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Batman Decades
Batman in the Sixties
Mirroring the era in which they were written and took place, the stories collected in this trade paperback alternate from outrageously offbeat to completely realistic. The Dynamic Duo is joined by Batgirl and Bat-Mite as they go up against some of Batman's most classic foes, including the Joker, Clayface, Poison Ivy and Blockbuster. Including a gatefold map of the 60s version of the Batcave, this book also features an introduction by the man who played Batman on TV during this same time period, Adam West!
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
5 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Rick Taylor
92 booksNot to be confused with Richard Deane Taylor or Richard Gordon (R. G.) Taylor.
Rick Taylor is a comic book artist who primarily worked as a colorist.
He was a prolific artist in fanzines through the 1970s. His professional career began at First Comics in 1984 and he was soon working at Comico, Eclipse, and other publishers as well.
In the late 1980s, he began a long association with DC Comics. He has colored limited series such as “Plastic Man” (1988–1989), “Elongated Man” (1992), and “Finals” (1999).
He had significant runs on “The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives” (1991–1998), “The Batman Adventures” (1992–1995), and “Impulse” (1999–2000), among many other works.
Taylor did support work for several companies. For Comico, he worked as a colorist from 1985 to 1990 and as an art director from 1988 to 1989. For Crowquill Comics, he worked as a letterer and logo design for the series Eb'nn (Crowquill Comics, 1985 series) circa 1985. For Donning Publishing, he worked as an editor in 1988. For Just Imagine Graphics, he worked as an art director in 1986.
Taylor did further support work for more companies. For DC, he worked as a letterer in 1978, as a colorist from 1988 to 2017 which includes some work as a color reconstructionist, and as collections editor in 1999. For Eclipse, he worked as a colorist and a letterer from 1985 to 1987. For First, he worked in production and as a colorist and a letterer from 1983 to 1985, then as production manager from 1985 to 1988. For Archie, he worked as a colorist in 2000 and 2011.
Taylor did support work for additional companies. For Marvel, he worked as a colorist in 1991 and from 1999 to 2000. For the Welsh Publishing Group, he worked as a colorist from 1993 to 1994. For Dark Horse, he worked as a colorist in 1988. For Rebellion, he worked as a colorist in 2010. For Hi-Fi Academy Press, he worked as a colorist in 2017. For Western (Golden Books), he worked as a colorist in 1993. And lastly, for Starlog Communications, he worked as a colorist in 1992.
Taylor was a part of the staff credited for the Harvey Award - Best Domestic Reprint Project (1999) for Plastic Man Archives (DC, 1998 Series).
Rick Taylor is a comic book artist who primarily worked as a colorist.
He was a prolific artist in fanzines through the 1970s. His professional career began at First Comics in 1984 and he was soon working at Comico, Eclipse, and other publishers as well.
In the late 1980s, he began a long association with DC Comics. He has colored limited series such as “Plastic Man” (1988–1989), “Elongated Man” (1992), and “Finals” (1999).
He had significant runs on “The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives” (1991–1998), “The Batman Adventures” (1992–1995), and “Impulse” (1999–2000), among many other works.
Taylor did support work for several companies. For Comico, he worked as a colorist from 1985 to 1990 and as an art director from 1988 to 1989. For Crowquill Comics, he worked as a letterer and logo design for the series Eb'nn (Crowquill Comics, 1985 series) circa 1985. For Donning Publishing, he worked as an editor in 1988. For Just Imagine Graphics, he worked as an art director in 1986.
Taylor did further support work for more companies. For DC, he worked as a letterer in 1978, as a colorist from 1988 to 2017 which includes some work as a color reconstructionist, and as collections editor in 1999. For Eclipse, he worked as a colorist and a letterer from 1985 to 1987. For First, he worked in production and as a colorist and a letterer from 1983 to 1985, then as production manager from 1985 to 1988. For Archie, he worked as a colorist in 2000 and 2011.
Taylor did support work for additional companies. For Marvel, he worked as a colorist in 1991 and from 1999 to 2000. For the Welsh Publishing Group, he worked as a colorist from 1993 to 1994. For Dark Horse, he worked as a colorist in 1988. For Rebellion, he worked as a colorist in 2010. For Hi-Fi Academy Press, he worked as a colorist in 2017. For Western (Golden Books), he worked as a colorist in 1993. And lastly, for Starlog Communications, he worked as a colorist in 1992.
Taylor was a part of the staff credited for the Harvey Award - Best Domestic Reprint Project (1999) for Plastic Man Archives (DC, 1998 Series).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 14, 2020
Seventeen stories culled from across the 1960s, showing the effects on the Dark Knight of things like the advent of the iconic TV series and the changes in American society across the decade.
I couldn't help comparing this book to 'The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told', which featured a range of Batman stories from across the first five decades of the Caped Crusader's adventures. Where that book felt like an almost random collection of stories, this book focusing just on the 60s feels much more coherent. That's not to say that there's any overarching stories or themes, but you nevertheless get a genuine sense of the development of Batman's world a bit at a time.
This book begins with the cheesy and fairly shallow style of the early Batman stories (not to mention a rare appearance by Betty Kane, the original Batgirl) and then moves forward through the more complex and extravagant stories of the TV series era ('66 to '68), before ending in the more mature style that would kick off the somewhat bleaker 1970s.
Throughout the book are short interludes explaining some of the changes of the times which make this feel like a more interesting exploration of the development of the character in the context of the real world.
Long-time Bat-fans will be pleased to see familiar faces like the Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow and Catwoman, as well as the very first appearances of iconic villains like Clayface and Poison Ivy.
For me, however, it was what we see of Batgirl that I found really interesting. As mentioned above, we get to see the two-dimensional Betty Kane version whose only motivation is that she fancies Robin, but we also get a couple of stories starring the far more iconic Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl. It's safe to say that a combination of her more interesting character motivation and the women's-lib mentality of the 60s combine to make her a very strong character in her own right, easily standing shoulder to shoulder with Batman himself. Unfortunately the writers do still feel the unfortunate need to refer to her as a 'chick' and, in one nauseating panel, as the 'dominoed daredoll'.
In short, if you like your Batman gritty and modern, then this is not the book for you. However, if you're interested in the development of the character and have warm nostaglic feelings towards Adam West, then it might be worth checking out.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com/ *
I couldn't help comparing this book to 'The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told', which featured a range of Batman stories from across the first five decades of the Caped Crusader's adventures. Where that book felt like an almost random collection of stories, this book focusing just on the 60s feels much more coherent. That's not to say that there's any overarching stories or themes, but you nevertheless get a genuine sense of the development of Batman's world a bit at a time.
This book begins with the cheesy and fairly shallow style of the early Batman stories (not to mention a rare appearance by Betty Kane, the original Batgirl) and then moves forward through the more complex and extravagant stories of the TV series era ('66 to '68), before ending in the more mature style that would kick off the somewhat bleaker 1970s.
Throughout the book are short interludes explaining some of the changes of the times which make this feel like a more interesting exploration of the development of the character in the context of the real world.
Long-time Bat-fans will be pleased to see familiar faces like the Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow and Catwoman, as well as the very first appearances of iconic villains like Clayface and Poison Ivy.
For me, however, it was what we see of Batgirl that I found really interesting. As mentioned above, we get to see the two-dimensional Betty Kane version whose only motivation is that she fancies Robin, but we also get a couple of stories starring the far more iconic Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl. It's safe to say that a combination of her more interesting character motivation and the women's-lib mentality of the 60s combine to make her a very strong character in her own right, easily standing shoulder to shoulder with Batman himself. Unfortunately the writers do still feel the unfortunate need to refer to her as a 'chick' and, in one nauseating panel, as the 'dominoed daredoll'.
In short, if you like your Batman gritty and modern, then this is not the book for you. However, if you're interested in the development of the character and have warm nostaglic feelings towards Adam West, then it might be worth checking out.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com/ *
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April 9, 2019Holy 1960s, Batman!
It was a time of unparalleled popularity for the Caped Crusader. The 1966 TV show (and its companion film released the same year) solidified Batman as a bona fide cultural icon. He gained thousands of fans who didn’t read comics. There had been two serials in the 1940s, but it wasn’t until the ’66 series that Batman gained massive exposure, fueling the fame the character enjoys today.
As I learned from this book, his comics at the time more or less fell in line with the nature of the show, even if they are somewhat more serious: the Dynamic Duo in detective mode, with colorful villains, and a healthy dose of camp. Unlike Batman in the Fifties, the 17 stories here are presented chronologically, starting with an April 1960 offering and ending with an issue from December 1969. This let me really see the changes Batman comics underwent during this time.
The first stories feature some holdover 1950s wackiness. There’s the return of Penguin in Batman 155, which reads a lot like a Golden Age issue. Bill Finger wrote it, and boy, does he lay on the bird puns! From the splash page introduction: “Now that master of fowl play spreads his wings again! Now that oily bird swoops down like a vulture to feather his nest with ill-gotten gains! Now like a thieving crow, he squawks a challenge to Batman and Robin…” It’s great to see Batman’s creator still writing his hero 25 years on, but his style didn’t change with the times (Finger liked to use puns and oversize objects in his stories, surefire Silver Age staples).
Another kooky inclusion is “Bat-Girl Meets Bat-Mite” from 1961. I loved the Bat-Mite appearances I’ve already read and this one does not disappoint. Batman and Batwoman are out of town and Commissioner Gordon gives Bat-Girl (Betty Kane, niece of Kathy) and Robin a case. Bat-Girl wants to win Robin’s affections – lucky for her, Bat-Mite appears and wants to help. Just when it seems Robin is warming up to her, the Boy Wonder spills that he already has a lady: Lady Justice. Oh Robin, you ladies’ man…
Crazy stories like this eventually filtered out. In 1964, Batman got an upgrade (“New Look”) by editor Julius Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino. Firstly, Batman’s appearance changed: his suit now had a yellow oval with a black bat symbol in the middle, instead of just the symbol over the gray suit. They also did away with the Bat-Family, save for Robin and Alfred. Gone, too, were any and all science fiction adventures, as Batman returned to his detective roots, using intelligence (and the occasional punch) to apprehend colorful baddies.
Two of those baddies are The Riddler and Poison Ivy, both appearing here. The Riddler is a Golden Age villain, but this was my first time reading him. In Batman 179, he conditions himself to stop giving riddles when he commits crimes in an effort to thwart Batman and Robin. It’s an interesting idea, and it plays out well in the story. Poison Ivy’s issue was okay. She longs to be “Public Enemy No. 1”, coating her lipstick with electric charges and chloroform as she lures men into kissing her. It’s very campy, obviously mirroring the TV show.
The camp is slowly removed by the end of the decade, however, when Batman gets darker and starts to become the shadowy figure of mystery we know him as today. Instead of duking it out with Riddler and Penguin on a monthly basis, he’s taking on street level mobsters and gun-totting criminals again, all the while dealing with societal issues like drugs and political corruption. As noted in this book, part of the reason for the change was that longtime writers and artists left, and younger creators more in tune with social issues and popular culture took the reigns. Indeed, the art in these later stories is noticeably grittier and more realistic. Batman’s expressions are more defined, his movements more fluid.
But it’s not just Batman who gets the spotlight. Both Robin and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) do some solo detective-work during this era, as highlighted in a pair of two-part stories from 1969. I especially liked the Batgirl one – she gets caught up in a double-cross heist, and does some deduction that leads her to a tense final confrontation with the perpetrator. It’s a solid detective story all around, calling back to the tight, one-and-done cases of the Golden Age. And Barbara Gordon is always a great character.
The last story is the most significant in this collection. “One Too Many Bullets” from Batman 217 sees Dick departing for college at Hudson University and ending his partnership with Batman. The scene when he’s getting ready to leave the manor is extremely effecting; Bruce and Alfred choke back tears, while Dick is being his usual upbeat self, only to cry when he’s out of their sight. Bruce says that he wasn’t prepared for Dick’s departure – Batman, an over-preparer if there ever was one, couldn’t prepare himself for this. Batman and Robin had been together for thirty years, and to see Dick grow up and move on must have been a shock for contemporary readers (by the time of this story, Dick was also a Teen Titans member). I think editorial made the right decision having him go his own way, as he couldn’t be a kid sidekick forever. But that scene really got me.
After Dick leaves, Bruce and Alfred put Wayne Manor and the Batcave behind them, moving to the heart of Gotham City in a Wayne Enterprises penthouse. Bruce sets up Victims Inc. Program, an agenda that helps “innocent victims” who lost loved ones to crime-related violence, much like him. He takes on his first victim case in this issue, and it’s certainly more violent and grim than the stories that precede it. But it’s a detective story though and through; there’s a great bit where Bruce, talking to the victim, is superimposed with a transparent image of Batman making deductions.
The art in this story Irv Novick is even more modern-looking and realistic; it has an edge to it that early Silver Age stories I read lacked. This issue says goodbye to one era for Batman, and sets the stage for what’s next: the Bronze Age.
Stray observations:
Perhaps my favorite moment in the entire collection comes from “The Man Who Radiated Fear” in Batman 200. After being subjected to Scarecrow’s fear radiation, Batman and Robin return to Alfred in the Batcave shaken and defeated. Like the good friend he is, Alfred reminds them of their origins and why they fight crime. Later, when the two are trapped by Scarecrow, they individually recall what Alfred said. Turning to each other, they shout “NOW!” in unison, and crash out of Scarecrow’s trap. It’s an awesome and cathartic scene that shows what a great team Batman and Robin make.
My new favorite mode of transportation is the whirly-bat, a sort of motorized scooter with a bat-wing that flies.
There are two Joker stories here. He’s rather goofy like in the TV show, not nearly as menacing as he was in the Golden Age.
I’m disappointed that no covers are reproduced in this collection. We get the page one splashes for each story, but it would have been nice to see cover art from this era.
Adam West pens the introduction to this book. He writes: “When I pulled my cowl over my head I became a child again, playing the same games I had all those years ago reading the Batman comic books in a barn on a wheat ranch in Washington State.”
It was fun to track the changes to the Batmobile in the 60s while reading this book. By the end of the decade, it turned into a snazzy sports car, much different from the Cadillac-esque vehicle of the 1950s and early 1960s.
It was a time of unparalleled popularity for the Caped Crusader. The 1966 TV show (and its companion film released the same year) solidified Batman as a bona fide cultural icon. He gained thousands of fans who didn’t read comics. There had been two serials in the 1940s, but it wasn’t until the ’66 series that Batman gained massive exposure, fueling the fame the character enjoys today.
As I learned from this book, his comics at the time more or less fell in line with the nature of the show, even if they are somewhat more serious: the Dynamic Duo in detective mode, with colorful villains, and a healthy dose of camp. Unlike Batman in the Fifties, the 17 stories here are presented chronologically, starting with an April 1960 offering and ending with an issue from December 1969. This let me really see the changes Batman comics underwent during this time.
The first stories feature some holdover 1950s wackiness. There’s the return of Penguin in Batman 155, which reads a lot like a Golden Age issue. Bill Finger wrote it, and boy, does he lay on the bird puns! From the splash page introduction: “Now that master of fowl play spreads his wings again! Now that oily bird swoops down like a vulture to feather his nest with ill-gotten gains! Now like a thieving crow, he squawks a challenge to Batman and Robin…” It’s great to see Batman’s creator still writing his hero 25 years on, but his style didn’t change with the times (Finger liked to use puns and oversize objects in his stories, surefire Silver Age staples).
Another kooky inclusion is “Bat-Girl Meets Bat-Mite” from 1961. I loved the Bat-Mite appearances I’ve already read and this one does not disappoint. Batman and Batwoman are out of town and Commissioner Gordon gives Bat-Girl (Betty Kane, niece of Kathy) and Robin a case. Bat-Girl wants to win Robin’s affections – lucky for her, Bat-Mite appears and wants to help. Just when it seems Robin is warming up to her, the Boy Wonder spills that he already has a lady: Lady Justice. Oh Robin, you ladies’ man…
Crazy stories like this eventually filtered out. In 1964, Batman got an upgrade (“New Look”) by editor Julius Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino. Firstly, Batman’s appearance changed: his suit now had a yellow oval with a black bat symbol in the middle, instead of just the symbol over the gray suit. They also did away with the Bat-Family, save for Robin and Alfred. Gone, too, were any and all science fiction adventures, as Batman returned to his detective roots, using intelligence (and the occasional punch) to apprehend colorful baddies.
Two of those baddies are The Riddler and Poison Ivy, both appearing here. The Riddler is a Golden Age villain, but this was my first time reading him. In Batman 179, he conditions himself to stop giving riddles when he commits crimes in an effort to thwart Batman and Robin. It’s an interesting idea, and it plays out well in the story. Poison Ivy’s issue was okay. She longs to be “Public Enemy No. 1”, coating her lipstick with electric charges and chloroform as she lures men into kissing her. It’s very campy, obviously mirroring the TV show.
The camp is slowly removed by the end of the decade, however, when Batman gets darker and starts to become the shadowy figure of mystery we know him as today. Instead of duking it out with Riddler and Penguin on a monthly basis, he’s taking on street level mobsters and gun-totting criminals again, all the while dealing with societal issues like drugs and political corruption. As noted in this book, part of the reason for the change was that longtime writers and artists left, and younger creators more in tune with social issues and popular culture took the reigns. Indeed, the art in these later stories is noticeably grittier and more realistic. Batman’s expressions are more defined, his movements more fluid.
But it’s not just Batman who gets the spotlight. Both Robin and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) do some solo detective-work during this era, as highlighted in a pair of two-part stories from 1969. I especially liked the Batgirl one – she gets caught up in a double-cross heist, and does some deduction that leads her to a tense final confrontation with the perpetrator. It’s a solid detective story all around, calling back to the tight, one-and-done cases of the Golden Age. And Barbara Gordon is always a great character.
The last story is the most significant in this collection. “One Too Many Bullets” from Batman 217 sees Dick departing for college at Hudson University and ending his partnership with Batman. The scene when he’s getting ready to leave the manor is extremely effecting; Bruce and Alfred choke back tears, while Dick is being his usual upbeat self, only to cry when he’s out of their sight. Bruce says that he wasn’t prepared for Dick’s departure – Batman, an over-preparer if there ever was one, couldn’t prepare himself for this. Batman and Robin had been together for thirty years, and to see Dick grow up and move on must have been a shock for contemporary readers (by the time of this story, Dick was also a Teen Titans member). I think editorial made the right decision having him go his own way, as he couldn’t be a kid sidekick forever. But that scene really got me.
After Dick leaves, Bruce and Alfred put Wayne Manor and the Batcave behind them, moving to the heart of Gotham City in a Wayne Enterprises penthouse. Bruce sets up Victims Inc. Program, an agenda that helps “innocent victims” who lost loved ones to crime-related violence, much like him. He takes on his first victim case in this issue, and it’s certainly more violent and grim than the stories that precede it. But it’s a detective story though and through; there’s a great bit where Bruce, talking to the victim, is superimposed with a transparent image of Batman making deductions.
The art in this story Irv Novick is even more modern-looking and realistic; it has an edge to it that early Silver Age stories I read lacked. This issue says goodbye to one era for Batman, and sets the stage for what’s next: the Bronze Age.
Stray observations:
Perhaps my favorite moment in the entire collection comes from “The Man Who Radiated Fear” in Batman 200. After being subjected to Scarecrow’s fear radiation, Batman and Robin return to Alfred in the Batcave shaken and defeated. Like the good friend he is, Alfred reminds them of their origins and why they fight crime. Later, when the two are trapped by Scarecrow, they individually recall what Alfred said. Turning to each other, they shout “NOW!” in unison, and crash out of Scarecrow’s trap. It’s an awesome and cathartic scene that shows what a great team Batman and Robin make.
My new favorite mode of transportation is the whirly-bat, a sort of motorized scooter with a bat-wing that flies.
There are two Joker stories here. He’s rather goofy like in the TV show, not nearly as menacing as he was in the Golden Age.
I’m disappointed that no covers are reproduced in this collection. We get the page one splashes for each story, but it would have been nice to see cover art from this era.
Adam West pens the introduction to this book. He writes: “When I pulled my cowl over my head I became a child again, playing the same games I had all those years ago reading the Batman comic books in a barn on a wheat ranch in Washington State.”
It was fun to track the changes to the Batmobile in the 60s while reading this book. By the end of the decade, it turned into a snazzy sports car, much different from the Cadillac-esque vehicle of the 1950s and early 1960s.
January 28, 2024
Despite reading the Superman in the Sixties comic collection and being disappointed in the quality of the stories chosen, I decided to give Batman a similar opportunity. I'm glad I did, as Batman in the Sixties is a far stronger and interesting compilation.
The aspect I noticed right off the bat (pardon the pun) in this Rick Taylor edited tome is how closely many of these stories hewed to the feel of the late-60s Adam West TV series. It was fascinating to see entire storylines--sometimes right down to even words of dialogue--that were ultimately utilized by that camp series.
There was also an overall strength-of-story here not present in the similar Superman volume. While the issue with the Kryptonian is inventing baddies he cannot defeat (leading to wild deus ex machina), Batman's flesh-and-blood nature presents more opportunities for an interesting rogue's gallery of villains. We're not talking about the height of sophistication in these stories, of course, but they are far less eye-rolling here in Gotham City than in Smallville or Metropolis, to be sure.
Overall, I solidly enjoyed this collection of stories about the likes of Batman/Bruce Wayne, Robin/Dick Grayson, Batgirl/Barbara Gordon, and the solid Joker-Penguin-Scarecrow-Riddler (plus more!) lineup.
The aspect I noticed right off the bat (pardon the pun) in this Rick Taylor edited tome is how closely many of these stories hewed to the feel of the late-60s Adam West TV series. It was fascinating to see entire storylines--sometimes right down to even words of dialogue--that were ultimately utilized by that camp series.
There was also an overall strength-of-story here not present in the similar Superman volume. While the issue with the Kryptonian is inventing baddies he cannot defeat (leading to wild deus ex machina), Batman's flesh-and-blood nature presents more opportunities for an interesting rogue's gallery of villains. We're not talking about the height of sophistication in these stories, of course, but they are far less eye-rolling here in Gotham City than in Smallville or Metropolis, to be sure.
Overall, I solidly enjoyed this collection of stories about the likes of Batman/Bruce Wayne, Robin/Dick Grayson, Batgirl/Barbara Gordon, and the solid Joker-Penguin-Scarecrow-Riddler (plus more!) lineup.
July 18, 2017
This is a good sampling of stories from the sixties that demonstrates the changing look and feel of the wholesome stories of square jawed crime fighter and supervillain defeater with juvenile side kick of the 1950s to the brooding Dark Knight of the 1970s and beyond. There's a shift in the supporting cast, a/k/a “the Batman Family,” as well. During the decade Bat-Girl Betty Kane in a costume color coordinated with Robin’s is replaced by Batgirl, crime fighting librarian Barbara Gordon, in a costume matching the Batman’s. Police Commissioner Gordon grows younger while Dick Grayson, Robin, grows up, graduates from high school and departs for college. Remaining consistent throughout though is the word play in the scripts: the puns, alliteration and jokes, some good, some bad, but always issuing from the lips of the heroes just before the “THUD!, SOK!,” and “WHACK!” of the villain stifling fist fights.
April 7, 2019
This was a fun, light read, a compilation of comic-book stories from back before Batman was a serious, dark character. And yet, in book form, it got kind of tiresome quickly, with all that forced not-funny wordplay. Also, the explanatory text tries to play up shifts in tone/era — the books getting less flamboyant, more in touch with "the times," then getting wackier again during the run of the TV series, then going spare and topical again post-cancellation. Can't say I really noticed any significant changes throughout. Would've liked the text to explain Bob Kane's credit on the opening pages of most of these books, though the credited writers and artists in the table of contents are other people. (If I was more of a comics nerd I suppose I'd know this, but this volume is not presented in such a way to appeal to the hardcore fan.) Despite my gripes, I did enjoy this little journey to the past.
May 19, 2024
Difficult to assess this as I've been rereading the 1960s Bat-stuff already. It's an era that starts with the "Batman Family" (we get a Bat-Mite Meets Bat-Girl story), moves on to the New Look era and finally launches into a darker, more down-to-Earth tone with "One Bullet Too Many."
As a reading experience, fun.
As an overview of the 1960s, flawed. It's dominated by the costumed villains and they didn't dominate: lots of the tales simply involved hoods with a clever angle (Johnny Witts, getaway genius Roy Reynolds). So as a history of 1960s Batman it doesn't work for me.
As a reading experience, fun.
As an overview of the 1960s, flawed. It's dominated by the costumed villains and they didn't dominate: lots of the tales simply involved hoods with a clever angle (Johnny Witts, getaway genius Roy Reynolds). So as a history of 1960s Batman it doesn't work for me.
October 25, 2024
It’s a lot of fun but after a while the gimmicky shenanigans begin to get a bit exhausting, so the final story here is- One Bullet Too Many! - feels significant in several ways. Partly because it sheds the costumed villains, partly because it shuffles Dick off to college and mostly because it’s a sense of a series trying to find a new way ahead. It’s fascinating to read it after the endless japes and nonsense, fun though they are
May 22, 2020
Big fun, ending just before I began, with the great scripts by Frank Robbins. Here are the great artists of Batman up to 1970, including Sprang, Moldoff, Infantino, Gil Kane, and Irv Novick.
Recommended.
Recommended.
June 28, 2014
This third Batman decade collection collects a generous amount of comics and had some nice features. Including a look at the first Batgirl (Betty Kane), the first Poison Ivy story, the return of the Penguin after many years in retirement, two Joker stories, a Scarecrow story,and a Catwoman story. Few books have given such a wide range of Batman villains and that's to the book's credit. Although not all of these are high quality.
There are also stories featuring Barbara Gordon as the best known Batgirl. She appears in, "Batgirl Breaks up the Dynamic Duo" which is a kind of a silly story and a more serious solo story which has Batgirl facing a team of criminals dressed as the Justice League and she has been set up by a red haired member of their gang who was supposed to come dressed as Batgirl.
My favorite story in the book in addition to that tale is, "The Riddle-less Robberies of the Riddler"in which the Riddler tries to commit crimes without giving the game away with hilarious results. The story, "One Bullet Too Many" i sees a shift in Batman as Dick Grayson goes to college and the series takes a new direction with the shuttering of Wayne Manor and the Batcave as Batman works more on the street level in a key story.
The worst story in here is the boring two part Robin solo story from Detective Comics #390 and #391. The other fault of this book is the lack of information on the decade. Previous installments in this series and the Superman series up through the 1960s had a well-written introduction from a comic expert. This was foregone for an introduction by Adam West. I like having the intro from West but a more informed intro would have made for a better reading experience.
While this was the worst of the decade collections, it was still a decent book.
There are also stories featuring Barbara Gordon as the best known Batgirl. She appears in, "Batgirl Breaks up the Dynamic Duo" which is a kind of a silly story and a more serious solo story which has Batgirl facing a team of criminals dressed as the Justice League and she has been set up by a red haired member of their gang who was supposed to come dressed as Batgirl.
My favorite story in the book in addition to that tale is, "The Riddle-less Robberies of the Riddler"in which the Riddler tries to commit crimes without giving the game away with hilarious results. The story, "One Bullet Too Many" i sees a shift in Batman as Dick Grayson goes to college and the series takes a new direction with the shuttering of Wayne Manor and the Batcave as Batman works more on the street level in a key story.
The worst story in here is the boring two part Robin solo story from Detective Comics #390 and #391. The other fault of this book is the lack of information on the decade. Previous installments in this series and the Superman series up through the 1960s had a well-written introduction from a comic expert. This was foregone for an introduction by Adam West. I like having the intro from West but a more informed intro would have made for a better reading experience.
While this was the worst of the decade collections, it was still a decent book.
February 24, 2011
its awsome liked it funny you should read
September 1, 2012
Worth reading.
April 1, 2013
One of the best Batman comics I've read! It's really cool to see how the comics have changed throughout the decades!
December 24, 2016
I just couldn't get used to the style.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews