What do you think?
Rate this book
Legends of the Dark Knight: Jose Luis Garcia Lopez: HC - Hardcover
José Luis García-López’s iconic depictions of DC’s characters defined a generation—and he’s illustrated some of the most immediately recognizable tales of the Dark Knight!
This incredible hardcover collection is a can't miss for any fan of José Luis García-López incredible work! Legends of the Dark José Luis García-López contains Batman #272, #311, #313, #314, #318, #321, #336-337, and #353, Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1, Batman Confidental #26-28, Family #3, Dark Knight of the Round Table #1-2, Gotham Knights #10, Reign of Terror #1, DC Comics Presents #31 and #41, DC Special Series #21, Detective Comics #454, #458-459, #483, and #487, The Best of the Brave and the Bold #1-6, The Brave and the Bold #164 and #171, The Joker #4, The Untold Legend of the Batman #1-3, and World's Finest Comics #244, #255, and #258.
This incredible hardcover collection is a can't miss for any fan of José Luis García-López incredible work! Legends of the Dark José Luis García-López contains Batman #272, #311, #313, #314, #318, #321, #336-337, and #353, Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1, Batman Confidental #26-28, Family #3, Dark Knight of the Round Table #1-2, Gotham Knights #10, Reign of Terror #1, DC Comics Presents #31 and #41, DC Special Series #21, Detective Comics #454, #458-459, #483, and #487, The Best of the Brave and the Bold #1-6, The Brave and the Bold #164 and #171, The Joker #4, The Untold Legend of the Batman #1-3, and World's Finest Comics #244, #255, and #258.
472 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2023
12 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
José Luis García-López
321 books34 followersJosé Luis García-López was born in Spain in 1948 but moved to live in Argentina. In the Sixties he worked for Charlton Comics and in 1974 he moved to New York where he met DC editor Joe Orlando. He began to draw interiors, but mostly covers, for Superman, Batman, Hawkman, Tarzan and Jonah Hex amongst others. He is primarily known for his work on the DC Superheroes style guide, which has graced numerous and sundry products over the last thirty years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 28, 2023
Legends of the Dark Knight: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez collects a lot of JLGL material from Batman and Batman-adjacent books.
So like a lot of guys my age, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's art was all over DC's licensed products when I was a kid so he's an icon to me. This weighty tome collects stories from the Bat books plus World's Finest, The Brave and the Bold, and even a couple DC Comics Presents issues, as well as newer titles like Batman Confidential, Batman '66, and Batman: Reign of Terror.
I'd read most of the 1970s and 1980s stuff before it they were still good. The eye openers were from later decades. Reign of Terror tells the story of a Batman during the French revolution and is gorgeous, a reminded of what a disservice the Big Two do to artists by only having super hero comics. The three part King Tut story in Batman Confidential was my favorite part of the book, teaming Batman and the Riddler for King Tut's first appearance in the main continuity. The lost episode of Batman '66 was another good one. JLGL draws a great Adam West.
Four out of five Batarangs.
So like a lot of guys my age, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's art was all over DC's licensed products when I was a kid so he's an icon to me. This weighty tome collects stories from the Bat books plus World's Finest, The Brave and the Bold, and even a couple DC Comics Presents issues, as well as newer titles like Batman Confidential, Batman '66, and Batman: Reign of Terror.
I'd read most of the 1970s and 1980s stuff before it they were still good. The eye openers were from later decades. Reign of Terror tells the story of a Batman during the French revolution and is gorgeous, a reminded of what a disservice the Big Two do to artists by only having super hero comics. The three part King Tut story in Batman Confidential was my favorite part of the book, teaming Batman and the Riddler for King Tut's first appearance in the main continuity. The lost episode of Batman '66 was another good one. JLGL draws a great Adam West.
Four out of five Batarangs.
January 10, 2024
Like most artist-centric collections, this one's a bit of a mixed bag. Turns out that, for one of the most skilled and iconic artists to ever join the DC staff, José Luis García-López got paired up with a LOT of middling-to-terrible writers and scripts in his heyday. The first half of this collection is almost entirely generic pablum that's barely worth reading.
Thankfully, there are a FEW hidden gems scattered throughout. It opens with a great story by Gerry Conway that introduces one of his more bonkers original villains (the Snowman, as in "Abominable"). It also closes out with Batman '66: The Lost Episode-- a comic based on Harlan Ellison's unused outline for a Two-Face episode of the classic live-action series.
But probably the BEST find in this volume is a three-issue arc from the millenial Batman Confidential anthology, which introduces a radically re-imagined version of King Tut (a kitschy original villain from... well, Batman '66) and features a delightful team-up between Batman and the Riddler. It's a fun, low-stakes adventure that makes Tut into a surprisingly engaging (and threatening) baddie; it's kind of a shame this is his only appearance.
The artwork is phenomenal, and García-López is a legend... I just wish he'd gotten better scripts to illustrate.
Thankfully, there are a FEW hidden gems scattered throughout. It opens with a great story by Gerry Conway that introduces one of his more bonkers original villains (the Snowman, as in "Abominable"). It also closes out with Batman '66: The Lost Episode-- a comic based on Harlan Ellison's unused outline for a Two-Face episode of the classic live-action series.
But probably the BEST find in this volume is a three-issue arc from the millenial Batman Confidential anthology, which introduces a radically re-imagined version of King Tut (a kitschy original villain from... well, Batman '66) and features a delightful team-up between Batman and the Riddler. It's a fun, low-stakes adventure that makes Tut into a surprisingly engaging (and threatening) baddie; it's kind of a shame this is his only appearance.
The artwork is phenomenal, and García-López is a legend... I just wish he'd gotten better scripts to illustrate.
April 30, 2023
You buy this for Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's artand you will not be disappointed. This is a master of his craft and I am so glad DC put some collections together showcasing his work. there were two previous Superman collections of his art and I would rate this as the best of the three.
Why 4 instead of five stars? Because even when DC puts together a nice collection they still are idiots. Why do I say that? Because the idiots put in some World's Finest tales from the Superman collections in this one. Yes - they have both Superman and Batman but you are buying this for the art so you probably have those other collections and it is an obvious double dip they could have avoided. Worse they have some DC Present stories that FOCUS on Superman (and are included in his collections - more double dipping) but there was no reason to put them in this collection - they feature Robin and Joker (not Batman). If they weren't in the Superman collections - sure - throw them in but since they ARE there why are you making me pay twice for them? Grr, DC. You are horrid.
As a side note - they also changed the spine on the book so it doesn't match the other collections. Why do companies do this (Marvel does too)? Because they are jerks.
Okay - let's focus on the positive. You get some Batman stories from the 70's and 80's which are very solid tales. I loved how they really focused on Batman as a detective. Something I feel that is lost in current stories that turn him into a magical ninja. The Batman from the old era could actually get punched. These stories aren't high art but they are lots of fun. Sadly Vince Colletta inked some of these and his inks - as usual - overwhelm the penciller's art and we lose that Jose magic.
You get a Joker tale (why?) which would be fun if it wasn't for the fact Black Canary is kidnapped by the Joker and seems to forget she is a super hero herself and has to wait for Green Arrow to rescue her. Ick. The misogynistic tales of yesteryear do not age well.
But the standout tales at the post 2000 stories. One an Elseworld tale of the French revolution. I don't know that era of history well so I am not sure why I was supposed ot be cheering for one side over the other but it was fun and the art from Jose - due to the better colouring and paper of that era - never looked better.
Continuing on with the art is a Batman Confidential three parter with Jose being inked by artist supreme Kevin Nowlan. Normally I prefer an inker who highlights Jose's pencils (like when Jose inks himself - or Dick Giordano) But Kevin is so amazing I don't mind when his style comes through. And the story is a lot of fun - with King Tut (from the Batman TV show) being reimagined as a villain for modern times. But I have a huge complaint for that story. There is a key character - a female - who gets mentioned only by her first name in the first part and had BLACK hair (in a bun) . Then she shows up in the second part only being called by her last name and has BROWN hair (flowing loose). So, as a reader - there is no way to connect them as the same woman. And in part three she is black haired again and changes her hairstyle yet again. Does DC even have editors?
The last story is an okay story from the Batman 66 (stories that have the Adam West Batman). The story is fine and the art is amazing. My only question is why it is based on a story from Harlan Ellison. The story is not very clever so I am not sure why he needed to pitch it. It involves Two-Face and his coin ending up on its edge when he flips it. That idea showed up in an old 1950's Two Face story so it is hardly original.
Overall - if you don't have the Superman collections from Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and love his art - I would say this is the one to get.
I am hoping against hope we get one last collection about this artist that has stories he drew that weren't Batman or Superman centric. I doubt it because DC thinks those are the names that sell graphic novels. They might be right but I would love it. Jose is one of my favourite comic book artists of all time and I will buy any collection with his art - even if it *sigh* double dips.
Why 4 instead of five stars? Because even when DC puts together a nice collection they still are idiots. Why do I say that? Because the idiots put in some World's Finest tales from the Superman collections in this one. Yes - they have both Superman and Batman but you are buying this for the art so you probably have those other collections and it is an obvious double dip they could have avoided. Worse they have some DC Present stories that FOCUS on Superman (and are included in his collections - more double dipping) but there was no reason to put them in this collection - they feature Robin and Joker (not Batman). If they weren't in the Superman collections - sure - throw them in but since they ARE there why are you making me pay twice for them? Grr, DC. You are horrid.
As a side note - they also changed the spine on the book so it doesn't match the other collections. Why do companies do this (Marvel does too)? Because they are jerks.
Okay - let's focus on the positive. You get some Batman stories from the 70's and 80's which are very solid tales. I loved how they really focused on Batman as a detective. Something I feel that is lost in current stories that turn him into a magical ninja. The Batman from the old era could actually get punched. These stories aren't high art but they are lots of fun. Sadly Vince Colletta inked some of these and his inks - as usual - overwhelm the penciller's art and we lose that Jose magic.
You get a Joker tale (why?) which would be fun if it wasn't for the fact Black Canary is kidnapped by the Joker and seems to forget she is a super hero herself and has to wait for Green Arrow to rescue her. Ick. The misogynistic tales of yesteryear do not age well.
But the standout tales at the post 2000 stories. One an Elseworld tale of the French revolution. I don't know that era of history well so I am not sure why I was supposed ot be cheering for one side over the other but it was fun and the art from Jose - due to the better colouring and paper of that era - never looked better.
Continuing on with the art is a Batman Confidential three parter with Jose being inked by artist supreme Kevin Nowlan. Normally I prefer an inker who highlights Jose's pencils (like when Jose inks himself - or Dick Giordano) But Kevin is so amazing I don't mind when his style comes through. And the story is a lot of fun - with King Tut (from the Batman TV show) being reimagined as a villain for modern times. But I have a huge complaint for that story. There is a key character - a female - who gets mentioned only by her first name in the first part and had BLACK hair (in a bun) . Then she shows up in the second part only being called by her last name and has BROWN hair (flowing loose). So, as a reader - there is no way to connect them as the same woman. And in part three she is black haired again and changes her hairstyle yet again. Does DC even have editors?
The last story is an okay story from the Batman 66 (stories that have the Adam West Batman). The story is fine and the art is amazing. My only question is why it is based on a story from Harlan Ellison. The story is not very clever so I am not sure why he needed to pitch it. It involves Two-Face and his coin ending up on its edge when he flips it. That idea showed up in an old 1950's Two Face story so it is hardly original.
Overall - if you don't have the Superman collections from Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and love his art - I would say this is the one to get.
I am hoping against hope we get one last collection about this artist that has stories he drew that weren't Batman or Superman centric. I doubt it because DC thinks those are the names that sell graphic novels. They might be right but I would love it. Jose is one of my favourite comic book artists of all time and I will buy any collection with his art - even if it *sigh* double dips.
October 3, 2023
He's in my top ten artists of all time. Good stuff. Not as polished as he Atari Force or Twilight work, but still a great look at his beginnings.
December 3, 2025
bronze age stuff was 🔥
rest was eh
rest was eh
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews