posted February 12, 2003 12:28 PM            

Includes a nice intro by Mark Waid where he draws forth some interesting tidbits from Julie Schwartz. One fact that I was not aware of - the Batman issue was done first, and Julie was not satisfied with the artwork, prompting him to bring in Infantino for every other Detective issue.

Another nice touch - they included the first 2 Batman's Hot Line columns from 'Tec 327 and 328 - one by Julie Schwartz explaining the change-over, the other by Bob Kane.

posted February 12, 2003 12:47 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Osgood Peabody:
Another nice touch - they included the first 2 Batman's Hot Line columns from 'Tec 327 and 328 - one by Julie Schwartz explaining the change-over, the other by Bob Kane.

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posted February 16, 2003 01:54 PM            

I don't remember reading the first "New Look" stories - I vaguely recall their being reprinted before, but it must've been long ago for me (I didn't pick up the recent Millenium Edition 'Tec 327).

I was expecting more of a fanfare with Batman's costume change - after all, they were so diligent about coordinating this across the books at the time. In fact, according to the DC index, the costume change was first shown inside World's Finest 141, which was actually released prior to Detective 327.

But nary a passing comment or explanation is offered! Not even a "Hey, Bruce, dig the new emblem" from Dick! That's about as low-key as you can get.

posted February 17, 2003 05:03 PM            

What if Batman 156, June 1963 was the last issue of that series? In this story Robin really does die at dawn.

Over in Detective, Martian Manhunter gets promoted to the lead position, backed up by other space detectives--Star Hawkins, Space Ranger...

Batman continues on (much like Green Arrow and Aquaman) in the Justice League, while he becomes increasingly a part of the Superman universe in World's Finest Comics.

Bitten by a Kryptonite radiated bat, Batman develops powers of night vision, flight, and telepathic communication with bats. But Batman's position as Superman's main partner is eventually usurped by Aquaman (star of his own live-action and cartoon shows).

posted February 17, 2003 09:25 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by NecessaryImpurity:
About a year ago, I posted the topic "It's 1964 and you are Julie Schwartz..." which supposed that DC had decided to rethink the decision to let Julie revamp Batman. Instead, he was to continue to update old Golden Age characters. There were some interesting responses and ideas.

But it never occurred to me to ask the follow-up: what happened to Batman without Julie's efforts? An interesting question. I'll have to give that some thought.

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hmmmmmm
Let's see..

Scenario 1:
Jack Shiff is told that the character has to be shaken up significantly, so he turns the Bat-books over to Murray Boltinoff, who looks for an artist in the Shiff/Boltinoff/Kashdan stable who's both a consummate professional and very different from the Moldoff-doing-Kane style that's been in use.
The possibilities I see who could have done a credible job on Batman include Lee Elias, Mort Meskin, Bob Brown, and Dick Dillin/Chuck Cuidera.
An outside possibility (and the best) would have been Alex Toth, who was indeed doing some work for DC around that time.

Scenario 2: Batman is bumped into Robert Kanigher's domain, and he gets Joe Kubert to take on the art. Further, the assignment interest Kanigher enough that he starts writing stories that break away from the formula-laden stuff he's been doing for years, and turns Batman into a real detective. Julie Schwartz is prevailed upon to take over Wonder Woman.

posted February 22, 2003 06:41 PM               

We already had an Earth 1 for the Silver Age Batman and an Earth 2 for the golden Age, so I proposed that we needed an Earth 3 for the new Age.

Interestingly, Alan Brennert later wrote a great story about how the whole Batman cycle was indeed about to start again on a different Eath, and the Phantom Stranger sends our Batman there to prevent the slaying of Thomas & Martha Wayne.

Anyway, iin my peoposed revamp, Batman would wear the costume with just the bat emblem for a few issues while he was being established as an aid to the police and eventually an ally of Commissioner Gordon. Then when he became the quasi-official deputized agent of the law, Gordon installed the Bat-Signal and as a symbol of Batman's new status, he started wearing the yellow oval around the bat that echoed the bat-Signal.

posted February 22, 2003 08:41 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Dude:

Anyway, in my peoposed revamp, Batman would wear the costume with just the bat emblem for a few issues while he was being established as an aid to the police and eventually an ally of Commissioner Gordon. Then when he became the quasi-official deputized agent of the law, Gordon installed the Bat-Signal and as a symbol of Batman's new status, he started wearing the yellow oval around the bat that echoed the bat-Signal.

Sigh! I still like the idea.

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You know, this was sort of the explanation I was anticipating when I read the first "New Look" stories. I do recall a story later on that dealt retrospectively with the change in emblem a couple of years later, but I'm not sure if even then it was fully explained.

I'm about halfway through this volume, and have found these stories to be a lot of fun. The only misstep so far is Fox's first effort - the Man who Quit the Human Race, which read to me more like one of his Strange Adventure pieces than a Batman story. Perhaps he was still feeling his way after a long absence from the character.

posted February 25, 2003 12:18 AM               

Man, I'm nine years old again!

A good half of these stories I've never seen before, so this volume is a real treat...

posted February 25, 2003 06:41 AM            

Jess

posted February 25, 2003 08:20 AM               

I was also going to comment on the lack of major villains in this archive, with only the Joker appearing. That makes 2 Batman archives in a row (Batman in WF, and this archive), each of which only included one story featuring a major villain.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the book, and look forward to more soon!

posted February 25, 2003 09:20 AM            

Leave it to E. Nelson Bridwell to have the last word on this "romance" in Batman Giant #208, featuring the women in Batman's life - he states that “Pat met Bruce at last, face to face...but no great romance developed!”

posted February 25, 2003 08:44 PM            

Myself I never cared for these stories much--and the major holes in my "New Look" run (about fourteen issues in all, over the two titles, not counting a few Giants) consist mostly of Joker, Penguin, or Riddler issues.

posted February 28, 2003 03:50 PM            

Ralph doesn't even show up until the last half of the story, and without giving away too much, has a rather limited role that doesn't particularly showcase his sleuthing abilities. It doesn't help that the menace is a rather far-fetched one even by John Broome's standards, having to do with transplanting people's faces to impersonate them (???).

posted March 02, 2003 10:07 PM            

What was most illuminating to me, was that although the Infantino stories, particularly "Castle" and "Elephant's Graveyard" are visually compelling, most of the Moldoff material holds its own. In particular, I enjoyed the 2 Powell tales, and the "Zero Hour" story written by Bill Finger was a lot of fun, with B&R zipping around the globe, but using the finest of details - an alarm clock, or a bit of wax to break the case (although the bit about the exotic dancer tipping off Batman using semaphore was the most unintentionally hilarious bit I've read in a long while!).

I'm also coming around on the consolidation of titles. A volume of Detective only, while giving us more of Infantino, would have presented an incomplete picture of the "New Look" - warts and all. I'm going have to rethink my position on the Weisinger Superman/Action scenario after all.

In conclusion, a look ahead to what awaits us in the next volume:

Dynamic Duo Archives Volume 2 (208 pages of content)
Batman No. 168
December 1964
“The Fight That Jolted Gotham City” (12 pages) + cover
Herron/Moldoff/Giella
“How To Solve a Perfect Crime--In Reverse” (12 pages) [2nd Mystery Analysts story]
Herron/Moldoff/Giella

Detective Comics No. 334
December 1964
“The Man Who Stole From Batman” (15 pages) + cover [1st mention of Outsider]
?/Moldoff/Giella

Detective Comics No. 335
January 1965
“Trail of the Talking Mask” (15 pages) + cover
Fox/Infantino/Giella

Batman No. 169
February 1965
“Partners In Plunder” (14 pages) + cover [vs. Penguin; later adapted for a TV episode]
Herron/Moldoff/Giella
“A Bad Day For Batman” (10 pages)
Herron/Moldoff/Greene

Detective Comics No. 336
February 1965
“Batman’s Bewitched Nightmare” (15 pages) + cover [vs. the Outsider; the Witch in this story is later retrofitted to be Zatanna in JLA #51]
Fox/Moldoff/Giella

Batman No. 170
March 1965
“Genius of the Getaway Gimmicks” (13 pages) + cover [1st appearance of the Getaway Genius]
Fox/Moldoff/Giella
“The Puzzle of the Perilous Prizes” (12 pages)
Finger/Moldoff/Giella

Detective Comics No. 337
March 1965
“Deep-Freeze Menace” (15 pages) + cover [no – it’s not Mr. Freeze!]
?/Infantino/Giella

Detective Comics No. 338
April 1965
“Batman’s Power-Packed Punch” (15 pages) + cover
Fox/Moldoff/Giella

Batman No. 171
May 1965
“Remarkable Ruse of the Riddler” (25 pages) + cover [1st Riddler appearance since 1948; reputed to be the inspiration for TV show producer Bill Dozier; adapted for the show’s first episode]
Fox/Moldoff/Giella