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Limited Collectors' Edition #C-51
Limited Collectors' Edition C-51 Batman
His most epic adventure! A 76 page novel in comics form. The Dark Knight Detective vs. his most fearsome foe - Ra's Al Ghul.
76 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 11, 2025
Another famous Treasure Edition that I still have an original copy of!
A full page essay, “In tribute to a rare masterpiece” is written by Jeanette Kahn.
”Daughter of the Demon”
The prolog has a truly ghastly introduction as Robin is sneaking into a boarding house window near Hudson University and notices that someone is inside the room. Then just gunned down.
Days later Bruce Wayne receives a note from a messenger which a picture of a tied up Robin and a note that says “Dead Batman: We have Robin! Save him if you can!”
Batman springs into action, having to head back to the bat cave out of town to analyze the photograph. Photoshop not having been invented yet.
But when he gets to the bat cave, Ra’s Al Ghul and Ubu his bodyguard are there. Ra’s just says he figured out who Batman had to be by analyzing Bruce’s sending habits. Amazon not having been invented yet.
Ra’s asks for help. He received a message and photo of his daughter just like Bruce’s.
Batman deduces that there is a herb on the photos that can only be found in India, used by a cult of killers - the Brotherhood of the Demon.
The three take Ra’s private jet. On the plane, Batman reminisces about his origin story. Google not having been invented yet.
In Calcutta, Batman disguises himself as a beggar. Until he gets mugged. Turning on the muggers he asks them for information about the Brotherhood of the Demon. They tell him where to find them.
Wait to get mugged by people desperate enough to mug beggars? That was your plan?
Walking down the dark Alley of Widows the Batman is attacked by a jaguar. He snaps its jaw. PETA not having been invented yet.
They find a map to the Himalayan Mountains. They mount an expedition up Mount Nada Devi. They make the treacherous climb up the mountain.
Wait? Why is there a face carved into the side of the mountain? It almost looks like the Joker.
While scaling the side of the mountain they are suddenly shot at by a high powered rifle. Batman quickly moves into action to take out the shooter while Ubu protects his master.
Batman searches around for the camp and finds a helicopter and two guards.
”Thy look like any other creeps who need to prove their manhood with noisy sticks!”
Batman walks into a cave where they have Robin tied up and 5 guards around him. They try to get Batman to kneel when the Supreme Brother enters. He doesn’t.
Batman tells them that he’s been set up by Ra’s and that this has all been a show to test him.
Batman then beats up Ubu. Then Ra’s and Talia come out and Ra’s tells Batman that Talia loves him.
”Chapter : Bruce Wayne — Rest in Peace!”
When Batman returns to Gotham City he finds that Bruce Wayne is believed dead in a plane crash in the jungle. Batman has concocted this cover story because Ra’s knows his civilian identity. Batman realizes that for this war, he needs help.
”The most galling admission I’ve ever had to make!”
So he tracks down Matches Malone. Which causes Matches Malone to accidentally shoot himself and die. So Batman instead tracks down a scientist that he believes Ra’s would try to kidnap.
”I’ve been working on something that would be useful to a Hitler-type.”
An assassin comes to kidnap the scientist for Ra’s, but when he sees Batman he tries to kill him instead. In the fight Batman saves the assassins life and asks him to help bring Ra’s down (Mongol life debt, you see). You see Batman brought a Batman-dummy with him, just in case he needed it. And he did.
”Chapter I: The Lazarus Pit!” has Ling and Batman getting ready for a fight to the death. Because Batman and Ra’s saved Ling’s life so he owes them both. So he’s got to kill one of them. Matches Malone referees.
Batman beats Ling who says he’s now double loyal. Matches Malone was Robin in disguise. Batman then disguises himself as Matches Malone and sends Robin back to school.
”If I don’t… survive… it’ll be up to Robin to carry on the tradition of the Batman!”
Ling, Dr. Harris Blaine and Matches get on a plane to find Ra’s at his Chalet in the Swiss Alps.
I don’t think Batman could pass through customs with his costume today.
Ling sees Talia at the airport and tries to capture her. Ubu shuts him down. Batman shows up and calls him Fatso.
Batman is down, but gets up and gives chase to Ubu and Talia. Molly Post, international ski champion, decides to join him.
They catch up to Ra’s cable car to his chalet and get aboard it. They get into the chalet and this time Batman takes out Ubu. Talia approaches to kiss Batman.
”You’re lips are warm, as always! — and as always, they chill me… to the marrow!”
They discover that Ra’s is dead. Batman, Molly, Ling, and Harris take Talia away. Unseen Ra’s is sunken into the Lazarus Pit.
”Chapter IV: The Demon Lives Again!”
As they are taking Talia back to the chalet (why exactly are they doing that?) a recently dead Ras comes running at them. Ling rushes at him first and gets taken out. Then Batman tries.
”I — I’ve never hit any man harder… and he didn’t blink!”
Batman goes down. Harris sabotages the cable car (weren’t they just going to take that?) so Ra’s and Talia run away to find a hovercraft.
Batman wakes up okay, but Ling is bleeding internally and has broken bones. Harris repairs the cable car and takes Ling to the hospital.
Molly finds some skies and her and Batman chase the hovercraft.
Molly came out of nowhere. Do we ever see her again?
Molly stops the hovercraft, but gets hurt in the process. Batman gives up the chase to get Molly to medical help.
Later Batman tracks Ra’s to the desert. Ra’s challenges Batman to a duel to the death. Batman accepts. They fight with swords. Talia cries. But during the fight a scorpion stings Batman. Ra’s declares victory and leaves.
At the end of the book is a page full of biographies of ‘The Men Behind the Masterpiece’. Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, Irv Novick, Dick Giordano & Julie Schwartz.
This is a 5 star masterpiece of course. The Treasury edition is just a fun way to present it.
A full page essay, “In tribute to a rare masterpiece” is written by Jeanette Kahn.
”Daughter of the Demon”
The prolog has a truly ghastly introduction as Robin is sneaking into a boarding house window near Hudson University and notices that someone is inside the room. Then just gunned down.
Days later Bruce Wayne receives a note from a messenger which a picture of a tied up Robin and a note that says “Dead Batman: We have Robin! Save him if you can!”
Batman springs into action, having to head back to the bat cave out of town to analyze the photograph. Photoshop not having been invented yet.
But when he gets to the bat cave, Ra’s Al Ghul and Ubu his bodyguard are there. Ra’s just says he figured out who Batman had to be by analyzing Bruce’s sending habits. Amazon not having been invented yet.
Ra’s asks for help. He received a message and photo of his daughter just like Bruce’s.
Batman deduces that there is a herb on the photos that can only be found in India, used by a cult of killers - the Brotherhood of the Demon.
The three take Ra’s private jet. On the plane, Batman reminisces about his origin story. Google not having been invented yet.
In Calcutta, Batman disguises himself as a beggar. Until he gets mugged. Turning on the muggers he asks them for information about the Brotherhood of the Demon. They tell him where to find them.
Wait to get mugged by people desperate enough to mug beggars? That was your plan?
Walking down the dark Alley of Widows the Batman is attacked by a jaguar. He snaps its jaw. PETA not having been invented yet.
They find a map to the Himalayan Mountains. They mount an expedition up Mount Nada Devi. They make the treacherous climb up the mountain.
Wait? Why is there a face carved into the side of the mountain? It almost looks like the Joker.
While scaling the side of the mountain they are suddenly shot at by a high powered rifle. Batman quickly moves into action to take out the shooter while Ubu protects his master.
Batman searches around for the camp and finds a helicopter and two guards.
”Thy look like any other creeps who need to prove their manhood with noisy sticks!”
Batman walks into a cave where they have Robin tied up and 5 guards around him. They try to get Batman to kneel when the Supreme Brother enters. He doesn’t.
Batman tells them that he’s been set up by Ra’s and that this has all been a show to test him.
Batman then beats up Ubu. Then Ra’s and Talia come out and Ra’s tells Batman that Talia loves him.
”Chapter : Bruce Wayne — Rest in Peace!”
When Batman returns to Gotham City he finds that Bruce Wayne is believed dead in a plane crash in the jungle. Batman has concocted this cover story because Ra’s knows his civilian identity. Batman realizes that for this war, he needs help.
”The most galling admission I’ve ever had to make!”
So he tracks down Matches Malone. Which causes Matches Malone to accidentally shoot himself and die. So Batman instead tracks down a scientist that he believes Ra’s would try to kidnap.
”I’ve been working on something that would be useful to a Hitler-type.”
An assassin comes to kidnap the scientist for Ra’s, but when he sees Batman he tries to kill him instead. In the fight Batman saves the assassins life and asks him to help bring Ra’s down (Mongol life debt, you see). You see Batman brought a Batman-dummy with him, just in case he needed it. And he did.
”Chapter I: The Lazarus Pit!” has Ling and Batman getting ready for a fight to the death. Because Batman and Ra’s saved Ling’s life so he owes them both. So he’s got to kill one of them. Matches Malone referees.
Batman beats Ling who says he’s now double loyal. Matches Malone was Robin in disguise. Batman then disguises himself as Matches Malone and sends Robin back to school.
”If I don’t… survive… it’ll be up to Robin to carry on the tradition of the Batman!”
Ling, Dr. Harris Blaine and Matches get on a plane to find Ra’s at his Chalet in the Swiss Alps.
I don’t think Batman could pass through customs with his costume today.
Ling sees Talia at the airport and tries to capture her. Ubu shuts him down. Batman shows up and calls him Fatso.
Batman is down, but gets up and gives chase to Ubu and Talia. Molly Post, international ski champion, decides to join him.
They catch up to Ra’s cable car to his chalet and get aboard it. They get into the chalet and this time Batman takes out Ubu. Talia approaches to kiss Batman.
”You’re lips are warm, as always! — and as always, they chill me… to the marrow!”
They discover that Ra’s is dead. Batman, Molly, Ling, and Harris take Talia away. Unseen Ra’s is sunken into the Lazarus Pit.
”Chapter IV: The Demon Lives Again!”
As they are taking Talia back to the chalet (why exactly are they doing that?) a recently dead Ras comes running at them. Ling rushes at him first and gets taken out. Then Batman tries.
”I — I’ve never hit any man harder… and he didn’t blink!”
Batman goes down. Harris sabotages the cable car (weren’t they just going to take that?) so Ra’s and Talia run away to find a hovercraft.
Batman wakes up okay, but Ling is bleeding internally and has broken bones. Harris repairs the cable car and takes Ling to the hospital.
Molly finds some skies and her and Batman chase the hovercraft.
Molly came out of nowhere. Do we ever see her again?
Molly stops the hovercraft, but gets hurt in the process. Batman gives up the chase to get Molly to medical help.
Later Batman tracks Ra’s to the desert. Ra’s challenges Batman to a duel to the death. Batman accepts. They fight with swords. Talia cries. But during the fight a scorpion stings Batman. Ra’s declares victory and leaves.
At the end of the book is a page full of biographies of ‘The Men Behind the Masterpiece’. Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, Irv Novick, Dick Giordano & Julie Schwartz.
This is a 5 star masterpiece of course. The Treasury edition is just a fun way to present it.
March 24, 2024
Been enjoying a lot of the facsimile reprints from DC Comics, but I'm impressed that they've extended their reprints to a treasury edition now. Batman C-51 is a treasury-sized reprint for early R'as al Ghul stories from Batman #232, 242-244 by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. Featured here is the very first time Batman encounters R'as and the Brotherhood of the Demon, along with Talia al Ghul and the Lazarus Pit. The stories themselves aren't my favorite of early Batman tales, but the fantastic artwork from Adams makes this a worthwhile time, especially in this oversized edition. The reprint itself uses newsprint paper, making this a fantastic reproduction of the original version as well. Keep it up DC, we need more treasury reprints!
May 21, 2017
I grew up in mid-70's with these limited collector's editions. This one celebrates early Ra's Al Ghul appearances by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. Handsomely illustrated and efficiently short like early 70's stories were. Reprints of #232, 242-244, which includes Ghul's first appearance. Adams' layouts translate well to the over-sized format.
September 3, 2024
This a review of the Batman DC Treasury Edition Facsimile Edition from 2024, and not the original Batman DC Treasury Edition #C-51 from 1977. I have both versions and wanted a new copy of this, as my original is in a frame.
If this was a review of the original it would be a five star review, as this is easily one of my top top favorites.
I was really looking forward to this, expecting something different than this.
Back in 2010 I got the Superman vs Muhammad Ali HC Deluxe Edition, and the HC Facsimile Edition as well, the former was $19.99 and the latter was at $39.99.
And I was just expecting something like these, knowing it would not be like the $39.99 version, but something close to the $19.99.
At $14.99 this was not really worth this amount at all. I didn't choose the #C-51B wraparound foil version at $19.99, as I thought this was not really a facsimile then.
But this one looks and feels like a photocopy, the paper quality could just be a cheap photocopy of the 1977 original.
On top of this, the cover is some 1 mm short, both top and bottom. And I've seen others having the same issue.
I don't get how this could pass quality control, especially at the $14.99 price tag. In any way this is simply a disappointment.
I have pre-ordered the Superman vs. Muhammad Ali DC Treasury Facsimile Edition as well, and really don't look forward to this.
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
If this was a review of the original it would be a five star review, as this is easily one of my top top favorites.
I was really looking forward to this, expecting something different than this.
Back in 2010 I got the Superman vs Muhammad Ali HC Deluxe Edition, and the HC Facsimile Edition as well, the former was $19.99 and the latter was at $39.99.
And I was just expecting something like these, knowing it would not be like the $39.99 version, but something close to the $19.99.
At $14.99 this was not really worth this amount at all. I didn't choose the #C-51B wraparound foil version at $19.99, as I thought this was not really a facsimile then.
But this one looks and feels like a photocopy, the paper quality could just be a cheap photocopy of the 1977 original.
On top of this, the cover is some 1 mm short, both top and bottom. And I've seen others having the same issue.
I don't get how this could pass quality control, especially at the $14.99 price tag. In any way this is simply a disappointment.
I have pre-ordered the Superman vs. Muhammad Ali DC Treasury Facsimile Edition as well, and really don't look forward to this.
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TI...
May 15, 2024
The first two appearances of Ra's al Ghul. 1 issue intro and a 3 issue story. Drawn by Neal Adams (expect for one issue) but that missing issue is also inked by Dick Giordano and while not as good as Adams doesn't stand out much.
Oversized on newsprint, DC nailed the reprint in my opinion. Although $20 is a lot of inflation since the original $2!
Ra's al Ghul hasn't ever been a character I've had much interest in. This introduction is pretty by the numbers but a nice way to read some Neal Adams Batman.
Oversized on newsprint, DC nailed the reprint in my opinion. Although $20 is a lot of inflation since the original $2!
Ra's al Ghul hasn't ever been a character I've had much interest in. This introduction is pretty by the numbers but a nice way to read some Neal Adams Batman.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews