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The Brave and the Bold (1955) #59, 64, 67, 69-71, 74-87
Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold: The Batman Team-Ups, Vol. 1
Follows the adventures of Batman as he teams up with other superheroes, including Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Flash.
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2007
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83 people want to read
About the author
Bob Haney
450 books13 followersRobert G. Haney was an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. He co-created the Teen Titans as well as characters such as Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and the Super-Sons.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 14, 2015
Phew...I finally got to the end where Neal Adams' art takes over. I've read those in a collection of his Batman work, so I can stop reading this awful stuff. This was an excruciating chore to get through and I *love* Silver Age comics. This seems to be coasting on the fumes left in the Batman TV show tank. It's got everything you don't want in your Dark Knight: slangy Stan Lee-esque dialogue, Batman running around at high noon, racist characterizations of ethnic groups, and (worst of all) no-name throwaway villains. A couple of villains *did* make their first appearances here (Copperhead and Hellgramite), but it doesn't matter who's in these pages, they seem like they're going to try to steal all of Batman's Hostess fruit pies.
The 2nd star is for the art, it was good and sometimes great (Infantino, Adams, and co.) but the writing was deplorable. You know when you tell someone who doesn't read comics that you read comics and they look at you like you just told them you masturbate in Chuck E. Cheese every weekend? This is the stuff they're picturing in their minds.
The 2nd star is for the art, it was good and sometimes great (Infantino, Adams, and co.) but the writing was deplorable. You know when you tell someone who doesn't read comics that you read comics and they look at you like you just told them you masturbate in Chuck E. Cheese every weekend? This is the stuff they're picturing in their minds.
April 3, 2017
Nice collection of these silver age comics. Its interesting reading today stories that were written over 50 years go. Recommended to comic collectors.
May 4, 2024
7/10
The first half or so of this book is standard 60s superhero stuff. Its all a bit crap with racist and misogynistic undertones in some stories. These are worth reading for historical reasons and not really based on the quality of these stories.
When neal adam’s run kicks in, not only is the art better but the quality of writing increases tenfold, despite still being written by bob haney. Maybe he actually started trying to compete with dennis o neil? These are some of the best comics with some of the best art of the 60s.
Its really interesting to see how in the space of a a few issues a couple key artists and writers kickstart a completely new type of comic book.
These great stories can collected else where in colour so i would recommend those rather than this black and white collection unless you are interested in some cheesy stories.
The first half or so of this book is standard 60s superhero stuff. Its all a bit crap with racist and misogynistic undertones in some stories. These are worth reading for historical reasons and not really based on the quality of these stories.
When neal adam’s run kicks in, not only is the art better but the quality of writing increases tenfold, despite still being written by bob haney. Maybe he actually started trying to compete with dennis o neil? These are some of the best comics with some of the best art of the 60s.
Its really interesting to see how in the space of a a few issues a couple key artists and writers kickstart a completely new type of comic book.
These great stories can collected else where in colour so i would recommend those rather than this black and white collection unless you are interested in some cheesy stories.
January 12, 2013
I got this mainly because it features several stories with Neal Adams art, which is of course quite lovely to look at, but the stories are still silly Bob Haney ones, which somehow work less well when drawn in Adams's realistic/melodramatic style; the tone of the art clashes with the goofiness of the stories.
June 25, 2025
A real nostalgia trip including a couple of classics, a few period pieces and a fair share of the just plain hokey.
February 22, 2018
The Brave and the Bold started its publication run in 1955 as an adventure anthology, featuring such characters as the Viking Prince and the Silent Knight. Around issue 25, it switched to a tryout title for new concepts such as the Justice League of America and Strange Sports Stories. Then in issue #50, the series switched to being a team-up title featuring seemingly random pairs of DC’s superheroes, the first such story teaming up Green Arrow and the Martian Manhunter.
In issue #59 (1965), Batman was teamed up with Green Lantern against a villain known as the Time Commander. This criminal scientist had developed technology that well, commanded time. But it could only do minor effects until the Commander disguised himself as Batman to trick Green Lantern into energizing the device with his Power Ring.
Bizarrely, Time Commander divided his attention between using his hourglass to commit heinous crimes…and attempting to clear himself of a previous crime attributed to his civilian identity. The story never reveals whether or not he did the previous crime.
Thanks to his television show, Batman was hot at the time, and the issue sold very well. He appeared more often than any other character in TBatB, and eventually became the permanent “host” for these team-ups. Thus, this volume only contains the stories with him.
Bob Haney was a very uneven writer, and some stories are terrific, like the first Deadman team-up (with art by Neal Adams!) while others are dreadful. Mr. Haney was especially noted for not paying attention to continuity or characterization from other writers; thus some of the guest characters come off as warped reflections of themselves.
Particularly bad is #78, which graces the cover of this collection. Batman is up against a slippery thief named Copperhead, and having a little difficulty catching him. So the Caped Crusader calls in Wonder Woman and Batgirl to help. Not, mind you, to help him search for the villain’s hideout or catch the crook. No, the plan is for these two powerful heroines to pretend they’re both madly in love with Batman and have public catfights about it.
The idea is that Copperhead will believe that Batman is distracted by his love life and get careless the next time he steals something. This plan is derailed when both heroines get too into it and actually fall in love with Batman. And then they become distressed damsels that Batman must rescue from the scaly foe.
Nor is this the only poor showing on the sexism front, as one story has Batman spank a woman in public to shame her into reforming. (She falls in love with him for it.)
There are also stories with Native Americans and Chinese-Americans that are well-meant but come off as racist. And some weird stuff with sideshow performers.
That said, there’s a lot of goofy Silver Age fun here, and some nifty art by artists like Neal Adams and Ramona Fradon.
The final issue in this volume is #87, featuring Mike Sekowsky on both writing and art. The guest star is Wonder Woman during her “powerless” period when she hung out with a blind martial arts mentor named I Ching. She and Batman investigate shenanigans around an international race track. It includes a moment when Diana could have saved the day, but Batman insists on driving with a concussion.
Recommended to Batman fans who enjoy a lighter version of the character. If you have a particular fondness for one of the guest stars, check this volume out at the library.
In issue #59 (1965), Batman was teamed up with Green Lantern against a villain known as the Time Commander. This criminal scientist had developed technology that well, commanded time. But it could only do minor effects until the Commander disguised himself as Batman to trick Green Lantern into energizing the device with his Power Ring.
Bizarrely, Time Commander divided his attention between using his hourglass to commit heinous crimes…and attempting to clear himself of a previous crime attributed to his civilian identity. The story never reveals whether or not he did the previous crime.
Thanks to his television show, Batman was hot at the time, and the issue sold very well. He appeared more often than any other character in TBatB, and eventually became the permanent “host” for these team-ups. Thus, this volume only contains the stories with him.
Bob Haney was a very uneven writer, and some stories are terrific, like the first Deadman team-up (with art by Neal Adams!) while others are dreadful. Mr. Haney was especially noted for not paying attention to continuity or characterization from other writers; thus some of the guest characters come off as warped reflections of themselves.
Particularly bad is #78, which graces the cover of this collection. Batman is up against a slippery thief named Copperhead, and having a little difficulty catching him. So the Caped Crusader calls in Wonder Woman and Batgirl to help. Not, mind you, to help him search for the villain’s hideout or catch the crook. No, the plan is for these two powerful heroines to pretend they’re both madly in love with Batman and have public catfights about it.
The idea is that Copperhead will believe that Batman is distracted by his love life and get careless the next time he steals something. This plan is derailed when both heroines get too into it and actually fall in love with Batman. And then they become distressed damsels that Batman must rescue from the scaly foe.
Nor is this the only poor showing on the sexism front, as one story has Batman spank a woman in public to shame her into reforming. (She falls in love with him for it.)
There are also stories with Native Americans and Chinese-Americans that are well-meant but come off as racist. And some weird stuff with sideshow performers.
That said, there’s a lot of goofy Silver Age fun here, and some nifty art by artists like Neal Adams and Ramona Fradon.
The final issue in this volume is #87, featuring Mike Sekowsky on both writing and art. The guest star is Wonder Woman during her “powerless” period when she hung out with a blind martial arts mentor named I Ching. She and Batman investigate shenanigans around an international race track. It includes a moment when Diana could have saved the day, but Batman insists on driving with a concussion.
Recommended to Batman fans who enjoy a lighter version of the character. If you have a particular fondness for one of the guest stars, check this volume out at the library.
June 29, 2015
I am thrilled with the DC Showcase Presents series of black and white reprints of long runs of old comic books. ( I hope they keep them in print!) In this volume are some old favorite long-running newsstand team-up comics, featuring the evolving Batman of the mid-to-late 1960s and the scripting of the late, great Bob Haney. Though this book ends where I began to collect this title, two issues appear that I owned and reread time and again from 1968 and 1969: B&B #78, "In the Coils of the Copperhead," featuring Batman, Wonder Woman, and Batgirl, with art by Bob Brown; and B&B # 85, "The Senator's Been Shot," featuring Batman and Green Arrow, with art by Neal Adams.
In the latter story, Haney and - especially - Adams gave a costume revision to Green Arrow, part and parcel of late 1960s DC, making him a favorite of all us young readers. I have been thinking about how the 60s-70s trend towards relevance in superhero stories begins - here, at least - with more relevant crime stories. But, in this "The Senator's been Shot," unlike in real-life RFK's shooting, the Sentor gets better at the end.
You do get two (2) Batman - Deadman team-ups by Haney and Adams. Deadman, for those who don't know, is a sine qua non hero who is a ghost, movingly portrayed by Adams. And, a story I wonder if I ever read, a WW2 teaming of Batman and Sgt. Rock by Haney and Adams with one page inks by the late, great Rock artist Joe Kubert. Ironic, I did not know - and, would not have known from the lack of background in these credits - at the time that Haney had a hand in the creation and scripted the first stories of Sgt. Rock in the 1950s.
Last up, a favorite of mine, is a teaming of Batman and the 1969-1970, DE-powered - but powerfully drawn - Wonder Woman written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky. There are several stories drawn by by Sekowsky here, as well as others by Ramona Fradon, Win Mortimer, Johnny Craig, George Papp, Carmine Infantino, and Ross Andru.
In addition to all the stylistic changes in these stories from 1965-1970, I am intrigued by the change in uncredited lettering and letterers.
If you like a certain formulaic superhero team-up story, packing a lot into a roughly 20 to 24 page
installment, you may like this volume as much as I do. Recommended.
In the latter story, Haney and - especially - Adams gave a costume revision to Green Arrow, part and parcel of late 1960s DC, making him a favorite of all us young readers. I have been thinking about how the 60s-70s trend towards relevance in superhero stories begins - here, at least - with more relevant crime stories. But, in this "The Senator's been Shot," unlike in real-life RFK's shooting, the Sentor gets better at the end.
You do get two (2) Batman - Deadman team-ups by Haney and Adams. Deadman, for those who don't know, is a sine qua non hero who is a ghost, movingly portrayed by Adams. And, a story I wonder if I ever read, a WW2 teaming of Batman and Sgt. Rock by Haney and Adams with one page inks by the late, great Rock artist Joe Kubert. Ironic, I did not know - and, would not have known from the lack of background in these credits - at the time that Haney had a hand in the creation and scripted the first stories of Sgt. Rock in the 1950s.
Last up, a favorite of mine, is a teaming of Batman and the 1969-1970, DE-powered - but powerfully drawn - Wonder Woman written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky. There are several stories drawn by by Sekowsky here, as well as others by Ramona Fradon, Win Mortimer, Johnny Craig, George Papp, Carmine Infantino, and Ross Andru.
In addition to all the stylistic changes in these stories from 1965-1970, I am intrigued by the change in uncredited lettering and letterers.
If you like a certain formulaic superhero team-up story, packing a lot into a roughly 20 to 24 page
installment, you may like this volume as much as I do. Recommended.
July 20, 2007
The stories in this volume were surprisingly good; some superhero team-ups have stories that are incredibly flimsy, more for the sake of the team-up without it necessarily having a reason. But, with only a few exceptions, there was good reason for Batman needing help from heroes with specific skills in these stories.
The two that were notably terrible, however, were actually the two that included Wonder Woman; nothing against Wonder Woman, it's just that these stories were terrible. Batgirl appeared in one of them. Whoever wrote these two stories had a very shallow image of women. Then again, i think that can be said of a lot of the silver age stories. Maybe that's why comics dorks are typically guys. I think it's annoying.
Not much else to say; i'm a bit disappointed with the way DC is collecting these Showcase editions in general. There are two stories in this volume which were also in Green Arrow vol. 1, but the worst part is the second Deadman story, which was a part one...but part two is not present. It's not like that was even the end of the book, they moved on to more things and just left that storyline hanging. I'm assuming that the reason behind it is that part two was not publiched in The Brave and the Bold, but then...where is it? Deadman didn't have his own magazine back then. I'm sure it would have been ok to slip an issue of Batman into a book called "The Brave And The Bold: The Batman Team-Ups vol. 1", right? I'm not seeing the problem with that.
The two that were notably terrible, however, were actually the two that included Wonder Woman; nothing against Wonder Woman, it's just that these stories were terrible. Batgirl appeared in one of them. Whoever wrote these two stories had a very shallow image of women. Then again, i think that can be said of a lot of the silver age stories. Maybe that's why comics dorks are typically guys. I think it's annoying.
Not much else to say; i'm a bit disappointed with the way DC is collecting these Showcase editions in general. There are two stories in this volume which were also in Green Arrow vol. 1, but the worst part is the second Deadman story, which was a part one...but part two is not present. It's not like that was even the end of the book, they moved on to more things and just left that storyline hanging. I'm assuming that the reason behind it is that part two was not publiched in The Brave and the Bold, but then...where is it? Deadman didn't have his own magazine back then. I'm sure it would have been ok to slip an issue of Batman into a book called "The Brave And The Bold: The Batman Team-Ups vol. 1", right? I'm not seeing the problem with that.
December 18, 2009
A mixed bag of older stories where Batman teams up with a variety of super heroes. VEry old school and pretty goofy in spots, which usually isn't a problem for me. I prefer goofy to grim and gritty in my comics, but some some these stories reach a level of goofy that seems forced and goofy just to be goofy.
There are stories where Batman acts like an idiot, and those just didn't work for me. Batman can be thrown into bizarre situations, but shouldn't come across as out of his depth or stupid.
Really uneven collection. Not as much fun as others I've read.
There are stories where Batman acts like an idiot, and those just didn't work for me. Batman can be thrown into bizarre situations, but shouldn't come across as out of his depth or stupid.
Really uneven collection. Not as much fun as others I've read.
April 5, 2019
Nádherný retro, líbí se mi sluníčkový Batman, je to celkem pěkná změna od toho současného ponurého temného rytíře.... A hlavně, je tam hodně bizarních postav, které jen málokdy někde jinde uvidíte. Jediné mínus je kvalita papíru, který je slabší, ale počet stran to zachránil a díky němu jsem se zabavil na hodně dlouho. Vřele doporučuji.
July 26, 2013
It was amazing!! I Love the old school art style.
February 1, 2015
Enjoyable, especially the two stories with Deadman.
December 22, 2008
Love the silly Batman craziness!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews