The Golden Age tales that catapulted Batman into legendary status are collected together in one omnibus!
This can't miss collection for any Batman fan includes the origin of the Dark Knight, as well as the debuts of Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Professor Hugo Strange, The Joker, Catwoman and more!
William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development. In later years, Kane acknowledged Finger as "a contributing force" in the character's creation. Comics historian Ron Goulart, in Comic Book Encyclopedia, refers to Batman as the "creation of artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger", and a DC Comics press release in 2007 about colleague Jerry Robinson states that in 1939, "Kane, along with writer Bill Finger, had just created Batman for [DC predecessor] National Comics".
Film and television credits include scripting The Green Slime (1969), Track of the Moon Beast (1976), and three episodes of 77 Sunset Strip.
I enjoy reading the Golden Age comics to see the beginnings of some of the superhero icons. Nice collection of these very first Batman stories. Recommended
This collection of the original Bob Kane and Bill Finger Batman comics is DC's third attempt at reprinting the golden age series, and a very promising one at that. This one volume collects roughly 4 or so volumes worth of what the Batman chronicles re-printed during its run. Unlike the batman chronicles, this book was actually cheaper, hardcover, thicker pages, and all in all was a much better deal. It is great to be able to flip through a large singular book that collects these in chronological order than scramble and pay a fortune for the Batman chronicles or Archives that have ended. With a second golden age omnibus on the way I am pumped. I recommend this book to any hardcore or casual Batman fan.
I love the original Batman comics, and Batman in general, so this collection was definitely my piece of pie. This collection gives a prime opportunity to see the origin and evolution of the original character of Batman, from the addition of Robin, the creation of the Batmobile, to the beginning of classic villains like Scarecrow and his arch-nemesis the Joker. I love seeing the Dynamic Duo in action from their detective work to an all out fist party with the unlucky criminal(s) of the hour-oh yes, and you have to love Catwoman. I'm also a fan of the lighter tone of the original comics- the current ones have gotten so dark they're almost too dark for me at times. Highly recommended!
This was a great way to read the original batman comics. I liked having them all compiled in an easy to read manner. I've never read the actual comics, so I can't compare them to their original medium, but from my perspective the colors were fine and most of the text was fine. You can definitely tell what era these were written in. And how! Lol if you're a batman lover and want to get into the originals without having to hunt down individual comics then this is a book that may interest you.
Bob Kane was not much of an artist but Batman had some of the best writers of the Golden Age. Although he was not the first or the second masked man to fight crime in the funny papers, this is the first one you should buy.
It includes the first appearances of Hugo Strange, Catwoman, the Joker, Clayface, the Scarecrow, and (of course) the Sensational Character Find of 1940, Robin the Boy Wonder.
Some are different from the ones you know For instance. I met Robin in the 60s and I hated him, but I like the Golden Age Robin. He has a purpose. Batman explains his plans to him and sometimes Robin goes undercover as a page boy, for instance, and having a sidekick as young as the readers allows Batman to have adventures in situations that they would understand without seeming stupid, as Superman often did.
The Birth of the Bat: A Review of The Golden Age Batman Omnibus, Volume 1
America, as a nation, has never quite trusted utopians. It is a land founded not on the starry-eyed optimism of Rousseau but on the more measured, skeptical vision of men who knew that human nature, when left unguarded, tends toward chaos. It is no surprise, then, that while Superman—our first great superhero—was a champion of decency, an avatar of bright-eyed, can-do American virtue, our second great superhero was something else entirely: a creature of shadow, vengeance, and deeply personal trauma.
The Golden Age Batman Omnibus, Volume 1 is a testament to that difference. Collecting Detective Comics #27-56, Batman #1-7, and New York World’s Fair Comics #2, this volume provides a portrait of Batman before he became an institution—before Robin lightened his world, before the Batcave was a certainty, before Gotham was a Gothic sprawl of towering skyscrapers and perpetual night. This is raw Batman—an unpolished, violent figure of pulp fiction ancestry, who is far closer to The Shadow than to the Justice League.
And in these early tales, we see not just the beginning of a character but the beginning of an idea—one that would become, over the next eight decades, the most fascinating, malleable, and psychologically complex creation in superhero history. A Creature of the Pulps: The Origins of the Dark Knight
To understand early Batman, one must understand the literary and cultural stew from which he emerged. The late 1930s was a golden age not just for comic books but for pulp fiction, and Batman’s DNA is unmistakably pulpy. He is not yet the world’s greatest detective, nor the grim strategist who outthinks gods; he is, quite simply, a masked vigilante in the tradition of Zorro and The Shadow, operating outside the law with the lethal efficiency of a man who has no interest in due process.
This early Batman is not a symbol of order but of retribution. Unlike Superman, whose origin story is a parable of immigrant assimilation, Batman’s is a parable of loss—an origin rooted in the most primal of human emotions: grief. His parents, gunned down in an alley, are the original sin of his mythology, and his crusade is less about justice than it is about an endless, impossible atonement.
And in these early stories, that crusade is brutal. The Batman of 1939-1940 is a man who kills. He hurls criminals off rooftops, snaps necks, and, in one memorable panel, flies a plane over a villain’s car and shoots him dead with a mounted machine gun. If one were to present these pages to a modern reader unfamiliar with Batman’s early years, they might assume they were looking at some grim Elseworlds reinterpretation—one of those dark alternate universes where Batman finally gives up on his no-kill rule. But this is not an alternate universe. This is Batman at his inception: merciless, unsentimental, and possessed of a moral philosophy that begins and ends with the removal of criminals from the streets. The Art of Bob Kane (and the Genius of Bill Finger)
Visually, these early Batman stories are a fascinating study in artistic evolution. The first appearances of the character, drawn by Bob Kane (with significant contributions from the largely uncredited Bill Finger), are rudimentary at best. Batman’s anatomy is stiff, his poses awkward, and his cape—a vast, unwieldy thing that billows with all the grace of a bedsheet caught in the wind—seems almost designed to betray his position to any halfway competent criminal. And yet, for all its artistic limitations, there is something electrifying about these early images.
As the issues progress, Batman’s design refines itself. The ears become sharper, the eyes more narrow. His movements become less exaggerated and more menacing. The cape, once a cumbersome mess, becomes a dramatic flourish, an extension of his character rather than an afterthought of the artist’s pen. And, perhaps most significantly, the world around him begins to take shape. Gotham, which in these early stories is often a generic, nondescript cityscape, slowly transforms into a place—a city that is not merely the backdrop for Batman’s adventures but an entity unto itself, a breeding ground for the kind of madness that necessitates a figure like Batman in the first place.
And then there is Bill Finger. To discuss early Batman without discussing Finger is to commit an act of historical negligence. While Kane provided the name and the initial design, it was Finger who gave Batman his soul. It was Finger who crafted the detective angle, the tragic backstory, the gothic elements that would define the character for decades. If Kane was the architect, Finger was the storyteller, the man who ensured that Batman was not just a costumed adventurer but a legend in the making. The Villains Emerge: The First Rogues' Gallery
One of the most remarkable things about The Golden Age Batman Omnibus, Volume 1 is that, even in these nascent years, Batman’s world is already being populated by some of the most iconic villains in comic book history.
Here, in rapid succession, we meet The Joker, whose first appearance in Batman #1 is as shocking now as it was then. This is not the prankster of the 1950s nor the anarchist of later decades—this is something closer to a horror villain, a grinning specter of death who kills with poetic efficiency. His early stories are masterpieces of tension, each one carrying the same eerie message: he is always one step ahead.
And then there is Catwoman—or rather, The Cat, as she is introduced. Unlike the grotesques who would populate Batman’s rogues’ gallery, Catwoman is something else: a criminal, yes, but a charming one, a figure of elegance and ambiguity. Even in these early tales, it is clear that she is different, that her relationship with Batman is not one of simple hero versus villain but something more layered—something flirtatious, something human. Final Verdict: The Raw Materials of a Legend
The Golden Age Batman Omnibus, Volume 1 is not simply a collection of old comics. It is a glimpse into the birth of a modern myth. These stories, crude though they may be, contain within them the core of what Batman would become. The darkness is here. The tragedy is here. The determination is here. All that remains is refinement.
For anyone who has ever wondered why Batman has endured—why, of all the characters created in the Golden Age, he is one of the few who has remained perpetually relevant—this volume provides an answer. He endures because he speaks to something deep within us: the fear of chaos, the desire for order, the belief that, even in the darkest of nights, one man’s will can make a difference.
Superman may have been America’s first superhero.
But Batman is its most necessary one. Final Thought: The Permanence of the Bat
Eighty-five years after these stories were first published, Batman still stands. He has been reimagined, reinterpreted, deconstructed, and reconstructed—but he remains.
And as long as there is crime, as long as there is injustice, as long as there are alleys where the innocent walk unaware—
As someone who doesn't typically read comics - as there is just too much out there and it's overwhelming to know where to start - but has always adored the character Batman - be it games and movies, I figured I would start from his earliest tales and work my way forward. Bill Finger and his partner did a wonderful job setting out the earliest adventures of the Batman and I was pleasantly surprised, expecting that the stories would be very campy, but considering the times they were written in, they were quite mature. Batman kills a lot of people.
Most of the stories had to do with the mob, which in hindsight made sense, as in the 40 - 50's they largely dominated the streets so the issue was very relevant, and for those being oppressed or harassed by them, Batman acted as a hero of course. It was nice however from time to time, to see the introduction of Dick Grayson and very early on the Joker, Dr. Huge Strange and the very first look at Dr. Crane (scarecrow) at the very end of the book. Aside from those characters it was mostly filled with mobsters and of course the occasional "stole goods" story, very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
All in all, I would recommend this book to those who are really into Superhero comics or are very in love with our modern day pantheon of Greek gods but you must understand the time that they were written, the art is very dated and the dialogue is cheesy (but it's to be expected). If you can see past that though and see the book for what it is, you may come away with an appreciation for it's legacy. I will probably be reading the next ones as I go but may need a break as that is a lot of batman
1939-41 ems include Bat punches Alfred Stryker into an acid vat, messes up dapper Frenchy Blake, snaps the necks of 2 different Dr. Death Cossacks, twice evades a giant gorilla, slays Dala & the Mad Monk, kamikazes the Dirigible of Doom, strangles le duc surréaliste, kills yellowface explorer Sheldon Lenox w/ the stolen idol of Kila Hindu god of destruction, gets whipped by Hugo Strange, recruits Robin, meets Joker & Cat, kills the hatchet men of Green Dragon Tong w/ their idol, & meets Clayface, Robin busts a boys school counterfeit ring, Bat plots to kidnap Joker for Doc Savage, wrecks cops, & chokes out a housecat, McGonigle on Cat’s trail, Joker steals a jade Buddha, Bat punches Strange into a canyon, Joker has a Satan statue, Julie Madison as Robin, 3 Devils debut, Joker forms & betrays 4 Cards, Bat KOs a dog, Robin kills Clock Maker, Batplane kamikazes nazi dirigible, Scarecrow debuts, & Bat-GCPD war ends
This is an amazing look at early comics and the development of the art. We’ve come a long way in developing comics both in art and writing. The beginning of Batman was excellent. It was very pulp noir. After Robin’s introduction, Batman slowly starts taking on Robin’s personality, and is a bit less dark, and thus not as interesting. At the same time, the stories are clearly an attempt to try teach kids about civic engagement and other important lessons, which is a good thing. This volume also ends on a perfect issue, which I say for many reasons. Also, beware that the order of panels and dialogue is sometimes difficult to follow.
A fine collection charting the early days of the Bat. The full-size, full-color spreads look lush, but the digital remastering of the art does muddy some of Kane's linework now and then (not that the art is terribly incredible to begin with).
There is a rough, anything-goes feel to golden age comics that makes them endearing even when the writing isn't exactly up-to-snuff, and Finger's work here is no exception. It's hard not to be charmed and fascinated by the familiar yet off-kilter version of the Batman stories and characters seen in these pages.
The origin and foundation of the myth, not a literary or artistic masterpiece. Nice to know Batman wants me to always tell the truth, but war bonds, and not “kill” my free time.
For a guy who has sworn off killing he sure punches a lot of people off of high ledges who fall to their death... note: the joker never seems to die from that fall, though a few others do, to which Batman says good riddance.
The best issues are the scarecrow and clayface issues. Also, obviously, the haunted mansion (‘Tec 31) and Batman #1 with its great Catwoman entrance are classics.
the digital coloring is HORRID. Shamefully bad. Even the worst online scans have more life. There's virtually no curation, which is entailed in the medium of the "OMNIBUS," but really degrades this. I think black casebook is a much better collection for what I want. The amount of care I've seen taken by other companies in reprinting golden age material (Fantagraphics and Yoe) vs. the resources of DC, the discrepancy is shocking.
This giant tome is 822 pages long and gives us the very first Batman stories, from mid-1939 through the end of 1941. The early Batman stories are great reading, with Batman fighting gangsters, bad guys and a few villains in Gotham City. He is joined by Robin fairly early in the series and also first meets Joker during this time period.
For Batman fans, this monster volume is a must read.
An interesting look in de first issues of the Batman. This omnibus contains first appearances of not only Batman but also Robin: The Boy Wonder, and villains like Hugo Strange, The Joker, Clayface and The Scarecrow.
CLASSIC!! Any Batman fan would love the beginning stories of the greatest superhero known to this planet. I'm on Vol 2 right now and enjoying it. Also, it's my bedtime book that I read and so when I go to sleep, I'm Batman in my dreams. HA!
Interesting to read the dark, post-pulp fiction roots of Batman. I would reccomend this book as it introduces tons of characters to Batman lore, but skip the others unless you are a collector as they seem to fall more into the campy, comedic styling common in Batman from the 40's - 70's.
822 pages of 8'x11' book strained several of the bones in my wrists to hold for any length of time, but it was worth it to see the original stories for the first 3 years of The Batman.
Almost all of the prewar Batman stories, including first appearances of Robin, Comissioner Gordon, The Joker, Catwoman, The Scarecrow, Hugo Strange, the Batmobile, The Batplane, and the utility belt. Fascinating work, particularly the pre-Robin period. Probably enough Golden Age Batman for most people; the stories (like many early superhero stories) get pretty repetitive read in this format, and the scattered quality of the artwork as production was ramped up clearly took a toll on the middle of the book. In here, however, is some of the best creepy old Batman art made, and a fat chunk of the fundamental building blocks of the entire form of superhero comics as they exist. Absolutely great.
This hardcover edition collects all of the caped crusader’s earliest appearances in comics, as well as some of his supporting cast and rogue’s gallery. Some of the pages haven’t been touched up very nicely (to be blunt, some panels look awful) but I won’t hold it against the book. The stories are simple and fun. This book is a must-own for any Batman fan.