

Frank Miller

Doug Mahnke

Phil Jimenez

Ty Templeton

Alex Ross (Anyone else find this one creepy?)

Check back tommorrow as we take a step back to the seventies and visit Bat-Mite's trip to New York.

"Last Imp Standing!"

2009-03-15T23:59:00.010-04:00

Issue: Superman and Batman: World's Funnest

Cover Date: 2000

Writer: Evan Dorkin

Interior Artists: A whole multiverse full!

Cover Artist: Brian Bolland

Synopsis: This hilarious send up to the DC Universe begins with a scene straight out of a Silver Age issue of World's Finest Comics. Superman, Batman, and Robin are taking Lex Luthor and The Joker to jail as Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White look on. Suddenly, the ropes holding the villains captive unravel by themselves and Luthor and The Joker make a break for it. Nearby plastic store mannequins come to life and are melted by Superman's heat vision to trap Luthor. A jump by Robin onto a giant bellows propels Batman into another of the mannequins, which falls on top of The Joker. Who is behind the odd escape of the two super criminals? Why, Bat-Mite of course!

No sooner does Bat-Mite appear on the scene then Mr. Mxyzptlk does as well, taking credit for bringing the mannequins to life to annoy Superman. The beginnings of a magical duel are hinted at, as Mr. Mxyzptlk brings a chicken on a billboard to life. Bat-Mite cooks the chicken with his magic, prompting laughter from the trio of heroes. Batman tries to calm the imps down, but this proves fatal for the Caped Crusader as Mr. Mxyzptlk accidently incinerates him with his magic! Superman tries to calm down an emotional Bat-Mite, when Bat-Mite turns on Superman for not sending Mr. Mxyzptlk away by making him say his name backwards. He takes out Superman by burning him with a red sun focused through a magnifying glass, to which Mr. Mxyzptlk replies by using a giant hole puncher on Robin.

Mr. Myzptlk continues his rampage with the Batman Family, the Superman Family, The Legion of Super-Pets, Lex Luthor and The Joker, the Justice League, and the Legion of Super-Heroes. He chases Bat-Mite across the planet, with the imps growing in size. The Spectre attempts to intervene, but Mr. Mxyzptlk crushes the Earth over his head. The imps then battle with galaxies until the entire universe is destroyed. But that's not the end of the story, as there are a number of alternate universes for Bat-Mite to hide in. What follows is a multiversal chase, from the universe of Earth 2 to the Super Friends universe to the universe of The Dark Knight Returns and a number of universes in between and beyond, with Mr. Mxyzptlk destroying each one. After the Kingdom Come universe explodes, there are none left, and it's the final battle, Bat-Mite versus Mr. Mxyzptlk. Mr. Mxyzptlk throws a Magic Bomb at Bat-Mite, which rebounds off of the Kingdom Come Flash helmet Bat-Mite rode out on and explodes in Mr. Mxyzptlk's face. Mr. Mxyzptlk at first looks enraged, but then breaks into laughter which Bat-Mite shares. The imps reset everything back to the way it was and agree to meet again next Tuesday.

Thoughts: We're at the point in Bat-Mite Month where we move away from the imp's classic Silver Age stories and look at how he's interpreted in modern times. This story bridges the gap, having been published in 2000, but beginning in the Silver Age. I should note that this story is an Elseworlds, and thus exists outside the restrictions of normal continuity. Usually in my synopses, I transcribe the entire story as they are rather old and the reprints are scattered across Annuals, 80 Page Giants, and trade paperbacks. I kept the majority of this issue out of my synopsis because it is fairly recent and is a book I want everyone to go and read for themselves because it is absolutely brilliant. Writing wise, it's one of the funniest comic books I've ever read. It's a slightly dark brand of humor that takes a few jabs here and there at the source material and every page has something for you to smile, chuckle, or laugh at. Art wise, this book is a treasure trove. Each universe visited has its own artist, in most cases one associated with that universe or time period of that universe. The DC animated universe pages are drawn in storyboard style by Bruce Timm, The Dark Knight Returns scene is drawn by Frank Miller, the Kingdom Come sequence is painted by Alex Ross, and the pages where Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite end up on Earth 2 are drawn and inked by Golden Age DC and Silver Age Batman artist Sheldon Moldoff.

He's still got it. This is a difficult story for me to comment on, as I could say something about every single page and this is a 64 page book. So I'm going to do a rundown of my top five favorite panels from it and hopefully you get a chuckle out of them like I did.

If you're a fan of DC Comics and haven't read World's Funnest, I highly recommend tracking down a copy. Every page will have you grinning and you get the ultimate Bat-Mite/Mr. Mxyzptlk showdown to boot.

"The Incredible Team of Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk!"

2009-03-11T23:55:00.004-04:00

Issue: World's Finest Comics #123

Cover Date: February 1962

Writer: Jerry Coleman

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Sheldon Moldoff

Cover Artist: Dick Dillin

Synopsis: One afternoon, a crime rocket lands next to a boat company on the outskirts of Gotham City. The owners of the company quickly call the police, who in turn call in Batman and Robin. Batman drops down via a parachute and begins to take care of the crooks, unaware that he's being watched by his #1 fan Bat-Mite. Two crooks catch Batman off guard, as Robin runs to his aid. At that same moment, Superman arrives (having been called by the Dynamic Duo en route supposedly) to help Batman and Robin, but is stopped by a kryptonite ray that is fired from the top of the crime rocket. While Superman prepares to throw a boulder at the crime rocket to damage the kryptonite ray, Mr. Mxyzptlk pops in from the 5th dimension to join the party. When Superman does throw his boulder, both Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk hurl their magic at it; Bat-Mite uses his to allow Batman and Robin to finish rounding up the crooks while Mr. Mxyzptlk uses his simply to annoy Superman.

The boulder transforms first into strange alien face, then into a purple creature with tubes across its back that spurt fire. Both Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk try to turn the creature back into a boulder, but both fail. It is then that the imps catch sight of each other and Batman catches sight of both of them. The creature allows the crooks to escape in their crime rocket, as the heroes are occupied with preventing it from reaching the factory. A lasso tied to a giant anchor, a deep hole dug by Superman, and even Superman's strength fail to deter the creature from its path. Meanwhile, Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk engage in a short magical duel, before realizing they're an equal match for each other. They decide to team up to get rid of the creature and attempt to cancel out the creature's fire with water from giant water faucets.

The faucets have the opposite effect, transforming the creature into a giant porcupine that fires explosive quills. While Superman destroys the giant faucets to prevent a flood, Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk fire their lightning bolts at the giant porcupine in another effort to make it disappear. This time, the creature turns into a three-legged magnet with a white, round head. Superman uses this transformation to the heroes' advantage, attracting the crime rocket back to Earth using the magnet creature. After Batman and Robin tie up the crooks, Batman comes with an idea to get rid of the creature. He has Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk create a duplicate of the magnet creature, which proves successful as the creatures absorb each other. Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk realize they have overstayed their welcomes and return to their home dimensions, but not before waving goodbye and promising to return someday soon.

Thoughts: I have a couple of problems with this story, but let me start with the positive. Right off the bat, the creatures in this story are really creative. The fire spewing one on the cover in particular. No discernable eyes, but a number of flame emitting tubes, including his tail. I got quite a chuckle out of it using its tubes to spray air to float over the Super-Hole. Also, how can you go wrong with a porcupine that launches exploding quills? The final creature takes the prize for the most bizarre, having legs at the prongs and the base, in addition to a ball shaped head resting in the "U" of the magnet. While the art still looks a little off compared to the Batman books, Dick Sprang's sense of design is still excellent. Also, it was nice to see Batman come up with the plan to defeat the creature. He is the world's greatest detective after all. Lastly, one fun fact: this issue has a full page ad for the second Batman Annual.

The main problem I have with the story is how it continues off of the first Bat-Mite/Mxyzptlk team up. At the end of that story, we saw Mr. Mxyzptlk swearing that he'd come up with a scheme to get his revenge on Bat-Mite. Going into this story, one would think that the next story would see Mr. Mxyzptlk coming up with his plan and put it into action. Instead, we see Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk engage in a magical duel for two panels and then agree to team up to defeat the creature. It's not even a begrudging one; Mr. Mxyzptlk is clearly happy to team up. I like the idea of the use of both imps' magic creating a creature they can't wish away, but the story could have been done in a way that kept the animosity between the two. It's even more strange that the two stories don't match up as both Bat-Mite/Mxyzptlk stories had the same writer. I had a few minor problems as well. First, how did these common crooks get a rocket, let alone a kryptonite ray? Usually when criminals show up they're of the common variety, but this gang clearly has connections. Also, how was Batman able to lift the rope connected to the giant anchor when they attempt to lasso the creature. Superman is part of the story; why not have him use his super strength? This is still a fun story, but a step down from the first team up of Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk.

This story has been reprinted in the Showcase Presents: World's Finest Vol. 2 TPB

"Bat-Mite Meets Mr. Mxyzptlk"

2009-03-09T23:59:00.009-04:00

Issue: World's Finest Comics #113

Cover Date: November 1960

Writer: Jerry Coleman

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Sheldon Moldoff

Cover Artist: Curt Swan

Synopsis: The story begins with a giant robot breaking its way into the Gotham City Bank. Bullets don't make a dent in it, but the citizens of Gotham need not fear, for Batman and Robin soon arrive on the scene. Inside the robot, two gangsters laugh at the thought of the Dynamic Duo attempting to stop them. Batman and Robin hop atop a large fuel tank and generate a flame that melts the tar in the road around the robot. Unfortunately, the robot is equipped with jets that allow it to fly and escape the tar. Luckily, Superman is in town (on assignment as Clark Kent) and throws a large boulder in the direction of the robot to stop it. As the boulder flies past the Dynamic Duo, it suddenly turns into a disproportioned figure of Superman and falls into the street. Such a transfiguration can mean only one thing: Bat-Mite has come to pay his favorite hero a visit.

Batman asks the imp why he is pestering Superman and Bat-Mite replies that he wants to see the Dynamic Duo perform incredible feats, not the Man of Steel. Superman's super-hearing picks up the robot's rampage and Bat-Mite tells him that he'd better allow Batman and Robin to tackle the mechanical menace. He looks like he wants to throttle the little Mite, but Batman keeps the peace and persuades Superman to let him and Robin try to handle it. Handle it they do, as they topple a statue onto the robot, damaging it and knocking out the criminals inside. At the same time, Superman is being terrorized by trees that have the heads of their animal namesakes. The blame for this is put on Bat-Mite, but for once, he is not responsible for the magical goings on, as Superman's imp foe Mr. Mxyzptlk appears. The pair of imps have a conversation about what they use their powers for, culminating in Mr. Mxyzptlk telling Bat-Mite that he and he alone annoys Superman. Bat-Mite declares that he'll do as he pleases, kicking off a magical battle for the (Silver) ages.

Mr. Mxyzptlk turns maple syrup on a billboard into the real thing, covering Bat-Mite. Bat-Mite uses his magic to spray it off himself into the street, a mess that Superman cleans up by spinning at terrific speeds and using his head as a mop. Mr. Mxyzptlk then turns a series of smoke rings solid, constricting Bat-Mite with them. Bat-Mite turns the smoke rings into lightning, throwing them at Mr. Mxyzptlk. At a standstill, they both disappear to come up with a plan to outwit the other. Later, Batman and Robin are driving on the outskirts of Gotham when a one eyed monster appears, courtesy of Mr. Mxyzptlk. The Dynamic Duo look doomed, but Superman arrives to throw the monster into space. Mr. Mxyzptlk tells Bat-Mite that that will teach him to pester Superman. Bat-Mite has never thought of himself as a pest, but the comment gives him an idea.

Mr. Mxyzptlk's next trick is to create a real volcano, which Bat-Mite turns into a pipe, causing Batman, Robin, and Superman to laugh. Not to be made a fool of, Mr. Mxyzptlk gives an abandoned storage house creature legs, sending it walking. Bat-Mite notices it resembles a caterpillar and turns it into a butterfly, prompting more laughter from the trio of heroes. Angered by the laughter, Mr. Mxyzptlk returns to the 5th Dimension to come up with a plan to make Bat-Mite miserable. Bat-Mite pats himself on the back for coming up with the idea to pester Mr. Mxyzptlk, but changes his demeanor as Batman, Robin, and Superman surround him with their arms crossed. After Bat-Mite returns to his dimension, Batman hopes that he doesn't return too soon, to which Superman adds that he hopes Mr. Mxyzptlk doesn't return at the same time Bat-Mite does. "Brrr...what a pair they make!"

Thoughts: Here it is, the first meeting of the magical imps of the DC Universe. This story takes a bit to build up, but once the players are assembled, it's a heck of a show. Page after page of alternate dimensional magic, as Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk try to one up each other. The main distinction between to two is that Mr. Mxyzptlk uses his powers purely to annoy, while Bat-Mite uses his to help his hero, unintentionally annoying him. It's a nice twist for Bat-Mite to intentionally turn to the path of pestering to turn the tables on Mr. Mxyzptlk. Although Bat-Mite is quite a pest in this story before that, mostly due to him throwing Batman and Robin at a tentacle monster. As with most Bat-Mite stories, this one is chock full of DC Silver Age fun. One panel has Bat-Mite replying "Impossible!" looking right at the reader when Batman mentions to Superman he and Robin might not be able to stop the robot. Another one has a smiling Bat-Mite saying, "What do all caterpillars finally become?", flying at Batman and Robin who look hilariously surprised. The biggest gut buster however is the previously mentioned scene where Superman cleans up the syrup. Spinning around upside down, using his hair as a mop, wearing a look of intense concentration. Silver Age brilliance at its finest.

The penciller for this issue is Dick Sprang, with inks interestingly enough by Sheldon Moldoff. Dick Sprang's interpretation of Bat-Mite is great, rounder and more like a little man than an imp (which is what the Mite's been saying all along). In my original post, I said I might prefer Sprang's interpretation to Moldoff's. Looking at some Bat-Mite stories after I read this story, I gotta say Moldoff is still number one. While Sprang's art is quality as usual, something seems off about it. I don't know if it's Moldoff's inks, but there seems to be a noticeable difference between his work in World's Finest and that of the Batman titles. While the story's a blast, I do have a few quibbles with it. When Bat-Mite first appears, Robin makes a comment that seems to hint it's Bat-Mite, but when the imp appears, he acts surprised. Likely a case of mismatched word balloons. Also, I really doubt that the statue falling on the robot would only knock the criminals out. Other than those two points, this was a great first meeting of DC's premiere magical imps, and as Superman forshadowed, it wasn't the last.

This story has been reprinted in the World's Finest Comics Archives Vol. 3 HC and the Showcase Presents: World's Finest Vol. 2 TPB.

Bat-Mite Strip From Brave and The Bold #200 (1983)

2009-03-07T23:32:00.003-05:00

"The Bat-Mite Hero"

2009-03-06T23:57:00.005-05:00

Issue: Batman #161

Cover Date: February 1964

Writer: ? (Presumably Bill Finger)

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: One day, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are watching a baseball game at Gotham Stadium. During the seventh inning stretch, the pair make their way to the concession stand and overhear a stick up happening in the cashier booth. One costume change later and the Dynamic Duo appear on the scene to apprehend the thieves. Unbeknownst to Batman and Robin, Bat-Mite has also been watching the game and sees the opportunity to start a baseball game of his own. As the thieves run onto the field, Bat-Mite creates a fence around the diamond out of baseball bats, forcing the thieves to run the bases. After Batman cuts them off at third base and knocks them out, he reprimands Bat-Mite for treating crime fighting like a game and tells him to find another hero.

Bat-Mite decides to take Batman's advice and sets out to make his own hero. He dresses the first person he meets in the costume of The Bat-Mite Hero, which is red with a cape and a Bat-Mite head chest emblem. The next day, Bat-Mite and his new hero attempt to show up Batman and Robin when they try to capture the Human Fly Bandits. Things do not go as planned as the Bat-Mite Hero loses his balance on a ledge after a Bat-Mite magic carpet ride. Batman saves Bat-Mite's Hero, the Human Fly Bandits are caught by the police, and Bat-Mite sets off to find a more athletic Hero than his hasty first choice. Bat-Mite finds such a hero in a wrestler named the Blond Bombshell. This Bat-Mite Hero proves to be more successful than the previous one, knocking out three crooks and taking them to the police in their car turned flying horse drawn chariot by Bat-Mite. This proves to do more harm than good as Batman and Robin had planned on following them to their hideout.

Bat-Mite is once again without a Hero, but Batman and Robin find a clue in the clay on one of the crook's shoes. That night, Bat-Mite is walking on the street when he's approached by a man named Frank Collins. Collins has a potential Hero candidate for Bat-Mite, who is a former Olympic champion, college graduate, and is now working as a private detective. Bat-Mite is impressed by Bill Strong's credentials and makes him the third Bat-Mite Hero. The next day finds Batman and Robin pursuing criminals at the Clean-All soap factory. Bat-Mite and his Hero are also present, with the Mite surrounding the criminals with a bubble and the Hero tossing them in a barrel like a basketball (the Hero even remarks that he won a decathlon medal in basketball). The Hero prepares to take the criminals to the police when Batman declares him an imposter. Bat-Mite at first trips up the Dynamic Duo, but after realizing the Hero released the criminals, he allows Batman and Robin to knock them out. Batman explains that the decathlon mention was the tip off, as there is no basketball event in a decathlon, and that Collins masterminded the robbery. Bat-Mite asks for Batman's forgiveness, and he grants it on the condition that Bat-Mite returns to his home dimension. He obliges, leaving with the words, "So long...for awhile...I'll be back!"

Thoughts: Week one of Bat-Mite month comes to a close, and Bat-Mite's final words couldn't be more apt. "The Bat-Mite Hero" was the final appearance of Bat-Mite in the Batman titles during the Silver Age. It was also the third to last Batman story in the Jack Schiff era before the "New Look" Batman made his debut. With the editorial change so close, I wouldn't be surprised if Bat-Mite's last words were intentional written to seve as his farewell, as the "New Look" movement did away with the Batman Family outside of Batman and Robin. It's also a somewhat fitting story for Bat-Mite's last. He spends the entire story trying to create his own hero, but in the end, he's still Batman's #1 fan.

Bat-Mite's first appearance in the story is particularly interesting as he is watching the baseball game before Batman and Robin appear, instead of popping up as soon as they begin crime fighting like he usually does. Bat-Mite's use of his magical powers are also some of the most fun in all his stories. A fence made of baseball bats, a car turned into a horse drawn chariot that can fly, and the guns of criminals being turned into water pistols. The chariot scene is my favorite in the issue, not because of the chariot, but because we see Batman and Robin flying their rarely seen Whirly Bats. Speaking of Batman and Robin, it was nice to see some classic detective work in the clay that fell off of the criminal's shoe. Of course, Robin knows it came from Gotham Canyon just by looking at it, but that's just how detective skills worked in the Silver Age. On one last interesting note, the splash page of "The Bat-Mite Hero" is identical to the issue's cover except for some changes in dialogue. Unfortunately, this story has not been reprinted, but if you can get a reader copy at a good price, I definitely recommend it. It's a fun and fitting final Silver Age story for one of the most famous members of the Jack Schiff era Batman family.

"The Bat-Mite Bandits"

2009-03-04T23:59:00.003-05:00

Issue: Detective Comics #289

Cover Date: March 1961

Writer: Bill Finger (?)

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: The story begins with Bruce Wayne lounging in an exclusive Gotham club. After he leaves, a pair of his fellow club members comment on how they wish Bruce would find something he was interested in. If only they knew that later that night, Bruce would prepare to go on patrol as Batman, accompanied as usual by Robin. As the Dynamic Duo drive through the city in the Batmobile, Bat-Mite suddenly appears on the hood. Batman and Robin tell Bat-Mite that they know he means well, but that his help usually results in trouble for the pair, and ask that he return to his home dimension. Bat-Mite walks away dejected, but it is far from the end of his most recent trip.

The next night, Batman and Robin respond to a burglar alarm at the estate of John Stratton, a multi-millionaire who collects scale models of famous statues. The duo easily gain the upper hand against the trio of thieves who set off the alarm, but find their fortunes reversed when a sphinx statue suddenly comes to life. The source of the sphinx's sudden animation is of course Bat-Mite, who brings the statues to life to make the fight more exciting. After the thieves are freed and captured again several times, Bat-Mite enlarges a golden scabbard stolen by the thieves and flys off on it with them. As Bat-Mite always allows Batman and Robin to apprehend the criminals after his fun, the Dynamic Duo don't know what to think of this apparent turn to crime.

As it turns out, Bat-Mite was approached was approached by a criminal named Willy Wile after Batman and Robin asked him to go home. Willy tells Bat-Mite that he is making a film of Batman's exploits, with the profits going to Batman's favorite charities, and that if Bat-Mite uses his powers to create more interesting situations for his "actors", the movie will make more money. Wanting to help his idol, Bat-Mite agrees and unknowingly assists in several crimes he believes are staged. After a "scene" at a sports equipment building, the "Bat-Mite Bandits" make the newspapers, and Bat-Mite begins to have doubts. A viewing of the "film" thus far puts Bat-Mite at ease, and he leaves to return the return the sports items to normal size. Shortly after, the criminals discuss one last heist before they leave the country. That night, the Bat-Mite Bandits strike the Museum of Oriental Art, but this time, Bat-Mite helps the Dynamic Duo capture the crooks, including Willy Wile. As it turns out, Bat-Mite had gone back to run off a copy of the "film" and overheard the crooks' plans. After Bat-Mite explains everything to Batman, he forgives him, and Bat-Mite returns to his home dimension.

Thoughts: This story has a nice twist on the Bat-Mite formula. He still has the intention of helping his idol while having fun, but this time, he is unknowingly using his magical powers to assist the crooks he usually helps Batman bring to justice. And out of the many normal criminals Batman went up against in the 40s and 50s, Willy Wile's plan is pretty crafty. True, the quickness in which he forms the plan is kinda suspect, but still...pretending to make a film of which the profits would go to Batman's favorite charities? That's just downright villainous. And it's nice to see Bat-Mite grow wise to the whole scheme and give the criminals their comeuppance. Continuing on the continuity note from last post, this story was published after "Batwoman's Publicity Agent" and in it we see Bat-Mite mentioned in the newspapers, retaining his existence being public knowledge. And the kid crying while the news of the "Bat-Mite Bandits" is being hawked? Nice touch. The opening scene with Bruce is also a great way to show Bruce's efforts to keep him as far from being suspected as Batman as possible. Bat-Mite's magical powers are at the top of their game, bringing statues to life, giving flight to enlarged scabbards, and turning a giant baseball mitt into an obstacle for the Dynamic Duo. While Batman and Robin find his antics aggravating, fifties Batman fans will always see them as Bat-Mite does: just a lot of fun.

This story has not been reprinted.

"Batwoman's Publicity Agent"

2009-03-02T23:10:00.009-05:00

Issue: Batman #133

Cover Date: August 1960

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Sheldon Moldoff

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: Batman and Robin arrive at the Gotham Railroad Terminal in time to see Batwoman pushed over a balcony by a group of crooks. The Dynamic Duo are too far away to break her fall in time and fear for the worst, when suddenly she stops in mid air. She bounces off an information booth into the crooks, a feat which is photographed by a reporter. After the crooks are taken away by the police, the reporter asks Batwoman how she managed it. Batwoman explains that she felt an invisible force guiding her, which a voice claims credit for. That voice of course belongs to Bat-Mite, who explains to the reporter where he comes from and how he sometimes appears to help the Batman family fight crime.

Bat-Mite goes on to tell the group that since Batman has Robin to assist him, Bat-Mite is going to become Batwoman's partner. The reporter finds this to be a big story, but Batwoman isn't so sure about the idea. She reminds Bat-Mite of all the times he had "fun" that only resulted in trouble for the Batman Family. Bat-Mite promises to behave himself, Batwoman relents, and Batman and Robin tell her in unison that she'll be sorry. The next night, while Batman and Robin capture a pair of crooks robbing a camera company, Batwoman pursues a pair of crooks of her own to a mountain pass. They seem to escape on a monorail, but then Bat-Mite removes the tires on Batwoman's Bat-Cycle and gives her the balance to the monorail cable to the crooks. Bat-Mite helps Batwoman again the following night, knocking out a group of criminals with a supersized fist. After these cases, Robin believes that they were wrong about Bat-Mite's intentions, but Batman isn't so sure.

Batman's intuition proves accurate, as a kiss on the cheek for keeping his promise from Batwoman sends Bat-Mite head over heels in love. In order to prove his love, he decides to help her become the greatest crime fighter of all time. Finding a shoe left behind by member of a bank robbing gang, he enlists Ace The Bat-Hound to follow the scent to the gang's hideout. Bat-Mite tips off Batwoman, but no sooner does she arrive than so do the Dynamic Duo following their own lead. With Batman and Robin there too, the gang will be caught in no time at all, so Bat-Mite decides to prolong the fight by shrinking everyone. The Batman Family and the gang fight among and using now gigantic tools, until Bat-Mite knocks down the Family after accidently jumping on a fireplace bellows. The bank robbers make a break for the door, but are stopped in their tracks by the normal sized Ace The Bat-Hound. After Batman ties up the crooks and he, Robin, and Batwoman are returned to their normal size, Bat-Mite suddenly remembers it was time he went home. With a pop he returns to his home dimension, leaving Batwoman to wonder when they'll see him again.

Thoughts: Bat-Mite Month has officially begun and we're kicking off with one of my favorite Bat-Mite stories. There are a lot of things to like about this story, starting with the cover, which promises that almost the entire Batman Family will make an appearance in one of the issue's stories. When Bat-Mite first appears, Batman has a flashback to their first meeting in Detective Comics #267. This creates a sense of continuity, which was not as a prevelant in the Silver Age as it is today. The presence of the reporter also makes Bat-Mite's existence public knowledge, when up until this story, Batman had been explaining away Bat-Mite's magical feats. That's a lot of continuity for a ten page DC Silver Age story. It's nice to see so many members of the Batman Family together for a story, although Batwoman is not shown in the best light (getting pushed over a balcony by common criminals). Unfortunately, this is just a product of the times. The oddest moment in the story is Batman's threat to spank Bat-Mite after he returns to normal size. I guess when you think about it, what else would you be able to do to an imp from another dimension?

Of course the star of the issue is Bat-Mite. Bat-Mite's efforts to genuinely help instead of having his usual "fun" was a nice change of pace. Out of all his magical powers in this issue, the supersized fist is my favorite. You can just imagine the crooks not expecting much from the imp when suddenly his fist grows and they find themselves down for the count. The panel with Bat-Mite skipping, hearts surrounding his head after Batwoman's kiss is priceless. Of course, Bat-Mite returns to his usual "fun" ways of helping Batman. In this case, he ends up undoing his own fun, as the Bat-Hound he rode in on stops the crooks from leaving. With continuity nods, Bat-Mite skipping, and an attempt by the imp to go straight, this Bat-Mite story has it all.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #7.

"Brave and The Bold" Bat-Mite News

2009-02-26T23:56:00.005-05:00

As you may or may not know, Cartoon Network has been airing a new Batman cartoon entitled "Batman: The Brave and The Bold". As opposed to the darker take on Batman in cartoons since the 90s series (greatest cartoon ever by the way), this one has a more light hearted, Silver Age slant to it. In the tradition of its namesake, each episode sees Batman team up with another hero, or group of heroes, against a new foe. Since before the first episode of the show aired, Bat-Mite was mentioned to make an appearance. At the Batman panel during last summer's San Diego Comic Con, we got our first confirmation from Paul Dini:

He's also returning to his animation roots, having written an episode of the upcoming cartoon "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," which he said during the panel will feature Bat-Mite.

In today's Newsarama interview with the show's producer, we got a little more information about the episode:

NEWSARAMA: I was also informed Bat-Mite is coming in the future.

JT: Definitely. You know what? It’s going to be terrific. It’s going to be a fan favorite. I predict that already. It’s a great looking episode. I don’t know if I can talk about who’s voicing the Bat-Mite just yet. It will definitely be a surprise. Then again, when you hear him, everyone will go, ‘of course!’

As the first half of the first season is ending this week and next with a two parter, it looks like the second half of season one is when we'll see the episode. I for one, can't wait. If you haven't seen the cartoon yet, I highly recommend it. Each episode is just an absolute blast. And since I'm on the subject of the cartoon, the two part finale I spoke of will feature an appearance by The Joker. But not just any Joker.

That's right, the Dick Sprang Joker.

March 2009 Is Bat-Mite Month!

2009-02-22T21:40:00.005-05:00

For a blog entitled "I Believe In Bat-Mite", you may have noticed that I haven't covered any Bat-Mite stories. The reason for this is that 2009 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Bat-Mite's first appearance and I figured that would be the time to review some classic Bat-Mite tales. I was originally going to declare the month of May "Bat-Mite Month", as May 1959 is the cover date of Detective Comics #267, Bat-Mite's first appearance. I had searched, but wasn't able to find the actual release date. Then a few weeks ago, I became aware of the master list of every DC comic ever published at the excellent Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics. I gave it a look and it did indeed have the exact release date: March 31st, 1959. Several months earlier than I had planned, but luckily I already had most of the month planned out. Below is the review schedule for Bat-Mite Month. I'll be reviewing Bat-Mite stories throughout the character's fifty year history, from the Silver Age to the Modern Age to the recently released Super Friends #11, capping it off with a fiftieth anniversary review of Detective Comics #267.

Week One: Silver Age Bat-Mite

3/2 - "Batwoman's Publicity Agent" from Batman #133 (August 1960)

3/4 - "The Bat-Mite Bandits" from Detective Comics #289 (March 1961)

3/6 - "The Bat-Mite Hero!" from Batman #161 (February 1964)

Week Two: Team-Ups With Mr. Mxyzptlk

3/9 - "Bat-Mite Meets Mr. Mxyzptlk!" from World's Finest Comics #113 (November 1960)

3/11 - "The Incredible Team Of Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk!" from World's Finest Comics #123 (February 1962)

3/13 - Superman/Batman: World's Funnest (2000)

Week Three: Bat-Mite In The Bronze Age and Nineties

3/16 - "Bat-Mite's New York Adventure" from Detective Comics #482 (Feb/Mar 1979)

3/18 - "Legends of The Dark Mite" from Batman: Legends of The Dark Knight #38 (October 1992)

3/20 - Batman: Mitefall (1995)

Week Four: Bat-Mite In The Modern Age

3/23 - Bat-Mite In Superman/Batman

3/25 - Bat-Mite In Grant Morrison's Batman Run

3/27 - "Imp-possible!" from Super Friends #11 (January 2009)

Week Five: Back To The Beginning

3/31 - Fiftieth Anniversary Review of "Batman Meets Bat-Mite" from Detective Comics #267 (May 1959)

Bat-Mite Gets Political

2009-02-20T16:05:00.003-05:00

"Batman - The Superman of Planet X!"

2009-02-19T23:31:00.002-05:00

Issue: Batman #113

Cover Date: February 1958

Writer: France Herron

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: One evening, Bruce Wayne finds himself compelled to don his Batman costume. Puzzled as to why he is going on patrol without Robin, he flies off in the Bat-Plane unsure of where he's going. Suddenly, Batman's head begins to spin, and a moment later, he finds himself no longer in the Bat-Plane. A voice welcomes Batman and reveals to him that he is on the planet Zur-En-Arrh. Batman gains his bearings and comes face to face with another Batman clad in red, yellow, and purple. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh informs Batman that his planet needs Batman's help and relates how he was inspired to become a costumed hero for his world after observing Batman's heroism with a powerful

telescope.

After a tour of the Batcave of Zur-En-Arrh, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh shows Batman the Bat-Radia, which "issues electronic molecules that cause controlled disturbances in the atmosphere." With introductions out of the way, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh tells of invaders approaching Zur-En-Arrh, prompting Batman to ask how he can help when even the technology of Zur-En-Arrh is not enough. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh then fires a ray gun at Batman, and to the Caped Crusader's surprise, the bullets bounce off of him. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh tells him that because of Earth's elements, Batman gains super powers on the planet. Batman finds that he can bend metal and fly, remarking that he has become just like Superman on Earth.

Batman finds out about his super-powers not a moment too soon, as the alien invasion of Zur-En-Arrh begins. The invaders fire nuclear orbs from cannons at the planet, but Batman hits them away with the wreckage of one of the cannons. Batman then flys at the invaders to attack them head on, but is surprised when they suddenly turn invisible. They reappear, but only long enough to reveal an army giant robots. The pair of Batmen seem outmatched until the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh acts on a hunch that the Bat-Radia would disrupt the electrical force that caused the invaders' invisibility. The hunch pays off, and the invaders flee from the planet after Batman lassoes the robots with a Super-Batman made length of wire. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh thanks Batman for his help and offers him the Bat-Radia to place in his trophy room. Batman then finds himself back in the Bat-Plane and wonders if his adventure on Zur-En-Arrh actually happened. The answer? Well...I'll let Batman tell you:

Thoughts: This is one of my favorite fifties Batman stories, even before the recent "R.I.P." arc in Batman. Right off the bat (no pun intended), you have great art by Dick Sprang. You gotta dig the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh's costume and the amount of detail put into the Bat-Radia when it first appears. I've mentioned a number of times on here already how much I like Sprang's art, but I don't think you can praise his work enough. He's as definitive a Batman artist as Neal Adams in my mind.

Dick Sprang's great art is also accompanied by a great story. You've got aliens, robots, and a Super-Batman; what more could you ask for in a Silver Age story? I always get a kick out of seeing Batman team up with whatever alternate Batmen the writers of the fifties could come up with and the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is one of the best. There's no question that Batman's one of the greatest super heroes when aliens are inspired by him to don a suit of their own. Batman gained a number of powers during the late fifties and early sixties, and I'm sure he gained Superman's a couple of times. But playing golf with nuclear orbs? That had to have been a first.

This story has been reprinted twice in the past and is set to be reprinted a third time in the upcoming Batman: The Black Casebook trade paperback. Whether you're a fifties Batman fan or interested in reading the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh's first appearance after reading "Batman R.I.P.", "Batman - The Superman of Planet X!" is a must read.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #2 and the Batman In The Fifties TPB.

Batman: The Black Casebook TPB Solicited

2009-02-17T20:28:00.010-05:00

DC Comics' full May 2009 solicitations went online today, and among them was the long rumored Batman: The Black Casebook trade paperback.

Batman: The Black Casebook TP

Written by Bill Finger, Edmond Hamilton, and others

Art by Sheldon Moldoff, Dick Sprang, and others

Cover by Alex Ross

Discover the stories that inspired recent events in the Batman universe with this new collection! Featuring stories from Batman #65, 86, 112, 113, 134, 156, and 162, Detective Comics #215, 235, 247, and 267, and World's Finest Comics #89. With an introduction by Grant Morrison.

Advance-solicited; on sale June 17; 144 pg, FC, $17.99 US

With the Batman - The Annuals HC shipping in April and the Black Casebook shipping in June, it's looking like a good year for fifties Batman fans. This week and next I'll be continuing where I left off with "The First Batman" and review some of the major stories that will be featured in this volume.

Bat-Mite Spotted At New York Comic Con

2009-02-11T23:56:00.003-05:00

(Thanks to reader Patrick Senarto for the pic.)

Added To The Collection: Batman #s 122 and 123, Detective Comics #321, and World's Finest Comics #123

2009-02-03T23:32:00.002-05:00

Check off another issue in my quest to collect every appearance of Bat-Mite. The Batman issues are not originals, but Pizza Hut reprints from 1977. They seem like random choices, but hey, I'm not about to complain about cheap fifties Batman reprints.

Why The Jack Schiff Era Batman Is Gold

2009-01-31T21:44:00.007-05:00

Seriously...how can you top that?

Super Friends #11 On Sale Now

2009-01-23T01:48:00.007-05:00

Even though it's been out for over a week, I wanted to remind everyone that Super Friends #11, featuring everone's favorite imp Bat-Mite, is now on sale. I haven't had the opportunity to read it yet, but you can bet when I do, I'll be reviewing it on the blog.

Super Friends #11

Written by Sholly Fisch

Art by Chynna Clugston

Cover by J. Bone

Batman's got a fan club! But it's a mischievous fan club of one known as Bat-Mite, and he just can't stand the other Super Friends saving the day alongside Batman. Will the caped crusader be forced to fly solo from now on? Not if Mr. Mxyzptlk can help it!

32pg, FC, $2.50 US

Also, I apologize for the sporadic posting over the past few months. I hope to get back into a consistent schedule this weekend.

"The First Batman"

2009-01-07T23:59:00.007-05:00

Issue: Detective Comics #235

Cover Date: September 1956

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Stan Kaye

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: One day, while Bruce and Dick are cleaning out the attic in Wayne Manor, Dick accidently touches a hidden spring in a desk that had belonged to Bruce's father. A secret compartment is revealed, and Bruce reaches in it to pull out...a bat costume! The gears start to turn in Bruce's mind, as he remembers seeing the costume on his father when he was a child. Dick remarks that this means Thomas Wayne was a Batman before Bruce, but Bruce responds that that's impossible, as he became Batman many years after his parents death. Returning to the compartment, Bruce discovers a film reel and a diary. The film reveals that Thomas Wayne had been at a masquerade ball, the theme of which was flying creatures, when he was forced to leave by gunmen who had need of a doctor. The diary continues the story, revealing that Thomas Wayne had been taken to remove a bullet from a bank robber named Lew Moxon.

Knowing that Moxon would not let him live after the operation, Thomas Wayne knocks Moxon's chair out from under him and punches out his cohorts. Moxon is arrested by the police and sentenced to ten years in prison. Thomas Wayne runs into Moxon after his sentence ends, with Moxon telling Thomas that he'll be hiring someone to kill him in return for putting him in jail. The diary holds two revelations for Bruce: that the bat who had burst through his window subconsciously reminded him of his father in a "Bat-Man" costume and that the murder of his parents at the hands of Joe Chill had not been a holdup, but a hired killing. Bruce also realizes that he was left alive to serve as a witness, preventing Moxon from being connected with th killing. Bruce tells Dick to don his Robin costume, announcing that the Wayne Murder case has been reopened.

Through Commissioner Gordon's police contacts, Batman and Robin learn that Lew Moxon is living in Coastal City, running a billboard blimp business. The Dynamic Duo fly there via Batplane and a fight ensues between them, Moxon, and his men when they arrive. Batman and Robin of course come out on top and take Moxon to the local police station, where he tells them he has never heard of Thomas Wayne. He even agrees to a lie detector test and ends up passing. Confused by this turn of events, Batman telephones Comissioner Gordon and discovers that Moxon received a head injury from an automobile accident, resulting in amnesia. Batman and Robin follow Moxon's blimp, knowing they wouldn't have been jumped by Moxon's men unless he was involved in criminal activities, and catch Moxon's men right in the act. With the evidence they need, Batman and Robin go to confront Moxon, with Robin remarking that Bruce should don a spare Batman costume after the wear his current one has suffered. Without a spare Batman costume, Bruce puts on his father's bat costume (he had brought it along because it made him feel that his father was on the case with him). When Bruce confronts Moxon, the sight of Thomas Wayne's costume restores his memory and he runs away thinking that it is Thomas back from the dead. He is so griped by fear that he doesn't notice his surroundings and is hit by a truck, bringing an end to the Wayne Murder Case once and for all.

Thoughts: This story completes a Batman origin trilogy (to borrow a phrase from Bill Jourdain of The Golden Age of Comics podcast) of sorts that ran throughout the Golden and Silver Ages, all written by Bill Finger. The first part of this trilogy was the two page story "The Batman and How He Came To Be" from Detective Comics #33. While only two pages long, it contained all the elements of the Batman origin: the death of Bruce's parents in front of his eyes after a movie, Bruce's oath to avenge his parents' deaths, his training, "Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot", and of course, the bat crashing through the window. The second part of the trilogy is "The Origin of The Batman" from Batman #47. In this story, Batman discovers that is parents' killer was Joe Chill, confronts him, and is able to gain a degree of closure concerning the deaths of his parents. The story synopsised above completes the trilogy, revealing more information concerning the death of the Waynes, how Bruce's father influenced him becoming Batman, and brought a greater sense of closure to the Wayne murder case. Bill Jourdain covered all three stories in great detail in Episode 27 of the Golden Age of Comic Books podcast which you can listen to here.

As for "The First Batman" itself, it is undoubtably a classic Batman story. It fleshes out Batman's origins even further and strengthens the bond between Bruce and his father. What was initially inspiration due to a bat flying through a window is added upon, becoming a subconscious inspiration from Bruce's memories of his father. This story is also a lot more serious in tone compared to the stories from this period. Instead of a story adding a member to the Bat Family or Batman visiting an alien world, we see a return to the grim Dark Knight. Armed with new information concerning his parents' death, Bruce is filled with a burning desire to close the Wayne Murder Case once and for all, and it is no laughing matter. While the story is for the most part serious, there is one appropriate lighhearted moment; Bruce enthusiastically cheering his dad on as he lands a punch on one of the gunmen at the ball. For a split second, the mask of Batman is gone, and Bruce is a happy kid again. But only for a moment.

This story has been reprinted in Batman Annual #4, Batman #255, Batman: Secrets of The Batcave TPB, The Best of DC #2, and The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told (1988).

Bat-Mite Commission #1

2009-01-06T23:43:00.006-05:00

This piece was done for me by Dan Kurtzke, alias Gland on The Comic Forums. I think his style perfectly captured the look of the Sheldon Moldoff Bat-Mite, down to the belly roll over the utility belt. The Mite-Signal in the background was a nice touch as well.

You can check out more of Dan's work here and if you're interested in requesting a commission, you can reach him at DanKurtzke@gmail.com.

Added To The Collection: Detective Comics #s: 289, 310, 313, and 325

2009-01-05T23:30:00.000-05:00

I was searching eBay for a Detective Comics issue featuring Bat-Mite, when I came across an auction for four issues of Detective Comics from the early 60's. It was a stroke of luck that I found it; there were only 30 minutes left to go. The issues vary from VG+ to GD- condition, which was perfect as I tend to look for books in VG condition.

"The Winged Bat-People"

2008-12-22T23:59:00.011-05:00

Issue: Batman #116

Cover Date: June 1958

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: The planes of Gotham's weather bureau are unable to analyze the eye of a hurrican due to too much turbulence, but luckily, the city has a crime fighter with a plane tough enough to get the job done. When Batman activates the Bat-Plane's reserve jets to battle the fierce winds, he and Robin are surprisingly transported to another dimension. They barely have time to realize what has happened when they are captured by Romanesque soldiers, the leader of which mentioning that they were warned of an attack by "the Bat-People". Batman and Robin are taken before the soldiers' Queen for sentencing, where we find out that the Queen's minister Arko had warned of the Bat-People attack. While the Queen sees Batman and Robin as proof that rumors of Arko being a traitor were false, his thought balloon reveals that his report was a false one. Before Batman and Robin can be taken to the dungeons, the castle is attacked by the aforementioned Bat-People.

The Bat-People are taken down by Batman's batarang, his left hook, and the Bat-Plane's engine. Batman gains the Queen's trust and proposes they, along with Robin and Arko, journey to the Bat-People's territory. Arko declines, saying he has state business, so the soldier who had captured the Dynamic Duo goes in his place. While flying over the chasm that seperates the two territories in the Bat-Plane, they are attacked by a flaming net courtesy of the Bat-People, confirming that Arko was a traitor. They return to find that Arko has taken over the palace, but he and his allies are no match for Batman and Robin. Upon capture, Arko reveals that the Bat-People are on their way to launch a full scale attack. Batman is unafraid of the attack, having deduced that the chasm seperating the two territories contained a coal vein; a coal vein that is now producing updrafts of hot air due to the flaming net. Batman and Robin set the vein aflame using the jets from their Bat-Plane, producing an explosion that propels them back to their dimension.

Thoughts: One of the notable aspects of Batman in the fifties is the amount of story output. While Detective Comics always contained one Batman story, the number of stories in the Batman title changed throughout it's publication. There were usually four stories during the forties, three during the fifties, and two during the early sixties. By the time Batmania hit in '66, Batman was down to the single, full length story of a standard comic book. While the fifties tales were only 8 to 12 pages, it's amazing how much story was packed into each, especially compared to the current trend of decompression. While some stories could have used a few more pages, most of them were able to tell a solid, interesting story in the space given. And with 36 Batman stories being published each year by 1954 (not counting World's Finest), who can complain about a clunker here and there?

"The Winged Bat-People" is undoubtably a late fifties story, with its use of strange creatures and alternate dimensions. With what we know now of the DC universe, I like to think of this dimension as one of the infinite earths prior to the Crisis, where Batman is instead a race of Bat-People. There were several touches to this story that made me chuckle, one of them being that the Bat-Plane was able to break the sound barrier "at a speed ten times greater than was ever thought possible" and travel to alternate dimensions. I actually wish this concept had become the Professor Carter Nichols of the late fifties, with Batman and Robin using the Bat-Plane to travel to other alternate dimensions. The ending of the story is patricularly great, with Dick mentioning to Bruce that the Queen likely thinks they're dead. When Bruce says it is for the best and Dick inquires why, Bruce responds that if she still thought Batman was alive, the Queen would pine for him and never marry the soldier who was infatuated with her. There you have it: Bruce Wayne isn't the mask, Batman is. (And to Bill Finger's credit, the Queen-Soldier romance wasn't random; there are two panels in the story that do imply it).

There are fun moments and good action in this story, but as always, there are also a few questions. Can four normal soldiers haul the Bat-Plane across a desert? Where is the catapult on the Bat-Plane that allows Batman to leap over the castle walls during the coup? How bad a ruler is the Queen if her palace minister can stage a coup in an afternoon? And if said minister can stage a coup in an afternoon, why would he tell his enemies to launch a full-scale attack on the castle? And how does the palace minister communicate with these winged creatures anyhow? While it does raise a lot of questions and is an example of a fifties story suffering a bit from the low page count, it is still worth seeking out for a zany Batman yarn.

This story has been reprinted in Eighty Page Giant #12.

Batman: The Black Casebook TPB Confirmed

2008-12-18T19:46:00.005-05:00

Back in October, I blogged about a rumor that DC would be releasing a trade paperback collecting the fifties stories that inspired Grant Morrison's current run on Batman. DC Comics recently unveiled their list of collected editions coming out in May and June of 2009 and underneath June was this solicitation:

Batman: The Black Casebook TP

Writers: France Herron, Edmond Hamilton, Bill Finger

Artists: Dick Sprang, Charles Paris, Sheldon Moldoff, Stan Kaye

Collects: Stories from Batman #113, 134, 156, and 162, Detective Comics #215, 235, and 267, and World's Finest Comics #89.

$17.99 US 144 pages

That's right, more fifties reprints are on the way! As the stories tie-in to Morrison's run, here are my guesses on which stories will be collected:

Batman #113: "Batman -- The Superman of Planet X!"

Batman #134: "Batman's Secret Enemy"

Batman #156: "Robin Dies At Dawn!"

Batman #162: "The Batman Creature!"

Detective Comics #215: "The Batmen of All Nations"

Detective Comics #235: "The First Batman"

Detective Comics #267: "Batman Meets Bat-Mite"

World's Finest Comics #89: "The Club of Heroes!"

"City Without Guns"

2008-12-12T23:59:00.010-05:00

Issue: Detective Comics #196

Cover Date: June 1953

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Dick Sprang

Inker: Charles Paris

Cover Artist: Winslow Mortimer

Synopsis: The story opens with gang boss Frank Lumardi escaping from the Gotham police via a speedboat. One month later, Bruce and Dick arrive in London, with Bruce hoping to study the crime fighting methods of Scotland Yard. Meeting up with Inspector Deggers, Bruce learns of Scotland Yard's no gun policy and sees that on a wall of crime fighter portraits, Batman and Robin's has been ripped from its frame. Deggers is unwilling to divulge any information concerning the portrait and soon departs when an alarm sounds in Leicester Square. Batman and Robin are quick to follow Deggers, discovering that the alarm was sounded due to the theft of an apparently important briefcase. The thieves turn out to be a gang led by Lumardi, who escape when Batman has to prevent a bus struck by a stray bullet from crashing.

Batman and Robin meet up with Deggers, who informs them that the stolen briefcase contained 8,000 pounds (roughly $20,000). While mulling over what to do next without a Batcave, the Dynamic Duo run into Chester Gleek, England's #1 Batman and Robin fan. Lightly dismissing him at first, Chester insists he shows them his laboratory, which turns out to be exactly like the Batcave. After Robin reads a crime file on Lumardi, Chester leads Batman and Robin (passing a portrait of the Duo) to his garage, which houses a replica of the Batmobile. Using their knowledge of Lumardi's love of horse racing, Batman and Robin track down his gang, but the imitation Batmobile is no match for gunfire. Borrowing a horse, the Duo duke it out with the gang at a wax museum, but lose them due to the Pickwick Bicycle Club riding by.

Batman and Robin return to Scotland Yard to confer with Deggers. The defacing of a statue of Isis appears to indicate Lumardi's next crime, but Batman cannot deduce what it might mean. Then Deggers makes a comment about the upper part of the Thames river being referred to as Isis and Batman is able to draw a connection. That night, Lumardi's gang breaks into a Captain Percy's ship on the Thames, which holds an old treasure chest. Batman and Robin were prepared for the gang, subduing all of them except for Lumardi. After a battle with Lumardi in the Oxford belltower, Lumardi stops cold as three riflemen aim in his direction. The trio turns out to be a campus drill team, with Lumardi ironically being apprehended by guns in a city without them. But what of the portrait of Batman and Robin missing from Scotland Yard? It turns out the portrait was originally donated by Chester Gleek, then stolen by him when he saw it hanging beside such "inferior" detectives such as Sherlock Holmes.

Thoughts: If there was one thing Batman did a lot of in the forties and fifties, it was travel. Whether it was traveling through time thanks to Professor Carter Nichols, around the world, or into outer space, Batman and Robin fought injustice wherever (and whenever) it may be. In fact, there were two giant issues published chronicling the Dynamic Duo's travels. The first, Eighty Page Giant #12 from July of 1965, focused on Batman and Robin's travels to strange worlds. The second, Batman #223 from July/August of 1970, focused on adventures spanning the globe. Both contain a number of fun, fifties Batman cases that take Batman out of his normal environment of Gotham City.

"City Without Guns" is one such story, taking Batman across the pond to merry old England. The background mystery of Batman and Robin's missing portrait is a nice supplement to the Lumardi case. Chester Gleek is a fun, fanboy character, although I have to wonder how he was able to replicate a loose version of the Batcave, including the crime file (I fully admit that a previously published story involving the Batcave, a la "The Batman Dime Museum" from 1955, might clear that up). Lumardi being foiled by the drill club in the end was a clever bit on Bill Finger's part. Dick Sprang, as always, provides classic Batman artwork. My favorite panel in the story is that of Batman after Lumardi sets the bells in the bell tower off; the "Bongs" of different sizes and colors surrounding Batman were quite effective. The only flaw in an otherwise classic fifties story is Bruce Wayne possessing a letter of introduction from Commissioner Gordon for Deggers. It wouldn't take much detective work to connect the newly arrived Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson to Batman and Robin swinging around London.

*Special thanks to David Morefield for the blog's awesome new banner.

This story has been reprinted in Batman #223, a 64 page giant issue.

Thanksgiving Break

2008-11-27T09:39:00.004-05:00

Apologies for the lack of posts for the past couple of weeks. I've been extremely busy and getting ready to travel for Thanksgiving. I'll be back to blogging next week with stories of cities without guns and winged bat-people. Until then, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Previews - February 2009

2008-11-26T23:06:00.018-05:00

The current issue of Previews hit stores today, and while it may not be in stores until April 2009 and I already posted about it last Monday, the DC Comics Classics Library: Batman - The Annuals HC has been solicited. Three classic annuals filled with classic fifties Batman stories in a nice hardcover collection. Whether you order one now or one in April, pick one up because the stronger the sales, the more likely we'll see a volume two and other fifties Batman collections.

DC COMICS CLASSICS LIBRARY: BATMAN - THE ANNUALS HC SOLICITED

2008-11-17T20:30:00.005-05:00

DC COMICS CLASSICS LIBRARY: BATMAN — THE ANNUALS HC
Written by Bill Finger, Edmond Hamilton and others
Art by Lew Sayre Schwartz, Dick Sprang and others
Composite cover by Curt Swan and others
Some of the greatest Batman tales ever are collected in this new hardcover! Reprinting the classic BATMAN ANNUALs #1-3 from 1961 and 1962, this can’t-miss collection reveals the secrets of the Batcave, the Bat-Signal and more!
Advance-solicited; on sale April 22 • 256 pg, FC, $39.99 US

Nuff. Said.

"The Interplanetary Batman"

2008-11-13T23:59:00.010-05:00

Issue: Batman #128

Cover Date: December 1959

Writer: Bill Finger

Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff

Inker: Sheldon Moldoff

Cover Artist: Sheldon Moldoff

Synopsis: Batman and Robin are driving on a country road when they hear a cry for help coming from some bushes. Driving in their direction, Batman and Robin are surprised to discover that it was an alien calling for their assistance. A group of another species of alien attack the alien that had called out to the Dynamic Duo and Batman and Robin defend him. One of the aliens uses a space gun to paralyze Batman, Robin, and the alien they were protecting, and reveals that the alien is really Kraak, a notorious space pirate. Batman and Robin are taken along with Kraak to the aliens' prison planet, Ergon, and thrown in a cell. Robin tells the alien jailer that he and Batman are innocent, but his pleas fall on deaf ears.

Batman and Robin get into a scuffle with Kraak before they are taken away for questioning. Batman and Robin later return to the cell, crestfallen that their statements of innocence were not believed. Kraak tells them that the only way they could escape is through the Forest of Peril, which is so perilous that it is not guarded. After Batman reveals he has the means to escape, Kraak offers a share of his loot in exchange for an alliance and Batman and Robin agree. After escaping from their cell via acid from Batman's utility belt, the trio make their way through the Forest of Peril. They encounter the police's robot trackers and alien creatures including a swamp amoeba and a ram-beast, but survive to make it to a space cruiser. After landing on Kraak's asteroid hideout, Batman and Robin are ambushed by some of Kraak's men. In true villain fashion, Kraak never intended to help the Dynamic Duo. They hold Kraak and his men off until the Ergon police arrive, as Batman and Robin had earned their trust and been purposefully allowed them to escape so that they could lead the police to Kraak's hideout.

Thoughts: This is another one of those fifties tales that must've made a kid's imagination go wild. You've got Batman fighting crime in outer space...all sorts of crazy aliens and creatures...it's purely a story that is meant to entertain. While it does take place on a far off world, we still see Batman using his intellect to solve problems he encounters. Kraak tells him of two space plants, melons filled with honey and pods filled with pepper. Batman uses this knowledge to his advantage, using the honey from the melons to attract bugs that stop the robot trackers and pocketing some pepper pods to fend off Kraak's henchmen later on. This is a nice touch that reminds the reader that while Batman may be out of his element, he's as resourceful as ever. While Batman uses his brains, he also uses his brawn, resulting in my favorite line from the issue: "You may be strong Kraak, but you don't know a thing about judo!". Another of my favorite aspects about the story is the cover; the expression on the alien's face cracks me up for some reason. "The Interplanetary Batman" is a quick read, but is also a lot of fun and represents what the fifties era Batman was all about.

This story has been reprinted in Eighty Page Giant #12 and the Batman in The Fifties TPB.