On This Day: 28 Mar

Batman (London Editions Magazines) #20 (1990) new look

Tank Girl - Original Soundtrack from the Motion Film (1995)
Nikolai Dante: Honour Be Damned! by David Bishop (Black Flame; Mar 2006) ISBN-10: 1 84416 324 5

First Appearances:

Combat Colin in Action Force (Marvel Comics Ltd.) #5 (04 Apr 1987).

Births:

Dan Lloyd (1931); John Royle (1968)

Deaths:

Jack Butler Yeats (1957); Albert Bernard Hollowood (Hod; Mammon; 1981)

Notable Events:

The Cartoon Museum announced that it was to relocate to 55 Wells Street, due to a rent increase, at the launch of the 50 Glorious Shows exhibition, in 2018. 50 Glorious Shows, running until the second of September, showcases the best of the exhibitions which have taken place at the Museum thus far.

On This Day: 22 Mar

Thundercats (Panini UK) #01 (22 Mar 2012-18 Apr 2012)

The World of Batman sticker album (Panini; 2016)

Births:

Gerard Hoffnung (1925); Brian Walker (1926); Lew Stringer (1959); Steve Dillon (1962)

Deaths:

Malcolm Douglas (2009)

Notable Events:

Buck Ryan newspaper strip began in The Daily Mirror in 1937.
Garth newspaper strip's final episode appeared in The Daily Mirror in 1943.
Kick-Ass feature film given a London première in 2010.
Liquidators were appointed for Pedigree Books in 2016.

On This Day: 20 Mar

Valiant Holiday Special (IPC Magazines Ltd.) nn (1978).
St. Swithin's Day (Trident Comics; 1990).
Batman (Fleetway) Vol.2 #01 (Mar 1993).

First Appearances:

Medivac 318 in 2000 A.D. (Fleetway Publications) Prog 619 (25 Mar 1989).

Births:

Bruce C. Windo (1920)

Deaths:

J.R. Monsell (1952); James Herbert (2013)

Notable Events:

Terror Keep newspaper strip ended in 1937.
Inaugural Ally Sloper Award held at Comics 101 on this day in 1976.
Patty's Hours of Agony: A Reconstruction of the Life of Patty Hearst newspaper strip began in The Daily Mirror in 1976.
Raymond Briggs was a castaway on Desert Island Discs, on BBC Radio 4, in 2005.
The Royal Mail released World of Comics, a set of ten first class stamps bearing the likeness of Dennis the Menace, Dan Dare, and Judge Dredd among others, alongside the titles they appeared in, in 2012.
Brainstorm! The Art of Bryan Talbot began, at The Muse, 269 Portobello Rd., London, in 2014.

On This Day: 08 Feb

Nutty (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Batman Monthly Presents (London Editions Magazines) #02 The Riddler (1991).

Primo Club Magazine (Primo) #01 (1965)
Smash Hits (EMAP National Publications Ltd.) #05 () *first fortnightly issue*

2000 A.D. Space Quiz Book by Roy Preston (Mirror Books; 1980)

First Appearances:

Lt. Kurt Stahlmann (Iron Annie) in Warlord (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #177 (11 Feb 1978).
Sgt. Jim Steadman (The Tankies) in Warlord (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #177 (11 Feb 1978).
Eric Wimp (Bananaman) in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
The Bar-O Boys in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Big 'n' Bud in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Dick Turban in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Doodlebug in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Ethel Red in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Mitey Joe in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Pearl Potter in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Peter Pest in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Pig Tales in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Samuel Creeps in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
The School Belles in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Scoopy in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Steevie Star in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
Wacky the Crackpot Inventor in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
The Wild Rovers in Nutty #01 (16 Feb 1980).
CPO Sam Steele (Steele's Squad) in Warlord (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #490 (11 Feb 1984).
Paul (Finn) in 2000 A.D. (Fleetway Editions Ltd.) Prog 770 (15 Feb 1992).

Births:

Cyril Price (1905); Frank S. Pepper (1910)

Deaths:

Fortunino Matania (1963); Franco Caprioli (1974); John Miles (1998)

Notable Events:

Feature film From Hell, based on the comic by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, released in the UK in 2002.
Revisiting the House of Hammer video uploaded to YouTube by Dez Skinn in 2013.

On This Day: 04 Feb

Batman: Gotham Central (Titan Comics) #01 (2016)

First Appearances:

Brigand Doom in 2000 A.D. (Fleetway Publications) Prog 717 (09 Feb 1991).

Births:

Mike Western (1925); Kenneth Mahood (1930); Derek 'Dez' Skinn (1951); Leah Moore (1978)

Deaths:

Sir John Paget Mellor, 1st Baronet (Quiz; 1929); Sydney George Hulme Beaman (1932); Stephen Roth (1967); James Friell (Gabriel; 1997); Dick Millington (2015)

Notable Events:

Bruce Bairnsfather began a tour of his "Old Bill and Me" lecture in 1919, with the first appearance at Hove Town Hall.
Rick Martin newspaper strip began in The Daily Sketch in 1957.
Marvel's Bullpen were present at the comic mart, at the Central Hall, Westminster, in 1984.
The first episode of original superhero sit-com My Hero broadcast on BBC One in 2000.
Neil Tennant was a castaway on Desert Island Discs, on BBC Radio 4, in 2007.
The SWALC micro-arts festival took place, in the Lord Clyde pub, London, in 2012. Bryan and Mary Talbot were in attendance.

On This Day: 09 Jan

Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham (Fleetway Editions) Newsstand Edition (1992).
Look and Learn - The Best of the Classic Children's Magazine (Look and Learn Magazine Ltd.) #01 (2006).

First Appearances:

Frank Hart, The Visible Man in 2000 A.D. (IPC Magazines Ltd.) Prog 47 (14 Jan 1978).
Sugarman in Amstrad Action (Future Publishing) #05 (Feb 1986).

Births:

Gilbert Abbott à Beckett (1811); George Machin (1893); John Barradale Melhuish (Mel; 1893); Tony Harding (1942); Gary James (1978)

Deaths:

Warwick Reynolds, Sr. (1896); Peter Cook (1995); Ed "Stewpot" Stewart (2016)

Notable Events:

Ian Hislop was a castaway on Desert Island Discs, on BBC Radio 4, in 1994.
Pip, Squeak and Wilfred newspaper strip reprints ended in 1999.
Escape Books Limited incorporate in 2009, becoming company #06787433.

On This Day: 02 Jan

Batman: Arkham (Titan Comics) #01 (2014)

Births:

Salvatore Deidda (1953)

Deaths:

H.O. Batho (1932); Edmund George Valpy Knox (Evoe; 1971); Charles Chilton (2013)

Notable Events:

Patsy... newspaper strip ended in 1953.
Sir Osbert Lancaster married Anne Scott-James in 1967.
Studs newspaper strip ended in 1982.
Bryan and Mary Talbot won the Costa Biography Award for Dotter of Her Father's Eyes in 2013, the first graphic novel to win the award.

Batman Vol.3 #5

Nov 2012. Cover price £2.99.
76 pages. Full colour contents.
Titan Magazines.

Cover by UNKNOWN.

Contents:

 2 Digital Comics Now Available!

 3 Contents Page

 4 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #07 (May 2012).

 5 Driven w: Peter J. Tomasi; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #07 (May 2012).

25 The Fall of the House of Wayne, part 2, w: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV; a: Rafael Albuquerque, lettering by Dezi Sienty, colouring by Dave McCaig.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #10 (Aug 2012).

32 All-New Superhero Sagas! In the DC Universe! in-house advertisement.

33 The Fall of the House of Wayne, part 3, w: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV; a: Rafael Albuquerque, lettering by Dezi Sienty, colouring by Dave McCaig.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #11 (Sep 2012).

37 Missed an Issue? back issues

38 Batman poster; a: Andy Clarke, colouring by Tomeu Morey.

r: variant cover from Batman (DC Comics) #11 (Sep 2012).

40 Subscribe

44 Batman pin-up. p:

r: UNKNOWN.

45 Ghost in the Machine w: Scott Snyder & James Tynon IV (p22-28 only); p: Becky Cloonan (p1-21) & Andy Clarke (p22-28), i: Becky Cloonan (p1-7; p12-18; p21) & Sandu Florea (p8-11; p19; p20) Andy Clarke (p22-28), lettering by Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt, colouring by FCO Plascencia).

r: Batman (DC Comics) #12 (Oct 2012).

73 A Mark Millar Mindgasm in-house advertisement for CLiNT.

74 Batman Letters readers' mail

75 Next Time!

76 Batman: The Dark Knight in-house advertisement.

Ah - I knew there was a reason I persisted with this title. Damian Wayne being tortured by Nobody is one of the highlights of the series so far, but unfortunately Batman arrives in time to save him from something worse than a few fractures - if we ask nicely, DC might give us a monthly "lets torture Robin" series, so I wait in hope. Actually, this version of Batman isn't quite there for me either, so seeing him tortured issue after issue would be welcome as well.

The first story collected here at least manages a decent line of dialogue to end the issue, and there's enough room for the "character" of Damian to develop some... well, character, mainly. His portrayal throughout the various reprints thus far has lacked a believability which is still undercutting any sense that this is an actual child. Even the most stoic character has to have a moment where the facade cracks slightly, otherwise they are forever held apart from any understanding of their inner life. Damian is extremely difficult to understand as a living, breathing person.

The best story is Ghost in the Machine, with some superb artwork by Becky Cloonan. Harper is the first character (in all five issues) to feel even remotely real, and is thus, by far, the most interesting individual to appear in the title - no mean feat for a single appearance. I'm still unimpressed by the relentlessly grumpy Batman, but with the poster and pin-ups at least there is some value to be had here, though the artwork is far from the heights of the Marshall Rogers run in the seventies.

While I hope the title keeps improving, there's simply too much baggage being dragged along to see things changing dramatically.

#04

Batman Vol.3

06

Batman Vol.3 #4

Oct 2012. Cover price £2.99.
76 pages. Full colour contents.
Titan Magazines.

Cover p: Greg Capullo, colouring by FCO Plascencia.
r: cover from Batman (DC Comics) #10 (Aug 2012).

Contents:

 2 Justice League in-house advertisement

 3 Contents Page

 4 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #06 (Apr 2012).

 5 The Real Me w: Peter J. Tomasi. p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #10 (Aug 2012).

25 Subscribe

26 Batman pin-up; p: Greg Capullo, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: cover from Batman (DC Comics) #10 (Aug 2012).

27 Assault on the Court w: Scott Snyder; p: Greg Capullo, i: Jonathan Glapion, lettering by Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt, colouring by FCD Plascencia.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #10 (Aug 2012).

37 Missed an Issue? Back issues.

49 My Brother's Keeper w: Scott Snyder; p: Greg Capullo, i: Jonathan Glapion, lettering by Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt, colouring by FCD Plascencia.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #11 (Sep 2012).

73 Win an Awesome Batman: The Dark Knight Rises Bat Vehicle competition.

74 Batman Letters readers' mail

75 Next Time! in-house advertisement.

76 Batman: The Dark Knight in-house advertisement.

Promising much yet, alas, delivering very little, The Real Me could have been a stellar story, though pulls back from anything radically different than we have seen dozens of times before in Batman narratives, falling into a rut when it should have been carving out a fresh path. It is pointless, at this remove from the character's inception, to expect any different, but the sheer level of carelessness in creating what should be a tense thriller is a sign that the era of the bat is well and truly over.

The pin-ups, here, are fine - while not displaying any true sign that there is something more than crass commercialism in mind, they fulfill their role in adding to an otherwise unimpressive collection of stories. Relaunching the Batman line could have been the impetus for a complete overhaul of the tired and redundant elements, bringing a freshness to the character, in line with the cinematic overhaul instigated by Christopher Nolan with The Dark Knight, though instead we are presented with material which is undistinguished.

While this might, superficially, feel like great value for money, it lacks a sense of vibrancy which really should be present in a new title.

#03

Batman Vol.3

#05

Batman Vol.3 #3

Sep 2012. Cover price £2.99.
76 pages. Full colour contents.
Titan Magazines.

Cover by UNKNOWN.

Contents:

 2 Mark Millar's Clint in-house advertisement

 3 Contents Page

 4 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #05 (Mar 2012).

 5 Mutineer w: Peter J. Tomasi; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #05 (Mar 2012).

25 Batman: The Dark Knight #2 in-house advertisement.

26 The Call w: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV; a: Rafael Albuquerque, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by Nathan Fairbairn.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

33 Missed an Issue? back issues.

37 Batman pin-up.

38 Batman pin-up; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #05 (Mar 2012).

41 Subscribe

42 Batman

43 Night of the Owls w: Scott Snyder; p: Greg Capullo, i: Jonathan Glapion, lettering by Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #09 (Jul 2012).

52 Missed an Issue? Back issues.

53 Batman pin-up; a: Greg Capullo, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: cover to Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

54 Attack on Wayne Manor w: Scott Snyder; p: Greg Capullo, i: Jonathan Glapion, lettering by Richard Starkings, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

53 The Legend Ends advertisement for The Dark Knight Rises novelization.

64 The Fall of the House of Wayne, part one, w: Scott Snyder; a: Rafael Albuquerque, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by Dave McCaig.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

74 Batman Letters readers' mail.

75 Next Time! in-house advertisement.

76 Star Wars Galaxy in-house advertisement.

The reprints are feeling increasingly haphazard and inconsequential, with shorter pieces which appear to be disconnected from one another. Although giving more story opportunities for the reader to discover, none of the contents are particularly satisfying - I find myself asking "Why should I care" instead of feeling as if the adventures are worth reading, and the bright spots within this collection are so few and far between as to negate their worth.

Adding to the problems is an incredibly messy cover design which clutters the main image with over-large lettering, making the title look more in line with something aimed at a much younger audience. Having the ongoing stories run concurrently is rather unfortunate, as complete stories would at least justify the page count, but given the numerous problems this is a title I simply cannot recommend.

In trade paperbacks the contents might be worth approaching once more, but in this format the stories are unsatisfying and irritating.

#02

Batman Vol.3

#04

Batman Vol.3 #2

Sep 2012. Cover price £2.99.
76 pages. Full colour contents.
Titan Magazines.

Cover p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, c: Moose Baumann.
r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #01 (Nov 2011).

Contents:

 2 Justice League in-house advertisement

 3 Contents Page

 4 Batman pin-up. p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by Moose Baumann.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #03 (Jan 2012).

 5 Knightmoves w: Peter J. Tomasi; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #03 (Jan 2012).

25 The Dark Knight Rises official movie novelization advertisement.

26 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #04 (Feb 2012).

27 Matter of Trust w: Peter J. Tomasi; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #04 (Feb 2012).

37 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by Moose Baumann.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #03 (Jan 2012).

38 Batman pin-up; a: Jason Fabok, colouring by Peter Steigerwald.

r: variant cover from Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

43 Subscribe

52 Missed an Issue? Back issues.

53 Batman pin-up; a: Greg Capullo, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: cover from Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

54 Attack on Wayne Manor w: Scott Snyder; p: Greg Capullo, i: Jonathan Glapion, lettering by Richard Starkings, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #08 (Jun 2012).

74 Batman Letters readers' mail

75 Next Time! in-house advertisement.

76 Batman: The Dark Knight in-house advertisement.

Continuing on, without any discernible personality or style, this reprint title presents absolutely no incentives for readers interested in the character of Batman, resorting to relentlessly churning through DC's relaunched line with no commentary. hoping that its insipid strips will, somehow, achieve a degree of sense by virtue of so many appearing in one publication. It is folly to assume that volume equates to quality, which this does.

With this issue I'm beginning to really like Morgan. More than Batman, even - and I think everyone knows by now that I want to see the Joker snuff out Damian just like he did with Jason Todd. Maybe an entire issue dedicated to having him slowly boiled to death. The character isn't merely depicted as a brat, but as an entirely unbelievable collection of stock traits, gathered together without a balancing degree of humanity to offset the more ridiculous elements.

Damian's fundamental cartoonishness drags the stories down to such a degree that it is difficult to remember that there was a time when Batman routinely enoyed top-tier creators and stories.

While there are highlights to savor (Damian being drugged, a few beautiful pin-ups, and one of the dumbest speeches Batman has ever given), the rather silly dialogue given to Alfred is beginning to annoy me. The Owls storyline ramps up in fine style in comparison with a rather poor main feature, and the addition of a page for readers' letters finally gives the title a little more value. Not much, but it is a start.

#01

Batman Vol.3

#03

Batman Vol.3 #1

Aug 2012. Cover price £2.99.
76 pages. Full colour contents.
Titan Magazines.

Cover p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by Moose Baumann.
r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #01 (Nov 2011).

Contents:

 2 Star Wars Galaxy in-house advertisement

 3 Contents Page

 4 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by Moose Baumann.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #01 (Nov 2011).

 5 Born to Kill w: Peter J. Tomasi; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #01 (Nov 2011).

25 Justice League in-house advertisement.

26 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #02 (Dec 2011).

27 Bad Blood w: Peter J. Tomasi; p: Patrick Gleason, i: Mick Gray, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #02 (Dec 2011).

37 Batman pin-up; a: Dustin Nguyen.

r: variant cover from Batman (DC Comics) #07 (May 2012).

38 Batman pin-up; p: PAT (Patrick Gleason), i: Mick Gray, colouring by John Kalisz.

r: cover from Batman and Robin (DC Comics) #02 (Dec 2011).

43 Batman: The World of the Dark Knight competition.

52 Subscribe

53 Batman a: Greg Capullo, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: cover from Batman (DC Comics) #07 (May 2012).

54 Previously - Batman Vs. The Court of Owls recap.

55 The Talons Strike! w: Scott Snyder. p: Greg Capullo, i: Jonathan Glapion, lettering by Richard Starkings & Jimmy Betancourt, colouring by FCO Plascencia.

r: Batman (DC Comics) #07 (May 2012).

75 Next Time! in-house advertisement.

76 Batman: The Dark Knight in-house advertisement.

For a first issue, this is incredibly poor. Aside from the lack of profile pages (as the London Editions Magazines launch had), this also neglects to explain anything about the New 52 status quo, for those expecting material published prior to DC's perfect jumping-off point. A complete lack of text signifying that there are major differences in the background to the title is frustrating, and promotes the sense of this comic being little more than a chore for Titan, when it really ought to be a celebration of a long-lived character.

The primary villain encountered in the first story, for instance, isn't even named in the comic until over halfway through the issue, which is compounded by the problem of an entirely different storyline making up the final third of the issue. With the Joker or the Riddler, enough exposure across various media negates the necessity to tag the character for reader identification, but second-rate villains should always be named as early in the script as possible to prevent frustration. These lapses point to a sloppiness and disregard for the reader that is, in this day and age, completely unacceptable.

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
I give them all a rest.
                     Rudyard Kipling.

What is the diabolical plan Batman must overcome? Why is the villain undertaking such a plan? When, importantly, is this story set, in relation to material which the reader has possibly encountered? How does it fit in with the stories previously published, and how have we gotten to the point where the story picks up? Where, thankfully, is covered well, establishing Gotham as central to the continuing narrative. Who are these characters?

An abysmal entry-point for new readers, who should have been provided with a far cleaner and less convoluted tale.

There are a few positives here - notably the clean presentation of the covers as pin-ups - though the mish-mash of contents, and the unfortunate continuation of Damian Wayne's presence, mean that this is a chore to read rather than a piece of entertainment.

Batman Vol.3

#02

Batman Annual 1979

[1978] Annual. Original price NA.
64 pages. Full colour contents.
Egmont Publishing Ltd.

Cover uncredited.

Contents:

 3 The Origin of the Batman w: Bill Finger; p: Bob Kane, i: Charles Paris, lettering by Ira Schnapp.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #47 (Jun 1948 - Jul 1948).

16 The 1,000 Secrets of the Batcave w: Bill Finger; a: Jim Mooney, lettering by Ira Schnapp.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #48 (Aug 1948 - Sep 1948).

28 Bat-Puzzle crossword, by Bob Rozakis.

29 The Secret of Batman's Utility Belt! w: David Vern Reed; p: Dick Sprang, i: Charles Paris.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) Vol.1 #185 (Jul 1952).

41 The Man Who Couldn't Be Tried Twice w: Bill Finger; p: Bill Kane, i: Ray Burnley, Lettering by Ira Schnapp.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #118 (Sep 1958).

47 Bat-Puzzle wordsearch by Bob Rozakis.

48 "Killer In The Smog!" w: Frank Robbins; p: Dick Dillin, i: Dick Giordano.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) Vol.1 #433 (Mar 1973).

63 Utility Belts illustrated feature.

1978

Batman Annual

1980

Batman Annual 1968

[1967] Annual. Original price 10/6.
96 pages. Colour and tone art.
Atlas Publishing & Distributing Co Ltd.

Photo cover of Adam West (uncredited).

Contents:

 5 How to Be the Batman! w: Bill Finger; p: Bob Kane & Lew Sayre Schwartz, i: Stan Kaye.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) vol.1 #190 (Dec 1952).

17 The First Batman w: Bill Finger; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Stan Kaye.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) vol.1 #235 (Sep 1956).

27 "The Second Boy Wonder!" w: France Herron; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Charles Paris.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #195 (Feb 1957).

33 The Strange Costumes of Batman w: Edmond Hamilton; p: Dick Sprang, i: Charles Paris.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) vol.1 #165 (Nov 1950).

45 Am I Really Batman? w: Bill Finger; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Charles Paris. Lettering by Pat Gordon.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #112 (Dec 1957).

53 The Origin of the Bat-Cave! w: Bill Finger; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Charles Paris.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) vol.1 #205 (Mar 1954).

65 Tales of the Bat-Signal w: (uncredited); a: (uncredited).

66 "The Human Firefly!" w: France Herron; p: Dick Sprang, i: Charles Paris.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) vol.1 #184 (Jun 1952).

78 How the Super-Family Came from Krypton to Earth a: (uncredited).

80 Batman Sets Superman A Riddle! w: (uncredited); a: (uncredited).

81 The Man Who Ended Batman's Career w: Bill Finger; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Charles Paris.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) vol.1 #247 (Sep 1957).

93 "How Superboy Learned to Fly" w: (uncredited); a: (uncredited).

1967

Batman Annual

1969

Batman Annual 1967

[1966] Annual. Original price 7/6.
80 pages. Full colour & B&W.
Atlas Publishing & Distribution Co. Ltd.

Contents:

 6 Batman Return of the Second Batman and Robin Team w: (uncredited); a: Sheldon Moldoff, lettering by Stan Starkman.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #135 (Oct 1960).

15 Homer Untitled ["Delivering a package there Homer?"] w:/a: Henry Boltinoff.

r: Blackhawk (DC Comics) Vol.1 #157 (Feb 1961).

17 Batman The Lair of the Sea Fox w: (uncredited); a: Sheldon Moldoff.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #132 (Jun 1960).

25 Moolah the Mystic Untitled ["I see something, but it's not clear at all!"] w:/a: Henry Boltinoff.

r: House of Mystery (DC Comics) Vol.1 #130 (Jan 1963).

26 Martian Manhunter Bodyguard for a Spy w: Jack Miller; a: Joe Certa.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) Vol.1 #299 (Jan 1062).

33 Batman Crimes of the Kite-Man w: Bill Finger; p: Dick Sprang, i: Charles Paris, lettering by Stan Starkman.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #133 (Aug 1960).

41 Batman The Deadly Dummy w: Bill Finger; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Charles Paris, lettering by Stan Starkman.

r: Batman (DC Comics) Vol.1 #134 (Sep 1960).

49 Martian Manhunter The Martian Show-Off w: Jack Miller; a: Joe Certa.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) Vol.1 #295 (Sep 1961).

55 Batman Batman's Interplanetary Rival w: Bill Finger; p: Sheldon Moldoff, i: Charles Paris.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) Vol.1 #282 (Aug 1960).

68 Martian Manhunter The Mystery of the Martian Marauders w: Jack Miller; a: Joe Certa.

r: Detective Comics (DC Comics) Vol.1 #301 (Mar 1962).

The uncommon strips reprinted here are, to say the least, unusual. With the better-known material having been strip-mined by various titles over the years, it is refreshing to see a few which have (unjustly) been neglected since their initial publication. The mix of strips is engaging, although there is a distinct lack of new material here – though with another 1967 Batman annual to compete with, such an oversight is perfectly understandable.

Contains information from Grand Comics Database.

1966

Batman Annual

1968

World Adventure Library

World Distributors

Comic Strip Titles:

Bonanza World Adventure Library (1967)
Flash Gordon World Adventure Library (1967)
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. World Adventure Library (19??)
Mandrake The Magician World Adventure Library (1967)
The Phantom World Adventure Library (1967)

Illustrated Story Titles:

Batman World Adventure Library (1966 - 1967)
Superman World Adventure Library (1967)

Batman Special Edition #1

Summer 1993. £1.50.
68 pages. Full color.
Fleetway Editions, Ltd.

Edited by Mike Butcher.

ISSN: 09683836

Cover by Bill Sienkiewicz. r: cover from Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

Contents:

.2 Contents / Introduction text by Mike Butcher.

.3 Resurrection Night! w: Doug Moench. a: John Byrne. c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by Elitta Fell.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

.4 Chapter I: Trading Darkness w: Doug Moench. p: Steve Lightle, i: Bruce D. Patterson, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

10 Chapter II: The Master Below w: Doug Moench. a: George Perez, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

14 Chapter III: First Steps w: Doug Moench. p: Paris Cullins, i: Larry Mahlstedt, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

17 Chapter IV: The Tempting... w: Doug Moench. a: Bill Sienkiewicz, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

24 Chapter V: "Pinocchio and Jonah's Too!" w: Doug Moench. p: Art Adams, i: Terry Austin, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

32 Why I Chose Batman text feature by Stephen King.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

34 Chapter VI: Barred w: Doug Moench. p: Tom Sutton, i: Ricardo Villagran, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

40 Chapter VII: A Small Itch Scratched! w: Doug Moench. a: Steve Leialoha, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by Tom Orzechowski.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

43 Chapter VIII: The Big Sticking w: Doug Moench. a: Joe Kubert, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by Joe Kubert.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

47 Chapter IX: Branches Like Bones w: Doug Moench. a: Ken Steacy, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

50 The Boys from the Dwarf Are Back... in-house advertisement for Red Dwarf Smegazine.

51 Batman full-color pin-up by Mike Grell.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

52 Chapter X: The Dark Trade w: Doug Moench. p: Rick Leonardi, i: Karl Kesel, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John COstanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

58 Chapter XI: Under The Wind w: Doug Moench. a: Brian Bolland, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

65 Epilogue: Fated Fete w: Doug Moench. a: Brian Bolland, c: Adrienne Roy. Lettering by John Costanza.

r: Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

67 Announcing The 1993 Judge Dredd Mega-Special in-house advertisement.

68 Batman full-color pin-up by Bill Sienkiewicz. r: text-free cover from Batman (DC Comics) vol.1 #400 (Oct 1986).

Reproducing most of the contents of Batman #400 (there's a few pieces missing), this isn't an entry-level title for people to discover the character, but is worth hunting down for those who are familiar with the character and his enemies. Brilliantly white pages, unlike the muddy printing on offer from DC Stateside, makes the artwork really pop from the page, and even subtle details in Sienkiewicz's beautiful painting are clear.

Reading the story now, parallels to Knightfall are rather clear - a criminal mastermind breaks all of Batman's most feared enemies free from Arkham Asylum, and at one point Killer Croc even states "I'm doin' this for one reason only - to break the Batman's back." Had this been published in the late nineties it would have been regarded closer to parody, but here it works. Not a fantastic package, but it finds its' own rhythm.

Of course, being a plan by Ra's al Ghul, this is a slightly darker tale than the one which featured the overgrown wrestler Bane, and is all the better for it.

The inclusion of the Stephen King text piece is what most people will flick to first, in order to see if he really is "one of us". He is. It is interesting to see his reading choices (Blackhawk, Plastic Man, Turok), and to know that he watched the sixties Batman television series. His words, always a joy to read, also show just how important text features in comics are.

Strips may be the beating heart of comics, but text features are the soul.

The lingering puzzle is who the readers of the title were meant to be - ardent followers of the character would undoubtedly have already bought the US release, and it is a tad too complex for younger readers who might happen upon it, which must have diminished the possible audience.

Giant Games Book

World Distributors (Manchester) Limited

Batman Giant Games Book (1966)
Huckleberry Hound and Friends Giant Games Book (1966)
Lady Penelope Giant Games Book (1967)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Giant Games Book (1967)
Phantom Giant Games Book (1966)
Popeye Giant Games Book (1967)
Superman Giant Games Book (1967)
Thunderbirds Giant Games Book (1967)

Total Carnage

Apr 1993 - Jan 1994 (10 issues)
Dark Horse

01 (Apr 1993; cover price ) Free cover-mounted tattoo. Batman Vs. Predator, Army of Darkness, The Mask and Grendel: War Child reprints begin.

02 (May 1993)

03 (Jun 1993)

04 (Jul 1993)

05 (Aug 1993)

06 (Sep 1993)

07 (Oct 1993)

08 (Nov 1993)

09 (Dec 1993)

10 (Jan 1994)

On This Day: 27 Nov

The X-Files: Firebird (Manga Publishing Ltd.; 2005).
The Batman/Judge Dredd Collection (Rebellion; 2013).

First Appearances:

Steve Grappler Grant in The Victor (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #41 (02 Dec 1961).
Grimstone Track (prose; Horror at Humpback Bridge) in The Victor (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #41 (02 Dec 1961).
Captain Buckingham (Bullseye Buckingham) in Warlord (D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.) #10 (30 Nov 1974).

Deaths:

Mal Ashworth (2002); Alberto Salinas (2004)

Notable Events:

The first Grand Christmas Parade in London, in 1994, was attended by Marvel UK. Photos of the Hulk, Spider-Man, and Wolverine's involvement appeared in The Exploits of Spider-Man #35 ().
Alan Class signed his reprint titles for fans at 30th Century Comics ahead of an auction of file copies in 2005.
Bernard Cookson's novel The Fifth Day published by Vanguard Press in 2009.
Bryan Talbot's "How I Create a Graphic Novel" event, followed by a signing with Mary Talbot, took place at The Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell St, London, in 2014.