Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 8

Batman: The Golden Age #Omnibus #8

by Bill Finger, Jim Mooney (Illustrator), Dick Sprang (Illustrator)

Batman's adventures from the early 1950s are collected for the first time in new hardcover omnibus series, continuing here with Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 8.

These Batman stories from the early 1950s are dominated by the Gotham City underworld, the mysteries of Batman's own crime-fighting techniques and Batman's foes The Joker, Two-Face, the Penguin and Catwoman. Along the way, Batman and Robin venture into the underworld bank, meet the underworld crime committee, explore an undersea hideout for criminals and investigate a rash of robberies in the Batcave. Plus, The Joker starts a newspaper of crime, Catwoman meets the King of Cats and the Penguin claims to go straight by opening an umbrella shop.

Collects the Batman stories/covers from Batman #67-75, Detective Comics #175-191 and World's Finest Comics #54-62.

Genres: Batman, Dc Comics, Comics, Graphic Novels

680 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1953

About the author

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.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Sam Goyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories are simplistic and convoluted, but there’s an innocent charm to these early Batman and Robin stories that make them fun and engaging.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with any comics more than 60 years old, YMMV. And Batman's so much more down-to-Earth in this era, I can't imagine what someone who knows only 21st century's "Bat-god" would make of it.
Villainwise, the 1950s were a weird period. Catwoman had reformed (she does get one story in this collection, "The King of the Cats," that I've wanted to read for years), Penguin only appeared occasionally so we had the Joker and multiple one-shot costumed hoods (the Human Magnet, Mr. Hydro and the Executioner — who's in one of the volume's best stories). However we have weird Gotham City clubs and organizations (the False Face Club, the Bullet-Hole Club), some cunning schemes and "The Joker's Millions" which is an oddball classic. So if there's a V9, I'm ready with my money.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

1951-3 gems include Joker makes a jackass of Dynamic Duo, Mr. Velvet & Charlatan debut, inheritance tax drives Joker back to crime, & Catking, Robocop, Mr. Cipher, Firefly, jungle Batman, Flying Batcave, Reverse Two-Face, Joker utility belt, Executioner, & Gorilla Boss debut