Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 9

by Bill Finger

Forged in the crucible of tragedy, the iconic figure known as Batman quickly became one of the most popular and enduring characters in modern fiction. With his teenage partner, Robin, at his side, Batman has dedicated his life to fighting crime in whatever form it takes!

The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 9 gathers together more than 600 pages of never-before-collected stories from the early 1950s, featuring groundbreaking work by such legendary talents as Dick Sprang, Bill Finger, Jim Mooney, Lew Sayre Schwartz, David Vern Reed, Bob Kane, and more. In these thrilling adventures from the pages of Batman #76-85, Detective Comics #192-210 and World's Finest Comics #63-70, the Dynamic Duo defends Gotham City from iconic villains like the Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, and Catwoman—and the first appearance of the Human Target and a visitor from Mars that is the precursor to Martian Manhunter!

Genres: Batman, Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels

672 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1954

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

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe 4.5. The quality isn't quite as high as previous volumes, and Batman's Rogue's Gallery is oddly used. The Joker sees steady work, but the Penguin only appears once; Two-Face returns to action, then disappears for more than a decade; and Catwoman likewise returns for a short string of stories (her last story for years comes right after this volume wraps up).
On the other hand, the book has a number of ingenious schemes — The Man Who Could Change Fingerprints has been a favorite of mine for years and The Secret Weapons of the Crimesmith is similarly clever. I don't know how they'd play for someone who's used to more modern comics (the characters don't change and personal drama is non-existent) but I remain a fan of this era.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

1953-4 gems include Phantom Eye debuts, Joker goes Perry White, Penguin’s Roccoptor, Hugo Marmon the original Bat & Roh Kar debut, kilted & invisible Bat, Eloise Leach, Human Target, & Catsignal debut, Two-Face rides two pale horses, Cte. St. Germain imposter, Bat goes bird, Miagani debut, Bat bowls, Trapper debuts, witch Cat, Batman Who Laughs, & Brain that Ruled Gotham

[Sam Goyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some clever plots make this a must read for Batman fans.