This was the latest issue of DETECTIVE COMICS that I wound up with in my 1988 Windfall Comics purchase, where I bought a box of close to 150 Silver Age comic books for $50.00. And it represents a bit of a quantum leap forward from the earliest one that was in that purchase, the strongest … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #349
By 1965, DETECTIVE COMICS had become something of a schizophrenic title. Editor Julie Schwartz's revamp of Batman had taken hold and increased sales, saving the series from possible termination. Yet, he was still limited by DC/National's deal with Batman's creator Bob Kane. Kane was to be provided a certain amount of work on the series … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #343
It's been well covered over the years that in 1964, with sales flagging thanks to editor Jack Schiff clinging to an outdated approach to the character as the Silver Age blossomed, the reins of the Caped Crusader's two titles were handed over to editor Julie Schwartz, in the hopes that Schwartz, who'd had a lot … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #329
It's an argument that comes up every couple of months like clockwork, especially when some new film or television project is announced. There are always those that espouse that Batman, in order to be treated realistically, should carry and use a gun. And these people inevitably point to the character's earliest days as justification, talking … Continue reading When Batman Used A Gun
This was, it turned out, the final issue of BATMAN FAMILY in its current form. Shortly after this, the DC Implosion would happen, slashing the size of the DC line dramatically and costing a number of people--including this issue's editor Al Milgrom--their jobs. On the chopping block at that moment was DETECTIVE COMICS, as it … Continue reading BHOC: BATMAN FAMILY #20
This was a noteworthy issue of DETECTIVE COMICS, though not for especially good reasons. Because this was the final issue to be edited by Jack Schiff before the Batman titles were moved over into Julie Schwartz's editorial stable in an attempt to buoy their sinking sales. And one glance at this cover tells you precisely … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #326
This is a relatively effective cover for an issue of DETECTIVE COMICS in this period, even given that the series tended to look a bit antiquated when placed on the comic racks next to the other contemporary DC titles. That use of the close-up of the Robot Brain with Batman and Robin trapped inside it … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #324
Not every comic book that I got as a part of my Windfall Comics purchase in 1988 became a beloved favorite. Some of them, such as this issue of DETECTIVE COMICS, I barely remember at all. In fact, if it wasn't on a list of books compiled when that purchase was made, I would swear … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #322
Dr. Jerry Bails was truly the forefather of organized comic book fandom in the early 1960s. As a full-grown adult, his interest in comic books and comics history brought some respectability to the medium, and his status as a grown-up allowed him to interact with the creators and editors of the comics as a peer … Continue reading The 1964 Alley Award Winners
Among the books that I acquired as part of my Windfall Comics purchase, there were a number of issues of DETECTIVE COMICS. Which stands to reason--the title was one of the very few books to continue to be published uninterrupted from the Golden Age all the way through to the Silver, thanks to the abiding … Continue reading WC: DETECTIVE COMICS #319
The Tom Brevoort Experience 