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Cover: Howard Chaykin and Frank Miller
Writer: Elliot S Maggin
Artist: Joe Orlando, Terry Austin, Al Williamson, Berni Wrightson, Jim Steranko, Leonard Stark, Walter Simonson, Bill Sienkiewicz, Marshall Rogers, Jerry Robinson, Wendy Pini, Moebius, Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, Michael W. Kaluta, Klaus Janson, Mike Grell, Will Eisner, Steve Ditko, Jack Davis, John Byrne, Brian Bolland.
This book has eluded me for over three decades. When I was in second grade, a friend of mine had it and would not part for it for anything, despite not being into comics. That mother fucker! Joke's on you now, bastard!
Anyway, this is the 45th anniversary of Superman #1 and an exploration of what Superman means to people in 4-8 page stories.
I've waited decades to read this undisturbed and honestly it's kind of a dud compared to Batman 400. Also, why the hell didn't they have Curt Swan at least do a pinup?
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Batman #400
Cover: Bill Sienkiewicz
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Steve Lightle, George Pérez, Paris Cullins, Bill Sienkiewicz, Art Adams, Tom Sutton, Steve Leialoha, Joe Kubert, Ken Steacy, Rick Leonardi, Brian Bolland, John Byrne, Bruce D. Patterson, Larry Mahlstedt, Terry Austin, Ricardo Villagran, Karl Kesel
Arkham Asylum is blown wide open and Batman's greatest foes go free with one common goal: Destroy Batman!
The Joker, Clayface, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Doctor Double X, Catman, Night Slayer, Calendar Man, and hordes of others are freed by a mysterious benefactor. A large number opts to leave and Joker bands the rest together. Meanwhile, someone has tipped Batman off that something big is happening and he's spending his crime-fighting anniversary in the Batcave trying to figure out what is going on.
The Villains strike at Batman's allies and friends, like Julia Pennyworth, Vicki Vale, and Harvey Fucking Bullock. Ra's Al Ghul confronts Batman in the Batcave and tells him he is both the mastermind and the one that tipped Batman off. Ra's offers Batman a deal: He'll kill all of Batman's enemies if the Batman will agree to help him reshape the world.
Naturally, Batman refuses and he and Robin go looking for the Riddler. Killer Croc naps Alfred while the dynamic duo take on The Riddler, The Scarecrow, Black Spider, Poison Ivy, and Catman. Meanwhile, Joker, Deadshot, The Mad Hatter, and others storm the police station. Joker and Penguin force Commissioner Gordon to call Batman on the hotline! Joker challenges Batman to rescue Gordon and the cops or one of them dies every hour. Batman is despairing until a pep talk from Talia, Ra's Al Ghul's daughter.
Catwoman tries to rescue Harvey Bullock and the other hostages from Poison Ivy but is taken down by the Scarecrow and The Riddler. Batman picks up Poison Ivy's trail and rescues Catwoman and the hostages. The Bat and the Cat take on Croc, Poison Ivy, and the Riddler.
Robin and Talia join Batman and Catwoman in storming police headquarters. A lot of bad guys get there asses kicked and the Joker gives up Ra's Al Ghul's location. Batman arrives just in time to battle Ra's as he emerges from the Lazarus Pit in his tighty whities. After taking a beating, Batman backdrops Ra's back into the Lazarus Pit. The headquarters collapses, definitely killing Ra's Al Ghul.
This story had a very "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" vibe to it, with Batman and his allies taking on damn near every enemy he had at the time, orchestrated by Ra's Al Ghul. While it wasn't publicized as such, it was the last tale featuring the silver/bronze age Batman as he was at the time. Come Batman 401, a lot of stuff changed. Batman didn't get the Man of Steel revamp but things were definitely retooled. I forgot about Jason Todd's pre-Crisis origin and his parents' deaths at the hands of Killer Croc, for instance.
A different art team tackled each chapter and it seemed like they grabbed everyone except my two favorite Bat-artists of the era, Marshall Rogers and Jim Aparo. While the story wasn't all that intricate, it was a very good sendoff for the pre-Crisis Batman and his allies. They took a serious ass kicking and won in the end. Batman mentions it feeling like the beginning, which is fitting considering what comes later. Great stuff, although it could have used Jim Aparo.
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Cover: Jim Aparo, Tatjana Wood, Gaspar Saladino
Writer: Bob Haney, Cary Burkett
Artist: Jim Aparo
The most beloved broadcaster in America is a drug kingpin. Batman and the Creeper, after a misunderstanding, team up to take him down.
They have Walcott in the clink by page 13, only to have his lawyer bust him out with something called the Vertigo Effect. Batman and the Creeper regroup and bring Walcott to justice.
I've come to realize that Jim Aparo is my Batman artist of choice and that's because of his tenure on The Brave and the Bold. His Dark Knight is the one I always picture in my head. Aparo's use of perspective is pretty great. I also liked his depiction of The Creeper.
The writing is pretty par for the course for 1978. Awesome things about this issue: Batman uses a pay phone to call The Creeper. There is copious use of '70s slang. The Creeper actually doesn't come off as a second banana to Batman, more as an equal, far from the Bat-God of today's comics.
I went ahead and skipped the Human Target backup feature since it's only 8 pages and I don't have any of the other issues in the storyline. I'm sure it was at least average, though, with Dick Giordano and Len Wein at the helm.
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The Brave and the Bold #173
Cover: Jim Aparo, Tatjana Wood
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Jim Aparo
Batman teams up with one of the Guardians of the Universe to ferret out an impostor among the Guardians and figure out why the Green Lantern Corps hasn't answered his summons. First, however, Batman and the Guardian team up to catch some jewel smugglers.
Turns out Hal has been brainwashed by Sinestro. Thanks to some Bat-hypnotism and the power of the Guardian of the Universe, Hal is restored and the three of them head to Maltus to get ready to settle things with Sinestro.
Jim Aparo's art is the star attraction here, as with the last issue of The Brave and the Bold I read. However, I do like Gerry Conway's portrayal of the Guardian. In most of their appearances, they remind me of the Watcher in that they just talk and don't do a whole lot. This one actually showed some personality.
I'm glad I grabbed the next issue, even if it wasn't the Batman/Green Lantern team-up I thought it was. I'm passing on the Nemesis backup.
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Cover: Jim Aparo, Tatjana Wood
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Jim Aparo
Batman, Green Lantern, and the Guardian of the Universe from last issue head to Maltus to enlist the aid of Old Timer, a Guardian who was forced to relinquish his immortality to ferret out Sinestro, who is posing as one of the Guardians.
After a battle with a power battery construct, Old Timer deduces which Guardian is Sinestro and a battle ensues. Hal rallies the troops and the assembled Green Lantern Corp take on Sinestro.
Jim Aparo continues to kick ass on the art. I think this two-parter would have been at least six issues in the modern age of "decompression."
It was cool seeing the Guardians of the Universe actually do something for once. Also, the assembled Corp in action was a treat since it rarely happened back in the day, not like today with three Green Lantern titles every month.
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The Brave and the Bold #187
Cover: Jim Aparo, Anthony Tollin
Writer: Charlie Boatner
Artist: Jim Aparo
The Metal Men come to Gotham looking for Tin, who has been missing, which leads to Batman looking for the mysterious seventh Metal Man that no one seems to remember.
Someone keeps taking out Metal Men one at a time and all signs point to Nameless, the missing Metal Man. The Gas Gang attacks and leaves the Metal Men laying. Soon, Batman is on his own.
It turns out Platinum Man, with the Missile Men, is behind the attacks, and Nameless herself is the mastermind. Nameless and Tin marry just in time for Nameless to sacrifice herself to save the team.
I owned this as a kid but it did not survive the passage of time. It was also a weird read for a kid. Of the four issues of The Brave and the Bold in my haul, this was my least favorite. It was a still a decent story though. It makes me want to read more Metal Men. Jim Aparo worked his magic once again. I'm amazed at his versatility.
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Of the six comics I bought, I'm going with Batman #400 as my favorite. However, I tend to grab more issues of The Brave and the Bold so maybe Jim Aparo worked his magic in ways I wasn't anticipating.
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