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Batman: The Golden Age #4
Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 4 (Detective Comics
American popular culture has produced few heroic figures as famous and enduring as that of the Batman. The dark, mysterious hero who debuted in 1939’s DETECTIVE COMICS #27 as the lone “Bat-man” quickly grew into the legend of the Caped Crusader. After his landmark debut and origin story, the Dark Knight was given many seminal elements, including his partner in crime-fighting Robin, the Boy Wonder, and such adversaries as the Joker, Two-Face and the Scarecrow.
This fourth volume of BATMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE collects the Dark Knight Detective’s adventures from BATMAN #12-15, DETECTIVE COMICS #66-74 and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #7-9.
This fourth volume of BATMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE collects the Dark Knight Detective’s adventures from BATMAN #12-15, DETECTIVE COMICS #66-74 and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #7-9.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2018
About the author
Bill Finger
657 books111 followersWilliam "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.
-Wikipedia
Film and television credits include scripting The Green Slime (1969), Track of the Moon Beast (1976), and three episodes of 77 Sunset Strip.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 26, 2026
I’m all alone now… shunned… like a shameful thing… a criminal! Wouldn’t take much to make me one now… a trick of fate perhaps… a flip of a coin…
A lot of Golden Age villains started as gimmicks and lasted one issue. The Clock Maker, Puppet Master, Karl Kruger – those names probably don’t ring any bells. There’s no doubt that Bill Finger and company put thought into creating them, but they didn’t know if these guys would have a life beyond their first appearances. Two-Face is one of those gimmick villains, like Joker and Catwoman, who has stood the test of time. Ask anybody today to name three Batman villains, and Two-Face will likely be on that list.
Two-Face has always fascinated me, and I was looking forward to reading his debut. His story is a tragic one. A handsome, upstanding district attorney, Harvey Kent (later Dent) presents evidence against Boss Moroni during a court trial. Moroni, in a rage, throws acid at Harvey, permanently scarring half his face. After being shunned by his wife and lamenting his own appearance, Harvey becomes obsessed with duality and goes insane. He uses a coin to make all decisions, thus beginning his life of crime.
The two (heh heh) Two-Face’s stories in this collection define the character very well. He’s unpredictable and possessed. His house is perfectly divided into “beautiful” and “ugly” sides. He yells at his henchman for installing a mirror in his house. With a flip of his coin, he’ll donate money to charity. Flip it again, and he’ll raid a double decker bus and a double feature theater, murdering a few innocents along the way. The Jekyll and Hyde influence is obvious, if a little too on-the-nose. But that doesn’t make Two-Face any less compelling a character, one I think is just as compelling as Golden Age Joker. Which is why I was surprised to learn he only has five appearances before 1960. I understand that it wasn’t until the 70s and 80s when he became a mainstay, and I wonder why Golden Age creators didn’t use him as often. Perhaps he simply wasn’t that popular, or the looming Comics Code forced them to let him go?
Speaking of mainstays, the Joker has some noteworthy appearances. Twice he specifically targets Batman, whereas before he would commit crimes and Batman and Robin would find and stop him. I know later Batman writers highlight the idea that Joker is obsessed and even in love with Batman. Maybe this is where that beat originates.
Another recurring thread in these stories is the kindness of the Dynamic Duo. Don’t get me wrong – they’ve always looked out for the little guy and went out of their way to boost the righteous. But here they bring Christmas gifts to lonely Gothamites and enroll a homeless boy in the city’s best private school. Nowadays we might be used to the grim, hardened Batman who doesn’t smile, but it’s nice to see him and Robin portrayed in this genuine way.
A final note: Golden Age comics may seem unreadable today. The cheesy banter, clunky exposition, unnecessary narration, and slapdash art style are far removed from what modern readers are used to. At the same time, they’re the start of superhero storytelling, and contain many threads that connect to modern comics. In the case of Batman, the core elements of his character begin here. If you put yourself in the right mindset, these stories can be fun. If nothing else, it’s cool to see Batman and his world come to be, and to read those first appearances. The Golden Age is a crucial part of Batman’s history. Even though the stories will most likely fall flat to modern readers, their creativity and contributions to Batman and his world are undeniable.
Stray observations:
Aside from the Two-Face stories, my favorite is “The Batman Plays a Lone Hand”. Bruce, angrily and out of character, kicks Dick out the mansion. After wandering the streets in a state of distress, Dick goes to help his partner, later realizing that Batman was protecting him all along from criminals who vowed to kill Robin. The ending was adorable.
I’ve grown to love the introductions for each issue. They started out as paragraphs proclaiming the awesomeness of Batman and Robin, and morphed into epic teases for what’s to come in the story.
Several stories outwardly reference World War II, with one issue using it a main plot point. Comics, unlike books or films, have a very fast creation to publication rate; creators can comment in timely fashion on the news of the day. Batman’s writers and artists certainly took advantage of that, if only to drum up support and ask for readers to buy war bonds.
Batman has become a popular national figure within his stories. People come out to celebrate Batman Day, and he gives crime-fighting lectures at a packed theater. Good for him! But c’mon – shouldn’t they have called it Batman and Robin Day?
Batman and Robin do forensic detective work in a few instances. So far their detective work has involved thinking out loud and snooping, but they actually have to examine evidence in the lab.
Dick meets Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman, and Joe DiMaggio in Batman 13.
Speaking of Dick, apparently he’s a student because Bruce is always on his case about homework. But I haven’t actually seen him at school.
Catwoman falls in love with Bruce Wayne, briefly becoming engaged to him, in a funny issue that furthers their relationship.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee debut in Detective Comics 74. I didn’t know much about them, other than that they’ve lasted through the Modern Age. I didn’t find them all that memorable here.
I haven’t commented on the art in these Golden Age comics. On the whole, I think it’s gotten better since Detective 27, specifically with regards to facial expressions and backgrounds. There are clearer close-ups and a better sense of space in this collection.
Along with the batmobile, batplane, batarang, and batrope, Batman has a batpoon (bat-harpoon) in World’s Finest 9. Probably my favorite of his instruments yet.
A lot of Golden Age villains started as gimmicks and lasted one issue. The Clock Maker, Puppet Master, Karl Kruger – those names probably don’t ring any bells. There’s no doubt that Bill Finger and company put thought into creating them, but they didn’t know if these guys would have a life beyond their first appearances. Two-Face is one of those gimmick villains, like Joker and Catwoman, who has stood the test of time. Ask anybody today to name three Batman villains, and Two-Face will likely be on that list.
Two-Face has always fascinated me, and I was looking forward to reading his debut. His story is a tragic one. A handsome, upstanding district attorney, Harvey Kent (later Dent) presents evidence against Boss Moroni during a court trial. Moroni, in a rage, throws acid at Harvey, permanently scarring half his face. After being shunned by his wife and lamenting his own appearance, Harvey becomes obsessed with duality and goes insane. He uses a coin to make all decisions, thus beginning his life of crime.
The two (heh heh) Two-Face’s stories in this collection define the character very well. He’s unpredictable and possessed. His house is perfectly divided into “beautiful” and “ugly” sides. He yells at his henchman for installing a mirror in his house. With a flip of his coin, he’ll donate money to charity. Flip it again, and he’ll raid a double decker bus and a double feature theater, murdering a few innocents along the way. The Jekyll and Hyde influence is obvious, if a little too on-the-nose. But that doesn’t make Two-Face any less compelling a character, one I think is just as compelling as Golden Age Joker. Which is why I was surprised to learn he only has five appearances before 1960. I understand that it wasn’t until the 70s and 80s when he became a mainstay, and I wonder why Golden Age creators didn’t use him as often. Perhaps he simply wasn’t that popular, or the looming Comics Code forced them to let him go?
Speaking of mainstays, the Joker has some noteworthy appearances. Twice he specifically targets Batman, whereas before he would commit crimes and Batman and Robin would find and stop him. I know later Batman writers highlight the idea that Joker is obsessed and even in love with Batman. Maybe this is where that beat originates.
Another recurring thread in these stories is the kindness of the Dynamic Duo. Don’t get me wrong – they’ve always looked out for the little guy and went out of their way to boost the righteous. But here they bring Christmas gifts to lonely Gothamites and enroll a homeless boy in the city’s best private school. Nowadays we might be used to the grim, hardened Batman who doesn’t smile, but it’s nice to see him and Robin portrayed in this genuine way.
A final note: Golden Age comics may seem unreadable today. The cheesy banter, clunky exposition, unnecessary narration, and slapdash art style are far removed from what modern readers are used to. At the same time, they’re the start of superhero storytelling, and contain many threads that connect to modern comics. In the case of Batman, the core elements of his character begin here. If you put yourself in the right mindset, these stories can be fun. If nothing else, it’s cool to see Batman and his world come to be, and to read those first appearances. The Golden Age is a crucial part of Batman’s history. Even though the stories will most likely fall flat to modern readers, their creativity and contributions to Batman and his world are undeniable.
Stray observations:
Aside from the Two-Face stories, my favorite is “The Batman Plays a Lone Hand”. Bruce, angrily and out of character, kicks Dick out the mansion. After wandering the streets in a state of distress, Dick goes to help his partner, later realizing that Batman was protecting him all along from criminals who vowed to kill Robin. The ending was adorable.
I’ve grown to love the introductions for each issue. They started out as paragraphs proclaiming the awesomeness of Batman and Robin, and morphed into epic teases for what’s to come in the story.
Several stories outwardly reference World War II, with one issue using it a main plot point. Comics, unlike books or films, have a very fast creation to publication rate; creators can comment in timely fashion on the news of the day. Batman’s writers and artists certainly took advantage of that, if only to drum up support and ask for readers to buy war bonds.
Batman has become a popular national figure within his stories. People come out to celebrate Batman Day, and he gives crime-fighting lectures at a packed theater. Good for him! But c’mon – shouldn’t they have called it Batman and Robin Day?
Batman and Robin do forensic detective work in a few instances. So far their detective work has involved thinking out loud and snooping, but they actually have to examine evidence in the lab.
Dick meets Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman, and Joe DiMaggio in Batman 13.
Speaking of Dick, apparently he’s a student because Bruce is always on his case about homework. But I haven’t actually seen him at school.
Catwoman falls in love with Bruce Wayne, briefly becoming engaged to him, in a funny issue that furthers their relationship.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee debut in Detective Comics 74. I didn’t know much about them, other than that they’ve lasted through the Modern Age. I didn’t find them all that memorable here.
I haven’t commented on the art in these Golden Age comics. On the whole, I think it’s gotten better since Detective 27, specifically with regards to facial expressions and backgrounds. There are clearer close-ups and a better sense of space in this collection.
Along with the batmobile, batplane, batarang, and batrope, Batman has a batpoon (bat-harpoon) in World’s Finest 9. Probably my favorite of his instruments yet.
May 9, 2020
This was not the first time Batman spanked Robin, though that first time *was* for his birthday.
March 21, 2022
I prefer the classics when all Batman and Robin did was punch people and sell war bonds.
February 19, 2020
One of the first Batman stories from the golden age of comics that I ever read, "The Loneliest Men in the World," is in this volume. I first read it in the '70s when it was reprinted as a backup story in an issue of BATMAN. Still a favorite after all these years.
A lot of good stories in this volume, including the first appearances of Two-Face and Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
A lot of good stories in this volume, including the first appearances of Two-Face and Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews