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Batman
Batman: The Black Casebook
In these stories from the 1950s and 1960s, The Caped Crusader becomes the super-powered hero of the distant Planet X and an unintelligent creature who threatens Gotham City. He also meets the Club of Heroes, the Batmen of All Nations and the inter-dimensional imp known as Bat-Mite, as well as witnessing the seeming death of Robin.
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2009
15 people are currently reading
889 people want to read
About the author
Bill Finger
644 books105 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
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 22, 2013
I thought 2013 wold be the year in which I tackled Proust. Instead it became the year I read Neil Gaiman's Sandman Omnibus and now, I'm about to undertake Grant Morrison's R.I.P. Batman series.
Required reading for the R.I.P. Batman series is Batman: The Black Casebook. It’s a scant 144 page trade paperback — flat colors printed on off-white newsprint to capture the feel of 50's comics — with reprints of the stories Morrison used as research for Batman’s history in R.I.P. He focused on the most outlandish of the 1950s comics, filled with atomic fear, aliens, personality switches, and anxiety. It’s a wonderful book in a lot of ways
I was warned about the campy content throughout The Black Casebook (Robin is a wimpy crybaby in green bikini bottoms), but I thought that it would be worth it as context for amazing work Grant Morrison has done on his run with Batman. In that sense it absolutely was. Morrison lays out for his readers some really interesting precedents for what he’s doing, drawing from the deepest recesses of Batman’s past. I love the idea that Morrison treats the disavowed history of the character as canonical. He simultaneously re-imagines the history of the property by bringing those stories back into print.
Morrison is a smart writer who cleverly weaves Batman's past, present and future together in R.I.P. Batman by drawing on from the stories in The Black Casebook. If only other writers were brave enough to do the same with iconic comic book heroes -- Captain America, Spiderman, Superman and Doctor Strange immediately come to mind. In the end, The Black Case book harkens back to a time when there was joy in the silliness of superhero comics and life was so much simpler.
Required reading for the R.I.P. Batman series is Batman: The Black Casebook. It’s a scant 144 page trade paperback — flat colors printed on off-white newsprint to capture the feel of 50's comics — with reprints of the stories Morrison used as research for Batman’s history in R.I.P. He focused on the most outlandish of the 1950s comics, filled with atomic fear, aliens, personality switches, and anxiety. It’s a wonderful book in a lot of ways
I was warned about the campy content throughout The Black Casebook (Robin is a wimpy crybaby in green bikini bottoms), but I thought that it would be worth it as context for amazing work Grant Morrison has done on his run with Batman. In that sense it absolutely was. Morrison lays out for his readers some really interesting precedents for what he’s doing, drawing from the deepest recesses of Batman’s past. I love the idea that Morrison treats the disavowed history of the character as canonical. He simultaneously re-imagines the history of the property by bringing those stories back into print.
Morrison is a smart writer who cleverly weaves Batman's past, present and future together in R.I.P. Batman by drawing on from the stories in The Black Casebook. If only other writers were brave enough to do the same with iconic comic book heroes -- Captain America, Spiderman, Superman and Doctor Strange immediately come to mind. In the end, The Black Case book harkens back to a time when there was joy in the silliness of superhero comics and life was so much simpler.
March 24, 2011
Don't let the title fool you, the dark cover doesn't hide anything that could possibly claim to be noir. To reveal the contents of this book I have to relate two words that when combined are enough to drive even the most rabid and nostalgia obsessed Batman fan into the depths of denial. Those two words are: Batman & 1950s. Unless you're gathering material for a thesis on Batman R.I.P., or just interested in comic book history I don't see many reasons to recommend this book. There's a nice intro by Grant Morrison detailing how these stories shaped and influenced his penning of Batman R.I.P. (though even he admits how reviled this era has become). Each of the stories has at least one element, be it an image, an idea or a concept that he drew on for the work. The first Batman (Thomas Wayne), Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Batmite, Club of Heroes, Dr. Hurt etc. It's all here and more in day-glo, beamy grinned cheesiness.
December 6, 2022
I read this one because it was written on the web somewhere that it was a sort of sourcebook for the Grant Morrison Batman cycle. The stories were pretty uneven in quality, some were ok, and others were, well, not great. Probably not essential reading unless you are a bit obsessive-compulsive about Batman...
July 16, 2025
rough read. really just can’t get into silver age stuff but rainbow batman was fun and so was the worlds finest issue.
March 31, 2015
You can't fully appreciate a legacy as vast as Batman's without taking a look at his early stories. This book is filled with stories of Batman's early years, written by Bob Kane. It's interesting to see the stories that inspired Grant Morrison's run on Batman in combination with his introduction that further explains why and how each story inspired him. I'm now going to start reading Morrison's run. I haven't read it yet as I had and still have a very long to read list. But now it's time for some more Batman. And I'm glad I began with this book. I'm curious to see how Grant Morrison uses the stories in the Black Casebook in his run. After reading some of the older stories with the classic art, it will be a big difference reading modern Batman stories with modern art.
The storytelling, the art and the coloring are great! I love the first page of each issue. Each of these introductory pages is a little summary of the story to come. I always loved how the golden age and silver age comics made use of this.
Every one who is about to read Morrison's run or already has read his run, should read this book.
The storytelling, the art and the coloring are great! I love the first page of each issue. Each of these introductory pages is a little summary of the story to come. I always loved how the golden age and silver age comics made use of this.
Every one who is about to read Morrison's run or already has read his run, should read this book.
October 2, 2010
This is a difficult collection to rate. On one hand, I think the introduction by Grant Morrison explaining how these 50s and 60s Batman comics served as inspiration for his (in)famous Batman run makes them worth reading once. And Morrison's introduction also serves a nice reminder that creatively interpreting fiction (and non) can lead to interesting results and inspiration.
However, these are 50s and 60s Batman comics when the series was at the height of absurdity and camp. The writing is repetitive, using the technique of SHOWING and TELLING that I hate so much. Obviously, written for a younger market than a lot of current DC and Batman comics are written for.
So, Grant Morrison's reframing of these seemingly random issues = cool. The issues themselves, not so much.
However, these are 50s and 60s Batman comics when the series was at the height of absurdity and camp. The writing is repetitive, using the technique of SHOWING and TELLING that I hate so much. Obviously, written for a younger market than a lot of current DC and Batman comics are written for.
So, Grant Morrison's reframing of these seemingly random issues = cool. The issues themselves, not so much.
August 8, 2010
On their own, the stories average about 2 stars each. As a collected record of Batman's goofy 1950s period, it gets bumped up to 3 stars for novelty value. But treated as either a prologue or an appendix to Grant Morrison's Batman comics (particularly "The Black Glove" and "Batman R.I.P."), and these stories take on a newfound relevance and a nightmarish quality in context.
January 10, 2022
Cara que loucura que eu li aqui. Só doidera e história sem sentido do Batman kkkkkkkk Mas são divertidas, valem a pena serem lidas para ter ideia de como o Grant Morrison irá utilizar os conceitos na sua fase.
Também é interessante ver o prelúdio do que viria a ser a corporação Batman. Temos uma história aqui que mostra os primeiros Batmen de Todas as Nações
Também é interessante ver o prelúdio do que viria a ser a corporação Batman. Temos uma história aqui que mostra os primeiros Batmen de Todas as Nações
June 19, 2017
Bill Finger is the proverbial "heartbeat" of Batman. Bob Kane was an absolute "dick" not giving this man the credit he so richly deserved. Kane died in the comfort of wealth. Finger died poor and alone. Batman would have something to say about THAT, I'm sure. Great writer!
December 1, 2025
Durante a leitura de uma obra marcada por grande distância temporal (sobretudo quando pensamos em uma modalidade artística cuja linguagem ainda estava em pleno desenvolvimento), é preciso reconhecer que esse contato não funciona se a obra for lida a partir de critérios contemporâneos. Seria anacrônico esperar, por exemplo, a mesma fluidez narrativa ou o mesmo grau de sofisticação na decupagem de página, no uso das angulações, na articulação entre texto e imagem ou no tratamento das tramas que caracterizam os quadrinhos produzidos hoje.
Dito isso, Arquivo de Casos Inexplicáveis, ou The Black Casebook, revela-se uma leitura bastante interessante. A edição reúne 12 histórias, das quais sete foram desenvolvidas por Bill Finger, um dos criadores originais do Batman, publicadas entre 1951 e 1964. O volume permite observar com clareza como a linguagem dos quadrinhos de super-heróis norte-americanos desse período difere da atual.
Há uma redundância frequente entre aquilo que é mostrado nos quadros e o que é verbalizado por personagens ou pelos recordatórios. O texto escrito cumpre, muitas vezes, um papel bastante explicativo, mesmo em situações nas quais a informação já é plenamente perceptível no plano visual. Soma-se a isso um tom mais aventuresco do que propriamente detetivesco, no caso do Batman, com enredos que por vezes soam ingênuos, ou mesmo pueris, quando comparados aos padrões narrativos contemporâneos.
Ainda assim, há histórias bastante instigantes. Algumas trabalham com elementos como alucinações ou crises psicológicas do morcegoso, inclusive em um período já marcado pela vigência do Comics Code Authority. E são justamente roteiros assinados por Bill Finger, o que afasta qualquer leitura que atribua tais desvios de tom a “deturpações” promovidas por equipes criativas posteriores ou externas ao núcleo original do personagem.
A leitura deste volume me deu vontade de reler as três primeiras encadernações da fase de Grant Morrison no Batman,que dialogam fortemente com muitos dos elementos dessas histórias reunidas em Arquivo de Casos Inexplicáveis, e também prosseguir na leitura dessa fase até o fim, algo que acabei não fazendo quando ela foi originalmente publicada, no final dos anos 2000.
Dito isso, Arquivo de Casos Inexplicáveis, ou The Black Casebook, revela-se uma leitura bastante interessante. A edição reúne 12 histórias, das quais sete foram desenvolvidas por Bill Finger, um dos criadores originais do Batman, publicadas entre 1951 e 1964. O volume permite observar com clareza como a linguagem dos quadrinhos de super-heróis norte-americanos desse período difere da atual.
Há uma redundância frequente entre aquilo que é mostrado nos quadros e o que é verbalizado por personagens ou pelos recordatórios. O texto escrito cumpre, muitas vezes, um papel bastante explicativo, mesmo em situações nas quais a informação já é plenamente perceptível no plano visual. Soma-se a isso um tom mais aventuresco do que propriamente detetivesco, no caso do Batman, com enredos que por vezes soam ingênuos, ou mesmo pueris, quando comparados aos padrões narrativos contemporâneos.
Ainda assim, há histórias bastante instigantes. Algumas trabalham com elementos como alucinações ou crises psicológicas do morcegoso, inclusive em um período já marcado pela vigência do Comics Code Authority. E são justamente roteiros assinados por Bill Finger, o que afasta qualquer leitura que atribua tais desvios de tom a “deturpações” promovidas por equipes criativas posteriores ou externas ao núcleo original do personagem.
A leitura deste volume me deu vontade de reler as três primeiras encadernações da fase de Grant Morrison no Batman,que dialogam fortemente com muitos dos elementos dessas histórias reunidas em Arquivo de Casos Inexplicáveis, e também prosseguir na leitura dessa fase até o fim, algo que acabei não fazendo quando ela foi originalmente publicada, no final dos anos 2000.
October 4, 2013
Some time before this collection, there was a collection published entitled Batman in the Fifties. That book collected Batman stories from the 1950s with emphasis on the weirdness and embarrassment of some of them. This book also collects stories from that era, some of the same stories even. There's plenty of weirdness; but here there is no embarrassment. Grant Morrison unashamedly selects stories that inspired his own psychologically unhinged take on Batman, effectively putting these odd tales into a context that may or may not make them more palatable for more "purist" Batman fans. Maybe I'm just weird, but I did not need that context. Instead of embarrassing or just plain strange, I see these stories as a testament to the versatility of the Batman mythos. Morrison's after-the-fact framework is just icing on the cake.
On a side note: Fans of James Robinson's amazing Starman series, there is a story in here you must read!
On a side note: Fans of James Robinson's amazing Starman series, there is a story in here you must read!
January 21, 2021
Some of these stories did not age well, and most were downright weird. But I suppose weird was the point...
November 23, 2024
This comic is a collection of stories in Batman's history that inspired Grant's Morrison run of Batman, which I heard he references during his main run, so here I am, reading comics from like the 60s to not miss anything when I start with the real stuff.
SPOILERS:
The Knight and Squire
The Knight and the squire taking inspiration from Batman and Robin, it was kinda funny and a bit endearing to see them imitiate their idols, especially with those motorbike horses.
It was nice in ggeneral reading this very old comic which I believe is from the 50s and see the artstyle and the panel work, in addition to the dialogue. Comics have sure come a long way since then.
Batman and Wingman
Robin is being replaced by Wingman after he broke his leg when he was fighting crime, but not really since Wingman is not supposed to be a replacement, which Dick Grayson finds hard time believing due to miscommunication. Seeing Robin cry out of fear of being replaced was funny lol. The plot twists are also silly but I guess they fit in with the time period.
"Batman buys U.S.Bonds, do you?" <--- funny marketing for U.S.Bonds
The Batmans of other countries
Again a silly but yet wholesome story. There are other people from various countries like Italy, France, and Australia that are inspired by Batman and are trying to be like him and fight crime, and then Batman invites them all to America to train them. There is this twist, which seems to be a common them amongst these issues, but this one was kinda well done ngl.
Lightning Man
The plot twist in this one was obvious is all I gotta say. I also did not expect the other batmen to make an appearance, so it seems that they were pretty popular back in the day and not just a one time thing.
The first Batman
So Bruce wasn't the first Batman, his father Thomas was during shooting a movie or some stuff, but then he actually fought a crime and jailed the culprit for a decade. That culprit is Jar Moxon, who after getting out of jail after serving his 10 years, hired a guy named Joey Chill to kill Bruce's parents as revenge for his jailing, and make the crime disguises as a robbery. When Batsy finds out about this, he chases Moxon in a series of events and them BOOM, a car hits Moxon and he dies. I am not sure if this backstory has been retconnected in the modern Batman age but it probably was.
Rainbow Batman
This has to be the silliest issue I have ever read. Dick Grayson breaks his arm saving someone, thus becoming popular due to it being prodcast in the tv, so Batman decides to wear outrageously colored variations of his costume throughought the whole issue. Why? you may ask, to draw attention away from Robin so nobody makes the connection that he is Dick Grayson...
SPOILERS:
The Knight and Squire
The Knight and the squire taking inspiration from Batman and Robin, it was kinda funny and a bit endearing to see them imitiate their idols, especially with those motorbike horses.
It was nice in ggeneral reading this very old comic which I believe is from the 50s and see the artstyle and the panel work, in addition to the dialogue. Comics have sure come a long way since then.
Batman and Wingman
Robin is being replaced by Wingman after he broke his leg when he was fighting crime, but not really since Wingman is not supposed to be a replacement, which Dick Grayson finds hard time believing due to miscommunication. Seeing Robin cry out of fear of being replaced was funny lol. The plot twists are also silly but I guess they fit in with the time period.
"Batman buys U.S.Bonds, do you?" <--- funny marketing for U.S.Bonds
The Batmans of other countries
Again a silly but yet wholesome story. There are other people from various countries like Italy, France, and Australia that are inspired by Batman and are trying to be like him and fight crime, and then Batman invites them all to America to train them. There is this twist, which seems to be a common them amongst these issues, but this one was kinda well done ngl.
Lightning Man
The plot twist in this one was obvious is all I gotta say. I also did not expect the other batmen to make an appearance, so it seems that they were pretty popular back in the day and not just a one time thing.
The first Batman
So Bruce wasn't the first Batman, his father Thomas was during shooting a movie or some stuff, but then he actually fought a crime and jailed the culprit for a decade. That culprit is Jar Moxon, who after getting out of jail after serving his 10 years, hired a guy named Joey Chill to kill Bruce's parents as revenge for his jailing, and make the crime disguises as a robbery. When Batsy finds out about this, he chases Moxon in a series of events and them BOOM, a car hits Moxon and he dies. I am not sure if this backstory has been retconnected in the modern Batman age but it probably was.
Rainbow Batman
This has to be the silliest issue I have ever read. Dick Grayson breaks his arm saving someone, thus becoming popular due to it being prodcast in the tv, so Batman decides to wear outrageously colored variations of his costume throughought the whole issue. Why? you may ask, to draw attention away from Robin so nobody makes the connection that he is Dick Grayson...
April 30, 2021
I'm finally on my way to read Grant Morrison's run on Batman. So wish me luck.
As for the Black Casebook — that was my first foray into the Golden Age comic books. I don't know how representative of the era this collection is, but here are my observations nonetheless:
* Stories are short. Often not even a full single issue, just 10 pages.
* Batman & Robin mostly fight crooks not super villains.
* There is so much text on the panels. The narrator explains every move (why? just look at the pictures).
* These stories are actually close in style to Batman TV show with Adam West. So it was a good adaption of the character, it seems. It's ridiculous and naive, but I must admit that it's quite creative.
* Batman and Robin do seem to be at least a little bit gay :) Also, the volume includes a rainbow-colored monster and costume for Batman. Queer is good!
As for the Black Casebook — that was my first foray into the Golden Age comic books. I don't know how representative of the era this collection is, but here are my observations nonetheless:
* Stories are short. Often not even a full single issue, just 10 pages.
* Batman & Robin mostly fight crooks not super villains.
* There is so much text on the panels. The narrator explains every move (why? just look at the pictures).
* These stories are actually close in style to Batman TV show with Adam West. So it was a good adaption of the character, it seems. It's ridiculous and naive, but I must admit that it's quite creative.
* Batman and Robin do seem to be at least a little bit gay :) Also, the volume includes a rainbow-colored monster and costume for Batman. Queer is good!
April 26, 2024
Perfect Material to read before The Grant Morrison Batman run.This really elevated my exper while Reading the Run.
September 7, 2011
This was a lot of fun, Grant Morrison selected the Batman tales which provided the inspiration of his current run on the character, predominately from the 1950s, Sci-fi era of the character. I had read several of these tales including The First Batman!, the weirdly moving Robin Dies At Dawn!, and the very trippy Super Batman of Planet X! Most of the other tales have very challenging threats that are more cerebral than physical for Batman and Robin, and some could be seen as hallucinations, an idea that Morrison proposes. The art is nice by Sheldon Meldoff, and features so many of the classic over sized sets of this era (for example, Batman pummels some crooks on a giant turntable which is part of a hi-fi exhibition). Recommended for fans of classic comics and Batman tales that are on the weirder side.
August 20, 2014
This collection of odd Batman tales from the fifties through the early sixties really only exists to serve as a companion piece to the much-championed Grant Morrison run on Batman.
Without reading it through that prism, these strange one-off stories do not age well (to be fair, very little from their era in general has aged gracefully).
There are a couple of standouts among the dozen stories. The First Batman (from Detective Comics #236) has some fun playing around with the well-known Batman origin and suggesting that there was more to that mugging in Crime Alley than met the eye. Also, Am I Really Batman (from Batman #112), introduces the paranoia that would come to play in Morrison's RIP.
Without reading it through that prism, these strange one-off stories do not age well (to be fair, very little from their era in general has aged gracefully).
There are a couple of standouts among the dozen stories. The First Batman (from Detective Comics #236) has some fun playing around with the well-known Batman origin and suggesting that there was more to that mugging in Crime Alley than met the eye. Also, Am I Really Batman (from Batman #112), introduces the paranoia that would come to play in Morrison's RIP.
March 17, 2013
If I had read these stories individually, I would have wondered what the heck they were trying to do with the Batman character.
Instead, they're given a good intro and tied together as the back story for Morrison's time writing Batman. As such, these are an interesting lead-in that develop the character in a way you're not expecting.
Instead, they're given a good intro and tied together as the back story for Morrison's time writing Batman. As such, these are an interesting lead-in that develop the character in a way you're not expecting.
January 5, 2012
A ridiculously delightful romp through 50s era Batman stories; features my favorite version of the Bat Plane. This volume simply and succinctly illustrates that, with creativity and intelligence, the baby of continuity need not be thrown out with the "bat" water.
July 31, 2014
Highlights some of the more absurd Batman adventures that were incorporated in Morrison's Batman RIP. It's a fun look back at a time when comics were aimed at kids and didn't require much plausibility.
March 16, 2019
If you're a sucker for Silver Age comics and can get it for a cheap price, get it. Robin Dies at Dawn and The Batman from Planet X are hands down one of the best caped crusader's stories ever. If you gaze long enough into the abyss the abyss will gaze into you.
July 29, 2012
Terrible for a read on its own, but incredibly entertaining when reading Morrison's Batman. Really fun to see Grant Morrison make use of these cheesy tales in a darker way.
October 5, 2013
A cheap excuse to put Grant Morrison's name on the cover in big letters, but I love old comics.
May 14, 2024
Batman:The Black Casebook is a collection of Batman tales that inspired and served as a foundation for writer Grant Morrison's controversial R.I.P. epic. Derived from apparently the most reviled era in Batman history, the 1950s to early 1960s, these stories nonetheless are charmers that will appeal to young fans of Cartoon Network's Batman: Brave & the Bold.
Discerning adults will also find some treasures here, particularly the oft-reprinted (and understandably so) Robin Dies at Dawn, in which Batman faces his greatest fear, and Am I Really Batman? in which the Caped Crusader awakens in an asylum and questions his sanity. I wish DC would dip more into this well for such treats.
Most of all, Black Casebook represents a side to Batman many people mostly associate with the campy Batman TV series of the 1960s. Covering a variety of comics from the '50s and early '60s, the tales here cover international crime fighters inspired by Batman, alien worlds (including one where Batman has Superman-like powers, and strange creatures (including a Rainbow Creature, which is a little funny considering the often-feared subtext of Batman and Robin). Black Casebook is another chance to appreciate the genius of writer Bill Finger, who penned most of these tales and whose imagination seemed limitless.
As someone who has not read Morrison's run, I cannot attest to how much these stories relate to Morrison's run on the character. These stories are bizarre, but also often down-right silly. Modern readers may have a hard time with the logical leaps and plot developments that make little to no sense. Several of these stories have great ideas, such as psychological threats that threaten Batman's sanity, but most stories contained herein don't age well. For example, one story has Batman facing evidence that he may not actually be Batman or even Bruce Wayne, but someone with mental delusions, and the explanation of events comes from left-field and feels like a hasty justification to allow the writer to go ahead with the story.
However, those who enjoy the campier, sillier side of Batman will enjoy this book thoroughly. Batman's creator wrote several of the better stories in The Black Casebook, and his stories tend to expand on the mythology of Batman or give some interesting new psychology to Batman, rather than beating up the typical villain (Batman's recurring villains are absent here). For those who are reading this book to gain better insight into Morrison's run, it is harder to recommend. Enjoyment of The Black Casebook depends on how much someone enjoys the sillier comic book stories of yesteryear. If you're reading this to prepare for Morrison's Batman comics, it may be easier to read an article online.
Discerning adults will also find some treasures here, particularly the oft-reprinted (and understandably so) Robin Dies at Dawn, in which Batman faces his greatest fear, and Am I Really Batman? in which the Caped Crusader awakens in an asylum and questions his sanity. I wish DC would dip more into this well for such treats.
Most of all, Black Casebook represents a side to Batman many people mostly associate with the campy Batman TV series of the 1960s. Covering a variety of comics from the '50s and early '60s, the tales here cover international crime fighters inspired by Batman, alien worlds (including one where Batman has Superman-like powers, and strange creatures (including a Rainbow Creature, which is a little funny considering the often-feared subtext of Batman and Robin). Black Casebook is another chance to appreciate the genius of writer Bill Finger, who penned most of these tales and whose imagination seemed limitless.
As someone who has not read Morrison's run, I cannot attest to how much these stories relate to Morrison's run on the character. These stories are bizarre, but also often down-right silly. Modern readers may have a hard time with the logical leaps and plot developments that make little to no sense. Several of these stories have great ideas, such as psychological threats that threaten Batman's sanity, but most stories contained herein don't age well. For example, one story has Batman facing evidence that he may not actually be Batman or even Bruce Wayne, but someone with mental delusions, and the explanation of events comes from left-field and feels like a hasty justification to allow the writer to go ahead with the story.
However, those who enjoy the campier, sillier side of Batman will enjoy this book thoroughly. Batman's creator wrote several of the better stories in The Black Casebook, and his stories tend to expand on the mythology of Batman or give some interesting new psychology to Batman, rather than beating up the typical villain (Batman's recurring villains are absent here). For those who are reading this book to gain better insight into Morrison's run, it is harder to recommend. Enjoyment of The Black Casebook depends on how much someone enjoys the sillier comic book stories of yesteryear. If you're reading this to prepare for Morrison's Batman comics, it may be easier to read an article online.
February 22, 2017
Batman: The Black Casebook represents a side to Batman many people mostly associate with the campy Batman TV series of the 1960s. Covering a variety of comics from the '50s and early '60s, the tales here cover international crime fighters inspired by Batman, alien worlds (including one where Batman has Superman-like powers, and strange creatures (including a Rainbow Creature, which is a little funny considering the often-feared subtext of Batman and Robin). The stories collected here also serve a specific purpose: Grant Morrison, a writer on Batman titles who had a critically acclaimed run in the late 2000s, brought concepts from this much-maligned "sci-fi" era of Batman into the life of the modern Batman. Morrison collects several stories here that directly or spiritually connect to the ideas in his Batman run.
As someone who has not read Morrison's run, I cannot attest to how much these stories relate to Morrison's run on the character. However, some famous stories (such as "The First Batman" and "Robin Dies at Dawn") are contained in here, giving a good idea of the stranger side of comics in the '50s and '60s. These stories are bizarre, but also often down-right silly. Modern readers may have a hard time with the logical leaps and plot developments that make little to no sense. Several of these stories have great ideas, such as psychological threats that threaten Batman's sanity, but most stories contained here-in don't age well. For example, one story has Batman facing evidence that he may not actually be Batman or even Bruce Wayne, but more someone with mental delusions, but the explanation of events comes from left-field and feels like a hasty justification to allow the writer to go ahead with the story.
However, those who enjoy the campier, sillier side of Batman will enjoy this book thoroughly. Batman's creator wrote several of the better stories in The Black Casebook, and his stories tend to expand on the mythology of Batman or give some interesting new psychology to Batman, rather than beating up the typical villain (Batman's recurring villains are absent here). For those who are reading this book to gain better insight into Morrison's run, it is harder to recommend. Enjoyment of The Black Casebook depends on how much someone enjoys the sillier comic book stories of yesteryear. If you're reading this to prepare for Morrison's Batman comics, it may be easier to read an article online online (such as here).
As someone who has not read Morrison's run, I cannot attest to how much these stories relate to Morrison's run on the character. However, some famous stories (such as "The First Batman" and "Robin Dies at Dawn") are contained in here, giving a good idea of the stranger side of comics in the '50s and '60s. These stories are bizarre, but also often down-right silly. Modern readers may have a hard time with the logical leaps and plot developments that make little to no sense. Several of these stories have great ideas, such as psychological threats that threaten Batman's sanity, but most stories contained here-in don't age well. For example, one story has Batman facing evidence that he may not actually be Batman or even Bruce Wayne, but more someone with mental delusions, but the explanation of events comes from left-field and feels like a hasty justification to allow the writer to go ahead with the story.
However, those who enjoy the campier, sillier side of Batman will enjoy this book thoroughly. Batman's creator wrote several of the better stories in The Black Casebook, and his stories tend to expand on the mythology of Batman or give some interesting new psychology to Batman, rather than beating up the typical villain (Batman's recurring villains are absent here). For those who are reading this book to gain better insight into Morrison's run, it is harder to recommend. Enjoyment of The Black Casebook depends on how much someone enjoys the sillier comic book stories of yesteryear. If you're reading this to prepare for Morrison's Batman comics, it may be easier to read an article online online (such as here).
March 26, 2022
Batman: The Black Casebook, contains several memorable Batman stories from the golden age. This was a time when Batman was the Caped Crusader, and with Robin were the dynamic duo. The Dark brooding Miller Batman would not happen until 1986. So this was the period, where writers completely embraced the camp, with interdimensional aliens, supernatural phenomenon, campy cartoonish villains, and a healthy dose of Holy Shark Repellent Bat spray Batman!
As someone who was immersed in the character and lore, through works such a Bob s Knight fall, Cataclysm, Venom and 'The Dark Knight Returns', the OG tone as penned by Bob Kane & Bill Finger took some getting used to.
There are a litany of stories from the golden age, featuring some classics such as the first appearance of 'Batmite', and the infamous 'Rainbow Batman'. But also, perhaps as a product of the age, characters are a lot cartoonish, often times devolve to racial caricatures & cliques, and there is several undertones of casual racism and sexism. Also, several unintentionally homoerotic underpinnings of the relationship between the dynamic duo. For Zod's sake, one chapter is about Robin obsessing and heartbroken about Batman replacing him with 'another man'. Hilarious stuff. The stories and plots are also simple, often light hearted. Don't come if you're expecting any of the gothic exploration of the human condition, like the modern versions.
But the collection is a good starting point for those who wish to explore the origins of one of the most iconic characters in comic book history, as well as media in general.
The Stories listed in the anthology:
> The British Batman
> A Partner for Batman
> The Batmen of all nations
> The Club of Heroes
> The First Batman
> The Rainbow Batman
> Am I really Batman?
> Batman: The Superman of Planet X
> Batman meets: Batmite
> The Rainbow creature
> Prisoners of three worlds (Three parts)
> The Secret of Ant man
> Robin Dies at dawn (Two Parts)
> DC Comics 52: Snippets from the ongoing Batman title.
As someone who was immersed in the character and lore, through works such a Bob s Knight fall, Cataclysm, Venom and 'The Dark Knight Returns', the OG tone as penned by Bob Kane & Bill Finger took some getting used to.
There are a litany of stories from the golden age, featuring some classics such as the first appearance of 'Batmite', and the infamous 'Rainbow Batman'. But also, perhaps as a product of the age, characters are a lot cartoonish, often times devolve to racial caricatures & cliques, and there is several undertones of casual racism and sexism. Also, several unintentionally homoerotic underpinnings of the relationship between the dynamic duo. For Zod's sake, one chapter is about Robin obsessing and heartbroken about Batman replacing him with 'another man'. Hilarious stuff. The stories and plots are also simple, often light hearted. Don't come if you're expecting any of the gothic exploration of the human condition, like the modern versions.
But the collection is a good starting point for those who wish to explore the origins of one of the most iconic characters in comic book history, as well as media in general.
The Stories listed in the anthology:
> The British Batman
> A Partner for Batman
> The Batmen of all nations
> The Club of Heroes
> The First Batman
> The Rainbow Batman
> Am I really Batman?
> Batman: The Superman of Planet X
> Batman meets: Batmite
> The Rainbow creature
> Prisoners of three worlds (Three parts)
> The Secret of Ant man
> Robin Dies at dawn (Two Parts)
> DC Comics 52: Snippets from the ongoing Batman title.
January 14, 2024
I decided to go back and actually read through Grant Morrison's Batman run, which I had started in high school and got sidetracked before finishing, but first I wanted to actually read the collection DC Comics put out collecting some of the comics that inspired Grant Morrison's Batman work.
Stylistically these comics are much different than the way comics are written now, but you can see what Morrison saw in each of these stories. Not just the weird and wild tone, but there's what could be called unfettered imagination.
Obviously, these comics were written and drawn under stiff deadlines by people who were frequently working on 3 or 4 different comics each month, so the stories are short, easily digestible, and not too complicated. But these stories aren't weighed down by concepts of what Batman should be. They take Batman and they show just how far you can stretch the concept, either by putting him in a situation bordering the cosmic, or by bringing the alien and bizarre down to the mundane.
It's a pretty fun collection, and I would definitely read it if you're getting into Grant Morrison's Batman run and don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the era, as several ideas (The Club of Heroes, Zur-En-Arrh, Batwoman, etc.) are important to understanding Morrison's run, but also there are several specific moments and scenes recreated or referenced on some level and it will help you catch those.
4 out of 10 or so.
Stylistically these comics are much different than the way comics are written now, but you can see what Morrison saw in each of these stories. Not just the weird and wild tone, but there's what could be called unfettered imagination.
Obviously, these comics were written and drawn under stiff deadlines by people who were frequently working on 3 or 4 different comics each month, so the stories are short, easily digestible, and not too complicated. But these stories aren't weighed down by concepts of what Batman should be. They take Batman and they show just how far you can stretch the concept, either by putting him in a situation bordering the cosmic, or by bringing the alien and bizarre down to the mundane.
It's a pretty fun collection, and I would definitely read it if you're getting into Grant Morrison's Batman run and don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the era, as several ideas (The Club of Heroes, Zur-En-Arrh, Batwoman, etc.) are important to understanding Morrison's run, but also there are several specific moments and scenes recreated or referenced on some level and it will help you catch those.
4 out of 10 or so.
September 5, 2024
I don’t know how to rate this. I enjoyed it. It’s goofy. It's wacko. It's bizarre. What's it's not is grounded or “dark”. It’s Batman in the 1950’s. It’s not good. It is fun though.
Grant Morrison’s Introduction is really good. You could probably just read that and get all the context you need for Batman: R.I.P., but to be honest, you don’t actually need that context to enjoy Grant’s run. It’s cool that you can check it out if you want.
I was under the impression that Detective Comics #241 was in this collection, but sadly it's not. It is apparently included in Batman in the Fifties though. I may check that one out at some point. Super low level of urgency on that though.
One part context; one part novelty read.
Grant Morrison’s Introduction is really good. You could probably just read that and get all the context you need for Batman: R.I.P., but to be honest, you don’t actually need that context to enjoy Grant’s run. It’s cool that you can check it out if you want.
I was under the impression that Detective Comics #241 was in this collection, but sadly it's not. It is apparently included in Batman in the Fifties though. I may check that one out at some point. Super low level of urgency on that though.
One part context; one part novelty read.
February 14, 2018
Relive the stories that inspired Grant Morrison's Batman: R.I.P.
This collection of Batman tales are from the much maligned period of the mid-1950s to early 1960s when Batman went sci-fi. Battling robots, aliens, and mad scientists, those episodes kinda went against the core essence of the Caped Crusader.
Fans mostly hate that era. I for one am okay with it as a whole. My biggest complaint is that several of these stories cheat by using elements that weren't there but suddenly are now for Batman to solve the big mystery. Poor editing, rush jobs, or the writers praying that the readers were too stupid to know any better??? Your guess is as good as mine.
There's a few classics in here such as 1964's 'Robin Dies At Dawn.' Plus the first appearance of one of my all-time favorite mischief makers, Bat-Mite, occurs within the adventures contained in The Black Casebook.
Featuring a foreword from the mastermind of Batman: R.I.P., I don't recommend that you skip it. It provided me with some much sought after answers to lingering questions I had after completing R.I.P. However, Grant Morrison tends to give away the plot to some of these classic stories. So, It might not be a bad idea to wait until afterwards to read Morrison's essay.
This collection of Batman tales are from the much maligned period of the mid-1950s to early 1960s when Batman went sci-fi. Battling robots, aliens, and mad scientists, those episodes kinda went against the core essence of the Caped Crusader.
Fans mostly hate that era. I for one am okay with it as a whole. My biggest complaint is that several of these stories cheat by using elements that weren't there but suddenly are now for Batman to solve the big mystery. Poor editing, rush jobs, or the writers praying that the readers were too stupid to know any better??? Your guess is as good as mine.
There's a few classics in here such as 1964's 'Robin Dies At Dawn.' Plus the first appearance of one of my all-time favorite mischief makers, Bat-Mite, occurs within the adventures contained in The Black Casebook.
Featuring a foreword from the mastermind of Batman: R.I.P., I don't recommend that you skip it. It provided me with some much sought after answers to lingering questions I had after completing R.I.P. However, Grant Morrison tends to give away the plot to some of these classic stories. So, It might not be a bad idea to wait until afterwards to read Morrison's essay.
August 12, 2018
This was a fascinatingly strange collection of Batman stories that, for the most part, went far outside of the realism that Batman is supposed to maintain. I can see why, as stated in Grant Morrison's introduction, that many hardcore Bat-fans like to pretend that these stories don't exist... but they do, and, let's be honest, they can be an awful lot of nostalgic fun. I have to give Morrison props as to how he managed to incorporate these zany tales into Batman canon. (Even if some of Morrison's stories were a little strange, they still actually kind of worked in a very weird way.) I wish I would have known about this collection before reading "The Black Glove" and "Batman: R.I.P.," as those stories would have made a lot more sense if I'd known more about the material from which Morrison was drawing. But c'est la vie. This was still a lot of fun to read, and actually enhanced my appreciation of those aforementioned Morrison titles. Also... Robin played a significant role in these stories, which for me, is always an added bonus.
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